Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy

I approach this weekend with bitter sweet emotions as I sit on my living room floor amongst the packed moving boxes and sixteen years of wonderful memories. Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday my husband and I rented a large uhaul truck loaded it with our simple but treasured items and made the 20+ hour drive from Salisbury, Maryland to Plant City, Florida with our 18 month old baby boy. We didn't know a soul here, well except Pastor Mitch Corder, who hired us and even then we had only known him for a few short weeks.

We would soon find out that Plant City was a small agricultural community that hosted the best strawberries in the nation, and the most caring group of people in the South East. It didn't take us long to make new friends on the soccer fields, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, school or community events. We were welcomed with open arms into our church family as Youth Pastors, serving several years in that position and then onto serve other positions in the church like Worship Arts Pastors and now Executive Pastors, as it grew and the need arose. Looking back through old picture albums we are both proud and honored to have led the most AMAZING youth in all of Florida because they were Soul'd Out to Christ. (Hence the name we chose for the group.) Today they aren't so young, toting toddlers and preschoolers of their own and some even moving to other states, yet they still make us proud when we see and hear of their dedication and commitment to serving Jesus Christ.

The next few years we were privileged to help hire some new staff some of whom went on to serve in other ministry opportunities through the US, we helped to implement our church daycare, our School of Music and Family Care programs, build a new sanctuary (currently the PCCOG) that we reside in now. Fast forward almost two decades later and my heart is heavy knowing we will leave behind many wonderful friends and friends who have become family, whom we love so dearly! Yet we know without a doubt, this is the will of the Father.

David said in the book of Psalms, "The steps of a righteous man (woman) are ordered by God!" I have to believe that every detail of a believer's life is strategically and intricately ordered by the Sovereign hand of God and He doesn't make mistakes. It's safe to say, in our lives and I'm sure many of your lives, there may have been times you and I have questioned His will, and we've wondered if maybe somewhere along the way He had closed His eyes, taken a nap, or completely forgotten about us. But the older I get and the more I spend in His presence reading His word, I find just the opposite is true. When doing great things for the Lord, we will often times travel down paths we may not have selected for ourselves, but God knew we needed to travel them, to refine us, purify us, strengthen us and build our faith in Him!

Like Job, some of you have suffered seasons of disease and sickness, loosing houses and lands, often you've questioned where God is and how could He be directing your life. Others are like Joseph, who was pursued by the hands of his jealous family members because of the evidence of a favored life. He was intentionally rejected, thrown into a pit and left to die by those who he loved deeply. Joseph had to wonder if this was part of God's will and I'm certain He questioned where God was those thirteen years of hell!

What about Esther, born in unfavorable circumstances with life's odds against her, she was destined for greatness but had a rough beginning. Who would have ever imagined a jewish orphaned girl would endure such tragedy yet still be in the perfect will of God! And David, the one whom God called, "A man after my own heart" was allowed to suffer persecution from a tyrant jealous King who hated him because he was favored by the Lord and positioned for the throne. Saul drove him to the caves, running for his life, tired, abandoned, weak in spirit and mind, yet He was still in the very center of God's will!

Today the world has painted a different picture and yes sad to say even in the church we sometimes have suggested a life with hardship, sickness, abandonment, strife and warfare is not God's will, but that my friend couldn't be farther from the truth! God uses all of these circumstances for and to His glory. The real truth is, if you didn't need a miracle, you would never need God.

Job, Joseph, David and Esther each needed God to show up miraculously on their behalf in order to accomplish something they couldn't do within themselves. We must recognize that God delights in making you triumph! He delights in positioning you in places and situations where you can't make it on your own, and yes He even allows the enemy to harass, taunt and threaten you for a season, just as He did in Job's life.

The good news is, God planned your victory before He allowed your struggle. He has positioned you in the midst of the season of difficulty and He has made a way of deliverance for you. You may not see it in the natural realm right now, but you don't have to see it, God has already planned it! David reminds us that "God works all things for our good" and if He has allowed this difficult season in your life, it's for a reason------that He may be glorified. All you need to do friend is trust Him completely and I promise you won't be disappointed. He has the master plan and He knows the beginning and the end of your story, therefore you can be confident in Him. It's History....(HIS - STORY), He is the author and no matter what direction your story may take, you can be confident He is working it all for your good. When we come to the place where we know it's all about Him and has nothing to do with us, we can make those detours alot easier.

So today although we say goodbye to sixteen years of wonderful experiences, great people, and treasured memories, we know that we know that we know, He is in control and we are confident in the decision we have made. It is with great anticipation we press on toward the prize, that Christ has set before us, finishing the race knowing He has ordered our every step. Until we meet again whether here on earth or when we are called away to our eternal home, please never forget, to keep it ALL ABOUT JESUS!

