Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

Sometimes the only prayer we can offer, is silence, in the presence of the LORD

You open your mouth to speak, you search for the words but only offer empty gestures, nothing more…

Searching your heart, you find only silence and you think…what is this Lord…?

Then He reminds you, to be still…listen…be quiet and embrace the Holy Spirit

Calming my mind, my heart speaks…

Hear my prayer of silence Lord,

Nothing less and nothing more

Then simply sitting still obeying your holy will

Hear my prayer of silence…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 17, 2020

Psalm 46:10 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Surrender your anxiety!^[a]
Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God.
I am the God above all the nations,
and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth.

Footnotes:

• Psalm 46:10 The Septuagint reads “relax.”

Void of light

Darkness blinds; no sight

Unknown deep

An abyss of endless time

Lost but not knowing

Until a word is spoken…

Instantly the black whole is broken

Like a new breath, breathed in

The lungs are filled and light begins…

Exhaling…

God said… “Let there be…”

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 15, 2020

Genesis 1:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

The History of Creation

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

After a night of worship and praying and being in the presence of God, it was glorious. But this morning I needed some rest so I rested.

Shortly after getting up and taking care of a few things I received a message from my son Jonathan. He gave me news that one of his closest friends had passed away this morning. I was shocked and broke down immediately. I looked at this young man like a son. He was highly intelligent, witty, and he was kind. I knew he had battled sickness but I didn’t realize it was this bad. We had a conversation when Jonathan was in China, we discussed how that Jonny would probably marry Qing and he did. I don’t know why this has hit me so hard but I think it’s just that he was someone I respected and there was a mutual kindred spirit between us. I will miss him. Rest in peace young man; God comfort his wife and family.

This is the second day of our 21 Day Prayer and Fasting…and it could not have come at a better time…I needed this so much…

I have a confession to make…I’ve been a little distracted and earth bound lately…filling my spirit with natural things, not unhealthy or weird, but things that don’t profit the spirit much. My spiritual man had become a little neglected and complacent therefore weak. That’s not a good place to be… so the message our Pastor gave on Sunday past, was perfect…he talked about how, that, we are born with a sin nature but when we are born of God, he puts his holy spirit within us giving us a spiritual nature as well. And how the two war with each other constantly. Depending on what we do, will determine which nature will rule our lives. In other words what goes into our heart, mind, body and spirit is what we will produce. Our sin nature loves to sin. God never said sin wasn’t fun, he just said, don’t do it!

In order for our Spirit nature to thrive and be more Christ-like…we have to feed it, by prayer, and fasting, reading God’s word, worshiping, praising, singing psalms and hymns to him, and fellowship with other believers. Practicing these things strengthens the spirit nature and we begin to take on the personality of God. His love, his joy, his peace, his grace, his self-control, his long suffering, his patience, his kindness…these are the characteristics of our Holy Heavenly Father…we become more like him…and as a child of God that’s who I want to be more like, don’t you?

There’s nothing wrong with being natural except when it interferes with our relationship with the LORD. When you find yourself, being selfish, self-righteous, irritable, complaining, hateful, rude, agitated by everything and everyone…that is a good indication your sin nature is in control. It’s time for a house cleaning by the Holy Spirit and that is exactly what I had to do. Repentance is always the best way to get your spirit man back in sync and aligned with our Holy Papa God.

You see when our life-line is properly connected to the blood-line of Jesus, our heart will be God centered and Holy Spirit connected…then we will walk, talk, hear, see, feel, and be led by the Spirit of God and not our fleshly desires…

Sometimes you just have to clean your house…by making God’s house,(spiritual man) a house of prayer…begin with humility and then ask God to cleanse you by the washing of the water of his word…and a flood of grace will pour over your life like a sweet perfume filling the atmosphere…no longer will putrid, disgusting words and actions control you…Because you live in the image of God.

You’ll have His character living in, and through you, and you will be a delight to Him and to others around you.

God will use everything that happens in our life to get our attention and bring us to his fullness.

