Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

Covenant renewal right now, today!

A resurrection…

As a flower blooms and dies, a new flower arrives~

Lazarus died…

Jesus cried…

“Lazarus, come forth…”

He’s calling you, to come forth~

Age, race, it doesn’t matter, He’s, calling you, to come forth~

Come alive~

Dead bones, come alive!

Dead talents, come alive!

Dead dreams, come alive!

Jesus is calling you, “Come forth!”

You may feel as if you’re all dried up, weak, unfulfilled, parched, no water to fill your cup, where is the bubbling brook?

Get up! Get up! Get up!

The living water is calling, it’s flowing even now~

Pick yourself up and run don’t walk, life is what it’s all about!

Come drink of the living waters it’s nourishment to your soul, throw off the old dead clothes and put on the Holy Robe…

Sing your new song, dance around God’s throne, renew your vows of Covenant song…It’s the blood of Jesus, poured out for you, take His hand and sing along!

Let His Joy bring new strength

Come to the living waters and drink

Rise up out of your slumber…

Oh, grave where is your victory? Oh, death where is your sting?

A refreshing, happy stance, embraced in love with just one glance…

Come forth little flower and bloom once again…

Life isn’t over, it’s a new beginning!

Don’t you know you will never die…

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 New King James Version

~Marla Shaw O’Neill November 8, 2022

A tiny seed beneath the earth grows deep as silently it sleeps.

Sunshine and rain bring nourishment to the living, sleeping seed.

Changes take place, no eye has seen as it stretches and moves in mystery~

Roots grow deeper as the little sleeper, awakens to form a tree!

The sky beckons as the branches reach-out and the wooded tree stands tall, a thousand leaves wave in the breeze as Summer turns to Fall.

There in its shade as time passes by, secrets kept in forest pride, bowing to its maker the ancient, tree, dies.

Winter passes and Springtime awakes as another tree is found.

Life goes on in the cycle, a tiny seed does sleep~

Awakens in time for a serenade under the eastern sky.

Lifting its head in the bright sunlight a baby tree now thrives.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill November 6, 2022

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1 King James Version

 

 

Last night was a turning point for me. I tossed and turned and prayed it seemed no relief would come. Then I prayed, “Lord, I will trust you before, during and after this test!” And just like that God answered, sweet sleep came, and I woke up so much better this morning! God wants us to trust him, NO MATTER WHAT! He’s the one in control! Amen…I pray God’s healing touch over all of you today, in Jesus name, amen! He gave me this to write!

I Will

Into the night of crashing waves, a crescendo of sound rises and falls as electricity lights up the sight.

Tossed on a sea of terror, without help or safety, “Save me from this fright!”

The mind searches for relief,

A hero I can believe in who will rescue and deliver me.

Hours of torment in agony spent, then one prayer, in desperation, is cast into the sea and reaches the heavenlies…

“Abba, I will trust you in this harrowing test, if you save me or I perish~

I take my resolve, as I press on to find in you my perfect rest, the Savior of my soul~

Peace, sweet peace has come!

God, you have won, anguish and terror is overcome, I lay me down in blessedness…

No harm can reach me now!

Not stormy sea, nor fear of death, can touch me in your embrace~

For God has answered, I am set free in your unfailing grace.

One tiny grain of faith, surrendered to your will, help me Jesus to remember

Just, be, still!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 31, 2022

Mark 4:39

New King James Version

³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace,^[a] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Footnotes

1. Mark 4:39 Lit. Be quiet

One of my closest and dearest friends sent me a video of her two grandbabies, little girls. One is four and the other will be one in November. The oldest one is holding her baby sister while she drinks her bottle. She sings, “Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky, twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.” The baby starts to sit up, but the older sister says, “Shh. Lay back down. It’s ok, I’m right here!” How precious is that?

I had been talking to Bob about the end times and things that are going on in the world. Then my friend Charisse called, and we had a conversation almost always about the Lord, this conversation was no different. I told her about a young missionary who spoke at Church yesterday. He and his family are going to be missionaries to France. He gave some statistics which show, that one, in one hundred actually live the Christian life. Then he showed a graph of the US and said, about twenty-six, in one hundred, practice their faith in Jesus and live a Christian life. I was so sad when I saw that. “Twenty-Six out of One Hundred?” That was shocking! I was like, Dear Jesus only 26 people out of 100, it should be more like 99 out of 100!