Blessings, Polly

Strive For Excellence

Someone once said, "Excellence is doing ordinary things, extra ordinarily well."

To achieve excellence we must go the extra mile; do more than what is asked. Yet often I think satan uses our known inadequacies to keep us from making the effort to give our best effort.

In contrary to what many may believe, excellence does not necessarily mean the absence of mistakes, but it does mean the presence of determination. A person who strives for excellence doesn't give up when faced with criticism, nor does he avoid the task for fear of failure. To be excellent, one must first determine to accomplish the task with the best effort he can give and then make it his goal to endure to the end.

In my opinion, a great modern day example of excellence can be found in a young man by the name of Tim Tebow. If you haven't heard of him by now, check your pulse it's possible you may be dead. (Just kidding!) Tebow is the handsome, devoted, outspoken Christian quarter back who played for the Denver Broncos, currently plays for the New Your Jets and formally a Florida gator. He isn't perfect; his critics would say he didn't deserve to be drafted into the NFL. They would argue his techniques are flawed and they projected he would crumble under pressure. Yet, I think that's exactly why the world is so attracted to Tim Tebow, because he is real. Yes he has made a few bad plays in his profession, he has often been publicly scrutinized by his haters, but he continues to get back up determined to become even a better player than the season before. His drive to give his best and his determination to stay focused through adversity, is motivating. Through it all, he still acknowledges Jesus Christ as his first priority.

I'm very thankful for Tim Tebow and the life example he is to so many. When we strive for excellence, keep our focus and align our priorities in the right order we will eventually make the ordinary seem extra ordinary and hopefully encourage others to follow on the same path.

Colossians 3:23-24 encourages us in whatever we do to  "work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward."

Blessings, Polly

I received this devotional from a dear friend in Georgia today and I wanted to share with my blog family:


...And the violent take it by force (Written by Jeff Anderson)
Jesus said, "The kingdom suffers violence and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12) I often despise victim mentality so I try to posture myself to not be a victim, and to recognize that pain is a standard occupational hazard for human beings, and particularly those who pose as a threat to our enemy. And so today dawns and through the people I know who were hurting continue to struggle, I personally am not back on my heels reacting like a punching bag for the enemy of my soul. In fact upon reflection, I like the ebb and flow of this life. I won't be surprised or sideline by pain, and I'm going to make the enemy pay for coming after me. It's not braggadocio: it's just a fact in the spiritual sense, I'm a violent man determined to war on behalf of those I love, the kingdom He has established, the widow and the orphan. We Jesus-followers, if our eyes are fixed on his kingdom and his righteousness are forever encroaching our enemy's territory. We're at least a nuisance to him and for some, we are a spiritual force to be reckoned with. I love meeting people like that and aspire to be one myself.  Our enemy's general strategy is to keep humans hopeless and isolated but in the power of the Holy Spirit, we bring them hope and connection. The enemy despises that! This looks like force to the enemy the kind of force that comes when you're gritting your teeth and have filled the cup of your soul to the brim with determination. My prayer is that many of you who have been wounded, sidelined, benumbed and restrained, would regain the gleam in your eye. Be a man or woman of violence. Seek the kingdom as the focus of your life, don't be deterred or distracted! Let's do it.....Jeff


Wow, what an inspiring and motivating blog by Jeff Anderson. Why sit back and watch the enemy hold captive the land and it's inhabitants that God said was yours? Proceed forward, with confidence, determination and a violent strength to have all He has promised. He can't give it to you if you won't get up and take it! I'm walking by faith but acting on what I already know....
Be Blessed,
Polly 

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Mom & Dad with their grandchildren (2010)

I received this poem from a friend and wanted to share it with my blogger community but first I want to wish my mother a Happy Mother's Day!

My mother is the most incredible mother in the world. Her giving heart has touched so many far beyond the scope of her reasoning. Her constant but quiet strength and faith in her God has has been an unshakable and firm foundation. Words can not express how grateful I am to have been given such a mother. I know this Mother's Day she will spend it like she has the last several years taking care of my father who is beaten down with the deadly disease "Dementia". Most likely she will be unable to take a much needed trip to the spa because time won't allow, nor will she willingly slip away to the mall to shop as we woman so often like to do. Her commitment to my father's care keeps her right by his side, caring for him, loving him when he can not reciprocate that love. Yet you will never hear her complain, no not once.

While other mothers have been in search of higher paying jobs, accomplished titles and degrees, catering to themselves, my mother has been the steady current of unselfish, unconditional love to her family.  My mother is amazing!

