Category: In His Lap

My dear child,

Come closer to Me, open your spiritual eyes and see.
I love you and then I love you even more. I am Love.

I am telling you to come closer to Me because close to you is where I am.
My eyes are on you all the time. I feel your every heartbeat.

Come closer and smell Me, that is how close I want you to be.

I am so close to you I smell your unique aroma of body, spirit and soul.

Come closer and touch Me, not with outstretched arms at a distance, but touch Me with your heart, which has no hands but is able to feel.

I touch you with My heart because I opened it for you on the cross and since you chose to follow Me, I am in yours.

Would you stop trying to live without Me! I am in you and I don’t want to live without you.

Things around you take up all your time but remember, I created everything you can see, feel, smell and touch and in all that I am present too.

Come closer in time and get used to Me. When this time has passed, we will be together for all eternity.

Come storm, flood, meteorite, sunburst or broken satellite feed, I will never be out, away or disconnected from you. Come closer and you will discover My omnipresent reality.

Last but not least, I told you to follow Me because I know your way better than you do. In order for you to follow Me, you’ll need to come even closer, otherwise you would not be able to see where you need to be.

The whole creation knows Me and is able to identify all My children. Where I am in your world, you are supposed to be too. If you are not close enough, creation would keep on wondering where on earth you are.

Love,

Jesus.

Alex and his wife had a huge financial problem. They both knelt down next to his chair in his study and with their hands locked together, started praying.

When they were done, Jesus said, “My children, you know that I love you very much. I have to ask you though, how many times more do you want to share this problem with Me?”

“I know everything about you. Your prayers are no newsflash to Me. I love the way you are sharing everything you experience or feel with Me.”

“However, sometimes you share your circumstances with Me as if I am oblivious of what you’re going through.”

“Remember the days when you were small and carefree because you knew that you would receive food or whatever you might need from your parents. You would be clothed and bathed and loved. When you fell and scratched a knee, you received all the comfort and love for free.”

“You trusted in your parents for everything in life. Not once did you have to tell them how your life was unfolding. They knew everything about you and always had you on their minds.”

“You are grown up now and since you’ve given your hearts to Me, you are My children now and I always have you on My mind. I am your Father and know what you need or experience even before you ask. You are living in My grace.”

“When you get together to pray like you’ve just done, I detect fear and anxiety. This makes your life difficult, not only for you but for Me too. Faith is the key if you want to be free. Fear is the lock closing the door to the heavenly pantry.”

“Now, when you go down on your knees to pray, know that I know what you’re about to say, and also know that I am ready and able to give. Your desperation tells Me that you doubt you’ll receive what you ask. Then you would not receive, even if you cry or ask pretty please.”

“When you ask, do it smiling and thanking Me for the hope of answering all your prayers. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). Rejoice and have fun, proving to Me that you believe that what you have asked, you already have received.”

“More than that… live as if you believe I am real!”

“Thank You, Jesus!” Alex said.

Abe and his wife were travelling on a gravel road through farmlands in a rural area. They took a shortcut to their home from another town. It was close to midnight when he suddenly stopped the car, turned down the windows and switched off the car.

They were instantly aware of the silence that greeted them. “Listen to the sound of silence,” he said. Nothing could be heard, not even a cricket. “Isn’t it absolutely beautiful?”

Without a moon, all the stars seemed extra bright, much more radiant than in town where they stayed.

In the quiet of the night, he suddenly heard Jesus speaking to him. “Why do you enjoy this sound of silence?”

“Lord, because it is so completely different from the hustle and bustle in town. This is so calm, it seems almost holy.”

“This is what you would experience the day when you enter into heaven, except for the singing every so often. However, Abe, silence in your day and age is not so good.”

“Why, Lord?”

“Everything in the universe was created by sound, spoken words of God and He has not stopped speaking yet.” (Gen 1)

“If those words should stop proceeding from His mouth, you would stop living. Remember My words in Matthew 4:4, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

“Those words form the most important sound in the universe today. Every day when you feel you struggle through life, God speaks life over you. You have no idea how many words were spoken over you the last 24 hours, even when you are not praying!”