Let God’s Spirit abide in you one hundred percent, you’ll be happier and healthier. Because one day we are all going to leave this earth…and I want to live in God’s kingdom where there is love and joy and peace…and, the thing is, we can live that way now. But it takes disciple and a made up mind to exercise your spiritual muscles so that they become stronger than your sin nature…it’s sometimes painful but it is so much more worth it…God bless you today and give you strength and grace to become the person God is calling you to be. Amen.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 14, 2020

Galatians 5:16-17 The Passion Translation (TPT)

The Holy Spirit, Our Victory

¹⁶ As you yield freely and fully to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self – life.^{[a] 17} For your self – life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit and hinder him from living free within you! And the Holy Spirit’s intense cravings hinder your old self – life from dominating you! So then, the two incompatible and conflicting forces within you are your self – life of the flesh and the new creation life of the Spirit.^[b]

Footnotes:

• Galatians 5:16 Or “the natural realm.”

• Galatians 5:17 The concept of the “new creation life of the Spirit” is implied in the greater context of Galatians, and referred to explicitly in 6:15–16.

 

1 Corinthians 2:14 The Passion Translation (TPT)

¹⁴ Someone living on an entirely human level^[a] rejects^[b] the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit.

Footnotes:

• 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or “the natural man” or “the one without the Spirit.” The Aramaic can be translated “A man in his natural self cannot receive spiritual concepts.”

1. 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or “does not have access to.”

This came to me with such conviction and fervency Tuesday morning, January 7, 2020, I saw it so clearly, that I have to share it with you.

Being a person of prayer, I take it very seriously, but sometimes I get the impression from the general consensus that prayer is something you do only in an emergency or in Church and that most people are intimidated by it because they either, were never taught to pray, or, they just don’t want to take the time to pray because they don’t understand. Please hear my heart.
Prayer is more than just saying poetic words, it’s more than bowing the head and folding the hands and thanking God for our daily bread. Although that is important. A prayer can be as simple as saying, “Thank you Jesus.” “Or Help me Lord.” But it can also be so much more…

Prayer is communion, talking and listening, with our loving heavenly father. When a person prays not just from their head, but from their heart, demons tremble…they quake and run for cover because the prayer warrior is in the presence of the living God. That prayer warrior is touching God’s heart and moving heaven and earth on behalf of the recipient for the request. They are storming the throne-room of heaven knowing by faith that God is listening and will respond, by giving the Holy Spirit permission to act and deliver God’s mercy and grace on our behalf.

You don’t have to be afraid to talk to God…he loves us so much and longs to have conversations with his kids…Jesus came to be our dearest friend and savior an intermediary between us and God. Jesus talked to his father daily and he wants us to have that one on one relationship with him too.

God will dispatch his Holy Angels to come to our aid, so that, the angels are free to fight on our behalf because, the prayer warrior, has proclaimed victory over defeat…freedom from sin and death…diseases will dry up…hearts are given freedom… and life is made whole. Governments surrender to the angel armies in the spiritual realm and in the natural realm, and peace settles in all realms…you may not see it but in the spiritual realm the enemy is slain and earth is safer because the prayer warrior is praying…YOU are the prayer warrior…you are the one the Holy Spirit is compelling to pray…pray means to ask…Jesus said, Ask and you will receive…

The fervent prayers of the saints hold back disasters…restore marriages…destroy strongholds of addictions, perversions, murder, lies, and give hope to the dying. God’s ears are open and his heart responds…when we pray. We pray with expectation but whether we get an immediate answer or not we trust in the one we are praying to. He’s not just wind in the sky…He’s not a fantasy or a wish…He’s not a tyrant or dictator…God is love. He’s not sitting on his throne with a whip in his hand yelling and screaming for you to obey him…He gives us a choice…he’s kind and gentle and so very patient…he extends mercy after mercy and without his grace…we’d all be sent straight to hell because of our wickedness…but God, made a way through Jesus’ shed blood, so that we are forgiven and when we come humbly before him to pray…God’s heart is full of love and devotion for us…

Never take prayer for granted or think of it as “just prayer, speaking into the wind.”
Abraham and Moses were men of prayer you know them, right? They’re pretty important men of the Bible… they changed their history by praying.

Hannah prayed with fervency and humility and God answered and gave her a son, Samuel. You remember him, don’t you? Samuel was not a wimp, he walked and talked with God every day, he was a great judge over Israel and God honored and loved him.

And there’s David, shepherd boy to Warrior King of Israel. David’s prayers were filled with praise to the LORD, he was a powerful man of prayer, the apple of God’s eye.
Hezekiah he was the 13th king of Judah…he prayed with right motives always concerned for God’s name and glory.

