From A Seedling to To a MightyTree For God
Jude 1:20 (Expanded Bible)
20 But [ you] ·dear friends [beloved], ·use your most holy faith to build yourselves up [or build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith; C the whole body of true Christian doctrine and practice], praying ·in [in dependence on; or as directed by; or according to the will of] the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ ·to give you [that leads to] ·life forever [eternal life].
Last night as I was praying, I said, “Lord, there are so many in pain and hurting and are crying out for peace and help but they don’t really know how to receive that help. What can I do Jesus?”
His words came through loud and clear, “Build yourself up in your most holy faith, praying the Holy Spirit.”
“Ah,” I said, “Of course.”
Jesus told his disciples and his mother, as well as the other women in their group, to tarry (wait) in Jerusalem, until they were endued (endow with some gift, quality, or faculty, to put on, to clothe) with power from on High…He was going to send another comforter (The Promise) to them.
Luke 24:48-50 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our healer, our teacher, our helper, our deliverer. He is the Spirit of God!
Seek Jesus…ask Him to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit…He is willing and ready to fill a clean vessel, a vessel that has accepted Jesus, as the only begotten son of God. The Holy Spirit comes to reveal Jesus to us and helps us walk in the spirit so we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. (Three areas Satan tempted Jesus with in the wilderness and tempt us with today.) (Read Matthew 4: 1-11. and I John 2:16.)
Believers, brothers and sisters in Christ, you’re going to need that power in your life if you’re going to survive what’s coming…
He is that same power that raised Christ from the dead; He will give you discernment and the power to live in this world so that you will not be deceived.
Ask Jesus for the infilling of the Holy Spirit…and then, build yourselves up every day in your most holy faith…praying in the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Who Will You Choose
Your life is but a vapor, like the grass it withers’ and dies…
You’re given a choice today my friend, don’t wait for your demise…
Jesus is calling; don’t wait til it’s too late…
Put your soul within his hands…and trust him with your fate…
And if by chance, death calls your name…it’s heaven you will gain…
Do You Hear That, God is Singing…
Zephaniah 3:17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you[a] in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
You know how excited you get when you lose something and then find it…
Can you imagine how God must feel when one who is lost comes to him and is found…born anew…the light is turned on in their souls and they become a new creature in Christ…
There is a party that goes on in heaven when that happens, the angels celebrate!
But like this verse says God will exult over you with’ LOUD SINGING!!!!!
Can you grasp the Creator of the Universe, the Almighty God, the Ancient of Age…Throwing his head back, mouth opened wide, lungs filled with air, he begins singing over you?
If you could comprehend that…
What would be the words of the song?
What would God sing over you?
Think about it for a moment…
Words like;
My precious child…my darling, my love, my sweet, sweet baby…
I’ve longed for you to come to me for the longest time…
I’ve counted the days; I’ve watched you from afar…
I’ve prayed that you would give your heart and life to me;
I gently wooed you…
I sang you to me…
And then with a loud boisterous song…the words ring out…
You’re finally here with me…
I love you more than you can ever fathom, I will shower you with kisses and happiness
I don’t have to wait another moment…
You are here, forever, in my heart!
I’m so thankful you are home.
Something to ponder…
God waits too…
He’s merciful and gracious and longs to have a relationship with us!
But He will not go against our free will…
Give Him all your heart…
Just as you have that longing for your children to love you, and call you, when they are away…
God feels the same way~
And when one comes home…listen…
God is singing a loud song…
He is rejoicing…over one who was lost
But now is found!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill 11/16/2015
The Giving Heart November 5, 2015
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17 (NKJV)
The Giving Heart
Surrender and Humility
Two friends that walk together
Surrender says I lay it down
Humility speaks without a sound
Pride will drive you to hold your own
In haughtiness and defiance
God looks for the broken heart
As it stands in contrite obedience
Humility bows before her foe
As Surrender walks down the rocky road
Right may stand within their grasp
At all the wiles of circumstance
But in the end, these two friends
Gain everything…
Victorious in giving…
They win.
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill November 5, 2015©
When God Calls Your Name
So, the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9 – (HCSB)
When God Calls Your Name…
Searching for something
But what I just can’t tell
It’s just beyond my grasp
It’s just beyond that hill…
Tossing and turning through the night…
Who’s there…?
