From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 1 22:34:35 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 22:34:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Bad Apples Message-ID: I am an unabashed sports fan. I will jump up and scream when I see something amazing. I will boo at the TV when the officials make a bad call. I can even get teary-eyed when they show the career highlights of my favorite players. However, while it may make good press, I cannot stand the bad apples in sports. I get tired of hearing about players arrested for drunk driving or carrying a gun or trying to hide marijuana in their luggage. I get annoyed hearing about the player who badmouths his own team or coach or the one who acts out to get attention or the one who simply thinks he is bigger than the game. After a few of these episodes, you begin to peg people as just plain bad. They can't seem to live clean or play on a team without turning the locker room upside down. I just pray they don't join the team I root for and try to ignore them. I think I'm so insightful, though, by listening to a few news reports on ESPN and reading an article in Sports Illustrated. I figure I've got this guy's personality nailed and I feel comfortable declaring him a lost cause. Thank Heaven God doesn't do that. God looks deeper than our actions. He looks past our sin to know our heart. He doesn't ever write us off. "The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being." Proverbs 20:27 God's lamp is better than ours. It looks past the surface and even looks past our sin and can see into our heart. If our heart's desire is to be like Him, He will forgive us, pick us up, dust us off, and give us another shot. I figure some of those players I talked about are probably mislabeled. They may really be good guys in unlucky situations. They may never rebuild their reputation, though, because the public has already indicted them. Again, I'm glad God won't do that. He knows the truth. He knows whether you love Him. He knows if your heart is to follow Him. Take comfort in knowing that He knows you that well. (Thanks to Rick for the idea for this push up) -Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 2 23:58:09 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 23:58:09 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Transparency Message-ID: <1BF7F5ED-EC48-4EDE-8E9A-E95618B87AD0@clanwebb.com> We fight transparency at all costs. People hide behind everything from sunglasses to bravado. We want the world to perceive us as we want, not as we are. In this way, we are in control and can bypass exposure. The world now wants a certain amount of transparency when it comes to security, credit scores, background checks, and more. The thing about God is that He doesn't ask for public transparency, but offers a private opportunity to offload what we are ashamed of, so that He can make it clean. Then, if we are exposed and accused, we have hope and redemption. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." John 1:9 After all, it is futile to try to hide anything from God. Not only does he have x-ray vision, but he holds the patent on our lives. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu May 3 23:58:50 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 23:58:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Limits Message-ID: <34BFB3D7-12F2-4BFE-AB5F-AEDAA3810307@clanwebb.com> I was sitting in my office the other day when my granddaughter came waddling in and peeked over the edge of my desk. She saw my glasses there and as she reached toward them, she looked at me with a cute smile that she knows usually melts me and gives her what she wants. It was one of those limit moments and I told her "no". She was not pleased and it took a couple more attempts plus some fake tears before she was distracted by something else. Limits are important because they keep us safe even when we don't understand the rules or the danger. Satan would have you believe there are no limits. "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give to you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Matthew 4:8-9 "From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits." Psalm 73:7 Like with children, God sets limits for our own good because He knows, left unattended, we will wander off into a danger zone or touch things we have no business touching. The Word of God defines our limits. The lies of Satan are meant to put us in harm's way. "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?" Job 11:7 No, we cannot! "Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed." Job 14:5 When we accept and embrace the limits God has for us, He expands them for us. He does this because, like children, our understanding is expanded. Stop going places and doing things that are clearly beyond the limits set by God. Embrace the safety of the limits set for you and enjoy the enclosure because it is there that the Shepherd can attend to you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 5 00:49:08 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 00:49:08 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Bigger Message-ID: As a child, I was conditioned by society to think of bigger being better. Remember when you just knew that the best gift at Christmas was the biggest box under the tree? It was guaranteed to be a bike or sports equipment or camping gear or a cool game. I was a Lego freak and so I always asked for more Lego sets. The ones I coveted the most were the large variety sets that came with instructions to build several models. The best ones came with a motor. I just loved the fact that there were a few hundred new pieces added to my collection and new ideas for my own creations. But, regardless of your favorite hobby, the biggest box always seems to be the best. I can still have the same reaction today. I was in the Lego store at the mall the other day and spotted the Ultimate Collector's Millenium Falcon (from Star Wars) model. It assembles to be almost three feet long, almost two feet wide and eight inches tall. It has 5195 pieces!. This was the biggest box of all! But, then, I noticed that it was $500. So I just lingered for a moment and walked away. The tug is still there. There's still a nostalgic joy in opening a Lego box, especially a really big one. Now, these are just toys, but the principle holds. We tend to want bigger because we think it's better. Heck, even the Jewish society around Jesus didn't believe He was the Messiah because He didn't overthrow the Romans. They wanted bigger and better. But, bigger and better is in the eye of the beholder. God pointed this out to the Israelites when they were returning from captivity to build the second temple. Many of the old-timers complained that the new temple was smaller and, thereby, not as good. " 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?' [...] 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the Lord Almighty." Haggai 2:3,9 Don't judge the power of God by the vessels He uses. Christ came humbly and gently and gave us the most powerful gift of all time. God will use the little things, the common people, and the apparently random events to bring about His will. Don't ignore them just because they aren't big. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 6 00:47:54 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 6 May 2007 00:47:54 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Broken Walls Message-ID: "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28 I've read this verse many times and I always concluded the same meaning in my mind. It always seemed that this was describing the man with no self-control as a ruin, as something to be pitied, as someone who is no longer useful. Then, a few days ago, I read it again and realized this wasn't just a picture of the results of a do-anything lifestyle, but a warning for those still in the midst of it. This verse is also saying that the man who has no self-control is vulnerable. Imagine a city whose defenses are down, but nobody has invaded, yet. The city may be functioning, but it has no chance against an organized enemy. A man living like this is living on the edge. At any moment, something could happen that would dramatically change his life for the worse because he let his guard down. We are opposed by an organized enemy and he will look for any opportunity to attack. The enemy prowls like a lion. When he pounces, you better have your defenses ready. A man with no self-control has no defenses. The predator will be upon him before he knows what's happened. This verse is warning us to keep our walls strong and keep the sentries alert. Don't be surprised when the enemy attacks. Be prepared by maintaining control of yourself through Christ. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 6 23:00:16 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 6 May 2007 23:00:16 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Planned Side Effects Message-ID: Have you ever noticed your child trying to manipulate you into doing something for them? When they are quite young, they simply ask, "Can we go to the toy store?" As they get a little older, they try things like, "I'll help you with grocery shopping if we can stop and rent a video game, too." Then, they get really sophisticated and start trying to arrange for beneficial side effects to your plans. Now, I'll get things like agreeing to go clothes shopping when he knows that it will mean not having to do homework or postponing a school project. Or, when Mom mentions that she'd like to buy a particular item, he'll suggest a store where he can shop for himself, too. These attempts are clever, but they don't often pan out. In attempting to offer an innocent suggestion, it's clear to us that there's something else afoot. All by itself, this may be innocent behavior, but it sets a dangerous precedent. The result of agreeing to such an alteration is that the focus then is entirely on getting the ulterior goal and forgetting the goal set by Mom and Dad when we left. This confusion of goals and motivations leads to conflict and frustrations. As usual, we are no different as God's children. Haggai has a passage about how the returning Israelites were supposed to be rebuilding the temple. But, all they could see was rebuilding their own homes first. They had been told that blessings were coming, so they focused on those first. "This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the Lord. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of my house which remains in ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house." " Haggai 1:7-9 They were so focused on their own selfish goals, that they were ignoring the commands of God. And, the results were terrible. They weren't being blessed. They seemed to never have enough. They were struggling. All because they had ignored God's direction and plan. If you are struggling and feeling like you can't get ahead, examine your goals. Are you working for yourself? Do you have selfish plans? Go back to God and simply say, "I'll set aside my desires to follow yours. Lead me." Don't be distracted by trying to guarantee your blessings by doing it yourself. Keep your eyes on God's commands and plans. The rest will happen all by itself. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 7 22:49:26 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 22:49:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Grace and Salt Message-ID: <7B7C1225-7C48-4380-819A-F00C04B3AF19@clanwebb.com> I have mentioned before my brief brush with the military. I have the deepest respect for those who choose to serve and I thank them all for their sacrifice. I spent a mere ten days in an abbreviated boot camp as part of my Navy ROTC service. That was ten days with an impressive Marine drill sergeant straight out of central casting. Because of our shortened time, he took advantage of every moment of every day to teach us something. We marched everywhere we went. We learned how to answer orders and follow them without question during the most mundane classes. He had me so wound up, I slept at attention on top of my bedspread the first night there. By the end of the ten days, I found myself waking up while standing at attention at the end of my bunk. He trained us to respond very well. He had clearly been through this many times before with much more ornery boys than us. He had an answer for every challenge. Some were good answers. Some just led to more push-ups or laps around the barracks. Either way, people stopped asking because he taught us everything eventually. I don't know why this Gunnery Sergeant came to mind when I read this scripture, but he did: "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:5-6 The purpose of this scripture is to make sure that your interactions with non-Christians will always leave them wondering what you know that they don't. They should recognize the wisdom you have that is not your own. They should feel you being graceful and loving around them to the point that they want more. They should hear Christ speaking through you and reflected in your countenance. Now, my drill sergeant did not speak gracefully and he had a different definition of salty speech that he engaged in with gusto. But, he did make an impression. I never forgot him and I have no doubt that my personality changed after spending time with him. You should strive to have that kind of effect on others. They should never forget how you acted and they should feel changed after knowing you. That's how we feel about Christ, and we should give them a taste, too. Just be careful to use the right kind of salt. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 8 23:13:45 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 23:13:45 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Easily Fooled Message-ID: <681FDE61-FA67-43D9-8EAD-8494EBEB10E7@clanwebb.com> When doing signal analysis, there is an important concept of sample rate or sample frequency. This is the rate at which you are testing the signal to see what it's doing. What makes the sample rate important is that if any signal events are happening at a faster rate than your sample rate, they are effectively invisible or, at best, deceptive. Think of two people in a room with a strobe light. The light flashes four times per second. If one person makes a motion faster than a quarter of a second, the observer won't be able to see it or may be deceived. If one person reaches for an object and moves his arm back as fast as possible, the observer may only notice that the object is missing, but never see his arm move. Or, he may simply notice the arm slightly extended, but never near the object. Human eyes have a maximum frequency sensitivity that is effectively our vision sample rate. If things move faster than that frequency, we are deceived. This is why fast-spinning wheels appear to be standing still or spinning slowly backwards. This is why flip-book animations work. Movie theaters take advantage of your frequency limit, too. The projectors flicker the light behind the film (which is just a long strip of still images) roughly 72 times per second. For a vast majority of people, light flickering that fast appears to be continuous and pictures flickering that fast appear to be moving. The key here is to not trust your senses because they have known limits. Man has figured out many ways to fool your senses into seeing, hearing, or feeling something that isn't really there. And yet we fall into the trap of trusting our own senses over God's. God created our bodies, limits and all. God created the things around us that we need to sense. He even led inventors and creators to construct the devices that fool our senses now. Still, we pound the table and say that we will only believe what we have seen or heard or touched. God is everywhere: "Am I only a God nearby," declares the Lord, "and not a God far away?" Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord." Jeremiah 23:23-24 God can do anything: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." Job 42:2 So, why exactly are you demanding that He prove Himself according to your easily fooled senses? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 9 22:54:12 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 22:54:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Complete Dependence Message-ID: I make my living as a commission salesman. That means that if I don't sell something, I don't get a paycheck. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is provided by my employer. I don't get medical insurance, no tax matching, no retirement, no disability insurance, no company car, no overtime, no expense account, and no paid vacation. It makes me dependent on God. Every waking moment, I must examine my business and ask, "Is there something I should be doing right now to produce a sale?" I don't say this to brag. I just say it to remind myself that if I don't do my job, it means no paycheck. If I have a bad month, I don't pick up my check anyway. I don't accrue vacation time, sick time, personal time, get promotions, or stock options. I can't go on strike or file a grievance. I can only get up the morning, go out into the world, and serve. I feel sorry for anyone who does not face the world each morning knowing that, unless God places you in a situation to serve, you fail. Brother, if you want motivation to pray, get into commission sales. It is like being in a free fall in the dark, wondering if you remembered to put on a parachute, and then thinking, "It doesn't matter. I have no idea when to pull the ripcord anyway." So, if you have a salaried position, if you are worried about your next promotion, if you hate endless, useless meetings, if your boss hacks you off, if you didn't like your last review, if you are managing the unmanageable trying to reach the unattainable, then go to a quiet place and pray: "Dear Lord, if I am not doing my job to please you, if I take my blessings for granted, please do whatever it takes to make me dependent on you." Chances are that you will become an independent businessman completely dependent on God. "Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 24:14 Wisdom comes from dependence. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu May 10 23:16:26 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 23:16:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Foolish Wisemen Message-ID: Recently, I have been reading and listening to quite a bit regarding the scientific evidence against the Darwinian theory of the origin of life and the evidence for what is now being called the theory of Intelligent Design. Now, not all Intelligent Design supporters are necessarily Christians, but they are, at least, more honest about the evidence in front of them. It seems that every day some new research or discovery is announced that contradicts or at least creates large questions for Darwinian theory. One of my favorite concepts is the idea of irreducible complexity. Since evolutionary theory is based on the idea of gradual improvement of an organism due to random mutation and survival of the fittest, it implies that complex organisms grew out of simpler ones by developing features that allowed it to survive longer and reproduce. This theory dictates, then, that as we learn more and more about the building blocks of organisms in general, we should find complexity reducing. The truth is that as molecular biologists have looked into the inner workings of a cell, they have found immense complexity and molecular machines that amaze modern engineers. Darwin himself said that if anyone could show an organism to be irreducibly complex, then his theory would fall apart. Science is finding amazingly elegant complexity at the smallest levels of our cells. It is really impossible to conceive of what simpler organism there was before that evolved into the average human cell. If any of the pieces were missing or did less, then the cell would die. It cannot be reduced and still be useful so it is said to be irreducibly complex. Those who refuse to believe it refute it by coming up with highly improbable hypothetical situations of how a simpler organism could have mutated into the one we see today. When faced with evidence that refutes their theory, they buttress the theory with exceptions and caveats. Scientists in other disciplines would choose to come up with a new theory. I think it's time to throw out the Darwinian theory. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities?his eternal power and divine nature?have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools." Romans 1:20-22 This scripture rings loud and clear and describes exactly what goes on in much of the scientific community. They will stand on their head and propose bizarre, unworkable theories to avoid the obvious: there is a God and He created it all. They do this to avoid admitting that God exists because that would have philosophical implications and personal, spiritual implications that they don't want to deal with. God has clearly revealed Himself to us in many ways. Creation is only one of them. Don't be afraid to point it out if you are challenged. Don't be suckered in by those who claim to be wise, but have become fools. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 11 22:12:33 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 22:12:33 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Mother You Married Message-ID: <15147CAC-8475-4338-80ED-BA750495B682@clanwebb.com> My workspace at the office may seem unusual to most of you. Imagine four cubicles in a square. Now remove the four walls that separate the people and just leave the outer walls with access doors. This means that while I work at my computer, I can look over the top of my LCDs and see the lady sitting across from me. I can turn in my chair and see the other engineer sitting next to me. I can easily see the tester sitting diagonally from me. The idea is to foster more conversation and quicker interaction since we're all working on the same project. It also means that we tend to converse more during the day. Today, the topic of Mother's Day came up. The engineer sitting next to me mentioned that he had planned to visit his brother this weekend in Las Vegas, but when he planned the trip some time ago, he didn't realize it was Mother's Day weekend. All of us discussed how that might go over with his wife. He insisted that since his own mother had passed away some time ago, he was off the hook. It was up to his kids to celebrate Mother's Day with their mom. I just shook my head and admitted, "Nope. I've tried that. It didn't fly." The lady in the group happens to be a mother of adult children and agreed with me. It's an age old joke, but the truth is that if you're married to a mother, you should be kissing her feet with gratefulness for all she does. Don't take it from me, take it from Scripture: "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. [...] Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." " Proverbs 31:10, 28-29 Now, the verses I skipped describe all the things a noble wife is to do. It's easy for us to use that as a checklist to decide if she's being noble or not. The Scripture doesn't read that way, though. It lists the characteristics of a noble wife. The praise she receives from her children and her husband are part of what describes her nobility. You can't withhold it until she's met the other criteria. That's not your call. I know my wife does more than I thank her for. Since Scripture commands it, I really have no excuse for not praising her for it. Do you praise the mother you're married to? Do your children call her blessed? After all she's done for you, don't you think it's time? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 12 22:51:26 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 22:51:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Making God Weary Message-ID: Did you realize that we can make God weary? Does that mean He gets tired of us? No. Does it mean that He has had enough of us and will give up? No. Do you know someone that wears you out? Your child or a friend? A relative? We all seem to have those folks that can just exhaust us. Do we get tired of them to the point that we want to cut them off? Do we want to give up and never talk to them again? Sometimes, maybe, but usually not. Especially with our own children. We can be dead tired, but we won't give up. It's a good thing that God is the perfect Father, because I think I may have given up on humanity quite a while ago. And that thing that wearies Him? "You have wearied the Lord with your words. "How have we wearied him?" you ask. By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?" " Malachi 2:17 You might recognize these wearying statements in the more modern vernacular. "We're all God's children. He loves us all the same." and "God doesn't judge. He just loves. He'll save us all." Those may be "inclusive" or "diverse" concepts, but they are not Biblical. Those ideas and statements wear God out. Consider that if God was weary of this in Malachi's time, it's not a new idea. Don't fall for the feel good idea of a loving God with no justice and no judgement. This is a human creation. Don't weary God. Please Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 13 23:32:33 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 23:32:33 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] If Not For God Message-ID: <4A741CED-4918-4B4C-B8C9-644E73F23E75@clanwebb.com> My wife and I met some new friends on our recent cruise. A very bubbly lady came up to our table and asked if she and her husband could join us. If you know me, people who do that sort of thing make me nervous and, because I like my privacy, I don't gravitate to this kind of intrusion. But, my wife was with me and she wouldn't be rude to Atilla the Hun if he had asked to sit with us. This woman has a rather think accent and was obviously from a Slavic country. With my usual pinpoint accuracy in such matters, I was right. It turned out that she and her husband, Daniel, were from Mission Viejo, California. Close enough. So much for a quiet lunch. God does have a sense of humor about such matters. When Daniel finally sat down, we got to know them a little better. Daniel and Rodica grew up in Romania while it was under communist control. Daniel escaped through Yugoslavia to Italy and then immigrated to the United States. He escaped on nothing more than $100 sewed into his jacket and complete faith in the Lord. He took his sister and a friend with him and they lay in a corn field all night where she had a panic attack. He and the friend prayed over her and she got up and outran them both. They narrowly missed tripwire flares, concealed pits, guard posts, and dogs only to be taken in by some people that then betrayed them to the police. While he was detained, he was placed in a jail where God arranged for him to meet the only other person in the country that knew his brother. His brother had escaped earlier and landed in Chicago and later moved to Detroit. Daniel bluffed and God blinded the authorities and he made his way to Italy and found work as a tailor. He was able to eventually get to Chicago, but he thought the winters were too cold. He visited friends in Southern California where he eventually opened a small tailor shop. Daniel had once made one woman with an odd figure look good. Now, of course, if you telegraph, telephone, or just tell a woman with an odd figure that she looks great in a dress, you've opened the door. The rest is history. One day, the head of immigration for the west coast during the Reagan administration came into his shop. Daniel made him look good in a suit and that's how God got Rodica out of Romania and to the US to marry Daniel. The rest of the story had to do with time before he left Romania with his father, a war vet with one leg, having a vision from God that he would live to 65 to take care of his children. A Romanian official had told Daniel not to leave the country, but to stay and take care of his father. A few days short of his 65th birthday, Daniel's father died. The man was a security guard at an old factory, "a nobody" as Daniel put it, and yet over one thousand people came to his funeral. By the end of his story, I was transfixed by his faith. The ship was in rough seas, both wives were seasick, and I was left wondering why God had just done what He had done. "If the Lord had not been on our side? let Israel say- if the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 124 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 14 22:59:07 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 22:59:07 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Relationships and Stuff Message-ID: <2FB67DD6-4109-4B5E-9FA1-2D4122F533F9@clanwebb.com> I was having lunch with a coworker and a business visitor today who both happened to be more than a decade older than me. As is common in those situations, they found they had more in common historically with each other than they did with me. I didn't mind. It was an interesting opportunity to hear more about their lives. As they talked, they discovered that they had both spent time in Africa in the late seventies. They both professed love for the people and cities there and told a few stories about what they enjoyed. Then, my coworker said something that struck me. He said, "I found that those people were some of the most generous in the world. How paradoxical that the poorest of the world would be the most giving I have ever encountered." Almost immediately, I saw the insight God wanted me to see and spoke up after being quiet for some time. I said, "They must have realized that the relationships were more important than the stuff." Both of these guys nodded to me without realizing that I had not only summed up the situation, but had expressed one of the basic tenets of Christianity. Christianity is all about relationships. Christ's trip to earth, His crucifixion, and His resurrection were all about love for you. "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 We are to love other believers in a way that makes us stand out from the norm. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 We are to forgo the love of stuff to follow Christ. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24 Would people say that about you? Would you stand out in a crowd based on your attitude about relationships and stuff? Or, do you fit in with the world because you only work on the fun relationships and show off your stuff? Much like these poor folks, we should treat our stuff as simply gifts from God that mean much less than the relationships we can build. I felt convicted today. Do you? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 16 00:14:05 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 00:14:05 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Of What Use? Message-ID: <0C45B5C0-1E37-43A1-9526-5078CC4D19D5@clanwebb.com> Ichiro Suzuki is an artist. If you are a baseball fan (especially if you are a Mariners fan), you know of which I speak. He is the only hitter I've ever seen who seems to actually direct the ball. It appears that he can aim it over the shortstop's head or through the hole on the right or even knock one out when necessary. I watched him go 5 for 5 tonight and he made it look easy. Now, if a game was on the line and you could put any batter up to get the winning run home, he'd be near the top of the list of favorites. Would he be the first choice for every manager in the league? Probably not. He is a highly probable choice because he has the right skills and the right knowledge to use the opportunity presented to him. Would any manager pull me out of the crowd and hand me a bat? I suppose anything is technically possible, but I highly doubt that I'd be chosen. What use is a baseball bat in my hands when a game is on the line? I don't have the right knowledge or the right skill. This is the image that came to mind when I read this Scripture: "Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?" Proverbs 17:16 What makes you think God will bless you if you don't have the right motivations? What purpose would it serve to give you your heart's desire if your desires are misguided? That's the trick of it all. Once you realize that all that other stuff is helpless to guide you through life and you decide to seek the wisdom of God, then He'll bless you as He sees appropriate. Does it mean you will automatically get blessed? No. Just like I can't guarantee a manager would pick Ichiro in crunch time, I can only say that you've significantly increased your chances. If you feel like you're stuck in the spiritual boondocks, then it may be time to examine your heart. Do you have the right desire? Do you desire wisdom? Do you desire Christ? Have you confessed and repented of the sin in your life? If not, then you have severely decreased your chances of being blessed. You're now more like me sitting in the upper deck hoping to get called down by the manager. Not very likely. Get focused. Get wisdom. Put yourself in position to be used by God. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 16 22:31:08 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 22:31:08 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Good Habits Message-ID: <41043286-9C47-4F8F-91A3-1C58F45CC3FA@clanwebb.com> I often look at my personal habits and can trace them back to my childhood. For example, as a child, i would get up every morning, do my chores, and then catch the school bus. When I came home, there was a little free time, more chores, dinner, and then bed. Of course, I have adapted to different hours, but I am still happiest when I am up early and shutting down soon after the sun goes down. Today, young people are busy, but they seem to do a lot of something they call "hanging". Although I am not sure exactly what that means, I do get the impression that it isn't what I would call productive. "If you can't find something productive to do, I'll find something for you," was a popular statement with my mom. I never doubted that, if pressed, she could have generated an organizational chart, flow chart, and Gantt chart that would have kept me busy well into my late twenties. I know that, in the mind of young people, there is a fine line between the suggestion of work and the Bataan death march. But, how we spend our time as young men will carry through to adulthood. After we leave home, it is up to us to examine our routines and our motives for how we spend our time. It is always good to stop and take stock. "Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well." Ecclesiastes 11:6 Good stuff. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 18 00:39:57 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 00:39:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Friction Message-ID: There's an interesting property of physics that you have probably experienced many times. When I first learned how it worked, it seemed kind of magical. I'm speaking about the coefficient of friction. This is a number that basically described how hard it is to move an object on a given surface. A book on a table has a fairly small coefficient. A heavy bookshelf on a hardwood floor may have a reasonable coefficient. That same bookcase on a shag carpet has a very high coefficient of friction. What's interesting is that there are actually two numbers to know. One coefficient applies when the object is at rest. The other when it is moving. The second number is always equal to or smaller than the first. This means that it takes more effort to start moving an object than it takes to keep it moving. Anyone who has ever pushed a heavy piece of furniture across a carpeted floor knows this from experience. It takes a hefty push to get it started, but then it seems to move with less effort once it is going. When you are first learning physics, this doesn't make sense. None of the pertinent information about the situation has changed and, yet, it is easier to push the moving object than to push it from a standstill. It has to do with the "stickiness" of the atoms in contact with each other, but it is still a physical law that seems to defy logic. I believe we have similar situation in our life. It takes much more effort to get moving if we have been at a standstill. It takes less effort to keep going or to change direction if you're already going forward. Standing still spiritually is the equivalent of being lukewarm. You're not backsliding, but you aren't growing either. You're not on fire for God, but you haven't rejected Him either. It turns out He's not a big fan of lukewarm: "So, because you are lukewarm ? neither hot nor cold ? I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:16 It's harder to get moving, but I would recommend you start. It will take less effort to follow Christ and honor His will for you if you are already moving in that direction. If you haven't moved yet, it'll take more work. Don't be standing still. Get moving. And get moving toward Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 19 00:32:11 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 00:32:11 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Intentionally Ignorant Message-ID: <4CC112F5-10A2-44FB-BB8B-FF5E765A5BE9@clanwebb.com> I had something happen yesterday that occurs from time to time, but it always makes me shake my head when it does. We are trained to always ask if a new prospect is currently working with someone in our company. We do this as a courtesy to our fellow agents and because it is the right thing to do. Of course, it can happen, through no fault, that the prospect doesn't disclose the fact or for some reason it doesn't come up. In this case, I called the other agent and asked how it came about that someone I had been working with had ended up as his client. He employed a tactic I call, "Ask, but don't tell." His response was, "Yes, I asked, Allen, and they did say they were working with another agent, but I told them I didn't want to know who it was." Hiding behind ignorance is a way to walk a line and, at times, too much information is a bad thing all around. However, you will notice that the root word in ignorance seems to be ignore. This does not imply a genuine lack of facts, but the act of choosing to not face them. So, I think it applies to many people that go through life thinking that if they ignore the falling piano, it won't hit them. God doesn't have any loopholes. What is, is. "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." Acts 17:30 Now, if this statement seems a little hard to grasp, read it again. Ignorance is no excuse. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 20 00:04:41 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 00:04:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Head On Message-ID: <6386655D-AC07-4AA0-BCE3-B65DB22E7D36@clanwebb.com> There is a lot of trouble in the world. Many people will go to great lengths to avoid trouble, but it will always find you in one form or another. Trouble comes from one source: Satan. Let's face it. The guy has a lot of tools at his disposal and it's hard to avoid all of them all of the time. A fellow could find a cave, get way in the back, and cause the entrance to fall in so trouble could not find him. But, of course, in doing so he would then find himself in some trouble. As I see it, the best way to clear trouble is to meet it head on. When King David followed this course, he did his best. On the other hand, when he went to great lengths to avoid trouble, it seemed to replicate. Saul chased him all over the hills. Nathan outed him in front of his court. But, when David put on his faith and and went out to face trouble, he did well. First, as a youth with the giant Goliath and later when he was king. "When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them." 1 Chronicles 14:8 When he found out that trouble was looking for him, he went looking for the source and defeated it. We don't always win, as in David's life, but it is still the best way to clear the air and get on with your life. If you have been avoiding something at all costs, take the time to consider the cost and then get it cleared up, win or lose. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 21 00:22:56 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 00:22:56 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Pick Him First Message-ID: I believe my geekiness is approaching some kind of critical mass. I've successfully dragged my wife and my son along for the ride and have sold them on much of my geeky fun. My wife has an appreciation for how much better HDTV looks than standard television and she loves the digital video recorder (or DVR) as much as I do. I'm not even allowed to control the remote when we watch something we've recorded. My son knows which voice communication software is best to use when playing online and has played video games long enough to describe something on my shelf as "old school". One sign that we are approaching the apex of our collective geekiness is that we each have our own iPod. Once again, God spoke to me in the oddest of situations. You see, my iPod is almost full. I was having to take music off that I haven't listened to in some time to make room for a new CD I had just purchased. What struck me was that I was having to choose what music would be available to me when I'm at work, in the car, or exercising. The other music would still be on my computer, but I almost certainly won't be listening to it anytime soon. I had to start thinking about which music was really my favorite. Which songs were important to me. Which ones would I miss if they weren't there. I believe we get up each morning and make that decision about our spiritual and mental lives. We have to decide what's going along for the ride with us out into the world. Will it be the movie you watched last night? Will it be the highlights of the baseball game? Will it be thoughts about the girl at the coffee shop that may have been flirting with you? Will it be thoughts about the to-do list you have at home? Will you take Jesus with you in your heart? Or will He miss the cut because you didn't have enough room today? I have this image of a disappointed Jesus sitting on the bleachers because you didn't pick Him to be part of your top five things during the day. He's not disappointed because He's missing out. He's disappointed for you because you're missing out. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 The first thing I put in my pants pocket in the morning is my wallet. I wouldn't get very far without it. Spiritually, the first thing you should pick up every morning is Jesus Christ. Seek Him first before everything else. You won't get very far without Him. Don't leave Him behind because you didn't have room. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 21 22:18:55 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 22:18:55 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Laughing With God Message-ID: We don't often associate humor with Scripture. Most often, when the term "laugh" appears, it leans towards mockery rather than an old- fashioned belly laugh. When the Israelites were serious about their relationship with God, they were serious about the way they wrote about Him. To imply humor was to take some edge off of a God that they revered so much that they wouldn't even say His name. We have all heard some jokes, or in my case told some jokes before I was saved, that really showed a lack of reverence to all aspects of the Godhead. Some lines just should not be crossed and, as my walk grew, my eyes were opened to this aspect of humor. What do we say when someone tells one of those jokes that demean God? Do we chastise the teller? Do we stand on righteous indignation? I must admit that it is a conundrum for me as I always seek to open relationships and not put up walls by embarrassing the storyteller. Using God's name in vain is a different story, and I approach that subject with a different attitude. A clean "three guys show up at the pearly gates" joke can be an intro to a discussion, but we must have the conviction of our faith. "but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming." Psalm 37:13 This verse makes me think of a fool who is standing on the tracks of an oncoming train, bracing himself for the impact, and wondering if he will survive or die. "At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is in deep thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 1 Kings 18:27 Elijah knew that he held the winning hand in the contest with the prophets of Baal. So, he engages in a little showmanship humor to make the grand finale more dramatic. Before the afternoon was over, these false prophets were not laughing. Now, Paul was never at a loss for words, and when the "you have to be circumcised" crowd was kicking up a fuss, he let them know what he thought. "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!" Galatians 5:12 Yipe, Paul, why don't you tell us how you really feel? Perhaps Paul earned the right to be harsh. Keep smiling. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 23 00:33:50 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 00:33:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Beautiful People Message-ID: <318758C4-6F1F-47A9-99B8-C4EED65360F3@clanwebb.com> I believe that my wife is beautiful, but I know that she would describe herself as average. I also hold no illusions that I would be a good candidate for a Calvin Klein ad. I say that only to point out that we may be biased in our view of "beautiful people". These are those people you see in the mall or at the store who look like they just walked out of a soap opera. They have perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect clothes, and they look perfect together. It is easy to stereotype these folks as arrogant and elitist, but that isn't always the case. Nonetheless, when they do act that way, it is more obvious because they stand out in a crowd to begin with. The other day we were walking into a department store and a young couple was walking ahead of us. He looked like an Olympic swimmer or champion wrestler. She looked like someone from the cover of Seventeen. They were very beautiful people. They seemed nice enough based on the short conversation we overheard, but what struck me was the amount of time they each must have spent on their appearance. Now, there's nothing wrong with staying healthy and looking good, until it becomes a higher priority than God. There's value there, but you have to keep the priorities in order. "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:8 So, go ahead and work out and eat right. Go ahead and get a body wax if you want ( but, on a personal note: ewww! ). Just be sure to spend more time working on your godliness. When we get to Heaven, those will be the really beautiful people. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 23 21:52:02 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 21:52:02 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Panic Message-ID: <6A84B0BA-ACF6-4AE7-AFF4-F6243F101CBB@clanwebb.com> When an overpowering fear and a feeling of certain oncoming doom overcomes us, we call it PANIC! You may or may not have experienced a level of panic in your life, but to those of us that have, you don't soon forget the feeling. Holding down the reflex and keeping a cool head is what often separates those that survive from those that don't. In our fantasy lives, we often look to the movies and imagine ourselves to be that hero that can go undaunted into the jaws of death and stay cool. The fact remains that when panic sets in and takes over, it is so overpowering that one can only scream and flee. When God appears in Scripture in such a way as to really get the attention of the world, He has no problem evoking panic. In other words, you don't know panic until God triggers it in your life. Then, even if you are the biggest, meanest, kung-fu-est guy on the planet, you will attempt to flee. "While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites." 1 Samuel 7:10 "But after they had moved it, the Lord's hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors." 1 Samuel 5:9 "On that day men will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other." Zechariah 14:13 The world just doesn't get the power of God, but they will. The only cure for panic is to be hidden in God's tent under the bed saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" "For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." Psalm 27:5 Rest in Him and rest assured. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 25 00:09:54 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 00:09:54 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Free Passes Message-ID: "For the wages of sin is death [...]" Romans 6:23a This is one of those truths of Scripture that seems contradictory to reality until you look a little deeper. It seems to imply a short time between sin and result. However, sinning does not mean that you will drop dead on the spot (although it came pretty quickly to a few folks in the Bible). It means that when you finally have to pay your tab, you will have to pay with your eternal life. The reason He doesn't call in the chit sooner is to give you the opportunity to repent. We teach our young children right and wrong by giving immediate feedback to their actions. If they head for the hot stove, we warn them and move them away. If they head for a tumble down the stairs, we erect a gate or pick them up. If they finish their dinner, clean their room, or take out the trash we praise them. We do that at a young age so that it's natural when they are older. However, we all suffer from misinterpreting delayed consequences to some degree. If we don't really believe the consequences will come, then the reasoning behind doing the right thing loses some of its strength. If the upbringing or peer pressure is bad enough, then people can easily fall in to patterns that feed their lusts with no apparent immediate consequences. It's dangerous to think there are no consequences at all, though. It's fatal to think God doesn't care. "But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join in with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face." " Psalm 50:16-21 You can't hide sin in your life and think it's not a problem. You can't consider the lack of immediate consequences as God's tacit approval of your actions. You certainly can't do these things and then claim to follow Him. You simply are not a follower of Christ if you choose to keep that part of your flesh away from His authority. He will rebuke you and accuse you to your face at the end. That's not an experience I wish to have. How about you? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 26 00:13:29 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 00:13:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Weight of Pride Message-ID: I cannot begin to recount the number of times I have proudly declared my superiority in a game or sport or test of knowledge only to be embarrassed soon thereafter. There's something satisfying about seeing the arrogant person come up short (unless that person is yourself, of course), because, deep down, we are uncomfortable with overt pride. We don't like being around prideful, arrogant people. I have had times where I not only can't stand talking to them, but I've actually felt like their pride could do harm. I long ago came to the conclusion that the only thing more dangerous than someone who does not know what they are doing in a job, is someone who does not know what they are doing, but thinks they do. That's the pride that so many take on as a result of insecurity, a sense of superiority, or just plain old bullying. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 It's a sure sign of future problems. There's no reason to have it. By the way, the moment you think someone else has this problem and you don't, you've just been trapped by it. Don't be caught by this bear trap. Humble yourself before God. The more you know Him, the more ridiculous it seems to be prideful in front of Him. Think of it this way: Hanging on to your pride to the very end is like the man in the ocean saying, "I may be drowning, but at least I have my anvil!" -Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 26 23:53:22 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 23:53:22 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] In Control Message-ID: <85D8C984-57A4-4BE3-AF36-F65C5107774D@clanwebb.com> It is often said that many people go to some sporting events to see something get out of control. There is something fascinating to the basic nature of man to be there when something that is normally under control falls into chaos. Car wrecks, plane crashes, weather disasters, and famous people with huge personal problems all bring us to the television or the ticket counter. Control is a very important thing in the eyes of God. He wants you to know that you should strive every day to maintain control. "Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you." Psalm 32:9 "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." Proverbs 16:32 "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self- control." Proverbs 25:28 There is a reason why we on earth struggle with control. "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." 