Be Courageous Be Bold Hebrews 4:16

The Torch is lit perpetually…

It stands above for all to see…

The light given, guiding the city.

Within the clutched hand of Lady Liberty,

A flame held high in celebration…

Standing, never faltering, as we the people see,

Our Country’s independence and citizen’s free…

Ship to ship, bringing foreign and to be American born

From upon the sea…

Entering the harbor of New York City…

“Liberty Enlightening the World” a proud, distinguished Lady…

She stands forever in our company…

Saying to all, “Come rich or poor, strong or weak,we welcome you with an open door…

Guests in our home…some come to stay…

Remember, if a citizen you become…

That we are all living together and should all, become one!

Let the light of freedom shine, never disgrace the beauty and grace

Of our home on these blessed shores,

Blood and flesh was given for thee, brothers, and sisters together are we.

Stand strong, stand true, with Lady Liberty!!

All across these United States take heed and watch for this Lady…

See the flame she holds stays lit…

Be true, be diligent…

Whether foreign or American born…let our Lady’s light shine bright…

The only ones that we should fight are the ones who try to destroy her light!

For we are a proud yet humbled race…

Bearing the light of her strong and constant gaze…

God’s given us freedom, let us never forget

How the flame of Victory stays ready and set…

When you see her standing there day and night…

Look full in her flame and never take flight…

Stay unified, glorified, in love and in truth stand…

For all the world both far and wide to see and understand…

We are a country shining with the light of Freedom and Liberty.

–Marla Shaw O’Neill March 1, 2017

I’m going to be very transparent today…

There was a time in my life that I was a runner. Oh not the kind of runner who runs in marathons or sprint races…No, not the honorable kind where you train for hours and at the end of the race you win a medal or a ribbon. I ran because I was scared.

I was scared to stop running because if I did I didn’t know where I’d end up; and so I ran and ran and ran. I’d go to one place, hang out for a few months and then off to the races I’d go again…each time I stopped, I thought, this is the place I will settle down. This place will be home and I can finally get my life together and begin to live again. For fifteen years I ran. In fact I moved so much people told me I needed a house with wheels so all I needed to do was hook it up to my car and go. I was so tired of running…but I could not stop.

I cried, I prayed, I begged, I pleaded…but I could not find peace or rest for my weary soul. I couldn’t go back to anywhere because anywhere was no longer there. I couldn’t go forward because forward was not there yet; and I couldn’t stay in the present because it was too painful to be still in one place for very long…so I ran.

I ran from one miserable place to another…but what I discovered was that the place was not miserable, I was.

My heart had been broken and it could not be mended. No matter how much Church I attended, no matter how utterly profound the message I heard was…no matter how I begged God to forgive me and help me I could not find peace…until one day…

I began to say… “God, I forgive myself”…I knew God loved me. I knew I was His child…but I could not forgive me…maybe it stemmed from childhood upbringing…dysfunctional living…abuse…abandonment…all the ugly things we think are reasons…I don’t know…all I know is that God forgives us when we ask Him too…but He also tells us to forgive others and that includes ourselves.

You see, I didn’t love me. I didn’t think anyone else could love me either…not even God. As years went by I began to understand that God’s love isn’t based on how good I am or how bad I am…His love is unconditional and He forgives and forgets…He doesn’t hold grudges, He doesn’t judge, He loves totally and completely with all His heart, mind, and soul…God, IS, Love!

Are there things inside of you that keep you running away? Oh maybe you don’t change your physical address, but you are running just the same. One job to another…one person to another…one habit to another….Are you tired of running to nowhere? When you get there you still have not arrived?

When you get sick-and-tired of being sick-and-tired…and you come to the end of yourself…and you see yourself…that you are the mess that needs restoration…then if you humble yourself before God, the running will end.

We all have a story. We are all flesh and blood. We have hurts and pain and heartaches and shame and guilt. I will tell you, at the end of the race there is a finish line of peace and grace and wholeness…it is in the arms of Jesus, where He holds us, that we can receive true love. No matter how far you run, how fast, or how slow, you will never find contentment until you run to Him.