Note to Mom:
Mom, the years of sacrifice will never go un-noticed or unrewarded. You have taught me so much with your quiet strength, your committed faith and your unconditional love. If I can give my children half of what you have imparted into my life, they are far beyond blessed. You deserve to be honored today and everyday mom. I want the world to know the woman I am lucky to call, "Mom".  While many will receive their reward on this side of eternity your rewards will far exceed them all. Only eternity will accurately give an account of the many deeds of love you have sown, not just for your own family but also to so many others.


Happy Mother's Day ~~ I love you Mom!

Somebody Said

~Author Unknown~

Somebody said being a mother is boring. That somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a good mother your child will turn out good. That somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said good mother's never raise their voices. That somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother. That somebody never helped their fifth grader with her math homework.

Somebody said you can't love the fourth child as much as you love the first child. That somebody doesn't have four children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery. That somebody never watch her baby get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten. Or on the interstate headed to college, or on a plane headed for military boot camp.

Somebody said the most difficult days have been when they were sick. That somebody never attended to a child with a 103 fever in the wee hours of the morning.

Somebody said a mother could do her job with her eyes closed and her hands tied behind her back. That somebody has never organized a 16th birthday party, or planned a family vacation.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married. That somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings and prayers.

Somebody said a mother's job is finished when her last child leaves home. That somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her so you don't need to tell her. That somebody isn't a mother.

Where Are You?

I loved playing hide and seek with my children when they were young. Who am I fooling? We still play the game and they are teenagers. Now that they are older it takes me a lot longer to locate them. They get impatient and tired of waiting on me and start yelling, "Mom you coming? Mom where are you?" It would seem that I should be yelling that to them since they are the ones hiding.

In life we can experience seasons when we just don't know where we are! I don't necessarily mean in a physical sense, although I'm sure that's possible. I'm referring to seasons of life when we don't know how we ended up in our current condition.

You didn't mean to get over your head in debt, but it happened. The frivolous spending and mis-managed budget resulted in consequences of lack. Or maybe it was your selfish need to win every argument with your spouse and now a few years into the marriage and the damage is done, communication is little to none and intimacy has disappeared altogether. Or perhaps you have drifted so far from your original goals of raising your children to love, respect, honor and worship God and instead you overbooked your weekends and substituted family devotions for ball games and ballet lessons. Now years later you don't understand why your teenagers want nothing to do with church.

How did we get here?

You may not know where you are, but God does! He has followed your every step watching as you continued to do it on your own. So many times He longed for you to recognize His prompting. With His still small voice He was urging you back. He's been waiting on you to get tired of hiding and for feeling ashamed because of the decisions you made.

He longs to be with you...

He loves you, unconditionally. He never walked away, you did.

Now matter how far gone you feel you have traveled away from Him, or how lost you think you may be, He would do anything to hear you say, "Father where are you? Please come find me!"

Matthew 18:12-14 "If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

Vain Imaginations

The older woman and her electronic shopping cart quickly annoyed me. She seemed to purposefully drive it in the middle of the aisle so I couldn't pass her with my overloaded cart of groceries. Usually it wouldn't bother me, but today I was in a hurry. I had ten minutes before the first pitch of my son's baseball game and I still had to get home and unpack the groceries. I politely said, "Excuse me". Hoping she would move over to one side of the aisle so I could pass by her. She didn't respond, she didn't even acknowledge me.

Maybe she didn't hear me, I thought, so I said it again, this time a little louder, "Excuse me, could I move my cart past you please?" With that she jolted the brakes and quickly turned around to get a glimpse of me. I was a little taken off guard by the look on her face; it was a surprised look as if she didn't see me. I thought she was going to respond, but she didn't say a word. She just sat there, staring at me. I was still constricted behind her because the cart was directly centered in the middle of the aisle, I wondered what she was doing and the point she was trying to make. By now I was infuriated, surely this woman was intentionally blocking me from passing her and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why!

As she starred me down, I explained again that I wanted to pass her because I was running late for my son's baseball game. She paused for a few seconds and then used her hands to communicate with me. As she began to sign and point I then realized she was deaf and she hadn't noticed I was behind her the entire time. I was completely embarrassed and tried quickly to scoot around her as to not look any more ridiculous when she reached out to grab my arm and pointed to the top shelf. I asked her if there was something on the top she needed me to get for her, I think she was able to understand me because she intently watched my lips. She nodded her head yes. I began to aimlessly reach for items on the top shelf, she kept shaking her head no until my fingers reached the can of baking powder and she nodded yes. She held up two fingers so I grabbed for two cans of baking soda and then placed them in her cart. She gestured back in sign language "thank you" and smiled, giving me a wink as I finally made my way past her.

