Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

This post is written by my husband, Bob O’Neill. Listening to an online message last week by Pastor, Jonathan McQuitty, Bob remembered something he had learned in a small group while attending Journey Church. He wrote this today; I hope it ministers to your heart as much as it did mine.

Journey Church will always be home to us. God has sent us out to reach others on our journey, so read on my friends and remember…when you are converted, strengthen your brethren.

In my faith journey I’ve met many unique people. The story is very long but for now, let me describe one event. Then I’ll expand on that.

When Marla and I moved to south Florida we searched for a church we could call home. We found it in Journey Church. It was there that I met a group of guys at a men’s group meeting. We were studying… I don’t remember exactly as there have been so many but before we started the actual discussion that evening, we were chatting.

The topic came up ‘What is your go to bible verse?’. I thought about that and realized I didn’t have one. Later that week, I was listening to the bible.

Then one morning I heard Jesus say to Peter… ‘…So, when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.’ Luke 22:32 NLT

I thought, that’s it. Jesus is talking to me! As I heard that statement over and over in my head it struck me that this is spoken to me, now, and every day. So, I began to think about this.

I would like to… unpack it? I’m not exactly sure what that means other than to say that this one statement speaks volumes and it’s the volumes that I hope to relate, as I see it.

First, let’s look at the statement itself one part at a time. So, when you have repented…

Jesus was speaking to Peter, and He knew that Peter was a misfit to say the least. Peter’s past, though forgiven stuck with him. Jesus also knew what Peter would do in the future, both the bad and the good. Remember the rooster crowing three times? Peter ran off and wept bitterly. Luke 22:62.

So, Peter not only did what he said he would never do because he was weak at that moment, he regretted it and repented.

But was it all Peter’s fault? I don’t think so. I think that Satan knew how strong Peter would be in the creation of the church and wanted to ‘nip it in the bud’ so to speak. Little did Satan know… well he should have known; he’ll never win the war.

Before we go too deep in this one statement, we should look at it in the context of the complete verse starting with the verse before it.

Verse 31 reads…31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. Luke 22:31 NLT

Jesus was not only talking about Peter but all of the disciples at the time, but I believe this applies to anyone who has become a follower of Jesus. As I said, Peter would turn out to be a key factor in the creation of the church. Satan knew this and wanted to keep this from happening. Satan also knew that he can’t ‘sift’ without permission. Jesus knew this and stepped in on behalf of Peter. Jesus prayed for protection for each of His disciples including Peter, protection from this attack from Satan.

32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. Luke 22:32 NLT

It doesn’t hurt to have the King of Kings in your corner. Still, it was up to each of the disciples to step up, strengthen their faith and resist Satan’s attacks.

Let’s now look again at the last part of this verse… ‘…So, when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.’ Luke 22:32 NLT

Jesus knew that Peter would be attacked and would fail. But he also believed that Peter would return. I say that Jesus believed this rather than knew it because we all have free will and, well it could have gone totally wrong. Well, Jesus had a very STRONG belief that Peter would return. After all, he did say that ‘when’ you repent and turned to me again… Did he say ‘when’ to encourage Peter or because he knew rather than believed that Peter would repent and turn to Him again. This may be debated but that’s not the point of this.

So many people don’t even know Jesus or what he did to save us ‘ALL’. For those who don’t know him, does Jesus still care about them? Of course, he does. He didn’t die on the cross only for those who knew him at the time but for everyone, then and now. Consider Saul who later became Paul. Not only did he persecute the new believers but killed some as well just for believing in Jesus. Then on his trip to do more damage in Damascus, Jesus came to him on the road and… well… in Acts Chapter 9, Saul got the traumatic conversion we all should have. He was blessed in one respect. That is, that he was singled out for a face to face with Jesus. Not on the road, Saul was summoned into the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Many of us don’t get that face to face until after we believe and have asked Jesus to come into our life, if then. Mush less a glimpse of what Heaven is like. Does that make us any less? No, I think it makes us even more. Saul was convinced by his traumatic experience. Those who know Jesus and have asked him into their hearts, believe yet have not seen.

