Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

       

In the early morning hours at the time when the Holy Spirit brings a message, I saw these letters in black, on a white background;

(mur mur)

I understood he was referring to the “Children of God, murmuring…” or, maybe it was me…

[MURMUR; MURMURINGS

mur’-mur, mur’-mur-ing:

The Hebrew word (lun) denotes the semi-articulated mutterings of disaffected persons. It is used in connection with the complaints of the Israelites in the desert against Yahweh on the one hand, and against Moses and Aaron on the other hand (Exodus 16:7,8; Numbers 14:27,36; 16:11; 17:5). In three places (Deuteronomy 1:27; Psalms 106:25; Isaiah 29:24), “murmur” translates a Hebrew word (raghan) which suggests the malicious whispering of slander.

In the New Testament “murmur” renders two different words, namely, gogguzo, and embrimaomai. The latter word suggests indignation and fault-finding (Mark 14:4 the King James Version). The former word (or a compound of it) is generally used in connection with the complaining’s of the Pharisees and scribes (Matthew 20:11; Luke 5:30; 15:2; 19:7). T. Lewis]

PLEASE LISTEN AND IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND you realize you’ve been MURMURING…YOU MUST “STOP IT!”

Murmuring is sin…and sin separates us from our Father God…He doesn’t leave us but He will not answer our prayers when we call out to Him because He is Holy and He cannot tolerate sin. The Holy Spirit urges us to stop murmuring. He’ll keep tugging on our hearts until we repent. If we do not the consequences of sin will take its toll; we’ll become distant and depressed. We’ll be like the Pharisees, our hearts will be hardened against the things of God, blind, thinking we are right, but we are wrong and God will not hear us. Murmuring caused the children of God to walk in the desert for Forty years…and it kept them out of the Promised Land. Murmuring causes divisions and we become discontent, it says to God that we are ungrateful and selfish people and that we don’t trust God. It is like calling God a liar. Murmuring is the devil’s tool used to bring condemnation and death.

Murmuring is like a hissing snake it twists us until all we can see and hear is what we want, and how we feel, we are ungrateful and we become a stench in the body of Christ, and God will not allow it.

If this is you, or if you even have a hint you are doing this, go to the Lord and ask him to forgive you. Ask him to give you a grateful heart. Ask him to help you to remove the sin of murmuring. This is a very serious sin, it not only affects your life but it affects the lives of those in your sphere of influence. It affects your children for generations to come. Murmuring divides and corrupts like a cancer…

The Holy Spirit gave me this vision for a reason…and it is to repent of the sin of murmuring and to warn and exhort the body of Christ to stop murmuring and start Praising God.

When I was a little girl I was crying because I wanted this particular pair of shoes. I threw, what you’d call, a hissy fit….You know what my mom did…? She said something that has stuck with me the rest of life….She said, “I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet.” That statement worked better than a spanking. I stopped crying, I settled down and I no longer wanted those shoes, because I could picture a man with no feet.

Our lives may not be what we want right now…we be facing an incurable disease…a financial disaster, stressed beyond our human limits…but as children of the living God we must TRUST God and allow Him to work in the situation to bring about His Glory!

God doesn’t put disaster on us…He’s not the one giving people cancer and chaos…God is a loving, caring, understanding, all-powerful Father who GAVE HIS SON to restore us to a loving relationship with HIM.

There is an evil in this world…Satan is the accuser of the brethren, always hissing his lies…He goes around seeking whom he can devour, to destroy and cause division in all of our lives. But, God Is, Greater!!

We’ve been given the WORD of GOD to help us in this life to be wise in our choices, to speak words of life, this is a reminder to all of us to stop murmuring and complaining and to open our hearts and eyes and ears and mouths and begin speaking words of gratitude, and grace and hope and to warn and lift up our brothers and sisters that God will bless them.

Be grateful when you see others being blessed don’t envy or slander them…because God is listening…and he will not tolerate the sin of murmuring…

God help us all today, Lord Jesus let us humble ourselves before you and repent of our sin forgive us for murmuring…let our hearts be clean and pure before you. Give us grateful hearts and let us adore you and love one another. Amen.

Murmuring is a slow poison…it takes your joy, your peace and your soul…

Do not allow murmuring to keep you out of heaven!

Speak life!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 4, 2018

“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14-15). “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9). It causes one to perish (1 Cor. 10:10).

Let us not murmur. Rather, let us be content in life. Let us be happy and “rejoice always in the Lord” (Phil. 4:4). Let us be thankful for our blessings and be characterized by a spirit of gratitude (1 Tim. 2:1).

Let us never be selfish. Let us always regard others better than self and look out for the interests of others (Phil. 2:3-4). Let us follow the things which make for peace and let all things be done unto edifying (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 14:26).

