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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” →

God Will Provide for Himself a Lamb

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog

God Will Provide for Himself a Lamb…

Sacrifice and bloodshed have been woven throughout the Bible since the beginning. We see this in the creation account in the garden of Eden. It begins where God sacrificed the animals He created, the animals Adam had named. He did this to clothe Adam and Eve who had sinned. God’s creation from dust, who were ashamed, naked and afraid.

We get a Levitical account of this idea of bloodshed and sacrifice in the OT in regards to the children of Israel. Where the Passover the lamb had to be raised in their home and sacrificed on an altar, then the blood was applied to the door post of their homes, and when it was, the death Angel would Passover. 

The penalty of sin has always been death, and the gift of God has always been life. Sin has always been darkness and death, Salvation has always been light and life. That life is seen and given through and by God’s love. (Jn. 3:16)

However, Mankind continued throughout Biblical accounts to make penance with God. Nevertheless, God finally had to make the final sacrifice for all time, and He did so when He made an everlasting covenant, through Christ, for us! Paul tells us that the first Adam was made from dust, but the second Adam is the Lord from heaven. We now get a picture of what was to come in Genesis with Abraham and Isaac. When Abraham, through faith, offers his promised son as a sacrifice and tells Isaac, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the sacrifice.” 

“And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.” Genesis 22:8 NKJV

Ultimately, Jesus would be that sacrifice, the final sacrifice, the everlasting covenant for all mankind, mankind that was created from the dust, but yet, could now become heavenly beings by receiving eternal life through Jesus!

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8 NKJV

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NKJV

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had “passed over” the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:23-26 NKJV

Nonetheless, there is something that I noticed when I was reading Genesis 22, the account of Abraham offering Issac on the altar by faith. What I noticed was the word Moriah. The passage says, “take your son to the land, or to the hills of Moriah.” So, I looked up the word and found out that, Moriah means, “seen by Yahweh” and “chosen by Jehovah.” I knew Moriah is where Isaac was offered by Abraham, but, I found out it was also where Solomon built the temple of the Lord, and, it was also where Golgotha was. That’s right, the place of the skull, the place of the crucifixion of Christ, the place where Christ made an everlasting covenant, so we could have eternal life, peace, strength, joy, and healing. It was “a place chosen by Jehovah!”

It was the place of atonement! Abraham had offered Isaac there, but God provided Himself a lamb. Solomon built the temple there. The temple was a prototype of a place to get to God, it’s where the ark of the covenant was. It was a place of worship, incense, and sacrifice. A place where the glory of God could be experienced, but there was a veil, but God would provide a sacrifice through Christ that would tear the veil. A way for mankind to go behind the veil and experience God personally!

Moriah was a place that was, “seen by Yahweh”, that means God saw Abraham Offering Up Isaac, that means God saw Solomon building the temple where his father David has encountered God, a place to worship and encounter the glory of God. But, it also meant that God saw that His only begotten Son would hang on a cross and die for all mankind. 

Jesus died on a cross on a hill in Moriah. He did what Abraham and Solomon couldn’t do. He brought us into the Holy of Holies and created an everlasting covenant. He shed His precious blood so that we might have life! God turned His back on Him so He would never turn His back on us! We are the righteousness of God in Christ. The blood is everlasting and all powerful! The blood will never lose its power, and it has the power of life, and of healing and of peace! 

Christ is our hope and through His blood we have propitiation, peace and power! We have salvation, healing and life! Abundant Life, and Eternal Life that is by Gods Grace, and through His love. The shed blood of Christ is eternally enough for everyone and everything! It is everlasting and eternal and it will never lose its power! From the cross Jesus declared, “it is finished!” And it was.

Communion:

Jesus institutes the bread and wine as His blood and body. He reveals it is an everlasting covenant. He also reminds us that when we take the bread and drink the cup, we are to remember Him. The Passover meal had different elements, but there was always the bread, the wine, and the lamb. Jesus become that spotless lamb, that eternal sacrifice, and that eternal and final sacrifice is His shed blood and crucified body. The bread is His body and the cup is His blood. When we receive it, we receive Him. We receive hope, healing, provision and peace. Let’s remember, and let’s receive with grateful hearts and surrender souls. 