How does the verse ‘…So, when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.’ apply to us? When we have repented and turned to Jesus as when we accept him as our Lord and Savior, he commands that we strengthen each other. Do we need to repent? Of course, we do, of anything we do, think or say which may keep us in sin. Even if we’ve accepted Jesus as our Lord and savior, do we never again sin? Turning away from those things which keeps in sin is to repent. When we repent and turn back to Him strengthening others helps us stay that way. Woah what an interesting thought! How is that you ask? Well think about it… by working daily to strengthen others in their faith can only strengthen our own faith. If you have stronger faith by following Jesus’ command to strengthen our brothers, then the prayer Jesus prayed for Peter is answered in us as well.

Who should we strengthen? We identify those who need strengthening and offer our help. This help can take the form of many things. Sometimes it’s simply a kind word and a discussion that will help our ‘brothers and sisters’ out of a spiritual battle. Sometimes it’s simply praying for someone or with someone.

There are many ways to accomplish the ‘strengthen your brothers’ part of this command. We must use our imagination and perhaps, think outside the box.

Here are some ways.

· Serve at your church

o If your church doesn’t have serve teams, start one

· Lead a small group

o People who want more will flock to your group

· Encourage everyone you meet

· Love more deeply, especially those closest to you

~Bob O’Neill, June 23, 2022

Shawn K. Carson Artwork

Sitting in the thick of the forest with a bubbling brook nearby…

I looked to see a sunbeam streaming through the trees.

I’d been seeking him for so long I knelt upon my knees

Papa God where are you? I know you’re the God who sees.

I knelt there quietly and then I heard the voice, melodious and sweet

Gently, flowing on the breeze.

He spoke with tenderness, he was not harsh, I could barely believe his words, for in that moment

I quickly seized; his holy presence as it surrounded me.

Heart pounding, I took a look and this is what I found.

His piercing, smiling eyes, met mine and I began to cry.

He turned his face towards me I was awe struck and bowed before the King.

I’ve never known such peace and love, God turned his face to me, more gracious than anything in this realm, had I ever seen, and in that moment, I had no need.

No need of identity, no need of material gain, no need of wanting any earthly thing.

For I was seeking God’s good pleasure and his face is what I found. Flesh set free, unbounding love had been given unselfishly to me.

His smile was more radiant than the sun. His eyes like fire but didn’t burn. The ancient of age was not old, he was meek, childlike and calm. I reached to touch his face, he waited with tenderness and grace. And when I touched his skin, it was translucent like a cloud that gave a mirror image of who I was only it was not me it was Him.

And then he said, “Child of mine, I love you so, it is I who gave you life. Choose to use it for my good, choose to love not hate.”

Sitting in the thick of the forest, God turned his face to me…

Now all I see is Jesus everywhere I go and in everyone I meet.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill May 6, 2022

Numbers 6:24-26

King James Version The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11 King James Version

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 New International Version

 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 King James Version

 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 New International Version

I was talking to a very dear friend of mine this morning and I was telling her about the message we heard last night at Encounter Night, Journey Church. It was powerful. Pastor Jonathan spoke on how we have a new name. Like Jacob, became Israel. Abram became Abraham. Saul became Paul. For our, new name, when we accept Jesus, we are called Saints. The message was packed with insightful wisdom and encouragement. He explained how the enemy, the devil, speaks to our minds and attacks our identity in Christ. So, as I was telling my friend about the message, I said, “You know, the enemy uses words too. He perverts God’s word and before we know it, we are listening to his lies instead of what God says. God’s words are truth. That’s why it is so important to know the word of God. God’s word is life and power and love and peace it comforts and protects. It builds up, it does not tear down. God is the word!

Our thoughts are words and words are how we communicate. We have to renew our minds constantly, by transforming our minds. To think on good things, things that are pure and good and of a good report.

