Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

 

Jesus spoke stories, to all who gathered around

Crowds stood waiting, wanting, but their motives, were found

Only to hear, not do, and so, God’s words fell on shallow ground

Knowing their hearts were far from Him…

He spoke in Parables, His truth He hid from them…

They didn’t understand when He spoke to them.

Will you draw near and seek to understand His word?

Can you explain what you have heard?

Leaving the crowd behind, alone in a private place

Jesus gave secrets to those, who longed to be embraced…

Longing for His truth and searching for His grace…

Oh, leave the crowd behind, and look upon His face

A special time, in a quiet meeting place…alone with Jesus

To gather around…not for everyone’s ears to hear

But for those He loves and holds most dear.

Parables revealed and mysteries sealed…

Invited to be alone with Jesus, what a privilege to obey…

To know and understand all that He will say…

Come away from the crowd and follow Him today!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill March 2, 2018

Mark 4:34 New King James Version (NKJV)

But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

 

Left as a young widow

Seven years, in loves bliss

But life was unkind and because of this

She fasted and prayed daily

In the temple of the most High

At eighty-four years God had heard her cry…

A tiny baby named Jesus, Simeon held in his arms

The Messiah has been born,

Sound the Alarm…

In the temple-courts as she enters the scene

She lifts her voice for she’s been given her dream…

“Savior, Deliverer, come see what I mean…”

Anna, full of grace, has met the King!

Seasons of life will come and go…

Occupy so that all will know…

Jesus is Messiah; go and share the good news…

Come see Jesus he’s waiting for you

Women of age do not despair…

Keep working and serving God everywhere

“Come see Jesus,” let this be your prayer…

In old age you are still vibrant,

There are souls that need his care…

God will use you to answer prayer!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 28, 2018

 

Mark 15:40-41 New King James Version (NKJV) There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Luke 2:36-38 New King James Version (NKJV)

Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer

Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

 

We don’t remember our first breath but it must have been glorious…

If you’ve ever experienced not being able to breathe, than I know for certain you don’t take it for granted.

Most of the time though, we don’t think about breathing, do we? It’s automatic, and as long as we breathe there’s no conscious thought or concern about it.

Babies come into the world and we wait expectantly for that first breath.

Swimmers hold their breath under water but as soon as they raise their heads from the cool liquid, a strong breath fills their lungs and it is such a relief.

I’m writing this today because of a new song we learned during our worship service this past Sunday. “All Hail King Jesus” there is a line that says… One final breath and it was finished, but not the end we could have known… verse 2. The song goes and it says, For in a dark, cold tomb, where our Lord was laid One miraculous breath, and we’re forever changed…

Oh glorious breath…the breath of life!!! His breath that changes us forever and we become a living soul!

God breathed breath into Adam and he became a living soul…

Genesis 2:7 New King James Version (NKJV) And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Jesus took his final breath on this earth and was laid in the tomb. Three days later, God breathed, breath, into the King of Glory, and he became our living King forevermore!Forever changed!

John 19:30 New King James Version (NKJV) So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Thank you Father God for the breath of Life! Amen!

Oh let his breath fill your lungs today…let his life saturate your soul…Live and Breathe and Have your Being In Him…the Breath of Life…Now and forevermore!!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 26, 2018

ALL HAIL KING JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Verse 1]
There was a moment when the lights went out
When death had claimed its victory
The King of love had given up His life
The darkest day in history

[Verse 2]
There on a cross they made for sinners
For every curse His blood atoned
One final breath and it was finished
But not the end we could have known

[Pre-Chorus 1]
For the earth began to shake, and the veil was torn
What sacrifice was made, as the heavens roared

[Chorus]
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world

[Verse 3]
There was a moment when the sky lit up
A flash of light breaking through
When all was lost He crossed eternity
The King of life was on the move

[Pre-Chorus 2]
For in a dark, cold tomb, where our Lord was laid
One miraculous breath, and we’re forever changed

[Chorus]
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world

[Interlude]

[Bridge]
Let every knee, come bow before the King of kings
Let every tongue, confess that He is Lord
Lift up your shout, let us join with all of heaven
Singing ho-ho-ho-ho-holy
Singing ho-ho-ho-ho-holy
Crying out ho-ho-ho-ho-holy
Singing ho-ho-ho-ho-holy

[Chorus]
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
And all hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world

[Interlude]

[Post-Chorus]
All hail, King Jesus
All hail, King Jesus
All hail, King Jesus
All hail, King Jesus!

