Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:1-3
Holiness is the seal of quality affixed to those who accept Christ's brand of ownership. As a winemaker carefully chooses fine grapes that he believes has the potential to make fine wine, so God has chosen each of us for the potential He sees inside of us. Yet one grape alone does not make wine. God has chosen a people collectively to receive His seal of holiness.
Not only have we been chosen, but we also choose. Our choice is made when we pray to Jesus. Accepting Jesus is to accept Him as LORD (Yahweh), God of Heaven and Master of our souls. For those blessed enough be be chosen, branded, holy people of prayer and obedience will find grace and peace that can only come to those who belong to Him.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Sunday, August 28, 2011
COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
And the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
There is an old saying - "Save the best 'til last." The master of the banquet was surprised that the best wine had been saved until the end of the banquet after everyone was already intoxicated. In his experience, families normally did it the other way around. But not Jesus.
Jesus, as the Creator (John 1:3), had complete control over the elements. It was in His nature to only create things that were very good (Gen. 1:31). To turn the water into a substance one step better than vinegar was unthinkable, even if it would have been just as miraculous.
His disciples, who were also at the wedding, saw the miracle and believed in Jesus. He had surprised them, just the first of many times that He would do so. They saw that, although Jesus had been hesitant to intervene when His mother asked Him, that did not mean that He was halfhearted in His actions. He would only be content with complete transformation. The disciples would learn in the months ahead that Jesus is only happy with complete healing, complete truth and complete loyalty.
His standards have not changed. To be a disciple of Jesus, we must be prepared to offer our complete repentance, complete surrender and not to be satisfied until we attain the complete perfection as only Jesus can give (Heb. 7:11).
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matt. 5:48
There is an old saying - "Save the best 'til last." The master of the banquet was surprised that the best wine had been saved until the end of the banquet after everyone was already intoxicated. In his experience, families normally did it the other way around. But not Jesus.
Jesus, as the Creator (John 1:3), had complete control over the elements. It was in His nature to only create things that were very good (Gen. 1:31). To turn the water into a substance one step better than vinegar was unthinkable, even if it would have been just as miraculous.
His disciples, who were also at the wedding, saw the miracle and believed in Jesus. He had surprised them, just the first of many times that He would do so. They saw that, although Jesus had been hesitant to intervene when His mother asked Him, that did not mean that He was halfhearted in His actions. He would only be content with complete transformation. The disciples would learn in the months ahead that Jesus is only happy with complete healing, complete truth and complete loyalty.
His standards have not changed. To be a disciple of Jesus, we must be prepared to offer our complete repentance, complete surrender and not to be satisfied until we attain the complete perfection as only Jesus can give (Heb. 7:11).
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matt. 5:48
Ramblings on Why We're Here: A Personal Blog on the Life of Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Dear Ramblings Fans,
I'm back! Currently I am taking a course called Principles of Biblical Interpretation at Global University. The course has inspired me to start blogging again.
Of course, in the two years that I have been dormant, Yahoo! Pulse has discontinued their blog feature. This means that the blog series I had started on there cannot be continued on that site. As a result, I am taking a break from my Ramblings on How We Got Here series that I had started on this site to pick up the Ramblings on Why We're Here series on this site.
Confusing I know, but I'm telling you all this because I need your help. I am going to post a new blog entry today and the school is looking for some feedback from all of you. If you are inclined to help a starving student, then please respond to my post by answering the following questions:
1. What did you like best about the blog entry?
2. How could I improve my blog?
3. Wother other words of encouragement do you have for me?
A great big, humongous THANK YOU to any of you that can take the time to do this. I appreciate it more than I can ever say.
God bless,
Dixie
I'm back! Currently I am taking a course called Principles of Biblical Interpretation at Global University. The course has inspired me to start blogging again.
Of course, in the two years that I have been dormant, Yahoo! Pulse has discontinued their blog feature. This means that the blog series I had started on there cannot be continued on that site. As a result, I am taking a break from my Ramblings on How We Got Here series that I had started on this site to pick up the Ramblings on Why We're Here series on this site.
Confusing I know, but I'm telling you all this because I need your help. I am going to post a new blog entry today and the school is looking for some feedback from all of you. If you are inclined to help a starving student, then please respond to my post by answering the following questions:
1. What did you like best about the blog entry?
2. How could I improve my blog?
3. Wother other words of encouragement do you have for me?
A great big, humongous THANK YOU to any of you that can take the time to do this. I appreciate it more than I can ever say.
God bless,
Dixie
Friday, February 12, 2010
An Upside Down Backwards Valentine
Tonight I arrive home and something isn't right. In my arms is a vase with a bouquet of a dozen roses. They're not for me...they're for my husband.
My husband opens the door with a towel over his arm. He looks like a waiter. He escorts me to the dining room table that he has decked out in candlelight and place settings for the homecooked Valentine's Dinner he has prepared...authentic Hungarian stuffed peppers, lemonade and a brownie with whipped cream for dessert. It was delicious.
Sound a little backwards from your normal scene? It's because my husband has been laid off from work for over a year. During this time, he has adopted the role of hubby homemaker. He cleans the house, washes the dishes, does the laundry and still finds time to play Mr. Fixit with all the home repairs.
