From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jan 1 22:31:19 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 22:31:19 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Thoughtful Resolution Message-ID: <6920742B-CE13-40AF-BA5A-A159EBCA3352@clanwebb.com> A new year is traditionally a time to make resolutions and look forward. Most of us start off with good intentions, but then the world comes flooding back in and the plans get pushed aside or flat out derailed. Listening to the world chatter and believing what it has to say about achieving happiness is always a bad move. Taking time to contemplate changes in a quiet time and place will give you much better results because, in the end, you want to make the right decision, not the world's decision. Prayerful consideration of the changes you are contemplating will yield better results. The reason is simple: you really are trying to hear what God wants you to do and not what the world says you should do. "And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;" Isaiah 11:3 It's in the heart... Happy New Year Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jan 2 22:22:22 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 22:22:22 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Keep Your Head Message-ID: There was a video clip making the rounds a couple of years ago that has always stuck with me for it's humor and insight into human behavior. It was grainy video of a high school basketball game. In the final seconds, the team that was about to inbound the ball was down by a point. They needed a basket to win. Just as the inbounds play is about to start, one of the offensive players runs to the other side of the court, gets down on all fours and begins to bark loudly like a dog. The defending team is stunned and all of the players just stop dead and stare at this bizzare behavior. This was exactly the intent. The ball is quickly inbounded to a offensive player in the key who makes an easy layup to win the game. There are all kinds of sports lessons in here about distraction and misdirection being a valid strategy, about keeping your head in the game and being focused to the point that such trickery wouldn't work, and about about how to deal with a loss that feels like a theft. That natural human behavior of being easily distracted by just about any random thing has got to be one of Satan's favorite hooks. It just doesn't take much to get us to turn our heads and lose focus. Wrap it up with money, sports, or sex and it'll work even better. Paul warned Timothy to keep his head in the game even when the people around him started to act strangely. He didn't want Timothy to lose his focus: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:3-5 You can almost hear the coach in Paul: "Everyone around you may get distracted and start running off track. You need to stay focused! Fight through it! Do your job and play your position to the best of your ability! Don't let anything knock you off your game! Break!" The obvious message in here is to not be one of those who is looking to surround themselves with people who say what you want to hear. But, there's something more subtle, too. Even if you don't get caught up in that, you need to stay focused on the job God assigned even when it starts to get crazy around you. Don't lose track of your assignment and get off your game. Keep fighting. Do the work God has assigned. Go Team! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 3 22:46:09 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 22:46:09 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Drowning Sorrow Message-ID: Overhearing my coworkers often gives me insight into their lives that they may not even realize. Just be hearing what they did this weekend or how they plan to spend their bonus tells me much about their values, if they like their job, and whether they are married or have kids. Some details tell me that they aren't very happy with themselves and their life. They are sad. I know their sadness begins at the Christ-shaped hole in their life, but they are so bought in to the secular idea of happiness that they don't believe it. Still, they are sad. What do most unbelieving Americans do when they are sad? They try to chase it away with sex, drugs, alcohol, money, work, or anything else they can find. When it comes to alcohol, we call it drowning your sorrows. I thought about that term when I read this: "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word." Psalm 119:28 That is forehead-smackingly simple. If you are sad and worn out, call out to God and read His Word. Strengthen yourself by reacquainting yourself with your Lord and Savior. Don't drown your sorrow. Don't chase away the blues. Just go back to God and ask for help. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jan 5 00:03:30 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 00:03:30 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Remember Reality Message-ID: <0D480640-FEE4-41A2-A209-C4F8E02BAC5C@clanwebb.com> My college major was technical theater. However, I cannot draw freehand worth a lick. My stick figures don't even look like sticks. This is a detriment in design work and, therefore, I became a student of perspective and the mechanical approach to making objects on the page look correct. One of the blessings of this approach was that I never conceived or drew something that could not be built. This is because, while using true scale and perspectives in drawings, you know right away if it will fit in the space you are alloted. Many students would have great artistic ideas and the professors would complement them on feeling, form, and the drama of their designs. The problem would come when they attempted to bridge the gap between the stylized design and reality. The best idea is worthless if it won't fit in the space you have been given to work and perform. God is big on reality. For all of man's great social experiments that attempt to bring us to the pinnacle of the species, man always forgets the reality of Creation. But, God does not and that is one of the great misunderstandings of man. "Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." Psalm 78:38-39 For all of man's attempts, he is nothing more than a little wind without God and His plans. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jan 5 23:19:50 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 23:19:50 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Choices Message-ID: <890B7FFA-11A0-45F8-ADA6-799E69CE3CEC@clanwebb.com> There are some choices you only make a few times in life. These are things like "Where will I go to college?" or "Should I propose to her?" or "Should I try to outrun the cop?" These tend to be choices that have permanent implications. Once you make them, the results are irreversible. Then, there are some choices you make every day, but that doesn't necessarily make them minor. You have to choose each day whether you will go to work or blow it off. One bad choice here probably won't have a permanent effect on your career, but making the wrong choice often enough will cause some unhappiness. You have to choose each time you come to a stoplight whether to obey it or ignore it. Again, you might get only get honked at or get a ticket, but keep making the wrong choice and eventually you'll end up dead. Choosing to become a Christian is the first kind of choice. If you really mean it, then it's a done deal. Regardless of what you do with the rest of your life, you are locked in and saved. Choosing to follow Christ is the second kind. It's one you have to make every day. "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, [...] But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 "I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws." Psalm 119:30 These passages do not refer to a one-time decision. These are choices you make every day and many times during the day. When you slip or stumble or make a mistake, it's really because you made a bad choice. If you choose wrong now and then and repent, God will forgive you, dust you off, and set you back on your feet. If you choose wrong more often and eventually repent, He'll do the same, but it'll be a long walk back to the narrow path and you may suffer some permanent damage. What choice did you make today? What choice will you make tomorrow? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jan 6 23:04:47 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 23:04:47 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] More Than We Can Know Message-ID: <07B17652-65B8-452A-8D96-170FD9005778@clanwebb.com> Being perfect is so hard that those who spend all their time attempting it are called "perfectionists" and it does not have a good connotation. It implies someone who is obsessed with achieving perfection to the point that it disrupts the rest of their life. The reason it's so disruptive is because perfection is impossible to achieve by humans. We can describe very narrow items, events, or actions as perfect, but we cannot honestly call a person perfect or a life perfect. It just doesn't happen and we know it innately. Of course, Jesus was perfect. He did live the perfect life so He could be the perfect sacrifice for us. But, even that description is limiting. I was blown away when I read this: "To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless." Psalm 119:96 The writer is saying that even perfection has limitations in our human thoughts, but that God is boundless and goes beyond that. Think about that. He's saying that God is more than perfect. It makes my head hurt to understand what that can mean, but I'm so glad I serve a God bigger than I can comprehend. If I could wrap my head around all of God, He wouldn't be worth serving. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jan 7 23:19:37 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 23:19:37 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Investment Message-ID: I believe there to be a universal truth that the most rewarding and enjoyable things in life can only come after significant investment of time, heart, riches, or a combination of these. What I mean by this is that there are rewarding and enjoyable aspects of life that can come with very little effort. You can laugh at a funny TV show. You can enjoy taking a walk through your neighborhood. You can enjoy listening to your favorite CD. These are nice, but they don't add up to very much. With a little more investment of your time, heart, or riches, you could enjoy a good novel, you could enjoy climbing a mountain, or you could enjoy hanging out with friends. Now, start talking about some serious investment and you could enjoy a loving relationship with your wife and children, you could enjoy writing novels, or you could enjoy learning to play guitar. Those things can be much more rewarding in the long run than the quick and easy items mentioned earlier. It's all about the amount of investment you put into it. Your relationship with God is like that. You can accept salvation and be done and greatly enjoy being saved (which you should!). But, if you stop there, you're missing out on so much more. The deep, rewarding things that can come from that relationship can only come with investment. They don't come without effort on your part: "I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws." Psalm 119:106 "My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end." Psalm 119:112 "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:19-20 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18 All of these passages have a sense of ongoing commitment. These aren't one-time promises. These are vows to build a relationship with God and Jesus and to continue to build it forever. That's the investment that will pay back returns beyond your wildest dreams. How invested are you in Jesus? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jan 8 21:41:15 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:41:15 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Civilian Affairs Message-ID: <5ACF170A-6058-482D-82E3-E88130B4AFF8@clanwebb.com> Those who have not been around the military and who do not have at least a superficial knowledge of military life usually have a hard time understanding what that life is like. Some think it discriminates unfairly or is heartless to society at large. Others think it just makes drones who kill anyone they are told to. This is hogwash, of course, but the life is certainly different. Because they have a very dangerous job, soldiers are highly trained. They are trained to obey orders and follow known plans and tactics because their lives and other soldiers' lives will depend on it. The seeming mindlessness of it is in fact a safety feature. When a soldier confuses civilian issues with his responsibilities as a soldier, he begins to mix his feelings and opinions with his job. That's not the way to stay focused and stay effective. "No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer." 2 Timothy 2:4 Paul is using the soldier as a metaphor for our position in the body of Christ. We are soldiers for Him. We have to separate ourselves from the world spiritually (not necessarily physically) and stay focused on our job as a soldier. We cannot let the affairs of those outside the army, otherwise known as the world, affect our performance as soldiers in the army. We need to be focused on obeying and pleasing our commanding officer: Jesus Christ. So take your responsibilities seriously. How you perform will affect your life as well as those around you. God has a place in the line for you to serve and others will have to pick up the slack if you don't. Are you acting like a soldier by ignoring civilian affairs and pleasing your CO? Or, have you gone AWOL? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jan 9 22:43:21 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 22:43:21 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Big Guy with a Brick Message-ID: My dad tells a story of my early youth that I do not actually remember, but he's told it so many times I feel like do. When I was a wee lad, I was a fan of Tonka trucks (for those of you who don't know, they were bright yellow, metal trucks that were almost indestructible). One day, a boy who lived in the same apartment complex was playing with my truck and actually found a way to damage it. My mother convinced my father that he needed to talk to the boy's father about replacing my truck. So, one morning, Dad walks across the parking lot to talk to this fellow, but stops short when he notices two things: 1) he's very muscular and intimidating 2) he is pounding his hubcap back onto his car tire with a brick. Without saying a word, Dad just turned around and left. There are those moments in life when you just know it's better to not to push back. Dad was not only unconvinced that this fellow would be cooperative, but he had to also consider his own well-being! Why, oh, why do we not realize that this is exactly the kind of situation we have with God. When we come to God with a complaint about His decisions or His Son's behavior, why don't we realize the obvious and just let His commands win the day? Why do we push back and rebel and expect to win and not expect repercussions? The Psalmist makes it pretty clear what you're up against when you decide to challenge God: "[...]Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." " Psalm 95:7-11 So, the nation of Israel rebelled against God. They challenged His authority and shook a fist at the sky. Then, God simply declared that they would never see the Promised Land and let them wander the desert until they died. Yeah, that worked out well. There are consequences to rebellion. There are consequences to disobedience. Rebelling against God is not only a losing proposition, but it's likely to lead you into many "learning opportunities" that may leave scars. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 10 22:07:43 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:07:43 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Fear Message-ID: "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" Psalm 56:4 "in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm 56:11 "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm 118:6 "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 Do you really praise the Word of God? Do you trust Him completely? Do you believe He is right next to you defending and protecting you? Do you believe He is helping you? Do you believe that God is for you? If you believe all of those things, why are afraid of man? What can he do to you? Embarrass you? Persecute you? In some parts of the world you can be killed. I admit it sounds scary and not very fun, but not even death is really a threat to you if you believe all of the above. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 Do you believe it? Really? Well, then, why don't you act like it? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jan 12 00:37:27 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:37:27 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] An All God Message-ID: <772EE9C3-12BD-4E40-8E66-E64CDFA196BF@clanwebb.com> During my search for understanding how the process of sanctification works, I often ponder how close any man can come to replicating Jesus. Could it be that a man can reach a point that sin is so far out of character that he could resist it like breathing in and out? I discussed with a friend the thought that if Jesus made us a special deal to be absolutely sinless for one hour, could we do it? We both had a good laugh that we would have to be comatose to pull it off. The perfection of Jesus is unfathomable to us as long as we live in a fallen world. Peter, speaking of our Lord, stated it plainly and clearly: "Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth;" 1 Peter 2:22 What joy He must have felt being so fully connected to God. And, what despair on the cross when the Father allowed all the sins of the world to fall on Him. What can man expect of himself? Again, Peter writes: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. " 1 Peter 2:13-20 This verse brings the task closer to reality for man. However, I know no man who does all of this. It takes dedication to surrender to the kingdom of God instead of the world. This is so foreign to the sin nature, it is no wonder that sin and righteousness cannot occupy the same space. Man can split the atom, but he cannot refrain from sin. Our God is an ALL God. Man wants it all, but is not willing to give all. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jan 12 22:38:36 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:38:36 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Imaginary Vegetables Message-ID: <370AE2FF-5540-4C70-9EB2-1D38A5A8F6D5@clanwebb.com> Growing in maturity is something we may say when we mean we are somehow become wider and deeper in our knowledge and relationship with God. The key to this thought is the word "growing". We can attend classes, services, weekends, and study groups, but if we are not growing, then we are like the seed in the garden that never germinates or doesn't flourish because of weeds, poor soil, or lack of nourishment. The human garden is full of such things as this, except we know them as attitudes, actions, bad decisions, and unhealthy involvements that create weights that prevent us from growing. You cannot pretend a garden. You cannot take someone out to a bare patch of land, point at it, and say that there are flowers there, vegetables over there, and fruit trees beyond. Real growth is obvious and undeniable. "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." Hebrews 12:12 You cannot outsource your spiritual garden. It cannot be ordered up like so much merchandise. Growth will cause people to notice. They'll see the plowed earth, the planting, the toil, and then the harvesting. It's not a vision of a garden. It is about the truth of a garden. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jan 13 22:25:08 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:25:08 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Strings Attached Message-ID: <09E5E5B0-26E9-4663-9491-9877E5ABAE63@clanwebb.com> "After all I did for you..." This is a brutal attitude because it means that whatever is given as an act of love was really given as if it were a deposit in an account to be withdrawn later. With interest. "Remember when I did that for you?" This is another sharp point jabbed at the feelings of the recipient. "How can you be so ungrateful?" Yet more proof that the giver never really let go of what was given. "I wish I had never done that for you." This statement reveals the true attitude of this kind of giver. "A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 Duplication of Jesus means love of the free kind. There are no strings, no accounts, no expectations of gain, and no regret. After all, who are we trying to please? Is it the people whose needs we meet? Is it ourselves? Or is it Christ? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jan 14 22:32:49 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:32:49 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Cheating Message-ID: It is a common plot device for movie villains. I'm speaking about that moment in the film when you discover the villain is not only evil, but nuts, too. He usually has the heroes trapped or captured and he decides to give a speech about the reasons he's trying to poison the water supply, crack the moon, or start a nuclear war. He uses crazy logic to say that he understands that he's breaking boundaries both legal and ethical, but that's how mankind can advance. That's how he can finally fix the world. In common parlance, this is just arguing that the ends justify the means. Saul figured out this doesn't work when he disobeyed God's command to destroy everything in a conquered city to save livestock to sacrifice to God. The sacrifice did not justify the disobedience. The means are just as important as the goal: "Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules." 2 Timothy 2:5 God has given clear commands on how to love, worship, serve, obey, and what attitude to have while doing it. Disobeying any of those to complete a task for God defeats the purpose. You can't win if you cheat. Don't cheat. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jan 15 21:37:09 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:37:09 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Be Blind to the Obvious Message-ID: <40D0D82E-A986-4D7A-AD0A-92F24054F76D@clanwebb.com> College was a great time for the unusual. As I look back, I cannot help but chuckle at some of those times. Our sins were obvious. They were right out in the open, so to speak. We were not pretenders. We were just lost and didn't know it. Now, I meet guys my age and they are pretending to be one thing and, really, they are still lost. There is something to be said about living the obvious lifestyle and not being blind. A cute illustration of being blind to the obvious was an owl that lived with us during those years. My friend, Ken, had rescued him and we all took him in. His name was Hoot. Now, Hoot took to us and really was in no hurry to be free or to go back out in the wild. He figured out that he had it pretty good with us. We got used to his nocturnal life as you could lay in bed at night and hear him walk around the house because his talons would make a very distinctive sound on all the wood floors. Hoot had two favorite perches. One was the open door on the linen closet in the main bathroom and the other was a piece of twisted tree root on top of the TV in the living room. Now, boys being what they are, we fell into a routine for every new girl that would come by for dinner or to watch TV. Hoot would usually be sitting on top of the TV on that piece of wood that was covered in droppings under which was some newspaper covered in seed and more droppings. It should have been obvious that this was a live creature. The girl or girls would always ask if he was real and the answer was always the same, "No, of course not. Who would have a live owl in their house?" This simple statement would allow the visitor to disregard all of the evidence in the house that said otherwise and relax. You'd still get the occasional, "He sure looks real." To which we would reply, "He was, once." Now, Hoot could sit for hours on top of that TV and, unless you caught him blinking or noticed that he had fallen asleep, he never moved a feather. But, along about 10:30 at night, his natural instincts would kick in and he would decide to head for dinner which was usually some raw chicken Ken would put in his cage attached to the outside of Ken's bedroom window. Hoot would either hop down off the TV or, even better, spread his wings and flap once or twice to glide over us to the hall and down to the bedroom. The reaction was always the same from the girl or girls: pandemonium. It was a beautiful, abject, nothing-held-back kind of panic. Of course, when one would scream, they all screamed and that set off a chain reaction that changed the course of the whole evening. Looking back on that time, the secret wasn't kept very long before every girl on campus knew about Hoot and the mystery was no more. That is except for visiting parents and the occasional Jehovah's Witness or LDS traveler. The rejection of the obvious leads to bad decisions and we should not be surprised when the obvious finally delivers its natural course of events. "The sins of men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden." 1 Timothy 5:24-25 Sin always takes its toll on our relationships whether the sin is obvious or hidden. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 17 00:05:57 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:05:57 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Godless Chatter Message-ID: <91148696-9E52-4591-97F8-C9C2B07DF8E2@clanwebb.com> Being able to keep up the conversation according to the expectations of the group is one of the requirements for being accepted into that group. Or, in other words, you can't be one of the cool kids if you don't keep up with the locker room banter. I remember those conversations and not wanting to chime in, but feeling the extreme pressure to keep it going. There are middle-aged men who still expect you to act that way if you want to be part of the inner circle. I hate working with those guys. Still, we may convince ourselves that we can keep our input neutral and still hang around the clubhouse. We can have it both ways. We can fill our speech with pointless jabber about sports, work, women, and money while secretly following Christ. It may not even be offensive, but it belies our priorities. If we don't speak of our number one priority (and that should be Christ), then we're not only deceiving the listener, but we're harming ourselves: "Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." 