[Interlude]

[Chorus]
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
All hail, King Jesus
All hail the Savior of the world

Jeremy Riddle

   

We, as true Christians, pray standing, as One Nation under God

We see tyrants come with fear to annihilate us one by one…

Enemies from within try to make us run

Impostors and liars try to divide our victories won…

We are Americans, strong, brave; daughters and sons…

Centuries of battles and wars have been fought

Deceivers and unbelievers tear at our heart…

Nothing is more powerful than our One True God…

Over mountains and plains, rivers and sky

Brave men and women have fought and died

To give us liberty, and freedom, fighting side by side

We know who we are, and in God we confide

Living and working together we stand…

By joining in prayer and the holding of hands

Sneer if you dare, but this is American Land…

We may fall down, we may take a rest, but we will never give up

In trial or test…

We are a Christian Nation; we give her our best…

Oh there’s always friction in families, tis true…

But we fight for the right of our red white and blue…

By our blood sweat and tears…and the grace of God,

Christian’s stand tall and do not fear

As An American Christian Nation, we gladly cheer…

Bound together in faith, we must draw near…

It’s time to lift high our Christian banner and cry…

No more talk and no more try…

Enough is enough, devil you’ve been served…

It’s way past time, for you to get what you deserve…

Stop fighting each other we’ve got work to do

America, God has chosen you…

To be bold, and courageous;

To stand above the crowd

Head, held, high, and make God proud…

Do not give up and do not give in…

With God by our side we will always WIN!!

America, we are, ONE NATION UNDER GOD!!!

FOREVER, AMEN!!!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 22, 2018

Jeremiah 17:7-8 New King James Version (NKJV) “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be  green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

 

Winner of souls was the preacher’s goal

Young man on fire for God…

Compelled to go to the highways and byways

His trek for Jesus was trod…

A simple salvation is what he taught

Saving souls is what he sought…

John 3:16, he lived and shared

So the souls of people everywhere

Would be given grace and spared

Spared from Hells eternal flames

Accepting Christ in Jesus Name

Millions would come to Crusades

He’d proclaim

“YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN…”

The legacy of Reverend Billy Graham

Is one, which shares Salvation’s Plan…

Will you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Open your heart and only believe…

Living 99 years is nothing you see…

When Jesus lives inside of thee…

You’ll grow and stretch and pray and shout…

But obey His call and never doubt…

This will be our legacy

And

Home Sweet Home will be our eternity

The blood of Jesus will set you free…

A winner of souls you’ll be…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 21, 2018

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30 New King James Version (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

Quotes by Reverend Billy Graham:

“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.”

“God never takes away something from your life without replacing it with something better.”

“I’ve read the last page of the Bible, it’s all going to turn out all right.”

“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.”

If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”

“The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course.”

“We are the Bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding.”

“A real Christian is the one who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip.”

“I have never known anyone to accept Christ’s redemption and later regret it.”

“When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”

“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.”

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

“Christ not only died for all: he died for each.”

 “Heaven is full of answers for which nobody ever bothered to ask.”

“Take one day at a time. Today, after all, is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

“We say to our children, ‘Act like grown-ups,’ but Jesus said to the grown-ups, ‘Be like children.’

“Sin is the second most powerful force in the universe, for it sent Jesus to the cross. Only one force is greater—the love of God.”

“Knowing we will be with Christ forever far outweighs our burdens today! Keep your eyes on eternity!”

“World events are moving very rapidly now. I pick up the Bible in one hand, and I pick up the newspaper in the other. And I read almost the same words in the newspaper as I read in the Bible. It’s being fulfilled every day round about us.”

“God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”

“Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength.”

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”

“The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.”

