Tag Archives: Cross

It happened again!!!!

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It Happened Again!

I gave an individual (male) one of the crosses I make, after he commented on the one, I was wearing. He told me he did not know if he could wear it ever, though he said he was a Christian. I told him the things about my doing so, wearing the cross. So I related again what I thought.

First, I explained to him that being a Christian automatically makes a person a disciple of the Savior Jesus, in my opinion. It does entail many duties and a follower of Jesus that includes the declaration they are one and encouraging others to be “fishers of men” and that is discipleship.

I also told him that I wear a cross, not to just show others that I am a disciple of Christ, but something else in the process.

In the Bible in Ephesians 6:16 it states, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”  I interpret this (for me) as “wear a cross”

It is difficult for me to be a hypocrite and do or say things that contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ, and I wear the cross to fend off those acts. It is there for me to see and feel and I try to be a disciple of Jesus.

Do I always succeed?! NO, I do not, BUT the cross I wear also reminds me I am forgiven through the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.

This guy looked at me, did accept the cross I had for him, put it in his pocket and said, “I will consider it.”

Thanks be to God whom I have submitted myself to and to Jesus who I have surrendered my life to his glory.

So be it!!!!!!!!!!

Cross Bearer 2018-81

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Cross Bearer   2018-81
Why wear a cross? Some do so, as a piece of jewelry that looks nice, even great. Others have their own reasons to do so, which could be many out there.

I wear a simple cross like a shield. It is a way to make me conduct myself in a way I feel our Savior would want me to do as his disciple.

In Ephesians 6:16 it states, “Take up the Shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Here it also goes into detail ow what we can do otherwise, although I will not go that far myself. I find a shield is a barrier to outside influences and only means something to the one wearing it.
I find it difficult to do those or any things that would be contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ. If I do so, the cross reminds me as to who and what I am: again, a disciple of Jesus.

Does my cross I wear make any statements to others? Yes!

Indirectly, it shows others that I am a practicing Christian; one that believes in His teachings, believes in going to a religious sanctuary, or church, o0n la regular basis, and who is unafraid to tell the Word to any that will listen.
My cross does NOT say that I am a religious nut. It does NOT give me the right to use the Bible as a weapon to try to prove a point or accuse anyone of not being like me, a follower of God, and student of Jesus Christ.

I wear my cross daily, when I travel outside my home, but that is my choice, which is my decision in life. If I give my cross to someone, it is given with NO strings attached, other than the one that holds it around the neck.
There are NO requirements for others to do so, it is up to the wearer and Jesus as to when, where, why, and how much they do so.

The worn cross is a symbol to some, a statement to others and is a means of expression to telling a belief of the mind in a way, using no words. It is a simplistic unadorned object from the earth representing a means, a way, of reaching the universe, the heavens above. It is an object, simplifying pain and death, of cruelty beyond description, but promising s a life of joy beyond belief. It IS, a sign of the Son of God, of suffering for the sons and daughters of the Father for the promise of eternal life.

I share these crosses I make, at no cost to those I give them to, but with the hope that they will wear them in a humble way and not any other way. They are not made of gold or silver, but in earth like material, signifying the Son of God, who died for our sins, and promising eternal life.

Peace,

Den Betts Email: bettsden@gmail.com Blog: thebettsden.com

Cross Experience 2017-18

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                                                Cross Experience  2017-18

This past weekend gave us insight again, on how our Savior lived, died and was resurrected to give us the promise of eternal life.  So be it.

One of the songs we sang at Celebration Lutheran Church, was “Where You There When They Crucified Our Lord”. That song always get to me.  It is somewhat of a sad song, with much meaning.

I was meditating today and the scene of the crucifixion was imprinted on my mind. I started to remember the Scripture writings of the experience that our Lord, Jesus Christ went through.

In this respect, I WAS THERE!!!! 

I could see the three crosses stuck in the holes on the hill of the Skull as it was called.  I could smell the odors of the area where death was lingering, the smell of feces and urine was present from unwanted voids from the many people that had been put to death there. 

I could hear the wailing of the people that were in attendance to observe the deaths of those on the crosses and of those to be yet hung.  The Roman guards had a long list of those that required them to put to death.  It was not a nice scene or one to be a part of at that time.

The three on the crosses were there as described.  They were attached to the wooden trees with iron stakes that impaled their wrists to the horizontal beam. This helped to prevent the victim to pull loose and fall to the ground. It was not a pretty sight to see and I was emotional about it.

I was a spectator, and as such, I somewhat also had freedom to move around the area, which was strange to know and do at the time.  I did so.

I went past one of the three and looked up at him. At that moment he was not moving, or making any comments.  He looked ghastly and drawn and near death.

I finally arrived at the cross of Jesus Christ.  I hesitated to look up at Him.  I looked at one of the guards and he eyed me to see what I was going to do, if anything.

Jesus looked down at me.  He focused his look right at me.  He cocked His head and whispered something to me and I strained to hear.   He repeated it, and I got closer to Him and heard.  He said, “I know who you are”.   He said the exact same thing to me when I was observing Him get baptized, by John the Baptist, which I have reported on before. 

This statement startled me! It made me think of the baptism and what I saw then.  I was an observer then, as I was at the cross, and it made me think of myself and my relationship with God and Jesus.

I stood with mouth open and eyes open, looking up at Jesus. Then, I saw that by looking down at me it caused the crown of thorns placed on his head to move and disturb the wound they made.  A drop of blood formed on one of the thorns and I watched as it rolled down the cluster of wooden spikes in His head. 

Then it dropped toward me.  I watched as it sped to meet me at the bottom of the cross. I did not move. It continued falling and SPLAT, it hit me on my forehead.  I backed up away from the cross. I continued backing until I came to a boulder, behind me. 

I looked up at Jesus and my eyes teared and I wept.  His look was one of compassion and love and His head nodded up and down.

I thought of today’s Eucharist communion practice where we hear, “This is the body, given for us, then this is the blood shed for us”.   I raised my hand and touched my forehead where the drop of blood from my Savior Jesus Christ had landed.

My finger found the spot and it came away red with the liquid life of Jesus.  I looked at it and then I did something that was foreign to me, I kissed my finger where the blood was smeared on the tip of my finger. 

I, at that time, felt the Presence of God be a part of me.  His blood that he shed, was shared with me.  I knew at that moment what it was all about.  He, Jesus Christ DID die for me, DID give me the opportunity to live forever in paradise with Him.

I was blessed with His presence in person before at what I called The Happening, I had experienced His presence before after I had the stupor, I in my prayerful meditation had once again had His presence be brought to me like, when He was baptized my John the Baptist in the Jordon River.

Oh, my God, my God, how can I thank you for your blessings!

Peace be with you all

Dennis Betts

The Cross 2014-43

Posted in Religious type by

The Cross 2014-43

A symbol to some, a statement for

others, a means of expression;

a way of telling a belief of

the mind in a way using no words.

 

A simplistic unadorned object

from the earth, representing a

means, a way of reaching the

universe, the heavens above.

 

An object signifying pain

and death, of cruelty beyond

description, but promising a

life of joy beyond belief.

 

A sign of a son of God

of suffering for the sons

and daughters of the Father

for the promise of eternal life.

Den Betts