Love Fuel

Yesterday I had the great opportunity to share from the Word of God at The Chapel. God orchestrated the morning in a beautiful and amazing way, a way that floors me and built my faith. Praise Him! He is so kind and gracious and loving towards us, to put it lightly.

This pic is a snapshot of one line in my notes from my message. It hit me while I was preaching on His love yesterday, that without love, there are no promises. His love for His people is the fuel that feeds these promises. Love is the motivation behind such great promises...

I have healing,

I have provision,

I have forgiveness,

I have authority,

I have protection,

I have favor,

And more,

...because of His love.

Without His love for us, there would be no promises for the Christian.

Yea, and it just so happens that God is love.

Favs

A favorite quote, coupled with a great Scripture.

Surprise Puppy

Well, he's here!

Yes, the family could hardly wait any longer. Rocky, our new puppy, is now part of our family.

We were planning to pick him up Saturday, but Liz an I connived a plan to get him a day early to surprise the kids. So when Dad arrived home from work tonight, he came bearing a great gift!

Hopefully we get bonus points with the kids for that maneuver ;)

Popping The Question

If you died today, do you know for sure you would go to heaven?

This question is a popular one asked by Christians to non-believers in order to open a door to sharing the Gospel. I have found myself pondering it lately. If a strategy is popular, does that mean it's the best or most effective? Or, does that make it right even?

...do you know for sure you would go to heaven?

First and foremost, sharing the Gospel in any way possible is commendable, desirable, and necessary as the lost are going to hell, eternally separated from their Maker. But at the risk of ruffling some feathers and in an attempt to share some thoughts, I've been thinking about the following...

In opening a door to share the Gospel with an unbeliever, there seems to be some flaws with employing this question as an ideal strategy. To start, this question implies a few things: that the hearer knows about a heaven and hell, that heaven is a desirable place to go, and maybe too it's implied that somehow something they do, or don't do, can get them there.

Let's say that this person does have some sort of understanding of the above unsaid implications hidden in the "do you know where you'd go" question. To follow this question up with a presentation of the Gospel I believe poses possible opportunity for misconceptions, even deceptions.

Let's assume the person wants to go to heaven, and knows the alternative, hell, is an undesirable place to go. So how do I get there?? To use terms and language that most are used to, one response might be: Well, you see, God sent His Son Jesus to die on a cross for your sins, because He loved you. You must repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus, and He will forgive your sins, and one day you will be with Him in heaven.


Sure! Sounds good! Let's do it! Typically what would follow is praying "the prayer" with the unbeliever and they'd be in! Ticket punched and I'm off to heaven, right? But that's part of the problem, many think Jesus to the great ticket puncher.

Let's go further...

Here's my issue: the very question that was originally asked sets the listener up for coming to God on a foundationally wrong basis. Because the original question was "Do you know if you would go to heaven when you die," heaven is the implied desirable end. In other words, my main goal is to get to heaven, so next follows what I need to do to get there.

So what's wrong with this? Sounds good, right?

The chief end of our lives is not heaven. Jesus didn't come solely to "punch our ticket" to heaven. God the Father sent Jesus that humanity might be reconciled to the Holy God they rejected, because He loved them and for His glory.

The most beautiful part of the Gospel isn't heaven - it's God Himself! That I, as a fallen, sinful person, can be reconciled to my Maker through His Son Jesus. That I would turn from sin and follow and walk intimately with Jesus the rest of my life.

Jesus is our goal! Not heaven... as someone once said, it is Jesus who makes heaven, heaven. Without God in heaven, what would heaven be?

The "where would you go" question cheapens the Gospel and makes Jesus a means to an end (the supposed end being heaven) when Jesus is the end Himself. We can know God and walk with Him. How wonderful! Heaven is more a byproduct, a glorious part of putting our faith in Christ.

So, if popping "the question" starts an unbeliever off on the wrong foot and the wrong motivation, what do we do?

Don't know.

Each situation and person is different. Pray about it. Follow the Holy Spirit. See what He has to say and how He leads. God knows each person and what they need.

Let's share His love today!

