Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

Painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau completed in 1889

She walked among a rocky path, wandering and alone

No place among the community to call home…

Tattered clothes and worn out shoes

Abandoned and abused…

This girl of twenty-two

Then she heard the good news…

A woman, called, the Good Shepherdess

Came to her and dressed her wounds…

Taking her into her flock of more than the girl could count…

99 she mused…

She was called to be a Good Shepherdess, by the Good Shepherd, who showed her the truth…

For she too, had once been lost and abused…

The Good Shepherdess lead her to a place of peace and rest…

Where she was fed and her soul restored…now fully blessed…

Once shadows of death hovered over her head…now no evil can come nigh her bed…

A rod and staff they comfort, giving strength wherever she is led…

The Good Shepherdess said, “I am only a person just like you, but I learned a lesson and this is true, only the Good Shepherd can truly save you. For he saved me and he gave me a new name, to follow…Him!”

And he said, “Goodness and Mercy will be your guide will you always stay close to His pierced, loving, side, to live in His presence and there abide? Will you follow the Good Shepherd and listen to his voice, be wise, child, will you make the right choice?”

Yes, Good Shepherdess, always and forever!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill Oct. 16, 2019

Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want…

Last night I had a dream that Bob and I were hiking and we came upon a man digging in the dirt he was trying to kill a rattle snake. He said, “Stand back.” So, I backed away. He flung a piece of the snake and it hit my ankle and I was poisoned. The man came over to me and made a cut on my leg and pulled something out of my leg. It was about 5’ long, 3” in diameter, yellow in color with these suction thingies on it but it was headless. I’m reminded that David cut off the head of the giant…he taunted the children of Israel, mocked them and was going to kill them…but God is greater. After the man (who I believe represented Jesus) pulled it out of my leg, I was fine, all the poison was gone.

I became aware for about six months that I was complaining and had become critical and I didn’t want to be that way. Now I’m sure I was that way all my life but the Holy Spirit brought it to my attention because I had been asking him to reveal to me my heart so that nothing would be between us.

So, I started praying that God would help me to be delivered from evil. Then about three weeks ago, our Pastor started a series called, Creating Worlds. I realized I’m not the only one that does this, and that it is an epidemic in our society. His messages have been amazing and very helpful. The Holy Spirit always knows what is needed to help us so that we won’t be overtaken by the enemy.

The snake is one of God’s creatures but it has always represented evil. We can be poisoned by many things. What we put in our minds, hear with our ears, see with our eyes, gets into our hearts and before long we are poisoned and we poison others. If we aren’t careful, we can even cause death to ourselves and to others just by using words.

I know the Holy Spirit is speaking and answering my prayer because it is confirmed by the messages being taught at Journey Church, and then today, I received a letter from my Aunt Rose who walks close to the Lord. We haven’t spoken in a while so she had no idea what I had been going through. The letter, she sent was one my mom had written to her, many years ago.
I praise God that mom’s ministry through the Holy Spirit is still alive. Even this day I cried out to God, to help me, that was before I read the letter. I had no idea what the content was. God is so good!

My mom, had a dream she said, “I saw chickens and children running down the road in front of my house and I looked to see what they were running from. There was a large snake running after them but the snake was walking on his tail. He had poison spewing from his mouth. I felt fear grip me and I prayed, “Don’t let him see me.” I turned to go into my house but the door was locked. I turned back toward him and he bit my arm. I said, “You may bite me but Jesus is my Lord and you can’t kill me.” I felt the pain in my left arm. When I awoke, I prayed and asked the Lord the meaning of the dream and he gave me the scripture Isaiah 47:13 Asp- Serpent.”