And one of the most consistent prayer warriors of all time is Daniel… even while in captivity he prayed three times a day with his windows open not hidden away but bold and courageous…and God and king honored him…(Daniel 6:10) the Lions wouldn’t even eat him because they knew Daniel belonged to God…their creator…

When you pray you are in the presence of kings…and prophets…and shepherd’s and disciples…and men and women and children of prayer. The angels stop and listen when you pray amazed by your loyalty and proclamations.

A prayer warrior is a person who perseveres, is committed, has endurance, hope, humility, long-suffering, is patient, with goodness, self-control, determination, is bold, courageous and prays in faith. A prayer warrior does not give in to self-doubt and is not self-seeking. They are fearless knowing the one they pray to will answer and fight for them.
Pray before a decision is made, before a task is taken, before the challenge comes, the prayer warrior prays…and knows the one they are praying to in an intimate and loving atmosphere, where devils cannot tread…

Praying is meeting with God the Father, Jesus the son and the gracious Holy Spirit…knowing that they, themselves, have no power to change anything but knowing without a doubt the one they are praying too has the power to change everything…and even if our prayers are not answered in the time frame or the way we think they should be answered…prayer warriors trust that no matter what the outcome, God knows and sees the bigger picture and works it all out for our good!

Why pray, you ask? Or you may say, “I prayed but God didn’t come through for me…the sickness wasn’t cured, my loved one died anyway, my life fell apart, my son/daughter still isn’t saved, all hope is gone, there are still wars and famine and cruelty in the world…”
That’s all the more reason to, pray. Jesus said there will be trouble in the world but take heart for He has overcome the world.

From generation to generation we’ve seen these things over and over again…people live and die and life goes on…but there is a reason for it all…and without the prayer warrior…things would be so much worse…God tells us to pray…he has a plan…and we are all part of His plan…
Don’t stop praying, pray harder, pray longer, pray louder, pray softer but people of God…PRAY! Pray as never before…it’s time to take up the prayer gauntlet and shout if you have to, be determined that nothing will keep you from your time with the one who is Alive and well in heaven and in earth… Some people are called to preach, some to teach, there are many ministries and all these things are needful, but we are ALL called to pray! Pray without ceasing.
Find your own way of praying…there is no set rule…but pray…ask, seek and knock on heavens door until it is opened…and I promise you…God will meet you there!!

Prayer Warrior you are not alone…you are not insignificant…you are not a dying breed…Jesus has ten thousand in reserve who will not give up or give in or stop storming the gates of heaven…because we know who it is we are talking too and he knows us…AMEN? Yes Amen!

God is not too busy…God loves it when we come to him. Find a solitary place, take the time, to be with your Holy Father God and pray! Talk to him.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill, completed, January 9, 2020

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

John 17:20-26 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Prays for All Believers
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Listening to the Spirit’s call, Come, let’s talk awhile
I close my eyes and looking up, I pause, and then I smile…
Speaking to my precious LORD, I open my heart and soul
And there in an instant I stand in spirit bold…
No greater privilege than this, I’m honored and blessed, to open my mouth and humbly confess
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…you are my blessedness…
No longer mindful of time around me, for I’ve entered the heavenly place
No longer sensing my body or mind…I’m captivated by his holy embrace…
Only aware of his presence, his fragrance fills the space…
Above me, below me, his all-consuming immovable amazing grace…
It fills my heart like nothing else…and I’m free to believe and pray
God help me, to give all of me, and hold nothing back until I see
Your wonders and your glory…
I hear silence and the stillness brings a song the angel’s sing…
Holy, holy, holy…you must be holy…to see the Almighty, King…
Extending his scepter, he welcomes me…there in his presence I am simply me…
No words needed, we are comfortable and carefree…
Jesus my dearest friend, and me…
I utter words only heaven knows, proclaiming life and victory on earth’s land, sky and seas…slaying demons and principalities…while in the presence of Royalty…
Touching the heart of God, he listens and responds in gracious enormity, God answers things I cannot see…supernaturally…
Faith has pleased him as love pours from his holy throne…
On earth, as it is in heaven, restoration comes home…
Finding grace while seeking His face…is all sufficient for me.
The prayer ended, but only temporarily.
Waiting expectantly…to come to thee…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 8, 2020

Song of Songs 4:6 New International Version (NIV)
Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense.