“They asked her (Ruth Graham) did she ever think about divorce and she said, ‘No, I’ve never thought of divorce in all these 35 years of marriage, but,’ she said, ‘I did think of murder a few times.’”

“Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.”

“When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God.”

“The message I preach hasn’t changed. Circumstances have changed. Problems have changed, but deep inside man has not changed, and the gospel hasn’t changed.”

“The only hope for enduring peace is Jesus Christ.”

Studying my Bible study lesson this past week brought back a memory of my hero. My big brother, Regan.

Three times Paul asked God to remove his thorn. One, two, three… But God said, My Grace is sufficient for you. In your weakness you find my strength makes you strong.

When I was about 7 or 8 years old we had moved to a new place to live. I loved to go barefoot. So one afternoon I ran out to the mailbox to get the mail. I didn’t know there were patches of sand-spurs. I ran right into them. I tried to move but with each movement the sand-spurs stuck me. I could not budge, not even an inch without being stuck. I cried out for help and my older brother came to my rescue. He was able to carry me out of the tormenting pain that was being inflected upon me.

Tiny thorns stuck my feet each time I tried to move. Some were small enough to pull out without much effort. But there was one that was quite large and the thorn was in deep. I screamed, “Don’t touch it!”

My brother Regan said, “Marla, I’m going to count to three and on three; I will yank it out.” I trusted my big brother. Gathered up all of my courage and said, “OK.”

One…two…yank and it was out.

I wanted to cry but before I could the pain was gone and the sand-spur was out so there was no need to cry.

“Regan, you said on three.” I said with a pout.

He laughed and said, “It’s out, that’s all that matters.”

I didn’t have the power to remove the thorn. The pain was too great. But I knew someone who was bigger and could help me.

There are thorns that we are suffering with today. We find ourselves in the thorn patch and cry out…HELP ME!

Paul said his thorn was, a messenger of Satan… (2 Cor. 12:7)

Paul also said, “I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. (2 Cor. 12:8 HCSB)

One…two…three…but it would not go. God had another plan.

God said, “My Grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Sometimes the things we go through are for a greater purpose. Sometimes the thorns are there to protect us. They are there to teach us lessons of faith and hope. God knows what he is doing and he will use the thorn to cause us to trust Him. His grace is enough…but we have to come to a place in Him and allow humility and grace to carry us. We have to come to a place of acceptance and surrender to God’s will. Satan wants to destroy us. But God knows if we will hold onto him through the process it will be for our good. Not to hurt us but to give us greater faith.

Are we willing to endure a thorn for the calling of Christ? Are we willing to endure a cross? Are we willing to endure a grave? Are we willing to allow God’s grace to sustain us even though a thorn is not removed?

Only God can determine when that thorn has served its purpose and remove it. And sometimes it only comes after we have gone home to be with the Lord.

Living with a thorn brings, grace, and surrender, humility, favor, perseverance, love, and acceptance. It is a process that the child of God must learn, through trial and testing, that God’s grace truly is sufficient! His grace is enough!

Satan sends thorns to torment us, but God calls it a gift of grace!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 19, 2018

The senseless murder of children doesn’t just affect the victims and their families. It affects each and every one of us.

This is not about gun control or our rights although that is an issue for sure. It is about passing laws and enforcing those laws to protect all citizens. We need to be prepared and aware of behaviors that is not healthy and then take action and don’t just let it go.

We can’t possibly know exactly who, when, where or how evil will attack. There are just too many variables.

But with knowledge and being aware of our surroundings, seeing the red flags and taking action then and there instead of letting them go unnoticed is a start.

Mental illness is a disease. We can’t always know who is suffering from this illness. We can’t make people take medication. This is not about singling people out either and making them targets of bullying or mistreatment or stereotype. Not all mental health issues are violent there is a fine line and we must tread lightly. But by educating teachers and students to be more aware of the indicators of a threat and those who could become a potential threat I believe would help. Not to make them targets but to be aware that when comments or threats are heard that they be addressed at that moment and not just ignore it. It should not just be passed on to someone else. Those who are in authority need to step up to the plate and take charge.