Mom had been doing some research on what the Bible says about divination, magicians, necromancy, soothsayers, sorcery, witchcraft, lying wonders. She looked up all the scriptures she could find because the Church was being manipulated and deceived. Mom wanted truth and preached God’s word but many of the pastors she spoke to at the time did not agree with what she found. It’s a long story. The thing is, is that we have to have Holy discernment especially in our day and time. God is coming for a Church without spot or wrinkle and we have to prepared and know what God’s word says. (This was in 1978)

We can’t expect to win the battle with the enemy, if we have a watered-down version of the word of God, it will cause the body of Christ to be weak. Demons are real and they do not play, they are out to kill people, destroy lives and steal our inheritance if they can, and they don’t care who it is. Children of God, you better not be playing Church…you better know who it is you serve, don’t cover up sin and think you’re OK…God knows and the devil knows…Only the blood of Jesus can save you. His word will sanctify you…but if you don’t read it then do what it says…it’s not going to help you one bit.

God is speaking…I love something my mom said in her letter…she said, “There are a lot of books that inform…BUT ONLY THE BIBLE CAN TRANSFORM!!!

There is nothing wrong with reading good books, but the only one that will help you in life is God’s Book.

We are to be doers of the word and not hears only. The Holy Spirit is giving us a message and I have to obey by telling you what’s on my heart. This is my purpose and my calling!
I love you all but most of all, God loves you, please him…

This may not be a popular topic but it is a needful one…pray and seek God, the Holy Spirit will show you what to do!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 9, 2019

Some of the scripture’s mom gave:

Divination: Gen. 41:15; Num. 22:7; Deu. 18:14; 1 Sam. 6:2; Jer. 27:9; Eze. 13:23; Eze. 21:21; Zec. 10:2; Acts 16:16

Magicians: Gen. 41:24, Ex 7:11, 8:19; Ex. 9:11; Dan. 2:2 and 4:7

Necromancy: Deu. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:11; Is 8:19

Soothsayers: Is. 2:6; Dan. 2:27, 5:7; Mi. 5:12 Acts 16:16

Sorcery: Deu 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17; 2 Kings 21:6; Is. 47:9; Mal 3:5; Acts 8:11, 13:6; Rev. 18:23, 21:8

Witchcraft: Ex. 22:18, Lev. 19:31, 20;6; 1 Sam. 15:23; 1Sam. 28:7; 2 Kings 9:22, 23:24; I Chr. 10:13; Is. 8:19, 19:3, 29:4; Mi. 5:12; Gal. 5:20

Lying Wonders: Ex. 8:7; Matt. 7:22, 24:24; 2 Th. 2:9; Rev. 13:13, 16:14, 19:20

How many times have you gone to the well of life so to speak, and all you got was muddy water, hateful stares and a sore back from carrying the water pitcher? (Your cares, burdens, regrets, sin, it all gets very heavy.)

You get up day after day, week after week, then months turn into years and all you get is the same old thing. You’re on your fifth relationship and that one isn’t working either…the women in the community won’t have anything to do with you. They whisper when you walk up and they call you a half-breed. You’re a Samaritan, the lowliest of the low. What beauty you had, has faded and that was more of a curse than anything else; you’re simply worn out by life from making wrong choices.

So, after all the other women have left, you go to the well…you just don’t want to hear their gossip and see their accusing eyes. You’re over it!

Its noon time, it’s hot but that’s nothing new you’re used to that. You notice a Jew sitting by the well. What now, you wonder. Jews don’t usually come through Samaria. You try to ignore him. But he speaks to you.

“Give me a drink of water.”

Sometimes when we least expect it…we have an encounter with someone who is the least likely to speak to us and it surprises us.

Today this is what happens to the Samaritan woman. She’s going to have a well drawing experience, which will change her life forever!!

You know the story, if not you can read it in John chapter 4:1-42 in the Bible.

If Jesus asked you for a drink of water, what would you do? What would you think?

He was a Jew; she was a Samaritan…

The Samaritans worshiped Yahweh, but on a different mountain. They were mixed breeds. The Jews looked down on them and despised them, but not Jesus. He was constantly turning the customs of the day upside down.

Jesus was no ordinary Jew, oh no; he was the son of God! She had no clue.