We don’t serve a weak, wimpy, worn out God…Oh no, we serve the Living, All powerful, in- control, Son, of the Almighty God. He is not a God of impossibility he is a God of Possibility and he has called us to be like him…made in his image with a purpose and a calling… “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19)

He is the God in Samson’s hands who had power to defeat a mighty foe… he is the God who spoke to the stormy seas and they became still and calm …He is the God who led 300 men to victory over coming thousands of the enemy…He is the God that was in David’s hand when he hurled a small stone that struct the giant’s head and killed him…he is no different then, than now…he is still the God who moves mountains and saves lives and calms the storms…He is the maker of the Universe, the one who flings stars into space and they sing of his glory, he is the one who said, let there be light, and light appeared. He is the earth shaper, man maker, all-consuming fire and he does not back down, or bow down, to anything or anyone… and the list goes on and on…this is the God I serve…you can’t out-give him, out-run him, out-live him…He is the ancient of age, ever merciful and loving…you can’t buy him, manipulate him or kill him…it doesn’t matter who you are…HE IS GOD! But he loves you so much he is calling you to come deeper with Him…so…

Get up, mighty warriors, stand up and shout the battle cry…run towards the enemy and fight… do not run from him, face him head on by worshipping the Great I Am and you will see, the demons run from you…because the Lord God Almighty is with you and in you. Yes, He, will deliver you from the darkness…he will set you free from drugs, and all manner of abuse, and torment, if you’ll only say Yes, to the Son of the living God…your battle is already won!

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:8-10 NKJV

Stop confessing defeat. Stop wishing for a magic remedy…stop the vain imaginations…and know truth…(Where does our help come from? It comes from the Lord…the maker of heaven and earth… Psalm 121:1)

Instead say, “I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus who strengthens me…I can do all things through Him…in the name of Jesus…I am the head and not the tail…I am a child of the most High God and nothing can separate me from the love of Christ…”

I don’t serve a demigod…I don’t serve a god made of stone or wood…my God is not a god of religion he’s not some computer program or some hi-tech man-made facsimile robotic being …the God I serve is ALIVE he doesn’t slumber nor does he sleep…He is all knowing, all giving, all loving and all that I need. Amen and Amen!!

He breathed life into dirt and created man, took the man’s rib and made a woman…and gave them a living soul…He gave water out of the rock…He stopped the mouths of lions, turned water into wine… he fed five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish…he healed the blind, deaf and lepers, he brought the dead back to life. Walked on water, forgave sins, cast out demons and even rose from the dead… I know that was then, right? But what about now? He has healed me many times, delivered me from a life of bitterness and pain. When I was running in fear and destitute, when death tried to take me, It was the living God who delivered me. He’s blessed me with long life, he’s fed me, taken me out of debt and confusion and abuse…he’s given me children and grandchildren, my quiver is overflowing, and he blessed me with a husband that loves me unconditionally…my God is a God I can trust and live with forever and ever, and if he did it for me, he will do it for you…ask him…then live for him…not part time, not with a watered down religion, not in wishful thinking or mind control…but full of grace and faith and love by the power of the Holy Spirit…I can’t help but live for him and praise him…

Rise up weak one, rise up and be strong for the Lord God of Host is with you…Jesus is interceding for you; you have the Spirit of the Most-High living inside of you…he is ever present, and all knowing. It is He who has called you…but when you doubt and are fearful you make him powerless to move in your life…you render him helpless when you speak words of defeat and loss…Child of God, Speak Life…Speak Hope…Speak Victory…in the name of Jesus, and you will see the salvation of the Lord!! God is not weak, God is not absent, God is not confused or in doubt, God does not lie, God is High and Lifted up. God is life and light and right now is the time to realize who God is and that He is for you not against you. How do you find out who God is…by spending time with him in his word and talking to him, by fellowship with the family of God…by prayer and fasting, by trusting him even when everything around you is falling apart, don’t be afraid, look up and see Him…if you will let him, he’ll show you mysteries and things you never dreamed possible…humble yourself before him and let him be God in your life…step down off the throne and let Him take the seat…walk in faith and trust God…there is only one way to God and that is through his Son Jesus/Yeshua. Come on, angles are fighting for you a great cloud of witnesses are cheering for you…Jesus is saying, “Come…I Am the way, I Am the truth, I Am the life…I will never leave you or forsake you! I will be with you always!”

Be strong and courageous. Have faith, and shout…for God is, ALIVE!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 4, 2020

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV If my people who are called by name will humble themselves…and pray…and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways…Then, will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

 Matthew 11:29-30 King James Version (KJV) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

John 14:12 The Passion Translation (TPT) “I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father!