“Abe, My question to you is, what sound does proceed from your mouth to please God?”

Silence…

“Lord,” Abe said, “We praise and worship You. Thank You for the sounds of life echoing through the universe. Help us to create the most beautiful praise and worship sounds for You every day of our lives!”

Our lives develop by decisions we make regarding the steps we must take to reach our goal. At some stage, we evaluate our progress by measuring the distance travelled while mapping our way through life.

Some steps were good and some were bad. Alice was busy pondering her progress when Jesus stepped in.

“Step by step is not a once off stride to be completed in one giant leap towards reaching one single purpose. It is neither a specific laid down series of events to follow meticulously. Step by step means something to do at this moment, dictated by your circumstances and purpose in life, followed by the next available step.”

“I did not create the universe in one day. It took Me 7 long days to complete.”

“So many people try to achieve their goal in one single step and when they fail, they become so de-motivated that their goal disappears from the horison.”

“For some their final purpose just takes too many steps and they quit. Some extinguish their flame of hope even before they begin because the road ahead seems too difficult and tedious.”

“How old are you today? If I created you to be at your present age in one single moment, without your having to reach this moment in time step by careful step, do you think that you would be the same person you are now? Absolutely not!”

“When I look at you I see every step of your way. Surely, some of those steps you would not have taken if you could have the chance to do it all over again. However, rest assured, every step, good or bad, assisted in forming you to be you.”

“Now, My child, look past the rugged exterior and notice the diamond glistening on the inside still being cut into the final you. See the flowers about to blossom and smell the sweet lavender you.”

“Then look up and keep on following Me to your final earthly destiny. Before that point, a lot more steps will have to be taken. Take them with confidence, knowing that you are on your way to a glorious ending which would be, incidentally, a new beginning.”

“Keep one fact in mind as you go. I am not the One building your steps, I’m only guiding you where to put your foot down. The choice of steps are yours. Make sure they include Me too.”

“I love you so much because there is no person in the universe like you.”

I was watching the news on television when my daughter called. My grandson had recovered from an illness recently and she informed me that he fell ill once again with something else.

I put the phone down and started to pray. At that point, Jesus told me to switch channels to listen to Joyce Meyer preaching about seeking the face of God.

Seeking His face was exactly what I was doing with my requests. However, she said that going to God with our constant requests would be insulting if it is the only reason why we would desire to visit Him.

We should long to be constantly close to God, desiring to remain in His presence.

I knew this! I preached it myself many times in the past! Our life should be about God, not the blessings of God and yet…, I forgot! My personal problems and those of my children added up in changing my approach towards seeking God!

I apologised to Jesus and immediately experienced His close presence as He covered me in His love. “It’s all right, My child. So good to have you back. I’ve missed you.”

God is actually doing what we are supposed to do by constantly desiring our presence.

On the day we decided to follow Jesus, He stretched out His hand to take ours as we walk through life together as Father and child.

But, like a child lets go of the hand holding his as soon as his attention is fixed on something new, we often let go of the Father’s hand. Today, I realised that even though I often might have let go of His hand, it remained stretched out towards me all the time with the consequence that He remained close to me.

There is more. In my mind, I imagined a small child holding on to the hand of his Dad. Suddenly the child longs for more. He lifts up both his arms in order for his Dad to pick him up and hold him close to His heart.

The head of the child pressed against the head of his Dad, is the ultimate goal of seeking the face of God. This is where God wants us to be. Then, when problems arise, He shall hide us in His pavilion and in the secret place of His tabernacle. (Psalm 27:5)

Louis looked at his own image in the mirror. It felt rather that his image was looking back at him, blaming him for what he had done to get it looking like this.

When he was young, he sometimes wondered what he would look like when he would get old. Now he knew.

To say that his health wasn’t good, was an understatement. He had just been released from hospital where he received a quadruple heart by-pass operation the week before.

