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Through It

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

We're Wired to Take the Path of Least Resistance | Psychology Today

You may have been ‘through it’ but you don’t have to smell like it, sound like it or look like it! Maybe you’ve been through: divorce, a bad home life, a difficult marriage, betrayal, a bad church history, or a difficult work setting, but you don’t have to smell like, sound like it or look like it. Now, let me explain through these biblical stories what I mean by ‘smelling like it’, ‘sounding like it’ or ‘looking like it.’

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went through the fire, the only thing that burnt up was what bound them. And, what bound them was put on by man! What you go through is not meant to destroy you, it’s meant to develop. What you go through doesn’t define you. What you learn from what you go through and how you respond to what you go through is what actually defines you. Don’t just go through it, grow through it!

Joseph who was thrown in a pit by his brothers, lied about at Potiphar’s house by Potiphar’s wife and forgotten about in prison after prophesying to Pharaoh’s butler and baker. Joseph experienced many setbacks and difficulties, but remarkably, after going through all of these scenarios, he didn’t smell like, sound like or look like: the pit, Potiphar’s house or the prison. Nevertheless, when he had finally obtained the position of the prime minister at the palace, his brothers came to him asking for help and fearing for their lives. His brothers in which had started the entire process, the process of the pit, Potiphar’s house and prison. But, all of these setbacks were really a setup that ultimately led Joseph to the palace and put him in a position over the stewardship over prosperity, which in turn was a confirmation of his promise. Anyway, Joseph was now promoted to a position that would allow him to bless those that had caused him these difficulties. Joseph is now in the palace facing his brothers who are asking for help and he looks at them and says, “Do not fear, I’m not God, and what you meant for harm against me today, God is going to turn it around and use it for your good. Remember, when you are going through a difficult situation, not everything that happens is good, but God will work all things for your good. Joseph had grown through, what he had gone through!

Paul and Silas had been preaching Christ and baptizing believers, going through town to a prayer meeting they encountered a woman who had a python spirit, she followed them and continually declared, “these are men of God who will tell you how to be saved.” Nevertheless, she annoyed Paul, so he cast the spirit of Python out of her, and when he did, her master turned them into the authorities because she was no longer of worth to them. Paul and Silas were then prosecuted, beaten publicly, and thrown in prison, after bound in stocks hand and foot. However, they decided to pray and praise, instead of pouting or complaining. What they chose to do, affected everyone. All of the prisoners chains were loosed and every prison door was opened because of the earthquake that was experienced, as Paul and Silas prayed and praised. They didn’t allow what had happened to them, dictate their response. They rose above what had happened and sang praises to God and prayed. As a result, the Philippian  jailer was saved, and his household. Maybe what you’re going through isn’t just about you. Anyway, here’s what I want you to see, Paul and Silas didn’t smell like, look like or sound like misfortune. He and Silas prayed and praised and when the prison doors opened and their chains fell off, they and all of the prisoners stayed in their cells and didn’t move. When the prison guard called for a light and was about to take his life because he presumed the prisoners had fled, Paul called with a loud voice and said, “Do yourself no harm!”  Paul and Silas didn’t just go through it – they grew through it! 

There will be times in life when you will experience misfortunate and less than desirable seasons of life. Nonetheless, you don’t have to smell like it, look like it or sound like it. And, you won’t, if you grow through, what you’re going through.

 

cOVERed

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

When you know you are cOVERed by God’s love, mercy and grace it will help you get over what you’re going through.

Being cOVERed is an Eternal promise that becomes an Internal reality that doesn’t change according to External  circumstances. 

All of Gods promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The word is eternal and establishes Gods promises – Jesus is the Word and He fulfilled and continues to establish God’s promises. He is the Word and He is eternal – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever more! Therefore, being covered by Gods FAITHFULNESS, FAVOR and FORGIVENESS are Eternal promises that are established by God and fulfilled through Jesus, these promises then become an Internal reality that doesn’t change according to External  circumstances. The Eternal promise of God cOVERing us in our mother’s womb is established in Psalm 139, and this promise doesn’t change, because God has not changed His mind! His promises are eternal and established in Christ!