I wake in fright…
Someone is calling my name I hear…
Who’s there…?
I whisper again…
Straining to see, in the darkness I stare…
Heart pounding…
All senses on alert…
Silence…
Darkness; yet I see a tiny spark of light
Ears tuned, listening with intent, but hearing only…
Silence…
Then, within a millisecond…
A voice loud and clear
Shatters the void,
I am waiting to hear…
“Where are you, why do you run from me…?
I’m been calling you for many years…
Come, and see
The joys I have waiting for thee…
No need of money or script or purse…
What I have for thee is free…
Bought and paid for
Upon an old rugged tree…
Come home now…
Your struggle is through…
It’s time to rest…
I’ve been waiting here for you.”
My search is finished…
I’ve finally found
What I was searching for…
Not success…or fame…or material things…
But perfect peace in Jesus name!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 28, 2015
Remember Lot’s Wife – Don’t Look Back
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Genesis 19:26
Remember Lot’s Wife Don’t Look Back
Was she a righteous woman…
Who stood in the shadow of her man…
Is there but ten who will follow
The God of Abraham….
Green pastures rich and flourishing
Peace and rest is found…
But in the sinful city her heart was hardened and bound…
Angels came to deliver them…
But she; apprehensive to leave,
For this was her life
This is all that she believed…
Come away from here make haste;
This place is destined for fire…
Take your family; flee…
Death is emanate; have no desire
To stay within this place
Judgment has come
There will be no saving grace…
Taking flight they hurry
Running through the night…
But the woman full of regret
Leaving all behind, memories of her past
Turns not heeding will this be her last…
Shutting out God’s word His messengers she spurned
Wanting her country, wanting only to return…
“Do not look back.” This was God’s command…
Just one look, that’s all it took…
Her breath and life in that moment, forsook
As she turns to take one final look…
A Pillar of salt now stands…
Stone cold, lifeless…
Death from disobedience…
Oh, please, learn this lesson from the Holy Book…
Remember Lot’s wife, you women of worth…
Looking back only turns to regret and hurt…
Put away your idols, your past is gone…never look back…
Keep forging on…
Live in the now…
Heart rich and free…
For God has given His love to thee!
When he says go…don’t look back, just flee!
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill October 26, 2015©
Genesis 19:15-26; Luke 17:29-33
The Secret Place
No judgment, no bitterness no blame
I’ll instruct you with wisdom and secrets so rare
Your heart will sing and dance again
Hold onto your faith like an eagle take flight
Soaring over the mountain peaks
Don’t look to the left or to the right
Just keep me, in your sight
Lay your head upon my breast
Come to me with all your heart
Be childlike there and rest
I’ll keep you in my arms forever
And love you tenderly
My Grace is sufficient for thee
No fear or doubt to keep you bound
It’s faith that pleases me
My feathers will cover and hide you, in our secluded place
No rejection will you see in me
No utterances of displeasure
As long as you walk in my presence my child
Goodness and Mercy will follow, you’ll see
As you linger there and feel my embrace
See the scars of long ago upon my hands and feet
A crown of thorns, and bleeding side my blood and water fell
While hanging on a cruel tree upon Golgotha’s hill
Tis finished I cried, and tis finished still
Receive the joy and strength you need so others watching may know
That there’s life and peace, they too can have waiting there for them also;
And in this secret place they’ll find, angels watching silently
Standing in awe at the sight they see, the wonder, the mystery
All who dwell in the secret place will abide under the shadow of the Almighty!
~Marla O’Neill ©8/21/1988, revised 4/24/13
Psalm 91
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him. (NLT)
Silence… Revelations 8:1
Silence…
Time…
Stood…
Still…
On a
Tiny…
Ugly hill…
Earth…
Grew…
Dark…
He died!
Heaven…
Rejoiced!
Paradise…
Emptied…
Of…
Those…
In wait!
Breath…
Of…
Life!
Victory!
Death…
Took flight!
Risen…
Alive…
God…
Survived!
Salvation…
Blood…
Bought…
Jesus…
Waits…
Time…
Stands…
Still!
He
Comes!
Lamps…
Full…
Time…
To…
Go…
Silence…
Rejoice…
Evermore!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 16, 2015©
The Lamb Breaks the Seventh Seal
8 When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, [a] there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1New Living Translation (NLT)









