Craving for Closeness

By Sheryl Shakespeare

In my book, Craving for Closeness, you will feel like an only child of the Father as He embraces you on a journey deeper and deeper into His bosom. This journey will unearth who you are in Him and who He has blueprinted you to be. It's a welcoming journey into everyone's heart, whether just starting to seek Him, lost and want to find Him (for th

• Language: English
• Publisher: 2020 LITERARY GROUP LLC
• Release date: Oct 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781961250673

Book preview

Craving for Closeness

Copyright © 2023 by Sheryl Shakespeare

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN

978-1-961250-66-6 (Paperback)

978-1-961250-67-3 (eBook)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1Away From God

Gazing into the Distance…

Direct My Ways O Lord

Come Boldly

I Want You Back

You Will Not Forsake Me

Too Scared To Be Close

Meditations…

Prayer

Chapter 2Reconciled Unto God

Back into your Arms…

True Love

The Next Level

Grace Galore

Sweeter Everyday

Destined To Win

Home At Last

Meditations…

Prayer

Chapter 3Falling In Love

Your Hand in My Hand…

No One Like You Lord

Stubborn Love

Resounding Yes

Withholding Nothing

Lost For Words

Captured

Meditations…

Prayer

Chapter 4Learning His Ways

Away from the shore…

Still Small Voice

Questions

Great Is Your Reward

Like Joseph

I Am Diamond

For My Sake

Meditations…

Prayer

Chapter 5Radical Lover

Plunging into the Deep…

Royalty Personified

All For His Glory

Joy Of Belonging

The Encounter

Deeper Still

Lovesick

Like David

Meditation…

Prayer

Chapter 6Open Heaven

Under the light of heaven…

Blessed And Favored

Open Heaven

Two-Fold Anointing

Just Can’t Get Enough

Much Given Much Required

A Citizen Of Heaven

The Higher Calling

Meditation…

Prayer

Chapter 7Sonship

Manifesting as a son of God…

Sonship

Literally

Liquid Love

The Weighted Glory

Taking Back Our Place

My Friend’s Story

Prayer

Meditation…

Chapter 8Reign In Us, King Jesus!

The King of Glory has come in…

Appointed And Anointed

King’s Kid

Inducted

I Am Supernatural

Here I Am Lord

Heaven’s Reality

Roar In Me, O Lion Of Judah

Prayer

Joint Heirs on the earth…

Meet The Author

Introduction

If you are holding this book physically or via an electronic device. You are the one I am speaking to just now. The book you are holding is a very special one as it carries with it the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. It was literally given to me in three days after praying a simple prayer. However, a work that started in my heart years before, perhaps a decade, in the form of a prophetic word spoken over my life.

Everything about this book has been divinely ordered– its creativity, its uniqueness, and its passion. I’ve shared encounters and issues from my own experiences in obedience to the Holy Spirit as a yielded vessel – some of these I have not even been shared with any other person.

There is a poetry section that carries an introduction or ‘centering’ in preparation for that chapter. Just to prepare your heart before getting into that comfortable, relaxing space to connect with Our Lord Jesus Christ. The poems, or modern psalms, as I call them, are from a special place in my heart, only where my Adonai-Yeshua has been. They carry a piece of me that, always communicates with the Father when spoken words and expressions seem inadequate or just can’t be uttered.

There is the final meditation section, where you are invited to make this your own journey to achieve closeness (unbroken fellowship)-the ultimate intimacy. You are encouraged to get in touch with your spirit and write your heart out the Lord Jesus, who is luring on this journey.

It is crucial for you to understand this unique compilation, in terms of why it was done how it was done. So that you can get the maximum out of the experience and truly unleash all the revelations that God has in store for every open heart who ventures to read this book.

Chapter 1

Away From God

From everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him and his righteousness with their children’s children

Psalm 103:17

Gazing into the Distance…

God, the Father reaches out to us in different ways because we are all different– unique and special in every way. When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, He knew this! He knew that His work would span across nationalities, ethnicities, races, colors, and creed. It was not just about his followers crying at the foot of the cross. But the ones, who would later carry the gospel, the generations upon generations that would have been converted, and finally you and I, right where we are today.

He is the Son of God, Son of Man who was made manifest to carry out a one-off work. To be sacrificed once and for all unto God for the sins of mankind. But He also is the Sovereign God who existed from the very beginning. Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness… Gen 1:26 NIV.

The sacrifices of lambs and rams and other animals as told in the Old Testament were no longer acceptable to atone for sin. These sacrifices although perfectly selected (without spot or blemish) were inadequate not necessarily in appearance but rather by design– the system. That old system was imperfect as it only washed away current sins. At the time noted by the high priest which was done once a year. There was no other way to atone for sin and to please God. This was the only way.

The Lord Jesus Christ came and succumbed to the death of the cross making available to us once again (as it was

in the garden with Adam) a more personal, private, and one-and-one way to please God and reach out to him in whatever situation we find ourselves. His blood shed for us on that day at the foot of the cross on Mount Calvary lives on and speaks for us and continues to atone for our sins in heaven but now on a daily basis. Its transformative power cleanses us from past, current, and future sins. There is now an easier way for us to come back to God. The more we learn to accept the truth of this teaching. The easier it is for the Holy Spirit to do the work of the cross in our hearts and minds and to bridge the gap created by our sins, between us and God.

Cry out to Him in the next few psalms and He will hear you and come unto you. Don’t stay away from Him any longer– his blood is atoning right now and has already set you free from all bondages and shame– past, present, and future.

Direct My Ways O Lord

So visible am I

To an invisible God

Yet hiding

Days after days

Still no action

Still no recourse

Drifting farther and farther away

‘Gut- felt-heart- stirred’ prayers prayed

Now back on my words

Wasn’t committed enough

Wasn’t disciplined enough

Wasn’t obedient enough

Oh, wretched man that I am

Who can separate