When I finally gave up, looked at myself and really saw me…and that Jesus really saw me…no pretense, I couldn’t hide from His eyes…and He loved me in spite of me and who I was and what I’d done…the hurts I’d received, and the hurts I’d caused, and He still loved and accepted me…the running stopped. And the blessings of His grace came flooding into my heart and He gave me a brand new life and a brand new home…I had finally gotten to somewhere. A place of love and happiness, I’d never experienced before.

Stop running to nowhere…just stop! Jesus is right before you, with arms stretched wide. Let Him hold you. Let Him wipe away the tears and all the pain. Then love Him totally and completely and love others and love yourself.

Forgiveness brings peace and rest…it lets you breathe, clean, fresh, living air…it frees you from chains of guilt, shame, hate, lusts, discontentment…when you forgive others and yourself your lungs fill with good, wholesome joy that cannot be contained and you are FREE!!! Free to love, free to give, free to embrace what seemed just out of reach. Forgiveness brings healing. God knows that when you forgive you are forgiven!!!

Jesus said, Love your neighbor as you love yourself…

Mark 12:30-31Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 

“The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

–Marla Shaw O’Neill March 1, 2017

Love the Lord your God…Matthew 22:37

Greater Love hath no one than this than to lay down your life for his friends. John 15:13

Faith, Hope, Love, but the greatest of these is Love…I Corinthians 13:13

God is Love…I John 4:8

There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18King James Version (KJV) (God’s love is perfect.)

If you Love me keep my commandments. John 14:15 (KJV)

For God so Loved the World… John 3:16

Nothing can separate us from God’s love… nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39New King James Version (NKJV)

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35King James Version (KJV)

Today the Holy Spirit woke me up with this on His mind… “Love”

We’ve all heard it many times before; someone tries to describe what Love is…

Love is not a what, Love is a Who…and it doesn’t matter if you know or not, believe it or not, understand it or not…what we think does not determine Who Love is…because God Is, Love. It is His essence…His nature…Love is Who, He, is…there are no words to even begin to try to express this Love. God is unexplainable…but for our peanut brains…God has shown us who He is…by the Love he gave when He gave us His son…(Jesus/Yeshua)

I know, I, can’t explain Him…but I know Him…He is revealing more and more of who He is to me every day…and Oh the blessing of Him…I cannot begin to tell…but when you have that encounter with Him…the personal, intimate, undeniable Love, of the Father, touch you…you will never ever want to be without Him…His love is like nothing of this world…it’s not sensual or lustful or perverted…it is Good and healthy and restores the soul…He is fresh and new every single day…Each day a new adventure opens with Him…Oh let Him come into your heart…Let Him show you new depths and heights and insurmountable Love He has for you…real love that does not diminish in time or space or death or life…He is Life and He wants to give His love to you…don’t turn away…don’t break His heart…don’t leave him hanging on the cross…but open the tomb of your heart and let him come in and live with you. Let His light dispel the darkness and let it shine in every corner of your life…I promise, you will not be disappointed.

For, God, Is, Love!

This says it best…I Corinthians Chapter 13:1-13…

The Way of Love

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end. 

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. 

When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. 

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. The Message (MSG) Bible 

Philippians 4:8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. The Message (MSG) Bible

I love you God. ~Me

I love you more! ~God

–Marla Shaw O’Neill February 27, 2017

 painted by Marla Shaw O’Neill

Tiny sea-bean shiny and brown

When did you first roll into town?

Upon the river’s and winding streams

Carried and tumbled no sound, no screams…

Into the ocean floating about

One month turned into a year still no shout…

Happy and carefree you had no doubt

Just traveling along in a tsunami,

Landing upon the wave tossed shore

Picked up and sold in a sea-shell store…

The gray haired lady bought you and said,

“You, tiny sea-bean, will travel no more…”

I’ll paint you, and keep you, for me to adore!

