From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 1 21:24:21 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 21:24:21 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Accused and Forgiven Message-ID: My business is built around product life cycles. I don't do the same thing every day forever. My job runs in six to twelve month cycles of project planning, startup, development, quality assurance, polishing, and shipment of software. During any one of those phases (but usually near the end), a problem can occur. If the problem is big enough, it can have a dramatic effect on what the rest of the project looks like. At that moment when the consequences of the problem are understood, every team member has a choice on how to respond. It is human nature to worry about self-preservation first. Those folks start pointing fingers and blaming other people or circumstances for the problem right off. This has two bad side-effects. First, it creates divisiveness on the team and can create interpersonal problems that may have to be dealt with for weeks or months. Secondly, it misses the point. The team loses focus on their goals (shipping the software) and gets caught up trying to assign blame all while the clock is still ticking. The other kind of person is the one that keeps their eye on the ball and sticks to the goals. The first thing he says is, "Okay, how do we fix this?" It doesn't matter how the team got here, he just wants to get it back on track. These guys are a godsend to managers like me. They keep the team moving and get them rolling again quickly. Furthermore, when the project is over, they will look for ways to help everyone avoid similar problems, but they don't spend any time assigning blame. All is forgiven, but lessons need to be learned. They go on to help many a product out the door. I recognized how similar this is to the spiritual forces working for and against us. Whenever we screw up, there are two voices calling out. First, is Satan: "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him." Zechariah 3:1 Revelation 12:10 describes Satan as the "accuser of the brothers". He immediately launches into accusations and pointing the finger of blame at us. It doesn't solve the problem, but it can certainly keep us occupied if we let it. If we join in, it can create divisiveness in the church body and it causes everyone involved to lose sight of the goal of God's will. Then, it's God: "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isaiah 43:25 "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 3:19 As long as we are willing to repent and learn the lesson of our sin, God forgives. He ignores the accusations and gets to work helping you resolve the problem and even turning it to good. You will still have the consequences of the problem, but He'll be working to lead you to the best possible resolution. I know which kind of co-worker I'd rather have. Isn't it amazing that so many people would rather listen to the spiritual voice of the accuser rather than the forgiver? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 2 23:59:50 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 23:59:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Who's Watching? Message-ID: <0D8D0F21-339B-4877-8D33-7DC1C7C04C55@clanwebb.com> As embarrassing as it is to admit, I think sports often carry the same emotion and involvement for men that soap operas do for some women. It's certainly true that men can get so enthralled with a team that they have to watch every moment. They know every detail about every player. Favorite players turn into hated players when they go to another team and vice-versa. Watching the dynamic of a team on the sidelines or in the clubhouse can be a soap opera in itself. We have all heard stories about turmoil in a clubhouse and how it can disrupt a team. Unless you're a die-hard fan, that can turn you off. People want to follow good guys who work hard to win. It's no fun following whiny, greedy, arrogant, selfish players as they make your team a butt of jokes. The truth is that many non-Christians look at the entirety of Christianity and decide that, as a team, our clubhouse isn't always peaceful. We pick at each other. We point fingers and argue. We get caught up trying to prove each other wrong on minor points of doctrine and we forget that the world is watching. Jesus prayed for this very thing: "My prayer is not for them [the disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21 If we aren't unified, then what kind of witness do we have? What kind of power can we claim to wield if we are fighting amongst ourselves? Should we stand on the truth? Absolutely. Should we declare a church heathen if they are pre-trib or post-trib? Uh, no. We need to get past the minor things. We need to get past the politics and remember that God is love. We need to love one another with grace and truth. Remember, the world is watching. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 3 22:29:18 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 22:29:18 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Alone Message-ID: I have little tolerance for dishonesty. I cannot stand bait-and-switch salesmen. I am intensely annoyed by deceitful political posturing. I get frustrated with those who are willing to be dishonest about their own responsibility in good and bad situations. However, there are many of these folks in the world. One of the worst cases is the person who is pleasant to your face, but hoping for or even plotting your demise in their heart. They maintain a false high road such that you can't react honestly with them. You are challenged to maintain a pleasant interaction while knowing what's going on behind the scenes. How to deal with this kind of dishonesty? I happened across a Psalm that hit this squarely: "They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge." Psalm 62:4-7 So, as God usually does, He has a solution that has nothing to do with your antagonist. It has everything to do with Him. We are to simply turn away and settle our soul on God alone. Don't get caught up trying "solve" your dishonest friend. Live the life God has planned for you and trust in him for your peace, your strength, and your refuge. In God alone. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 4 21:34:08 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 21:34:08 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Courage Message-ID: <8AC9270B-76D7-4DC9-BAFB-510AF83D6658@clanwebb.com> I think every man has had, at one time or another, the fantasy of going to a noble death for a righteous cause. The picture in our minds is easy, but to have the courage to actually do it is a different matter. This courage thing can be a bit dicey. Once you have won the battle or conquered a foe, you would actually have an experience to draw upon, but until that time, old man, doubt can affect your knees. "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 Here you go, Joshua. What better information do you need to know the fix is in? "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 You bet, Lord! I got it! "Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous." Joshua 1:18 I think you can see that even men that had close interaction with God could not completely jettison the fear of the unknown. It is easy to imagine a great victory party or a noble funeral. It's all that screaming, fighting, bleeding, and pain in between that may be a little concerning. We are asked to be courageous in our faith, to speak up and to not conform to the world, but we have the same doubts. There is a big difference between being at a Promise Keepers rally and being alone in the lunch room. We must remember that He goes before us there, also. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 5 22:09:03 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 22:09:03 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Whale Eating Message-ID: <08879A5D-A510-4D32-AAAD-72318EDC4449@clanwebb.com> In a science fiction novel I read some time ago, the author introduce the idea of a technology that was a comment on human nature. In his story, technology had advanced to the point that human beings have their brains permanently connected to a worldwide information network. They could call up information in their heads whenever they wanted. Since it was so easy to access this information, people stopped learning facts and figures and didn't bother to try to remember anything. You could call up any information you needed from wherever you were. Of course, when someone was disconnected, he was completely lost. There was no way to access the information. That's sort of the extreme version of a story our pastor told. He joked about how unwieldy it would be if your friend asked you a question about Scripture and you said, "Uh, I know it's in the Bible somewhere. Let me get my laptop and a wi-fi connection so I can look it up and show you." It would be better to say, "Well, Scripture says in John 17..." and quote it from memory. I would add that it's easier to rationalize sin, when your conscience isn't reminding you of the Scriptures you had memorized on the topic. "The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip." Psalm 37:31 "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. [...] I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:9,11 There is value in being able to recall God's word when you are away from your cellphone, laptop, and even your Bible. God will call you to action when you least expect it. If you have it memorized and on your heart, you will never be unarmed. You can't memorize it all, so tackle it the same way you'd eat a whale: one bite at a time. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 7 00:22:02 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 00:22:02 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Three Minutes Message-ID: A fast break that ends with a thunderous dunk. A well-executed hit and run. A pump fake followed by the perfect pass. These are all fun plays to watch as sports fans, but they all have one thing in common. These plays are used to get the defense out of position. A basketball team will run a fast break to get ahead of the defense and score before anyone's there. The hit and run is designed to get the second baseman out of position so a simple ground ball can get through the infield. The pump fake causes the defensive back to pause or change direction only to watch the receiver run away from him to catch the ball unchallenged. These are attempts to thwart a defense and they work because of speed and lack of knowledge. The events happen too fast and the defense doesn't know what's happening until it's done. In each of these cases, the plays are not guarantees. They can be countered by paying close attention and being prepared. Our preparedness is something our pastor talked about today. We have to be on our toes and ready for Christ's return at any moment. Why do we have to be at such a heightened state of readiness? "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." 2 Peter 3:10 "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed? in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:13 Jesus is coming back. It's going to happen at an unexpected time, it's going to happen very quickly, and it's going to be big. If you thought Christ was returning in three days, what would you change? He may return in the next three minutes. You better get started! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 7 22:55:35 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 22:55:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Amplified Feedback Message-ID: <3DF63E7F-7CD5-4F51-9439-6F7D1EDAC569@clanwebb.com> I may sound old by admitting that I've probably seen every Brady Bunch episode once or twice. I hope I sound somewhat younger when I tell you that I only started watching that show after it had already made it to syndication. I always thought of it as the pre-teen version of the after school special or a little like modern day morality stories. Each episode was some exaggeration of a common family problem. I remember one where Greg had broken a house rule, but argued that he hadn't really broken it if you went by the letter of the law. He escaped by splitting hairs. The rest of the episode was about how hard life got when that same standard applied to everything he did. At the end, of course, he learned his lesson and everyone had a laugh. I always think about that when the topic of comparing the letter of the law to the sprit of the law comes up in conversation. I thought about it again as I read about the sneaky things Jacob did to Esau only to be snookered by his uncle later in life. When we try to split legal hairs with God, it never ends like we planned. "Consider carefully what you year," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you?and even more." Mark 4:24 You see how God's system works? It's like a amplifier with feedback. If you are stingy, then you'll be treated stingily later. If you are generous, you'll be treated generously later. If you split hairs with God, you'll find out what that feels like in short order. So, do you want your deceit and cunning being amplified back at you? Or, would you rather your generosity and kindness be amplified back at you? Your choice. After all, you are providing the input to the amplifier. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 8 22:33:34 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 22:33:34 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Flashing ROMs Message-ID: <6950F893-BE2E-4F86-8266-3B2FE9B2A8B9@clanwebb.com> It's a technology that's been around for some time, but my first experience with a flash ROM was in college. A ROM (read-only memory) is a chip that contains some very basic instructions to a computer so it knows what to do when it wakes up. In mobile devices, the ROM will hold the system software and some of the built-in applications you use. It isn't a hard drive, so it doesn't store much, but it uses much less power. There's a good chance that you have one of this in your cell phone, your computer, your TV, your DVD player, your microwave, your car, your music player, and maybe even in your fridge and dishwasher. A ROM is a very common method for storing (comparatively) small amounts of critical information in an electronic device. Now, when a company wants to update the software in your device, they often offer a way to flash the ROM. This is process that clears the ROM chip and then loads it with a new set of instructions. I just did this to a device I have tonight. I updated it to get some bug fixes and new features the manufacturer has released. As I watched it go through this process, I was struck by something I've always known, but never thought about much. The ROM is completely overwritten by the new instructions. Nothing from the original set of instructions is left. There is no way to replace part of the ROM or to mix pieces from both sources. The old data is gone forever and the new data is all there is. If it were only so easy with our hearts. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." Colossians 3:5-10 When you invite Christ into your heart, He should completely take over. There should be nothing left of your old instructions, your old plans, or your old ways. It should all be about Christ and His instructions, His plans, and His ways. But, we so often try to keep some of the old stuff around. The world tells you that you can mix some of Christ and some of the old self. You can't. If I were to examine the code in ROM and see parts of the new and the old, I would concluded that the update process was incomplete and the ROM is corrupt. It would be useless and non-functional. The only solution would be to flash it again. If your set of instructions is mixed, then they are corrupted. If your plans are mixed, they are useless and non-functional. The only solution is to start at the beginning and write only His instructions and plans on your heart. Only then will it be a functional upgrade of your life. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 9 23:02:14 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 23:02:14 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Collateral Damage Message-ID: <974D390E-B74D-4594-AD30-A3FE2FC77488@clanwebb.com> One way I will rationalize sin is with the approach of, "I can handle the consequences." It's taking the attitude that I've weighed the pleasure of the sin against the consequences and I'm willing to do it anyway. When you step back, that's insane thinking, of course, but it's easy to make it sound reasonable in the heat of the moment. Aside from the fact that nobody can really handle the consequences, there's a whole other point. What about the people watching you? Repeated sin will destroy your witness and make you an ineffective servant to Christ. Your story will be another "typical Christian" that will have to be overcome and explained away by those spreading the gospel. Then, of course, there's those that will simply use you as a model and do the same thing. "and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman." [...] Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said, "What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done." Genesis 20:2-3, 9 "So Isaac stayed in Gerar. When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," because he was afraid to say, "She is my wife." He thought, "The men of his place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful." [...] So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her." Then Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us." " Genesis 26:6-7, 9-10 Did you catch all that? Almost exactly the same story plays out in the same place with the same king. What are the chances Isaac knew what his father had done years before? What are the chances Isaac decided on the exact same path despite the scolding his father had received from the same king? How low is it for each of these men to throw their wives to the wolves to save their own lives? I'll bet Abimelech stopped trusting everyone in that family! Sometimes your sin can do more than damage you. It will always be part of your history. In this case, Isaac knew about his father's actions, but, clearly, he didn't know enough to avoid doing the very same thing. Sin can never just be about right now. It always has a long term effect. Your past sin can be part of your witness, or it can be part of your legacy. Your choice. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 10 21:45:58 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:45:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Petitioning God Message-ID: <5376C749-BC1F-4854-B726-84B6EC316319@clanwebb.com> "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The US Constitution, Amendment 1 My first experience with the word petition was probably in regards to gathering signatures to make a political statement. Then I read about petition as a verb in the First Amendment as quoted here sometime during high school. In both cases, it seems so formal and practiced. Petitioning is a well-planned process by which a request or grievance is presented to another group or government. Now, when you read about petitions in Scripture, it's something a little more personal and from the heart. Psalm 70 is subtitled "For the director of music. Of David. A petition." "Hasten, O God, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me. May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" turn back because of their shame. But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!" Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay." Psalm 70 This is not some stuffy, formal request to God. This is a heart's cry. This is deep and personal. This is a real petition to God from David. Jesus certainly knew what it was all about, too. "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." Hebrews 5:7 So, petition your God frequently. Bring your requests to His feet. He wants us to do just that. Just remember that they come from the bottom of your heart, not from a committee. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 12 00:05:40 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:05:40 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Try It Again Message-ID: <38E2B084-FF12-4F74-964B-16A7EAED88AF@clanwebb.com> I can relate to people that are under a lot of pressure to perform. It has been my profession to get out every day and make a dollar by making something happen. I can tell you that I have become weary many a time. So, when I see someone with their tail dragging and thinking they would just as soon go homestead in Alaska as try to make the bills for another month, I can relate. Life just ain't a lot of fun sometimes and hope is just another dream. The thing is that we can always get up and give it another go, have another idea, or look for another job and it won't kill us. Our struggle against sin is no different. We can always draw another line in the sand and give it another go because we won't die. I think a lot of sin is conquered just because we get tired of dealing with the consequences and, as my father said to himself the day he decided to quit smoking, "I am smarter than this." The day he said that was it. He had quit for good. He wasn't dead and the sun came up, so he had finally conquered it. "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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not resisted to the point of shedding your blood." Hebrews 12:1-4 Stop looking at the sin and focus on the Redeemer. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 13 00:35:15 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:35:15 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Moving Targets Message-ID: I have led or been a guide to several software projects over the years. Inevitably, one of the biggest problems to meeting a schedule is when the goal is a moving target. Doing enough work to meet one requirement suddenly becomes half the work you need for the new requirement. Telling a team that just killed itself to meet one deadline that they are, in fact, not done yet is a great way to burn out and lose good people. This is not unique to project management. Politics often includes the idea of "moving the goalposts" on policy matters. I've have seen many times when a school of thought says, "It can't be considered a success until they accomplish this, that, and the other thing". When those things happen, the response is then, "Well, that's all well and good, but real success will be defined by these other three things." Moving the "success" target is useful when you want the other person to fail. The legal systems of most free countries normally don't allow moving of the goalposts. An ex post facto law is one that changes the legal rules after the fact, but would still allow someone to be charged or prosecuted even if the action was legal at the time it occurred. That feels incredibly unfair, and fair societies try to avoid it. Think about what the enemy does to us, though. He tries to convince us that the new toy or more money or another girlfriend will meet the goal of happiness. Then, when we've achieved it, he moves the target. He tells us again, "Not quite, but you're close!" It's never ending and it leads to death. The life the world offers is a moving target. Just like the games at the carnival, it's rigged. There's no way to find fulfilling happiness on your own. God, however, is not a moving target. He never moves the goalposts. He says it like it is and tells you what needs to happen. He clearly stated how to get saved: "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 It works. He clearly stated how to live life: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." Psalm 119:9 "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace." Proverbs 3:13-17 It works, too. Quit chasing the moving targets. Aim for the stable one built on the Rock. It's the only sure thing out there. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 13 21:15:38 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:15:38 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Point of the Matter Message-ID: During the regular course of doing business, I often encounter one of my biggest pet peeves. Namely, those times when someone will not get to the point of the matter. They seem to think that as long as they are talking, they are engaged in business. They take about the same amount of time to explain the dimensions of a lot that Einstein took to develop the theory of relativity. On the other hand, I am very up front and it amazes me when, after the fact, someone will think I said something other than what I actually said. In my humble opinion, people talk too much and contemplate what to say too little. This phenomenon is certainly true when it comes to reading Scripture. The really pertinent scripture came from Jesus. He was speaking to a very humble populace. I would say that the education level of the average middle-schooler would give you about an eighty percent accurate interpretation of any salvation verse. "I and the Father are one." John 10:30 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." " John 14:6 Now, you can spend all the time you like discussing who Jesus Christ is, but there can be no doubt about who He says He is. Accept Him or reject Him, but don't claim that the message wasn't clear. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 15 00:16:57 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:16:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Right Character Message-ID: <06101DD3-C18B-4A82-9FE6-B139EAD08A10@clanwebb.com> I love good movies. That's a short statement, but it is obviously open to a broad interpretation as to what might be good. Well, for me, it's about plot, character, and cinematography. If it's an old movie, I give them a break on the technology and try to look at the work with an eye for the times. Of all the elements, the character development is the most fascinating to me. Give me a good character actor any time and I am captivated. Walter Brennan was a wonderful character actor and I caught a bit of his performance in the 1938 production of "The Buccaneer" about Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans. When you watch this work, you not only understand his character in the film, but you can imagine the whole life of the character. The best thing about a good character actor is that you never know what your are going to get, but you know you will understand the character. That's the way I feel about Christian men. You never know what you are going to get, but they cannot hide their Christianity. You can always spot the phony Christian, if you are a meat Christian and not a milk Christian, simply because you see through his portrayal of the character. The meat Christian connects his character to the character of Jesus Christ and, if you don't see Christ in the man, he's just acting. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:1-5 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 15 22:35:41 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:35:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Checklists and Elevators Message-ID: It took me a few years, but as a teenager, I eventually learned that saying you have a girlfriend is not just a checkbox on the to-do list of life. I must have gone through three or four where I was more interested in the chase than the relationship. Once I felt the relationship was secure, I mentally moved on. Then, a few weeks or months later, I would be shocked that she dumped me. I could never understand what went wrong. She was fine the last time I talked to her a week ago! I realize that my story is not unique. In fact, it's a common problem in a society that evaluates you based on your checklist and how many items you've gained. Go to church? Check. Married? Check. Kids? Check. Moving up the corporate ladder? Check. It's all about checking the little boxes. Imagine your life as starting in the basement of a skyscraper. Each achievement is like riding the elevator up to the next floor. First job? Second floor. Graduate college? Fifth floor. Marriage? Seventh floor. Kids? Twelfth floor. And so on. Please realize that life is not about getting to the roof. It's about spending lots of time building the relationships you gain at each stop which might mean taking the elevator back down time and time again. Spend time building a relationship with your kids. Don't just check them off the list. Spend time building a relationship with your wife, fiance, girlfriend, or candidates for any of these. Most of all, spend time building a relationship with Christ. If you ignore Him for the sake of reaching the top of the building or checking everything off the list, you've missed the whole point. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." Ephesians 5:25-27 I'm guessing you'll have to have more than a passing acquaintance with your wife to follow these guidelines. "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8 You have to take the time to focus on Jesus. By the way, you'll never reach the roof or finish the list. You'll only regret not paying more attention to those relationships along the way. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 16 22:39:26 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:39:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Stop Dragging Your Feet Message-ID: <452785FF-E7B8-4390-A539-5757FB582381@clanwebb.com> Like many a typical teenager, I would delay doing my chores as long as possible. When reminded the trash was full, my answer was always, "I'll get it later." I remember thinking that I really did mean to get it, but I just didn't want to do it right then. Of course, ten minutes later I was distracted with something else and I'd completely forgotten. From my point of view, I intended to follow the rules, I was just trying to exert some control over the timing. Now, when I have the same experience with my own son, I realize that this slowing down of his following of the rules was really ignoring the rules. This is not some gray area between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing. It's just the wrong thing. Consider Abraham: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 There is value in recognizing the faith that led Abraham to go despite his ignorance of the destination. Notice, also, the fact that "when called" he "obeyed and went". He didn't think about it. He didn't ponder it. He didn't debate with God. He didn't even say, "Sure, God, but can I go in a couple of months?" When he was called, he went. The point here is that dragging your feet is sin. No matter if you are really planning to follow through later, you are sinning just by slowing it down. I like what Spurgeon says: "Genuine faith in God creates a prompt obedience. "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed." There was an immediate response to the command. Delayed obedience is disobedience. I wish some Christians, who put off duty, would remember this. Continued delay of duty is a continuous sin." Charles Spurgeon Don't kid yourself into thinking you can adjust or adapt God's calling. When He calls, just go. When He commands, just obey. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 17 22:20:44 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:20:44 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Naming Names Message-ID: <6E277388-AF67-4E57-84DD-EF12C8A0F62A@clanwebb.com> Last night, we were trying to remember who played the lead character, Wilberforce, in the movie "Amazing Grace". There was a noticeable silence form everyone in the room as we all waited for someone to blurt out the name of the actor. Finally, I shouted, "Hornblower!" That is not the actor's name, but the name of another character he played and it was all I could come up with at the moment. Then, in a typical ADD moment, and I have a few, I tried to remember the author of the Hornblower novels. By this time, the room was deep in conversation about the movie "Amazing Grace" and I was mired in remembering the name of the actor and an author. I spoke up again and said, "He was also the guy in the lifeboat at the end of 'Titanic'." As we were leaving the room, someone said to me, "I didn't know the 'Titanic' was in the movie 'Amazing Grace'." I drove home and as I pulled into the driveway, it hit me: C.S. Forester! No, he was not the actor in "Amazing Grace", but the author of the Hornblower novels. Google saved me on the actor's name: Ioan Gruffudd was the name we were looking for. Some names are always just on the tip of our tongues, while others cause one to sit up in bed and shout it out when it jumps into our minds. This is usually followed by my wife saying, "Do you know what time it is? Go to sleep!" One name is, of course, above all names and it is rare when believer or unbeliever can't immediately answer the question, "Who was crucified?". "so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth." Philippians 2:10 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 19 00:22:51 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:22:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Limits Message-ID: We are a limited species. We feel like we've expanded our boundaries so far because we compare ourselves to other humans or other animals on the earth. But we are still quite limited. Climb too high, and you'll run out of oxygen. Dive too deep and the pressure will kill you. Get too cold and your extremities begin to freeze and die. Get too hot and your body can't regulate and you overheat. We can't even set foot on every part of this planet without some specialized gear. There are places we still can't go because we don't know how to protect our bodies in those environments. Then, we pat ourselves on the back for getting into orbit and to the moon. A fantastic achievement to be sure, by man's standards. If our equipment fails in space, injury and death can be dramatic and quick. There's the vacuum, the radiation, the temperature, and a variety of other things. As long as we continue to compare ourselves to other humans, we can feel pretty good. But, how good are we if we've limited the comparisons to our defective peers? What if we compare ourselves to God? "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 Yeah, we don't really measure up to that. "Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." Jeremiah 32:17 God created it all. God knows all. God can do it all. God is not limited by heat or cold or altitude or pressure or anything. Why do we keep thinking we can do better? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 20 00:37:03 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:37:03 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Path to Perfection Message-ID: I once heard a Christian scientist talking about the different points of view of those in his field in regards to the direction humankind is growing. I thought he put it very succinctly when he said, "There are those who think we came from the mud and evolved to what we are. They believe that as the years go by, we are approaching perfection. Then, there are those who believe we started at perfection and it's all been downhill since." What a great summary of the humanistic and Christ-centered world views. Those of the world see each passing generation as better than the last. They feel we are becoming more enlightened and more intelligent and more informed and generally better in how we treat each other and the rest of the planet. They feel that humans are naturally good. Christians see the world splitting into two groups. Those who are attempting to get back to the perfect relationship Adam and Eve had before the Fall and those who are happy running further away. They know that humans are naturally evil and only through Christ can we really be good. A fundamental concept in science is the idea of entropy. This means that all systems slowly decay into less organized and less useful forms. If that's the case, it's simply not possible that man is slowly achieving perfection. We're fooling ourselves. We have to work hard and add effort to our relationship with God to fight the entropy and get closer to God. Think about it: If you stop exerting any effort, do you feel like you're getting closer to God or further away? "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9 Do you trust the human heart to evolve to perfection over time? "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:14 Or, do you trust the work Christ has done to bring you back to perfection? I'll trust God over man any day. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 20 22:20:02 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:20:02 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Groups Message-ID: <8293FE37-AFE9-47AE-B470-98B54CFA783A@clanwebb.com> People are fond of forming groups because they have a built-in desire to belong to something. These groups can be as harmless as a club, a den, or a pack or they can be destructive like a gang or a mob. The funny thing is that these organizational structures have many things in common. For example, they all have leaders and laws. Over time, the the good groups fine tune their leadership roles and their laws. Sometimes the leadership roles and the laws become the whole reason for the group and the function of the group becomes useless. Today, the most destructive groups have evolved to a form of organization that have no rules and icons instead of leaders. This, of course, is just a breath away from anarchy with no laws and no leaders. When an organization becomes all about the laws and the leaders, it becomes time to change one or both. "having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." Colossians 2:14-17 Politically or spiritually, we must be diligent about our alignments because, like the Jews of the Old Testament, we can become mired in definitions, ritual, trappings, and silly arguments and miss the mission. Look to the finely tuned God of the universe. Christ alone is the organization, the mission, and the leader. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 22 00:20:41 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:20:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Supernatural Vision Message-ID: <26BCFAD7-F101-49D9-8395-5600CE17A5C9@clanwebb.com> It's an incredibly frustrating and exasperating experience to try to converse with someone who refuses to see the obvious. Sometimes, it's out of real ignorance or an inability to connect the dots. Most of the time, however, it's simply a refusal to believe the truth because it doesn't align with his goals or personal beliefs. There are those who refuse to believe Kennedy was shot by one man. There are those who refuse to believe that the United States sent men to the moon. There are those who refuse to believe that 9/11 was solely the responsibility of 19 terrorists and four airliners. The evidence for each of these events has been rehashed over and over and yet some refuse to believe. It's understandable then, that when you ask some folks to believe in something invisible and intangible, they become skeptical. God knew that. So, he gave every person on the planet supernatural vision. He gave us all the ability to see the invisible. Paul says exactly that: "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 The evidence is all around us. We see it every day. And, yet, many refuse to believe the invisible things that they have been allowed to see. For those who are unsaved, they will have no excuse. They have enough evidence. For those who are saved, we cannot fall for the trap of thinking we believe in the invisible. His qualities are "clearly seen". Just keep pointing 'em out. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 22 22:34:14 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:34:14 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Geeky Hero Message-ID: <85F3164B-28F3-43AD-969C-70F958F42758@clanwebb.com> I played a little basketball in high school, but I spent more time tracking stats. I took a wood shop class, but I had more fun in the electronics class. I liked math and science, but it was the computer lab where I hung around after school. I helped to start the first computer club in my high school. I was the prototypical computer geek. I guess that's why I have a special affinity for those characters in the movies. I love it when the bespectacled lightweight outsmarts the scary looking mercenaries with guns. I love the idea of winning the fight from a laptop just as much as watching the hero fight his way out. Maybe it's the idea that I know I'll never be able to look like or fight like James Bond or Jason Bourne, but I could learn enough to be the geeky sidekick that disables the electronic locks, tricks the cameras, or hacks into the highly secure government computer (not that I would ever do such a thing!). I love the idea that I could learn enough to overcome those kinds of villains. I felt a little more supported by the Biblical truth that wisdom overcomes strength. "A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust." Proverbs 21:22 "A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength." Proverbs 24:5 "Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city." Ecclesiastes 7:19 Of course, when you read "wisdom" you have to remember that the Biblical definition starts with the fear of the Lord. Real wisdom is about knowing God and obeying God. That kind of wisdom makes a man more powerful than the strong man or the king. Don't work out or train in martial arts to serve God. Don't build fortresses or amass wealth to serve God. Put your effort into gaining Biblical wisdom and He will lead you and overcome all of those for you. Go ahead and pray and stick your nose in a Bible. It's the way to defeat them all! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 23 23:31:12 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:31:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Power of Patience Message-ID: Our society has glorified the idea of instant gratification. We're told to buy it now, eat it now, watch it now, read it now, go somewhere now, and do anything we want right now. Try to teach the child of this society patience and you'll be speaking a different language. Patience for him is waiting until after the commercial. Patience is no longer measured in weeks, months, and years, but in seconds and hours. That is impatience. Impatience leads to mistakes and misunderstandings. We are not a patient society. However, patience continues to win the day just as God told us it would: "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11 Patience will lead to mercy and forgiveness. "Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone." Proverbs 25:15 Patience can change minds and redirect hearts. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, [...]" Galatians 5:22a Patience is proof that you are Spirit-filled. Patience will draw people to Jesus. "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him." 2 Peter 3:15 God's patience is what allows people to be saved tomorrow and the next day. His patience is increasing the citizenship rolls of Heaven. If it's good enough for God, it's certainly good enough for us. Don't give in to instant gratification. Be patient. Good things will happen. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 24 22:47:35 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:47:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Prepare to be Used Message-ID: I am so inspired by the story of Joseph. Here's a man with far more than enough to complain about. He did nothing but be born to his father's favorite wife and became the favorite son. He simply had a dream that he shared with his brothers who then thought it would be a swell idea to send Joseph on an extended vacation. Joseph does well as a slave, but then gets thrown into prison. He is a good servant, but seems to be forgotten. The whole time, Joseph never wavers in his faith that God is leading him somewhere. Joseph learns how to manage a household, then the prison, and then is asked to manage a nation. The events that had to take place to place Joseph at that point seem incredible: - He had to be sold into slavery to go to Egypt. - He had to be falsely accused and thrown into prison to meet the cupbearer. - He had to be forgotten by the cupbearer so he would be remembered at the right moment in front of Pharaoh. - He had to be available to interpret a dream for Pharaoh so God could use him to save Egypt. If his brothers had killed him, if he had never gone to prison, if he had left prison earlier, and a few other "ifs" would have prevented him from being right where God needed him at exactly the right moment. Joseph knew this when he told his brothers: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20 Joseph knew that God was bringing it all together. He knew that God had the plan. When you're in a no-win situation or stuck in a metaphorical prison, remember that God may simply be preparing you for great things. Be good right where you are so he can use you somewhere else. Don't try to escape God's plan. If you don't complete the training, He'll just send you back for more. Follow Joseph's lead and do the best you can all the time and be ready to be used. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 25 22:44:14 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:44:14 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Valuable Stuff Message-ID: I find it an interesting study that much of the definition of value has to do with wealth in the Old Testament. Leviticus, especially, is devoted to placing and how to place value on stuff. I think it's part of our DNA that we value things because we can see things. As a boy, I had a cigar box full of valuable things: a pocket knife, my "shooter" marbles, on old piece of costume jewelry with a glass ruby I found in a field, and an old .50 caliber shell among some other stuff. Later in life, I let the world tell me what was valuable. I devoted the better part of my years trying to fill my garage and attic with more stuff. When Christ came, He was living value. He was the perfect treasure. Nothing of this world, except you and me, was of value to Him and He pursued us even to the point of His humiliation in front of the world and to death. It is no great mystery why unbelievers will scoff at us when we explain that our greatest treasure is in our hearts because they cannot see it. They give the condescending smile and the proverbial pat on the head as, mentally, they see us as an invalid about to be carted off back to our room by a sympathetic caregiver. The poor Christian that just can't seem to let the truth get past the myth and seems to cling to it because we are not intelligent enough to grasp the concept that we've evolved from algae. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6 The only thing that has lasting value is the character of Christ and the imitation of that character. So, fight not for stuff, but for your relationships. Imitate Christ until it becomes your nature and donate the stuff to someone who will use it and not put it in the attic. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 26 22:11:30 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:11:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Predictable Message-ID: Alan Turing is often called the father of modern computer science. He was a great thinker in the areas of logic and math during the early twentieth century. Among his many contributions was the proposal of something that's come to be called the Turing Test. Basically, it's an arrangement that challenges a human judge to interact (via text only) with a computer and another human and attempt to determine which is which. He speculated that true artificial intelligence will have been achieved when the judge could not tell the difference between the computer and another human. It's accepted that no computer has ever passed the Turing Test. Embedded in his proposal is that fact that computers are predictable machines. They can be highly complex and can be made to appear intelligent for periods of time, but eventually a trained observer could determine the patterns and predictability. That quantum leap will have been made when they are no longer predictable by any method we know of. Now apply this same logic to our interaction with God. Does He pass the Turing Test? (never mind that there isn't another real God to compare Him to) More precisely, does He ever reduce to predictability such that it could be argued that He doesn't exist? "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are you ways my ways," declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8 No, in fact, I submit that our God is unpredictable. That's certainly been true in my life. That sounds scary at first, because that word has a negative connotation. Unpredictability does not mean random, though. It does not mean that He acts arbitrarily or without reason. It only means that we cannot predict His actions. That unpredictability teaches us to depend on Him completely. We cannot look ahead and guess what He'll do next. We need to keep our eyes focused on Him always. It also teaches us obedience. Is God predictable? No. Is His plan a good one? Yes. So, when God says, "Go!" we should simply go or we could miss being part of the plan. Embrace the unpredictability. Learn to love the fact that God is active, dynamic, and unpredictable. That just makes Him that much more fun to follow! (Thanks to Rick R. for the seed that started this push up.) Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 27 21:34:34 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:34:34 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Authenticity Trumps Believability Message-ID: <87509810-A865-4B58-A546-0DFD7A214E79@clanwebb.com> Now matter how hard something may be to believe, if the claimant has the credentials to back up his claims, the believability factor has very little to do with the outcome. This is the very definition of authenticity: I say I will do it, then I do. Jesus Christ claimed to: - Have the power to forgive sin, which He has. - Be sinless, which He is. - Fulfill prophecy, which He did. - Raise the dead, which He did. - Come back from death, which He did. And He did all this in front of witnesses. The only course to unbelief is to simply deny the evidence. Be sure not to minimize the gravity here. Jesus is either one hundred percent fraud or one hundred percent God. The Jesus train is meant to be boarded and ridden to eternity. I see no evidence that there will be a judgment when God will say, "Good work finding the typos!" "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one come to the Father but through Me." " John 14:6 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 28 22:35:24 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:35:24 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Safe Bet Message-ID: Christian apologetics and mathematics overlap dramatically in something called Pascal's Wager. Blaise Pascal was a French philosopher who challenged reality in what is considered the first work of existentialism. Of course, being a French philosopher, who's surprised? In devising this wager and other statements of philosophy, he actually did some deep thinking about probability, decision trees, and even game theory. The wager he proposed basically says that it's a safer bet to believe in God than to not believe in God. If you choose to believe and you're wrong, no loss. If you choose not to believe and you're wrong, you end up in Hell. Of course, this assumes that your belief is sincere and lived out and not just a "safe bet". There are those who believe that have made the safe bet. They go to church twice a year and say some nice things about church to their friends once in a while. It's like an eternal life insurance policy that they don't think about much. If that person is truly saved, that's a pretty miserable existence. A citizen of Heaven trying to live in the world will be more unhappy than the unsaved! And, if he's unsaved, all of his time invested is for naught. No, the right approach is to live all out for God. "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong." Ecclesiastes 5:1 The point here is not to just mark your time with churchy things. Don't go to church, take communion, give your tithe, or any of it out of a sense of "putting in your time". The writer says, "Go near to listen...". If you simply go through the motions, you aren't listening and God can't direct you. Draw close. Listen up. He's go things to tell you. It's not about the safe bet. It's about living dangerously for Christ. We know how it ends, but we're terrified of the in-between. Listen closely for directions. Then take the chance He's telling you to take. That's a bet you can't lose. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 29 22:27:31 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:27:31 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Few Words Message-ID: Watch the news a little lately and you'll see faith and religion being mentioned quite a bit, although very little of it in a good way. It seems all of the talking heads are either defending a twisted form of faith that makes anyone with common sense shudder or they are giving the audience a wink and a smile as if to say, "See how silly these religious people are?" I expect the latter attitude from those who are still blind. Those with the former approach drive me crazy. It's so frustrating to see an articulate nut get so much screen time and, in the minds of those still on the fence, offset months and years of forgiveness and love by those who serve God in anonymity. The more they talk, the less they talk about God, at least about any God I recognize. They make political statements. They declare that they know God's will separate from His Word. They point fingers at those they don't like and compare them to Old Testament villains. They hold their hands to the sky and predict a world that seems to enthuse them, but would scare me if I didn't know the Truth. The more they talk, the more they sound like exactly the kind of people God was talking to here: "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few." Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God." Ecclesiastes 5:7 Our first job is not to impress other people and impressing Him is pointless, because He cannot love you more than He already does. Our first job is to worship Him. Focus on Him. Communicate with Him intelligently. Make your words mean something when you're talking to Him. Just stand in awe and recognize who He is. So, if you're like me, after watching the news, shrug your shoulders and shake it off. Get back to focusing on God. That's where all the real action is anyway. Wyatt