We have two enemies…the devil and ourselves…but there is a remedy…

The devil uses the same tactics every time. Why? Because it works. We don’t have to be smarter than him, all we have to do is know God as the Word and if anything does not line up with what He has said, it is not of Him, don’t think it.

What are you letting your mind get away with? What thoughts are you entertaining? Take every thought captive unto Christ. Know the Word, speak the word, think the word, live the word of God. Then you will have peace of mind. You will have victory. You will live by faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!

In the verse “Take the helmet of salvation AND the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” It never occurred to me that the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit together is the word of God. I always thought that it was only the sword of the Spirit that was the word of God. Something to ponder.

We have to discipline our mind and thoughts to think on the Word of God.

That old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Is totally wrong. Words can hurt. There is life and death in the power of the tongue. Words can wound and kill even in our thoughts. Be safe and be aware of the words you are thinking.

Be mindful of your thoughts are they God thoughts? If not, then capture them and dispose of them. Replace them with God words. Your thoughts will become words and your words will become actions. Make sure they are good!

I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. Job 23:12

 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. John 6:63

 ~Marla Shaw O’Neill April 7, 2022

The earth was formless and empty…

Darkness was over the surface of the deep…

Then came the Spirit of God and he hovered over the waters…

God said, LET THERE BE LIGHT…And there, was, light. It was good. He separated the Light from the Darkness…

Step into the Light…

A life that is void of light is formless and empty there is no life…

A life filled with darkness is without hope, without peace and without love there is no joy, no purpose…

It is blind, deaf and cannot speak…

The Spirit of God hovers over the darkness and says, LET THERE BE LIGHT!

Child, come out of the darkness, step into the light…

Lungs are filled for the first time with new breath. A brand-new heart is formed as stone becomes flesh beating in perfect rhythm as the blood washes and cleanses all impurities…renewed mind with graciousness and worth…

Shadows flee, light fills the soul, the earthen vessel is made whole!

A new beginning, I’ve stepped into the light, and it is good!

In the beginning God created…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill April 5, 2022

The Beginning

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1 NIV

He was a quiet man. Gentle and compassionate. He was interested in others needs more than his own. People were his delight especially children. He never tired of listening to the story’s others would share with him. Eating, laughing, talking, visiting with everyone he met. He shared the very first Facebook social network. Only he actually did it face to face. He was a teller of parables and knew the scriptures well. A gifted orator. A man of truth and light. Yet he was a quiet man. He was a teacher and a mentor to twelve very odd men. He loved them all. What was it that drew people to him? Made them either love him or hate him.

I am the God who sees

I am the God who hears

I am the God who speaks

I am the God who delivers

I am the God who saves

I am the God who serves

I am the God who lives

I am the God who sings

I am the God who gives

I am the God who cares

I am the God who prays

I am the God who liberates

I am the God who listens

I am the God who works

I am the God who shakes

I am the God who creates

I am the God who frees

I am the God who heals

I am the God who intervenes

I am the God who corrects

I am the God who connects

I am the God who understands

I am the God who wins

I am the God of mercy

I am the God of kindness

I am the God of peace

I am the God of love

I am the God of forgiveness

I am longsuffering

I am steadfast, immovable, impenetrable, undefeated, soul-saving, Spirit-breathing, life-giving, never ending, eternal, omnipotent, embracing, YHWH.

I AM all that you will ever need!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill March 24, 2020

Exodus 3:14 New Living Translation (NLT)

14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.[a] Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”

Footnotes:

1. 3:14 Or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.

After the rain, comes the rainbow

Before the storm, comes the calm

After the pain and sorrow, comes relief for a brighter tomorrow.

Each moment is an eternity of time making years

And in that eternity God wipes away our tears…

From birth to aged time we live

In hope, knowing, life never ends…

Closing our eyes our souls return to where it all begins.