Stop complacency. Put together a special task force of teachers, kids and parents, who are trained for indicators. Guns are not to be used irresponsibly or by those who have the potential to hurt others. There has to be a plan in place. There should be a protocol and educating people so that they are more responsible to have respect for weapons that have the capacity to wound, injure and kill this must be a priority.

This nightmare has gone on, and on, and on, with no solutions. It becomes debates about our rights and to ban or not to ban guns. It becomes an issue of talking about the challenge and never taking action for a positive solution.

This evil affects everyone it can happen at any time and any place. Time for talk and debates is long past. We are called American’s. Our ancestor’s fought and died for our freedoms and for our rights. They escaped slavery and tyranny and set up laws and a government to be for the people and by the people; because we are the people. We are the ones who must not sit quietly by and watch children’s lives be snuffed out over and over again. We must take action.

We must come together as a Nation. ‘One Nation Under God.’ It took one woman to have prayer taken out of schools. Where is that woman today? She has long since died.

This United States…We Americans…have an obligation and a duty to take a stand against violence and determine how we can solve this PROBLEM! How many more children must die…? How many more children must face severe trauma and paralyzing fear about going to school because it is not a safe place…? How long will we as American’s hang our heads and sit on our laurels and just keep talking and talking about what to do instead of coming up with a plan and work together to end the horror of murder in our schools!

Come on America! We must come together in unity. It’s time to be assertive, and proactive, in a healthy and organized stand against EVIL. Evil is the enemy.

Stomping out evil is determined by each of us taking the responsibilities. Our Children are worth more than our hot-headed debates. Our children are perishing…Our children are open targets for anyone at any time. What are we going to do about it?

Stop talking and Take Action!

Positive action:

First Pray…and pray and pray…

Come up with a solution now.

Work together in decisive and constructive ways.

Be proactive.

Recruit teachers, students and parents to be trained in Mental illness.

Be alert and know what the Red Flags are to look for on a daily basis.

Funding for camera’s and metal detectors.

Funding for Special Task Force (STF) within the schools (For Teachers, Administrators and Students.)

Make the STF, police and security aware of potential threats and actual threats.

Make the task force aware of fire drills and even possible shooting drills.

All I’m saying is that these kinds of things are not going to just go away. But if we sit by and do nothing more fatalities are going to happen. Do you want to come home one day and hear that YOUR, child, was just murdered? Or do you want to DO SOMETHING about it?

We must protect our children!

Thank you for your time and I pray that the shooting in Parkland won’t be just another tragedy that is talked about and seen worldwide then dies down and nothing changes.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 18, 2018

Romans 8:31 New King James Version (NKJV)

God’s Everlasting Love

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 Timothy 2:2-3 The Message (MSG) Simple Faith and Plain Truth

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. 

God’s heart full of joy, at the day of man’s birth

He rejoiced knowing, creation’s worth…

Rebellion crept in like a slithering hiss

Betrayed and deceived by a whispering kiss…

Years of wondering and years of war…

Waiting for the promise, a Savior to restore…

Hearts that were evil, minds turned from the Lord

When will he come, and open the door…?

Come Messiah, Come I implore!

Born, and lived, Messiah, our King…

Love came down and gave everything…

Rebellion crept in like a slithering hiss

Betrayed and deceived by a whispering kiss

Death and the grave were opened wide

Messiah came, so we could step inside…

Into Heaven’s garden to forever abide.

Down through the ages like waves on the shore

We wait in the balance,

Come Messiah, Come once more!

Murder and deception tools of Satan’s hand…

Crush and destroy the children of man…

The final say, is not from evil’s lips…

The hissing serpent has lost his grip

Lies cannot penetrate the truth of God’s Love…

The fight and this war are fought from above…

Signs of the times the endings of this place

A new beginning, a brand new race…

Do not grow weary but grow in grace…

Come Messiah; let us see your face…

Wars, won…Warriors in place…

Fighting in Holy Spirit without disgrace…

We are Victorious!

Our Battle Cry,

Is Love, simply love, not leaving one trace…

Of whispering betrayal, it’s no longer the case

This time our Messiah will not be kissed

By the kiss of death, but the kiss of Life!!!