“Tiny sea-bean where have you been?”

O I’ve been to the ocean and back again!

–Marla Shaw O’Neill February 27, 2017

Wisdom…

I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth’s Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. Proverbs 8: 24-27 Message Bible

Swaying to the music you sing…

Alive in the message you bring

Like waves on the shore, my soul longs for more…

Of the melody that sweetly plays…

In tune the rivers of life…

Flow… and wash over me

Sending joy and peace so bright

Twirling in your presence of light…

Your song I hear as you sing it to me…

My soul forever takes flight….

Too la’lee, la’lee, too la’lee…

Too la lee, la’lee, too la’lay…

Too la’lee, la’lee, too la’lee

Too la lee, le’la…le’lay….

Two turtle doves in the morning I hear

The song dances on the wind…

Laughter is heard, in the baby at play

The rising sun on horizon, displayed…

Window’s open, bringing freshness for the day

As your song of love, comes my way…

Too la’lee, la’lee, too la’lee…

Too la lee, la’lee, too la’lay…

Too la’lee, la’lee, too la’lee

Too la lee, le’la…le’lay….

Swaying to the song, I hear you sing…

The smile on your face says everything…

I love you, I love you,

I love you, tis the song

I hear you sing.

Too la’lee, la’lee, too la’lee…

Too la lee, la’lee, too la’lay…

Too la’lee, la’lee, too la’lee

Too la lee, le’la…le’lay….

Come my love, come away!

–Marla Shaw O’Neill – July 25, 2016 revised 2/27/17

Isaiah 51:11 King James Version (KJV) Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Many times we think that eternity starts after we die. We’ve heard the Minister ask the question. “Where will you spend eternity?”

We are alive right now but somehow we don’t connect to the fact that we are at this very moment living in eternity.

When God breathed into Adam it didn’t say God breathed into Adam and Adam would only live maybe a hundred years. No it says, “God breathed into Adam and gave him a living soul.”

Now it does say that the body would go back to dust. But the soul lives. It lives forever. How your soul lives depends on your choice. It lives with fear, doubt, anxiety, hopelessness, selfishness, pride, arrogance, and dependent on self without God, or the soul will live in peace, truth, grace, faith, patience, hope, dependent on God. You will be sharing eternity with other souls, either in hate or in love. God is love. It is a choice.

Adam’s body died when he sinned, but his soul lived on; but it no longer could live in God’s presence because they were separated. It was like being in a room full of light and life and then suddenly someone turned out all the lights. Satan had turned man’s heart away from God’s life giving light. So God had a plan. In order for the relationship to be reunited God put His plan into action and over a long period of eternity…His plan came into fruition.

Jesus the son of God was born. He had made a way for mankind to be reunited with Himself once more but just like Adam, he gives us a choice. Obedience to Him, would cause new life in the spirit eternally, where disobedience would cause separation and death in the spirit eternally. If you eat of the tree of life (Jesus) you will live. But if you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you will surely die.

Remember there were two trees in the garden God mentions. The man and woman had to be put out of the garden because of the tree of life. If they ate of that tree they would live in a state of good and evil forever and be forever separated from God.

Jesus’ obedience, what he did on the cross and from the tomb, brought the soul back into right relationship with God. Sin/death, no longer separated God’s spirit from man’s spirit. When we accept Jesus as the Son of God we are reunited with Him. When we are newborn of Him, who is the tree of life, we will live reunited with Him in a brand new spirit.

From the moment we are conceived life begins and we are living in eternity. Now you may not believe that. You may not want to believe that. But God does not lie. He does not change. He is God. When your heart responds to His heart…your eyes are opened. Your spirit becomes aware. And then light comes flooding into your being in a way that is indescribable and whereas as you could not see before…you now see perfectly when you are new born you have new eyes, new spirit, new birth. The light of God has been turned on and you are no longer in darkness.

Jesus told Nicodemus you must be born again…(see the Word of God reference below.)