Agape

I have been preparing this week to preach this Sunday at The Chapel. God has been doing such a work in me lately by lavishing His love on me, that it's difficult not to want to share Sunday on anything else... so I won't :)

In my preparation, I was looking up the Greek word for "love" in Strong's Concordance. Most of us are familiar with "love" in the new testament being translated from the Greek word "agape," which is true. But as I dove into the meaning of the word, there were some enlightening aspects to this "agape" love that caught my attention.

One of the aspects of this "agape" love was that Strong's stated, "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts as God's love is seen in the gift of His Son." It then references 1 John 4:9,10...

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Wow.

If love is only shown through actions, God showed us the greatest act of love, by sending His Son to die in our place. How many times have we heard this?! Yet, it is so fresh and new for me this morning.

If love is truly something that can only be seen and displayed through the actions of someone, then God's actions were greatest...

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

God doesn't just tell us He loves us, no, He proves His great love for us by laying down His life for us.

For a recovering perfectionist, I am so thankful that God truly loves me this morning, and that He showed it! He shows me His love through more than mere words, but in action too. I find rest, hope, strength and peace in His love, and pray you do today as well.

Puppy Love

Oh yea. We're ready.

The puppy comes this weekend. Not sure if we can make it that long. Not quite sure if we really know what we are doing either.

:P

Birthday Boy!

This little man started walking just a few days ago, just in time for his first birthday TODAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!

Kentucky

One of my favorite things to do is to peruse the Kentucky state visitor's guide. Or any visitor's guide for that matter. So, when I was able to pick the 2012 Kentucky Visitor's Guide up while visiting Cumberland Falls this weekend, I was pumped.

I love the fact that adventures are waiting right in our backyard - all we need to do is be willing to open our eyes to see them.

So Kentucky, be warned... here we come!

The Gardening Adventure

After a few days of garden planning, today I finally was able to begin implementing the master blueprint. You are looking at my careful preparations for this years new and expanded garden!

The kids and I spent a few hours outside planting the cold weather crops as well as some direct seeds. It was a blast! They were such a big help. I slowed down and loosened up (some) this year, which gave the kids more opportunity to dig holes, make markers, carve sticks, and plant veggies and seeds. What a fun time together. The kids have ownership of the garden and with God's help, hopefully our hard work pays off.

I am looking forward to the adventure of gardening with my family, and sharing some of the journey here.

Stay tuned.

Family Fun

We had a blast with the Sugar family over the past few days. Here's one fun pic of some of the kids posing together from our trip to Cumberland Falls.

*sigh*

Yes... very blessed.

Konked

Wore out from all the excitement :)

Perfect Shot

Perfect way to end the day today - rope swing, s'more in hand, the sun setting over the hills.

Not too bad :)

S'more

Times with family like this leave you wanting s'more...

Follman Facts

The older I get the more interested I am in my heritage. I ran across this today...

Interesting facts, and we're not the only Follmans in Kentucky! Who knew?? Family Reunion?

Interested in learning more about your family name? Click here.

Walking with God

I have a brief, few minutes to share what God has been doing in my heart.

Let me first say, that God is so loving, so kind, so gracious toward me. As His child in Christ, I feel Him taking me by the hand lately and walking me through life. He is both walking with me and leading me. It's so intimate, so kind, so personal.

The fact that God is even mindful of me is astonishing.

But to sense Him actually walking with me, and even better, sensing His love and delight toward me... It's unexplainable. It's unfathomable!

How can God love me?!

As I have wrote recently, it has been hard for me in the past to believe that the all-powerful, all-mighty, perfct and holy God would delight in imperfect me. But through Jesus, He does. I have been grafted in, I can partake of His love, I am beloved and part of the family. It was He in His love who chased me down even before I ever knew Him!

And the fact that He is even walking with me through this life is truly amazing.

How can this be? God with me?

That's it. Simple, yet miraculous. Seemingly common, but all so real to me lately.

I'm so grateful.

Quick Jot: Dave Ramsey

A recent tweet by Dave Ramsey:

RT @MrCollier2: @DaveRamsey do you tithe on your net income or gross income? Thanks!//Gross, in case Im wrong. LOL -- Dave Ramsey (@DaveRamsey)

Dave is a funny guy, but what I appreciate most is his common sense approach to money, specifically getting out of debt.