For the Bride of Christ, in White will Rise…

Taking her place where no one dies…

Love restored,

Come Messiah, Come I implore!

Maranatha!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 16, 2018

Genesis 1:27 King James Version (KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 3:4 King James Version (KJV) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Genesis 12:2-3 King James Version (KJV) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Luke 22:48 The Message (MSG) No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a crowd showed up, Judas, the one from the Twelve, in the lead. He came right up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said, “Judas, you would betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

1 Corinthians 15:55-58 New King James Version (NKJV)

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Revelation 19:8 King James Version (KJV) And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Revelation 22:20 New King James Version (NKJV) I Am Coming Quickly

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Matthew 10:34 King James Version (KJV) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Luke 12:51-53 The Message (MSG) – To Start a Fire

“I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything right-side up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront! From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be—

Three against two,

and two against three;

Father against son,

and son against father;

Mother against daughter,

and daughter against mother;

Mother-in-law against bride,

and bride against mother-in-law.”

Luke 12:55-56 The Message (MSG) Then he turned to the crowd: “When you see clouds coming in from the west, you say, ‘Storm’s coming’—and you’re right. And when the wind comes out of the south, you say, ‘This’ll be a hot one’—and you’re right. Frauds! You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season, the God-season we’re in right now.

 

If I could just touch the hem of his garment I know I can be made well…

I’ve spent all my money on doctors…I’m seen as unclean and no one wants to come near me….

I am a woman, with no money, no friends, and no one to help me…

Years I’ve begged and been in pain but no one sees me…no one hears my cries of pain and despair…

One glimmer of hope sustains me…

I’ve heard there’s a healer in town…

I will use every ounce of strength I have left and crawl if need be, to reach out to this healer…

The morning sun is hot…The crowd is thick. How can I reach him?

I think, “Lord, if I can just reach your robe I know I will be healed…”

Turning, the healer, Jesus, feels someone touch him from within…Faith is activated…

“Who touched me?” He says. “I want to meet the one whose faith has reached out to me and touched me.”

“My Lord, you are surrounded by a crowd many are touching you.” The disciples exclaim.

“Yes many are touching me, but only one has touched me with their faith…” Jesus looks down and sees a lowly woman smiling, ecstatic with joy and peace. She knows she is healed.

The woman lying upon the ground looks up and stares into the eyes of the Master…

Their eyes lock…and he says, “Woman your faith has made you whole.”

Twelve years of sickness gone…years of being afraid…Years of despair and loss and uncontrollable pain, weakness…all gone

The blood issue gone…

Years of worry gone…years of abandonment and sneers from people…all gone…

From just one touch of the healer’s garment, in faith, she is clean and healed and free…

Faith is not a cliché; it is not a wish or magic potion…

Faith is not just hoping or desiring or wanting…

Faith is an action…a knowing that what we are seeking will be done!

When we are totally and completely out of options and there is no answer…

When no amount of money or therapy or medication or surgery or anything else man can come up with and all hope is gone…when help and all possibilities are nowhere to be found…and you have no other resource or even a thought of how to solve your situation…

You can do one of two things. You can give up and slowly die…

Or you can look to the only one who does have the answer! There is only one.

Not hoping he’ll do it. Not believing he’ll do it…not talking about it or wishing it so…

Faith is a determined, heart/spirit decision to reach out KNOWING without a doubt, that, “If I can touch just the hem of His garment, I will be healed.”

Faith is activated from within our spirit by the Spirit of God; it touches the Lord and allows healing virtue to flow.

We don’t have any control over faith, although he has given us a measure of faith…Faith comes from the Spirit of The Lord…Faith touches God…Faith makes God happy…Faith is right standing with Him…Faith is solid…Faith is the favor of God…Faith is like a key that unlocks the heart of God and automatically delivers what is needed in the moment.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God!

Abraham had faith in God! David had faith in God. Job had faith in God. All throughout the Old Testament you can see faith in action. Moses and Joshua and Jacob and Joseph and Ruth and Esther and Deborah and Samuel and Jeremiah and Isaiah just to name a few all had faith in God. When you read the scriptures it’s all about faith.