A smile formed on his face thinking that his heart had just been upgraded from a slow and weak one to one people would call a 4 X 4.

People often regard themselves as exceptional, special, of “high degree”, thinking that illnesses and bad experiences would not find their address. They typically ignore the fact that Adam signed the Garden of Eden away with a single meal.

Knowing that many people are however, very healthy, the question came to Louis’ mind whether he was someone inferior of “low degree”. He realised that the answer was affirmative but only in comparing ourselves to others.

Psalm 62:9 amusingly states, “Men of low degree are a vapour, (well said, the men of high degree would say) men of high degree are a lie (Oops!)…. They are altogether lighter than vapour.”

Glory to God, Louis thought. He valued us to such a high degree, high enough to have His Son sent to die in our place! Now, we are His children, children of the Almighty God!

The ordeal Louis had experienced made him realise once again that without Jesus, we are less than a vapour.

The image being reflected in the mirror, is of an older somewhat battered body. The smile showed a mature and wiser soul. His spirit however, still young and vibrant, cannot help but to love God with all his body, soul and spirit, because the God of love chose to live in this upgraded 4 X 4 “heart” since birth.

One day John carried his grandson through his home. He felt his warm, soft little body, smelled his sweet baby skin and enjoyed his every little response. The boy laughed and giggled, put his head against John’s with his arms around his neck.

This reminded John of the days when he was small and was carried by his parents. He remembered their love. He treasured the sensation of feeling their steps touch the ground while they carried him. Suddenly he longed for those days and without realising it, found himself enjoying a bouncing knee ride as his dad played with him while he cried with laughter.

In his mind however, John saw himself sitting on the knees of his heavenly Father.

All of a sudden, He folded His arms around John to draw him closer, kissing him on the head. “I love you, My child!”

John froze. “Lord, is this You, kissing and holding me?”

“Yes.”

“But, Lord, I am over sixty years old! I love what You’re doing but I am not a child anymore.”

“Son, don’t get your muscles in a knot. You are a strong man, the leader of you house just the way I intended you to be. However, I don’t expect you to win every battle on your own, you know! I am your Father. Every once in a while, just be My child.”

“You will always remain My child. Being a mature man requires of you to follow a certain mature conduct in life but even when you reach the age of 100 or more, you will always be My child.”

“I will always carry you on My side and dandle you on My knees. I will always comfort you the way your mother comforted you.” (Isaiah 66:12,13)

“Just be My child and love Me back! Send your laughter through the air. Giggle and smile. Press yourself against Me and love Me!”

“I’ve seen many people becoming Christians and then grow into what I did not ask them to. I told you when you met Me to put your life into My loving arms, and become as a child (Matthew 18:3). One who would always be able to sit on My knees.”

John surrendered himself to His Father’s love once again, as joy and peace welled up in his heart, filling his entire being. “Thank You, Father! Now, I am able to face this day!”

The world goes around with everyone standing firmly on the ground Every person claims his land, putting up fences and houses so grand Nations develop and voters decide – set up a leader as head of the tribe to organise, protect and develop the land, to rule the people firmly in hand

People get busy to work and to play looking after family assets every day They prosper and thrive but fail in keeping their faith alive From every castle the king and his queen look down at his neighbour as someone unseen

Amidst money, cars and possession, a new enemy arises – recession! Amongst all the problems, quarrels and grief, people don’t know what to believe In every country the head of state, looks at himself as Alexander the Great Nations are fighting on uncommon ground, morals fall down and hate comes around

There, resplendent on his man-made throne, the president rules with a heart of stone “This is my land – I will do this, but please understand If you don’t agree, I’ll take you by the hand to escort you out of the land” Hi. Mr President, may I have a word? Or are we only to be seen and not heard?