So, when you are born into this world your soul is separated from God. You are living in eternity day by day but you are separated from God. You grow and work and learn but you are living with a veil over your heart and spiritual eyes. You can’t see. When you hear the Holy Spirit calling you and you accept that call…you become new born. You have the knowledge of good and evil. But evil no longer controls you. You are connected once more with the living God and you will be living in eternity with new life.

This may sound utterly ridiculous but I promise you when the light is turned on you will say how did I not see this before?

Jesus is God in the flesh…He came and died and rose again so that you could live this eternity in hope, joy and peace. Say yes, when he calls today. He longs to walk with you and talk with you. The Holy Spirit is drawing you…surely you will live and not die…when you say yes to Him. Amen.

John 3:1-21New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d]

⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.^{[e] 14} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[f] 15} that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”^[g]

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Genesis 3:22-24Amplified Bible (AMP)

The Tree of Life

²² And the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), knowing [how to distinguish between] good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take from the tree of life as well, and eat [its fruit], and live [in this fallen, sinful condition] forever”— ²³ therefore the Lord God sent Adam away from the Garden of Eden, to till and cultivate the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ So God drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He [permanently] stationed the ^[a]cherubim and the sword with the flashing blade which turned round and round [in every direction] to protect and guard the way (entrance, access) to the tree of life.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 3:24 Cherubim are ministering angelic beings who avenge assaults on God’s holiness.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved

–Marla Shaw O’Neill February 24, 2017

I would like to post something here…I know I am not anything. I’m a 63 year old woman who loves God and wants Jesus to be lifted up!!

This week in my prayer time intercession has been powerful; to come against the powers of darkness in a very specific and powerful way…if it’s OK I want to share what I received and believe to be a word from the Lord. If it’s not, well it was just me and nothing will come of it, but if it is from Him then I believe it will accomplish what it is he’s doing. Amen? Amen!

Oppression and bondages are being set free right now. The evil that has infiltrated the Oval Office has been severed…perversions, and debauchery (excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.)

My mighty warring messengers are driving back the weapons that have been forged to destroy my plan. They will not win for I am fighting this battle.

I won the fight on the cross. I took back what was mine; all the evil ones can do is squeak…

Their tactics are useless and powerless, because my children have begun once more to Stand up and fight them by My Spirit, by the Word of My Authority.

What the enemy tried to do will be like a mouse trying to fight a Lion. I am that Lion. They have no power, they have no authority.

Because of the prayers of the Saints, my righteous ones, and because I have placed this man, and men and women strategically at this time in History for my purposes, the enemy will fail; because my chosen ones are doing what I have commanded. Nothing coming against them will succeed because they are not coming against a man they are coming against Me, the Living God!

Do not fear or be afraid. I am in control and I have already won.

Keep praying, keep walking righteously, keep believing and have faith in Me…America is mine, says the Lord.

You will see a great move of my Spirit in lives…hearts are being penetrated by my love and by my discipline. Yes you will see some destruction but that is the beginning of my infiltration of the enemy…

As you lift me up and pray and obey my words you will see deliverance and the destruction of the enemy. You will see the demons run with their tails between their legs. You will see their backsides running away in terror because they see me at the helm.

They see me running this country in Power and Might by my Spirit. Clap your hands and dance for the Victory is yours, says the Lord.

There will be riots and rumblings as you have seen, but that’s because they are being sent out from among you…it is the last bit of them trying to rise back to power but they have no power…no control over that which is mine…they are being flushed out and sent to the ends of the earth…they are toothless, infantile, soulless beings without a place to roam…

They are tied up and gagged no longer a voice…lawlessness, deception and lies abolished by my hand. Says the Lord.

I am standing up…I have sent out the war cry…They are running to hide because my children have had enough and are crying out to Me. I have heard and I will answer.

Every word, every action that tries to rise up against my anointed ones will be silenced and stopped dead in their tracks.

Every bill, every treaty, every country that tries to come against America will be shut down.