Everything the saints of old did, took Faith. Elizabeth had faith, Mary had faith, the disciples had faith…the woman with the issue of blood, the blind man, the lame and deaf and lepers all had faith in God…They lived in faith and they died in faith…WHY?

Because Faith is what pleases God!

Are you having faith in God today?

Are you sick, in doubt, in despair? Are you allowing anxiety to rob you of rest, hope, healing? Take heart brothers, sister, open your heart and allow Faith to saturate your mind, body and spirit. Kick doubt out …it does you no good!

Let Faith ARISE within you and SHOUT…IF I CAN BUT TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT…I WILL BE HEALED!!!

Be encouraged…Have Courage and Be Bold! You’ve tried everything else…Do this!

When you have a few minutes, go to a quiet place and open your heart and begin to thank him for life. Love on him from your heart and spirit. Let everything else go…thank him for your healing, for your deliverance. Reach out and touch his robe by faith…he will know and he will turn to you and say, “Son, daughter, your faith has made you whole!”

Matthew 9:20 Good News Translation A woman who had suffered from severe bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will get well.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well.” At that very moment the woman became well.

“At once Yeshua realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched My clothes?’ ‘You see the people crowding against You,’ His disciples answered, ‘and yet You can ask, Who touched Me?'” (Mk. 5:30-31).

Hebrews 11:1 New Matthew Bible (NMB) What faith is, and a commendation of the same. The steadfast belief of the fathers in old-time.

Faith is a sure confidence of things that are hoped for, and a certainty of things that are not seen.

Let me just say this:

Jesus didn’t heal everyone; some were not healed because of doubt and unbelief. I’m not saying you aren’t having faith if you are not healed. All I know is that the Bible says, He healed the woman who had the issue of blood. He healed the blind and lame and lepers…The scriptures say, it is Faith that please God.

If you lack faith…Read His Word…Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! (Romans 10:17) God’s word activates Faith…I pray God will encourage you today.  Let all fear and doubt be gone in the name of Jesus! I pray that you will reach out and touch the hem of his garment and that Jesus will say to you today, “Your faith has made you whole!”

God bless you. Let Faith Arise!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 15, 2018

The garment of Jesus: The tallit, tassels, fringes. Represent the authority of His word; (Word of God), Humility, His wings.

The prophet Malachi spoke of the Messiah of Israel and said of Him, “But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings” (Mal. 4:2). The Hebrew word for “wings” used in this passage is kanaf, which is a word that specifically means the fringe-like feathers or edges of a bird’s wing, not the whole wing.

Jesus gave us the authority that in the His Name, the name of Jesus…when we reach out in Faith and touch Him we can be healed. It is by the spirit, not the flesh, that we touch Him by faith…not by might, nor by power…but by my Spirit says the Lord.

Psalm 17:7-9 Good News Translation (GNT) Reveal your wonderful love and save me; at your side I am safe from my enemies. Protect me as you would your very eyes; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the attacks of the wicked. 

I don’t know if you have ever experienced a frozen shoulder before, it seems this is something that we vintage people have in common but no one told me about. Let me just say, it is not on the list of the top ten things I want to do in my life. And to be honest I do get a little grouchy… Lord give Bob grace! Any woo… I have prayed. I have gone to see a doctor. I have exercised and I sleep with multiple pillows propping my arm up and I have lost a lot of sleep because of the pain. Dressing is a challenge. Washing my hair in the shower, well, that’s where the T-Rex arms come in… the arm just won’t reach, no matter how much I command it to stretch. I’m sure you can relate if you’ve ever had a frozen shoulder. My left arm did recover from the malady and thank goodness for that, otherwise, I’d really be in a pickle. (I slept with a Winnie the Pooh stuffed toy and prayed a lot and it got better.) But this time it is not working!

No cortisone, because of blood sugar issues…Physical therapy they say, “may help,” but hurts terribly…I just need to vent for few minutes.

It’s only a challenge when I want to brush my hair. Sleep on my right side. Wash my hair. Scratch my back. Write for any length of time. Sit, stand, blah, blah, blah! Why am I sharing this? Well I’ll tell you?

