December 12, 2001
Diane Scalchunes
“Simon Peter therefore also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen wrappings lying there, and the face cloth, which has been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled in a place by itself.” (John 20 6-7. N.A.S.)
There was a first-century custom when you were at a dinner party, and you’d had enough; you would take your napkin, roll it and position it on the plate to indicate to the server that you had enough. And I tasted death, and I had enough of it, so when I was in the tomb, I took the napkin on My face, folded it, and put it in its proper place to indicate to future generations that I was finished with death. Enough! I swallowed up death!
And because you have answered the call of My Anointing and are ready to dine with Me, I want you to take notice of the napkin at your place setting. It is the napkin I folded up, and it is in a wooden napkin ring representing the work I did on the Cross for you. I want you to put the napkin on your lap because when you find things that I feed you hard to swallow and fall by the wayside, I want them to fall on that white napkin; because that white napkin represents the very essence of holiness. That white napkin on your lap says that your hope is not in the temporal but in the eternal, for you will live with Me forever!
Death, where is thy sting! For eye has not seen nor ear heard, or has it entered the thoughts of man what I have prepared for those who love Me! The temporary afflictions you experience are mild compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits you. You will live in a city whose foundations are gems, whose streets are paved with gold, and whose gates are massive pearls. Neither the sun nor moon is necessary because My glory will illuminate it. So keep your napkin in position and set your affections on things above. You are going to live forever.
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November 17, 2002
My preschooler son Jonathan attended a trophy presentation a few weeks ago when he completed his first season of P.A.L. T-Ball. I was very surprised by his unusual behavior during the presentation. He was crying when he got his trophy, and he did not want to go up to his coach, who was standing with the trophies for the bigger kids.
The mystery eventually unraveled: a week earlier, his big brother Jeremy received three huge trophies from a roller hockey league he belonged to—team champions, division champions, and he personally received highest scorer. When Jonathan compared his tiny trophy to his brother’s, it upset him because he expected something bigger. Jeremy showed Jonathan they have the same trophy; Jeremy received the little trophy when he started P.A.L.
The Lord is saying:
Many of you have completed your first season of My Pal, My Friendship training camp. Ultimately, you’ve expected to see something high and lofty, but I gave you a cup of humility. You are looking at all your brothers and sisters moving in grace in My Kingdom, and you have seen these high and lofty things that I gave them and said: what about me? But each and every one of them will assure you that they have the same trophy on their shelves, that cup of humility. It is your biggest gift on that shelf. It is the most shining trophy because that is where I live and dwell—with the humble and contrite heart. I have grace for the humble, but the proud I know far off. So cherish this little thing that I have given you called humility. Realize it is the thing I can dwell in, and everyone in My Kingdom has this little thing on their trophy shelves.