Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

You’re walking along life’s road, holding the Masters hand. You’re singing and skipping, you’re happy without a care in the world…

You wake each morning happy and content knowing your relationship with Jesus is awesome…the Holy Spirit tells you some amazing things and you’re thrilled at what you hear.

Then a few days go by and you don’t hear His voice. You go about your day and you feel a little off. You’re not as happy as you had been. You stopped singing and everything and everyone seems to be more difficult to deal with.

You become critical and irritable about everything. You try to pray but your hearts just not in it. Your spouse says something and before you know you are biting his head off. Then he bites back. Layer upon layer of dirt has begun to pile on top of your spirit and you just feel awful. You have no energy and you don’t want to be around anyone.

Before you know it you’ve isolated yourself. You see your Bible sitting on the table but you just don’t want to read it. Then you realize something is terribly wrong.

But you don’t know what…

You pray, “God what is wrong with me?”

You’re buried in so much mud that you can hardly walk. You’re shoulders slump and your face becomes weary and haggard.

But you’re a Christian…you know you’re saved…so why all this oppression and depression…what is it?

Sunday comes around and you have thoughts of skipping the service and you think to yourself, I’ll just stay home today I’ll catch it online…

There’s a tug at your heart… “You know you should go…” Holy Spirit whispers.

Then your spouse says, “You know, we can still make it even if we’re a little late. You wanna go?”

Without hesitation you say, “Yes, let’s go.”

So you get to the Church no parking space available but it’s OK we’ll just go to the back lot. No big deal. You get in the Church it’s packed. So you take a seat in the very back row. You hear one song, missed the worship, but it’s OK.

Then the Pastor begins to speak…He pours his heart out to everyone…and at the end there is an altar call…your heart is convicted so much that you feel like you want to be saved all over again…but all you really need is a good bath in the Spirit…so you pray and get clean…you cry all the way out to your car…still feeling the effects of the anointed message…

And then the next morning…you read some Psalms…you pray in the Spirit and the breaking comes…and God and you are one on one…and you are on your knees asking him to forgive you and he does…then he speaks…and he says…

I said I will never leave you and I never will…those moments when you can’t feel me or hear me it is because you’ve let so much dirt pile up between us that you can’t hear me. It’s only when you humble yourself before me and ask to be washed and cleansed by my word that all the layers of dirt is gone and then your ears are clean, your heart is clean and you can hear my voice again…

How awesome our Father God is, his mercy is from everlasting to everlasting…

Do you need a bath? Are you oppressed and depressed? Are you irritable and angry? Are you tired and weary and worn out from the struggles of life? Maybe your layers have become mountains…and you don’t even know you’re separated from your relationship with God. I’m here to tell you if you are experiencing any of this…get alone and pour your heart out to Him, he will listen and he will clean you up…it only takes a tiny mustard seed of faith and those mountains will come tumbling down. Your strength will be restored, your joy and peace will return. You will jump and skip and run with new vitality because your relationship with the Lord will be restored.

Don’t put it off…Go pray right now…God wants to have a conversation with you…and you will feel so good after a good scrubbing…be sure to get between your toes and behind your ears…you don’t want to leave one bit of dirt behind…

Take a deep breath and be filled with new joy…

The Joy of the LORD is your strength!

~~Marla Shaw O’Neill July 10, 2017

Lord,

The time I have left here in this life

Let it be to serve you…

When I talk, let it be your words…

When I walk, let it be in the paths you set before me…

What I hear, let it be your voice saying, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

God, I am just a woman nothing extraordinary about me. But God I love you with a heart that’s on fire for you…when I fall and I’m bowed low…let me humble myself before you and repent and turn away from all that is not like you and seek you with my whole heart, mind, body and soul.

You are the Morning Star, You are my Strong Hold…there is no one or nothing that compares to You…My Rock, My Hiding Place, My Deliverer, My Rescuer…My heartbeat…

For You, Oh God brought me out of a deep, dark, endless pit…You washed me and cleansed me and loved me when I was unlovable…

You took all my guilt, all my shame and you called me to be yours….and yours alone…

Take my life, take all of me and let me forever worship your Holy Name…

I thank you my Father and my God…I thank you Majesty, My Jesus, My Love…

Do not keep silent, do not leave me alone…I surrender my whole life to your instruction and your plan…keep me Oh God always by your righteous right hand…Do not forsake me…You have said you would never leave me or forsake me…I know your words are true…

The enemy attacks from all sides…his roars are loud and terrifying…But You OH GOD are greater…you break his attacks and mash his advances, when I am humble and obey your commands…to love and forgive…you save me…

In your presence my Joy is fulfilled and the pleasures you bring are more precious than pure gold…I am yours and you are mine…drive out the enemy, drive them out as far as the east is from the west…drive them into the swine and do not let them overtake me…when I am afraid I will trust in You.