Here we go…

Just because we are “saved”, born again; have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior…doesn’t mean we are free from trials and testing’s. Being a child of God is not “magic” there are no cutesy words or a magic wand you can wave and voilà everything is made perfect…In fact we will be tried and tested even more so. Jesus told His disciples they would be persecuted, mocked and even put to death. If they did it to Him the Son of God, they would certainly do it to us. But He also said, Cheer up because, He overcame, we can overcome too!

Now if you are not a believer of Christ you may be thinking, “Then why in the world would I want to become a believer?” That’s an understandable question.

Imagine twelve men (His disciples) who were from different persuasions of life. They were fishermen, tax collectors, tradesmen, etc. going about their everyday routine, when a man says to them, “Come follow me.”

He was no ordinary man. They must have known about Him they were from the same community. Yet they all left their routines and followed Him. For three years, I would venture to say that in that time, they got to know Him extremely well. And when they saw Him return from the dead, and He cooked a meal for them and ate with them. Had conversations with them; one even touched His side, where He had been pierced and also saw His nail scared hands. But when they saw Him ascend into heaven; well, that was the deal maker. They were all in!

They did as he said and waited for the power of the promise in an upper room. They preached with conviction and abandonment of all fears…they spoke the truth with hearts of passion. They knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God!!! Stoning could not stop them. Lions could not stop them. Prison could not stop them. Beatings and being ripped in-two could not stop them. Romans could not stop them. Kings could not stop them. Demons could not stop them. Sickness, weariness, storms, crucifixion, nothing could stop them not even the sentence of death. Why? BECAUSE they knew Who They Served and were persuaded that nothing could stop the Love of God from accomplishing His purpose for their lives. They knew Him! They had a continuing fellowship with Him! They were no longer students, they were sons and daughters of the Living God and they knew Messiah had come and would come again.

Paul had a thorn in his side that he could not be delivered from. His faith in God kept him going, no matter what his test or trial, he endured. He knew God’s grace was sufficient for him. These bodies are going to return to dust. If a believer and a non-believer stand in the rain they are both going to get wet. (It rains on the just and the unjust alike.)

The difference is when you are a child of God…you want to please God. Not self. You want to help others. You want to pray. You want to read God’s word, because you know His words give you an understanding of Him, He shows you how to live your life being blessed and not cursed. When you are His child you want to be around others who Love Him. If one can put a thousand to flight then two can put ten thousand to flight. There is unity and strength in numbers. Jesus always sent the disciples out in two’s. Why, because if one is weak the other can encourage and pray and help him to stay strong.

God opens your spirit so that you can see His light…and you never want to return to the darkness.

Even though my right shoulder is frozen…I continue to lift it up to praise God. I continue to believe for healing. But you know what? Even if I don’t get my healing I will continue to have faith and praise the Lord. I honor Him and love Him. Why?

Because I have been in His presence, I have heard his still small voice in the cool of the day… I have seen Him by faith Move Mountains in my life. I have experienced supernatural happenings of sicknesses healed, broken bones mended, restoration and reconciliation of relationships healed, and I can say I have seen His love and grace flow when everything looked hopeless and lifeless. Jesus my Lord, and Savior, has shown me His glory! When you know Him, really know Him, then no matter what happens, no matter the trial or the test, no matter how alone you may feel, you know He is with you. You can stand in faith knowing He is worth it all. And He will not fail! He will not fail!

I don’t understand everything, no one does…but I know this one thing…God is faithful. He does not lie. And he is a rewarder of those who seek Him with all their heart, mind, body and soul.

We are living in eternity right now…God is offering life…He is saying, “Come follow me.”

The world is offering riches, fame, prestige, or it could be offering abandonment, lack, sickness, death. God will not force anyone to love Him; He gave us all a free will. He has offered a choice though. In Him there is Peace, Love, Joy, Forgiveness, Life and so much more! The choice is yours.

T-Rex arms are not so bad in the light of eternal life!

I choose Life!

Thanks for reading from a vintage person, LOL….

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 3, 2018

Mark 5:33-42 Good News Translation (GNT) The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth. Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble.”

While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus’ house and told him, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?” Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”