How far we have fallen and don’t seem to be getting up!! If twenty-six out of one hundred were actually doing what Jesus has called us to do…then that number should be growing exponentially! No wonder the country is in the mess it’s in!!!

Who will go? Who will preach the good news? Who will live the life so that others will come to repentance and live a life pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ??

Lord, help me! Help us! Open blinded eyes to see, open deaf ears to hear your Spirit and your truth. Send conviction and repentance. We cry out for Revival but what we need is a blood transfusion, the blood of Jesus was not shed in vain!! Help us to bow before you and ask to be forgiven for believing lies. We are lulled to sleep by the lust of the eyes, the pride of life and the lust of the flesh!! Help us to be soul winners not soul whiners!

HELP US GOD TO WAKE UP!

We the American people are deceived and being deceived by the enemy not seen in the physical. Open our spiritual eyes to see through the façade…wake us up out of this hypnotic and delusional, self-seeking, not wanting to offend, sleepwalk!

Shake us awake Oh God…let your Holy Spirit and Fire, set ablaze the hearts of men, women, boys and girls to come alive and shout from the streets, to raise up dead churches, lifeless ministers who preach sweet nothings to the ear, but are full of dead men’s bones, those who will tell of a Hell fire and brimstone that is real where the worm never dies, so that souls will once again seek you in righteousness and holiness and speak to hurting, lost, souls. Let us become bold and courageous that we will not be afraid of what man can do to us but what God can do. Not in condemnation…but in Spirit and in Truth! Be warned the Bible is not a fairy tale. It is the very breath of God given by inspired men, spoken in mystery but tell what is to come on the earth! People WAKE UP! WAKE UP!

People think everything is just fine, as long as it doesn’t affect them there’s no need to worry or be concerned… that’s exactly what the devil wants us to believe!!! Shake yourself and return to your First Love! Fast and Pray! Be Alert! No longer bury your head in the sand. We escape to social media for a make-believe life. We may go to church and even stand and worship but when it’s over we go back to our unfulfilled, hurting, stressed out lives but don’t let anyone see the truth! It’s called living in denial.

If you’re one of the 26 in 100 who is living out your faith, God bless you and keep you and give you peace to witness for Jesus and be soul winners for Him. To the other 74 people, listen, I know you think Christians are hypocrites. They say one thing but live another. Is it better to live an ungodly life, and then die and go to a burning hell, all because you were deceived into judging someone you thought was fake. Will you let the lies of the enemy deceive you which will cause you to end up with him for all eternity? A place more horrible than your worst nightmare~ scarier than a Steven King book! Where the worm never dies, and your thirst is never quenched! Where the burning of your soul never stops burning and no help will ever come!

Forget about what someone else is doing, Jesus wants Your heart! You come follow him. He loves you. He died for You!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17 King James Version

And when you are converted, strengthen others. Go into all the world, the world around you and live the God life Jesus wants you to live. Be a soul winner! Be sold out, blood bought, no holds barred because children of God and those reading…Jesus will return! Maybe not today or tomorrow but it will happen. Live truth! Walk by faith and in Spirit and truth! Jesus is calling You; will you follow?

Then, Jesus will say, It’s OK, I’m right here!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 10, 2022

²⁰ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20 King James Version

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

²⁵ Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

²⁶ For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷ And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

²⁹ Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

³⁰ Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

³¹ Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

³² Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:18-32 King James Version

Three little words, when heard

Make your heart skip a beat

Turn bitter into sweet.

Three little words can make you feel happy and complete.

Three little words, when spoken, is all it takes

To set your feet to dancing, change your life and makes, life, worth living…

Three little words, written in a song, a letter or a book…

Changes the foulest expression into a compassionate look…

Three little words, from that special someone, whom you’ve waited to hear say.

They, will stop tears in their tracks, keep hurts at bay, turn emotional tides and send the pain away…

Three little words, do you know what they are?

Expressed in love letters, when parting, or arriving, offered between friends and spouses, in the most unlikely places but mostly in houses. In fields, or on land, in the sky or at sea, three little words will definitely affect you and me.