That day the water she drew was not from Jacob’s well…cloudy, unfulfilling water…No she received pure, clean, fresh, everlasting water from the Well of Jesus… she would never thirst again…and not only did she receive this water…she left her water jar and she ran to her village and told everyone what Jesus had said to her. “Come see this man that told me all about my life…” because of her testimony they believe on Jesus too!

This story has been told for over two thousand years…

It doesn’t matter your race, or gender Jesus is sitting at the local Well waiting for you to arrive. He wants to give you living water!

What will you do?

Will you believe me, a woman, who is telling you about the Messiah? Or will you come and hear him for yourself?

Jesus is the Messiah! The Savior!

Are you thirsty? Are you broken and weary? Are you tired of the struggle, the lies, and the empty life that never satisfies? Are you tired of the treadmill that never ends? Spinning around and around but never getting anywhere?

Come to the well…it’s a spring of living water always bubbling, always fresh, and it’s free…

Jesus said, I will give you living water and you will never thirst again.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill ~ 2018

You can read the story in John 4:1-42 

This is dedicated to my beautiful baby sister, Barbara Shaw Ramirez for her Sixty-fourth birthday. I love you dearly!

Sister’s

Twenty-one months, then there appears, a little girl beside you…

A living, breathing, baby doll, my sister, now there’s two…

God knew, we shouldn’t walk this life alone…

Growing and laughing and tousling at times

Competition and trying, but of the same kind…

Are you twins? People ask.

No, we’re just sisters, on a similar path…

Throughout the years there has been many tears, but also joy that overcomes

Heartache and trials, as we’ve walked the miles…

Together even though we’re apart…

Sister’s forever, woven together, by a bond that will not be severed, we carry each other in our hearts…

Now growing older with babes and grand babes of our own

No matter how far or wide or deep or dark or light, sisters forever we’ll be known…

God bless my baby sister all of her life, one day we’ll be returning home!

Until then keep her safe and strong!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 9, 2019

Proverbs 31:25 New Living Translation (NLT) She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

A very dear friend of many, is fighting for her life and as I read and re-read the prayers being said over her to be healed, I realize that some of the people in that group I’ve known for a very long time…

There is no doubt in my mind, that looking back it was ordained by God that we would all meet. Life happened; and circumstances changed over the years but still there is the connection…the God-connection. It hit me that I’ve known some of these people for over thirty years…and I began to cry…because we are here now at this specific time in life praying for this beautiful, precious woman of God who prayed for us many times…she is and was a mentor and a precious friend. She is now in need of our, prayers. I know God hears and I know he answers and I believe we are all connected and were ordained to be part of each other’s lives, then for now. There is no coincidence in the life of a child of God.

We may not see eye to eye on things…and we may not have even been in contact with each other over the years, but then this happened to someone we all know and love and suddenly we are all together again…one focus, one mind, one heart, crying out to the Great Physician to hear our fervent prayer, to heal one of his own.

No, God didn’t make her sick, but he will use every thing that happens in our lives to bring Him glory and to bring us into His presence…seeking Him for life and peace and hope and health and restoration so that many will be helped.

God is love! God is peace! God is hope! God is strength and joy and it is His Spirit that woos us unto himself.

Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them…Michael W. Smith’s song…is so true…

So, think about this, the person you meet today may be the very person who, years from now, will be standing in the gap for you…interceding on your behalf for healing, restoration, or some need that is catastrophic to you…we never know what God has in store for us…but we can know that He is faithful and will always be with us, no matter what.

So, love people…show mercy and kindness, even to those who are not so kind back. They can change…especially if we are praying for them.

Thirty years from now seems like a long time…but if you are blessed enough to live long enough and you are still here thirty years from now, the people you’ve met along the way will still be important to you. There’s history and a connection that ties us together and the thing is, after this life we’ll be spending it with all the ones we’ve met on our journey who’ve gone ahead of us into that heavenly world.

This life is not a dead end…Life is not over when our body dies…our spirit is alive because of Jesus!

