From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 2 00:19:14 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 2 00:19:30 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Endurance Message-ID: <43CB542C-7FF3-4B44-8639-F43524FFC4B5@clanwebb.com> You've probably heard many times how your walk with Christ is like running a race. You've also probably heard how that race is not a sprint, it's a marathon. I've heard that enough now that it's beginning to lose meaning for me. I'm not a runner so I have a hard time identifying with the perils of a marathon. It seems like a long race, but it still feels like it adds up to a "rough day". Then, I heard about something a little more grueling. One of my coworkers and his wife are fans of trail running. Furthermore, they enjoy something called ultramarathons. These are tests of endurance beyond your run-of-the-mill marathon. The distance is longer. The time spent running is longer. The added complication of trail running just makes it that much tougher. For example, there's a run called the Leadville Trail 100 (that's 100 miles) that sounds a bit tougher than the Boston Marathon. Here's what Wikipedia says about it: "The LT100 is an ultramarathon held annually on trails and dirt roads at high altitude around Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The course is difficult, with runners climbing and descending 15,600 feet, with elevations ranging between 9,200-12,620 feet. Because of its difficulty, it is common for less than half the starters to complete the race ahead of its 30 hour time limit." A normal race will start around 4 am. So, the average runner will see two sunrises during the course of the race! Just think about what it takes to run a race for more than 24 hours. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 When I read this passage, I now imagine a spiritual ultramarathon. Following Christ will take endurance like we've never imagined. But it's a race course that He has marked out for us. It's the race that He has designed for us to run. It will have some ups and downs. It will have some underbrush that may trip us up. It will never seem to end. I still want to run it. I can think of no race I'd rather dedicate my life to than the one which has Christ waiting at the finish line. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 2 23:10:09 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 2 23:10:30 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Heart Following Message-ID: <61DF8019-9827-4280-BC3E-8B3E5C99FAC8@clanwebb.com> I apologize in advance to anyone reading this that happens to be a fan of Disney animated movies. I can enjoy a good story. I can appreciate good artistic vision. I can applaud talented voice actors and singers. But, at the end of many of these movies, I have to shake my head at the misguided message they want to teach. In how many different flavors or forms have you heard a Disney movie encourage children to "follow your heart"? It sounds noble. It sounds like a valuable creed by which to live. It claims to be the antidote to a society that tries to put you in a box or direct your life. It purports to be the cure to those who have given up on dreams or visions of their future. "Follow your heart" Yeah, well, if you decide to take this advice, beware. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Jeremiah 17:9-10 Pursuing dreams and achieving goals can be a fine path in life. However, if God is not the first priority in those plans, they will come to naught. You cannot trust your heart. You must give it to Christ and then trust Him. Following your heart can be fun, but can also get you lost. Besides, my heart is just as blind as I am. I'm going to follow Christ instead. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 4 00:04:35 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 4 00:04:53 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] High Road Message-ID: We are approaching my favorite holiday. Easter is the time we set aside to celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ put to rest any doubt that He is the Messiah. Passing from this life to the next, coming back, and then returning to Heaven with thousands of witnesses says it all, in my mind. As we focus on Him, we should see our place in the great drama and I think we can best do that through another man of the time. I believe Pilate best illustrates the dilemma that most men find themselves in today. First, we must individually deal with the roar of the crowd - also known as mob mentality. TV, movies, the Internet, and all of the other influences that are represented by thousands of people trying to get control of the individual mind. Politics also wants to hold our attention and, most of all, they want to control us by the systematic manipulation of our lives and our fortunes. False teachers in the church are everywhere as they pry open the doors of our churches and let every manner of idolatry and sin come in and take a seat. Last, there are those closest to us that we strive to please. And, like Pilate, it can be our spouse. Unlike Pilate, we have more history on our side, but he had enough. He just did what many men do and tossed his hands up in the face of a hard decision and cried. "What is truth?" John 18:38 No doubt he was between a rock and a hard place because no matter what decision he made, one or more of the influences were going to be trouble for him. Men today are in the same fix and to carry out a righteous responsibility is not a popularity contest. Our decisions cannot be self-centered. Morality has authority over leadership and our family. "The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and truth is not in him." 1 John 2:4 They don't call it the high road because it's easy to get there. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 4 23:58:18 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 4 23:58:37 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Searching Like a Teenager Message-ID: I used to hate not being able to find something. Whether it was something I lost or something I was asked to fetch, I just hated it when I couldn't find it. I hated it because when I would report back to my father that I couldn't find it, I'd get a mini-lecture on how to look for things. If I still couldn't find it, my father would follow me to the area and locate the item in under fifteen seconds. I hated that I couldn't find the item and I hated that he could! It drove me nuts. It also drove me to get better at it. I wanted to avoid that situation so badly, that I'd turn drawers or cabinets inside-out to find the item. I wanted to make darn sure that if I said it wasn't there, it really wasn't. Of course, this was precisely the goal of my father's actions. Sneaky old dog. I thought about those episodes when I read this scripture: "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5 Finding wisdom is a worthwhile pursuit, but it's not one to be taken lightly. If you seek wisdom in a half-hearted way, it won't work. You must seek it as you would something very precious, because it is! As I learned, you have to look quite hard to find some things. Are you searching for wisdom and knowledge of God? Are you searching as if for hidden treasure? Or, are you searching like a teenager? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 6 00:21:40 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Apr 6 00:21:58 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Knowing Where Message-ID: It was one of those days. The phone call came late in the afternoon and I was told that someone I knew, worked with several days a week, was dead. At first the details were wrong, but in the end it added up to the same thing, he was dead. I went into that state of disbelief that always happens. "I was just talking to him, joking with him, and now he's gone." He leaves a wonderful family with kids and a wife he loved. He often spoke of how proud he was of them. He was honest, a team player, considerate, and I was enriched by being around him. He carried a heavy load, but never complained. He was happy to just be able to live and work while he faced the world each day. He was a damn fine guy. I don't know where he is at this moment. Nobody does. But, I will always wonder if I should have engaged him in a spiritual conversation. I am so very happy that I know if the situation were reversed, I know where I would be. That's right. I know where I would be at this very moment. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 For all of life's travails, I know for certain that I will, my wife will, my son will, my daughters will, my daughter-in-law will, my grandson will, my granddaughters will all have eternal life. Nothing the world has to offer, nothing, can hold a candle to that knowledge. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 7 00:41:23 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 7 00:41:39 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Scoot Over Message-ID: Looking back, I have to admit that "Top Gun" got me good. That movie came out when I was sixteen years old. I was feeling that energy and sense of adventure that most guys that age do. I saw that movie with my dad and I remember him saying afterwards that they should set up a Navy recruiting desk outside the theater. Had I been older, I would have been tempted. I received a Navy ROTC scholarship two years later and I thought I was on my way. God had other plans and the Navy wasn't part of my future, but I still love to watch and daydream about flying those jets. I'm smart enough to know, though, that if I hopped in one today, I'd just as likely kill myself as enjoy any good flying because I haven't been trained. I don't know how to do it well. I've met a few former fighter jocks in my life. I think that I'd rather have them fly and I'll just ride along. They know how to control the machine. They know how to make it do things I don't. They know how to make the ride worthwhile. Imagine being dropped in a car in a NASCAR race with no training. Would that be fun or terrifying? How about being given the gear and a team of dogs and being told to go race in the Iditarod? How about spelunking in the world's biggest caves? How about climbing Mt. Everest or K2? I'm not prepared to do any of those things, so my enjoyment and fulfillment would be limited. All of these experiences are better with an expert at the controls. So is life. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 Is Christ living in you? If He is, then He's driving. If you're still driving, He's not truly living in you. He's taken up residence, but you've pushed Him aside. Let the expert drive, guys! He knows how to avoid the potholes. He knows how to make your life sing. He knows where the adventure is. So, scoot over to the passenger seat and watch the Master lead. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 7 22:25:16 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 7 22:25:37 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Wait Message-ID: <0D3C2F5D-EEA0-4433-8444-351E5E8BC9A7@clanwebb.com> The Seattle Mariners played a little poker the other night. They were playing in a hideous snowstorm and they were losing. The game was one strike away from qualifying as an official game and a likely loss when Mike Hargrove, the manager, slowly walked out to the umpire and argued for a delay. They agreed and the delay, the third of the day, turned into the umpire calling the game. You have to feel sorry for the opposing pitcher. He was one strike away from a weather-shortened no-hitter, but, in the end, baseball is something of a chess match and all poker playing is within the rules. No doubt if the score had been reversed, old Mike would have stayed put on the bench, but he had the option to make his move and he did. However, this was a game and nobody dies over the outcome. Many folks approach their opportunity at eternal life like a game and the last strike catches up with them before they can come out of the dugout and plead their case. "It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." " Hebrews 4:6-7 The great deception is that you are gaining something by putting off God's call to you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 8 22:15:39 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 8 22:16:09 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Why Me? Message-ID: When I'm hunting for bugs in computer software, I depend on one crucial fact. Software, by it's very nature as a list of instructions, is predictable. It can be highly complex, but, with enough effort, I can predict outcomes. This is important because almost every hunt starts with watching the bug happen over and over again. I watch different parts of the code executing to see if the bug occurs in all cases, or just in a special case. Once I've isolated it, though, I expect it to be able to make it happen repeatedly. I need this to find the precise fix as well as to confirm I've fixed it once I've changed the code. The bugs that are the hardest to find are the ones that don't seem repeatable. Either the bug manifests differently with each occurrence, or it seems to happen randomly and not in a repeatable fashion. What this really means is that I haven't taken all of the variables into account. There are other things acting on my code that I'm not including in my analysis. It could be network traffic, the amount of memory in the machine, the remaining space on the hard drive, the kind of printer attached, or even the time of day! Once all the right variables are included, then it makes sense and I can analyze it. Until I find them all, though, it seems as if I'm trying to do the impossible. How do you fix a problem that you can't even describe? Or one that happens rarely? It can be intensely frustrating. Job felt the same way. At one point he starts to list all of the things in his life that he did right and challenges God to itemize exactly what he did wrong to deserve his circumstances: "Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense?let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing." Job 31:35 He can't understand what's happening, so he challenges God to show him where he went wrong. God responds: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" [...] Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?" Job 38:2,4-5 God's basically saying, "Who are you to challenge me? Do you think you know more than me? Do you think you know better how your life should be?" Job wisely backs down at this point, but it exposes his misconception that he can analyze the situation sufficiently. God knew more about the variables in play and He knew exactly what should be happening. Job got frustrated and forgot that he couldn't see it all. When we feel the need to cry out, "Why me?" we need to remember that God doesn't have explain why (we likely wouldn't understand even if He did). Repeatedly asking "Why?" is, in fact, a demonstration of a lack of faith in God. And, like it or not, that is sin. We have to accept the fact that whatever happened was part of His plan and needed to happen. That doesn't help us understand it, but we can take comfort in knowing that He does. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 9 23:44:48 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 9 23:45:17 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Compassion Needed Message-ID: I am very passionate about some issues. I can really get worked up about unrighteousness, lies, agendas against Christians, children, abortion, and many more. The difference between me and God is that He has a passion for everyone. He has what the dictionary describes as a "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." God has compassion and I let my passion get in the way of caring for everyone. There are just people in the world that I can't see myself feeling warm about. In fact, if they are in distress, I am happy. Yet, when I am unrighteous, the only cure is God's compassion. "But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." Psalm 86:15 "He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate." Psalm 111:4 "The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." Psalm 145:9 Oh, that I could substitute my name in these verses. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 11 00:17:52 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 11 00:18:22 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Dishonoring Christ Message-ID: <4E72FCB0-34FD-412D-AF25-E1F42554FB7B@clanwebb.com> In the movies, when the hero sacrifices himself to save the brother, wife, or child, he or she becomes a better person and goes on to live an honorable life. That's the compromise the writer makes with the audience. The hero is dead, but has a lasting impression on the other characters. Our sense of right and wrong desires that kind of tradeoff. There is moral outrage at senseless sacrifice and loss. Real life isn't that tidy. You hear cases of people who receive organ transplants, but don't stop the risky behavior that got them there in the first place. I'm sure many folks who have been rescued by fireman or saved by a policeman have gone on to live lives that wouldn't pass muster with most of us. It just feels wrong that someone would sacrifice himself only to watch the saved one throw it all away. It feels wrong, because it dishonors the sacrifice. It cheapens it and dismisses it. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth just to hear a story like that. Then I remember that I've done that very thing... repeatedly. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24 How many times have you had to repent after getting saved? Each time is a case when we've allowed ourselves to devalue Christ's sacrifice and we begin to walk back to where we were. Then, with repentance, we are forgiven again. Thankfully, He doesn't decide that we don't get any more chances. He simply takes us back and heals us again. Remember that you are not your own. He sacrificed Himself so that we can be healed. Don't dishonor Christ by choosing the same old paths again. Treat your salvation as a wake-up call. Take a different road. It's easy... just walk with Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 11 23:41:52 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 11 23:42:28 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Avoiding Authority Message-ID: <2E34188C-3213-4593-A29B-B2E3865ED4DB@clanwebb.com> Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. We do things with a very specific intention only to realize that we really want the opposite. Following our own short-sighted desires can be the most dangerous path of all. Sometimes it's just ironic. When I was in grade school, we lived at the dead end of our street. Then developers came in and built a whole new subdivision and made our street connect to another. My friends and I would hang around the construction sites after school and on weekends. In fact, we would intentionally go climb around in partially-built homes and treat them like our own private playgrounds. Now, of course, we never told our parents because we knew we would be forbidden from doing such a thing. We'd climb up temporary stairs, scamper up inside wooden chimney enclosures, crawl around the rafters of a two-story house, and generally defy death on a regular basis. Looking back, I find it ironic that we were doing everything in our power to make sure nobody in authority knew we were there. However, had someone been hurt, we would have wanted an authority figure there immediately. We were working against our own best interests. We were in good company. Jonah pulled this act, too. Jonah was told to go one direction and he intentionally went the opposite direction. He was trying to make himself unusable to God for the job at hand. He wanted to hide from God. Then he ends up in the belly of a fish: "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry." Jonah 2:1 So, Jonah had fled as far as he could from God. Now he's inside of a fish, in the water. How much more isolated can you feel? At that moment, Jonah wants more than anything for God to find him. The irony is thick. Fortunately, God is not sarcastic. He doesn't point it out and wag His finger at Jonah. He simply forgives. Don't miss that. No matter how far away you think you are from God, He's still right there waiting to help. No matter how much you want to avoid His authority and protection, it'll still be there when you ask for it. God ignores the irony and just answers in love. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 12 23:07:06 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Apr 12 23:07:49 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Not Perfect Message-ID: <43120AF8-76F1-448E-8E45-D90BA3981993@clanwebb.com> To sin simply means to miss the mark. I've heard that definition so many times over the years it almost seems silly to repeat it. That doesn't make it any less true. There's nothing mystical or magical about it. It just means you missed. I was watching the updates of a Mariners game on my laptop the other night. I was away from a TV, so I didn't get to see Felix Hernandez absolutely dominate the Red Sox. I got to watch it scroll by on my browser. It was still exciting. I watched the reports as one batter after another swung and missed, had their knees buckled, or hit a weak popup to the infield. He seemed to be able to throw on the edge and hit the corners of the strike zone all night long. Even when he meant to throw the ball out of the zone, he threw it precisely where he wanted it. He was hitting the mark all night long. Felix had a no-hitter going as he started the eighth inning. Then, he gave up a regular old single through the middle. He was disappointed, but went on to retire the next six batters without any trouble. He left the night giving up two walks, one hit, and no runs. It was very impressive. But, it wasn't perfect. He missed the mark enough times to put three men on base. What if giving up one hit or one walk meant it was impossible for you to win? That would make it much harder to win in this league. And that's just baseball! What if just one instance of missing the mark would keep you out of Heaven? Guess what? It will if you don't have the right friend: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24 You are welcome to try to get in to Heaven based on your perfect record. Unfortunately, I've yet to meet someone here on earth with one of those. Let me know if you find one. Until then, I'm going with my only remaining option: Jesus Christ. He never missed the mark. He's promised to wash me clean of the misses in my life so I will be allowed to enter Heaven. I'm certainly not the spiritual equivalent of a young phenom, so I'm glad He's made me the offer. Are you feeling perfect? Check again. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 13 22:06:21 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Apr 13 22:07:03 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Beware the Squirrels Message-ID: <9BB805BC-EC32-4C89-B803-7A6531FC10E3@clanwebb.com> God is amazing. Today, as I read Proverbs, I misread the scripture and substituted a word that made the verse much more humorous. This is what I THOUGHT I read: "Pride only breeds squirrels..." The actual verse is: "Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." Proverbs 13:10 When I first read that, I chuckled at what my brain had mistakenly come up with. Then, I found that there was a humorous, but interesting image there. Can you imagine if every time you committed a sin of pride that a squirrel would materialize next to you? It seems ridiculous, but imagine what would happen. Fairly quickly, people would spot you with a little swarm of rodents at your feet. It would be embarrassing and annoying and generally disruptive to your life. I imagine that you'd soon learn how to control your pride so as to avoid this situation. Maybe you'd get to the point where people would only see one or two squirrels a week around you and that doesn't seem too abnormal. You'd be very aware of your pride and keeping it in check. You'd probably learn to be humble and listen closely to what Christ leads you to do. See, this is why I said God is amazing. He gave me a good laugh and then an object lesson. Quarrels are bad enough, but imagining this horde of squirrels following me around my house makes me think that I should pay closer attention to my pride. Pride isolates me from God, my family, and my friends. Pride fools me into avoiding the richer life God has in store. So, my lesson for you today is to control your pride and beware the squirrels. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 14 22:20:22 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 14 22:28:34 2007 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Mystery Word Message-ID: What word do you think fits this definition? "a: a force that brings good fortune or adversity, b: the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual. Antonyms are knock, misadventure, mishap; adversity, curse, sorrow, tragedy, trouble; calamity, cataclysm, catastrophe, disaster; defeat, failure, fizzle, nonsuccess; accident, casualty; disappointment, letdown, setback; circumstance, destiny, doom, fate, lot, portion" Here's a hint: the word does not appear in the Bible. The reason it doesn't appear in Scripture is because: "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." Ephesians 1:11 The word I was looking for was: luck. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:36 In short, without Jesus you're out of luck. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 2 00:19:14 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 00:19:14 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Endurance Message-ID: <43CB542C-7FF3-4B44-8639-F43524FFC4B5@clanwebb.com> You've probably heard many times how your walk with Christ is like running a race. You've also probably heard how that race is not a sprint, it's a marathon. I've heard that enough now that it's beginning to lose meaning for me. I'm not a runner so I have a hard time identifying with the perils of a marathon. It seems like a long race, but it still feels like it adds up to a "rough day". Then, I heard about something a little more grueling. One of my coworkers and his wife are fans of trail running. Furthermore, they enjoy something called ultramarathons. These are tests of endurance beyond your run-of-the-mill marathon. The distance is longer. The time spent running is longer. The added complication of trail running just makes it that much tougher. For example, there's a run called the Leadville Trail 100 (that's 100 miles) that sounds a bit tougher than the Boston Marathon. Here's what Wikipedia says about it: "The LT100 is an ultramarathon held annually on trails and dirt roads at high altitude around Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The course is difficult, with runners climbing and descending 15,600 feet, with elevations ranging between 9,200-12,620 feet. Because of its difficulty, it is common for less than half the starters to complete the race ahead of its 30 hour time limit." A normal race will start around 4 am. So, the average runner will see two sunrises during the course of the race! Just think about what it takes to run a race for more than 24 hours. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 When I read this passage, I now imagine a spiritual ultramarathon. Following Christ will take endurance like we've never imagined. But it's a race course that He has marked out for us. It's the race that He has designed for us to run. It will have some ups and downs. It will have some underbrush that may trip us up. It will never seem to end. I still want to run it. I can think of no race I'd rather dedicate my life to than the one which has Christ waiting at the finish line. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 2 23:10:09 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 23:10:09 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Heart Following Message-ID: <61DF8019-9827-4280-BC3E-8B3E5C99FAC8@clanwebb.com> I apologize in advance to anyone reading this that happens to be a fan of Disney animated movies. I can enjoy a good story. I can appreciate good artistic vision. I can applaud talented voice actors and singers. But, at the end of many of these movies, I have to shake my head at the misguided message they want to teach. In how many different flavors or forms have you heard a Disney movie encourage children to "follow your heart"? It sounds noble. It sounds like a valuable creed by which to live. It claims to be the antidote to a society that tries to put you in a box or direct your life. It purports to be the cure to those who have given up on dreams or visions of their future. "Follow your heart" Yeah, well, if you decide to take this advice, beware. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Jeremiah 17:9-10 Pursuing dreams and achieving goals can be a fine path in life. However, if God is not the first priority in those plans, they will come to naught. You cannot trust your heart. You must give it to Christ and then trust Him. Following your heart can be fun, but can also get you lost. Besides, my heart is just as blind as I am. I'm going to follow Christ instead. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 4 00:04:35 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 00:04:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] High Road Message-ID: We are approaching my favorite holiday. Easter is the time we set aside to celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ put to rest any doubt that He is the Messiah. Passing from this life to the next, coming back, and then returning to Heaven with thousands of witnesses says it all, in my mind. As we focus on Him, we should see our place in the great drama and I think we can best do that through another man of the time. I believe Pilate best illustrates the dilemma that most men find themselves in today. First, we must individually deal with the roar of the crowd - also known as mob mentality. TV, movies, the Internet, and all of the other influences that are represented by thousands of people trying to get control of the individual mind. Politics also wants to hold our attention and, most of all, they want to control us by the systematic manipulation of our lives and our fortunes. False teachers in the church are everywhere as they pry open the doors of our churches and let every manner of idolatry and sin come in and take a seat. Last, there are those closest to us that we strive to please. And, like Pilate, it can be our spouse. Unlike Pilate, we have more history on our side, but he had enough. He just did what many men do and tossed his hands up in the face of a hard decision and cried. "What is truth?" John 18:38 No doubt he was between a rock and a hard place because no matter what decision he made, one or more of the influences were going to be trouble for him. Men today are in the same fix and to carry out a righteous responsibility is not a popularity contest. Our decisions cannot be self-centered. Morality has authority over leadership and our family. "The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and truth is not in him." 1 John 2:4 They don't call it the high road because it's easy to get there. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 4 23:58:18 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 23:58:18 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Searching Like a Teenager Message-ID: I used to hate not being able to find something. Whether it was something I lost or something I was asked to fetch, I just hated it when I couldn't find it. I hated it because when I would report back to my father that I couldn't find it, I'd get a mini-lecture on how to look for things. If I still couldn't find it, my father would follow me to the area and locate the item in under fifteen seconds. I hated that I couldn't find the item and I hated that he could! It drove me nuts. It also drove me to get better at it. I wanted to avoid that situation so badly, that I'd turn drawers or cabinets inside-out to find the item. I wanted to make darn sure that if I said it wasn't there, it really wasn't. Of course, this was precisely the goal of my father's actions. Sneaky old dog. I thought about those episodes when I read this scripture: "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5 Finding wisdom is a worthwhile pursuit, but it's not one to be taken lightly. If you seek wisdom in a half-hearted way, it won't work. You must seek it as you would something very precious, because it is! As I learned, you have to look quite hard to find some things. Are you searching for wisdom and knowledge of God? Are you searching as if for hidden treasure? Or, are you searching like a teenager? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 6 00:21:40 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 00:21:40 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Knowing Where Message-ID: It was one of those days. The phone call came late in the afternoon and I was told that someone I knew, worked with several days a week, was dead. At first the details were wrong, but in the end it added up to the same thing, he was dead. I went into that state of disbelief that always happens. "I was just talking to him, joking with him, and now he's gone." He leaves a wonderful family with kids and a wife he loved. He often spoke of how proud he was of them. He was honest, a team player, considerate, and I was enriched by being around him. He carried a heavy load, but never complained. He was happy to just be able to live and work while he faced the world each day. He was a damn fine guy. I don't know where he is at this moment. Nobody does. But, I will always wonder if I should have engaged him in a spiritual conversation. I am so very happy that I know if the situation were reversed, I know where I would be. That's right. I know where I would be at this very moment. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 For all of life's travails, I know for certain that I will, my wife will, my son will, my daughters will, my daughter-in-law will, my grandson will, my granddaughters will all have eternal life. Nothing the world has to offer, nothing, can hold a candle to that knowledge. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 7 00:41:23 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2007 00:41:23 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Scoot Over Message-ID: Looking back, I have to admit that "Top Gun" got me good. That movie came out when I was sixteen years old. I was feeling that energy and sense of adventure that most guys that age do. I saw that movie with my dad and I remember him saying afterwards that they should set up a Navy recruiting desk outside the theater. Had I been older, I would have been tempted. I received a Navy ROTC scholarship two years later and I thought I was on my way. God had other plans and the Navy wasn't part of my future, but I still love to watch and daydream about flying those jets. I'm smart enough to know, though, that if I hopped in one today, I'd just as likely kill myself as enjoy any good flying because I haven't been trained. I don't know how to do it well. I've met a few former fighter jocks in my life. I think that I'd rather have them fly and I'll just ride along. They know how to control the machine. They know how to make it do things I don't. They know how to make the ride worthwhile. Imagine being dropped in a car in a NASCAR race with no training. Would that be fun or terrifying? How about being given the gear and a team of dogs and being told to go race in the Iditarod? How about spelunking in the world's biggest caves? How about climbing Mt. Everest or K2? I'm not prepared to do any of those things, so my enjoyment and fulfillment would be limited. All of these experiences are better with an expert at the controls. So is life. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 Is Christ living in you? If He is, then He's driving. If you're still driving, He's not truly living in you. He's taken up residence, but you've pushed Him aside. Let the expert drive, guys! He knows how to avoid the potholes. He knows how to make your life sing. He knows where the adventure is. So, scoot over to the passenger seat and watch the Master lead. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 7 22:25:16 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2007 22:25:16 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Wait Message-ID: <0D3C2F5D-EEA0-4433-8444-351E5E8BC9A7@clanwebb.com> The Seattle Mariners played a little poker the other night. They were playing in a hideous snowstorm and they were losing. The game was one strike away from qualifying as an official game and a likely loss when Mike Hargrove, the manager, slowly walked out to the umpire and argued for a delay. They agreed and the delay, the third of the day, turned into the umpire calling the game. You have to feel sorry for the opposing pitcher. He was one strike away from a weather-shortened no-hitter, but, in the end, baseball is something of a chess match and all poker playing is within the rules. No doubt if the score had been reversed, old Mike would have stayed put on the bench, but he had the option to make his move and he did. However, this was a game and nobody dies over the outcome. Many folks approach their opportunity at eternal life like a game and the last strike catches up with them before they can come out of the dugout and plead their case. "It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." " Hebrews 4:6-7 The great deception is that you are gaining something by putting off God's call to you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 8 22:15:39 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2007 22:15:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Why Me? Message-ID: When I'm hunting for bugs in computer software, I depend on one crucial fact. Software, by it's very nature as a list of instructions, is predictable. It can be highly complex, but, with enough effort, I can predict outcomes. This is important because almost every hunt starts with watching the bug happen over and over again. I watch different parts of the code executing to see if the bug occurs in all cases, or just in a special case. Once I've isolated it, though, I expect it to be able to make it happen repeatedly. I need this to find the precise fix as well as to confirm I've fixed it once I've changed the code. The bugs that are the hardest to find are the ones that don't seem repeatable. Either the bug manifests differently with each occurrence, or it seems to happen randomly and not in a repeatable fashion. What this really means is that I haven't taken all of the variables into account. There are other things acting on my code that I'm not including in my analysis. It could be network traffic, the amount of memory in the machine, the remaining space on the hard drive, the kind of printer attached, or even the time of day! Once all the right variables are included, then it makes sense and I can analyze it. Until I find them all, though, it seems as if I'm trying to do the impossible. How do you fix a problem that you can't even describe? Or one that happens rarely? It can be intensely frustrating. Job felt the same way. At one point he starts to list all of the things in his life that he did right and challenges God to itemize exactly what he did wrong to deserve his circumstances: "Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense?let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing." Job 31:35 He can't understand what's happening, so he challenges God to show him where he went wrong. God responds: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" [...] Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?" Job 38:2,4-5 God's basically saying, "Who are you to challenge me? Do you think you know more than me? Do you think you know better how your life should be?" Job wisely backs down at this point, but it exposes his misconception that he can analyze the situation sufficiently. God knew more about the variables in play and He knew exactly what should be happening. Job got frustrated and forgot that he couldn't see it all. When we feel the need to cry out, "Why me?" we need to remember that God doesn't have explain why (we likely wouldn't understand even if He did). Repeatedly asking "Why?" is, in fact, a demonstration of a lack of faith in God. And, like it or not, that is sin. We have to accept the fact that whatever happened was part of His plan and needed to happen. That doesn't help us understand it, but we can take comfort in knowing that He does. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 9 23:44:48 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2007 23:44:48 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Compassion Needed Message-ID: I am very passionate about some issues. I can really get worked up about unrighteousness, lies, agendas against Christians, children, abortion, and many more. The difference between me and God is that He has a passion for everyone. He has what the dictionary describes as a "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." God has compassion and I let my passion get in the way of caring for everyone. There are just people in the world that I can't see myself feeling warm about. In fact, if they are in distress, I am happy. Yet, when I am unrighteous, the only cure is God's compassion. "But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." Psalm 86:15 "He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate." Psalm 111:4 "The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." Psalm 145:9 Oh, that I could substitute my name in these verses. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 11 00:17:52 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 00:17:52 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Dishonoring Christ Message-ID: <4E72FCB0-34FD-412D-AF25-E1F42554FB7B@clanwebb.com> In the movies, when the hero sacrifices himself to save the brother, wife, or child, he or she becomes a better person and goes on to live an honorable life. That's the compromise the writer makes with the audience. The hero is dead, but has a lasting impression on the other characters. Our sense of right and wrong desires that kind of tradeoff. There is moral outrage at senseless sacrifice and loss. Real life isn't that tidy. You hear cases of people who receive organ transplants, but don't stop the risky behavior that got them there in the first place. I'm sure many folks who have been rescued by fireman or saved by a policeman have gone on to live lives that wouldn't pass muster with most of us. It just feels wrong that someone would sacrifice himself only to watch the saved one throw it all away. It feels wrong, because it dishonors the sacrifice. It cheapens it and dismisses it. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth just to hear a story like that. Then I remember that I've done that very thing... repeatedly. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24 How many times have you had to repent after getting saved? Each time is a case when we've allowed ourselves to devalue Christ's sacrifice and we begin to walk back to where we were. Then, with repentance, we are forgiven again. Thankfully, He doesn't decide that we don't get any more chances. He simply takes us back and heals us again. Remember that you are not your own. He sacrificed Himself so that we can be healed. Don't dishonor Christ by choosing the same old paths again. Treat your salvation as a wake-up call. Take a different road. It's easy... just walk with Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 11 23:41:52 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 23:41:52 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Avoiding Authority Message-ID: <2E34188C-3213-4593-A29B-B2E3865ED4DB@clanwebb.com> Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. We do things with a very specific intention only to realize that we really want the opposite. Following our own short-sighted desires can be the most dangerous path of all. Sometimes it's just ironic. When I was in grade school, we lived at the dead end of our street. Then developers came in and built a whole new subdivision and made our street connect to another. My friends and I would hang around the construction sites after school and on weekends. In fact, we would intentionally go climb around in partially-built homes and treat them like our own private playgrounds. Now, of course, we never told our parents because we knew we would be forbidden from doing such a thing. We'd climb up temporary stairs, scamper up inside wooden chimney enclosures, crawl around the rafters of a two-story house, and generally defy death on a regular basis. Looking back, I find it ironic that we were doing everything in our power to make sure nobody in authority knew we were there. However, had someone been hurt, we would have wanted an authority figure there immediately. We were working against our own best interests. We were in good company. Jonah pulled this act, too. Jonah was told to go one direction and he intentionally went the opposite direction. He was trying to make himself unusable to God for the job at hand. He wanted to hide from God. Then he ends up in the belly of a fish: "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry." Jonah 2:1 So, Jonah had fled as far as he could from God. Now he's inside of a fish, in the water. How much more isolated can you feel? At that moment, Jonah wants more than anything for God to find him. The irony is thick. Fortunately, God is not sarcastic. He doesn't point it out and wag His finger at Jonah. He simply forgives. Don't miss that. No matter how far away you think you are from God, He's still right there waiting to help. No matter how much you want to avoid His authority and protection, it'll still be there when you ask for it. God ignores the irony and just answers in love. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 12 23:07:06 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:07:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Not Perfect Message-ID: <43120AF8-76F1-448E-8E45-D90BA3981993@clanwebb.com> To sin simply means to miss the mark. I've heard that definition so many times over the years it almost seems silly to repeat it. That doesn't make it any less true. There's nothing mystical or magical about it. It just means you missed. I was watching the updates of a Mariners game on my laptop the other night. I was away from a TV, so I didn't get to see Felix Hernandez absolutely dominate the Red Sox. I got to watch it scroll by on my browser. It was still exciting. I watched the reports as one batter after another swung and missed, had their knees buckled, or hit a weak popup to the infield. He seemed to be able to throw on the edge and hit the corners of the strike zone all night long. Even when he meant to throw the ball out of the zone, he threw it precisely where he wanted it. He was hitting the mark all night long. Felix had a no-hitter going as he started the eighth inning. Then, he gave up a regular old single through the middle. He was disappointed, but went on to retire the next six batters without any trouble. He left the night giving up two walks, one hit, and no runs. It was very impressive. But, it wasn't perfect. He missed the mark enough times to put three men on base. What if giving up one hit or one walk meant it was impossible for you to win? That would make it much harder to win in this league. And that's just baseball! What if just one instance of missing the mark would keep you out of Heaven? Guess what? It will if you don't have the right friend: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24 You are welcome to try to get in to Heaven based on your perfect record. Unfortunately, I've yet to meet someone here on earth with one of those. Let me know if you find one. Until then, I'm going with my only remaining option: Jesus Christ. He never missed the mark. He's promised to wash me clean of the misses in my life so I will be allowed to enter Heaven. I'm certainly not the spiritual equivalent of a young phenom, so I'm glad He's made me the offer. Are you feeling perfect? Check again. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 13 22:06:21 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 22:06:21 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Beware the Squirrels Message-ID: <9BB805BC-EC32-4C89-B803-7A6531FC10E3@clanwebb.com> God is amazing. Today, as I read Proverbs, I misread the scripture and substituted a word that made the verse much more humorous. This is what I THOUGHT I read: "Pride only breeds squirrels..." The actual verse is: "Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." Proverbs 13:10 When I first read that, I chuckled at what my brain had mistakenly come up with. Then, I found that there was a humorous, but interesting image there. Can you imagine if every time you committed a sin of pride that a squirrel would materialize next to you? It seems ridiculous, but imagine what would happen. Fairly quickly, people would spot you with a little swarm of rodents at your feet. It would be embarrassing and annoying and generally disruptive to your life. I imagine that you'd soon learn how to control your pride so as to avoid this situation. Maybe you'd get to the point where people would only see one or two squirrels a week around you and that doesn't seem too abnormal. You'd be very aware of your pride and keeping it in check. You'd probably learn to be humble and listen closely to what Christ leads you to do. See, this is why I said God is amazing. He gave me a good laugh and then an object lesson. Quarrels are bad enough, but imagining this horde of squirrels following me around my house makes me think that I should pay closer attention to my pride. Pride isolates me from God, my family, and my friends. Pride fools me into avoiding the richer life God has in store. So, my lesson for you today is to control your pride and beware the squirrels. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 14 22:20:22 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 22:20:22 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Mystery Word Message-ID: What word do you think fits this definition? "a: a force that brings good fortune or adversity, b: the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual. Antonyms are knock, misadventure, mishap; adversity, curse, sorrow, tragedy, trouble; calamity, cataclysm, catastrophe, disaster; defeat, failure, fizzle, nonsuccess; accident, casualty; disappointment, letdown, setback; circumstance, destiny, doom, fate, lot, portion" Here's a hint: the word does not appear in the Bible. The reason it doesn't appear in Scripture is because: "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." Ephesians 1:11 The word I was looking for was: luck. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:36 In short, without Jesus you're out of luck. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 16 02:02:04 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:02:04 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Broken Windows Message-ID: <1FF0DA90-719F-4165-9A57-305BB1FD61D2@clanwebb.com> You may have heard of the broken window theory of crime prevention. It's based on an article written in the 80s that theorized that if you let the small crimes go, big crimes will follow. It happens because when the small crimes go unpunished, people believe that there is no justice. They believe that there are no consequences to disobedience. If a broken window goes unpunished and unfixed, then it is natural to think there is no authority in charge. This is precisely what happens to us when we decide that there's such a thing as a minor sin. We allow ourselves to slide a little here and there because it was a harmless deception or because nobody will know it's missing or because it doesn't hurt to look. Each of those is like a broken window. If you don't treat that like sin up front, you'll slowly slide back into the habits that got you in trouble before you knew Christ! You can't let the so-called little stuff slide. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 There's no big sin/little sin differentiation here. It's all sin. It's all punishable by death. It's all forgiven by Christ. "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:28 Again, there is no harmless sin. It's just as bad as the action because you've already made a decision in your heart to disobey God. You may try to convince yourself that it's like a little graffiti or just one broken window, but that's the path that leads to pain. Fix the broken windows in your life. Don't let the whole neighborhood go to hell. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 17 01:31:29 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 01:31:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Black and White Message-ID: A complaint I often hear from the world is that Christianity is faulty in that it tries to draw all of life as black or white. There is no gray area. Since the world loves the gray area, Christianity must be wrong. It is always declared as obvious that the gray area is what life is really all about and that black and white is a fantasy. As I often tell my son, "you are making it more complicated than it needs to be." Part of the reason the gray is so popular is because it's hard to accept that, in fact, black and white can be applied to the entire world. People find that too simplistic and, more importantly, it makes it harder to justify their personal preferences. That's how we end up with statements like "your own personal truth". Sheesh. The Scripture is pretty clear in that there is good and evil, right and wrong, black and white. You are on one side or another. The consequences are equally clear. There is no partial credit or grading on a curve: "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Proverbs 13:4 You are either a sluggard or diligent. You receive either nothing or full satisfaction. There is no in-between here. What the world wants you to think is just a gray area is, in fact, the "nothing" mentioned here. If you don't know real life, you don't have a life. It's empty and meaningless. If you know real life, it is full and overflowing. If you aren't sure about a possible sin in your life, try this simple test. Ask yourself, "Is this thought or action sinful?" If your answer is not "no", then it's yes. An answer that starts with, "Well, you have to understand..." or "Let me explain the situation..." means it is. Sorry, but if you have to explain it, it's sin and you know it. Whether we like it or not, God sees this world in black and white. Make sure you have both feet firmly planted on the right side. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 18 00:16:06 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:16:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Your Responsibility Message-ID: <3878DA1F-96AA-4A1F-94C1-B74C63ECF684@clanwebb.com> The Virginia Tech killings are a wake-up call on many levels. First and foremost, nobody knows when their earthly life will end. Having it happen without Jesus Christ is the most tragic thing that can happen. There will be calls for administration heads to roll. Politicians will work it into speeches. Blame will be hurled at anyone who has a political enemy. Everything will be blamed except the manifestation of evil in the world. Experts will be interviewed. Counseling will be provided. Students will have their three minutes of on-camera time. In the end, all those people will still be dead. Their family and friends will never be the same and evil will resume it's prowl for an opportunity. This country needs to wake up to the fact that evil has intentions and every person must begin to act like they are not going to be a staked-out lamb in the middle of the wilderness. "If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;" Exodus 22:2 "Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked." Proverbs 25:26 "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Psalm 144:1 Do not look to the government to protect you on a day-to-day basis. Your home and your personal walk are your responsibility as is the training of your family. Teach them to react and not to freeze in the headlights of evil. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 19 00:06:49 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:06:49 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Protect Your House Message-ID: <1D0FABEF-6FAD-4E4C-BDCC-62BCC70455ED@clanwebb.com> "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house." Matthew 12:29 This scripture speaks directly to the adult in charge of the home. In my mind, there is no difference between Satan telling Jesus to jump and trust God to save Him and the person that chooses not to protect his home because God will save him. Both are testing God in an erroneous way. "He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." " Luke 22:36 Keep it in its proper place to be used when needed. Don't be afraid of it. Learn how to use it properly and teach the household how and when to use it. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 19 23:47:30 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 23:47:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Undesired Destination Message-ID: "The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." Jonah 1:1-2 I have Ninevehs in my life. God calls me from time to time to become involved in people's lives. When the call comes in, I want to say, "I don't want to go to Nineveh. I know they are nice people. I know they need help. I know this is going to be a ton of work fraught with nothing but trouble and disappointment and very little profit in the end. Please don't make me go to Nineveh! Send me to Disneyland instead!" God says, "Allen, I have decided to do something in this Nineveh and you are the guy to do it. Stop baying at the moon and get to Nineveh. By the way, don't miss the boat because my second choice of transportation is going to be very creative." I tell my wife I have to go to Nineveh. I remind her that I hate Nineveh and that I have never made a dime in Nineveh. She says, "Go to Nineveh, dear. God has a plan." She is right, of course, but, then again, she doesn't have to go to Nineveh. In my mind it is easy to say to someone else that God has a plan and you should have a good attitude and trust God, because you don't have to go yourself! None of this changes the fact that I have been picked for this task by God. I think I'll listen to Him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 "The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." Proverbs 16:! If you need me, I'll be in Nineveh... Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 21 00:20:57 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 00:20:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Asymmetric Warfare Message-ID: <1943C120-85CB-46DD-977A-62D8F693F7A8@clanwebb.com> I was thinking about the concept of asymmetric warfare as I considered how we are to deal with suffering. The concept is discussed when considering the strategies and tactics necessary when the two combatants are dramatically unequal. The idea is that the weaker combatant must work to avoid a face-to-face battle and attempt to exploit the weakness of the stronger opponent. The stronger must work to force the weaker opponent into the open and grouped together so his superior strength can be used to advantage. So, in this discussion, the asymmetry is both in the strength of the combatants and in their strategies. They are very different based on the needs of the group. When discussing this idea, we are always looking for the advantage. How can one group strike another with success? How can the situation be altered to make it easier to score a victory? Like most things of God, our approach to suffering or affliction turns this idea on its head. God wishes us to fight an asymmetric war, too. However, the asymmetry seems to be opposite of what we would think. Clearly God is the strongest in any dispute, but He does not want us to approach disputes aggressively. "Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man." Luke 6:22 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds," James 1:2 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 When we are attacked by a weaker foe (anyone without God is, by definition, weaker), we do not respond in kind. The asymmetry is that we do not attack the attacker. We do not look for advantage to defeat that foe. We are to thank God for the experience and find the lesson. We are to consider ourselves blessed to share in the suffering as the prophets and Christ did. God will even the score later. We should be strong enough to defend truth, but not to become the attacker. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 So, remember that we are to fight asymmetrically. We may be attacked, abused, and insulted. Our response is a simple, "Thank you, God!" That's the asymmetric warfare that God has in mind. That's the strategy that will win souls. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 21 22:34:37 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:34:37 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] American Idols Message-ID: Life without Christ creates some curious pathologies in the mind of man. It causes people to make decisions and exert effort on ideas and plans that would appear insane to the objective observer. The average American finds it primitive and useless to take a piece of wood, carve it into the image of an otherworldly being, place it on an altar, and then ask this created object to impart the mysteries of life. We all look back at the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians and find their worship of a pantheon of statues as curious, but pointless. There is nothing new under the sun, however, so it is no surprise that this same behavior is around us today in what we know as normal society. One man hypothesized that life may have come about due to random chance and natural law. He had no proof. He simply carved it out of his own imagination. Millions bow down and worship the idea of Darwinism today and look to this idol for the answers to other questions. They scramble to prop up the idea as more science seems to chip away at the foundational elements that this idol stands upon. More recently, many scientists (working from the foundation that all we see is only shaped by our own hand) saw the earth changing and hypothesized that it must be caused by the people on it. They carved out the idea from their own imagination and sets of data that they massaged to support the theory. The idea is as manufactured as any statue in a museum. And yet, millions bow down and feel compelled to force the world to drastically change their lives to fix only what they believe to be broken. Again, as more science seems to degrade the idol, they simply prop it up and seek to silence the contradictory information. These are the idols of today. They are created from the mind of man. They only differ in being more abstract than an actual statue, but they are no more powerful than a carved block of wood. God still shakes His head at those who will worship the product of their blindness: "Of what value is an idol, since man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." Habakkuk 2:18-20 Don't be fooled by the enlightened minds of this age. They are defective without Christ and cannot speak truth other than what God has revealed to them. Seek your truth in the Word. Ask Jesus Christ to reveal the mystery. You may not hear from Him as quickly or as clearly as you want, but I guarantee you that He answers better than wood or stone. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 22 22:14:25 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2007 22:14:25 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Bow Down Message-ID: One of the many attributes of Jesus Chris is that He has a complete understanding of God the Father. With this understanding, His character reacts with complete humility. Philippians chapter 2 is devoted to the encouragement of believers to reflect the attitude Christ reflected. Verses 1 through 5 teach us to treat one another with the same mind, in love, united in spirit. We are to do nothing out of conceit or selfishness. We are to regard one another as more important than ourselves. Speaking of Jesus: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death? even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." Philippians 2:6-9 If Jesus thought it right to humble himself before God, how much more should we think that our duty is to regard verses 2 through 5 and strive to obey. If we want to be elevated in the eyes of God we must understand what is required. It isn't a "look at me" attitude God wants. He wants a "look at Him" attitude. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 24 00:16:47 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:16:47 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] To Whom God Willed Message-ID: "I don't understand you Christians." This is how many non-believers begin to express their consternation to believers. Another is, "How can you...?". There's also, "Just becuase you (blank) it doesn't make it true!" This frustration is based on the need to understand without a formula. We believe in, what is in their eyes, a mystery. They resent that we have faith and we won't let loose of it because of a supposed lack of material evidence. It seems we are slaves to some invisible force and, because we act fairly normal in the world, they just can't get a handle on what switch gets thrown when it comes to "religion". "to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27 What they don't understand is that we don't want to keep it a mystery. We want them to know what we know, to have what we have, and to see what we see. The key to the verse, of course, is "to whom God willed". As it is a mystery to them, it is a mystery to us why God makes it known to some and not to others. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 25 00:00:00 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Not Distant Message-ID: There are schools of thought in philosophy and religion that try to find a middle ground. This thinking can claim to not be atheism or paganism, but it equally chooses to avoid being described as Christian (since that is a close-minded group of folks). The central idea in this array of different but equal choices is that there is a God, but He's not terribly interested in us. This train of thought is willing to accept that creation and humanity are the product of God's hand. However, they don't believe that He is actively involved in our life. They like to point out how small we are in the universe. They ask you to look around and realize that 99.9999 percent of what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch can be described by natural laws. They argue that God put the machine in motion and now simply sits back and watches it run. That's a convenient place to be because you can allow for God where you want Him, but you can decide to lead your own life because He isn't giving you direction. You can argue for any morality you desire because He hasn't set out any rules that you recognize. This group of people leapt into my mind when I read the Old Testament prophet Zephaniah the other day: "At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.' " Zephaniah 1:12 Our society would prefer that you ignore God altogether. If you refuse to let Him go, then it has a variety of options for you that admit His existence, but then push Him away from having any real effect. Don't be fooled. Furthermore, don't let your brothers and sisters be fooled. This isn't just being mistaken. This is life-changing. God is here. God is active. God loves you specifically. It's time to admit it and get on with the life He's described. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 25 23:55:50 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 23:55:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Falling For Anything Message-ID: The search for a solution is in direct relationship to the immediate need. When we are young, we think there will be time for everything. Then, time expires and we wish we had started earlier. I don't care if it is studying for a high school math test or planning for retirement, the concept is the same. As the appointed time grows near, we tend to expand our options for a solution and, by the same act, broaden the possibility for making the wrong decision. Scripture speaks to those that are putting off contemplation of the spiritual. Basically, it says that, when the need for a spiritual safety net becomes obvious, too many will listen to the easy answers. "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons" 1 Timothy 4:1 Believe in nothing. Fall for anything. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 26 22:04:56 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:04:56 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Choose Your Yoke Message-ID: <737D5C3F-0A12-4B6D-8078-383339BCF76C@clanwebb.com> A popular argument against becoming a "slave to Jesus Christ" is to retreat to the false belief that man has rights contrary to the will and plan of God. I have rights because it's my life! I'm nobody's slave and I will do what I want! So, these deep thinkers set about to do those things that are contrary to God's nature. "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness." Romans 6:20 In other words, you were free from righteousness. Is that freedom? Or just being lost? "Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death." Romans 6:21 Men, we are all salves to something. However, you do have the right to choose your yoke. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 28 00:33:20 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:33:20 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Love And Consequences Message-ID: <282E96F7-D038-416E-84A3-061ACFD97488@clanwebb.com> Discipline is perhaps the most difficult concept for a parent to grasp. The concept that one can withhold affection in order to gain compliance was difficult for me to abandon. Love must be in every aspect of the relationship with a child. There must not be punishment, but only consequences. Love and consequences can coexist, while love and punishment cannot. The reason they cannot occupy the same methodology is that love is the antithesis to punishment. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfect in love." 1 John 4:18 A child should weep out of the knowledge of repentance, not out of fear of retribution and abuse. Such a child will run to the parent for comfort and redemption, not to a closet out of fear. "We love, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 28 22:20:48 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 22:20:48 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Better Than '95 Message-ID: <5AA75C17-E791-40FF-B8E0-25BE7A08DE78@clanwebb.com> I grew up in Portland, Oregon, so I really only had one hometown team to root for: the Blazers. That led me to be a basketball fan all the way around. I watched Magic and Bird and Jordan. I played in junior high and high school. I got in to the Seahawks a little in high school. But, it wasn't until 1994, when I took a job in the Seattle area, that I started to watch baseball. It's been my favorite ever since. My coworkers were fans and you couldn't stop hearing about Ken Griffey, Jr. I was just getting into it that year when the players went on strike. I was fired up for the 1995 season and got to know the players very well. I listened on the radio at work or watched on TV at home. They had a great offense and just decent pitching (other than Randy Johnson, who was spectacular). They made the phrase "Refuse to Lose" famous as they crawled their way into the playoffs for the first time ever. That led to what I think was one of the greatest playoff series ever. The 1995 Mariners-Yankees series wasn't just ups and downs, it was mountain peaks and vicious valleys. I remember the Mariners losing Game 1 and I wondered if they were in over their heads. My wife and son brought me dinner as I worked the night of Game 2. I had my little radio in the window as my coworkers, my family, and I listened to a marathon game. It was nip and tuck all the way to the end of nine. Then came extra innings. Griffey hits a home run in the top of the twelfth and we think we might pull it out. Then in the bottom of the twelfth, the Yankees try to score two on a base hit. The first runner scores. The second is thrown out at the plate. The game went on to the fifteenth inning. By this time its very late even on the West Coast and we are driving home from the office. I can't believe the game is still going and I might get to watch the end. It's very tense and the teams are both about out of pitchers. Just as we pull into our driveway, Jim Leyritz hits a two- run home run to win it for the Yankees. It's a best of five series and I went to bed that night thinking the Mariners were done. How do you come back from such an emotional letdown? In Game 3, Randy Johnson finally got to pitch and produced a good win. There was some hope in Mudville. Game 4 was closer. With a tie score in the bottom of the eighth, Edgar Martinez hits a grand slam. Jay Buhner drills another one and suddenly there's a big lead again. They got up off the mat and were going to push the Yankees to five. Game 5 was a classic. Down by two in the eighth, Griffey homers again and we get another one with a bases-loaded walk. Again, they go to extra innings. With the pitching staff exhausted, Randy Johnson comes in at the top of the ninth inning. The Yankees bring in their ace, Jack McDowell, in the bottom of the ninth. It's like fantasy baseball out there with all the stars on the field. They each hold the line until the eleventh. Johnson gives up a run and all the air goes out of the Kingdome. Bottom of the eleventh, the M's have the 2-3-4 hitters coming. So, there's a glimmer of hope. Cora bunts his way on. Griffey hits a single. It doesn't win the game, but it keeps the inning going. With men on first and third, Edgar hits "the double" to left field. My wife and I start jumping up and down in our living room because that will easily score Cora to tie the game. Then my excitement goes up a notch when I realize they're going to wave Griffey in. I'm screaming and pointing at the TV as the throw comes to the plate, and it's too late. The entire team mobs Griffey at the plate as they win! "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth." Job 19:25 It's going to be better than '95. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 29 22:21:10 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 22:21:10 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Real Justice Message-ID: I feel like I work hard at my job. I feel it is important to be courteous and helpful to my customers and coworkers. Over the years, I have had a few opportunities to be in a customer-facing position and I always knew how important it was to treat the customer with respect and go out of your way to make them happy. That is why I find it intensely frustrating when I have to deal with poor customer service. There is nothing more aggravating than finding out that I didn't get what I paid for or that I was misled into purchasing the wrong item or when the voice on the phone is angry at me for implying that their company may have made a mistake. I get tired of having to fight for the service or product I was promised. I get angry when I have to spend extra time or money because someone else made a mistake. It doesn't seem fair. It's worse when I point out this unfairness and I feel that the person or company has no interest in righting the wrong. I'm come to a realization, though, that I could fight all of those battles to the bloody end. I would end up winning less than half of them (I know this from experience), but in the end, it's not worth the total time and effort spent. I've learned now to take one shot asking for compensation and then letting it drop. In the end, God will even all that stuff out. This applies to the big stuff, too. If you think your wife (or ex- wife) has wronged you and she never had to pay, you may feel like you want to seek justice here on earth. You may find it, but at what price to yourself? If you think a boss or coworker has cheated you in some way, you probably want to take it to a higher authority. Again, you might get your justice, but at what price? "Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice." Proverbs 29:26 We should fight for justice in our society, but we should not be obsessed with justice in our personal lives just because we feel ourselves to be a victim of some minor insult. That obsession is to have someone else judged by a human mind. That will, invariably, lead to resolution that isn't quite correct. We should seek to be fair in our own actions and be willing to forgive the lack of fairness in others. Don't get distracted by making justice happen right now. God will take care of that later. Be focused on doing His will right now. That's where joy and contentment can be found. -Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 30 22:37:12 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 22:37:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Steady Message-ID: Until you see the principles in action, physics can appear to be magic. Remember that ride at the carnival where you stood against the inside of a large circle that spun around? The bottom would drop out, but you would be stuck to the wall due to the centrifugal and centripetal forces acting on your body. When an ice-skater spins in place, he can control the speed of his spin by simply extending or retracting his arms. Putting the arms out creates a larger circle and uses more energy, so the skater slows down. Bringing the arms in creates a smaller circle and uses less energy to go around, so the skater speeds up. You can try this with your office chair by spinning and then extending or retracting your legs. One of the most fun devices that depends entirely on physics is the Steadicam. This is a harness worn by a cameraman on which a long arm is mounted on a gimbal. A camera is place on the top of the arm and a counterweight at the bottom. The combined weight of the device gives it enough inertia that the movements of the cameraman are nearly independent of the arm. The gimbal allows the cameraman to move freely while the camera moves quite slowly and smoothly. Think of holding a bowling ball and trying to swing it back and forth wildly. You'll find that your body is doing most of the moving and the ball moves very little in relationship to the floor. The Steadicam works the same way. Again, though, this appears to be magical until you understand the physics involved like inertia, center of gravity, and the rest. The whole point of the Steadicam is to prevent the camera from being buffeted by the normal bumps and jerks of the human operating the camera. How do we prevent the bumps and jerks of life from tossing us about? How do we avoid being blown around by all the world has to offer? "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:14-15 Christ provides that stability. Growing in Christ provides the counterweights that keep us from being tossed by the winds of the world. When the bumps and jerks come along, those strong in Christ will barely notice. Find your stability. Find your steadiness. Find it all in Christ. Yes, you heard me: Jesus is my Steadicam. Wyatt