The Small Things Mean a Lot: The Clinging Cross

I don't know why but the Lord led me to share something with my Facebook friends. This little story demonstrates the love that believers share with one another, just the little things that edify and bless one another.

A friend makes wood objects and is good at it. He and his wife blessed me with a "Clinging Cross", made out of wood from a tree that grows on the east coast.

This wooden object is a bent cross made for our fingers to cling to it in a certain way that feels very comfortable, sort of the same idea as a "worry stone" that one strokes to relax.

I was so blessed by their thoughtfulness that I sent them a thank you letter with fullness of heart. Here is the short letter, I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you so much for the lovely gift of the "Clinging Cross." I have to tell you a little story about myself that makes this gift seem more special than you think.

As a small child, I had the habit of wrapping my fingers around the satin on the blanket in my crib. I was in that crib until I was six years old.

Because my family was poor my brothers and I shared the same room. One day my parents decided to take away the crib and give me a regular twin bed.

I was sad to see my crib go because it was my safe place. Over the years I maintained that good feel of the cold satin between my fingers, to this day I still do that.

This "clinging cross" will be so much fun as I sit a lot waiting for the approval of the heart doctor so I can be seen. God sends me little encouragments like this and you have no idea how good it feels. May the Lord bless you for your kindness to me. Much love, Gwen

It isn't so much the gift as it was the love with which it was given. This kindness will carry me through for a long time as I wait, and wait and wait. Thankfully, time passes quickly these days the older I become, so I am confident that a year from now I will look back as see how everything culminated and resolved.

John 15:12-13. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”

Hallelujah!!!!!

Labels are not Needed, Actions and Attitudes are Enough

We have no need to label anyone as narcissistic, all we have to do is evaluate how they treat us and others and that will determine what we do.

If a "friend or "relative" consistently devalues you, disrespects you, dismisses you as insignificant, lies to us consistently, if they are doing things to hurt you and feel nothing about that or claim they didn't do it, and finally if their values do not align with our own then this person is not a friend.

When we evaluate a relationship based on our desired path for life and our "friend or family" continually negates it, demeans it or attempts to sabotage it, then we must build a boundary to keep them at bay.

Those who are continually defending themselves and will never admit to flaws and who resist correction will be contentious people. Kind and loving people will admit things which is why they grow emotionally and spiritually mature.

Titus 3:9

"9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are useless and worthless."

1 Corinthians 3:3

"3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people?"

Philippians 2:14-15 " 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world…"

2 Timothy 2:14

"14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly exhort them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the listeners."

If a "friend or family member" gossips about us, makes unfounded judgments based on that gossip, or repeats things to others about us that are none of their business, then the boundary wall must go up.

Trusting Christ Means not Trusting in Self

Those who have difficulty facing their own flaws are those who depend on themselves for perfection and not God.

Being Heavenly Minded is a Good Thing

I never liked that phrase "some people are too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good", it mocked those who wanted to walk closely with Christ and it placed friendliness above evangelism.

We are not called to be "earthly good" we are called to preach the gospel so that the unsaved will be spared hell and will love Jesus Christ.

Sadly, so many mantras that sounded nice were propagated in these last days to avoid embarrassing themselves by speaking the name of Jesus Christ.

One missionary told me they made a practice of minimizing the word of God for the sake of unity. Sadly this is the caliber of missionaries I have seen down through the years. They actually thought "being friendly" was the gospel even if they never mentioned the name of Jesus Christ.

There is another very foolish saying I have heard that goes something like this; "“Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words” is a phrase often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi.

The Bible clearly tells us to "preach the gospel." If we are not preaching we are not bringing the gospel.

Romans 10:17

"17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

2 Timothy 4:2

"2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine."

Francis of Assisi was a Catholic monk, following a false religion, why would we listen to him? Why do Christians quote someone who was not born-again? The answer is clear, most people who say they are Christians are afraid to offend the lost with the gospel because then perhaps those who are lost will not like them.

John 12:42-43 "42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 FOR THEY LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN , MORE THAN PRAISE FROM GOD."

,

If someone is afraid to speak the gospel to the lost perhaps their unsaved friends are more important to them than Christ. And, how is it possible to love an unsaved friend knowing they will go to hell if they do not trust in Christ?

I encounter more "Christians" who are offended by those who speak God's principles from His word than they are by their unsaved friends who reject Christ. When we love someone, we want them to be saved and enjoy Christ as we enjoy Him.

It is likely that we see Christians acting timid about sharing the gospel because most are not saved themselves and are offended when anyone preaches at them. We are less likely to be offended by preaching if we love to share the gospel ourselves.

May believers love the Lord so much and His Principles that we cannot hold back when we are led by the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13-14 "13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"

1 Corinthians 8:1-2 "1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.…"

When man speaks from is own heart he will be glorified, but

when the Holy Spirit speaks Christ will be glorified. It is Christ we should seek to glorify not self!

There is Freedom in Following Christ Alone

2 Timothy 3 is talking about the condition of the churches in the end times. Notice they have a "form of religion" but deny God in the way they express it. They have created their own traditional system God never commanded and expect all "Christians" to adhere to this tradition of men.

If you feel alone a lot and sense a closeness to God more than ever before it's because you have been freed from the traditions of men and depend upon Christ more than anyone or anything else.