So, when I know I’m covered it’s an Internal knowing of an Eternal promise that says Gods got this, therefore I can get over whatever it is that I’m going through! And, External circumstances don’t determine the outcome, because what I know Internally is established Eternally and is not dictated Externally. When you learn to walk in what you KNOW, you will get OVER what you can’t see. When you know you are covered it will help you get over what you’re going through.

The Bible is Full of Pictures of the Word cOVERed or Being cOVERed:

  • Jesus with Jerusalem (like a hen cOVERs her chickens with her feathers)
  • Adam and Eve cOVERed themselves with fig leaves
  • Noah sons cOVERed his nakedness
  • Elijah cOVERed Elisha with his mantle
  • Samuel cOVERed with his robe from Hannah to minister in the Temple
  • Children of Israel cOVERed the doorposts of their homes with the blood of the lamb
  • David cOVERed with Saul’s armor
  • Lazarus cOVERed in clothes strips of linen and cloth on his face
  • Jesus in (wrapped) cOVERed in swaddling clothes
  • Jesus cOVERed in grave clothes

I Want You to Know You Are cOVERed by:

    • God’s Faithfulness
    • God’s Favor
    • God’s Forgiveness
  • Being cOVERED by God’s FAITHFULNESS will remind you of what you already know.When I think about being cOVERed by faithfulness, I think about God Himself who is and was and is to come. He is faithful, righteous, Holy and just. The One Who created the heavens and earth. The One who stood out on nothing and created everything. The One who sits on His throne in Heaven. The One who is ever present and always concerned, but who is never taken by surprise or wondering what to do next. The One who was the fire by night and a pillar by day. The One who was the fourth man walking in the fire. The One who parted the Red Sea. The One who will make a way where there is no way. The One who makes the cooked places straight. The One who creates streams in the desert places. The Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning and the End. The One who was, and is and is to come.The One who is all powerful and all knowing, the One who is complete and lacking nothing! The One who saves, heals and delivers! The One who establishes our end from the beginning and our beginning from our end. The One who remains faithful, even when we are faithless! -II Timothy 2:13 | Lamentations 3:23
  • Being cOVERed by God’s FAVOR Will Enable You to See Your Setback As a Setup.When I think about being cOVERed by favor, I think of Joseph – because Joseph was able to get over what he was going through. He was able to get over being thrown in a pit, he was able to get over being lied about at Potiphar’s house, and he was able to get over being forgotten about in prison. And, he had favor in every situation! -Genesis 50:20 | Romans 8:28
  • Being cOVERed by God’s FORGIVENESS Will Get You Past Your PastWhen I think about being cOVERed by forgiveness, I think of the original sin in the beginning and what Adam and Eve did. They covered themselves. Genesis 3:7 tells us that Adam Eve were naked and afraid, so they sewed together fig leaves and covered themselves. They tried to do for themselves, what only God could do. However, Genesis 3:20 tells us that God made for them tunics of skin and clothed them. Thus, introducing His idea to make a way for us to be covered by Him, through Christ. Only God can do that, we can’t do it for ourselves. There are so many pictures and metaphors in regards to penitence and forgiveness and they all ultimately point to Christ being the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sin. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God id eternal life through Jesus Christ. With this in mind, think about the children of Israel covering their doorposts with the blood of the Lamb defeating the death angel, that had to passover. Also, think about the Father and the prodigal son. The Father ran to the son and covered him with a robe, placed a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, all before he was ever clean. God clothes us in righteous and cleans us as we continue to grow in Him. And finally, think about Jesus being clothed in grave clothes and coming forward victorious! Life defeated death and the victory over sin was ultimately and once and for all, defeated!

Now, we’ve talked about being cOVERed by: God’s faithfulness, God’s favor and God’s forgiveness. And, these are all good things to be cOVERed in and to be cOVERed by. They are also attributes in which we can find peace, hope and strength. But, I believe a person can also be cOVERed by the wrong things as well, things that you may have allowed others to put on you or maybe even things that you have believed for yourself and by default, you’ve chosen to wear.

Things Like:

  • Doubt
  • Fear
  • Unworthiness 
  • Guilt 
  • Shame
  • Peoples opinions
  • Perceptions 

They tried to put Saul’s armor on David. They put grave clothes on Jesus, who was life. And, they put cloth strips on Lazarus and cloth around his eyes. But, what they had put on him to prepare his body for death had to come off. When Jesus said, “Lazarus come forth!” He came forth bound hand and foot, with his eyes covered. What went on one way, had to come off the opposite way. Jesus said, “Loose him and let him go!” 