I praise and worship You Holy One…Amen and Amen!!

You give rest and peace to your Children…

Let my eyes see your Face Oh God and let no corruption come out of my mouth…

Strong drink is a mocker and lies destroy nations…hate kills souls and brings war…

But Your Love and Mercy saves multitudes…

You are My Strong Hold…I will cling to you for you are my life force…

Let your blood flow through my veins…and let my heart beat as yours…

Rescue us Oh God…let people see your glory…Restore and vindicate the weak and weary…Let the weak say, “I AM STRONG!”

Arise Oh my Love and Come quickly Lord Jesus…evil abounds in this land…but You Oh Lord will rescue us and save us from the wicked…keep us while we are in this place and keep us from the evil one…

I thank you my God that I can walk with you and talk with you and you answer me in your still small voice…

And yet…Your voice is like the roars of many waters…you open your mouth and you sing songs of love over me…the stars burst into song as day runs into the night…

The birds are silent when you speak and the flowers dip their head when you smile…

The mountains grow taller to reach your heavens and the horses race to find you…

Forgive me Oh Lord of all my transgressions and let me forever be humble in your sight…I throw kisses and embrace your kindness…for You are the God of my salvation. Amen!

Marla’s Song The Penitent Heart July 10, 2017

Bob and I were very busy over the fourth of July. Bob worked nonstop putting down a new floor in our living room. Working by the sweat of his brow is an understatement but it’s finally complete. Now the fun part for me…I get to put all my books back on the bookcases and rearrange knickknacks and decorate…YaY!!!

As I was in the process of this wonderful task, I saw that I had two little box plaques one says, “It is Well with My Soul” and the other says, “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” So…an idea popped into my brain, POP, just like that. LOL! Anyway to the point…I decided to print out the old hymns from the internet; frame them, and create a wall of the beautiful old songs I grew up singing. Amazing Grace, In the Garden, Blessed Assurance, and of course, It is Well With My Soul. And I thought it would be awesome to share it with you.

Times change…fads come in and go out. Faces of people grow older and new ones come in, and it made me think…No matter how young, or how old you get, music moves the soul…

There’s jazz, rock and roll, classical, blue grass, country, rap, gospel, contemporary Christian; as a matter of fact there’s music today I’ve never even heard of…but anyone can relate to music. It’s universal…play an upbeat piece of music and before you know it you’re tapping your foot and humming along. Play a slow, melancholy piece and it puts you in a somber mood…

Music certainly does speak to the soul…

Lullabies put babies to sleep…

Rock n’ Roll makes you wiggle in ways that would make your grandma blush…

I think you get my drift…

To me there is nothing better than turning on Contemporary Christian music and before long I’m twirling and spinning, caught up in worship before the living God…and an old gospel hymn will make me cry in a heartbeat of days long gone, listening to the lyrics and singing to the top of my lungs…remembering church gatherings and altar calls and sinners running to the altar to pray, asking Jesus to save them.

And singing this old song, Oh when the Saints go marching in, Oh when the saints go marching in…Oh Lord I want to be in that number…when the saints go marching in…

I’m filled with joy and happiness knowing where my loved ones are right now and one day I will be with them…

Oh what music must be like in heaven…

To hear God sing and Jesus and the disciples sing, and the angels, and loved ones all gathered together in God’s living room making a joyful noise…I can hear them now…

Everything gets real quiet and way in the very back of the room I hear my mama as she begins to sing her song about heaven. Heaven….happy home above…Heaven…land of peace and love…Oh it makes me feel like traveling on…Heaven… eternal, Heaven… supernal…I’m so glad that it’s real……

So for now I’ll enjoy these old hymns and sing along from time to time. And wait for that beautiful day when I get to go home.

For now…

It is Well with My Soul….

By the way when I get everything arranged the way I want it I’ll share pictures.

Love and blessings!

~~Marla Shaw O’Neill July 6, 2017

Good morning precious friends, brothers and sisters,

I’ve been struggling with some things lately and I’d like to share this with you if you don’t mind.