I am the one in control and because of obedience to me I am fighting for America.

Yes, America is important to me. She is Mine. And I take care of Mine. Says the Lord.

Watch and see the Salvation of the Lord.

My hand is with America!

Thank you LORD Jesus! Amen….

–Marla Shaw O’Neill February 24, 2017

This morning I decided to take communion all by myself. Well God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit was with me.

I was reminded that in the Old Testament, from Genesis to Malachi in all these books there are events that took place that point us to the coming of Jesus/Yeshua, the Messiah. Specifically we see Him in the Passover. When the Lord, told Moses to tell the Israelites to take the blood of a young lamb or a goat and apply to the top of their doorpost of their homes; that when the Angel of the Lord passed over them in the night, that their firstborn would live and not die. That included animals too. All who did not have the blood applied to their doorposts, the firstborn, people and animals would die. Pharaoh hardened his heart over and over again, against God’s children and would not let them go, so from Pharaoh’s own mouth the final plague would be that the firstborn would die.

Exodus 12: 17-27

“Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation. The bread you eat must be made without yeast from the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day of that month. During those seven days, there must be no trace of yeast in your homes. Anyone who eats anything made with yeast during this week will be cut off from the community of Israel. These regulations apply both to the foreigners living among you and to the native-born Israelites. During those days you must not eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, eat only bread made without yeast.”

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.

“Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished

Move forward in time to the time when, Jesus was with His disciples, it was the time of Passover the night of the Lord’s arrest.

For about two weeks now this has been on my mind and in my heart. How often do we remember what the Lord did for us on that night? The night of Passover.

(Remember the first Passover all those years ago…it was at twilight…The Lord was there then too.)

While they were eating Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said, “Take and eat this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:26-29New International Version (NIV)

He never said to stop doing this…he said whenever you do this, you are remembering Him, and what He accomplished for us.

Just as the Lord delivered His people out of bondage all those eons ago; Jesus delivered us out of bondage when he died for us. He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

When Jesus was on the cross they used the hyssop plant to give him drink. Remember the hyssop used to wipe the door posts of houses. Jesus’ arms were stretched wide as the blood ran from his hands, and head and feet…

A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. John 19:29New International Version (NIV)

Are we remembering Him? Are we doing what He said to do?

Many people of the Christian faith don’t even know what Passover is anymore? Why? Because the Church has stopped remembering. Stopped teaching. If the body of Christ doesn’t set the example of Jesus, who will? When we take communion it is remembering Jesus is our Passover.

In I Corinthians 11:23-26 Paul said,

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

And then he goes on to say…in I Corinthians 11:27-32

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep, died. I’m not saying this to cause condemnation, but it is to remind the Church, that we need to remember just Who Jesus is and that His body was broken for us, and that His blood is for the remission of sin. And as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death til He comes.

He came, and He is coming back…

God loves us so much and His discipline is not to hurt us. It is to show how much He really loves us.

Thanks for listening. Be blessed! Be happy!

Remember… Jesus said, this is my body, take eat…this is my blood, take drink…it is poured out for you, for the forgiveness of sin.

A young lamb, the Lamb of God, when His blood is applied to the doorpost of our hearts and the Lord passes over us we will not die but have everlasting life.

–Marla Shaw O’Neill – February 22, 2017

This morning I asked the Lord what he wanted me to write about but I wasn’t hearing anything. So I thought well, maybe he won’t give me anything today. Then I heard the words, “Remember Lot’s Wife.”

I went to my bible study and Priscilla Shirer   Gideon Bible Study. She

talked about Sodom and Gomorrah. Then as the ladies at my table began to share, this one lady talked about how fear and anxiety paralyzes her. And the words that the Holy Spirit had spoken to me came flooding back. “Remember Lot’s wife.” So I shared with them what God had given me this morning.

I came home and I was going to look up the passage when I saw a Blogger post I had written in 2015. It was a poem titled, “Remember Lot’s Wife, Don’t Look Back.” So you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to write about, “Remember Lot’s Wife.”