His Kingdom come; His will be done,

in earth as it is in Heaven.

Amen.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill March 24, 2021

Woman, at the Feet of Jesus

April 17, 2010

 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so, she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

Do you have a younger sister? I do. There have been so many perspectives written about this I’d like to share mine.

I have a birth sister, a half-sister, a stepsister and sisters in the Lord. I am the oldest. And I can tell you if I was doing all the cooking, and cleaning and my sister was sitting listening to this wonderful teacher and in my heart, I knew he was the Messiah, I would want to be sitting right there too. But knowing, if I didn’t get dinner done, we wouldn’t have anything to eat that night, I’d say the same thing Martha said. “Jesus, tell Mary to help me!”

But in reading this story and the story of Lazarus’s death I think Jesus was preparing the two sisters for what was going to happen to their brother. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” In other words, “No Martha, I am not going to tell her to help you. You should be listening too!”

Jesus knew that Lazarus was going to die he waited four days to go to him. He knew that he would raise him from the dead. He also knew what their reactions would be. But these were his friends and as the story unfolds, they come to realize just who Jesus, really is.

In John 11:2 Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair.

(Emotional tears contain more beta-endorphins, some of our bodies’ natural pain relievers, and protein.) Taken from the article HAVE A GOOD CRY By Victor M. Parachin

She remembered what he said to her in Martha’s kitchen, and she knows what will be coming to her friend. So, with all the love and care she has for him, she gives to him freely an act of respect and kindness for the Messiah, he is her savior and so she anoints him.

Do you ever put yourself in these stories? Do you ever wonder what your response would be? I’m sure I can see me, as Martha but then after doing a bit of soul searching, I have a change of heart sigh and say, “OK, Lord, I hear you. I’ll take a little while and sit at your feet.” Oh, what a refreshing, what peace fills my soul there really is nothing that can compare to being in his presence.

Why do we let the cares and distractions of this world prevent us from sitting at Jesus’ feet?

Stop what you are doing right now…sit at his feet…look into his face by faith … and praise Him.

Put your name in this space “______________, __________ choose the better part.” Jesus is speaking are you listening?

©Written by: Marla O’Neill

Yesterday I had a wonderful conversation with a dear sister in the Lord and friend. There had been no activity over the weekend on our home for sale and it was getting a little discouraging. Then April called and said we have four different people who want to come and see the house. Then she said, you know it reminds me of where Jesus told Peter to, cast his net on the right side of the boat… Peter was conflicted and tired, but he had heard Jesus preach and so he did as Jesus asked. A leap of the faith, sometimes, is all it takes. All you have to do is obey.

Worked all night, the sun is coming up. There’s got to be a better way to make a living, cause fishing won’t pay the taxes we owe. Won’t feed our hungry souls. Tired, exhausted, no hope can I see, laboring for a day’s wage I won’t be paid today.

Then in the distance a man I’ve never met, said cast your net on the other side.

I can’t believe my ears or my eyes…what is he asking me to do? I’m tired and weary from the long hard night. Did I hear him correctly? What can this possibly accomplish? But it’s the master, so he does as Jesus asks.

Throwing the net on the other side not knowing why… I obey! Fish! Thousands of glorious, beautiful, stinky fish come pouring into the boat so full the nets begin to break…

Astonished, bewildered, amazed, surprised…I didn’t believe, but acting on this man’s words…Cast your net…cast your net on the other side and you will receive…

Laughing, crying, then panic as the boat begins to sink, thrilled I couldn’t even think…

Are you feeling defeated today? Are you at the end of your rope? Disgusted, beaten down by life without hope?

Cast your net on the right side of the boat…then watch as “the man,” Jesus, shows you what He can do. You may not even have the faith to believe but I believe. I believe in the God who can do more than we can imagine, or even ask, or think! I’m telling you today, cast your net on the other side and watch as Jesus multiplies all you need!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill March 10, 2022

John 21:6

New King James Version

⁶ And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So, they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.