Three little words when spoken from the heart, will send you to the moon and back, while watching a falling star…cause chills to run up and down your spine…kiss the little boo boos of a child when they whine…

What are these three little words?

Spoken from the heart, all you have to do; simply say these three little words, “I love you!”

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 2, 2022

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 New King James Version

 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3 New King James Version

Dedicated to my beautiful friend of more than forty years, Faye Palmer per our conversation today! You are a fireball for Jesus!!

God, I’m in this battle by no choice of my own

But you have equipped me, and so, please help me not to moan…

Help me Jesus keep my eyes focused on who you are, and where I’m going, knowing…

The battle is not mine Lord, help me raise my spirit-sword, to fight this evil-foe.

Lord, let your anointing flow!

I’m in the battle-stance with arms lifted high, praise and worship pouring from my heart, I will not die…

In you, I live and breathe and move slaying giants in my wake…

Thank you, Jesus, for the call and help me to make…

Every word count, as I worship you, in Spirit and in Truth…

GOD, YOU ARE MY FORTRESS, BY JESUS’S REDEEMING BLOOD…

Warrior’s shouting in Victory has caused a mighty flood…

There will be no retreat, for we will defeat, the enemy, on this day…

Interceding Saints-of-God unceasingly pray…

Our warfare is not fought by flesh and bone…

But by worshipping YHWY and him alone…

So, stand Holy Warrior, in the battle strong…

The battle is the Lord’s, and he will take us on…

Lay aside your burdens, sing the Gospel song…

Amazing Grace is taking us, all the way home!

Until the final curtain, is dropped for you and me…

Blow the Shofar, then listen, and you will see…

God in full armor has set the captives Free!!!

Keep your eyes on the prize and live victoriously!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill September 26, 2022

2 Chronicles 20:15

Tree of Life Version ¹⁵ and he said:

“Listen all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat. Thus, Adonai says to you, ‘Do not be afraid or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

 

Three times within the last hour I’ve come across I Corinthians 13:1-13; Love is…

So, God is saying…

The most important thing is, The Way of Love

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

² If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

^3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

^8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

¹¹ When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

¹² We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

¹³ But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 The Message Bible

Marla Shaw O’Neill, BCBB, September 9, 2022

For the last few days, I’ve had this thought on my heart and mind. But first let me say this. Throughout my life, as far back as I can remember I have loved reading books. I’m a bit old fashioned coming from a generation of the 1950’s to current times, so you will understand where I’m “coming” from. “In those days,” life was different. We had black and white television, a phone that either sat on a table or one attached to the wall that you’d have to dial for outgoing calls. The cordless phones came later as well as cell phones, those were not even imagined when I was growing up. In my earlier life books were entertainment for me. I could take a novel, go into my room that I shared with my sister and read for hours. I loved mysteries, the ones where a governess was sent to teach children in faraway places. The wife had died, and the master of the house was unavailable, and there was always a mysterious death that had to be solved, etc…

In high school I took a creative writing class. I wrote poems and little stories. I guess I’ve always been a teller of tails. In my later adult life, I actually wrote and self-published a few books. But my passion has been the inspirational poems the Lord has given me to write and post on my blog, becourageousbebold.com.

The majority of the genre I read today are Christian nonfiction books about real-life applications of integrating Christian faith into everyday routine and I love biblical fiction. Authors like, Max Lucado, Bodie Thoene, Mario Murillo, Larry Huch, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lisa Bevere, Che’ Ahn, John G. Lake, Robert Morris, John Hagee, to name just a few…

I’ve read books by these authors, but I have never met them. Some are still living; some have long sensed passed from this earth.

With all that being said, here is the thought I’ve been having. I read the Holy Bible. I’ve heard the stories time and time again over the years and I never tire of them. The words in the Holy Bible give life, truth and wisdom. There are mysteries, love stories, wars, miracles, ghost stories, how to applications, etc., But I’ve never met the author of the Bible in bodily form. I can say I’ve met him in Spirit. By faith and grace, I’ve come to know him. I know him in a deep and personal way. I’ve felt his presence and his touch. No, I’ve never seen him face to face, but I know him through the Holy Spirit and his word. He speaks to me and guides me and loves me like no one else ever has.