Genesis 19:26 AMP Bible – But Lot’s wife, from behind him, [foolishly, longingly] looked [back toward Sodom in an act of disobedience], and she became a pillar of salt.

You’ve been delivered, set free from bondage. You’ve been blessed with goodness and mercy. You are loved and cared for. You have provision for your living; a good home and plenty of food to eat. Your finances are met. A warning comes that you must leave in an instant. The place where you live has been judged and will be destroyed. You must leave with your husband and step-daughters. Now!

Why would you question? Why would you want to stay in a place that is so vile and evil? It is so evil that the men in your village want to seduce the holy messengers that have come to warn you to leave the place.

But my home, my things, I was born here, and have lived here all my life. Why do I have to leave? Why? These could have been the thoughts of Lot’s wife’s. She was not of Lot’s, tribe. But being married to him she came under his protection. She didn’t realize the danger she was in. Sodom and Gomorrah were to be totally destroyed that very night. Lot was spared because of Abraham’s petition to the Lord. People are praying for us all the time. Praise God.

Sometimes we don’t even see the danger even when it is pointed out to us. We are so used to the life around us we can’t see the evil. We can’t see just how vile and disgusting it has become. We get used to the smell of the cesspool and it doesn’t stink anymore.

But God does not play games…He will not be mocked. He does have His limit. Yes His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting…but He has said, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and compassion on whom I will have compassion. Romans 9:15

Surely you won’t die…was the serpents words to Eve in the garden. But she did.

Go and do not look back , if you do, you will die. Said the Lord! Lot’s wife looked back and she was turned to a pillar of salt instantly…why…she did what God said not to do…that is disobedience.

How many times have we played on God’s mercy? How many times have we not believed what He said? How many times have we looked back to a life that even though it was horrible and disgusting, it was familiar? It was home and we long for it. Even though God has said, “Do not look back or you will die.”

Oh we don’t die instantly or turn into a pillar of salt and least not physically. But I’ve learned recently that looking back at my past life brings fear, condemnation, regret, longing for those who are not even on this earth anymore and it causes a lot of heart-ache and pain.

It was no mistake this morning when God spoke to my heart and said, “Remember Lot’s wife.” He knows my heart and how lonely I get missing my family. And while there is nothing wrong with remembering where he’s brought us from and transformed us into His likeness. It is wrong to dwell on sins that God has wiped away. Disobedience brings death every time. Thoughts may come but dismiss them quickly. God does not lie.

God is trying to tell us to keep our minds, hearts and eyes on Jesus where we will receive life and truth and goodness and mercy.

Remember Lot’s wife…don’t do what she did…

DO NOT LOOK BACK!

Press on towards Him…He is our present and our future…

There is nothing back there for you. Keep looking Up. Keep looking forward. That is where you will find joy with renewed strength. That is where you’ll find safety and great reward. Keep your eyes on Jesus all the way home!!

–Marla Shaw O’Neill February 21, 2017

Remember Lot’s Wife Don’t Look Back

Was she a righteous woman…
Who stood in the shadow of her man…
Is there but ten who will follow
The God of Abraham….

Green pastures rich and flourishing
Peace and rest is found…
But in the city-of-sin, her heart was hardened and bound…

Angels came to deliver them…
But she; apprehensive to leave,
For this was her life
This is all that she believed…

Come away from here make haste;
This place is destined for fire…
Take your family; flee…

Death is imminent; have no desire
To stay within this place
Judgment has come
There will be no saving grace…

Taking flight, they hurry
Running through the night…
But the woman full of regret
Leaving all behind, memories of her past
Turns not heeding will this be her last…

Shutting out God’s word His messengers she spurned
Wanting her country, wanting only to return…
“Do not look back.” This was God’s command…

Just one look, that’s all it took…
Her breath and life in that moment, forsook
As she turns to take one final look…

A Pillar of salt now stands…

Stone cold, lifeless…
Death from disobedience…
Oh, please, learn this lesson from the Holy Book…

Remember Lot’s wife, you women of worth…
Looking back only turns to regret and hurt…
Put away your idols, your past is gone…never look back…
Keep forging on…

Live in the now…
Heart rich and free…
For God has given His love to thee!
When he says go…don’t look back, just flee!