A Forgetful Reach

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

A Forgetful Reach

Brothers and sisters, 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. –Phil 3:13-14

Paul says, he forgets what’s behind and reaches for what’s ahead. He is saying he has not yet arrived or attained, but he is reaching upward toward the heavenly call in Christ Jesus. I call this a forgetful reach! A forgetful reach helps us forget about what we can’t change and reach for what we can do something about. The only thing we should truly remember is God’s faithfulness and grace over our lives.

A Forgetful Reach…

1. Reaches for what matters and forgets about what doesn’t matter.

2. Remembers what needs to be remembered and forgets what needs to be forgotten.

3. Let’s go of what’s behind and reaches for what’s ahead.

4. Focuses on things that will lift you up, not on things that will drag you down.

5. Doesn’t rehearse; what it’s trying to forget.

6. Releases what needs to be released, so it can receive what needs to be received.

7. Doesn’t just see things the way they are; it sees things they way they can be, different!

Covered

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

Joseph, the one who famous for his robe of many colors was his father’s favorite son. I believe there were two reasons for this. First, he was the firstborn of his daddy’s heartthrob Rachel, and secondly, Joseph had a heart for God and heard from Him in a uniquely special way. You remember the story don’t you? Joseph’s father Israel, aka Jacob, had a brother named Esau. There was some deception, some stew, and the great exchange. The birthright was surrendered and the plot continued to unfold. There was also a wrestling match won by God and Jacob became Israel. Now Jacob had a “thing” for Rachel. But there were two sisters Rachel and Leah. Their father, Laban, who would later become Jacob’s father in law… twice, had some mischievous deception of his own… he tricked Jacob into marrying the wrong sister, Leah. Anyway, Joseph’s working for his father in law finally paid off. He married Rachel (his dream girl) and their first child was Joseph. That’s right, his daddy’s favorite, and the coat he wore that was made by his father, represented what everyone already knew. The coat, however, seemed to be a bigger deal to his brothers and everyone else then it did to Joseph.

Joseph was a dreamer. But, when he told his dream to his brothers, they didn’t like it. As a matter a fact, they got so mad they stripped him of the coat of many colors and through him in a pit. While they were having some lunch, they began to feel bad for what they had done. So, they drug him out of the pit and sold him to some slave traitors that just happened to be passing by. They then took the coat they stripped him of and dipped in blood, took it to their father, and told him that Joseph their brother, his son, had been killed by wild animals. Their father wept bitterly. However, it was all a lie. Joseph was alive. The coat nonetheless, was never mentioned in the story again. All the while, Joseph never stopped dreaming, and he continued to walk in the favor of his God. Although the coat was history, what it represented lived on in Joseph long after the coat was forgotten about.

He didn’t waiver when he stripped of his coat. That’s because he still possessed what it represented. What he had was based on an internal “knowing”, not an external “seeing”. His earthly father gave him the coat. But, his Heavenly Father gave him the promise. The promise was eternal and internal, not external or maternal. Joseph knew that what he was wearing wasn’t who he was. In other words it wasn’t his identity, it was just a reminder of what he already knew. He was cOVERed! He was a dreamer favored by both his earthly, and his Heavenly Father. He knew that what was happening at the moment in his present situation wouldn’t deter what was going to happen in his promised future. He was a dreamer with a promise; even in the midst of problems. When Joseph was sold to the slave traders that were passing by he was probably given a slave’s robe. But, he didn’t allow that define him because it wasn’t who he was. He was a son with a promise, not a slave! When he was purchased to serve at Potiphar’s house he was probably given a servant’s robe. But, he didn’t allow it to affect him because that wasn’t who he was. He was a son with a promise, not Potiphar’s servant. When he was thrown into prison on false accusations he was probably given a prisoner’s robe. But, he didn’t let that affect him because that wasn’t who he was. He was a son with a promise, not a prisoner. Joseph was covered! He didn’t ask for it, he just received and walked in it. His earthly father gave him the coat of many colors and no one could take what it represented. It represented an earthly blessing and heavenly favor.