If you are looking for encouragement to stay the financial course, sacrifice, get out of debt and "live like no other now so you can live like no other later," check out daveramsey.com.

On the other hand, if you love your debt and want to stay in it, stay away. You might be challenged to rethink your priorities.

Inspiration Station

"Inspiration Station?" Not sure where that came from.

But, I have found a source of some daily inspiration - my iGoogle home page.

For those who may not be familiar with the iGoogle page, its basically the home page for Google that you are used to, but with your look, design, widgets, and flair. As you can see, I have some inspiration staring me in the face each time I launch my browser now, with verses and quotes changing frequently (Google is my home page, which defaults to my iGoogle page as long as I stay signed in).

So anyway, as we daily walk with the Lord and seek to fulfill the dreams He puts in our hearts, it doesn't hurt to have a little inspiration to lift us toward those dreams.

iGoogle... who knew?

Lawn Mower Worship

A full, satisfying Saturday is now in the books. Of course, Saturday wouldn't be complete without mowing the lawn. And mowing the lawn, means "lawn mower worship."

I can have some great moments with God just be-boppin' around on my mower.

So yea, I enjoy my Saturdays. And, I enjoy my chance to spend time in His presence, on my kingly mower ;)

Psalm 103

Psalm 103 is a rich Psalm, and is a great reminder of the Lord's grace, mercy, kindness and love towards those who fear Him. It's a great reminder for me today that I can trust in His character. I can trust in His Name and that He loves me, even when my own mind and heart condemn me.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:8-14 ESV

Today, I'm so thankful that He is abounding in love, that He is merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. I'm thankful that He doesn't deal with me according to my sins. And I'm thankful that He is well familiar with my frame - He knows I am but dust.

It's Scripture like this that reminds me that it's not what I can do, but all about Him and what He did through Jesus Christ. He was condemned, so I could go free. He took my shame, and lifted my head. He was rejected, so I could be accepted into God's family. He took my sin and God's wrath, that I might be forgiven.

This is my God.

Yea, thankful today.

The "Full Time" Mom

My Dad sent this picture of a bumper sticker a while back. He gets it. He, of course is married to my Mom, who raised me and my 5 brothers and sisters. I am so grateful that she was able to stay at home with us kids. My Mom knew what this bumper sticker meant.
So does my wife.

My wife works tirelessly in our home, raising 5 kids ages 8 and under, homeschooling the older ones while I am away at work, along with preparing meals, encouraging, listening, cleaning, disciplining... and all that goes into raising children and keeping a home. Yea, my wife knows what this bumper sticker means.

Unfortunately, being a wife and mother in the home isn't valued like it used to be. Women who choose to take care of their family and home "full-time" are looked down upon, as if somehow they're not as capable as the "working" or "career" moms out there. I also know there are those moms who would love to be home with their families and simply can't because of life circumstances. But for a woman who works from the home to be seen as somehow less valuable, less smart, less capable is a crime.

It couldn't be farther from the truth.

So for those wives and mothers who have the privilege to work in the home full-time, raising the next generation of leaders in the church, business, and the country, who understand what this bumper sticker means...

Thank You.

Your worth is far above gold or silver or rubies, and your investment is eternal. It was my Mom who made an immeasurable investment in my life, just as my wife, Elizabeth, is making the same investment in the lives of our children.

Elizabeth, your love, beauty, character, intelligence, conviction, passion, talent and hard work is noticed and so greatly appreciated. I can't tell you enough how much I love you. The kids and I are better, because of you.

A Deadly Disease

I have a disease - I put too much stock in my efforts and accomplishments before God.

That's right, it's a disease.

It's a disease that keeps me from experiencing the fullness of His love and grace. It's a disease that centers on what I have done (nothing) instead of what Christ did. It's a disease that leads me to try to earn my keep with God, instead of trusting that it's He who keeps me. It's a deadly disease that leads me to be short on mercy and grace with others, and abundant in judgement, because that's how I interpret God's dealings with me.