Every morning, I get up and get ready for work. I give my husband a quick kiss goodbye on my way out the door. During the day, he calls me to find out how my day is going and to tell me what he's doing in the house. When I get home at 6:00, he is there to meet me with a big kiss and (sometimes) a home cooked meal.
It all might seem a little upside down, but who said role reversal can't be fun?
My husband opens the door with a towel over his arm. He looks like a waiter. He escorts me to the dining room table that he has decked out in candlelight and place settings for the homecooked Valentine's Dinner he has prepared...authentic Hungarian stuffed peppers, lemonade and a brownie with whipped cream for dessert. It was delicious.
Sound a little backwards from your normal scene? It's because my husband has been laid off from work for over a year. During this time, he has adopted the role of hubby homemaker. He cleans the house, washes the dishes, does the laundry and still finds time to play Mr. Fixit with all the home repairs.
Every morning, I get up and get ready for work. I give my husband a quick kiss goodbye on my way out the door. During the day, he calls me to find out how my day is going and to tell me what he's doing in the house. When I get home at 6:00, he is there to meet me with a big kiss and (sometimes) a home cooked meal.
It all might seem a little upside down, but who said role reversal can't be fun?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
NAMING THE ANIMALS
Original Post Date: Friday, August 15, 2008
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. Genesis 2:19-20a
There are two incidents in Scripture where God brings all the animals to one man - once to Adam so he could name them and once to Noah to save them from the Flood. Both of these events depict a unique partnership between God and man.
God is an artist. For six days He molded and crafted each animal, plant and land formation. Yet, when the masterpiece was finished, He passed the privilege of naming it to Adam. It was an intentional and meaningful gesture. In effect, God wanted Adam to know that the earth was created for him and his descendents. It was Adam's doman - he was to have authority over it and responsibility for it. God was establishing a collaboration between Himself as the Creator/Sustainer and man as the caretaker that would continue until the end of time.
It is the sole privilege of the artist to name his work. God took that privilege and gave it away - to a man who had no privilege, no rank, no reputation and no authority. That one gift instantly granted Adam all of those things. Suddenly, he had the privilege of being God's partner, the rank of dominance over creation, the reputation as The One Who Names and the authority to determine Earth's fate.
As a descendent of Adam, I have often struggled with pride and arrogance. It is due time that I took a step back and realized that any right I think I have is a privilege that God has placed in the palm of my hand.
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. Genesis 2:19-20a
There are two incidents in Scripture where God brings all the animals to one man - once to Adam so he could name them and once to Noah to save them from the Flood. Both of these events depict a unique partnership between God and man.
God is an artist. For six days He molded and crafted each animal, plant and land formation. Yet, when the masterpiece was finished, He passed the privilege of naming it to Adam. It was an intentional and meaningful gesture. In effect, God wanted Adam to know that the earth was created for him and his descendents. It was Adam's doman - he was to have authority over it and responsibility for it. God was establishing a collaboration between Himself as the Creator/Sustainer and man as the caretaker that would continue until the end of time.
It is the sole privilege of the artist to name his work. God took that privilege and gave it away - to a man who had no privilege, no rank, no reputation and no authority. That one gift instantly granted Adam all of those things. Suddenly, he had the privilege of being God's partner, the rank of dominance over creation, the reputation as The One Who Names and the authority to determine Earth's fate.
As a descendent of Adam, I have often struggled with pride and arrogance. It is due time that I took a step back and realized that any right I think I have is a privilege that God has placed in the palm of my hand.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
THE FIRST MARRIAGE
Original Post Date: Friday, August 1, 2008
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him..." But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:18, 20b-25
Connection - this is the word I think of when I think about marriage. Adam and Eve were connected physically because God used Adam's rib when He created Eve. They were connected emotionally because they were the only two of their kind. They were connected mentally because they were the only creatures that God had created with higher levels of intelligence.
There are frequent moments in my own marriage when it seems like we're the only two people in the world, that we share thoughts that no one else can understand and that we cherish an emotional bond that no other human on the face of the earth can give us. This is how marriage should be.
In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul compares marriage to the relationship between Jesus and the Church. The husband should emulate the role of Christ and the wife the role of the church. Jesus is the head of the church and loves the church, so should the husband be responsible for his wife and love her. The church should submit to Christ as Lord and Master, so should the wife respect the wisdom of her husband and allow him to protect and provide for her as God has created him to do.
I have known many couples that had trouble in their marriage over the years. Most of the time, the problems come when either the husband or the wife has stepped outside of their God-given role. Wives sometimes fight against their husbands' need to be in charge. Husbands sometimes defer to their wives and don't take the responsibility for their family as God has intended them to.
While I was listening to a sermon recently, the pastor talked about worship and how offensive it is to God when we try to usurp His power and authority. We think of the land as OUR property even though Psalm 24 says that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. We want to get credit and recognition for our talents and skills, even though Romans 12 says that we each have different gifts according to the grace that God has given us. It is human nature to try to rob each other of our power, our influence and our control of things. This is often the root of discord between spouses as well.