A few weeks ago I watched a movie and in this movie the mother had died but she had written letters and left them in various places she knew each child would find. I thought how wonderful that would be and I wished that my mom had left a letter for us and I would like to do that for my children. Then I thought, oh well what better message could mom have left us than the way she lived her life. Still it would have been nice. So I picked up her Bible and read it but no letters were there. I wondered if maybe she had written something in some of her other journals but I’ve gone through all of them and didn’t find anything for us personally.

I have not felt very good lately, physically and emotionally. Missing my mom and my family it’s really difficult at times especially when you are growing older and time seems to fly by so quickly and yet at times as if it is standing still. But you know what? God hears us even when we whisper the simplest request…

Over the last four days I began having heart palpitations and so very tired, so on the third day I went to see the doctor. He said it wasn’t life threatening and he would order a heart monitor and we’d go from there. I have been sleeping a lot because I just don’t have any energy. This morning I woke and felt stronger, I know prayers have been going up for me. God is faithful.

So I ate some breakfast, let me back up a minute. About a month ago the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit and instructed me to read from the Bible the Epistles; I read some and then got distracted. This morning He reminded me to go back and keep reading the Epistles. I decided to read from a Bible called Women of Faith Study Bible, I had not read from it in years. I read my Spirit Filled Bible but it was by my bed.

I read the book of 2 Peter and onto 1 John when some papers fell out of the back of the Bible. It was an email from November 2007, which my sister Barbara had sent to me when I was working. I guess I had tucked it in my Bible. It was about being an old person. I noticed there was something hand written on the back and so I opened and read…

Dear Marla,

By mistake Clyde brought your Bible up here to the hospital thinking it was mine. Today is Feb. 26, 2010, the anniversary of Mama’s passing, this note reminded me of her and the way she thought. It brought a little tug at my heart, but peace too. Because I know someday I will be gone too. But not forgotten. The last phrase got to me, like not wasting time about the past. Like Sister Nora always says, “flush it” Please forgive me for writing on your letter, but I need to tell you that you and Barbara mean the world to me and I’ve always been proud of you. May God bless you with Wisdom and Understanding and Much Peace. Know too that there are not perfect people “only forgiven.” With God’s mercy and help we will make it.

In your Bible I read this written by:

Alice Cary-1820-1871

There are briers besetting every path,

Which call for patient care;

There is a cross in every lot,

And in need of earnest prayer,

But a humble heart that leans on the Lord

Is happy anywhere!

Love you darling girl be happy! <3

Love,

Mom

It was a message especially for me from my mom. I burst out crying because God had heard my heart’s desire and just when I needed my mom the most there she was telling me to be happy.

You cannot tell me there is no God. You cannot tell me he doesn’t answer prayer…too many times…he’s spoken to me and shown me his grace and love and help. Even to give me a simple letter from my mother who has since gone to heaven July will be two years. It was no mistake that I picked up that Bible. God knew the letter was there and he had wanted me to find it and today as I obeyed his prompting his precious gift was there waiting for me.

Tears are flowing, tears of joy because mom had left me a special letter after all these years it was there waiting for me to find it on this day when I needed her encouragement and love. No she will never be forgotten…I love you mom! And God I love you beyond life!!! Thank you! Amen.

Here’s how to have a happy marriage. The answers you’ve been searching for are right here in black and white, written in the pages from an ancient book.

Instruction’s for every challenge in life. If you want to, know it all…read the book.

Let your conversation be chaste…

 

Perfect Attire:

Quiet within, quiet without

Gentle and kind this woman in mind

Precious to God you’ll be

Holy women of old, made beautiful to behold

Their husbands in love tis told

While trusting in God their hearts unfold

More precious than silver, more precious than gold…

Women today, cringe at the thought

And would never think of calling their husband master, no way…

But Sarah a princess loved Abraham, calling him lord,

Yes, she loved and obeyed…

God smiled on her, and after many long years, he blessed Sarah with a child…

Life is no different in these times we are living…

Only our hearts have stopped loving and quit giving…

But God never changes; his word is still true

If you’ll do what he asks, you’ll have happiness too…

Husbands listen, and likewise you’ll see

When you honor your wives, you’ll be thankful and happy…

In treating one another with understanding and grace

Your prayers will be answered as you’ll see on each face

Tears gone without a trace…joy will take their place…

Tenderness and grateful your house will be at peace…

Love each other in word and in deed

Keep God in your marriage and it will never cease…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill June 26, 2017