Matthew 3:11 The Passion Translation (TPT) Those who repent I baptize with water, but there is coming a Man after me who is more powerful than I am. In fact, I’m not even worthy enough to pick up his sandals. He will submerge you into union with the Spirit of Holiness and with a raging fire!^[a]

Footnotes:

• Matthew 3:11 The text is somewhat ambiguous as to what fire is spoken of. Some see it as the fire of judgment, yet Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit, who baptized his church in fire at Pentecost. This last clause is a hendiadys and could be translated “He will baptize you in the raging fire of the Holy Spirit!”

It is wonderful to celebrate and have fun but this morning as I was going about my tasks I sensed in my spirit, that the Holy Spirit was saying… “Get back to the task at hand. Don’t be distracted. Distractions are a tactic of the enemy to keep you earthbound and while you are distracted he is focused on your destruction, and he sits back and laughs as he and his evil demons attack families, communities, cities, countries, and nations…pulling out all the stops and warring in the heavenly realms that bombs natural realms as he takes control of lives and governments that otherwise would not be taken if we had not left our posts…Good Soldier be alert…leave, is over…take up your weaponry and fight…

Using prayer as your number one weapon…interceding on behalf of mankind…

Pick up your sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and use it so that it severs both bone and marrow the things that allow the enemy access to the soul…do not fear and do not back down…press forward and fight in the Spirit to discern and destroy the chains of wickedness the enemy has devised. Only by my Spirit can you fight…only by my word can you achieve what I have called you to do.

Call unto me and I will answer…keep yourself clean and aware…lay down everything that would take you away from my presence. I am your helmet of salvation, I am your girdle of truth, I am your breast plate of righteousness and when you know this you will walk in my shoes of good news with peace and victory…”

This is a new year but the enemy remains the same…it is a new day but don’t be fooled…he does not play…he means to kill you, destroy you and steal everything from you…
But Jesus the Savior, the Redeemer, the Victorious One has come to help us in our fight…the battle is his but we must be aware and do not give up…do not give in…we win if we don’t get weary and give up…

TODAY is the Day of salvation…open your eyes and ears and hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying…

Set your face as stone…and look to the Lord the author and finisher of our faith…For it is He who is, and was, and is to come!

Amen!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 4, 2020 ~ By My Spirit, says the Lord

Zechariah 4:1-14 The Message (MSG)

The Messenger-Angel again called me to attention. It was like being wakened out of deep sleep.
He said, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top. Seven lamps, each with seven spouts, are set on the bowl. And there are two olive trees, one on either side of the bowl.”
Then I asked the Messenger-Angel, “What does this mean, sir?”
The Messenger-Angel said, “Can’t you tell?”
“No, sir,” I said.
Then he said, “This is GOD’s Message to Zerubbabel: ‘You can’t force these things. They only come about through my Spirit,’ says GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. ‘So, big mountain, who do you think you are? Next to Zerubbabel you’re nothing but a molehill. He’ll proceed to set the Cornerstone in place, accompanied by cheers: Yes! Yes! Do it!’”
After that, the Word of GOD came to me: “Zerubbabel started rebuilding this Temple and he will complete it. That will be your confirmation that GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me to you. Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They’ll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!”
Going back to the vision, the Messenger-Angel said, “The seven lamps are the eyes of GOD probing the dark corners of the world like searchlights.”
And the two olive trees on either side of the lampstand?” I asked. “What’s the meaning of them? And while you’re at it, the two branches of the olive trees that feed oil to the lamps—what do they mean?”
He said, “You haven’t figured that out?”
I said, “No, sir.”
He said, “These are the two who stand beside the Master of the whole earth and supply golden lamp oil worldwide.”