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:31-32).

There are several examples of the sin of murmuring in the New Testament, like the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16). They murmured because they had worked all day while others who had worked for a much shorter period received the same wages. They had received their just due but they still murmured.

The pain of rejection is one of the worst emotions ever felt. Feeling abandoned, left out of the fold, unloved, unappreciated, and alone.

But the worst rejection of all is when a parent rejects their child. A child is vulnerable and unprotected they’re at the mercy of wolves and wild things. Wondering, how will I survive? Fear, anxiety, and without hope what is hope?

Food, water even the basic needs longed for; where will the child find shelter from the elements. No tender hugs or soft sweet words to comfort. Forgotten, rejected, and left to die.

By some unseen force the child survives and grows to adulthood. All those fears and feelings never resolved. Bitterness and hate leaves its cruel marks where love and acceptance should have been. And so the child as an adult is marred and is met with contempt and more rejection. No matter how hard the child tries to be accepted he/she never will be.

Years and years of mistrust have been built within the broken heart and more and more anger builds its thickened walls to protect itself.

Until…

One tiny ray of sunlight causes a tiny spark to ignite into the hardened, dry, cracked place called the heart.

Someone smiles at the child, now adult.

“What do they want from me? Why do they smile? I have nothing to give them.” Mistrust and doubt fill the tortured soul.

A hand is out-stretched toward the child-adult. “Run away, run far, far, away.”

But something in the voice and in the eyes hold him/her; frozen; waiting to see…

“What do they want from me?”

Love so pure and unrestrained, acceptance and peace so full, so real, that it melts the hardened, broken heart. Warmth burst through the thickened walls. Gasps of air and startled mind cannot comprehend what’s happening.

Fear leaves…anxiety disappears and vanishes leaving what use to be a huge whole but is now totally healed and restored.

The spirit is reborn into new life. But a memory remains… the memory of hurt, pain and rejection. Only now it no longer hurts. It’s a memory from long, long ago. Not resolved but forgiven. It was left as a reminder so that the child-adult would always remember to love.

The strongest emotion in the human heart is love! It diminishes hate, conquers fear, overcomes obstacles, gives and does not take and will lead you all the way home!

We never know how a smile or friendly word is going to affect someone. It could just be the one thing that changes a life forever. I’m smiling at you today.

Written by: Marla Yvonne Shaw 10/4/12

Ephesians 4:31-32 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Long ago in a place far, far, away, a little girl watched her granny cook pies and cakes and fried chicken…LOL! Standing at the kitchen table, one foot propped up on the rung of a chair she’d mix up her delicious home-made biscuits…as the little girl took it all in…

Her apron was used to wipe her hands, or wipe a runny nose…aprons had many functions…pockets for tissue and for candy…

And like the apron, I remember granny had to have pockets on her dresses or they just weren’t fitten to have, and for years she’d never think of wearing trousers. It was many years later when pant-suits came into being, that she put on trousers but of course the top had to have pockets. 🙂

Times long gone, like running barefoot in the summer-time… chasing butterflies, and sitting on a porch swing, nodding at neighbors as they passed by…playing hide-and-seek, and telling ghost stories around a bon-fire…

Aprons…like so many things from the past are a distant memory…every now and then they come to mind and those of us who are much older now, remember mama’s and Granny’s and aunt’s wearing their aprons, a symbol of a simpler time…

Many years later my mama made me one because I was to be Mrs. Santa Claus, one year, to read, “The Night Before Christmas” to children at a school where I worked…I still have it…do you have an “Apron” story??

Maybe sixty-four years from now your grandchild will remember your story and pass it on…we don’t know what the future will bring, so live for today and tell your stories…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 3, 2018

Proverbs 16:31 New International Version (NIV) Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.

 

Written on September 24, 2018

About six months ago I prayed, “Holy Spirit, draw me closer to Jesus. Reveal more of Jesus to me.”

Last Thursday morning I heard in my spirit, “Pray like Jesus.”

Then all day Thursday the thought kept coming to me, “Pray like Jesus.” Then that night we went to a small group meeting. Jorge, he’s the speaker, said, “We are going to study about prayer tonight.” I opened my eyes real wide and looked at Bob; I had told Bob what I had heard that morning. He looked at me and said, “I know.”

Confirmation~

Then the next day, I opened my Kindle to read and the title of a book was there it was called, “Pray like Jesus.” More confirmation.

So I ordered the book and began to read it. It said if we model our prayers after Jesus, two things will happen:

1. We will become more effective in our prayers. and

2. More importantly, we come closer to God!

So my prayer that I had prayed six months ago was being answered.