 

Instructions for Wives

In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

Instructions for Husbands

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

Instructions for All Christians

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say,

“If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Doing Good

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority. 1 Peter 3 New Living Translation (NLT)

 

The hymn of this old song comes flooding in with a force

So powerful, knowing the maker of your soul…

Makes it all well…

Hurt, Pain, Disappointment, dreams long gone and forgotten

Over time

You age…things are not the same…loved ones come and go…times change

Still you remain

Steadfast to the one who hears you sing the old hymn

It is, well, with my soul!!

Keep singing

Keep breathing…

Life’s not done here yet…

Sing out loud and strong… it is well; it is well, with my soul!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill June 22, 2017

Horatio G. Spafford was a successful lawyer and businessman in Chicago with a lovely family — a wife, Anna, and five children. However, they were not strangers to tears and tragedy. Their young son died with pneumonia in 1871, and in that same year, much of their business was lost in the great Chicago fire. Yet, God in His mercy and kindness allowed the business to flourish once more.

On Nov. 21, 1873, the French ocean liner, Ville du Havre was crossing the Atlantic from the U.S. to Europe with 313 passengers on board. Among the passengers were Mrs. Spafford and their four daughters. Although Mr. Spafford had planned to go with his family, he found it necessary to stay in Chicago to help solve an unexpected business problem. He told his wife he would join her and their children in Europe a few days later. His plan was to take another ship.

About four days into the crossing of the Atlantic, the Ville du Harve collided with a powerful, iron-hulled Scottish ship, the Loch Earn. Suddenly, all of those on board were in grave danger. Anna hurriedly brought her four children to the deck. She knelt there with Annie, Margaret Lee, Bessie and Tanetta and prayed that God would spare them if that could be His will, or to make them willing to endure whatever awaited them. Within approximately 12 minutes, the Ville du Harve slipped beneath the dark waters of the Atlantic, carrying with it 226 of the passengers including the four Spafford children.

A sailor, rowing a small boat over the spot where the ship went down, spotted a woman floating on a piece of the wreckage. It was Anna, still alive. He pulled her into the boat and they were picked up by another large vessel which, nine days later, landed them in Cardiff, Wales. From there she wired her husband a message which began, “Saved alone, what shall I do?” Mr. Spafford later framed the telegram and placed it in his office.

Another of the ship’s survivors, Pastor Weiss, later recalled Anna saying, “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.”

Mr. Spafford booked passage on the next available ship and left to join his grieving wife. With the ship about four days out, the captain called Spafford to his cabin and told him they were over the place where his children went down.

According to Bertha Spafford Vester, a daughter born after the tragedy, Spafford wrote “It Is Well With My Soul” while on this journey.

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Chorus:

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul

Anna gave birth to three more children, one of which died at age four with dreaded pneumonia. In August 1881, the Spaffords moved to Jerusalem. Mr. Spafford died and is buried in that city.

And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts, your minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7.

Well today, as many days, I wake up in the early hours of the morning and the Holy Spirit begins speaking to me in that soft, muted voice to my spirit not audibly more like a perception…and these thoughts I will share with you. You can believe, or, not believe, but I know if you are a child of God you will know it was Him speaking to me.

God: I want you to talk to sinners.

Me: But what about Christians?

God: Yes, well that’s what I want you to write about; the “Christians” they are acting just like the sinners.

Me: What about in your word where you say, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God? (FYI…I didn’t quote him the book or chapter and verse.) Romans 3:23

Me: I’m a sinner, saved by grace. Isn’t that right? Of course I am.

God: Silence.

So I get up to have coffee and breakfast and these thoughts keep nagging at me.

WOW…this is a difficult assignment….

So I’m going to write, and I hope you will understand I do not want to condemn but to obey what I believe is God’s assignment for me today. And if it convicts anyone please go to Jesus about it and pray. I’m only delivering the message…thanks in advance for your love and understanding. This is between you and the LORD…

So, I’m going to talk to the sinner today…because after all we are all sinners…some are saved by grace through faith, and some are not saved. But the saved sinner is who I’m going to address. You will simply be addressed as the Saved Sinner, not, Christian, for the sake of this message.

