I have argued that there is a pattern of love in marriage ordained by God. The roles of husband and wife are not the same. The husband is to takes his special cues from Christ as the head of the church. The wife is to take her special cues from the church as submissive to Christ. In doing this the sinful and damaging results of the Fall begin to be reversed. The Fall twisted man’s loving headship into hostile domination in some men and lazy indifference in others. The Fall twisted woman’s intelligent, willing submission into manipulative obsequiousness in some women and brazen insubordination in others.
John Piper

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An Easter Story Cookies

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#1 · April 19, 2003, 7:27 am

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

<> An Easter Story Cookies <>
 
To be made the evening before Easter.
 
You will need the following ingredients:
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
A pinch salt
1 cup sugar
A zipper baggie
A wooden spoon
Tape
Bible
Your children
 
Preheat oven to 300 F.
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children
beat them with the wooden spoon to break into
small pieces.   Explain that after Jesus was
arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3.
 
Let each child smell the vinegar.  Put 1 teaspoon
of vinegar into mixing bowl.  Explain that when
Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given
vinegar to drink.  Read John 19:28-30.
 
Add egg whites to vinegar.  Eggs represent life.
Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.
 
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand.  Let
them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears
shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness
of our own sin.  Read Luke 23:27.
 
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1 cup sugar.  Explain that the sweetest
part of the story is that Jesus died because
He loves us.  He wants us to know and belong
to Him.  Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
 
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15
minutes until stiff peaks are formed.  Explain
that the color white represents the purity in
G-d's eyes of those whose sins have been
cleansed by Jesus.  Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
 
Fold in broken nuts.  Drop by teaspoons onto
wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Explain
that each mound represents the rocky tomb
where Jesus' body was laid.  Read Matthew 27:57-60.
 
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the
door and turn the oven OFF.  Give each
child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66.
 
GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the
cookies in the oven overnight.   Jesus'
followers were in despair when the tomb was
sealed.  Read John 16:20 and 22.
 
On Easter morning, open the oven and give
everyone a cookie.  Notice the cracked
surface and take a bite.  The cookies are
hollow!  On the first Easter Jesus' followers
were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matthew 28:1-9.
 
HE HAS RISEN!!!!
 
<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>
 
<> Three Trees <>
 

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods.
 
They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
 
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
 
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
 
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees.
 
When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down.
 
The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
 
At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."
 
The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
 
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true.
 
One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.
 
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay.
 
This was not at all what he had prayed for.
 
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.
 

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.
 

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.
 
The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do.
 
The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
 
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second  tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped.
 

At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
 
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.
 
When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
 
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what  God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
 
Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara
 
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