Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Valentine Gift of Love

A gift of love on Valentines Day can mean many different things: a box of chocolates (Thanks Gran and Paw Paw), a bouquet of flowers (for me that would be a bouquet of daisies), the gift of going out to dinner (not having to cook), beautiful clothes or just the gift of service (me not having to do the dishes). All of these are quite wonderful and well appreciated when received (especially the no cooking and someone else doing the dishes), but the best gift of all we can give someone is the gift of the gospel. Truth be known that the sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ with someone that is lost is an area that I don't think I communicate the best, especially with those I deeply love and care for. How can I say I truly love these individuals and sit and watch them head down the short and crooked path to hell. I can't just keep repeating to them John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not parish but have eternal life. and that Jesus saves and they need to trust in Jesus to be their Savior, without telling them what they are being saved from or it is all for not. There are those out there, churched and un-churched that think they can get to heaven and be saved by being a good person, doing good and if they just live by the 10 Commandments it will all be good. Well have you ever read the Commandments. Here they are:
Exodus 20_The Ten Commandments
 1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 
Just letting you know right now, that if this is the standard to be saved by, then I am damned. I am guilty of most of these, if not all. You see Jesus even set the standards higher, He says in Matthew 5:28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if you have broken any of the Commandments in your heart you are guilty as well. Don't feel bad we are all guilty. The Truth is we are all wretched sinners. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, not some but all. Out of my love for you, I refuse to continue to candy coat the truth! Many of us on occasions water down the truth, not meaning any harm we compromise God's word not to offend any one, including a lot of preachers, who really should know better. We all quote John 3:16, heck even a certain quarterback has sported it under his eyes for years now. Most people stop there, but out of true love for all of you I am going to continue and not just stop there. By reading further in John it says in John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God who abides on Him. The wrath of God, sounds bad doesn't it? Well it is bad it is worst than bad it is eternal damnation and being thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity. Not so chummy and lovey dovey huh? Revelation 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Do you know who the people are written in the book of life? They are the children of God. If you are not a child of God on judgement day will you be headed to hell and that lake of fire. There is only one way to be saved. Only one path to follow. Only one way to become a child of God. John 14:6  Jesus said to him," I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.  Now comes the good news,we can be the children of God, we don't have to be condemned and we can be saved, today ,this instant. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world (your sins and mine). Do you know how to take advantage of this gift? Believe that Jesus died for your sins, Trust that He is the Savior, Confess your sins to Him, Admit to Him you are a sinner and in need of a Savior, Turn from your sinful life and you will be set free from the chains of damnation and you too can be a child of God! The true and best gift of love is the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Now we can see God's love through John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not parish but have eternal life. Are you ready to receive this beautiful gift God has for you?
Father God, how grateful I am that my eyes were opened to see truth, and I received Your Son Jesus as my Savior, thank you for the most beautiful gift of love ever given. Father, I beseech you to bless all who read this, If they don't know You Lord I pray You open their eyes to You and the gift of salvation waiting for them now and for those who belong to You, I pray you bless them with your wisdom, the desire to know your word and to fill their hearts with the peace of knowing they are a child of the Utmost High God. I long to be Your voice in this vast wilderness, please Lord bless the efforts of your child, use me to further your kingdom. In Jesus' Holy Powerful Name I ask it! AMEN!

Another beautiful gift God has given me is the gift of my Husband. Big Daddy shows me daily Jesus' love on earth. This recipe is for him. He loves these little sweets.
Coconut Macaroons
14 oz. bag of flaked coconut (sweetened)
1/3 cup of sugar
6 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl mix coconut, sugar flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and vanilla and mix well. Your mixture might look whiter than mine. I used whole wheat pastry flour which isn't bleached.















Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheet about 1inch apart. 
















Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges of the macaroons get golden brown. Just a hint they are really good warm.
Cool completely on a rack.
 Makes about 2 dozen. You can also cover in melted white or dark chocolate for a sweeter treat. 

2 comments:

  1. These look WONDERFUL!!! Unfortunately my wife is not a coconut lover, so I can only look. Now the salivary glands are working over time. LOL.

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  2. EPJ wish I had seen this earlier, would've brought you some. Finished the last ones at lunch today.

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