RobPhotobyWood WOOD Ministries "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13 Thunder Falls, Newfoundland & Labrador Grace His August 2022 Magazine
Page 2 His Grace Magazine! August 2022 Table of Contents "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. " Proverbs 18:22 905-380-4489 To advertise in His Grace Magazine, call Rob or email wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com Poetry ................................................................................Page 3 From the Pulpit ................................................................Pages 4-7 Book in Review .................................................................Page 8 Prayer ................................................................................Page 9 Timeless Truths ................................................................Pages 10-11 Weather News ...................................................................Page 12 Entertainment News ........................................................Page 13 World News.......................................................................Pages 14-15 Sports News ......................................................................Page 16 Recipe ................................................................................Page 17 Athletes for Christ ............................................................Pages 18-19 Retirement ........................................................................Pages 20-21 Celebrations ......................................................................Pages 22-23 Bible Study ........................................................................Pages 24-25 Movie in Review ...............................................................Page 26 WOOD Ministries
August 2022 His Grace Magazine! Page 3 God, our Defender (Exodus 14:14) “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." The shield of truth is their weapon, As missiles rain down on their cities; Their alliances are being tested With attacks on sovereign democracy. As the enemy steadily draws nearer, Prayers continue to flow; Stay strong against your oppressors; Such incredible courage you show! We pray for you, our brothers; The aggressor will not rewrite history. Your resilience is inspiring; Evil is no match for God's sovereignty. We pray for God's grace and protection; May He grant strength to overcome; Lord, pour Your wrath on the evildoers, And send the offenders home.
Marriage! God's plan for Marriage, it's the same today as it was from the beginning
G enesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Now that we are in August, we are starting to get closer to the fall season. What do you think of when you think of Fall? I think of cooler weather, beautiful colours in the changing of the leaves. This summer sure has been a hot one, not only here, but all around the world. Forest fires are ablaze in the United States as well as here at home in Canada. It sure has been a crazy summer soWhatfar. is your marriage like right now? Is it hot or is it cold? Marriage is a beautiful thing that was ordained by God and that is why we must take it seriously. There was a married couple who packed everything up and moved to a new apartment. The next morning, the wife woke up and with a cup of coffee looked out her window. She watched the neighboring woman as she was putting her laundry on the clothesline to dry. The wife said to her husband, "Look at her dirty laundry!" But her husband didn't say anything and continued to read his newspaper and paid no attention to what his wife was saying. His wife then said, "Perhaps her soap is bad or she just does not know how to wash. Maybe we should teach her." Every time she hung out her clothes, the husband's wife was surprised at just how dirty her laundry was getting. The next morning the neighbor hung out her laundry, the wife screamed, "Oh my! Look at her laundry; it's pure and clean! I guess she finally learned how to wash her clothes at last. "No," said her husband, "I just woke up early this morning and decided to clean our window." I guess, in a way, that is how we look at things; we don't see things like God sees them. It's like we see things not so clear when we see things within the flesh, but when we see things as we are supposed to, in the spirit, things suddenly become so much clearer. Romans 8:5 says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." The same goes for marriage. God made it perfect, but we complicate everything to do with marriage these days. Mark 10:6-9 says, "But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.' For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Donna and I are celebrating our 3rd Anniversary today; I can't believe it's been 3 years already. Time sure has gone so fast. I first met my wife in 2017 at a Tim Horton's in Cambridge, Ontario. We spent three hours there, just talking and getting to know each other. It was so hard to leave her, but I knew we would see each other again, because I knew I would marry her, as God had told me that she was to be my wife. During 2018, we met again
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Owner/Publisher: Rob Wood
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Marriage! in Ontario during the summer for three days. It was really hard having to let her go back home, but we kept in contact through phone calls everyday and texting.