What is it that you have allowed yourself to be cOVEred with? What is it that you are bound by that you need to be set free from? Remember, what you conceal God can’t heal. Nonetheless, what you reveal, God can heal. The Lord wants to cOVER you in His mercy, grace and peace. What you uncOVER, God will cOVER with His peace, power and strength, and when you know you are cOVERed, it will help you get over what you are going through!

Weary?

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, blog, Messages

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Last night right before I fell to sleep I said to Kelly, “I’m tired.” To which she said, “That’s good, maybe you’ll sleep well tonight.” What she meant was, it’s a good thing to be tired, since you’re in bed and ready to go to sleep. But, what I meant was I was tired of the way things are. I am tired of not knowing. I’m tired of believing and not seeing results. I’m tired of not having money. I’m tired of not having our own house. I’m tired of the daily routines that life sometimes demands. I’m tired of not knowing who my true friends really are. I’m tired of trying and exploring everything I know to do and to no avail. I’m tired of COVID and masks. I’m tired of not knowing what all of this even means or where it will all end. I’m tired of political agendas and social injustice and societal unrest. I’m tired of issues and acts that are a defilement and gross perversion being ok. I’m tired! 

Now, as you can see, this may be the most vulnerable post I’ve ever written and posted and, in many ways it is somewhat therapeutic. However, I’m sure that there are people reading this that are tired too. When you’re tired it changes everything. It changes your mood and your perspective. It can even diminish your faith and make things appear bigger and worse than they truly are. I remember when the girls were little and they would get tired, nothing would satisfy them, until they found rest. They would become fussy and unsettled and someone would always say, “What’s wrong.” And Kelly and I would always answer, “They’re just tired.” Nonetheless, they always found comfort and rest on our lap or by laying on our shoulder. I wonder what would happen if we could find comfort and rest in coming to our Heavenly Father when we are tired, weary, or worn. What if we found rest in Him alone. Not in answered prayers, finances, homes, retirement, careers or secured futures, not in our agenda being fulfilled or not even knowing what the future holds, but in Him alone. As a side note, a meme I created a year ago came up in my Facebook memories today, thats right, the morning after I told Kelly last night, I’m tired. It was the scripture from Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I think it was a divine reminder that when I come to Him, I can find rest. And, I want to remind you, that when you come to Him, you can find rest also.

However, I’m also learning that true rest doesn’t usually come from more sleep. Actually, the weariness I’m referring to is more about fatigue that is caused from frustration, not from a lack of sleep. It’s being drained of energy and being worn down because of external circumstances or, from internal perceptions that have created disappointments. In other words, my being tired is derived form external scenarios and dilemmas. With that being said, there has to be a peace that’s internal that empowers us to not grow weary in well doing. This internal peace can only be anchored by the Word of God and given through the Holy Spirit. I’ve been so fatigued with frustration that I couldn’t sleep or find rest. I don’t believe that this is God’s plan or His best for us, His children. Psalm one hundred twenty seven verse two, tells us that we shouldn’t toil in vain and that He gives His beloved rest. And, in the New Testament it records Jesus in a boat during a storm that was so bad, the disciples, whom several of them were fisherman, fisherman that were used to boats, water and storms, thought they were going to die, while Jesus was asleep resting.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” This scripture is a scripture of promise, but the promise is contingent upon what I do. He will keep me in perfect peace if my mind is *stayed (*to lean or lay upon, to lean against, to rest upon) on Him, because I trust in Him. So, I will have peace when my mind is resting upon who He is, and I will have peace and rest upon who He is, because I trust in Him. We are to come to Him, find rest in Him, and trust Him. This is where true rest can be found for a tired, weary and worn soul.

In closing I want to leave you with this scripture:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

 

Fruitful

Posted on by Rob Collins in Messages

When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. – John 15:8

A seed contains within in it, the ability to reproduce itself through the law of reproduction and multiplication.

A seed has the ability to become more and produce life.

A seed is the beginning of all things, and the Word of God is a seed.

A seed has to break through the restrictive confines of the soil to produce life.

It’s time for you to break through the restrictions that confine you, so you can produce life and bear much fruit.

