I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippian 1:3
This past week Church of the Way lost a member of our extended family. Barbara Bledsoe passed away early this week. Barbara was a member at our Mother Church, FUMC of Lawrenceville, but attended Church of the Way regularly when we met in the warehouse near Scenic Hwy. Barbara was a sweet soul and an encourager. She left behind a legacy. As I remembered her this week, I thought about the table cloths and fabric she spent hours sewing when we first started our church. We're still using some of those tablecloths and fabric today. She served in any way she could, and when you walk in to see all that black fabric, know that Barbara Bledsoe's hands were on it a long time ago.
There will come a time when every one of us are remembered -- a time when we no longer are. When that time comes, what will the world think of us? What will be people's response when they remember us? The Apostle Paul said he thanked God when he remembered the people of Philppi. I certainly thanked God for Barbara this week. But what about us? We will all be remembered one day, and we get to choose how we are remembered. When someone you know and love dies, it alway centers me back to some personal reflection, and it's increasingly clear to me that we get the biggest say in how we are remembered. What if we were people that othere's thanked God for when they remembered us because we showed the world a little glimpse of Him.
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Friday, January 25, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Cleaner
I experienced a phenomenon today that I'll bet you've experienced. It was time for me to get my emissions test done on my truck, and it also happened to be time for an oil change. I usually take it to one of the Mr. Clean Express Wash places so I get a free car wash and vacuum with my oil change. They did the emissions test and the ol' truck is still tickin' fine. They changed the oil. Then they ran ol' Tuesday (that's the name of my truck -- it's a long story) through the wash. I had emptied out all the Hot Wheels cars and toy dinosaurs before I took it. I picked up the trash before they vacuumed it. The ol' girl still shines pretty bright red and smells a lot better than she did before. As I pulled off, I felt it: Tuesday was driving better. Why do cars feel like they drive better when they're clean. I don't know if they do, but they sure do feel like it. Everything felt a little smoother. And I was happier. My truck was running smooth, looking good and there weren't three Coke Zero cans clanging around on the floor. Cleaner just feels better. I asked myself: why don't I keep my truck cleaner all the time if this feels so good?
A car is not unlike us. We stand a little taller, shoulders a little firmer when we're cleaned up, smelling good and dressed like we're going to a meeting instead of going to bed. We feel confident. Cleaner is better. And you ask yourself, "Why don't I dress like this more often?" I think we get used to the mess and forget how good it feels to be clean.
Our relationship with God is much the same. We're excited about salvation. The waters of baptism cleanse our soul and Christ's grace washes our sins away forever. But I don't think salvation is supposed to be a one time event. I think salvation is a daily event that happens over and over as we ask Jesus to keep washing us...to keep cleaning us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." But we can invite Christ to keep making us new every day. You don't take one shower and that's good for a lifetime. You don't send your car to Mr. Clean's Express Wash one time and that's good for the next 40 years. We walk taller when we're clean. My truck drives better when it's clean. I live better when my spirit's clean. Don't get me wrong on this. God's forgiveness works once and for all, but I need that grace to keep washing over me. I don't want to just be in heaven when I die; I want heaven to be in me while I live. I want Him to keep scrubbing away the layers of dirt (i.e. me) until I look the way I'm suppose to look when I came out of the factory, just like my maker created. Keep going back to the Chief Car Washer. You run better when you're clean.
A car is not unlike us. We stand a little taller, shoulders a little firmer when we're cleaned up, smelling good and dressed like we're going to a meeting instead of going to bed. We feel confident. Cleaner is better. And you ask yourself, "Why don't I dress like this more often?" I think we get used to the mess and forget how good it feels to be clean.