Life is all about perspective. Sometimes we "presume" something to be when really it isn't that way at all.  We drive past a co-worker in the neighborhood and we wave but they don't wave back. We jump to the conclusion they are really rude, but the truth could be they didn't know you drove that car. We pick up our child in the car rider line and wave to our child's teacher on duty. She doesn't wave back and we immediately begin to rationalize why she didn't. It could be she has too many little kids to watch and she didn't notice you from the glare on the car. Or maybe she wasn't even looking in your direction, sunglasses can be deceiving at times. A friend blogged about a certain subject or put an inspirational image quote on her FaceBook wall that just happened to be relating to an issue you were struggling with and immediately you presume her blog or post was directed specifically towards you.

Perspective is the way in which one regards situations, circumstances, reactions and makes a judgment based upon limited facts.  When we have limited information and make assumptions about a situation based upon our perspective we can sometimes be wrong about the entire situation. Sometimes (like in the example I encountered at the grocery store) we can create a problem when there really isn't one there.  This is what the bible refers to as "vain imaginations". Vain imaginations are any thoughts or reactions that are rooted in truth but perverted by imagination.

The truth is the only real power the enemy has over us is the power of deception. Most bondage to the enemy can be directly tied to some form of wrong thinking. It's important not to play into the enemies "mind games" and presume or make assumptions. We could find out that we were completely wrong in our thinking and suffer irrevocable consequences because we simply let our mind wander.

Live life without presumptions, assumptions or vain imaginations. Don't be so quick to analyze everyone around you and everything they did or didn't do. It's possible you are seeing into things more than you should, and if so, the enemy has you trapped in a place where he can wreck havoc.

II Corinthians 10:5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought and make it obedient unto God.

Blessings, Polly

Don't Miss The Important Things

We were planning a 16th birthday party for her oldest daughter. I gladly offered my help since she had invited over sixty people. "What do you need me to do?" I asked her.

"Anything you want", my friend replied. So I offered to make the party favors, address the invitations and help with the food. Over the next few weeks we talked periodically going over the details and counting down the days before the big event.

Now I must paint a picture for your of my friend Karen; she lives for details. Tell her a story and she asks for more details. Give her directions to a certain location and she wants to know how long it will take to get there and what coffee shops are close by. So it didn't surprise me when she handed me the party planning book she had purchased for this special event. Being so specific in the details of her daughter's 16th party she even drew out a map of her backyard, locating where every chair would be placed and in case it rained, she rented several huge canopies to cover the event areas.

On the day of the party, guest began to arrive with gifts for the birthday girl, while perfect party tunes selected, could be heard in the background. The decorations of light blue, silver and hidden pops of glitter looked beautiful as if the moment was captured in a dream and recreated. Up until now, this day was nothing less than perfect. 

About an hour after the guest mingled and ate, it was time for the birthday song and cake according to the detailed list Karen had printed. So I motioned to the hired DJ to get ready with the "Happy Birthday" disk and headed back inside the house to get the candles and cake. I'd been to parties she hosted in the past so I assumed the cake would be kept in the refrigerator in the garage and I headed in that direction. When I turned the corner to the garage I could see my friend Karen already standing in front of the refrigerator with the door opened. Glancing at her facial expressions I could tell immediately something was wrong. In desperation she blurted out, "Oh no, I forgot to pick up the cake!" Tears streamed down her eyes and she clinched my arm with her fingernails. I attempted to console her, however the birthday song playing on que in the background was difficult to compete with.

In my friend's obsession to manage all the miniscule details she forgot the most important item, the birthday cake.

Sometimes in life we can be just as guilty. Obsessing over the little things and forgetting the more important.  Detailed obsessions over unnecessary items like a clean house, vegetables with every meal and over crowded schedules will drain our energy from more productive tasks and ultimately can distract us from doing God's significant work.

What parenting priorities should come first? Do you need to rearrange some things in your schedule? Are there more important items you should be doing that have been overlooked by less important things? I know I have been guilty of allowing the little details to consume my days, yet God has a way of getting our attention when we loose focus and in those moments it's critical to listen to Him. Don't miss the important things!

Prayer
Lord I acknowledge the importance of you in my life for direction, guidance and wisdom. Please give me specific insight on how to live my days pursuing the more important things.  My greatest desire is to fulfill your plan for my life.  Show me the areas where I am failing, give me clear direction to better guide me on this journey. May my life exemplify the importance of living a life consecrated to you, for you are most important. Lord, I need your help.

Where God Wants Me (Video)

We serve a Sovereign God. We should never ever doubt His timing!