Here’s my thoughts, and questions. Do you, know the author of “The Book?”

Is he a fantasy to you? Is he just wishful thinking? Is he really, really real to you? We read the book, quote the book, study the book. Buy the book and give the book away. But is it “just a book?” Have you met the author? More importantly than having the book on the shelf is to know the author and have a deep personal relationship with him.

You may say, but he’s invisible and intangible. How can I possibly know him the way you are describing? Well, let me tell you. The author is God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. God sent his son, Jesus, to die for us. Resurrected for us. So that He could send the Holy Spirit, the breath of life, who is the teacher, guide, counselor, helper and revealer of who God is, so that we can know, know God, in a concrete, more-than-real-way, through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, (He is ever present, has unlimited power and knows everything) he makes it possible to know the author and finisher of our faith. With God, All things are possible! God is love and he is longing for you to know Him.

All you have to do, is say, Lord Jesus, I want to know you, take away my sin, forgive me, come into my heart, save me, so I can know you in a personal and profound way to make you the Lord and savior of my life! Amen (so be it) if you asked this…then…

Your book has just been signed and sealed by the Author, ~Papa God!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill, August 8, 2022

Hebrews 12:2 King James Version ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 John 14:18 New International Version ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

 John 24-30 Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.

John 14:26 New Living Translation ²⁶ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

 John 7:37-39 New Living Translation Jesus Promises Living Water ³⁷ On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! ³⁸ Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” ³⁹ (When he said, “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

 

This book is very old

Like grandma its spine is bent and weak

Its pages yellow with age, when opened it creeks!

It smells different too, because time has made it so

Stacked on dusty bookshelves often forgotten and left to itself…

Frayed, thin pages, make them difficult to turn

Be gentle with it, for it’s quite fragile and old

Weathered many tests and traveled many roads

The words may be different than what you’re used to reading

But make no mistake the story is worth receiving…

It has passed through many hands

Found itself in a number of lands

Like grandma, it has a story to tell, so hold onto it and become the best of friends

Open the first page see the copywrite date of its birth

Like grandma it spent a long time here living on this earth~

And like grandma this old book is tender and dear

Hold onto it, read it with the greatest of care

For books and grandma’s, old or new tell amazing stories to inspire you.

The old book will fade one day, it’ll be gone without a trace…

But like the lines on the pages and furrows on grandma’s face

Memories will always be there molded in your heart to share…

The old book and grandma, though tattered and torn, will never fade away!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill August 5, 2022

Malachi 3:16-18

The Message

¹⁶ Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name.

^17-18 God-of-the-Angel-Armies said, “They’re mine, all mine. They’ll get special treatment when I go into action. I treat them with the same consideration and kindness that parents give the child who honors them. Once more you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, between serving God and not serving him.”

 

I was the woman caught in adultery

Sentenced, judged and condemned…

My accusers dragged me through the streets

Then threw me before Him~ the rabbi from Jerusalem!

Ashamed, ridiculed, I lay shattered at his feet

I dare not look at him, broken, I began to weep!

“This woman was caught in the very act of adultery,

What say you Rabbi she’s filthy and weak.”

Jesus bends down and begins writing in the dirt…

Then, he begins to speak~

I could not believe what I was hearing His words so gentle and meek

Powerful, defying these pious judgmental priests~~

Jesus knew their hearts were deceitful, wanting only to set a trap to capture him!

The Rabbi was no fool, when he spoke, I held my breath,

Then I breathed again as he spoke to them~

“Let he who is without sin throw the first stone…”

I was shocked, I thought surely, I’d die this day, but one, by one, they dropped their stones and slowly walked away~

Trembling and shaken I knelt before Him~

“Woman, where are your accusers?”

“Nowhere my Lord!”

“Neither do I condemn you, go, and sin no more!”

Tears of joy spilled from my eyes; I had been redeemed; I will not die…

My life forever changed!

New name, I now proclaim, “I’m a daughter of the King!!”

~Marla Shaw O’Neill August 5, 2022

John 8:3-11

King James Version

³ And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

⁴ They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

⁵ Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

⁶ This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

⁷ So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

⁸ And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

¹⁰ When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

¹¹ She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.