Our relationship with God is much the same. We're excited about salvation. The waters of baptism cleanse our soul and Christ's grace washes our sins away forever. But I don't think salvation is supposed to be a one time event. I think salvation is a daily event that happens over and over as we ask Jesus to keep washing us...to keep cleaning us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." But we can invite Christ to keep making us new every day. You don't take one shower and that's good for a lifetime. You don't send your car to Mr. Clean's Express Wash one time and that's good for the next 40 years. We walk taller when we're clean. My truck drives better when it's clean. I live better when my spirit's clean. Don't get me wrong on this. God's forgiveness works once and for all, but I need that grace to keep washing over me. I don't want to just be in heaven when I die; I want heaven to be in me while I live. I want Him to keep scrubbing away the layers of dirt (i.e. me) until I look the way I'm suppose to look when I came out of the factory, just like my maker created. Keep going back to the Chief Car Washer. You run better when you're clean.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Truth
"'What is truth?' Pilate asked" John 18:38
I'm a huge college football game, and I appreciate the traditions and sanctity of the game, probably more than most guys in my generation. Yesterday, one of the most bizzare stories ever surfaced about one of the leading storylines of this past season. Manti Te'o, the star linebacker for Notre Dame, had lost a girlfriend early in the season to leukemia. It was a big story throughout Notre Dame's undefeated regular season. It inspired many votes for Te'o to receive postseason accolades. Except the girlfriend never existed. I gotta be honest with you...I was disturbed. Te'o was either duped big time or in on the hoax. I'm not sure it matters either way. In the end, the story is ugly and tragic, and and made me think about truth.
Pilate asked that question above to Jesus after Jesus said, "For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Pilate wondered, "What is truth?" Truth means a lot of different things these days. People have different truth these days. Some say that truth depends on the individual and what is true for you may not be true for me. Some say there is no such thing as absolute truth. On Facebook, if we see someone famous' picture next to a quote, then it must be true that they said it. If someone says someone we know did something or said something, surely it's true. Truth is hard to guage these days. The internet has made truth even more evasive. We find ourselves a lot like Pilate, asking, "What is truth?" In short, truth is Jesus. Seek Jesus and you'll find truth. If you put your faith in people (even clean-cut star linebackers with good stories), you'll be let down. People lie. People dissappoint. People aren't always true. None of us are. Jesus is truth. It's a message the world so desperately needs right now. We need something solid and concrete to hang on to. It's the same thing it's always been. It's Jesus. And, I believe that when we are immersed in the truth of Jesus our personal truth-o-meter measures reality more clearly. When I'm in tune with Christ, I seem to separate the wheat from the chaff a little better. And we need that because there's plenty out there that simply isn't true. Hang on to what is.
I'm a huge college football game, and I appreciate the traditions and sanctity of the game, probably more than most guys in my generation. Yesterday, one of the most bizzare stories ever surfaced about one of the leading storylines of this past season. Manti Te'o, the star linebacker for Notre Dame, had lost a girlfriend early in the season to leukemia. It was a big story throughout Notre Dame's undefeated regular season. It inspired many votes for Te'o to receive postseason accolades. Except the girlfriend never existed. I gotta be honest with you...I was disturbed. Te'o was either duped big time or in on the hoax. I'm not sure it matters either way. In the end, the story is ugly and tragic, and and made me think about truth.
Pilate asked that question above to Jesus after Jesus said, "For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Pilate wondered, "What is truth?" Truth means a lot of different things these days. People have different truth these days. Some say that truth depends on the individual and what is true for you may not be true for me. Some say there is no such thing as absolute truth. On Facebook, if we see someone famous' picture next to a quote, then it must be true that they said it. If someone says someone we know did something or said something, surely it's true. Truth is hard to guage these days. The internet has made truth even more evasive. We find ourselves a lot like Pilate, asking, "What is truth?" In short, truth is Jesus. Seek Jesus and you'll find truth. If you put your faith in people (even clean-cut star linebackers with good stories), you'll be let down. People lie. People dissappoint. People aren't always true. None of us are. Jesus is truth. It's a message the world so desperately needs right now. We need something solid and concrete to hang on to. It's the same thing it's always been. It's Jesus. And, I believe that when we are immersed in the truth of Jesus our personal truth-o-meter measures reality more clearly. When I'm in tune with Christ, I seem to separate the wheat from the chaff a little better. And we need that because there's plenty out there that simply isn't true. Hang on to what is.
Monday, January 14, 2013
50 Saturdays
I recently updated a written list I keep in a drawer in my basement. It's a list of every UGA football game each of my boys has been to. I put the year, the opponent and whether we won or lost. Once they are grown, I want them to know how many games they've been to, what all stadiums they've been in and what their 'record' is. I was amazed when I updated the list after we returned home from our bowl game. My oldest son, Morgan, has been to 50 Georgia games. He's eight. My six-year old, Tanner, has been to 30. My four-year old, Walker, has been to 11. I looked at Morgan's...50. I couldn't believe it was that many. Then something good hit me. That's 50 Saturdays that he and I have spent together over the last five years.