By: Marla Shaw O’Neill October 26, 2015©
Genesis 19:15-26; Luke 17:29-33

Waking and hearing these words this morning I listened closely…Who do you say that I am?

Jesus sitting in a private conversation with His disciples asked the question. Who do people say that I am? What have you heard about me? (Matthew 16)

Now of course Jesus knew what was being said. But he wanted to hear what the disciples would say. And he wanted to make them aware of the question so that they would ask themselves and know, “Who He really is.”

This was not a rhetorical question. He wanted an answer.

These twelve men were called and they followed Him. There was a tax collector, who people despised, but Matthew left his profession and followed this Rabi when he was called. Peter an obnoxious, loud mouth fisherman, put down his nets and followed Jesus when he said, “Come follow me and I will make you to become a fisher-of-men.” Andrew and Judas, Bartholomew, John, James, Philip, Jude, Simon the Zealot and Thomas…why would these twelve men drop everything and follow this man they didn’t even know. There was something different about Him…

“Well, some say you are John the Baptist, raised from the dead. Some say you are Elias, because of all the miracles and some say you are Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Read Matthew 16:13-20)

Today there are many voices with many opinions; believers and unbelievers. All have an opinion of who they say Jesus is!

There is an abundance of information on the subject. Television ministers and podcast, social media icons on every ad and news post…we no longer have to wait for the “Newspaper” to come out weekly…we have the news instantly on every cell phone and technological devise or state of the art tool available anywhere in the world. Even to the most remote place known to man, yes, people have to have their toys…

So, like the question asked all those years ago…Jesus/Yeshua is still asking today… “Who do YOU say, that I am.”

Do you know Him? Really know Him?

Like Peter, has he been revealed to you by God the Father?

That Jesus, is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!

Has he sat with you unaware on a turbulent airplane and guided you to safety?

Has he been with you in that hospital room while you waited the outcome of your loved ones surgery and a miracle took place, all went well. Did you know He was there?

Have you felt His grace and comfort when saying goodbye to someone you love more than life as their spirit left their body?

Do you talk to Him every day…Have you heard Him whisper, “I love you child, lean on me, I am with you, do not be afraid.”

In the middle of your bankruptcy, divorce, robbery, rape, abuse, abandonment, addiction, abortion, hate, war, mental torment, have you sensed a presence bigger than your problems, that carried you to the other side and helped you escape even death!

Who is He?

Have you sung victory songs and prayed but no answer came, but you trust Him anyway?

Has he blessed you with good things, a happy life and peace that is unexplainable…yet you turn Him away?

I know you’ve heard about Him, but do you know, WHO HE IS?

“Who do you say I am?” Jesus is asking you right now!

He wants you to know exactly WHO HE IS!

He Is The Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God…That’s who He is.

Listen to His response to what Peter said… (son of the dove)

Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” Matthew 16:17-19 The Message Bible

Maybe you’re cynical, an atheist, or agnostic maybe you’re a believer…or maybe you think it’s all just a fairytale and you’re too old for such ‘nonsense’…maybe you just don’t care…

It doesn’t matter…God is still God! Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God whether you believe or not!

He loves you and will keep on loving you no matter what…but He will not go against your free will…

But, Jesus will keep on asking, “Who do you, say, I am?”

If you truly want to know who He is ask and, His Heavenly Father, God, will reveal who He is to you. He is the Savior, life giver, friend, redeemer, anointed one, healer, truth and way…He prays for you, and loves you. He is God, comforter, teacher, Coming King…He is the Son of the Living God!!!

–Marla Shaw O’Neill – February 20, 2017