Artist: Meg Cheug

Passing by a tiny house, evening-stars came out to shine, my heart was touched by what I heard as I listened to these compelling words…
Such conviction hit my soul
They were calm and reassuring, yet courageous and bold
I stopped and I listened to this heart whose words were powerful and carefree…
If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was praying for me…

“Holy God and Holy Ghost show me Jesus, in him there is no fear
He lives and moves and intercedes and wipes away all tears…
Let me live in such a way that others want to know
Who and why I love and preach and where I need to go,
To hear about the one who came, lived and died and rose; the one I’ve come to realize O how he loves me so…
Make me a house of prayer, Lord, let your presence dwell in me
To seek you with all my heart, so that you will always be…
All I ever want and all I’ll ever need…
Teach me to love as you love, to be gracious and kind, open my understanding, open my heart and mind
To see and live in such a way that will draw others to the divine…
May my motivation be, to see others come to thee…to let go of all the thrills and frills this ole world tries to fill yet leaves us, lost and empty…
I pray for guidance and peace, for all humanity…that only comes from knowing you, Lord Jesus, I pray for all to be set free…
Draw, by your Holy Spirit, each person you’ve designed, to come into your kingdom, open the eyes that are blind…
Open the deaf ears, so they can hear, your Spirit compelling them to come,
And drink of the living waters, Holy Father don’t let them succumb
To the enemy of their souls…burn up all the dross, with your Holy Ghost and fire…this is my prayer O God give us a supernatural desire…
A house of prayer I want to be, Lord here my cry and answer me…
Give them a heart of flesh, take the stone and roll it away…
By your holy power, open their hearts today
Send your light and flood their tomb
So that darkness cannot stay…
Make me a house of prayer, O God…where your presence securely dwells
Where goodness and mercy and love and grace spring up from your living well…
To taste and see that you are good in this house of prayer we’ll be fed…
From your heavenly table, Lord, give us our daily bread…
Come, all ye who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest…leave all your burdens at the door come now and be blessed… come to this house of prayer I implore you, knock upon the door, for the one who lives within this house, is waiting patiently for you there.
Lord, make this house, a house of prayer!”

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 1, 2020

Isaiah 56:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Even those I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

Matthew 21:13 New International Version (NIV) “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Artist: Rik Berry

This year is coming to a close and as it does, I’m reminded of many things that happened this year.

I don’t remember exactly the order in which things happened but I do remember the emotion and events.

Our beautiful Isabella Pearl was born she was prayed for, for two years before her arrival and what a blessing she is to her parents and her brother Carlos and sister Olivia, and to her grandparents. Thank you, Jesus, for sending her to us.

Abram and Mary moved into their new home with three beautiful babies.

Mark and Angelica and Esperanza came through some rough waters but overcame them all. Thank you, Jesus.

Jonathan became a husband with a beautiful bride Qing we welcome her to our family with open arms of love and happiness.

Rob Brazell came through a crisis and made it through, thank God you made it!

For me, at one point I didn’t think I’d see the end of the year. A heart issue gave me great concern and my heart even stopped on the table as they were doing a heart Cath…but Jesus was faithful…and hear I am to tell you the story. Weeks leading up to that point I fought tremendous fear and anxiety, I couldn’t walk from my couch to my kitchen about ten feet without my heart beating out of my chest and shortness of breath. Sleep would not come and the tormenter was having a hay day with my mind, body and spirit…until one night it seemed I could not take another minute and I cried out to God…The Holy Spirit spoke so gently to me, “Have you considered Jesus?” I saw in my minds eye, Jesus walking on the water and I cried, “Lord help me!” Peace settled over me and I slept.

I went to the doctor; I had the heart Cath and spent two days in the hospital that was an ordeal in itself. Many people were praying for me, perhaps you were one of those who prayed and God answered…I recovered, praise God.

Jesus never said that we wouldn’t go through trials, or heartache, on the contrary he said we would, but he also said, he would be with us THROUGH every trial…and he’s proven to be faithful every single time.

Life is hard and messy to say the least and it is never fair…but we aren’t put here on this earth to sit around and eat, bon bons and drink coca colas and get fat and sassy, oh no. Because there will always be problems…we are put here to come to the knowledge of who Jesus is and accept him as our Lord and savior so that we can help others find him too.

Are you facing something in your life so big that you can’t do anything about? Is your world spinning out of control and fear has you by the throat and is squeezing the life out of you? Christian or not …is there some news you received and everything seems hopeless and your scared to death? Let me ask you this, “Have you considered Jesus?”

Stop panicking, stop wringing your hands, stop worrying and fretting, and look up! Jesus is here…he’s holding out his hand to you waiting for you to ask him to help you.

Cry out to Him and I promise you, he will in an instant tell you He’s with you and will make a way…don’t doubt, don’t fear, have faith in Him and just like he said to Peter, he will say to you, “Come!”