If you are a brand new saved sinner, everything is fresh and exciting, you probably don’t know the books of the Bible yet or the protocol for “Saved Sinner life” yet. The Saved Sinner has their own language and set of dos and don’ts. It’s a totally different world now for us saved sinners. We are in this world but not to be of it. Although we may dress the same and eat the same foods and drink the same drinks and watch the same television shows and go to the same amusement parks and enjoy the same entertainers, movie stars etc. We may cheer for the same sport-stars and befriend the same Facebook friends…we may even speak the same language and use the same familiar words we hear everyone else use. After all, we are saved now.

If you’re an old Saved Sinner which means you’ve been around many years and can quote scripture, you know all the famous stories in the Bible, and you sing all the church songs, go to church often and give your tithe and be at every function the church offers…shake hands and hug people and raise your hands to give praises to the Lord in Church…you may be on this team and that team and others look up to you as the pillar in the Church…You may even know the preachers personally…

All of that is not going to save you.

I think what God’s message is to us Saved Sinners, is this…

We’ve forgotten our first love…Oh we talk a good talk about him…we pray and sing and read his word…

But if we stood before God today, face to face, would He know us as his child? Would he see the blood of his son upon our hearts and lives…?

Would we be different from those who don’t know Him, the unsaved sinner?

Does our life reflect who He is? Do the places we frequent show that Jesus lives in our hearts so that the unsaved sinner would clearly see there goes one of the saved…?

Do the words we speak edify Him and others…or do we sound just like the unsaved sinner…words that hurt and pervert…?

Is our dress modest, does it cover all the places that would cause someone to lust…? I’m not talking about legalism…I’m talking about being modest, clean, appropriate. Someone God would be honored by.

Are we truly transformed from who we used to be?

Yes we all sin…but for the saved sinner, we are forgiven…but there should be a change things should be different.

Yes it’s important to know the word of God but not so we become prideful and a know it all…we should know it because it’s Him, His words to help us live better, speak with love and not judgment and so we won’t be deceived by false teachers. We should go to church because we need fellowship with other believers, to bless and to be a blessing not for show…and yes we should always pray…

Not to be heard for our wonderful prayers…but to communicate with our loving heavenly father from our heart a heart that is truth and obedient to Him. He longs to communicate with us. And not to be known as some great spiritual authority but so that we humble ourselves before Him knowing we are nothing without Him.

The Saved Sinner, saved by grace, through faith…should be an example, a reflection of Jesus and His love…

We sin, but when we sin, we have an advocate, Jesus to whom we confess our sins and to know that He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Not self-righteousness…but God-righteousness…what He says is right!

Me: God, I hope you are pleased with this assignment. I gave all that I believe would be pleasing to you. Not for me LORD, for I am nothing…I am a sinner, saved by grace. You are my Father God…and I love you, because you first loved me.

God: Smiles…

~Marla Shaw O’Neill June 22, 2017

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 New King James Version (NKJV)

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

Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: 

“I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God. 2 Corinthians 6:15-18The Message (MSG)

He’s only eighteen, too young to even know

Life ahead of him won’t be slow…

Joined up to see the world, to learn and grow…

He’s a Marine…

Rugged, buff, focused, tough…

This brother of mine…Pete’s his name…

Traveling through time

Old now with some regrets…

Holding my hand he never forgets

Who I am, and he always lets…

Me sing him songs and pray…

He bows his head and falls asleep

God help me now as I begin to weep…

Welcome him home, and when you meet…

Joy unspeakable his heart will leap…

Welcome home soldier…

Young again; time will be spent

Living in heaven, I know right where he went…

Rejoicing with mama and daddy and the rest

Take care of him Jesus for he is the best…

And when I get home to my resting place

We’ll join the angels and sing Amazing grace…

How sweet the sound…

That saved a wretch like me…

I once was lost but now I’m found

Was blind but now I see

Forever young…forever free,

My brother, the Marine, Pete!

~~Marla Shaw O’Neill June 21, 2017;

Dedicated to my precious Aunt Rosa Lee Gandy~

My Aunt Rose’s brother Pete, born in 1929, went home to be with the Lord on June 10, 2017.

I’m been thinking about something for the last few days…and this morning the thought came to me…it’s a scripture that says, A little leaven, leaven’s the whole lump! Found in Galatians 5:9. (Paul was talking about circumcision. You can read about it in Galatians. I’m not going to discuss all that here. I’m going to talk to you about our hearts.)