Then came August of 2019, when I left my family and drove to Newfoundland to start my new life. Three days later, Donna and I were married. Now this day is extra special to us; not only is it the day we first met, but it is also the day we married. Today, August 20, 2022 is our third anniversary.Ihaveloved every minute of being married and I wouldn't change a thing at all. I love being Donna's husband, not because I like the title or because I like saying I'm married; it's simply because I love her, and that is one thing that we are told by God to do. Scripture says in Ephesians 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." This is not a suggestion by God; as He commands us to do this, guys. As for us husbands, we are to love our wives, it is a high standard put on the husband as he should always express his love for his wife. Jesus left us an example: the husband's love should always involve a profound, lifelong, enduring commitment and a desire to make sacrifices for her always. Husbands are called to a high level of commitment; this includes love unto death. Not only are we to love our wives, but we are to dedicate our lives to staying with our wives. As scripture states in Ephesians 5:1, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." As for wives, they too are given instructions by God on how they are to be as our wives. Scripture says in Ephesians 5:2224, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." Unfortunately, this part of scripture is often taken out of context and misinterpreted. First of all, wives are to submit to their husbands; women are not commanded to submit to all men. This includes dates, friends; they are to submit to their husbands only; it's a form of humbling ourselves to the Lord. When wives submit to their husbands, it illustrates their humbling to the Lord Jesus; this shows not only love to their husbands, but also to God.Marriage is not easy, but it sure is rewarding. Not really knowing the person can present challenges; I mean, you can date, but until you are married and living with your spouse, you really don't know their habits and quirks that makes them unique. I know this, because I have a few quirks myself. One thing that really helped Donna and I grow as a couple was knowing that God brought us together. Because of the distance involved, we were able to connect spiritually; we connected by really getting to know each other better through talking, reading the Bible together every day and praying over the phone. Always have the Holy Trinity in the centre of your marriage. What is the difference in a secular and a Christian marriage? It's the fact that we have the Holy Trinity in the middle of our marriages. We, as Christians, are adopted by the Holy One, God Himself, and we are a part of His family. So when a married Christian couple become closer to each other, they become closer to God. God Husband Wife
In February of 2019, I took my first trip by plane to see her; it was an amazing three days, but again was so hard to leave her.
Page 6 His Grace Magazine! August 2022 Marriage! We are to be holy and that is because God is holy, as 1 Peter 1:1516 says, 'but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."' As we do this more and more, we will start to become more like Christ everyday.Ascouples show more submission and do the things that God is asking them to do, they will find that they will become less selfish and start to become more humble and do things for each other, which will show more fruits of the Holy Spirit. As couples become more holy, they will begin to practice spiritual discipline, both separately and also when they're together. This will not only strengthen their marriage, but it will also please God. We should always be careful of the things we let into our lives, such as movies we watch, books we read or even the music we listen to. They tend to distort God's very design for marriage by having some characters in the movies sleep around or have affairs, making it look like an acceptable thing to do. This is why we must remember scripture and place it in our hearts, so that in times such as these, we can use it to push satan's lies away from us. Remember, we are what we watch, read and listen to. If we are not careful, before long we will start to live the way of the world instead of in the spirit. We must watch, as satan moves in when we least expect it. He will try to bring in pornography, cybersex, soft porn, which can be pictures or even in writing. He will try to bring in lust instead of love. We can prevent this by simply reading our Bibles, praying, talking with our spouse and having God right besideRemember,us. we serve our spouses well by not humiliating them with gossip or even with jokes that may be on the crude side. We are to watch what we say, as Ephesians 5:4 says, "neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." Marriages should be testimonies of faithfulness, wisdom and all of the goodness ofSoGod.let's love our spouses with all our hearts and souls; show them every minute of every day. We need to show the world a clear view of the way that God intended marriage to be, just as 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." God created marriage, and He initiated the very first marriage which was in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. This illustrates God's ideal for marriage: one man and one woman joined together in a life long commitment to each other, working together to create a strong and godly idealalwayshumansUnfortunately,family.havenotfollowedthatmarriage,but have changed it to fit their own lifestyles; but no matter what, God's marriage is not only the way we should follow, but it is the best way. Hebrews 13:4 says, "Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." Now a lot of people say to me, 'but Jesus never mentioned or talked about it being wrong for a man to be with a man and a woman to be with a woman sexually.' But if you read in Matthew, He does outline it just as God ordained it to be. Matthew 19:4-6 says, "And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?'" We really need to stop changing God's Word to suit our situations and we need to start letting God's Word change us and our lifestyle. And when we start doing this in
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Editor/Writer: Donna Wood wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com
Writer: Lynne Wood wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com Owned and published by Rob Wood of Wood Ministries. Contact us @ 905-380-4489, or email us at wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com
WOOD Ministries is far above rubies. The heart of her hus band safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain." Proverbs 31 has been called a de scription of "The Ideal Wife." And it's true that the chapter, as written, focuses on the wife. But in all reality, the ideal qualities given in this chapter apply also to a Whathusband.does the Bible say about marriage? It says that marriage is a blessing given to us by God to make our lives richer and more fulfilled. It says that a good marriage not only draws us closer to our spouse, it also draws us closer to God.
