Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

 

What does God desire?

What is on His heart?

When looking from His, perspective, how would my prayers start?

Surely not, God I want, or, God can you please give me…

God’s desire is so much more, He looks for humility.

Long ago before we were born God set all in motion

His heart’s desire was that His children would give Him all their devotion…

His desire for you and me is to be a Holy Nation…

A people set apart, to live and laugh and love in total adoration

His love for us is limitless,

To love Him back is all He asks

He’ll carry us on eagles’ wings, and treasure us as His own living beings

Because, He, is God…

He is the creator of the universe, and Oh how His heart sings…

When He hears the voice of the redeemed…praying

For when we acknowledge who He is and how His blood has made us clean

Why there isn’t anything…He wouldn’t give…if you know Him, you know what I mean…

God, wash me and I will be whiter than snow

Cleanse me so that I may know

The beauty of your Holiness,

Let your desires be mine,

To be Christ-like, let me have your mind…

To forgive, and love, and offer you, all that I am or ever will be

Let your love shine abundantly through me…to offer love, so others may see

You living; don’t let them see me…

This is my prayer, I pray to thee!

 

My dar’lyn child you’ve touched the heart of God…

 

~Marla Shaw O’Neill

January 5, 2018

The Soul Takes Flight Poetry

 

Deuteronomy 7:6 New International Version (NIV) For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Exodus 19:1-6 New International Version (NIV) ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

1 Peter 2:9-10 New International Version (NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Ephesians 2:10 New International Version (NIV) For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 1:5-10 The Message (MSG) The God of Glory How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

 

What would a flower be without the flower, just a stem?

Why, there’d be no sweet fragrance, no need to even look at them

They wouldn’t produce seeds; they wouldn’t even be a plant we call a weed.

And what about a tree, if it had no leaves

Naked in the elements

A tree without leaves wouldn’t be a tree…

And what about a fish that had no water to swim in

Or a lion without a den, or his roar that never begins?

What if chickens couldn’t cluck?

And what about a duck, without webbed feet

He couldn’t travel very far at all, and what if he had no beak

What would he eat…?

What would the giraffe look like if he wasn’t very tall?

He wouldn’t be a giraffe he’d be too small…

What about the bee, if he didn’t have a hive

How in the world would he ever survive…?

If birds couldn’t fly

And wolves couldn’t howl

If eagles couldn’t see

And spiders couldn’t weave…

Finally,

What about you and me?

If man had been created without a brain, and woman without a rib

What would that look like?

The world certainly would be strange

We wouldn’t have to explain…

It sure is a good thing that God arranged,

All the animals, and all the flowers, trees and bugs, seas and earth, sky and universe…

So, why is it that man tries to change everything?

God in His infinite wisdom follows His own plan

So you and I can grow and thrive and hopefully comprehend

That there is someone greater who designed this world before man

Flowers, to give seeds

So birds and bees can carry them on, as life repeats its cycle…

Trees to hold the earth by its roots, shaded by leaves that do not pollute

Animals all have their purpose;

Giraffe, lion, eagle, wolves, fish and birds and all the rest…

The cycle of life set in motion

But this was God’s best…

Made in His own image, for all time,

Perfect design,

His love, is mankind!

~M.S. O’Neill January 4, 2018

The Soul Takes Flight Poetry by MS O’Neill

Genesis 1 King James Version (KJV)

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And the evening and the morning were the third day.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Tied to the earth is body and soul

 Layer upon layer as years pay the toll

Leaving the message when we are old

That life is, worth living…

Traveling through time and space

Aging upon each face

Of those weary travelers who have suffered long in this place…

Some come haggard from the weight of the race…

Some only sit and stare…

But some come joyfully with soul and grace…

They know the one, who showed them He cared…

Putting their faith and hope in Him, no need to fret; no need to despair

Shadows cast over lives; they are people of prayer…

It keeps them on their way…

Suffering long is part of their song…

Knowing and trusting that He will bring them home

Long suffering; obedience, taught…

Their lives are not lived for naught…

For they are in the mind of God, He carried them in each thought…

The ones who endured, and overcame, who lived for God and fought,

Evil’s cunning game…

Will receive their just reward!

Rejoicing in the Lord…

Long suffering, a friend on whom they could depend

God’s grace is sufficient for them!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 3, 2018

The Soul Takes Flight Poetry

Ephesians 4:1-4 Tree of Life Version (TLV) Therefore I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you were called—with complete humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Ruach in the bond of shalom.