One Day Closer

When he was only seven I sent him off to school one day and a little while later there was a knock at the door. I opened the door and it was Jason. I said, "Jason what are you doing here?"  He said, "I've quit school!" I said, "Why have you quit school son?" He said, "Well it was too long, it was too hard and  a lot of people were too mean." I looked at Jason in the eyes and said, "Jason, you have just described life, not get back on that bus!"  (Patsy Clairmont, God Uses Cracked Pots)

Pretty humorous story but isn't it very much the truth? The world seems to reflect more evil than good, more selfish motives than selfless acts, more evil intentions with more me, me, and more me attitudes, and where sarcasm is treated as the English language. It can be easy to get tired of "doing good". We stay frustrated when we don't see a change in the people who we have been asked to help. Yet the bible admonishes us "not to grow weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart". In this message Paul was talking to the church, Christians like you and I and it was obvious they must have felt the same struggles. Paul knew when we continually persist in "doing good" we become exhausted and sometimes feel like quitting. Why? Because to "do good", takes effort.

When someone continually mistreats you, it takes an intentional effort to return kindness. When you begin volunteering in a ministry and the demands get greater and more is required, it's easy to consider walking away but it takes a determined resolve to stay committed. When you relentlessly stay on your knees praying for a lost son or daughter, brother, sister, for physical healing, restitution, or reconciliation and day after day you see empty results, it's easy to consider giving into the enemies taunts, to throw in the towel, quit, give up on every believing something will change. The enemy is eager to stop you from "doing good". He wants you to tell that person off who keeps slandering you and yours. He is prompting you to trade in your teaching materials for a little rest and relaxation on the weekends and if he can get you to stop spending time on your knees, who else will be praying for your children and lost loved ones?

Yet it's in these times when we find ourselves in the place of struggle and exhaustion and we are ready to give up, we must recommit to an even greater determination to remain faithful. We must choose to keep moving forward, to walk by faith and not be sight. For in the natural things can look obscured, progress may seem dimmed but in the spiritual realm when resistance surfaces it means we are really one day closer to reaping our harvest.

Galations 6:9 says, "You will reap, gather, collect and obtain ALL the good you have sown."

Friend if you are struggling in continuing to "do good" and you have wrestled with the idea of quitting; please don't throw in the towel just yet. You never know how close you are to victory. It's possible your as close as one more prayer, one more sacrificial gift given, one more time to turn the other cheek until God declares, "It's due season for this child, now give her what she's owed!"

Don't let the enemy rob you of your "doing good" harvest! Keep pressing forward even through adversity; stay determined to finish the entire course. Resist aborting the harvest you have already sown because today when the sun sets, you will be another day closer.

I Don't Deserve Him

I was awakened this morning at 4:27 am. The house was quiet. I sat up in the bed and adjusted my eyes to the darkness. Why was I awake?


I made my way into the kitchen to get a glass of water, stopping off at the couch to recline. As I lay there I was comforted by the words of this song: Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, the bible tells me so.


I started to sing it aloud in my faint and sleepy voice and after a few times through the chorus, I could feel His presence. A melodious and satisfying presence of an almighty God who brought confidence in the midst of doubt; He attended my soul. 


My mind can not comprehend, the God of this universe who spoke the world into existence, longs for my fellowship. He delights in me. He wages in the spirit on my behalf, "sitting at the right hand of the Father making intercession for His children". 


I knew at that moment, it was God who woke me up.


The same God who walked on water, healed a woman with the issues of blood, turned water into wine, gave sight to blind Bartimaeus and raised Lazarus from the dead has comforted, shielded, and protected me and mine. He turned my crooked paths straight and resurrected my life. I am more than confident in His plan for the future, because He has never failed me yet and because...He loves me!


He is amazing, all powerful, omnipresent, omniscient, supreme, deliverer and my strong tower. He is my peace, my hope, my confidence, my security, my everlasting Father, my redeemer, yet also my friend. 


I recognize the enemy is continually on a mission to keep God's children distracted, defeated and hurt. He is angered when in the midst of turmoil and persecution we stand in confidence in God's love. He despises lips that profess, "God is good", when the outside circumstance threaten to destroy. Yet I am here to declare to the enemy I shall never forfeit my right to praise my Lord. For He has brought me too far. He's answered too many of my prayers. He's made a way when there was no way. He is my rock and all that I am is because of Him.


Every moment in His presence keeps me yearning for more and everyday that He moves on my behalf, my confidence is heightened. He's so intoxicating I am addicted to His love. I just can't get enough of Him. He satisfies my soul with good things and everyday I am reminded of His love for me. No, I definitely don't deserve Him but I'm so glad He's mine!

written by: Polly Herrin

Take Note of Jezebel!

article written by Francis Frangipane 

Francis Frangipane says: (When referring to 'her', take note the Jezebel spirit can just as likely be found in the male.)