Joseph was thrown in a pit, sold to slave traders, purchased by Potiphar, betrayed by Potiphar’s wife, forgotten about in prison but, he never lost sight of his promise. Everything that was put on Joseph was given by someone else. His daddy put the robe of many colors on him. The slave traders put the robe of slavery on him. Potiphar put the robe of a servant on him. The jailer put the robe of a jailer on him. Remembered this: what others put on you doesn’t have to define you! People will put labels, opinions, and expectations on you, but don’t let it define you. When they took Joseph’s robe they didn’t take what it represented. In other words, when Joseph was stripped of his robe of many colors he didn’t stop dreaming or believing and the favor and blessings didn’t stop either! The coat represented his dream, and his promise. But, it wasn’t his dream or promise, it was a robe. Joseph was cOVERed with a colorful coat made by his father. It represented favor, but, it wasn’t his favor. His favor was his favor. Even in the midst of problems Joseph had a promise. Even in the midst of frustration he had favor. That’s why Joseph didn’t pout in the pit, plead at Potiphar’s House, or protest in prison. Instead, he allowed God to elevate him to a position of power so that he could provide prosperity and provision for those that had caused him problems. You see when you know your cOVERed it doesn’t matter where you are, or what you have, or what someone is trying to put on you. What matters is that you know who you are, and most of all, whose you are. When you know your cOVERed you can get OVER whatever is your going through, so you can get to where it is your meant to be! No matter what you’re going through… God’s got you cOVERed!!!

PeaceKeeper PeaceMaker

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Messages

“Face It!” (James 3:13-18)

Jesus said, “I’ve come that you might have peace; not as the world gives but that only I can give.” Jn. 14:27

“I will give peace to the one who’s mind is fixed on me.” Is. 26:3

“The peace of God will transcend all understanding and guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7

“Blessed are the PeaceMakers for they will be called the children of God.” Matt. 5:9

*A PeaceKeeper will avoid conflict by treading lightly around the real issue or by acting like a real issue doesn’t even exist.

*A PeaceMaker will strive to resolve conflicts and seek to reconcile conflicted relationships.

*A PeaceKeeper is a mediator (takes middle ground acting between two parties in a disagreement).

*A PeaceMaker is a reconciler (One who settles or resolves differences in a conflict).

> It’s my desirethat youhave peacein your heart, in your mind and in relationships with others.

You will be miserable if you don’t have peace.

***It takes wisdom to discern when to make peace and when to keep peace.

⁃ You can only make peace when you first have peace yourself.

⁃ You can only make peace when those in conflict desire peace.

⁃ You can only make peace when you begin to sow peace.

 

How Do You Strive to Make Peace? *(You can’t fix what you won’t face).

1.Ask God for wisdom and a way.

2.Make the first move if no one is else is moving and you feel led.

3.Don’t wait on someone else to make the first move; especially if you are the one in the wrong.

4.Don’t accuse or excuse.

5.Don’t build hateful or hurtful opinions when you don’t know all the facts.

6.Don’t wait until it’s too late.

7.Know that sometimes the only thing you can do is keep the peace; but don’t let it steal your peace.

8.Realize making peace is not contingent upon you alone.

9.Focus on the person more than the problem.

10.Focus on reconciliation more than being right.

11.Stop talking and start listening.

12.Quit confessing what needs to be forgotten.

Peace is an atmosphere that is produced by proper patterns that embodies a Spirit-Led Christ centered life.

To be a PeaceMaker means you produce peace in situations, circumstances and, in the lives of others by giving what you have received from God first. His peace!

As much as it depends on you, leave at peace with everyone.

Sometimes you have to face it to fix it! But, sometimes you have to release it to receive true peace.

All You have is All God Needs

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog

In II Kings Chapter 4 a widow of a prophet approaches the prophet Elisha with a request for help. Elisha responds with a question, “What do you have in your house?” The widow replies, “Absolutely nothing! Expect, for a little flask of oil.” Elijah tells her to go to her neighbors and borrow as many empty jars as you can find. He instructs her to take the oil she has and start pouring it into these empty jars until they are all filled. She filled enough jars of oil to incur enough money to pay off all her debt. And, she still had enough left over for her and her sons to live off of.

Now let me ask you a question: “Who had the oil?” The widow did, right? Let me ask you another question: “Who made the oil pour in abundance?” “That’s right, God did!”