We have a strict rule in the McInnis house: no college football without being potty trained. So, our boys were each three when we started taking them to games. 50 games. 50 Saturdays. 30 games. 30 Saturdays. 11 games. 11 Saturdays. Those Saturdays from my childhood are some of the most vivid memories I have. I remember sitting in the stands with my parents and brother, tailgating with friends, and heading to a handful of 'road games' with just Daddy.
I have those same vivid memories with my boys. We have found something to cherish together. And, after a few years, the memories have snowballed into a bunch of days of Father/Son fun. That's what we do in our house. We've spent a lot of time and money on it, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. We've seen a lot of victories, but most importantly, we've seen a lot of each other. Those are Saturdays I could have gotten a lot more yard work done. They are Saturdays I could have gotten more sleep or studied my sermon notes a little more. Instead, we got up early, got our boys dressed in red and black and headed out for an all-day and often all night affair. As time passes, I remember the laughter in the truck and the funny things said and done at the tailgate or in the stadium more than I remember the wins, losses or touchdowns.
If we're not careful, we parents can find ourselves swamped by life. There is always laundry to be done, grass to be cut, work to be done, and a house to be cleaned. There are always excuses why we shouldn't be kids again with our kids all day. However, you won't regret your grass, your house, or the laundry that didn't get cut, cleaned or washed. We WILL regret the memories that we wouldn't take time to make. God has entrusted our children to us for a short time. He is honored when we have his heart. He loves spending time with His children, and loves it when we spend time with ours. You're probably not as much of a college football nut as me and my boys are, but I hope you have something -- hunting, fishing, shopping, painting, scouting, music -- that you do with your kid that snowballs into a mountain of memories and time spent together. And I hope you live it up while you can and they're still young. That dirty house will still be there when you get back, but one day you'll wake up and be headed to a high school graduation that night and it will all be over. So enjoy that messy house while it lasts.
We have a strict rule in the McInnis house: no college football without being potty trained. So, our boys were each three when we started taking them to games. 50 games. 50 Saturdays. 30 games. 30 Saturdays. 11 games. 11 Saturdays. Those Saturdays from my childhood are some of the most vivid memories I have. I remember sitting in the stands with my parents and brother, tailgating with friends, and heading to a handful of 'road games' with just Daddy.
I have those same vivid memories with my boys. We have found something to cherish together. And, after a few years, the memories have snowballed into a bunch of days of Father/Son fun. That's what we do in our house. We've spent a lot of time and money on it, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. We've seen a lot of victories, but most importantly, we've seen a lot of each other. Those are Saturdays I could have gotten a lot more yard work done. They are Saturdays I could have gotten more sleep or studied my sermon notes a little more. Instead, we got up early, got our boys dressed in red and black and headed out for an all-day and often all night affair. As time passes, I remember the laughter in the truck and the funny things said and done at the tailgate or in the stadium more than I remember the wins, losses or touchdowns.
If we're not careful, we parents can find ourselves swamped by life. There is always laundry to be done, grass to be cut, work to be done, and a house to be cleaned. There are always excuses why we shouldn't be kids again with our kids all day. However, you won't regret your grass, your house, or the laundry that didn't get cut, cleaned or washed. We WILL regret the memories that we wouldn't take time to make. God has entrusted our children to us for a short time. He is honored when we have his heart. He loves spending time with His children, and loves it when we spend time with ours. You're probably not as much of a college football nut as me and my boys are, but I hope you have something -- hunting, fishing, shopping, painting, scouting, music -- that you do with your kid that snowballs into a mountain of memories and time spent together. And I hope you live it up while you can and they're still young. That dirty house will still be there when you get back, but one day you'll wake up and be headed to a high school graduation that night and it will all be over. So enjoy that messy house while it lasts.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Boldness
"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." Acts 4:29
A book I finished over Christmas talked about this passage, and it's the one that's been sticking in my brain. Boldness. Is that what you pray for? It was an interesting prayer. The Disciples were in uncharted waters. They were trying to spread the gospel and under heavy persecuation and durress, and they prayed for boldness. Not protection, not wisdom, not to be safe. Boldness. It seems to be the last thing we would pray for, but it was the first thing the first Disciples prayed for. After their prayer, the place they were meeting shook and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then it says they spoke the word boldly. They got what they asked for.