We first find her in the Old Testament in I and II Kings she attempted to combine the worship of Israel with the worship of the idol Baal. The letter in Revelation 2:20 was written to the church in Thyatira, which forewarns us that the spirit of Jezebel resides in the church. “But I have this against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel…”

Jezebel’s greatest fear is that people will embrace repentance. Jezebel despises true repentance and will sit week after week in a pew, participate in weekly worship services yet never acknowledge her sins of jealousy, idolatry, divisiveness and manipulation. Jezebel hates true repentance and therefore will buck and blow against sermons that promote repentance. When one truly lives in repentance they are submitted to the Holy Sprit’s influence and are submissive to the God ordained authority of pastoral leadership who govern them. The opposite of repentance is rebellion and the bible calls “rebellion as of the sin of witchcraft” ... When entertaining and participating in witchcraft you open the door to all types of evil. It would have been better for such church pew sitters to entirely leave the body of Christ than to remain, siding with the spirit of division, rebellion and strife.

Here is a warning for those participating in such behavior.

Proverbs  6:16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood (slander/abortion), a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man(woman) who stirs up dissension among the brethren.

Jezebel works against true repentance by forming small allegiances to her cause. Her self-righteous account she may even make public often using scripture verses to credit her campaign. Her resolve is to refer to only those scriptures that focus on love, grace and compassion overlooking new testament writings to the churches that warn about this type of misaddressed teachings. God does not and will not tolerate Jezebel according to Revelation 2:20-25 or those who tolerate or partake in her campaign.

Take a look at Proverbs 6:16 again. Do you participate in any of these behaviors? Do you associate with people who do? 

The second point about Jezebel's character is: Jezebel’s worst enemies are the prophets, particularly those who preach the truth. This spirit is on a mission to destroy the works of the real prophets of God, because she doesn’t want the “light” to be illuminated on her and bring exposure to her wicked counterfeit deeds. Her ultimate goal is to control and manipulate. She would take a dagger to the heart of a true prophet and slay him cold. She is on an ambush to destroy his ministry yet this attempt would obviously be too noticeable, so instead she masks her intents by deliberately assassinating the character of real men and women of God. The body of Christ must be reminded there was only one perfect prophet and His name is Jesus Christ. The prophet may be imperfect but the message is always perfect.  Again, her attempts to discredit the prophets revolve around gaining allegiance from others or by using public slander and gossip to promote her cause. Be warned, God says much about tolerating her actions against God’s anointed:

I Corinthians 16:22 “Do not touch my anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm.”

Revelation 2: 22-25 I have given her (Jezebel) time to repent… and she did not repent.  Therefore I the Lord will cast her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.

§  When God referred to adultery In Revelation 2:22-25 it wasn’t just sexual adultery but spiritual adultery within His church. Those who encourage and participate in her practices of rebellion, witchcraft, idolatry, slander and divisiveness.

§  What is a sickbed? It could simply be an image of affliction. Or it could be literal sickness that Jesus would allow.

§  We know from passages such as I Corinthians 11:30 God can use sickness as a way to chastise us when we are in sin.

§   “I will kill her children with death” – all men are not killed with death.

A Jezebel spirit will always mask her desire for control by hiding from true repentance, giving a form of godliness with ulterior motives to belittle, critique and slander true prophets of God just as she did in I and 2 Kings. Her ways can be concisely observed. Be on guard against her, for she is wickedly dangerous and “tolerating her” doesn’t come without consequences.

One final note, a Jezebel spirit can often be found in those who try to associate closely to the Prophets of God and leaders in the church. This should be more cause to pray prayers of covering for the leaders, priest, bishops and pastors of your churches. Regardless how long Jezebel has been allowed to operate, her days are numbered.

Just Remember!

Do you feel desperate, overlooked, anxious, worried, forgotten, or defeated? Well take a note of this, “what you feel is not always real!” The enemy is good at using our emotions and feelings to obscure the perspective of our current situation. Regardless of what you are going through this very day, no need to give in, or give up! As a child of the most high God, you just need to Start Remembering!  

