From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 1 00:31:57 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 00:31:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Stealing Home Message-ID: Part of the reason I love watching sports is that there's always a good chance you'll see something rare or unique. I've seen half court shots made. I've seen hail mary passes caught. I've seen triple plays turned. It's always exhilarating and fun to say you witnessed it live. Today, I didn't see the strange thing during the Mariners game, but I read about it and I saw the highlights. I was a bit surprised when I read the play-by-play of the game and saw that the Mariners catcher stole home. That's weird in many ways. Stealing home is unusual. The catcher stealing a base is even more unusual. Together it was downright bizarre and I figured something wacky had happened. In fact, the manager had put the squeeze play on. That's when the runner at third breaks for home at the same time the pitcher throws the ball. The batter tries to bunt the ball just far enough in front of the plate such that the runner can make it home before the catcher can retrieve the ball and tag him out. It's a dangerous call because, if the batter misses the bunt, the runner has no chance to score. Well, almost no chance. In todays' game, the batter couldn't bunt because the pitch hit the ground in front of the plate. The ball hit the catcher in the chest and he couldn't get a grip on it fast enough to tag the runner heading home. The scorekeeper has to score that as a stolen base and, so, the catcher steals home. I was struck by the different thoughts going through the runner's mind. First, he's excited because his team is going to try a risky play to score the run. He takes off with the pitch. As he approaches home, he sees that the batter didn't bunt as expected. Now his confidence falls and he's sure he's a dead duck, but there's no going back so he keeps running. And, because he didn't hesitate or give up, he ended up scoring anyway. There are times God sets us on a path and we think we know how it's all going to work out. We jump at the plan and head off down the path. But, then something doesn't go as expected. There's a new danger ahead or a change of direction. How do you react? "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-15 Forget what is behind, because there is no going back. Strain for what is ahead. Press on toward the goal God has set for you. Just because things are not going the way you predicted, it doesn't mean that journey has failed. Don't hesitate. Don't slow down. Press on. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 1 21:53:44 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 21:53:44 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] For Thy Pleasure Message-ID: I cycle back to many basic questions and, when I find an answer, I often question it later on. One such question is, "Why did God create man?" Really, why all the trouble? He doesn't need us. In fact, He doesn't need anything at all. I sometimes take the science fiction approach that we are His toys, but that leads to the Greek interpretation of man being some kind of chess piece under the direction of a deity or deities as some sort of intellectual game of the gods. Then, there is the alien approach that we are way down the food chain of intelligent beings and that, someday, we will meet our creators and they will be much smarter and have more answers such that God will fall into myth. The deist approach also passes by my window and causes me to wonder if God just created the whole deal and now just checks in once in a while to see how the garden is growing or going to seed. The problem with all of these thoughts is the love aspect of God's character. Love so permeates Scripture and the actions of God that one has to contemplate that it is at the core of the reason for creation. Frankly, randomness simply doesn't measure up to any explanation or theory as far as I am concerned. "where we see heavenly beings gather in His praise, saying, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." " Revelation 4:11 I think this verse holds the key. The phrase, "for thy pleasure", caught my eye. Can it be that we have the ability to make God happy? Could it be that when God is happy, man is happy? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 2 21:58:15 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 21:58:15 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] False Teaching Message-ID: <2270AB9C-DC3C-45CF-9D8B-0C0F23C2E0FD@clanwebb.com> False teaching is a problem in the church. There are so many "ism"s in Christianity that Paul would not recognize many churches of today as Christian. Non-believers are at a huge disadvantage in that they do not know the difference between true and false teaching and this leads to people converting to a lie, not to faith in the real Jesus. The fresh, open mind is lost to something that feels good and fits a lifestyle rather than faith, grace, and salvation. This vending machine ploy simply does more harm than good. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." Matthew 23:15 False teaching is a poison. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 4 00:11:05 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:11:05 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Smarter Message-ID: <20FC43BB-E038-4770-A851-485097A412D5@clanwebb.com> We've all had those moments in life when you feel like you know more than the teacher. It can happen in school, work, or any aspect of life. We have opportunities to learn from various instructors, managers, mentors, or trainers. I remember being invited to a Bible study for young couples when we'd been married about two and half years. We figured it'd be good to get some advice and insight into building a Godly marriage. We arrived the first night to meet four or five other couples. They had all been married a year or less. The couple leading the study had been married about six months. Since they all were effectively still newlyweds, it was clear to us that there probably wasn't any great insight into marriage to be had there. We only went back one more time because they fed us and we were broke. Later that year, we attended a group of pregnant couples just to talk about what was happening and how we were planning our venture into parenthood. We heard one couple wax on about how wonderful parenting was going to be because they would be living with the husbands parents. The pregnant mother was so excited about the idea of their new child having four loving parents and how they would all work in harmony to raise the perfect person. We tried not to laugh out loud. We never went back to that group either. In both cases, we had a quick realization that we had moved past what was being taught or shared. I thought of those events as I read Psalm 119 recently. "I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts." Psalm 119:99-100 You want to be smarter than everyone else in the room? It all comes back to studying and following the original. Meditate on His statutes. Obey His precepts. Just don't brag about your newfound superiority. God blesses the humble. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 5 00:10:13 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:10:13 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Deep Things Message-ID: <3934A086-A0CF-4B53-9CCB-AE194756826C@clanwebb.com> It is always a great feeling to reach a plateau, a new territory with a new view and perspective. However, the view soon becomes the norm and we want to explore something else. This curiosity is a basic building block of our souls. This seeking can branch out and, in the case of the unbelieving scientist, sprout theories that it is all about a random beginning and, now, man is in control of his universe and man must learn to manage the process and the population. With the believer, it takes a different path of exploration. Rather than knowledge, it becomes the desire for intimacy with his creator. If, somehow, we could just find the pivot point on the full length mirror, it would flip open and behind it would be the path that leads to the meadow where Jesus is waiting. I know that when I'm in the wild, I always want to see what's over the ridge, look into the cave, follow the new trail, and see something I have never seen before. Many times, I would purposely try to walk ground I envisioned nobody had ever walked. It made me feel good to think I was seeing a part of God's creation from a view only He and I were seeing together. To share with God an intimate moment is the greatest thing in the world. To weep with just Him as witness, to let it all hang out and confess my failings, is like breaking the surface of the water and gulping in fresh air when my lungs are about to burst. We will never know His mysteries, but He wants us to explore because He has so much to show us. "But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yeah, the deep things of God." 1 Corinthians 2:10 "he revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him." Daniel 2:22 The deep things of God, not His mysteries, is intimacy. So, are you getting into the deep things? Are you hanging around with guys that are also searching for the deep things? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 5 22:27:39 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 22:27:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] He Has Done Great Things Message-ID: "When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." " Psalm 126:1-2 These lines painted a vivid picture for me. I easily imagined people so shocked and amazed by the turn of events that they were giddy. The feeling of astonishment gives way to nervous laughter because of the sheer happiness. It's that look when the least likely to win an Academy Award hears his name called. It's that look when the hail mary pass works. It's that look when someone you thought had died walks out of the fire. This is sheer stupification. As the brain attempts to deal with the events the heart sings and the voices join in. The laughter comes in peals while your head shakes in disbelief. This was the feeling of being led out of Egyptian slavery and to a beautiful, bountiful land where they could live free. If you stop to think about it, we should still be reacting this way to our own salvation. We were rescued from slavery to sin and we've been promised a life like no other in Heaven. "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126:3 I am still amazed. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 7 00:47:51 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 00:47:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Ratcheting Choices Message-ID: I am but a child. The more I read the Word, the more true that becomes for me. There is a parenting tactic that we've used to great success over the years. It involves giving your child choices. The psychology is that if the child has a choice, he is more likely to pick one than to simply resist any direction. Now, of course, wanting to guide the child towards the correct choice, the parent might stack the deck a bit to make the proper choice more obvious. This leads to me saying things like, "Okay, it's your choice: you can take the garbage out now, or I'll wake you up at 6 am to take it out in the morning." Suddenly, doing the right thing seems so much easier and less painful than resisting. Now, from time to time, I underestimate my son's stubbornness. So, sometimes the choice has to be ratcheted up a bit. If it doesn't work to say, "Your choice: you can get a haircut today or we'll have to trim it ourselves." Then I may have to move on to, "Your choice: you can get a haircut today or I'm giving you a sideways mohawk." It just reinforces the choice you'd prefer. I see a little bit of that ratcheting effect when Jesus taught. Here the old Jewish law had been laid out in great detail for hundreds of years and God said you had to obey it all and everyone knew how hard that was. But, they thought they could do it. There were professional law-obeyers and even they weren't doing it right. Then Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca', is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." Matthew 5:21-22 Oh, you think you've got it figured out? Well, just calling your brother names qualifies as murder. "You have heard it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28 Think you've got a handle on the law? Well, just taking that extra- long glance now qualifies as adultery. Jesus just ratcheted up the choices. He's asking, "Do you want to try to keep the law now? Or, would you rather be covered by My blood?" If you still haven't figured it out, take door number two. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 7 22:01:54 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 22:01:54 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Spiritual Luggage Message-ID: I spent most of my day running errands and packing in preparation for a trip. I'll be gone for almost a week and that takes a bit more planning than one or two nights. I have to put more thought into exactly what I need to take and what I can afford to leave behind. It's tricky enough when you know exactly when you'll be leaving and returning. What if you didn't know? So, imagine that you know you'll be going on a long trip. While you know the destination and what you'll be doing there, you don't know when you'll have to leave. In addition, you know that you won't be returning. You will have very short notice. It could be in an hour or next year. Fairly quickly, I think you'd develop a clear idea of exactly what you would need to take. You'd whittle it down to the essentials and keep your bag packed for that trip when the time came. You'd also live your life in a way that you know the phone call may come at any time. If you felt anything was missing, you'd make that your top priority so that your bag was ready to go as soon as possible. Have you prepared your spiritual luggage? We are in exactly this situation every day. We know we'll be called home. We know where we are going. We know what we will be doing there and we know we won't be coming back. We simply don't know when. Furthermore, we know that there will be no warning. It'll be instantaneous. Do you have the essentials ready to go? Are you living life knowing you could be called home at any moment? Paul figured out that what he'd spent years accumulating wouldn't matter. He started to prepare his spiritual luggage: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ" Philippians 3:7-8 Jesus told us to spend our time preparing for our trip: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-20 If we spend our time on the stuff that we won't be putting in the spiritual luggage, it'll be empty when the call comes. We need to be preparing for that trip. We need to boil our lives down to the essentials and building up all those things we need to take with us. These are things like love, faith, humility, peace, patience, and knowledge of God. We need to be preparing every day. Wyatt From wyattw at yahoo.com Mon Jun 9 00:13:54 2008 From: wyattw at yahoo.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 00:13:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Daily Push Up] Stranger in a Strange Land Message-ID: <109939.46083.qm@web45316.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> I am a stranger in a strange land. It was less than a two hour flight and I'm still in the United States. Still, I'm out of place. I rode the shuttle from the airport and watched hills, buildings, and bodies of water go by that I don't recognize. It drove down streets that are unfamiliar to me. After checking in, I went for a walk to see how far away I was from where I needed to go tomorrow. It was a short walk past some high priced shopping and restaurants that I'll never patronize. The hotel was an experience in itself. Because of limited space, I've ended up in a very nice hotel. But, in an effort to save money, I'm in a very small room. I showed up in a bright red T-shirt with a cartoon character on it. I stood out and, needless to say, it wasn't in a good way. There was certainly the feeling that I was sent to the corner as I headed to my room next to the stairwell. Still, I know I'll find some kinship tomorrow. I have old co-workers to meet with at the conference and a college buddy to dine with. I'm sure you can see the parallel coming. It about hit me over the head. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21 We are not home now. We are citizens of Heaven. And, when we arrive in Heaven, we will have new bodies. So, we have defective bodies in a defective world. No wonder we don't feel at home. While we're here, though, we can join the fellowship of our kin just as the early church did: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42 So, when you're feeling alone in a strange land. Devote yourself to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 10 00:48:25 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:48:25 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Scripture is Not Telephone Message-ID: If you have been a Christian for very long, you undoubtedly have come across the objection called "the telephone game". It compares the issue of recording Biblical history through time to the children's game where a simple phrase is chosen and whispered into the ear of a person who then whispers it to the next person and so on. The object of the game is to get a laugh out of how distorted the phrase becomes by the time it reaches the last person in the circle. The phrase may begin as, "Judy rides a silly horse," and end up as, "Judy rises a jelly hose." Non-believers will say that something similar happened to Scripture when discussing the account of the flood, Jonah and the whale, or the life of Christ. First and foremost, it is a mistake to equate the rules of the telephone game with the oral traditions of any ancient culture. Oral tradition was taken very seriously as they trained the younger generation to, first, memorize and, then, to pass it along as a primary source of learning and not game-playing. Oral tradition would take our original phrase and speak it out loud to the first person. Next, that person would speak it out loud and, if they misspoke, everyone would hear the mistake and the error corrected and that person would not be allowed to pass along the phrase until the group agreed that they had it right. You can see that the oral tradition would preserve, and not distort, the phrase. Plus, any translation of the phrase would be under the same scrutiny. If this applies to the oral tradition, so much more would it apply to the written in that so many more eyes would verify and be able to criticize if an error was made. And, of course, critics of the people or events written about would look for any discrepancy to discredit the account and verify their objections. "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons." " Matthew 12:24 "The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons." " Mark 3:22 "But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of demons." " Luke 11:15 Three different writers. Three different backgrounds. And, the same event written about in three different places. Jesus cast out demons. Even his critics agreed that He was doing it. Therefore, as eyewitnesses, we have people who saw the event and people who recorded the event after the fact. The only item in dispute is by what authority He did the deed. Also, there must be such things as demons. They have a leader and he has a name. Scripture is not a game. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 11 00:46:59 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:46:59 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Unnatural State Message-ID: <4D4934CC-FBDF-4C5F-8829-E3A67961B063@clanwebb.com> This is not my natural state of being. I'm in the middle of a week away from home. I'm living in hotel, eating a combination of restaurant food and vending machine offerings. I'm staying up too late because I get sidetracked reading only moderately interesting articles on the Internet. Each night I sit here feeling a little dopey and dazed. My body can't deal with this. I'm actually excited to be on this trip. I'm enjoying the conference I came for, but this is not my natural state of being and my body is telling me about it. I know I'll feel better when I get back home and I'm eating my wife's cooking, sitting on my own couch, and sleeping in our bed. I realize that this is why our bodies grow old and ache and creak. We are not living in the state we were designed for. Sin has corrupted the plan God had. We do not belong in this world in this way. Our bodies are telling us so. In fact, they have been tainted. We need replacements. "I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 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 15:50-52 Yeah. That ought to do it. I'm ready for that. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 11 22:07:58 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:07:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Morphing Into Heroes Message-ID: Morphing is a new word to my generation. People or things having the ability to change their shapes and abilities to become extra large, extra fast, extra strong or, in some cases, becoming a superhero, is not something I knew in my childhood. Superman, Batman, and a couple of other guys were about it. Yet, as I study the Word, I find something like morphing going on. "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;" Philippians 3:10 In short: transformation. Using a supernatural connection to become like the connection. Becoming like Jesus, the superhero, by connecting with His power. The world is full of kryptonite and it is the one thing that can turn our nature against us and kill the hero God has planned for us to become. Soak up the power of Jesus. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 12 23:53:58 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:53:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Biggest Step Message-ID: There are a lot of "Big Steps" we take during our lifetime here on earth. The biggest step we take, once we are here, is to leave the planet without the benefit of man-made transportation. When the lights go out for good for us here, we are taking the biggest step of all. Every decision we made while were here coalesces to a single point in time and we either have our spiritual ticket punched or we discover we waited too long and we cling to the fate from whatever theory we decided fit our lifestyle the best. Eternity, boys, is not how long it takes your wife to get ready to go somewhere. It is the final stop on the magical mystery tour. The decision making process is done! "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment," Hewbrews 9:27 There is no adapting to the situation because the situation has you. There is only one good thing that can happen and that only happens when you've made a reservation. "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." John 5:24 When God needs you to be available in someone's life, think about your responsibility. How bad do you want them to have a reservation? What are you willing to give up or do to make it happen? How long are you willing to listen? How hard are you willing to work? How strong are you willing to be? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 14 01:00:07 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 01:00:07 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Strong Tower Message-ID: <014187DE-0F5E-4430-A0BC-EFEEF6FE49A5@clanwebb.com> I was a little anxious this morning. The getaway day for any long trip can get me that way because I have to think upside down. Normally, I think through the first few steps of my day and figure I'll plan as I go for the rest of it. On the day I fly home, though, it seems backwards to me. I have to think about packing my bags and getting out of my hotel before the meetings and business I have to conduct. I have to plan for the end of the day (the flight) first thing in the morning. That's not my normal process. As I walked into the house tonight, though, I felt relaxed and happy. I was home! I'm reminded of the little robotic vacuum cleaner we have that roams around the floor, but then always drives back to it's home base to recharge. It's always happier when it's home, too. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 "For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe." Psalm 61:3 I just love the imagery of a strong tower. I have this picture of me, the lonely, battered warrior, running for my life towards this citadel that projects amazing strength in the middle of the desert. But, I'm being pursued by the world and sin and the enemy. In my head, I always make it to this tower before they catch up to me and I'm completely safe. It's somewhere I can totally let down my guard and rest and refresh for tomorrow's battle. Jesus is that tower. When you're feeling battered and outnumbered, Run back to Jesus. He helps you regroup, rearm, and prepare for what's next. I'm back home tonight, both physically and spiritually. It's relaxing and comforting. I am safe here. I can bask in His love and be ready for tomorrow. Do you hunker down and try to defend yourself alone? Or, do you run for the tower and the impenetrable safety it provides? Run. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 15 00:22:44 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:22:44 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Ducks and Humility Message-ID: <04160774-316F-45D0-BF46-8997032BE904@clanwebb.com> God approaches each man differently. When we compare these different approaches, we often covet what the other man has and mistakenly conclude that his burden is lighter than ours when, in fact, his burden is just different. One man has wealth, but he's lonely and has no personal relationships. Another has no wealth and can't make ends meet, yet he has a great wife and children. And, yet another may have wealth and a great family, but bad health. No matter what your burden or the approach God uses to reach you, the destination is the same and humility always plays a role. In my case, I have always had this vision of having my "ducks in a row" and doing great things for God. God, however, always keeps me under a certain amount of pressure so I will seek humility as a relief. I am the man in this passage: "Therefore He humbled their heart with labor; They stumbled and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses." Psalm 107:12-13 I suppose that my ducks will be out of step until the day I go home to Him. I have a friend that would give anything for a good marriage and I have a great one. All of my children are saved and I am healthy. So, why do I complain? It's those darn unaligned ducks. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 15 22:56:30 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:56:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Dependent on Mercy Message-ID: "How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number? living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed frolic there. These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth." Psalm 104:24-30 I am struck by the complete and utter dependence on God described here. Everything He has created depends on His willingness to give the necessities of life. We have fooled ourselves into thinking that it is all up to us. If we just work hard enough and fight for what is ours, we'll be okay. It's all about God. He chooses to hide and show His face. He chooses to give and take life. The truth is that we are really profoundly dependent on Him. "As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:11 God will reward the good works, but they do not suffice. We are at His mercy and, thankfully, He is merciful. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 16 22:31:06 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:31:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Worry Not Message-ID: There is so much to worry about in the world and no good reason a Christian should. The German root of the word "worry" means to choke. Worrying means that you have faith in the negative and shows a lack of character. Jesus Christ died on a cross for us and He has the power to do anything He wishes on our behalf. We must come to a point that we do not waver in our faith that He will not let us fall, be disgraced, or come to ruin. If we are available to His direction and not to the world's distraction, then He will show the way. There has been a lot of catastrophe in the world and we always look at it against the backdrop of man when our faith in Christ should be observed against the backdrop of God. That is the essence of the Christian character. "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." " Hebrews 13:5 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 17 23:09:09 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:09:09 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] How to Approach Message-ID: <7DCF78C1-837E-4474-8B7A-D9B69D50AF0C@clanwebb.com> Aside from my technical hobbies, I am also a fan of history. My college required a concentration of classes in a chosen humanity so it was easy for me to choose history. I learned quite a bit about some time periods and parts of the world that I hadn't pursued before. In one class, we were studying early twentieth century Europe and Asia. We were assigned a book about living in the Ukraine during the early years of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin. It was very educational, very detailed, and very dry. When asked what we thought of the book by our professor, one of my classmates replied, "Reading that book was like trying to eat a brick." He got a good laugh, but the point was made and we all agreed. It wasn't fun, but we did learn. My normal Bible reading has brought me to the doorstep of Leviticus. I'm often tempted to skim through that book and just read the action sections about Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and the Israelites because the rest seems so dry. This time, though, I started to gnaw on the brick. Today, as I read about burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fellowship offerings, I realized that there was a purpose to making these rules so detailed and so specific. Among many other reasons, it points out that we can only approach God in very specific ways. Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that there are people God will ignore. I'm saying there are ways to approach Him that won't work. Fundamentally, it's all about humility: "You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty." Psalm 18:27 "For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation." Psalm 149:4 "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10 You cannot approach God with pride or arrogance. You cannot approach Him intending to cut a deal. You cannot approach Him with any sense of leverage or having the upper hand. You cannot approach Him with preconditions. You can be anywhere in life. You can be doing great in this world or you can be at the end of your rope. You can be one who wouldn't harm a fly or you can be one who has harmed many. The only rule is that you must approach with complete humility and willingness to serve His will. You can come from anywhere, but there's only one way to approach. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 18 23:11:53 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:11:53 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Responsibility of Being Strong Message-ID: People climb mountains to get that great feeling of accomplishment. Did you ever stop to consider that one man's accomplishment must be set against a backdrop of the failure of others? Otherwise, what they have done is just ordinary. It is no great feat to climb a mountain everyone has climbed. I read about a true mountain climber that helped a blind friend climb a mountain. Sight and strength are gifts and the strong should not look to gain glory, they should help. The measure of a man should not be how far ahead of everyone else he was at the finish line, but how many people he helped along the way. It is not superior to be stronger than your neighbor. It is a gift you must use to help your neighbor. One of the things I like to hear about in sports is how the veteran player helps the young gun develop a skill. I like to hear how a mature player reflects back on a time when a teammate took him under his wing and showed him how to be better and, so, does the same for someone new. When someone shares his strength, he reflects Christ. After all, it is His strength that bears all the sin in this world. "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves." Romans 15:1 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 19 21:53:27 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:53:27 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Be an Active Learner Message-ID: While waiting in my senior pastor's office for a meeting, I did what everyone does, if they're honest. I began to snoop around his library. I found a book by Christopher Adsit entitled, "Personal Disciplemaking". As I flipped through the pages, I came upon a portion that was highlighted by a previous reader. It spoke about the word "disciple". It comes from the Greek word "mathetes" which means learner or pupil. Now, on the surface this definition doesn't seem to be too surprising except that Greek, and for that matter Aramaic and Hebrew, tends to have very finely tuned words and this particular learner or pupil does not practice the kind of head knowledge that can be regurgitated at will for a test, but he is one who learns by use and practice. Now, that struck a chord with me as that is exactly how I learn best. Give me a drawing and a written explanation and I can mull over it for quite a spell. But show me the thing and demonstrate the function or show me the problem and point out my resources and I'm your guy. Too many times in my life I've had engineers talk to me about this or that and then they show me the thing and I say, "Oh, I get it. Why didn't you just say that's what it did?" "Although He was a Son, he learned obedience from the things which He suffered." Hebrews 5:8 "Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful." Titus 3:14 When we attempt to be disciples, we are really creating a circle of learners and this circle should be a relationship factory. This factory should always be in production growing deeper in relationship with Jesus Christ and each other. The end product of this factory is love of your neighbor. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 20 22:09:26 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:09:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] It's Complicated Message-ID: <7300F309-2646-4597-9AD5-F1A4B1076A06@clanwebb.com> Well, all you technology guys are about to take a shot from an older guy. I spent many an hour in aluminum plants in the Pacific Northwest and, brother, could they eat up the energy. But, we were told it was bad business for the country to use all of that hydro power. "Shut down the plants and tear out the dams because the salmon can't get to their spawning grounds," was the cry that went out. Well, the plants are being dismantled and now we primarily buy our aluminum from overseas. That's where they pollute much more and exploit the workers. Guess what happened to the power the aluminum plants used to use? The Pacific Northwest is now home to the new energy gluttons: computer servers. That's right: Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft have taken over the power grid and use more power than the aluminum plants ever did. Of course, there are no smoke stacks from a building humming with information transfer, but the bike riding, sail boarding, and backpacking public have to have their iPhones and laptops because they might miss an opportunity to download a song, send a text with an all important bit of gossip, or, most important of all, share a picture of someone they know without clothes. Don't get me wrong. We have to have the technology, but you have to admit that there is some irony here. Poor old salmon and poor old river otters suffering so we can search for information right now! "Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices." Ecclesiastes 7:29 God made us very simple and plain, but we have made ourselves very complicated. Sorry, that's just a gut reaction of an old philosopher. I guess I need to go fishing. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 21 22:43:39 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:43:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God's Place Message-ID: <850CD80B-137D-4742-B15F-A9699F297F09@clanwebb.com> Have you had this question posed to you? "Who made God?" It always amazed me when a non-believer is willing to suspend critical thinking for the sake of an easy excuse. The Christian believes that God is eternal and science believes that the universe is eternal. Really, eternal is eternal one way or the other and both take faith. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20 The non-believer really only has faith in what has not been discovered. "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." Acts 3:16 We have a track record for the One in which we have faith. He controlled nature, healed the sick, raised the dead, and came back from the dead Himself. Do you really want to know what is beyond the universe? God's place. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 23 00:10:51 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:10:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Nearest Enemy Message-ID: <294C8938-C231-47AC-9E49-0716AC4FA271@clanwebb.com> Many prayers of request from a Christian man are of the form of, "Lord, save me from this trial," or, "Lord, defend me from this spiritual attack." We ask God for help against the enemy and against what the world throws at us. The thing is that we have three opponents to worry about: Satan, the world, and our flesh. It's easy to see the danger coming at us or the external force disrupting us. It's much harder to see the enemy in the mirror. David got it and knew he couldn't defeat that enemy alone: "Set guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies. Let a righteous man strike me-it is kindness; let him rebuke me-it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. [...]" Psalm 141:3-5 David prays that God would guard his lips, guard his heart, and send righteous men to keep him honest. I cannot find any reason that each of us shouldn't be asking for the same thing every day. The truth is that our flesh contributes to most of the problems we have. It's prideful to think that we ever have that enemy under control. It is humility that drove David to ask for God's help in that area. You see, only God can save you from yourself. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 23 23:30:37 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:30:37 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Death of Crispy Message-ID: <8C796FFD-36B0-46D9-80E3-6D5BF2E39B6B@clanwebb.com> Last night, I felt like I was part of a living example used to explain Scripture. That's happened before, but this time it wasn't as embarrassing. We arrived at our church for a prayer service to find that the power was out. The staff had quickly gathered candles to give some light to the sanctuary and the band was replaced with our associate pastor playing piano. At the beginning of the service, he explained the power outage. The only building affected was the church building. The repairs wouldn't be finished until close to midnight. It almost seemed targeted right at our service. It turned out that an unfortunate squirrel had made the mistake of touching two points of a transformer on a pole behind our building and basically exploded. His hairless, flaming body fell to the ground which then lit the dry grass on fire and, eventually, lit the original telephone pole on fire. It was all put out, but the squirrel (we later named him Crispy) was toast and the power company was working on repairs less than 100 feet outside our sanctuary. In spite of the death of Crispy, over 400 of us sang and prayed. We jokingly hypothesized about whether it had been Satan who sent the squirrel in an attempt to derail us or whether it had been God who sent the squirrel to make our service more intimate and more powerful. Either way, God worked it out. In the event that it was an attempt at disruption, though, I was reminded of Joseph's observation of God's control of everything: "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 The worship was amazing. The prayer brought many tears. God moved. We left the church invigorated and thankful for the sacrifice of a squirrel. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 24 22:33:25 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:33:25 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Long Term Investments Message-ID: <82A9EF4A-8D11-4792-B1E7-009A93184326@clanwebb.com> Task scheduling is an important part of good project management. The same tasks can be scheduled in many different ways with dramatically different results. If you schedule all of the longest tasks to be done by the same person, you'll end the project late with one burnout and a bunch of bored workers. If you schedule the longer tasks late in the project, they will tend to drag out and push the deadlines. The right approach is to schedule the things with the most uncertainty and the longest times first. They need to get started so they can finish on time. This is true when cooking a four course meal, planning a project, or just living your life. There's deep theology here: "Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house." Proverbs 24:27 The outdoor work is the work that doesn't have instant gratification. Planting fields is hard work and there is nothing to show for it for weeks and weeks. But, the fruit it produces can feed many people. Building your house is something you can take advantage of right away. Once it's done, you can move in, but it is just for you. However, if you build the house first, it'll be too late to plant the fields. Do the work that affects others first. Invest the time in planting seeds and cultivating relationships to see the fruit later. That fruit lasts into Heaven. The work you do on your house (or your looks, your wealth, your power) fades away before we get to Heaven. Make the long term investment. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 25 22:38:35 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:38:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] It's My Responsibility Message-ID: <9143CEE0-5522-4101-929F-64A9AB6ABA91@clanwebb.com> During the course of normal conversation today, I heard two stories that caused me to shake my head. One was about the seeming joy felt by a man when he told his wife, after 17 years of marriage, that he was gay. They soon divorced. The person telling me this story was emphasizing how it was amicable and better for everyone involved. The other story was about a man whose life was spiraling downward due to deep depression, money trouble, broken marriage, and job problems. The person telling me that story was attempting to save this guy from himself, but he wasn't optimistic. In both cases, all I could think about was how both of these men needed Jesus. But, I also allowed myself to think how badly society is going and mentally blaming it all on the unsaved. I was reminded, though, that when the land needs healing, it's not up to the unsaved to ask for it. It's up to us: "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 It doesn't matter who caused the separation from God, it's up to me to work at repairing it. It's me who needs to humble himself, pray, and seek the face of God. It's me who needs to repent and ask forgiveness. It's me who needs to pray for healing. The other folks don't know any better. If we don't ask God for help, who will? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 26 22:42:30 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:42:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Counterintuitive Message-ID: <5D4CAFEB-2455-48F3-8436-62E919DA9ABD@clanwebb.com> God is counterintuitive. Human logic does not seem to direct His actions and decisions. The obvious choice apparently isn't. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25 Like turning into the skid or playing dead with a bear, it doesn't make sense at first. "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." " Mark 9:35 Logic does not apply precisely because it is human logic. Our logic is limited to our minds and the world we see around us. We are not equal to God, so we cannot think the way He does. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9 So, the next time you're telling God, "I don't get it! I don't understand what Your plan is!" Don't be surprised if His answer boils down to, "Well, duh." Wyatt From Wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 27 22:18:39 2008 From: Wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:18:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Love 'em All Message-ID: <0CBE0F52-9EB3-4CA0-8C1C-EE892991EFAB@clanwebb.com> There is a deep joy in seeing your child smile, laugh, and have fun. I feel so little about me at that moment. The joy comes from seeing that someone you love so deeply is safe and happy. It's at those moments that I realize with crystal clarity that I would gladly give my life to save his. It's also at that moment that I see how I would have absolutely no sympathy for anyone that would attempt to hurt him. I would take on the biggest, meanest, most dangerous scumbag if it meant my son would live. I don't think I'm unusual in that regard. Most fathers feel that sense of deep love and protection for their sons. Of course, our Heavenly Father feels that way about us, too. He gave His Son to save us. "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." Galatians 4:4-5 But, we all know that. What still blows me away and constitutes love beyond my comprehension is that God loves that scumbag just as much. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 He not only loves the sweet, happy boy, but the scary, angry criminal, too. If God hasn't written those guys off, yet, we shouldn't be giving up on anyone. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 28 23:02:31 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:02:31 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Building Materials Message-ID: It was hot today. It hit 100 degrees. It's funny how people change when it gets that hot. In many cases, the need to have a certain look or style seems to fade. Gone are the stylish sweatshirts or skintight jeans and out come the shorts and tank tops with no regard to being hip. As the heat cranks up, the desire to carry on a well-designed facade seems to wilt. Attitudes change, too. Those who pretend to be patient suddenly aren't. Those who are truly forgiving still are. It seems to bring out the true nature of some folks who have been hiding it during the cooler days. I'm reminded of that time when fire will test the work we have done here. If it was false or wasteful, it will burn away. Only the good works we have done on the foundation of Christ will survive. "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work." 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 When things are cool and calm, are you someone else? Are you a man following Christ? When the day comes that the heat gets turned up, what will remain of your life? When your deeds are tested, will they burn up or remain? You know it's coming. Be sure you are building with the good stuff now. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 29 22:50:57 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:50:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Ignore the Crowd Message-ID: <8B37FFF9-4467-4A1D-B593-D1EE379C995B@clanwebb.com> Our guest speaker this past Sunday made the point that we shouldn't settle for the comfortable, smooth Christian life that won't rock the boat. From the gospels, he reminded us of stories of faith in Jesus that placed people in incredibly awkward or unacceptable social situations just so they could be near him. My favorite verse, though, was this: "As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" " Luke 18:35-39 Of course, Jesus healed this man and told him that it was because of his faith. But, I love the part where the blind man ignored the crowd and cried out louder to Jesus. That seems like such a great approach to life in general. Make it your mantra as you battle the world and the conformance it demands. This is the way to the relationship that will put you on the path God has designed specifically for you. Ignore the crowd and cry out to Jesus. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 30 22:39:31 2008 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:39:31 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Retain Your Place Message-ID: <1A7FD1E4-EA01-4D2A-8409-BF2D98A6E2AE@clanwebb.com> I've been in a luxury box at a Major League Baseball game. I've been to a few NBA games where I'm sitting within the first ten rows. Once, my dad was able to get me to an after-game reception sponsored by his company and I got pictures and autographs from quite a few players and the coach. In each of those circumstances, I was excited and felt privileged to see those games from those seats and meet those players. It was above and beyond my normal experience, so it was thrilling. However, I didn't get angry at the people inviting me and demand to sit even closer or sit with the team or even play in the game. That would be ridiculous! That's ungrateful at the least and it's disruptive to the team at the worst. I couldn't play on those teams. I didn't have the skills to do that. It would be a bad fit for me and frustrating for those teams. So, why is it, exactly, that after Jesus has saved us from Hell and saved us from a life filled with pain an emptiness, that we stamp our feet and demand more? "Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches." 1 Corinthians 7:17 At the moment we were drowning in the middle of a dark and stormy ocean, He pulled us to safety. And, not just to safety, but to a life of victorious living where peace is knowable. Then, a few years later, we start to whine, "But, why can't I do that job? Why can't I go live there? Why won't you bless me in this way?" Two reasons: That's not the best plan for you and it would disrupt the team you'd be intruding on. God has given you a guaranteed ride to Heaven. He's given you the inside scoop on how the world works and how it's going to end. Don't start demanding to play the lead role when your best skills are in the orchestra pit or as a stagehand. We all have a part, but it won't do anyone any good if we're ignoring our role and trying to usurp another. In case you've forgotten, it's not about you. Retain the place assigned to you by Christ. Wyatt