Call this disease what you want - self-righteousness, legalism, righteousness by works... Whatever you call it, it's a deadly disease.

And I got it.

It sucks the life from you and prevents you from living in a grace-empowered life. It's filled with condemnation and fear rather than peace and faith. It focuses righteousness before God on me rather than He.

I have been desiring lately to experience God's love for me in a greater way. I want to experience His love and grace in a way that brings freedom and peace, that I might share that same love and grace with others. Especially with my family - those who feel the brunt of my self-righteous and condemning gaze the most.

I wish I didn't have this disease. I want to offer others the same grace and mercy that God offers me. Problem is, if I myself don't walk in His grace and mercy, and instead try to earn my righteousness, I won't be able to offer that grace and mercy to others. In fact, I pass that same demand for "righteousness by works" on to others.

I can't give you my love and approval unless you tow the line just so.

It's not God's heart. It's wrong. It's sin.

But there is a cure to this disease - the cross. The cross of Christ turns my righteousness before God back on what Jesus did, and not what I can do. Because, you know, I never could do. And all my "do-ings" no matter how good I think they are, are nothing but filthy rags.

So I repent. Again. And chose to live a cross-centered life today. That I might not spread the disease of self-righteousness to others, but rather, spread the cure - God's grace, love and mercy found in Jesus Christ.

[Aside: The Lord has been dealing with me on this issue over the past few days, and reading this post this morning inspired me to return to the cross for the cure to my deadly disease... Read it here.]

Grab A Different Crayon

My kids are good at coloring "outside the box." They chose colors and techniques that a "knowledgeable adult" wouldn't use.

I have so much to learn from them.

I had this simple thought today: its not easy to stop doing what you've always done.

There is a reason why people generally stay the same. There is a reason why we love and good rags to riches story - someone defeats the odds and becomes something more than what anyone would have thought was possible. Because odds are, we generally stay the same... keep the same patterns of thinking as our parents, believing the same things we always have, doing the same things we always have done, staying the same person we have always been.

It's funny, change requires change. But that's easier said than done.

And it requires us to think outside the box we've always thought in, just like my kids wonderfully color outside the coloring box so to speak. A different picture requires different colors, just like a different life requires different thoughts, words, and actions.

So here's to change and thinking outside the box. Let's grab a different crayon to color with. Let's stop doing the same old thing and start doing something new. Let's do something different, think something different, something God-like, thereby coloring a heavenly picture with our lives.

Till

Yea, this picture says it all. These are great moments with my kids as we prepared the ground for this years garden tonight.

I just pray the Holy Spirit tills up the hard ground of my heart, that the seeds of His truth can go deep and bear much fruit for His kingdom.

Easter Sunset

As the sun sets on this beautiful Resurrection Sunday, I pray that we all may know him [Jesus] and the power of his resurrection in a greater way.

May the Lord bless you today! And may we bless and thank Him for the great gift of life, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins that he so lovingly has given us.

Refuse to Fear

I desire to live the fearless life that God has for us. It's easy for me to slip into old habits of control (illusion) and fear.

So today, I refuse to fear.

I refuse to allow the devil that kind of control in my life. I must take ground back from him and where I have allowed fear to reign and not faith. It is on that battleground I must lift of the banner of Jesus and raise the flag of faith.

Yes, I choose faith.

And so I lift you up, Jesus. The destroyer of fear and the Prince of Peace. I chose this day faith over fear. Especially tomorrow, this Resurrection Sunday, I have every reason to live the fearless life. You conquered death and fear. And I will walk in the victory you have won for me.

Bonding Hike

Just touch your ear to your shoulder and you'll get it (:

The boys (Carson and Josiah) and I hiked in Big South Fork today in southeastern KY. What a blast!

It was a great bonding time with my boys. I'm so thankful for times like that with them. They did great for probably 4.5 or more miles of hiking!

Side note: This pic is from the devils jump overlook, what a view... Blue Heron Loop is the hike we took, one of my personal favorites now...