Today is October 1, 2018; I received a text with an article called, Teach Us to Pray: The Class We Never Graduate From, by Corey Russell. (Thanks Barbara)

The Holy Spirit really has my attention now…

Prayer is the most important action we can do as a Christian. Jesus knew the importance of prayer he was in constant communion with His Father and we should take it as seriously as He does.

It was not a one way conversation. God also spoke to His son and he talks to us if we will open our hearts and listen.

You can talk to Him about anything and everything and He will reply. It starts with being honest and vulnerable. Bearing your soul to an unseen God…it can be strange and awkward at first but as you get to know Him more and more by reading His book and talking to him…He begins to show you exactly who He is and how very much He loves you.

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be shy. Just get alone with your Bible and ask Him to show you how to pray and before long you’ll wonder how you ever got along without Him.

Pray like Jesus…Jesus didn’t scream…or yell…although His word says that sometimes He did speak in a loud voice…but that was to emphasize His point to the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus did not approve of hypocrites.

He didn’t showoff, when He talked to His father. He often went to the desert to be alone to pray or, to a mountainside by Himself. He would talk to His Father and do whatever His Father told Him to do.

There’s no big mystery about praying. There’s no magical conditions…you don’t have to use big, poetic words. You don’t have to fold your hands and bow your head, although it’s ok if you do. All you have to do is just talk to Him from your heart. Be honest with him and just be you.

When you read Genesis it talks about God walking with Adam in the cool of the day. He wants to be a part of our lives. He talked to Moses through a burning bush He knew how to get his attention. He talked to John the revelator through visions. He didn’t want to scare John but He had some important things to show him. God longs to talk to His children. Just as we parents love to have good conversations with our children. He’s interested in what we like and how we live and who we love and what our hearts desires are. He wants to be a part of our lives and teach us amazing things and do wonderful things for us. He is a good-good Father.

Don’t be afraid, just talk to Him and you’ll see, He’s absolutely awesome to hang out with…He’s funny and creative. He’s loving and confident. Yes, He is magnificent…the God of the Universe…but He is not someone to fear. Respect yes, but not to be afraid of. Not when you know Him. And we can know Him through Jesus.

Pray like Jesus…

Our father

Who art in heaven…

Hallowed be thy name

Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven…

Give us this day

Our daily bread

And forgive us our debts

As we forgive our debtors

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine, is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory

Forever…Matthew 6:9-13

Amen!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 1, 2018

Jesus prayed to His Father with reverence, in simple language, in an orderly way, while full of faith and confidence, and having an ultimate concern for God’s glory.

Ten characteristics of Jesus’ prayer:

1) He prayed with His eyes open
2) Prayed with others
3) Prayed to His Father
4) Prayed with reverence
5) Prayed with simple language
6) Prayed in an orderly way
7) Prayed as one with much experience
8) Prayed with a confident faith
9) Jesus told God things that God already knew
10) Prayed with a concern for God’s glory

(From Nathan Rages)

As I prayed in the Holy Spirit this morning in total and complete surrender to my Papa God I was given a message…I wasn’t going to share it, because it is private but I feel like I should share it with you. Let me just say that God is our Father and he speaks to us through His word and by His Spirit. His love towards us sometimes can’t be explained in our words but He has given us His Holy Spirit who lives within us He will pray when we don’t have the words…Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit and He, the Holy Spirit comes to reveal who Jesus is to us. With that being said…when I prayed, God answered me and how amazing to know He loves us this much.

Oh my precious daughter how you blessed me with your praise of me. Your worship, clean and pure without restraint and with your whole heart. This is what thrills my heart.

No pretense… no manipulation…just humble and contrite in spirit and truth. Thank you daughter for giving me your all. I am blessed by you. Giving the Holy Spirit full control to let go of what you desire to give me pure praise. This is what I long from my children…not asking for anything…not looking for answers or wanting “stuff” from me.

Only to love on me with a sincere and loving heart.

You are mine and I am yours.

Never stop seeking me. Never give up hope.

Know that I am with you and in you.

Thank you daughter~

Your loving Papa God~

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 1, 2018

But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20)

In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us, weak as we are. For we do not know how we ought to pray; the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express. (Romans 8:26)

 

Let your song be full of praise and exaltation before the Lord

Sing without restraint…

Sing with a grateful heart…

Let the music explode and come forth…

Holy Spirit ignite the yearning soul

Longing to give…

Honor, and Power and Glory…

To the Creator of all; The Mighty One;

The First and the Last; The one who sits on heavens throne

Makes earth His footstool; and commands through love and truth

The Invisible; Ever Present; All Knowing; Consuming Fire; the One in the Middle of the Wheel; The King of kings and Lord of lords; Messiah; Life Giver; Burden Bearer; Soul Restorer; Cloud and Water-Walker; Breath of God; Man and Woman Maker; Coming Soon; Majestic; Mover within, and without, through time and space…Cosmic Power…Son of man and Son of God; Agape without end…

Sing, heart, sing…

In our quiet time where it’s you and I

No one to interfere; no one to disturb us or cause fear

Let your heart soar and let the words of your mouth shout

Adoration and worship before the heavenly host…

They stand still and listen as you pour forth your soul

To the Only True God,

In spirit and in truth,

This pleases me…

Given in faith, I set your spirit free…

Your love for me…

Is given; and I receive…

My favor and my grace are pouring upon thee…

Sing sons, sing daughters, sing for me!