There is one body and one Ruach, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling;

 

Psalm 91:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

 

Now I could complain and tell you

That life is full of woe

But that wouldn’t give you much hope

On this crowed road as you go…

Heartache and suffering is part of the trip

But there’s no need to worry, let me give you a tip…

If you’re trying to walk alone, carrying a heavy load

Listen, there’s a way to help you, on this long, winding, road

Jesus said,

Take my yoke upon you, and rest your weary head.

Yes, sixty-four years is quite some time, some stay longer and some go sooner…

We don’t know why…

There’s no dead-end, for the road ahead, take it by faith help others and spread

His love, on your journey to home…

Life doesn’t end; it truly begins; when the body dies but until then…

Keep your eyes focused on Him…

So in the realm of eternity…

Sixty-four years, why, you’re just a kid

Keep on plugging along

Do not grow weary, do not give up…when you get tired; just sing a happy song…

Remembering there’s so much more to do…

Things have a way of working out…don’t get bitter, and do not doubt.

Shuffling feet and no more teeth, hair falling out and bones that creak…

Food has lost its flavor and body is weak…

Mind forgetful and people don’t speak…

Heart pounding and skips a beat…

Lotions and pills, doctor visits, better make out your will

Getting old is not for wimps…

Why it’s just inconvenient is all

Eyes growing dim

But one thing I know…

He’ll renew your strength when your Joy’s in Him

I never knew it would be like this…

Keep praising God and you will see…

It’s not the flesh who’ll see Jesus the King…

But the Spirit; living inside of thee…

Youth renewed like the eagles…

Strong and bold and agile, is the spirit who has been made free…

Not born of the flesh, but born of God; these sixty-four years seems like only a flash…

No need to worry, but simply ask,

And God will meet you there!

~M. S. O’Neill January 3, 2018

The Soul Takes Flight Poetry by MS O’Neill

Psalm 90:14-17 The Message (MSG) Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?— and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times; we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you’re best at— the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

 

Dedicated to my babies!!!

 Photo by MS O’Neill

Showers of raindrops are like, tears

That clings and washes away all fear

Happy little droplets that let me know you are here…

And when I gaze upon you, I smile and all is clear

Clear as the raindrops that are hanging, on leaves as I see them appear

My heart sings a morning song, I am happy all the day long…

Raindrops fresh and clean

Tell the world that all will remain…

When hurts and disappointments fill your life with pain…

All will be washed away by the clear, gentle, rain!

Leaving not even one tiny stain…

Raindrops, sent by God, bringing happiness, again!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 3, 2018

The Soul Takes Flight Poetry by: MS O’Neill

Psalm 51:7-15 The Message (MSG)

Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise.

 

The Joy of the Lord…

Can you imagine what the Lord’s Joy is like…?

Not sensual, no manipulative motive, it is open and honest, His Joy shines bright…

Pure, unadulterated, clean, refreshing like the morning light

A breath of dawn, holy inhaled, then exhaled, exuberant flight…

His Joy is full; it’s a penetrating delight…

Like peppermint, refreshing and cool…

Like a summer rain, and a dip in the pool…

Running in fields of soft lush grass

His Joy lasts….

Like flowers bursting open in Spring

Allow his Joy to sing….

His Joy is like, first love’s kiss

His Joy is never remiss…

His Joy He freely gives…

Open your heart, to His…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 2, 2018

The Soul Takes Flight Poetry by: MS O’Neill

John 15:10-12 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.

 

January 2, 2018

When someone would criticize me and I’d let it upset me. My mom would say, “be like a duck, just let it roll off your back…”

Years later I understood why she would say that.

When a duck is swimming or out in the rain, the bird secretes an oil from glands near its tail. With its bill, the duck rubs the oil over its body.

The oil keeps the water from soaking through the duck’s feathers, making the bird “waterproof.”

So, the water didn’t affect the duck. Someone’s critical opinion is like the water. Let the oil of the Holy Spirit saturate your being, his oil will cause the fiery darts to just roll off your back.

No matter what comes at you on a daily basis, and it will come…let the oil of Joy, be applied to your heart and mind, and the offence will just roll off your back. Be a duck!!!

Psalm 30:4-6 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Make music to praise the Lord, you faithful people who belong to him.
Remember his holiness by giving thanks.
 His anger lasts only a moment.
His favor lasts a lifetime.
    Weeping may last for the night,
        but there is a song of joy in the morning.