Love

Yesterday morning the Holy Spirit began speaking to me about His love for me. I went first to the Song of Solomon. This book is a beautiful picture of the love shared between a man and woman, but I believe that it is a greater revelation of the love shared between Jesus and His bride, the Church.

I read how the husband adores and finds such pleasure in his bride, and I knew that is how God sees His Church. I have known these things of course - that God loves me - but as I wrote in an earlier post, I found myself not wanting to believe that God would truly love me to the point of finding pleasure in me. Even delighting in me!

Me? Me? I'm not worthy of His love...

No, I'm not worthy. I never was nor never will be. And that's the beauty.

I found myself thinking on Revelation where we as the bride are united with Christ at the end of the age. We are the Bride. He is the Bridegroom. And the love we have for Him is not one way. This is a two way love relationship - as we delight in Him, He too is delighting in us. As we long for and are passionate for Him, so He is, even more so, and perfectly, towards us.

In fact, it's because He was passionately in love with us first, that we can even love Him.

Romans 5:8 says, but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


While we were weak to save ourselves, while we spit on His face and crucified the Lover of our Souls, He showed how great His love is for us by displaying the greatest love - laying down His life for us. I only love because He loved me first.

So I am finding myself enjoying an old truth in a new way the last couple of days...

God loves me! He really does!

There is freedom and joy in embracing and receiving His love for us. And I want to know Him and His love for me all the more. I am more motivated to serve the Lord and enjoy Him when I am motivated by His love, rather than a false feeling of guilt or condemnation.

While I was pondering His love for me yesterday, a song by Brian and Jen Johnson came on as I listened to an album of theirs, We Believe. The song was "You Have Ravished My Heart" - a song about God's passionate love for us.

Check out the song below, and I pray God reveals to you and I once again, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:18-19

Pack

I received one of my birthday presents yesterday - my child carrying backpack.

I was so excited... and hopefully Caleb was too! Can't wait to hit the trails with my family!

Date Night!

Had a wonderful time with my beautiful, (not so) little girl tonight. Love date nights!

A Prayer

A brother in the Lord and friend of The Chapel where my family and I worship came and spoke yesterday morning at our service. He spoke of the Father's delight in us, His children, and how experiencing His love and delight provide the foundation and motivation for change in us. But we must experience His delight.

He talked about the church's lack of joy, and how it stems from not knowing the Father's heart for us. [You know, it's funny... I'm not sure if he, Tommy Green, explicitly spoke the specific things I have written here, but still, it's how the Holy Spirit spoke to me through the message.]

I found myself, as Tommy talked about God delighting in us, almost rejecting such a notion. It's a concept that I have heard and known for years in my Christian walk, but it's just that, a concept. I'm not sure if I have ever truly experienced, or ever truly believed that the Father, the Creator, could truly delight in me.

Me? How could He really enjoy me? How could He delight in me?

I'm OK with God delighting in others. But me?

I fall so short. I'm so inadequate. I'm not good enough. How could the Creator, the Holy One, in whom there is no sin or unrighteousness, truly delight in me?

It would seem I should be OK with this notion after years of walking with Him, but I'm not. Sure, I might be able to muster up some faith and believe this to be true, but it's only been head knowledge for me. I know in Christ I have peace with God and can enjoy His grace, but delight? That's like, actively rejoicing over me! Does God really do that?

If God truly delights in me, and truly finds joy in me, then I want to experience that delight. I want to experience the joy and peace that I believe, or have heard, comes from that experience.

And then I want to walk in it. Never to leave His delight.

I'm one who I feel lacks true joy. And from what I can understand and at least conceptualize, if I knew and experienced the Father's delight in me, it would produce that joy and freedom in my life.

Lord, please help me to experience and truly know how you really see me, and how you delight in me.

Family Discipleship

One of my favorite portions of Scripture, Deuteronomy 6:1-9.

Enjoy it and reflect on it tonight in the Amplified:

NOW THIS is the instruction, the laws, and the precepts which the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land to which you go to possess it, That you may [reverently] fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, and keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be watchful to do them, that it may be well with you and that you may increase exceedingly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord]. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might. And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then] You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
http://bible.us/Deut6.1.AMP