There was another widow in the book of I Kings Chapter 17 that had a little flour and a small amount of oil. There was a drought that came on the land that Elijah had declared. Nevertheless, he ask her for some water to drink and for a small morsel of bread to eat. She swore by the Lord that she only had enough flour and oil to bake a small cake for her and her son. She was going to gather some sticks for a fire to bake the cake. She told Elijah that her and her son would eat the cake and die. She thought this would be her last meal because it was all she had.  Elijah said, “Do as you said, but make me a cake first. Afterwards, make you and your son a cake. If you do this, as sure as the Lord God lives, your flour and oil will not run out.”

Let me ask you a question: “Who had the flour and oil?” That’s right, the widow of Zarephath did. Let me ask you another question: “Who made the flour and oil not run out?” “That’s right, God did!”

There is another story of a little lad who had some bread and fish packed for his lunch. He just happened to be among thousands of people who were hungry and didn’t have anything to eat. Jesus had instructed, helped, and healed the people in the crowd that day. But, the hour was getting late and the people were hungry. So Jesus asked His disciples what there was for the people to eat. His disciples reported: “Nothing! Except, for a couple pieces of bread and a few small fish.” There was no food in sight, except for the little lad’s lunch. Jesus said, “Bring it to me.” He took the loaves and fish and gave thanks and blessed it. This meant He was thankful for what He had, even though it wasn’t enough. The words “blessed it” means that He spoke well of it, even though it was not enough to feed the crowd gathered. The story tells us that Jesus had compassion on the crowd. This word compassion is used five times in the Bible where Jesus performed other miracles. It is the same word that is used in the story of the Good Samaritan. Compassion is when your passion compels you to do what you normally wouldn’t do. When you don’t have enough, begin to be thankful and bless what you do have. Then stand back and watch God begin to multiply it. As a side note the little lad didn’t eat his lunch until he gave it away. God is a God of more than enough! And all you have is all He needs!

Now let me ask you a question: “Who had the fish and bread?” The little lad did, right? Let me ask you another question: “Who blessed the fish and bread?” “That’s right, Jesus did!” And one more question: “Who multiplied the fish and bread?” “That’s right, God did! 

ALL YOU HAVE IS ALL GOD NEEDS!!! Nothing less and nothing more. In all of these stories what the people had, appeared  to them as “not enough.” As a matter of fact when they were asked what was available or what they had, they all said, NOTHING!Except  for a little __________. The problem is you look at what you have as insignificant; because it’s not all you need or desire. But I want to remind you today, that all you have is all you need, because you serve a God of more than enough!

  1. Your access to more is only limited by your capacity to receive. *(note the widow with the empty jars). When she ran out of empty jars, the oil stopped.
  2. What you have the faith to give away will become what someone else has the opportunity to receive. *(note the little lad with the lunch). The little lad blessed everyone with their own lunch that day. *(plus twelve baskets full left over)
  3. You only access more and give away what you have in a act of faith, not in a moment of fear. *(note the widow of Zarephath). She was afraid that her and her son would just eat and die. But, when she fed the prophet first, her obedience paid off for her and her son later. When you feel like what you have is not enough, it will usually produce fear.

Here’s what fear will do:

  • Fear will keep from doing anything about the problem.
  • Fear will keep you from finding a way to change your situation.
  • Fear will make you believe there’s not an alternative to access more.
  • Fear will cause you to hold on to what you have; ultimately keeping you from more.

I want you to know today: “ALL YOU HAVE IS ALL GOD NEEDS!!!”

Potential

Posted on by Rob Collins in Blog, Videos

Everyone one has potential, you included. You were created in the image of God. When you were born God didn’t scratch His head and say, “now what am I going to do with this one?” He had a plan in mind before you were born. Listen to what the Lord told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” This means before the bubble gum cigars were passed out and Jeremiah cried his first cry the Lord knew him, set him apart, and had plans for him. Just like Jeremiah you were created with a purpose in mind; but your potential has to be developed in the process of discovering your purpose. The Bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. It goes on to say that we were known by God before we were born and that He knit us together while we were in our mother’s womb. Therefore, you came from the seed of a man, through the womb of a woman, but, you came from the heart of God. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you and that alone has enough potential to change your life, and the lives of everyone else you come in contact with!