Jesus said that He is "in us" in the same way that the Father was in Him. Jesus, the Spirit, the Father and the Church - together in miraculous unity. This is the same intimacy that God desires for marriage. God, the husband and the wife should be in union with one another - knowing each other's thoughts, desires and needs - giving each other respect and support.
There is no one on earth who knows me as well as my husband does. In the same way, there is no one on earth who knows either me or my husband the way that God knows us. It is my prayer that Ernie and I will make knowing God in a unique and special way as high of a priority as God has made it His priority to know every aspect of us.
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him..." But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:18, 20b-25
Connection - this is the word I think of when I think about marriage. Adam and Eve were connected physically because God used Adam's rib when He created Eve. They were connected emotionally because they were the only two of their kind. They were connected mentally because they were the only creatures that God had created with higher levels of intelligence.
There are frequent moments in my own marriage when it seems like we're the only two people in the world, that we share thoughts that no one else can understand and that we cherish an emotional bond that no other human on the face of the earth can give us. This is how marriage should be.
In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul compares marriage to the relationship between Jesus and the Church. The husband should emulate the role of Christ and the wife the role of the church. Jesus is the head of the church and loves the church, so should the husband be responsible for his wife and love her. The church should submit to Christ as Lord and Master, so should the wife respect the wisdom of her husband and allow him to protect and provide for her as God has created him to do.
I have known many couples that had trouble in their marriage over the years. Most of the time, the problems come when either the husband or the wife has stepped outside of their God-given role. Wives sometimes fight against their husbands' need to be in charge. Husbands sometimes defer to their wives and don't take the responsibility for their family as God has intended them to.
While I was listening to a sermon recently, the pastor talked about worship and how offensive it is to God when we try to usurp His power and authority. We think of the land as OUR property even though Psalm 24 says that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. We want to get credit and recognition for our talents and skills, even though Romans 12 says that we each have different gifts according to the grace that God has given us. It is human nature to try to rob each other of our power, our influence and our control of things. This is often the root of discord between spouses as well.
Jesus said that He is "in us" in the same way that the Father was in Him. Jesus, the Spirit, the Father and the Church - together in miraculous unity. This is the same intimacy that God desires for marriage. God, the husband and the wife should be in union with one another - knowing each other's thoughts, desires and needs - giving each other respect and support.
There is no one on earth who knows me as well as my husband does. In the same way, there is no one on earth who knows either me or my husband the way that God knows us. It is my prayer that Ernie and I will make knowing God in a unique and special way as high of a priority as God has made it His priority to know every aspect of us.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there he put the man he had formed. And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:8, 9, 15-17
The first man heard from God's own lips the first commandment, the first warning, the first indication that all things in Creation are not free and pure. I wonder what the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil looked like. Was it scary looking or attractive? The tree was not yet cursed, so it couldn't have had blight or blemished fruit. Perhaps it looked nearly identical to the Tree of Life. Often the paths between good and evil are very hard to discern for us today and it could have been the same for Adam.
What must it have been like for Adam to try and imagine a thing such as death when he had no experience to base it on? How can one imagine consequences if he has never been disciplined? It could appear to our modern minds that God was being unfair. We know that God often tests us, but why? Why would He invite temptation into His perfect world?
What benefit is there to be had by allowing Adam free will? Well, let's think about this for a minute. If a man buys a slave woman to take as his wife, she will resent him and true love will be less likelky to grow. However, if a man meets a woman who is free and she chooses him, true love abounds.
There is something precious about the love between God and a person who gives their love to God freely. That love is deep, powerful and dynamic. Life's irritations, frustrations, disappointments, tragedies and pain cannot break it. At times the flame of love may grow dim. Doubts and discouragement often force us to re-evaluate our reasons for loving God and decide whether it's worth the consequences - that is, restrictions from things that God has determined are not good for us, commandments to not do things that would harm others and personal experience of the battle between good and evil.
The first man heard from God's own lips the first commandment, the first warning, the first indication that all things in Creation are not free and pure. I wonder what the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil looked like. Was it scary looking or attractive? The tree was not yet cursed, so it couldn't have had blight or blemished fruit. Perhaps it looked nearly identical to the Tree of Life. Often the paths between good and evil are very hard to discern for us today and it could have been the same for Adam.
What must it have been like for Adam to try and imagine a thing such as death when he had no experience to base it on? How can one imagine consequences if he has never been disciplined? It could appear to our modern minds that God was being unfair. We know that God often tests us, but why? Why would He invite temptation into His perfect world?
What benefit is there to be had by allowing Adam free will? Well, let's think about this for a minute. If a man buys a slave woman to take as his wife, she will resent him and true love will be less likelky to grow. However, if a man meets a woman who is free and she chooses him, true love abounds.
There is something precious about the love between God and a person who gives their love to God freely. That love is deep, powerful and dynamic. Life's irritations, frustrations, disappointments, tragedies and pain cannot break it. At times the flame of love may grow dim. Doubts and discouragement often force us to re-evaluate our reasons for loving God and decide whether it's worth the consequences - that is, restrictions from things that God has determined are not good for us, commandments to not do things that would harm others and personal experience of the battle between good and evil.
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