There is a place more real, more beautiful than anything on earth! We are here for a purpose and when we are made new through the blood of Jesus, and His Spirit, comes to live within us…we have no need to fear because where he is, is LIFE! He, His Spirit, gives us Power, His Spirit gives us Love and His Spirit gives us a Sound Mind, the mind of Christ! We have no need to fear. The enemy cannot pierce us through with his sword of fear or death, why, because, he’s been defeated!!

When someone’s body dies, yes, we are heart broken because we won’t see them anymore. We’ll miss them terribly…but we have a hope and a future that where they are, we will go, after we finish our assignment here. Like Paul said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain!”

So, don’t grieve as those who have no hope…Our hope is in The Lord Jesus Christ! Here and now as it will be, then!

Pray; talk and then listen to God…Read God’s Word; let him speak to you…and Love unashamedly, the way He loves, unconditionally.

Blink…and thirty years have passed…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 7, 2019

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 New International Version (NIV)

 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 New King James Version (NKJV)

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 New King James Version (NKJV)

I read it like this…God has not given us a spirit of fear…God has given us His Spirit of Power, His Spirit of Love and His Spirit of a Sound Mind the Mind of Christ!

For the child of God, death is just a doorway…

Jesus is the door…

And when our spirit leaves our body of flesh

Jesus opens the door and welcomes us home…

Oh, at first, we are apprehensive…

No one wants to leave the comfort of what is known

And many of us have never seen what’s on the other side…

But we’ve experienced new life…

We’ve studied and gone through many tests…

By faith we’ve walked with him and all the rest…

Listened to many sermons, read the Holy Book

And while taking a look, we believe the place called heaven

Will be our eternal home…a new adventure…so, to speak…

Some have even gone there, returned, and said they never wanted to leave

And knowing Jesus, I believe…that what he says is true…

Still it gives the mind something to ponder…

And often we wonder, just what it will be like…

The Holy Book says…But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

You see it’s by the Spirit that we can know for sure…

Yes, it’s a little scary when we think about it with our carnal mind…but be courageous and brave…God has a plan, and when we are called home, we’ll understand…

Don’t be afraid…be at peace…Jesus will be there to open the door…

Everything we’ve lived and loved and accomplished here for him, will take us to a place more real than anything we could have known in this life…

And then…the adventure of our life will truly begin…

Holy Spirit is our guide in this life, in death, and in the life to come! For now, occupy, until then!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 3, 2019

Light doesn’t have to say, “Look at me, I’m the light!”
It doesn’t speak at all…and yet
As it appears it illuminates everything and everyone within its presence…
The light shines even brighter in the dark!
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world!”
He vanquished the darkness…
God said, “Let there be light!”
Then light burst through the darkness causing everything to be seen that was hidden…
Overpowering shadows; breaking barriers through the blackness of night…
Giving the blind; sight…
And every living thing new life…
What once was unseen is now fully exposed
No more groping or staggering in the dark, no more fear of what’s not seen, the light with a trillion streaming beams is spread throughout all living things…
No stumbling to find your way…
No vain imaginations of terror nipping at your thoughts, not, even in the day…
God’s light is and will always remain even when it rains!
The light brings life, freshness and goodness, to see and to be fully seen…
No longer afraid to walk in the night nor stumble in the day…
Not a shred of doubt, nor deaths final grip
Can take the light away…
No demon from hell, no sickness, no hurt nor pain, no pride, no flesh nor power nor principality can destroy the light!
God said, let there be…light…
Light is eternal,
For Jesus, is, the light…
Where light shines, darkness cannot enter…
Be children of the light!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 2, 2019

Genesis 1:3 New International Version (NIV) And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

John 8:12 English Standard Version (ESV) Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

On my way to my Bible study today I drove to our Church and just as I was turning off the busy highway a trash truck turned in ahead of me.

I laughed and said out loud, “Now there’s a sermon in that. Jesus comes to take the trash out of our hearts and lives. All we have to do is ask him.”