Pray this prayer:

“Lord help me to bear fruit in my life. May I stay connected to you in a way that sustains and nourishes me, so that I will become healthy and whole, that I may bear fruit that glorifies you and benefits others.” In Jesus name, Amen.

Look Again

Posted on by Rob Collins in Messages

“Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea *(Look again!).” So he went up and looked, and said, “ There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” I Kings‬ ‭18:41-43‬

This is a story that is well know and is really reassuring when it comes to God’s faithfulness. It’s proof of a promise being fulfilled. However, the part that amazes is the prophet telling his servant Ahab, to look again, not just once, but seven times. I mean come on! Once, maybe twice… maybe three times, but seven times. Of course we know that seven is the number of completion… but still, seven times, I don’t know if I would have done it.

Anyway, he did and the seventh time he didn’t see rain, he saw a cloud, I know, you know, the size of a mans hand. But, the cloud represented rain and since they were in a drought and they were believing God for rain, so at the sight of a cloud the size of a man’s hand, they prepare for the rain! God will position so that you will prosper and produce more and this cloud is proof of God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises.

Ahab went up to Mount Carmel which means: a fruitful and bountiful place. He looked over the sea, and saw the cloud. Now if the cloud was over the sea, that means it would have even more of an opportunity to obtain more moisture from the evaporation of the ocean waters. God has a way of positioning things in a place where it can become more and fulfill a promise.

I couldn’t post this scripture without talking a little bit about it, however I really wanted to talk to you about this one phrase in this passage: “Look again.” I want to look at this scripture, not just in the since of believing God for a promise, but, in the sense of looking again and for being grateful for what you already have. I know, I’m really shifting gears and the focus. Nevertheless, we get focused on the wrong things and therefore we miss what we already have. They were believing for rain, but saw nothing until the small cloud.

1. When you look again, you may see what you didn’t see the first time.

2. When you look again, you may see that what you have, is really all you need.

3. When you look again, you may see although it’s not what you desire, it is enough for where you are right now.

4. When you look again, it will cause you to see that it’s not as bad as it could be.

5. When you look again, it will produce a faith that will allow you to see that:

  • God is faithful.
  • God has been faithful.
  • And He always will be faithful.

A Future and a Hope

Posted on by Rob Collins in Messages

So many have forfeited the future of hope at the foot of fear. When faced with difficulties or uncertainties we tend to relent instead of pressing forward, while believing for better or more. It’s also amazing how beautiful the past can appear when the future seems unattainable. In this scripture in Exodus 14, the children of Israel were on the brink of the promised land. However, the only thing standing between them and that promise was the Red Sea. With Pharaoh and his army fast approaching they found themselves sandwiched between what had been, what was, and what could be. Instead of believing, trusting and looking to God with a heart of trust. They cried out to Lord and to Moses and declared, “we would have been better off to be slaves in Egypt!” Because they were facing a difficult uncertainty, they declared that their past bondage would have be better than this, although their promise lied on the other side of what they were facing. And, all they had to to do was stand still and watch the Lord move on their behalf. I don’t know what you may be facing today. But, I pray these thoughts, scriptures and prayer encourages you to keep believing and that they keep you from going back to what used to be. Believe that things can be better and different! When there’s no way around it, you have to go through it to get to it… Don’t give up! You’re promise could be on the other side of what you’re facing.

*Don’t allow the uncertainty of a promised future make you forfeit it to a familiar past.

*Don’t allow uncertainty, conflicts and difficulties make you think the past is better than the future, all because it’s familiar and comfortable.

*Don’t allow fear to cause you to choose a dreadful past over a hopeful future.

“And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Exodus 14:10-12

⁃ Trust God when you’re faced with an inconvenience.

⁃ Trust God when things don’t make sense.

⁃ Trust God when others don’t understand.

⁃ Trust God and He will show up unexpectedly and surprises you.

Psalm 103…

What do you need to trust God with today?

PRAYER:

Lord, give me the courage to step outside of what is safe and comfortable as I trust You to cover me with your all-sufficient grace. Holy Spirit teach me how to grow my capacity to handle life’s challenges from a posture of trust and expectation of good. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me, even when I don’t see it. You are my refuge and my strength and with You, all things are possible!