Publisher/Sales/Graphic Designer/Writer: Rob Wood wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com
Marriage! our lives, our marriages will be so much better, because when we obey Him and don't sin, He is with us. But when we do what we want to do, He has no choice but to turn His back on us as He can't look upon us, because we haveWhensinned.God married Adam and Eve, He blessed the new couple. Genesis 1:27-28 says, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Marriage is one of the blessings that God had given to us from the very beginning.Nowonce you are married, you become one flesh. God brought Eve to the man. Genesis 2:2324 says, "And Adam said; This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Have you ever thought of how couples who have been happily married for many years often seem to be one on many levels? They know what the other person is thinking and how their spouse will react to a given situation. They can even finish each other's sentences. They have been through so much together that they feel they are an extension of themselves. That is what the Bible is talking about when it says a husband and wife, "become one flesh." Marriage mirrors God's relationship with us. Throughout the Bible, God has presented Himself as the husband of His people. His church is His bride whom He loves and cherishes. Marriage is the closest, most intimate relationship we can ever experience here on earth, and God uses it to illustrate the intimate relationship He wants to have with you and me! Isaiah 62:5 says, "For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you, And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you." Marriage is so precious to God at all times. Proverbs 31:10-11 says, "who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth
Book by: Anne Graham Lotz & forword by Joel Rosenberg Written by: Lynne Wood Expecting to see Jesus Expecting to see Jesus is an eye opening book by Anne Graham Lotz. Anne wrote this book to wake everybody up to the fact that Jesus is coming back. We could be the last generation, the generation that witnesses the second coming of Christ. Nobody knows exactly when except the Father, but Anne lives her life expecting to see Him at any moment. Shouldn't we all live like that?Anne has said within her lifetime she has seen every sign that Jesus gave His disciples come to pass. Jesus gave us all signs to watch for; Jesus described them as birth pains. When the pain intensifies and occurs more frequently until the child is born, so will it be at the Thereend.has always been wars, tornadoes, earthquakes and all kinds of disasters that have happened throughout history. But when they start increasing in frequency and intensity such as yearly, monthly, weekly then daily, records are shattered and occur within a generation. Then Anne has said our redemption is drawing near when there is news of earth shattering storms, diseases and plaques, all around the world. God said, "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicle 7:14. Isn't that amazing, it's in the Bible. God spoke those words; believe Him, trust Him. What God has said, He will do if we will only listen to ThroughHim.the pages of this book you will come to realize the passion and fire Anne had in her to see her Lord and Saviour face to face. Anne's prayer is that you get that fire started in you, and keep that fire growing with daily prayer and Bible reading. This book will certainly help you to get that fire going. So Stir up the fire! Throw on the logs! Talk to Him! Listen to Him! Fan into Flame your love for Jesus, until your faith becomes sight and you can actually say, 'I see Jesus.' Revelation 22:12: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work."
John 14:3
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
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A Wake up Call for God's People
August 2022 His Grace Magazine! Page 9 Heavenly Father, You alone are holy,omnipotent and wise; I bow my face in reverence before You With a humble and contrite heart, Seeking Your will, not my own. Move Your Holy Spirit within me And draw me closer to You; Make me a worthy vessel That I may serve You as I ought. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen '“Has not My hand made all of these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word”' Isaiah 66:2 NIV To Do His Will!
Psalm 145:19 says, "He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them." Proverbs 10:27 tells us, "The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short." We can clearly see in the previous passages that we are commanded to fear God and with that comes many blessings. What exactly does it mean to 'fear the Lord,' when scripture such as Matthew 10:28 says, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell"? There is a fear that produces negative results, a paralyzing fear that stresses us to the core. Obviously, this is not the type of fear the Bible is referring to. The context of the main Hebrew and Greek words translated 'fear' in the Bible refers to a positive respect, or reverence of His power and better find out what they are first, for once we disobey them, it's already
I n the February 2021 edition of His Grace Magazine , I wrote about my fears as a young child, namely, of dying, and how those fears were overcome once I understood the Bible and how I needn't be afraid because I believe in the power of the cross and the resurrection. However, the Bible talks about, over and over again, how we should fear God, how fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, how God's mercy is on those who fear Him and how it is the fountain ofProverbslife.
Psalm 34:9 declares, "Oh fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him have no lack!"
Proverbs 22:4 tells us, "The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life."
Job 28:28 says, "And He said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us, "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Proverbs 14:27 says, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death." Deuteronomy 10:12 says, "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Luke 1:50 says, "And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation."
wecannotlawsWeorlawsthatlawsthatGodwhoescape.thereforinevitabledestruction.theybytheoffearfearscripturelearnGod.commandedtheRepeatedlylivesleadsthatTherighteousness.scripturesexplainproperfearofGodtofull,completeandbrightfutures.throughoutBible,wearetofearWhy?BecausewethroughstudyingthatahealthyofGodincludestheoftheconsequencesdisobedience.WhenfearofGodislostmanoranation,areontheirwaytoThereisanconsequencedoingwrong,andisnowaytoEvenanatheist,doesnotbelieveinatall,hastoadmitwhenheseestheofnature,heknowsyoueitherobeytheofnatureandlive,disobeythemanddie.learntorespecttheofelectricity.Wemakeuplawsasgoalong.Wehad
Psalm 25:14 reads, "The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant."