Who gave you the land? Who made you king of your zoo? God created this land with every person, animal and plant It just cannot be sold for silver or gold God gave us part of His land, to live and enjoy with an open hand

This land is still His with everything on it, even the diamonds and gold upon it Come, my friend, before the day passes by. Take His hand and look up into the sky God is alive and living here too. He is King, keeping everything new

Stop running, shouting and do not stress. To follow Jesus is simply the best Take His hand and enter into His rest

God will never leave us – nor forsake us! The president, after all – not following Jesus, is nothing at all.

Mary and her sister, Martha, sat quietly in the company of some women in their home when someone entered and whispered in Martha’s ear. Her face lit up and she rushed outside.

This was the fourth day of mourning their brother’s death and Mary was too exhausted to run after her sister. The house seemed so morbidly cold after the death of Lazarus.

A little while later Martha came storming back into the house. “Mary, Mary, the Teacher has come and He is asking for you!”

Immediately she jumped to her feet and ran to the place where Martha said she would find Him. With her heart pounding with joy and excitement, she fell down at His feet but the only thing she could say, was, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

For the first time the disciples saw Jesus, the Man of God, the Man of joy and hope, with tears running down His face.

Jesus knew Lazarus was ill. He also knew that he had been dead for four days and that He would bring Lazarus back to life again. He also knew how much this family loved Him but this was a very emotional moment, experiencing the pain Mary felt whilst openly demonstrating her sincere love for Him. Immediately He went to the grave and called Lazarus back to life.

This family of two sisters and one brother loved Jesus very much. Martha was the organiser, running the household. Lazarus was the provider. Mary was… well, she only wanted to fall down at Jesus’ feet every time she met Him. (Luke 10:39, John 11:32)

A few days later, Jesus and His disciples visited them once more, and again Martha was serving while Mary sat at His feet. This time she anointed His feet with her best fragrant oil while wiping them with her long beautiful hair. (John 12:3)

The love that Mary felt towards Jesus was so overpowering she could not stand nor sit down in His presence. She could only kneel at His feet, anointing and wiping them with her hair, soaking up His presence.

In my spiritual mind, I picture Jesus standing in our marketplace, holding in His hands the wisdom we need to face the day. Every morning thousands upon thousands storm to Him to receive what they need. He anxiously longs to have fellowship with us… but we, being too busy to waste one second, run past Him to our tasks for the day.

As He watches us running off, tears are welling up in His eyes. Oh how He longs for someone like Mary to fall down at His feet, not because He is needed but because He is loved. How He longs to hold and cuddle us while running His fingers through our hair. If only we could take a moment of our day to sit at His feet!

Kate parked her car in front of the church, the same one she had visited with her parents since childhood days. She took off her sunglasses to take a better look at the building she walked out of fifteen years ago when she got married.

It was very disappointing when she discovered everything was bolted and shut. The building appeared to be abandoned for a very long time.

“Lord, Jesus, how is this possible?” she whispered in shock.

“My dear child, this building has been vacant for three years now.”

“But why, Lord? I have only sweet memories of this church.”

“Many denominations are dying, Kate. Some, like this one, only forms part of a skeleton. It was inevitable because they stopped waiting for Me.”

“I don’t understand, Lord. Should we all be waiting for Your return at the end of days?” She replied.

“Kate, I’ve never expected anyone to wait for My return during the past 2000 years or more. People are only supposed to wait for My revelation.” (1 Cor 1:7)

“Soon after you had met Me, you discovered that it is possible to have fellowship with Me. This is the revelation people are supposed to wait for and pursue.”

“I am calling people to repentance. However, they are not called just to be able to enter into heaven on the day they die. Neither are they called to make disciples only. The highest calling of every believer is to have fellowship with Me! (1 Cor 1:9)

Kate realised that the disappointment Jesus felt after people abandoned Him, must have been much more severe than what she experienced finding her old church abandoned. “Lord Jesus, I think I understand.

Thank You for making it possible for me to have a living relationship with You. I love You so much!”

She experienced the love of Jesus covering and filling her completely. Suddenly she longed to get home to her husband and children. She got back into her car and headed home, with Jesus.