When all was well with me, I said,
    “I will never be shaken.”

Psalm 45:7New International Version (NIV)

 

Today is January 1, 2018, Happy New Year!

So last year the Lord gave me a word for 2017, it was the word ‘Write.’

So I wrote.

This morning before getting out of bed I asked the Lord what my word is, for 2018. Now I don’t hear an audible voice, it’s more like a perception. But his voice is very distinctive like a thought but heavier…is the only way I know to describe it.

He said, ‘It is more than just a word. Be happy; joyful. This year will be a year to celebrate. Be involved. Take action.”

I don’t know exactly what he has in mind, but I am willing and open for this year’s adventure…

Taking one day at a time…I will rejoice and be glad.

And I invite you all to come along for a joyful, happy year!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 1, 2018

Philippians 4:4-8 King James Version (KJV) Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

As I sit here with only a few hours of 2017 left I listen to fire crackers going off in the distance. I’ve posted 364 posts in my blog this will be the 365^th for this year. It occurs to me that I have no idea if people actually read this blog. I know a few do because they have liked it, and some have even commented on some of them. But that doesn’t matter.

Last year God gave me a word for the New Year of 2017. (Challenged by the group, Christian Poets and Writers) I prayed and it was the word “write”. Each morning as I would wake I’d hear the Holy Spirit speak different things to my heart. I’d get up, eat something then I’d write. I didn’t want to just write about random things…I wanted to write what God wanted me to write. I hope and pray that if you have read these posts that they have encouraged you maybe even inspired you. My heart’s desire is to please the Lord. He is my reason for living. I will turn 64 on January 3, 2018. To tell you the truth I’m really amazed that God has blessed me with this many years. I am also grateful. I don’t know what 2018 holds for this world, but I certainly know who holds 2018 in the palm of His hand. I accepted the Lord Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior when I was about six years old, baptized when I was about eight, and was filled gloriously with my prayer language when I was twelve. I take what he has given me very serious. I knew that I was a sinner and I wanted to be born again. I didn’t understand everything and I didn’t have to…all I had to know was that I accepted Jesus into my heart, that He is the Son of God and I wanted to make Him the Lord of my life. From that point on, my life had meaning and purpose.

I’ve made many mistakes along the way…and I’m sure I’ll make some more before he calls me home. But this I know beyond a shadow of a doubt…I am His child and I am forgiven. I never, ever want to walk away from him or the calling he has on my life.

Romans 8:1-5 New International Version (NIV) Life Through the Spirit

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

God bless you my friends…I pray you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and if you do not, it only takes a moment and you can know him. Confess to Him you are a sinner, tell him you want him to come into your heart and that you believe he is God’s only begotten son, and ask him to be the Lord of your life. He will do it in a heartbeat. Find a Church that teaches the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit lead and guide you. I promise you, you won’t regret it.

Lord, be with everyone who reads this blog. You be lifted up O Lord, be glorified and honored for without you we are nothing. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

I hope you come again!

Love and blessings in the coming New Year! May it be happy and you have great success. Most of all I hope you meet Jesus.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill December 31, 2017

With two posts to go to reach my goal for the year 2017, on December 31, 2017, I am going to write from one of my mother’s journals. She’s in heaven now but her words are still heard loud and clear. She preached for over fifty years…in honor of my mom, here ya go!

WORDS

Words can be destructive, if they are not faith words.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, Oh, Lord my strength and my redeemer.

Words heal or kill.

Don’t yell, when you are angry people are watching, we can be a good or a bad influence.

Gen.1:1 In the beginning God, created the heaven and the earth

Gen. 1:3 God spoke and said: Let there be light—and there was light…

Gen. 1:6 God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters

Gen. 1:9 God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so.

John 8:31 and 32 Jesus said to the Jews which believed on Him…If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:31…If ye continue in my words…Jesus never encouraged his disciples to place confidence in the mere fact of past faith or experience, It is only as we continue in HIS WORD that confidence in salvation is warranted. Genuine Disciples of Christ continue to obey the words of Christ.

John 15:6 New International Version (NIV) If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Prayer: “Lord, help us to continue in your word. Let your word abide in us richly, so that we will not back slide or offend you. You are able to keep that which we have committed unto you, I love you Lord Jesus.

~Pearl Jeannette Gandy Holman in the year – 2012