2 Timothy 2:16 Godless chatter is not neutral or innocent or harmless. As I say, it may not be offensive in and of itself, but if you allow your speech to be filled with it, you will be dragged down. You will forget your priorities. You will be focused on the wrong things. Don't kid yourself or those around you. Don't try to fit in by cutting Christ out. Christ needs to be the first priority in your life. Don't censor Him from your speech. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 17 21:52:13 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:52:13 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Argue Gently Message-ID: <0E275C97-D0FC-4564-BFC5-538F667D027D@clanwebb.com> Men hate being wrong. I know I really, really hate it. I get so mad at myself for making a mistake or a bad decision especially when it affects others. I hate being wrong. The only worse feeling is when someone thinks you are wrong and you know you aren't. When it comes to questions about my faith, my political opinion, or my technology preferences, I can get wound up. I am always happy to explain to those opposing me exactly where and how they are wrong in biting and forceful terms. Now, every time I do this, I'm basically giving in to my sin nature. If I berate someone about how wrong they are, I've just gone out of my way to make them feel just as bad as I do when I realize I'm wrong. And, it's orders of magnitude worse when you engage in this behavior with your wife. One of the teachers at a Promise Keepers event said something that has always stuck with me when these opportunities present themselves. He asked, "Do you want to be right? or reconciled?" He was making the point that you can verbally beat down on your wife (or opponent) until they cry "uncle" and admit you were right, but that does nothing for strengthening your relationship. Or, you can strive for reconciliation rather than extracting an admission of your superior intellect. I think Paul summed it up well. These are instructions to the Christian about how to deal with arguments: "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:23-26 Ouch. That's convicting. Notice that Paul is not saying you need to back down or run away from a disagreement. He's just saying that you can't escalate it. You should answer in love and grace and attempt to educate gently. Don't pick a fight, don't escalate a fight, and don't stir the pot. That's not what my testosterone is telling me to do, but then God's ways are not man's ways. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jan 18 22:04:08 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:04:08 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Where and How Message-ID: <44C1EA17-5C4E-4A22-B3F0-BC15AE623D21@clanwebb.com> Looking in the most likely place for what you want seems like common sense. But, how often are we like the fellow who is looking for his keys in the parking lot near the streetlight because it was easier to see? I marvel at the choices fisherman and hunters have at the local sporting goods store when their eventual success depends, in large part, on where the game is located. I can't tell you how many times the fellow with the old, beat-up rod and reel out-fished the guys with half of the Cabela's catalog in their boat. By the same token, a good hunter with a lever action .30-30 can outhunt the unskilled man with the Weatherby 7mm mounted tripod with a range finder in the scope. It is all knowing where to hunt, where to fish, and what time of year and time of day you should show up. As men that want to live the Christian life and cooperate with the sanctification process, we often gear up with all the new stuff from the bookshelf and from the 'net. We participate in a sometimes not so subtle game of one-upsmanship to give off the appearance that we know what we're doing. Let me encourage you to read plenty, but study the Word. I will contend that very few extra books are needed to grow closer to Christ unless they simply help clarify Scripture itself. Sixty-six books with forty-four (plus or minus) authors will give you a very clear picture where and how to hunt and fish for your destiny. "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" Luke 2:49 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jan 19 21:34:16 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 21:34:16 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Seeking Rebuke Message-ID: "Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you." Proverbs 9:8 There's a reflection in this scripture. On the surface, it is telling the reader to not bother correcting a fool because it will only create strife and it tells him to correct a wise man because that is a sign of love. The reflection tells the reader something else. It says that if you react to rebuke with anger and hatred, you are a fool. If, however, you react with peace and gratefulness, then you are wise. The Psalmist says it even more clearly as he calls out to God: "Let a righteous man strike me - it is a kindness; let him rebuke me - it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;" Psalm 141:5 The writer is asking God to send someone to keep him in line. He's asking for loving rebuke from righteous men because he knows it will make him a better servant to God. Do you ask God for rebuke? Do you ask him to send good men to give you a spiritual kick in the pants? Why not? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jan 20 21:54:44 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:54:44 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] In the Pit Message-ID: <25C51F78-2CF1-41EF-BD17-8D4264FC23AA@clanwebb.com> It's become a throwaway term to refer to the unsaved as lost. It sums up their situation pretty well, though. They are no different than the inexperienced hiker dropped in the middle of Rocky Mountains. They have no idea which direction to go. They have no clue what they are even looking for other than help. They only know they need to find someone to save them from being in the wilderness. Even those of us who are saved can have those times when we feel alone in the wilderness. If we aren't careful, we can spiral into depression and self-pity. I think David had every reason to feel that way when he was running from Saul and the Army of Israel and having to move from cave to cave. One night, David wrote this: "I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me." Psalm 142 David knows how to dig out of this emotional and spiritual pit. He calls on God. He unloads everything, but then he fully expects God to free him. You need to tell God how you feel without blaming Him. Then you need to have the faith that He'll pull you out. God never intended you to be in a pit alone. But, you have to ask for His help. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jan 21 22:51:50 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:51:50 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] You Have to Use It Message-ID: I took a class during my last year of college called Acoustics. It was the study of audio engineering and how acoustic systems could be studied and modeled in a similar way as mechanical and electrical systems. It was a fascinating class despite my not really wanting to go into acoustical engineering. What made the class doubly valuable to the average undergrad was that the professor had founded his own successful company and had many years of experience running this business. His class was known around campus as "Acoustics and the Philosophy of Life". This man not only taught complex engineering, but he taught these green kids a little about the real world. He reminded them that when they got their first job, they most certainly would NOT be the smartest guy in the room. He reminded them of the skills that would take them far (things like persistence, creativity, lifelong learning, and teamwork) and those that would hinder their progress (arrogance, feeling entitled, disrespecting others, and working only for one's self). These were unusual concepts to many students because they had never worked in the real world. All the studying we had done was incomplete because we hadn't had to do it for a living. The author of Hebrews makes a similar point. "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:13-14 The key phrase there is "constant use". You can't really know what it means to follow Christ until you are putting His teachings into constant use in your life. I could study the playbook for an NFL team for a year and it wouldn't mean I could play quarterback. Other than my physical limitations, I just wouldn't really know how those things work until I put them into use. You need to sit under a good teacher and hear the Word taught. You need to read it daily. You need to pray for insight. But all of that is for naught if you don't put it into use. That doesn't mean just once in a while, but constant use. Do you dabble? Or are you a constant user of God's Word? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jan 22 21:46:35 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:46:35 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Abide Message-ID: <146CCE23-B25B-49D2-8540-17E937602F97@clanwebb.com> The challenge with different translations of the Word is that, sometimes, in an effort to modernize, we lose some valuable meaning. One of these lost meanings is a word that doesn't exist in the NIV. The NASB uses the word "abide" while the NIV does not. On the surface, it might not seem like much of a decision. It's just one word, after all. It may not be a big deal to some, but I submit that we must be very careful to clarify and not, out of good intentions, put too smooth a surface on the Word. The dictionary definition of abide is: tolerate: To wait patiently for: To withstand: To remain in place. To continue to be sure or firm; endure. To dwell or sojourn. "But the Lord abides forever; He has established his throne for judgment," Psalm 9:7 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5 "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." 1 John 4:15 The NASB translation includes forty-one verses that include the word "abide". I feel that if you take the time to apply the dictionary definitions, you can see how insightful the word becomes. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 24 00:24:24 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:24:24 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Company You Keep Message-ID: You will be shaped by the company you keep. This seems obvious, but it is also profound. Your likes and dislikes, your speech patterns, your thought patterns, your habits, and even your heart's desires will change based on the people you spend the most time with. My interest in computers was accelerated by hanging out with others with the same interest. I never had much interest in watching football until I spent one Christmas break watching college bowl games with my dad. Then I began to talk about it more with friends at school and my interest grew. Most importantly, my desire to know Jesus and know the Word was lacking while I was in high school because I spent all day with friends who were either unsaved or unfocused like myself. It wasn't until after college when I actually made the effort to surround myself with others who walked with God that my own love grew. The company you keep may not completely define you, but it will certainly shape you. "Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips." Proverbs 14:7 The point here is that you can't grow your wisdom and love for God by hanging out with the ungodly. There is nothing to learn from the ignorant. To reinforce the point: "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good." Psalm 14:1 Don't go seeking knowledge and spiritual wisdom from the fool who says that there is no God. Where do you go, then? Go to those who are walking with Him. "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 Seek those who are imitating Christ. Therein lies the path of wisdom. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 24 21:30:13 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:30:13 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Flattering Lips Message-ID: We are in a season of words. Elections are about the words of the people running for office. They try to find the precise words with the most power to express their positions, color their opponents, and flavor their actions in the past and the present. Most people hear what they want to hear based upon what they want from the politician. The problem is not so much that politicians will talk, bend reality, or deal in outright falsehoods. The truth usually rises to the top like cream if one really listens and does a little research. The real problem is that the process produces an environment that consists of haze not unlike air pollution. People then breathe this atmosphere and it changes their spiritual health. They become infected with a political methodology and abandon a clear view of righteousness for their everyday lives. They lose sight of the obvious difference between right and wrong. "They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak." Psalm 12:2 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jan 25 23:17:06 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:17:06 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] All or Nothing Message-ID: <86DC58A9-AD05-4987-A210-148BF452DC70@clanwebb.com> During the 2004 election, I remember much being said about John Kerry's ability to work with nuance in all issues. They touted the idea that he understoodall of the little details that would allow him to nudge and cajole and smoothly guide things his way. Maybe I'm not nuanced enough, but that just sounds like splitting hairs. Nuance was a code word for "shades of gray". I tend to believe that there is black and white. There is truth and falsehood. It is all or nothing. The world wants us to think that there are levels and grades. If we can't be perfect, we can be happy that we're still good more often than not. The world tells us to think of our life as a giant spiritual scale where the good things go on one side and the bad things go on the other. If your scale is just a hair to the good side, you're set! Unfortunately, sin is not assessed democratically. It's not a deal where "mostly good" will get you in. "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." James 2:10 One slip is no different than a lifetime of rebellion. It's all or nothing with God. This may seem unfair or too difficult to attain. It is difficult, but it's perfectly fair. God made the rules: "If you are without sin, you may join Me in Heaven. If not, you'll be headed elsewhere." Fortunately, He loves us enough to send us a solution. Jesus will take our sin away, so that we are without sin in God's eyes. The rules haven't changed, we just have an offer that will allow us to qualify. Don't be fooled by "good enough" or "better than most". It's an all or nothing deal. It's a good thing Jesus gave His all for us. Without Him, we are nothing. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jan 26 22:16:25 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:16:25 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] He Knows Us Too Well Message-ID: <1CF25AA5-40DE-4CE5-9B02-EB78E10A1555@clanwebb.com> Have you ever dreamed, if God would just make you wealthy, how much good you could do in His name? You know the standard things: you would set up foundations, build orphanages, plant churches, fund missions, and drill so many wells in Africa that it would look like a Disney World water fountain. I wonder why He doesn't do that? It's because He knows us. That's why. Money is a huge responsibility and a magnet for poor decision-making. Besides, He doesn't need a dime from us to complete His plan. We just need to obey Him and we get to be part of the plan. If wealth is part of His plan for us, then we need to use it for that same plan, not our own. Gideon is a perfect example of how God moves His plan along. Here is a guy that is so timid and meek that he sneaks around just to stay under the radar. Along comes God and tells him that he is a mighty warrior and the plan goes forward after some patience from God and an army ends up shouting God and Gideon in the same sentence. But, God knows His people and He always has to make sure they don't forget who He is. "The Lord said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.' " Judges 7:2 When you pray and when you ask God, always remember that He knows you and your nature! Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jan 27 22:36:21 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:36:21 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Adversity Lead to Victory Message-ID: <4EC2B1D2-FD2C-4A64-B5F3-D8E31FC23E2A@clanwebb.com> Listen to sports analysts long enough and you'll hear them rate a team or athlete on the ability survive adversity. Those who have a smooth path to victory always leave the unanswered question about just how they'd respond to a heartbreaking loss or a devastating injury. Is their confidence real or flimsy? I remember clearly watching Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox and Yankees had fought tooth and nail that game. The Yankees scratched their way to a tie at the end of nine innings. In the bottom of the 11th inning, the recently traded Aaron Boone crushed a pitch into the upper deck to win the game. Those kinds of losses can crush some teams. It can take years to recover. In 2004, the Red Sox and Yankees met again in the ALCS. The Yankees were up three games to none and looked like they would sweep in Fenway Park. Instead the Red Sox scratched out a win that night. They came from behind to send Game 5 into extra innings, too. They eventually won that game in the 14th. In Game 6, Curt Schilling overcame his own adversity by having doctors temporarily sew his ankle together so he could throw seven plus innings and lead the Sox to another win. The Red Sox then pulled off the huge upset and beat New York again in Game 7 in the very same stadium they had lost it the year before. Surviving adversity from the previous year and from injury made them a better team. It led them to victory in this series and an eventual World Series win. Adversity prepares us for victory. "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1: 6-7 Just as I'm sure the Red Sox were not rejoicing after losing Game 7 in 2003, we have a hard time rejoicing during trials and adversity. But, God has told us that those very things will happen to refine our faith and so it can be proved to be genuine. That will give praise and glory and honor to Jesus when He returns. Grit your teeth when things get tough. Prove that your faith is real by holding even tighter to Christ. The victory is coming. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jan 28 22:58:47 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:58:47 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Looking For Trouble Message-ID: The American media seems to find them all. I don't see them where I go to church or ever hear about them from my friends, but the press can find them in no time. I'm talking about those Christians who make the rest of us look bad. It's the slightly nutty folks who mean well, but are tone deaf to how they are damaging the message by speaking and acting out the way they do. I'm thinking about those who go out of their way to annoy their coworkers and neighbors and then claim religious oppression when those folks respond predictably. I take my Bible to work every day. I read from it in my office every day. Now, if my boss told me to stop or a coworker complained about that, I would fight it as a freedom of religion issue. However, if I went around with my Bible and sat in each of my coworkers' cubes and pointed out where I thought they were running afoul of God's law, they would have a legitimate complaint. I would have no right to claim an infringement of my rights, then. Peter made this point to the early church, too. Where he says "slaves", we should think "employees". "Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God." 1 Peter 2:18-20 We will be persecuted. In America, that might mean an insult or long glare. It may even mean losing your job. However, we cannot break the rules to create a conflict just so we can fight. Don't go looking for trouble. It'll find you soon enough. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jan 29 22:15:31 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:15:31 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Prepare Message-ID: Our pastor has a great mental device that he uses during his sermons. He tells us that whenever we see a verse starting with "therefore" we should ask, "What is it there for?" (It sounds better when you say it out loud). I was struck by just that situation when reading 1 Peter. "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;" 1 Peter 1:13-15 Peter is telling us to be prepared. We should live a life of self- control, obedience, and expectation. But, why? Well, back up and see what he was talking about earlier. In discussing how the prophets were predicting Christ, His sacrifice, and His resurrection he makes the point that they didn't know the time and precise circumstances. They thought long and hard about it, but couldn't predict the details that God had hidden. "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things." 1 Peter 1:12 In other words, neither the prophets nor the angels knew exactly when Christ was coming, but they were ready for when He did. By the same token, we never know when Christ will return, but Peter is telling us to be ready. Because we don't know the exact date, we need to be in a state of constant readiness. Just like fireman sleeping in the firehouse, you need to be ready to go at a moment's notice. Just like the boots, coats, and helmets firemen have ready, we need to prepare ourselves with obedience, self- control, and hope. Are you prepared? Are you ready? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jan 30 23:13:58 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:13:58 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Actions Speak Message-ID: A few months ago, I was walking down the hallway at work and one of my coworkers saw me limping and asked, "What happened to you?" It was nothing serious, but it proves the point that some actions will change you enough that people will notice. If you dye your hair blue or get a large tattoo, people will notice. If you start drinking heavily or smoking a pack a day, people will notice a difference in how you look or how you act. They'll either ask out loud, or inside their head, "What happened?" The flip side is that it is unlikely anything profound can happen to you that isn't visible to the outsider. Nobody notices that you used a different toothpaste or that you're wearing new socks. Those aren't profound changes. But, people will be able to tell if something serious has happened in your life like marriage, divorce, or a new job. Friends and family can usually pick up on changes to your speech, your attitude, and your activities. So, is being saved a profound enough event in your life that people can tell? "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." James 2:17-19 Is your faith so powerful that it overflows into your deeds? If not, you are just as helpful as the unsaved person who simply ignores Christ. Can people tell the difference? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jan 31 22:27:06 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:27:06 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Tabloid Fodder Message-ID: File this under the subject of "celebrities can make a mess of their lives". You only have to channel surf, turn the page of a newspaper, or stand in line at the grocery checkout to see the evidence that bored, spoiled people seem to unravel like an old sweater. The Bible reveals that this is a very old problem. Case in point is Samson, a spoiled, rich kid that was pampered by his parents. Not unlike the high school football hero, he was an extraordinary physical specimen. He was the best looking and strongest guy in town and he would have any girl he wanted. The problem was that he made bad decisions and, when it came to the consequences, he played out his anger by using his God-given attributes to be stupid. His choices reflected the same attitude as the two-year old who whines, "I want it, Daddy. Get it for me or I will do something to somebody!" He used three hundred foxes by tying their tails together in pairs with a torch attached and sending them off through the fields. This is not the action of a well-adjusted man. Of course, Samson was full of confidence. With the jawbone of a donkey, he took care of a thousand guys who questioned his behavior. He abandons one woman and takes up with a prostitute that shows her obvious motive to sell him into slavery by using three different times the old line of, "If you won't tell what I want to know, it just means that you don't love me!" Samson knows what she is up to and plays with her by lying to her. She's such an airhead that she falls for it all three times! Finally, he becomes overconfident and tells her the truth about the source of his strength because he's sure he can outsmart her again. But, this time it costs him his freedom and his eyesight. The lesson is that God makes man and He takes man back. When God has seen enough, He moves in and cleans up the mess. "And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life." Judges 16:30 Samson had it all by worldly standards, but he failed to understand how much God loved him and, in so doing, he squandered his chance to do great things for God. Instead, he decided that fame, fortune, ability, and the party atmosphere would give him the happiness he wanted. Remember that when God has had enough, He will bring down the house on the party. Allen