Why should we fear God?
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1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 19:23 tells us, "The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied, He will not be visited by harm."
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too late. The same goes for God's laws. God requires of every nation that there be the recognition of His sovereign government of men and the laws of retribution for evil. For God always accomplishes what He says He is going to do. In order to fully understand what it means to fear God, we must realize several of His characteristics. First of all, we must recognize that God is loving, merciful and forgiving, but He is also holy, just and righteous. Knowing God means accepting the fact that His justice and holiness causes Him to judgeHebrewssin.
WOOD Ministries
10:26-27 tell us, "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries." Sin angers God and He has the power to punish those who stand against Him and break His laws. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, they became afraid and tried to hide from God. Hebrews 10:31 tell us, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Reverence of God helps us to take Him and His beneficial laws seriously. Living in harmony with God's laws has great benefits to be experienced in the life to come, as well as in this life. Once we learn those rules, we continue to follow them out of love for our Savior, knowing the price He paid for our redemption. By fearing God, we can avoid being trapped by the natural pull toward doing our own thing, defying God and giving in to the inviting ways of immoral behavior. Most of all, the fact that the Lord is a God of justice who will judge the entire human race should be reason enough to produce a godly fear. It is a sobering and absolute truth that God is constantly aware of our every action and motive, and that we will be held accountable for those actions on the day of reckoning. We need to respect and acknowledge His presence in our lives and know that it is His hand that sends circumstances into our lives. The knowledge of God's power, wisdom and love and His willingness to accept us, change us, forgive us, restore us and to stand by us are all part of fearing God. To fear God is to live righteously, not to beFearingself-righteous.the Lord will help us to obey His commands and live according to His Word and say 'no' to sin. Living this way in obedience to God will sanctify us. It compels us to hate sin and avoid evil. It cause us to be careful in what we say and do. It protects us from weakening towards what is true and right. The fear of the Lord has a spiritually cleansing, purifying and restoring effect on us. When we truly fear God, it motivates us to worship the Lord with our whole being. Revelation 14:6-7 tells us of an angel flying in the midst of heaven, "saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." Scripture makes it clear that God has promised to reward all those who fear Him with honor and life, security and protection from death, provisions for everyday needs and a long life. Fearing God will bring a deep sense of spiritual security and the anointing of empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The continual blessings we receive from God, especially the forgiveness of our sin should lead us to fear and love the Lord. Psalm 130:4 says, "But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared."
Written by: Donna Wood Photo by: Rob Wood "... that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:10-11)
Why should we fear God?
Flooding in Kentucky Kentucky Search and Rescue is being hampered due to washed out infrastructures
There are at least 37 people that have been killed and there are still hundreds missing after devastating floods that hit Kentucky. The search and rescue efforts that are ongoing are very difficult because of the washed outHelicoptersinfrastructure. have been deployed to start rescuing the residents. The Kentucky National Guard are airlifting people affected by the flooding; they are being lifted from their properties that are under pretty deep water in the mountain communities. There are about 400 people that have been picked up by helicopters, according to General Daniel Hokanson; he is the chief of the United States National Guard Bureau. There are hundreds of residents that are still unaccounted for after nearly a foot of rain fell in one of the countries poorest areas over the last few Governordays. Andy Beshear (D) said that it could take weeks before they start to find all of the bodies of residents that passed away because of the flooding. The areas of eastern Kentucky had around 8 - 10 1/2 inches of rain over a period of 48 hours. There are about 7,700 utility customers in Kentucky that do not have any Presidentpower.Joe Biden has declared a federal disaster in the State of Kentucky. This will allow them to send relief money to more than a dozen Kentucky counties.
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Martin Luther King Jr. told her, "You cannot abdicate your position. You are changing the minds of people across the world, because, for the first time, through you, we see ourselves and what can be." Nichelle was a woman of deep, strong and abiding Christian faith.