Inconvenienced

Posted on by Rob Collins in Messages

Inconvenience Will:

  1. Test Your Faith 
  2. Try Your Patience
  3. Take you deeper by giving you an opportunity to do things differently.

Maybe you are questioning? Let your doubts be dissolved by deepening your faith in what you already know to be true.

Maybe your patience is being tried by inconveniences or even being cooped up with no place to go? See it as a blessing, not a burden. 

Maybe you like the way things are, or the way things used to be? Ask God for the grace to go deeper and do something different. Something that you’ve never done, may produce something you never knew could be.

Lastly, remember- everything that happens is not God, and everything that happens is not good. But, God is good and He will work all things for your good! 

Fear verses Faith

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

Fear began in the garden and ended on the cross… Fear entered in by one man: Adam. Love was perfected and it cast out fear by one man: Jesus. Genesis tells us that Adam and Eve hid themselves in shame. It states that when God called for them in the garden of Eden, that they were, “naked and afraid.” Its the first time fear was mentioned in the Bible. However, 1 Corinthians shows us that was lost in creation, was restored through Jesus. Here’s what it says: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” In John 3:16-17 it tells us that God so loved us… and that He didn’t come to condemn us. I John 4:18 tells us that perfect love casts out all fear.

Fear is meant to keep you where you are. It’s designed to keep you from moving forward. Religion also uses fear to keep things the way they are. Religion deals in rules, fear and judgment. However, Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Fear will keep you from moving forward. It will keep you from seeing things change, that need to change. Jesus came to empower us, and the Bible tells us many times, in numerous passages: “do not be afraid.”

Its my desire to see people set free from fear and to be empowered to live a victorious, peaceful, joyous life. I don’t want to see people be so bound by fear that it keeps them from experiencing all that God has for them. I don’t want you to be so gripped by fear that you never know the joy of surrender or obedience. I don’t want you to live another day, with fear robbing you of joy, hope or peace.

Fear is an illusion that can distort reality and keep you from knowing, seeing, or experiencing what’s on the other side of what you fear most. Don’t allow what you fear the most; to keep you from what you desire the most.

  • Here’s how fear is defined in Webster’s: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger or uncertainty. |a state marked by this emotion. |an anxious concern caused by emotion. | profound reverence and awe toward God.
  • In the Bible, there are two words for “fear”: One is phobos, a fear that either keeps us bound up with terror or causes us to flee in face of the unknown. The Bible has hundreds of scriptures telling us not to have this kind of fear. The other word for fear is yirah, which is awe and respect. This type of fear keeps us safe from consequences. It’s a healthy fear.

*Genesis 3:9-13 – fear will cause you to doubt, hide, lie, and blame.

In the Bible the most general word in the New Testament for faith is ‘pistos’ which means: belief, confidence, or trust. Or, it could be said this way, “a trust that produces a confident belief.” Faith is trusting God even when it doesn’t make sense from our limited perspective.

*Hebrews 11 – faith will cause you to hope, believe, trust and have confidence.

 

“Without Faith it is impossible to please God.”

1. Faith is the beginning of all things.

2. Faith pleases God.

3. Faith allows us to receive salvation.

4. Faith gives us access to God.

5. Faith is required, to live the life God desires for you to live.

* We must have faith that God is who says He is!

* We must have faith that we are who God says we are!

* We must have faith that God will do what He said He will do!

You must remember: “Faith is not taking matters into your own hands; it’s putting ‘it’ in Gods hands and trusting Him for the outcome.” Someone said, “everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” Don’t let fear dictate your decisions. We all have fears, but pushing past your fears will determine your success and establish your peace. To counteract fear you will need the antidote of faith.

***An antidote is: a remedy to counteract the effects of something.

Another good antidote to fear is: “Fear the right thing!”

In other words: If you are going to be afraid, be afraid of never accomplishing your dream, be afraid of not walking in freedom, be afraid of not experiencing what you truly desire to experience. This fear of “the right thing”… should give you the courage and determination to do the right thing, that in turn, will grow your faith.

*When Fear Knocks; Answer With Faith.

> You can believe the lie or thought that will produce*(fear) or

> You can believe the fact or truth that will produce *(faith).

> Fear will create a stronghold that binds.

> Faith will create a strong-tower that liberates.

Common Fears That We All Face… the Stronghold That Fear Produces… and the Faith Answer for That Fear: Continue reading “Fear verses Faith” →