Mark 7:7-9 "7 And in vain do they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’"

8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”

9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition."

The end times of false religion will require us to meet in a building God never endorsed, have a hierarchy God never commanded, celebrate holidays God never oredered, and use formulas God never gave to those who love Him.

The false religion of the end times pressures Christians to be like them and to think like them, or there is a rejection of those who don't comply with their human traditions. Count it a blessing to be relieved of the burden of the ritualistic end times religion.

Matthew 24:12

"Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."

1 Timothy 4:1

"Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,"

2 Peter 3:3

"Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires."

2 Timothy 3:15 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."

A Pure Heart Leads to Righteous Actions a False Heart Leads to Spiritual Death

A pure heart leads to righteous attitudes and actions. A pure heart is not easily offended because those who love Christ are not convicted when one of God's principles is mentioned.

 
A prideful heart leads to worldly actions and reactions based on feelings that are self-focused and self-exalted. A self-absorbed person will take everything personally when a principle of God is mentioned, thinking that the mention alone is sending them a private message. It is not that the mention of the principle had anything to do with them but that because it convicted their own heart, they take it personally as though it was a message to them.

 
A righteous person who hears a principle of God which convicts them of sin in their heart will appreciate it, pray about it and desire for a change in their own character.

 
Those who possess the fruit of the Spirit of Christ are not offended by hearing a principle of God because they want to grow in holiness and are pleased that God brought the message to them no matter who it came from.

Those who are self-reflective with a desire to honor God care deeply about others and hate to unnecessarily distress others. A message bringing conviction is a blessing to the born-again believer who desires to walk as Christ walked.

Have you ever met someone who seems to be offended by the slightest things that most people don't even notice? These people can villify an innocent comment or kind action just because it makes them feel less than when the Holy Spirit convicts them of their own actions.

 
When we love others we are happy to allow them to be themselves when it is not sin. Their personality traits and personal bents are appreciated without judgment.
For the self-absorbed person, everything is framed as a personal attack even if it is only the mention of a principle of God that convicts their heart.

 
I have been told a number of times that "you did (or said) that just to shame me" When all I did was write a generic message to everyone while sharing God's principles. Arrogant people think everyone is thinking about them and every message is to them. They do not think in terms of the edification of the church, they think merely in terms of how they feel when they hear something.

 
Those who are highly elevated in their own minds cannot face the flaws in themselves, they must hide their real selves to continue to pretend in front of others. The confident person can admit their flaws and learn from them but the highly elevated person does not grow and change in their character because they cannot face the flaws.

 
God said it clearly when He told us to confess our sin to be cleansed.
1 John 1:8-10 "…8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us."

Those who cannot face their flaws are cowards who remain emotional and spiritual infants until they are convicted of the sin of pride, confess it to God and those they have harmed and desire to be changed by Christ.

 
Ephesians 2:9-10 "…9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."

Those who depend on their false personal to influence people to believe something that is not true about them cannot be saved because they are depending on their own "goodness" to fool God and others into believing the appearance of goodness without a changed heart.

 
When we have the goodness of Christ our actions will flow out of our hearts, they will not come and go based on our feelings in the moment, they will be consistent day after day. Those who live a lifestyle of anger toward anyone do not have the fruit of the Spirit of Christ or they would be consistently kind and loving to everyone even when they have to correct others.

 
Pretenders are dishonest, hiding all the time, and hate others continually. They will only show kindness to those they wish to impress and remain rude and unkind to those they think are beneath them.

 
Those who love Jesus Christ do not look down on others but have compassion even for the lost because they know they were once in that condition and that they must battle the arrows of the devil regularly.

 
Born-gain believers are hypersensitive to the thought of harming others. The pretenders feel nothing about harming those they think deserve it, and they always have a good reason why someone they are jealous of deserves their disrespect and disregard.

 
The devil uses those who are highly self-exalted to torment those who love Christ. Sadly those who are used by the devil don't understand that those who love Christ cannot be harmed by him, but he keeps trying anyway.

 
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

Titus 2:14
He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Those who are zealous to be seen as perfect can never be saved until they realize that they need to repent to be born again. No one who is born-again has a high opinion of themselves, coming to Christ requires realizing how filthy we are without Him.

 
Those who are born-again are authentically loving and kind without having to try or appear in pretense, it is who they are without thinking because Christ lives in them.

 
Colossians 1:10
"so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"

James 2:17-18
"So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. / But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."

Matthew 5:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Because the apostate church fosters pride in people many will say they are Christians who have never been changed by Christ into a new creation. They came to the gatherings to be exalted and for companionship thinking highly of themselves merely for associating with the group.

Matthew 23:1-32 "Hypocrisy Exposed
23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,
2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.
3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.
4 And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger.
5 And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.
6 And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,
7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.
8 But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.
9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10 And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ.
11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Matthew 23: 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!"

Matthew 23: 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [y]of robbery and self-indulgence.

26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean."

Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,
30 and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.
33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?"

Take away: we are not to look to men as our leaders, if they say something good from God's word we follow that but we are not to follow them, only what they repeat in truth about God.

 
Christ alone is our leader, He lives in born-again believers and will be our teacher, guide, and protector.

 
Hallelujah that we are free to follow Christ even if no one else does.