What are you praying for? The thing I like about that prayer for boldness is that it puts the burden on us. It's really like praying, "Lord, help me be the very best me I can be to bring you glory. Change me. Empower me." I think our victim-focused society has put so much of our focus on others and their actions that we've lost some of the focus we should have on our actions. We're worried about what everyone else is doing when we should be worrying about what God is calling us to do. If God grants us boldness, then why do we care what outside influences do? I'll bet you've got an area in your life that you're praying about a lot of moving parts. What if you prayed for boldness? What if you prayed for God to use you to be your best you to bring Him glory in that situation?
A book I finished over Christmas talked about this passage, and it's the one that's been sticking in my brain. Boldness. Is that what you pray for? It was an interesting prayer. The Disciples were in uncharted waters. They were trying to spread the gospel and under heavy persecuation and durress, and they prayed for boldness. Not protection, not wisdom, not to be safe. Boldness. It seems to be the last thing we would pray for, but it was the first thing the first Disciples prayed for. After their prayer, the place they were meeting shook and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then it says they spoke the word boldly. They got what they asked for.
What are you praying for? The thing I like about that prayer for boldness is that it puts the burden on us. It's really like praying, "Lord, help me be the very best me I can be to bring you glory. Change me. Empower me." I think our victim-focused society has put so much of our focus on others and their actions that we've lost some of the focus we should have on our actions. We're worried about what everyone else is doing when we should be worrying about what God is calling us to do. If God grants us boldness, then why do we care what outside influences do? I'll bet you've got an area in your life that you're praying about a lot of moving parts. What if you prayed for boldness? What if you prayed for God to use you to be your best you to bring Him glory in that situation?
Thursday, January 3, 2013
All Things New
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
New is in vogue this time of year. As a kid, I couldn't wait to play with my "new" toys after Christmas. The same is true of my boys. Right now, it appears as if a "new" toy bomb has exploded in our house. As a teen, I couldn't wait to wear my "new" clothes when school started back in January. I'd have every outfit meticulously picked out for the first few days. I still get giddy about a new shirt, shoes or pair of jeans. "New" just feels good. As adults, most of us hope to start some "new" habits and have some "new" experiences in the coming year. Maybe you're even in a "new" school or "new" job. Maybe you're looking for a "new" house or "new" car. Maybe you hope to meet some "new" friends...maybe even 'the one.' Who knows what the New Year holds for you or me, but I can guarantee you it will be new. New disappointments, new joys, new people, new moments. Things that have never happened before will happen in 2013. But what if you became "new"? Not your body or hairstyle. You. New heart, new spirit, new...you. That's the part that resolutions, a new sweater and a new car can't fix. It can't fix our heart. A new workout plan can give us a new outlook, but it can't change our heart. Nothing under the sun can undo all the old things we did to screw up the last year or our entire lives. Nothing. We can't unhurt the people we hurt. We can undo the sins we committed. We can't ignore our shortcomings as human beings. Our transgressions are old, and their growing in number daily. The greatest promise of the 'new-ness' offered in Jesus is that we don't have to be defined by all the old stuff. And we can be made new over and over again. It's not just a one time deal. So, here's to lots of new experiences in 2013, but most of all, here's to being made new by the only One who can
New is in vogue this time of year. As a kid, I couldn't wait to play with my "new" toys after Christmas. The same is true of my boys. Right now, it appears as if a "new" toy bomb has exploded in our house. As a teen, I couldn't wait to wear my "new" clothes when school started back in January. I'd have every outfit meticulously picked out for the first few days. I still get giddy about a new shirt, shoes or pair of jeans. "New" just feels good. As adults, most of us hope to start some "new" habits and have some "new" experiences in the coming year. Maybe you're even in a "new" school or "new" job. Maybe you're looking for a "new" house or "new" car. Maybe you hope to meet some "new" friends...maybe even 'the one.' Who knows what the New Year holds for you or me, but I can guarantee you it will be new. New disappointments, new joys, new people, new moments. Things that have never happened before will happen in 2013. But what if you became "new"? Not your body or hairstyle. You. New heart, new spirit, new...you. That's the part that resolutions, a new sweater and a new car can't fix. It can't fix our heart. A new workout plan can give us a new outlook, but it can't change our heart. Nothing under the sun can undo all the old things we did to screw up the last year or our entire lives. Nothing. We can't unhurt the people we hurt. We can undo the sins we committed. We can't ignore our shortcomings as human beings. Our transgressions are old, and their growing in number daily. The greatest promise of the 'new-ness' offered in Jesus is that we don't have to be defined by all the old stuff. And we can be made new over and over again. It's not just a one time deal. So, here's to lots of new experiences in 2013, but most of all, here's to being made new by the only One who can
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