I’d like to say this before I get started…I am only a woman, but I have been transformed by the renewing of my heart and mind by the blood of Jesus, the Messiah. I have been gloriously filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit and have, had, the Pentecostal experience. I am not perfect. But Jesus has saved me from sin and death. I write because He has called me to do so and in obedience to Him that’s what I’m going to do.

I am redeemed…like Big Daddy Weave sings….So I’ll shake off these heavy chains, wipe away every stain…No, I’m, not, who, I, used, to, be…I am redeemed…

Now with that out of the way let me continue. (And please know I love you)

A little leaven, leavens the whole lump…

So, you may be scratching your head saying, “Marla what are you saying?” Well, for those of you who are asking that question let me see if I can explain.

Have you ever heard the expression, “She’s a little pregnant?” Well, women can’t be a little pregnant, you either are, or, you are not. That makes sense doesn’t it? Or if you take a can of white paint and you add just a drop of red, blue, black or whatever color you prefer into the white paint, it is no longer white. See where I’m going with that?

Ok so, when God told the Israelites to get ready to leave Egypt, they would need to leave in a hurry…he told them to make unleavened bread, that is bread without yeast, because they wouldn’t have time to wait for the bread to rise…Exodus 12:39 (leaven represents sin…Sin is separation from God, anything that comes between us and God.)

So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29-30 New Living Translation (NLT)

In Bible days everything was external…The children of God, followed the Law of Moses. But when Jesus came, everything changed from being external to internal…God has always wanted our hearts. But sin caused death, and the only way to bring total relationship back to his creation was to send his Son the perfect blood sacrifice to purchase us back from death. 

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Galatians 5:9 New King James Version (NKJV) 

Be aware of false teachers…take the whole counsel of God, read and study God’s word for yourselves…and pray for understanding…go to those who have been proven true and who live what they teach and preach. If what they say does not line up with the word of God don’t listen to them and read your Bible.

If there is a little sin in the house, it makes the whole house unworthy. House being our heart. God no longer required circumcision to fulfill the covenant…there was a new covenant; it is the circumcision of our hearts, by the shed blood of Jesus. The veil was torn forever, we have total and complete access to the Holy of Holies…into the very presence of God, the place where God dwells because of Jesus’ provision as the perfect lamb.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV) 

If there is leaven in your heart even the tiniest amount please wash your heart right now by the water of the Word of God so that your heart is clean and pure and so that you can enter into the Holy Place and dwell in the presence of the living God. He loves you more than you can imagine. Open your heart and let Him come in and fellowship with you. There is no greater relationship than being with your Papa God, laughing with Jesus and letting the Holy Spirit show you more and more, who He is!!! Selah!! (Stop and meditate on that for a while) 

(Leaven such as envy, strife, hatred, bitterness, lies, covetousness, adultery, idol worship, love of money, lusts, pride; the list goes on…Christians, this ought not be…the blood of Jesus cleanses a multitude of sin. Get rid of the leaven.)

For bread they baked flat cakes from the dough without yeast they had brought from Egypt. It was made without yeast because the people were driven out of Egypt in such a hurry that they had no time to prepare the bread or other food. Exodus 12:39 New Living Translation (NLT)

When Jesus returns, there won’t be time to get rid of the sin in your heart so keep your heart clean. He will come as a thief in the night….Be ready!! For at a time when you least expect it…He will come! The thing is will you be going with Him? I sure hope so!

1 Thessalonians 5:2-17 New Living Translation (NLT) For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. ⁸ But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Paul’s Final Advice

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill June 20, 2017

 There are those who preach

And those who teach

Those who evangelize~

Some tell the truth

While some tell lies~

How will you know, the foolish from the wise?

You’ll know, for love is shown in deed not just words

Some just want to be seen and heard~

Watch the animals for I am told

Some will carry a tale brought by a little bird~

One way to know, is, humility you’ll see

Kindness and gentleness are sure to be

Shown from a heart that’s been to the tree~

No judgment or condemning ways will they display

Pointing to Jesus will be their way~

Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open don’t just go by what they say~

Some come as innocent lambs, but will cause you to stray~

Walk in the light, keep your eyes off the clay~

For Jesus is the life, the truth and the way!!!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill June 19, 2017

Ecclesiastes 10:19-20 The Message (MSG)

Laughter and bread go together, And wine gives sparkle to life— But it’s money that makes the world go around.

Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.