I adore thee…while you adore me!!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill October 1, 2018

Isaiah 12:2 NLT See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.

This season, autumn, is a time of exploding color

Where God’s spot-light focuses on the leaves

Bright yellow and orange and red, set on mountainsides and valleys

A hearth, blazing, in the trees…

Burst forth with life; there is freshness in the air, it’s harvest time

Where pumpkins and gourds show up everywhere…

Hay-rides and pies, celebration and more…just before winter calls them to sleep…

Barns full and people meet

Canning pickles and making treats…

Vibrant, happy feet…

This season is a glorious time

Dancing to a joyous beat…

Summer passed, cycle soon complete

Winter is coming, and then earth retreats…

Until spring, then life repeats…

Where are you in the cycle of life?

Are you dancing, or, asleep?

Awaken to the brand new you…and dance under the harvest moon!

Glorious rays of golden hues…exploding with a melodious tune…

A chorus crescendo, and fireworks galore…hearts singing as never before

This season of fire, no place for gloom…walking in God’s harvest you’ll bloom

Where life and abundance completely consume…

Hearts open in the King’s living room…

Jesus is coming soon!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill September 27, 2018

Genesis 1:14 English Standard Version Anglicized (ESVUK) And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,

Genesis 8:22 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) As long as the earth endures,
seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

 Come my beloved, come away with me…

It will not be easy; but you will see…

The place that I’ve carved out for you

Is a place called solitude…

Lord, all you give to me, I am grateful for and I agree

That if this place you are sending me, is to be a place, where others are freed

Then Lord, I am pleased to go, to this place of solitude

Where words of life are bestowed upon your sons and daughters, and all those who,

Need your love, more than they need air to breathe

Need your strength, let your joy be conceived

Need your hope, where in the battles they bleed

Need your peace, to lay down their worries, and there succeed

Draw me to your solitude…for that is where I’ll be found in you…

God, I surrender, let all I do…

Be done to glorify you…

Solitude is a place of quiet release…a place where we meet, face to face

A place of refreshing from the human race…

Thank you God for this place, called Solitude.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill May 22, 2018

Song of Solomon 2:10 New King James Version (NKJV) My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.

Luke 5:16 Amplified Bible (AMP) But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion].

Matthew 14:23 New American Standard Bible (NASB) After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

This song was written for a story I began writing in 2010. The book was published in 2014. Sing Sarah Sing. The song is about a man who lost everything except his faith. In the midnight hour the angels gave him this song.

The Angel Song

Though times are hard

I’m by your side

Your tears I hold within my hand

No matter what I’ll hold you close

Look to the one who understands.

Though fear may come, and tears may fall

Be still and know, that I am God

Let perfect peace restore your heart

And know my love we’ll never part

 

Chorus:

I walked the road of trials and torment

I sat with those who love me still

But on the cross

I felt the suffering of all the ones who love me most.

The birds they sing a nightly chorus

Of joy and peace to all they bring

So lift your voice and head toward heaven

And learn their song, their song and sing.

He gives me peace, He gives me life, the angels sing be glorified

Praise to the King our mighty King

We’re going home on angels wings.

 

When in the stillness now at midnight

I see the star of love so bright

I’ll never ever doubt my Savior

For He will lead me through the night

And on the breeze I hear Him whisper…

Press on my child and do not weep

For at the dawn you’ll have your answer

So close your eyes and go to sleep.

 

Chorus:

I walked the road of trials and torment

I sat with those who love me still

But on the cross

I felt the suffering of all the ones who loved me most.

The birds they sing a nightly chorus

Of joy and peace to all they bring

So lift your voice and head toward heaven

And learn their song, their song and sing.

He gives me peace, He gives me life, the angels sing be glorified

Praise to the King our mighty King

We’re going home on angels wings.

 

I wake at dawn and have my answer

His peace I sing to all who wait

And then He gives me sweet assurance

I’ll never, ever be alone

These souls I bring to heaven’s harvest

They are the ones who overcome

And now my love

You have your answer

Your journey’s only just begun!

By: Marla Shaw O’Neill 2014