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 King James Version (KJV)

When Adam and Eve sinned, death entered the world. There was no longer access to the Tree of Life and trash overtook the heart of humanity.

In our modern society without trash removal our world would be a terrible place to live. Garbage would pile up; flies would swarm as maggots ate away at the mess. Parasites, worms, infections rot and putrid water, would bring disease; the smell would be horrific. I remember one year when one of our U.S. cities had a garbage strike and the streets were covered in garbage. It was terrible!

We as mankind needed a Savior to come and remove the garbage from our lives. God sent Jesus. It took the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus to remove the trash. Years of trash build-up covered everyone and everything, we couldn’t see it because we were dead in trespasses and sin. We could see the effects of it though, the stench, the cesspool of hate, bitterness, anger, jealousy, gossip, murder, war, godlessness and perversions, etc… Without Jesus, trash piled high. It’s horrific and rampant on the streets, where, the love of God is absent.

We needed a trash truck to come and remove it to the dump so it could be destroyed. I know it may seem a little crude to think of Jesus as the trash truck driver but it gets the point across. Garbage stinks, and is nasty and if not dealt with causes death!

Where dead things are left uncleansed; there can be no life. It took the cleansing, unblemished, unwrinkled, son of God to wash away all of the filth and garbage. Someone needed to take out the trash…that someone is Jesus Christ. It is only by his sacrifice that we can live trash free!

Do you need your trash removed today? Call on Jesus he’ll take it in a heartbeat! The stench of death will disappear and a sweet-smelling fragrance with appear. He’ll remove all the fear of death and sin, and replace it with new life, new breath, He is the living, cleansing son of God!

Psalm 113:7-8 The Passion Translation (TPT) He promotes the poor, picking them up from the dirt, and rescues the needy from the garbage dump. He turns paupers into princes and seats them on their royal thrones of honor.

Ephesians 5:26-27 New King James Version (NKJV) that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

1 Peter 1:18-19 The Passion Translation (TPT) For you know that your lives were ransomed once and for all from the empty and futile way of life handed down from generation to generation. It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold, which eventually perishes, but the precious blood of Christ—who like a spotless, unblemished lamb was sacrificed for us.

I will lift up my voice; Holy Spirit sing to God
Through my being I will extol Him on High…
I will sing in the Spirit and in my understanding
For He is worthy of all my praise, honor and glory…
Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name…
Holy Spirit within me sing…
God has triumphed over my enemies He brings
Healing in His wings…
He set my feet to dancing and my heart sings
I will sing with joy and thanksgiving
For God is my everything…
He delivers me from evil
He heals my lamenting soul
He carries me in the battle
We win; He makes me whole
He took all my guilt and shame
Washed me whiter than snow
Gave me beauty for ashes
I will praise Him as I go…
Into deep waters I will not be overtaken
Into the fiery furnace I am awakened
He’s in the fire with me and I will not be shaken…
Holy Spirit sacred songs we’ll sing
My heart takes wings; I will fly to worlds unseen
When I lift my voice in song and sing…
Praises to my Victorious King…
Do not be cast down oh my soul
Do not weep for the time has come
Holy Spirit within me proclaim…
Jesus Name, above all Names…
A Psalm sung by the Prince of Peace
Took all my cares and my torments ceased
When Holy Spirit Sings…
God hears…

Singing the Psalms is singing God’s sacred word…giving Him Praise

~Marla Shaw O’Neill September 21, 2019
Dedicated to Phyllis Cron-her message inspired me to write this poem.

Colossians 3:16 New International Version (NIV)
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:16 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Let the word of Christ live[a] in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises,[b] and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts!

Psalm 71:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV) Let them be [a]confounded and consumed
Who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor Who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 71:13 ashamed

Matthew 26:30 The Passion Translation (TPT) Then they sang a psalm[a] and left for the Mount of Olives.

Footnotes: Matthew 26:30 Or “a hymn.” The Aramaic is “They offered praise.” It was the custom after celebrating the Passover seder to conclude with singing one of the Hallel psalms (Pss. 115–118).