Your purpose is unique and your potential is powerful. Your potential is the existing ability you have to develop the future you desire. Your potential already exists, it just has to be realized, released, and refined before it is ever expressed by you, or experienced by others. #believeit

I want use these 3 words and 3 familiar Bible stories to prove the power of potential:

  • Gideon had to realize his potential before it was ever exhibited. The Lord sent an Angel to tell Gideon he was a mighty man of valor and was going to be used by God to lead a mighty army that would win the victory over their enemies. When the angel called Gideon a “mighty man of valor” Gideon looked around to see who the angel was talking to. You see many times your potential is seen by others before it is ever realized by you. Your potential may be recognized on the outside by others before it is ever realized on the inside by you. However, you have to believe it before it will expressed by you or experienced by others. I can tell you all day, everyday that you can do it, but if you don’t believe you can, chances are you won’t. Your limitations; don’t limit God. The only thing that limits God is your doubt and most of the time you probably don’t doubt God, you doubt yourself! You don’t have to be the greatest, you just have to be willing. You do your part and God will do His part. Like Gideon, not everyone will go with you into battle. God knows who needs to “walk it out” with you. Surround yourself with people who will speak to your potential. God believed in Gideon way before Gideon believed in himself. When you realize God lives in you and He believes you can do it, you will discover, develop, and do what God is asking you to do. You have the potential, it just has to be realized so it can be expressed by you, and experienced by others. #believeit

 

  • David had to release his faith by slinging the stone or the giant coming down would have never came to fruition. David could have had all of the ability in the natural realm to use a slingshot. He could have had all the faith it took to release the stone in the spiritual realm. However, he had to release the stone before it could ever kill the giant. I believe David had faith. He had seen God deliver the lion and bear into his hands. David had been faithful in the small areas of life. Areas like tending to his father’s sheep on the backside of a mountain in obscurity, while Saul and his brothers were on the front lines of the biggest battle in the region. David practiced in private what gave him skills in public. Don’t waste those times of obscurity when no one is watching; instead use it to develop your potential. Don’t value peoples opinions over God’s promises or you will never see your full potential manifest. Saul, and David’s brothers had their opinions about David, but remember this: What people say; doesn’t trump what God can do. What other people say about you can’t override or overrule what God can do through you! You have the potential to see giants fall. Just like David, you have the potential to release your faith; you just have to believe you belong! #believeit

 

  • Daniel, Shadrach, Mischach, and Abednego had  great potential but that potential became even greater when it was refined. Sometimes your potential grows when you are pressed, tried, or tested. Daniel, Shadrach, Mischach, and Abednego determined to do the right thing and that determination became their distinguishing difference. Your potential will be accentuated as you discipline yourself to what’s right and focus on what matters. The book of Daniel chapter 1 tells us that Daniel, Shadrach, Mischach, and Abednego were skilled, good looking, smart, capable of learning and able to be taught. The king understood that these men had potential. The potential to become leaders and teachers in his kingdom. However, the king didn’t say, “we will now serve the God of Daniel” because Daniel was smart and good looking. The king made this statement because Daniel put his faith in God and God was faithful towards Daniel. The 3 Hebrew children (Shadrach, Mishach, and Abednego) were walking in the fire when the king said, “didn’t we throw 3 men into the fire?” And the man said, “as matter a fact we did.” Then the kings said, “there is a fourth man in the fire and it appears to be the Son of God!” God didn’t walk through the fire with the 3 Hebrew children because they were smart and good looking. He walked through the fire with them because He is faithful. God sees the potential for all of us to become more and be better. But sometimes he uses trials of fire to burn up what binds us and to do away with those things that hinder our potential. The 3 Hebrew children came out of the fire and the only thing that had burned up is that which they had been bound by. Sometimes the refining of your potential is brought about by being loosed from those things which bind you. Daniel, was thrown into the lion’s den and Shadrach, Mishach, and Abednego were thrown into the fire by the hands of men. But they were delivered out by the hand of God. Just like Daniel and the 3 Hebrew children people will use your potential to resolve their problems; but God will use your problems to refine your potential. You have potential, but you haven’t seen anything until it has been refined! #believeit