I want to take a moment to remind you who He is! He Is:

Jehovah God, who changes not! (Malachi 3:6)

Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider! (Genesis 22:13-14)

Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer! (Exodus 15:26)

Jehovah Rohi, the Lord our Shepherd! (Psalms 23:1)

Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace! (Judges 6:24)

Jehovah Elohim, our mighty God! (Genesis 1:1)

Jehovah Shammah, the Lord who is present! (Ezekiel 48:35)

Jehovah Gmolah, the Lord of recompense! (Jeremiah 51:6)

Jehovah Roi, the Lord who sees! (Genesis 16:13)

Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner who protects and defends! (Exodus 17:15)

Friend, He is the God of the impossible and there is nothing that God can not do for you.

He placed every star in the sky; spoke light into existence, changed water into wine, and healed a blind man with mud. He walked on water, fed 5,000 with 5 barley loaves and two fish and with the words “get up” the widow’s dead son came to life. He gave sight back to blind Bartimaeus, and just at the touch of his clothes the women with a blood issue was made whole. He spoke to the demon possessed and made them free and with authority He commanded the grave to give up Lazarus! Yet, He has numbered the very hairs on your head and delicately formed you in your mother’s womb with a purpose to fulfill. His plans for you are good and He has prepared eternity (heaven) to prove it!

 Numbers 23:19

God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?

To often our vision of God is clouded and lost by our current circumstances. I hate to admit that I have been guilty of loosing my perspective of God during trials and tribulation; it’s easy to do. However, we must be diligent to encourage ourselves in the Lord daily and continue to feed our minds with the word of God. When we allow negative thoughts and mindsets to lay dormant we open our lives to the enemy to come in and wreck havoc.

The bible tells us in Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” According to Crudens Concordance, the word heart is used in scripture as “the seat of life or strength; hence it means mind, soul, spirit, or one’s entire emotional nature and understanding. It is also used as the center of an inner part of a thing. Therefore, one would be right to use 'mind' in the place of ‘heart’ in this passage.”

In other words, to guard your heart is to guard your mind, for the heart includes the mind. The enemy loves to play mind games, but we don’t have to accept his invitation to the game. Instead allow the word of God to influence your thoughts, words, actions and reactions and align yourself with His authority!

Oh how I love Him. He deserves our praise without reservation for He is incomparable, all-powerful, mighty, deliverer, strong tower, and faithful ‘til the end!

Prayer

Father I recognize that “Although we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. In Jesus name, We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient unto you!” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Silence The Negativity

I once worked with a girl who rarely saw the positive in anything. She was very creative and talented, but her negative attitude shadowed any of her good qualities making it very hard to see her "self-proclaimed"positive attitude. If the copier broke she would curse the day as unproductive. If someone asked her to do something at the last minute, which was part of the requirements of her job, she would huff and puff publicly, spending the entire time complaining and putting down that person to everyone else in the office. One time she broke her pencil and I heard her curse all the trees in the world as being useless, (Okay so maybe with that comment she was trying to invoke some laughter from the rest of her co-workers, but it didn't work.) She not only vented her negative opinions all over the office, she posted them openly on her social venue page for others to read, making it visible for all of our customers and the participants who supported and funded our place of business. I secretly hoped our boss would open up a social network account so he could witness first hand the corruption and put a stop to it. But it didn't happen that way, her negative attitude continued causing so much destruction it wasn't long before she was privately given the option to move to another career endeavor or be fired.


Our world is consumed with negativity. Don't believe me, turn on the television and watch the latest Presidential debate forum, or the hundreds of campaign commercials bombarding our air way time. They never argue important issues, they use their time to assassinate and discredit another's character. From the workplace to the White House negative attitudes have infiltrated the atmosphere, they threaten to  overshadow spoken words of kindness, a positive influence in the face of accusation and a good deed reciprocated.

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.” (I Corinthians 15:33)

The scripture doesn't say evil company could corrupt good habits. It doesn't say, evil company has the possibility of corrupting good habits. It's emphatically states that "evil company corrupts good habits." I find it amusing that the next word Paul speaks is "AWAKE"! I presume he knew we would not take the previous sentence seriously enough, so he challenged us to wake up and possibly re-read it again.

So, why is it necessary for us to avoid atmospheres that initiate and tolerate negativity? Tommy Tenney said: "Avoid critical and negative attitudes first because the bible warns us to and secondly because eventually, without notice you become the product of your environment".

My environment greatly dictates who I will become. Statics prove that we are most influenced by those we spend our time with. 

I'll close with an example: My husband and I served as youth pastors many years ago and we knew of a family, who to our knowledge had not experienced any life tragedies or disappointments. As a matter of fact from our observations, we would consider them very blessed in their health, their relationships, their finances, and most every area of their lives. Having so much blessing upon their lives, one might conclude this family would have reason to be optimistic, thankful, kind and joyful. However, just the opposite was true. To this day, the mother is one of the most negative and critical people we have ever met. She could find something wrong with anyone and everyone.