1 John 5:19 The conflict is defined very clearly in this verse: The children of God versus Satan. Going with the flow and giving up control of your life leads to only one place. "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;" Romans 8:6 Keep on top of it, guys. Making up lost ground takes twice as much energy and resources to regain. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 28 00:13:59 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 00:13:59 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Be Undivided Message-ID: <9CEE9875-470F-403D-A113-BB4FD8F87521@clanwebb.com> There is so much talking and teaching going on it is very difficult to keep up with all of the "new" thinking about how the world perceives God. They want to remake Jesus, rethink scripture, and modernize its approach to faith. It is almost as if they grow bored with the truth, but, not wanting to abandon it altogether, they decide to color it differently or look for hidden meanings. The object is not to tell the news in such a way that fits all people, but to tell the news the way it ought to be told to all people. One place in the Bible, Paul speaks to a situation and, not naming names, puts his finger on a problem that the early church faced and we still do today. "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil." Romans 16:17-19 We don't know who these people were, but we have the same kind today. The message is to learn the fundamentals of His kingdom and redemption and don't get caught up in the finesse generation. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 29 00:07:23 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 00:07:23 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Animating the Truth Message-ID: <1D474BC4-830B-4BA2-AB0F-627BBF4D0076@clanwebb.com> Once in a while an event happens that you just know will have significance. One of those events happened just recently when a new museum opened that can have a huge impact on thousands of people in the future. This place is a seed for the truth of Jesus Christ and His creation. It is a small, but dynamic step to educate a people that have lost sight of the fact that science is not perfect and a theory is just that: a theory. A visual stage has been opened where people can see why we believe the way we believe and that it isn't a fairy tale. I'm speaking of the new Creation Museum that opened in Petersburg, Kentucky. They use high quality multimedia and animatronics to recreate scenes from the beginning of creation, the fall, and the flood. They use professional audio-video presentations to explain how science is not at odds with the Bible, but reflects it. It is the truth about the history of the world presented with the Disneyland-like technology that the average American has come to expect. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities?his eternal power and divine nature?have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 We need not be afraid to believe that our God is so great that His abilities are without measure. "So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:21 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 30 00:21:09 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 00:21:09 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Stand Out Message-ID: <9F02858C-1855-435E-8345-E8F4BA53E3D7@clanwebb.com> Do you see the difficult option as a threat or a challenge? Is it something you avoid so as to prevent failure or do you seek it out to improve your skill? It is easy to fall into the rut of just doing what you know how to do and nothing else. It's safe, it's predictable, and it is also stagnating. You don't grow or sharpen if you tread the same path over and over. I have always admired those who challenge themselves like that. I grew up following Larry Bird and reading about how he would shoot hundreds of short bank shots every day until it became second nature. I admired Steve Largent and the way he simply played the game with excellence. Now I admire those men and women who, on a daily basis, perform acts of bravery that would make me choke up. Our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan humble me. I admire pastors who preach the Gospel in China and other countries where that is a dangerous activity. They stand out where standing out can get you killed. All of these people, in one way or another, have chosen to do the hard thing and not just the easy thing. They have chosen to do something to stand out. God calls us all to do that, too. "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:46-48 Don't be like everyone else. Don't just love the people who love you. Don't just do the things that the mob is doing. Do the hard thing. Love everyone. Speak the truth. Be different. Stand out. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 30 23:19:40 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 23:19:40 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Go Away Message-ID: "Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region." Matthew 8:30-34 This blew me away. Here Jesus approaches a town and relieves two men of their demons. These men had been disruptive to that town and affected anyone who attempted to travel past them. Jesus restored two lives and corrected a long-standing problem for this town. What is their response? "Please leave." There was no gratitude, no appreciation for His actions, and, worse, there wasn't even any curiosity about who He was and why He could do what He had done. As one voice, the whole town simply said, "Go away." They were comfortable in their current misery. They preferred their damaged, uncomfortable life over anything different. I'm sure you can point to events or people in your past that are clearly from God. You may even have a miracle or two in your history. We all certainly have enough to know that God is working in our lives and around us each day. But, sometimes, we latch on to something we don't want to hand over to Jesus and we ask Him to go away. Or, we are so afraid of anything new and different, we'd rather just stay in our mudhole, because it's the same one we've known for years. Think how deeply sad that is. How much would it rip your heart out if your child had just scraped a knee or broken a bone and when you come to help, the first thing they say is, "Go away."? Or, think about your child sitting in a deep hole and when you offer to help them out, they call back, "Go away!" All Jesus wants to do is heal, comfort, and love us. Don't tell Him to go away. Ask Him to stay. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu May 31 23:34:36 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 23:34:36 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Foolin' Message-ID: <10FEACB4-2E85-4B84-8E92-D9F2624891B7@clanwebb.com> I find it funny how a few letters on a word can change a statement. If I call you a fool to your face, it is a sharp blow. But, if I tell you that a decision you have made was foolish, it leaves more room for interpretation. Really, though, a foolish decision is one made by someone who, for at least a time, was a fool. It's sort of a state of temporary fool-dom. Foolish is a very scriptural word. It is plain and to the point and, when God uses it, there is very little room for interpretation. "You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding." Proverbs 8:5 "Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips." Proverbs 14:7 "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." Proverbs 21:20 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." 1 Corinthians 1:27 "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3 Well, I think you get the point. Fool is a simple word with a simple meaning, but it is apparently very important. Allen