Some have lost loved ones in 2019, some have faced divorce and financial ruin, some have even taken their own lives…it breaks the heart of God to see his children suffer…

I can’t promise what he will do, but I can promise, that he has promised he will be with you every step of the way through every crisis, heartache, sickness, trial…and when you realize that your “Big Brother” is with you, he will not let you fall… you will have a peace and a joy and a confidence that the enemy of your soul can not take away…let him have all of you, rest in his embrace and as the year is closing…let go of the fear and hurt of 2019, and have faith and a hope that in 2020, you will see clearly just who Jesus is and that he is with you and will be with you in your darkest hour. He gives life and light and grace to everyone who will believe and hold onto him.

God bless you today, and in the coming days, as we face whatever the new year brings…let it be that we considered Jesus for there is no one better to depend on than the loving, caring, Son of the Most-High-God. After all, Jesus is, the Savior…and when you feel as if you can’t take another step, cry out to him and he will carry you.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill December 27, 2019

1 Peter 5:7 Good News Translation (GNT)
Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you.

John 14:1-3 The Passion Translation (TPT) Jesus Comforts His Disciples
“Don’t worry or surrender to your fear.[a] For you’ve believed in God, now trust and believe in me also.[b] 2 My Father’s house has many dwelling places.[c] If it were otherwise, I would tell you plainly, because I go[d] to prepare a place for you to rest. 3 And when everything is ready, I will come back and take[e] you to myself so that you will be where I am.

Footnotes:
a. John 14:1 Or “Don’t let your hearts be distressed.” The Aramaic is translated “Let not your heart flutter.”
b. John 14:1 Or “Believe in God and believe in me.”
c. John 14:2 Or “There are many resting places on the way to my Father’s house.” Or “There are many homes in my Father’s household.” The Father’s house is also mentioned by Jesus in John 2:16, where it is his temple on earth, his dwelling place. This is not just heaven, but the dwelling place of God among men. There is ample room for people from every nation and ethnicity, room to spare, for the church, the body of Christ, is now the house of God. See 1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 3:6; 1 Peter 2:5. Every believer is now one of the many dwelling places that make up God’s house (temple). See also v. 23.
d. John 14:2 Jesus’ “going” was to go through death and resurrection in order to make us ready to be his dwelling place. He had to “go,” not to heaven, but to the cross and pass through resurrection.
e. John 14:3 The Greek verb used here, paralambano, is the word used for a bridegroom coming to take his bride. He “takes” us as his bride through his death and resurrection. His “coming back” can also refer to his “coming” to live within believers.

It was there sitting on the mantel, painted in muted hues of browns, the tattered linen of a poor family huddled together for all to admire. A representation of the Christ child and family that we bring out each year to gaze upon and reminisce about Christmas’s of yesteryears and worry about Christmas, present.

Is it just a symbol, has it become a relic of all the different decorations we bring out and store away when the celebration is over? Will Christmas stay?

These are things I think about in the early morning hours…the time when no one is rushing about…the house is quiet and I’m awake.

I hear the soft whisper of the Holy Spirit…say, “Now that you can hear me come away with me and pray…”

Do you seek out and listen to his still small voice in the horrific, mind boggling, frenzy of the season? Is life so busy that you can’t seem to catch a moments breath to stop and be still and talk to the ones in your life who really matter?

Are you frantically searching for those perfect gifts so that everyone will be thrilled to open on Christmas morning…? Has the season become a hurricane of do this, get that, did you remember to do…do I have enough time to buy and bake and wrap…blah, blah, blah…has all the joy of what’s important become a debt-infecting, rat-race…? When the storm settles and it’s all over will you be crying because you now have a mountain of debt to pay back…?

Where is Christmas?

The Christmas I grew up knowing no longer exists…like the painted figures on the mantel, it’s only a representation of what once was. It’s the new and improved Christmas. There are apps and high-tech fiber trees, store bought candy and toys, toys, toys for all good little girls and boys.

My how the world progresses…and yet…

There is still hunger in the world. There is still poverty and war and incurable disease. I suppose for a little while the “magic” of Christmas makes us forget…but the day after Christmas reality sets in, then, what?

Oh, yes…the New Year, St. Valentine, St. Patrick, Easter and the treadmill continues rolling around and around we go…it has no end…

So, in that case…stop for a moment…listen to the Holy Spirit in the stillness of the morning and listen to him say… “Now that you can hear me, come away with me and pray.”

Remember and think about this when you look at the figures on the mantel…

Luke 2:10-11 King James Version (KJV) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill December 23, 2019