When her girls were teenagers we saw on numerous occasions  the negativity spilling over into their behavior and talk. One particular event, we happened to be seated at the same table with this family. From the moment we took our seats the mother and her two eldest daughters complained about the food, the decorations, the quality of the paper goods and I wasn't surprised when they openly degraded the speaker. Their negative remarks were expressed so loud, others close by began to turn and take note, giving the look of disapproval in our direction, but that didn't stop them. I remember asking God to hurry along the event so we could leave; I was concerned someone might associate us being like them, because we happened to be seated at the same table.  When the night finally ended and we were in the car for the drive home, my husband turned to me and said, "We will never allow ourselves to be in the position to sit with them again, even if it means we have to be rude and get up to find another seat." I agreed and although we hadn't participated in the negativity we felt ashamed by their behavior and embarrassed by their rudeness. 

The bible says, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". If the mouth is always sarcastic and negative, certainly the heart is tainted too.  

Negativity and sarcasm have no place in the believers wardrobe. The bible says in Colossians, "to put on love..." 

On the drive home that night, my husband warned,  "You know Polly, unless those girls separate from that environment it's doubtful in ten years they will be any different than their mother. If they continue to be in the environment with negative and sarcastic attitudes, they will attract the same kind." 

Many years later, I am saddened to point out his observation was correct. Unfortunately their negativity has increased and they now take pride in their rude, calloused and rebellious behaviors, publicly encouraging the behavior. 

Our Heavenly Father never talked negatively, condescending or rude to others. His attitude wasn't haughty, prideful or arrogant. He didn't use perverse speech or crude jokes at the expense of others. It is difficult to even attach His name to these characteristics, yet many claim to be a Christian and have no resemblance of Him. What a shameful disgrace! It's time for the church to arise and be the church, silence the negativity with the spoken word of God and live our lives to reflect Christ.   

Prayer

Lord we open our lives, our homes our churches, to your presence. Wean out the negative and critical spirits that corrupt the environment for you to flow freely, scatter them to the wind! May your church reflect the image of your son Jesus. May our words and actions be pleasing to you and may the fruit of our lips bring forth praise, blessings and encouragement. Give me your discerning wisdom to recognize those people who have become instruments in incubating negative and critical environments that I might  flee the very appearance of evil. May I not help to sustain this environment by my complacency but use me to be an active force behind it's elimination! And may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto you, Oh Lord my strength and my Redeemer!
Amen

It's Too Soon To Quit

The bible tells us  "our enemy is roaring like a lion seeking whom he may devour and that his purpose is to steal, kill and destroy." These two texts are extremely important because as life happens, we can easily loose focus and get distracted blaming others or ourselves for most of the hardship we endure.

If you are alive and breathing it's probably safe to say you have experienced some type of an attack from the enemy. Whether through illness, disease, temptation, persecution, financial hardship, unemployment and the list goes on. Yet, these forms of attacks can, if not responded to carefully, set us off course and keep us focused on the wrong things; eventually distorting our view and perception of "the moment" God has us in.

It's very possible in 2011 you've experienced a few "moments" you wished never happened. Maybe you have regressed those back in your mind hoping they would disappear, but the divorce court papers keep showing up in the mail, the medical tests keep resulting in more treatment, the bills haven't yet been paid and you just can't seem to run far enough away from the temptation. Rest assured friend, God hasn't forgotten about you nor has He changed His mind about the promise He has given.

• It's in the moments that seem most insignificant that He is preparing you for the moments that are most significant.
• It's in the moments that seem most threatening that He is reminding you, He is Sovereign.
• It's in the moments that you are weak, that He can prove He is strong.
• It's in the moments that you don't have an answer, He is growing your faith! 

For ultimately it's about the journey and all of the moments in between where we see God, we hear God, and we EXPERIENCE GOD! If we never had a problem how could we know that God would solve them? How could we experience His love for us? Or His purpose through us?

Today, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me accurately convey to you that God is in control of where you are right now. You may not see the end result, you may not know all the answers, you may not believe in yourself, BUT HE DOES! He has good plans for you and His greatest desire is for you to fulfill that plan and through it, bring Him the glory.

In closing, let’s be encouraged by those in the scriptures who accomplished great things for God and fulfilled His purpose for their lives. Often their journey was uphill and the moments sometimes seemed unbearable, but they choose to trust in a God who is able.

It's way too soon to quit my friend. Don’t allow the enemy to distract you into thinking this is it, nothing is ever going to change, and that your situation is completely impossible, "for with God all things are possible." 

Be encouraged that He really is "working all things for your good" and encourage someone else with the same word. 

Blessings, Polly