Dylan Novak, known as the "Celebrity Evangelist," shared a story on Facebook about when he met Nichelle in 2016 at a comic convention. It was at the convention where he learned, after telling Nichelle about the Gospel, that he knew she was already a believer in Christ. He remembered her telling him, "No fan has ever cared about my eternal life before." Dylan then told of the powerful way that Nichelle had contributed to his effort to tell William Shatner about the Gospel. Dylan said, "She went on to share her testimony of coming to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. She asked if I was going to share Jesus with William Shatner, who was at the same comic convention. I told her I was, and she handed me a hundred dollars and said, 'It's on me. Go show him Jesus love.'" Dylan also said, "After leaving Mr. Shatner's line (which was right next to hers), she clapped and asked me how he responded, and told me she would start praying for him more."
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For many years now Dylan has been a youth pastor in Knoxville, Tennessee, has traveled all over the country, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all actors, authors andWemusicians.areasking you to pray for all the loved ones of Nichelle Nichols, as she was 89 years old.
Nichelle Nichols How 'Star Trek' Nichelle Nichols shared the Gospel with William Shatner
Nichelle Nichols, best known for her role in the TV classic series "Star Trek: the original series and Movies," as Lt. Nyota Uhura, passed away on Saturday, July 30th. The one thing that is astonishing is that the main stream media has left out the most important part of her life, that she was a Christian. Also, the surprising way that she helped share the Gospel with co-star William Shatner (Captain Kirk), and how that changed his life. To many of her fans, Nichols was known for creating a new trail for black women in the entertainment industry. After the first season of Star Trek, Nichelle was thinking of leaving the series, but it was Martin Luther King Jr. who talked with her and convinced her to stay on the TV show.
400 Baptist Churches have been wiped out in Ukraine by the Russian Invasion Churches wiped out!
There have been hundreds of churches in the Ukraine that have been completely wiped out since Russia invaded the country that started almost six months ago, reported by the President of the Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary. Yaroslav Pyzh said that about "400 Ukrainian Baptist congregations have been lost" since the start of the war, that began on February 24. It's not only the churches that have been leveled to the ground, but the church leadership and congregations have beenYaroslavlost. said that volunteers are helping the people that have been helping the uprooted people fix their battered homes. The real challenge in all this is to rebuild the pastoral leadership in the war battered cities. Yaroslav said, "Since the war started, six months already, we lost about 400 Baptist churches. And so the real build is the rebuilding of leadership capacity because if you rebuild buildings and you have no pastors to lead churches, I don't think it's going to do any good. So the real challenge is not so much rebuilding walls and windows and doors." He also said, "The real challenge is similar to Nehemiah challenge, the Bible story of Nehemiah. It's not only rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, it's rebuilding the nation of Israel, of worshiping God. That's the same thing here in Ukraine." Many pastors were forced out of the areas that had all the fighting. This left many areas without "godly hope," Yaroslav explained. The All Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists said, before the war started, there was 2,300 Baptist congregations in the country. Yaroslav said, "Our main challenge in the future, when the war will be over, is to bridge the gap in leadership that we lost. And sadly, the longer the war goes, the more the gap's going to be. The church is not buildings. It's people leaving the place and relocating to the United States, and with people relocating to Germany, or people relocating to other places. And with those people, pastors left too." He also said that many of their pastors have decided to stay in their communities regardless of the war, and they are helping people by giving them much needed hope. "The biggest thing the community has in these moments of being destroyed and bombed is fear; it's hopelessness. And the only one who can relief and bring hope to the hopeless are pastors, churches and Christians." Yaroslav also noted that donations for all the centers have fallen off with the war nearing the end of six months. This led to the seminaries helping the centres more. UBTS is also giving students a no cost education during thePresidentwar. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is accusing Russia of "deliberately and heritage."culturedestroyingsystematicallyUkrainiananditshistorical Some buildings had survived the battles of World War II.
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The FBI announcedhavethis week its agents had located 84 victims of underage sex trafficking and 37 missing children during a 15.5averagesaidrescued,121August.conductedoperationnationwidethatwasearlierinOutoftheminorstheytheFBIthattheageisyearsold.
Human Trafficking!
The FBI Chief Jose Perez said that these kinds of operations are very successful when agents take "a concentrated period of time where we're just focused on the problem of child sex trafficking." He said, "What we do is we sit down with our local partners and our task forces and identify certain areas where we know sex trafficking is prevalent, and we'll dedicate resources and efforts to identify and remove victims from those areas." Oliver Fladrich, a major with the Dunwoody Police Department in Georgia, took the time to thank the FBI for its partnership in the operation. He said the access to federal resources has been a big help. He said of the FBI partnership, "It's a great force multiplier for us." The data that was collected by the NCMEC, runaways make up the extensive majority of missing and minor cases that are reported to the non profit organization every year. In 2021, the group worked with families, parents, and law enforcement agencies on the 27,733 missing children cases. The NCMEC found out that 19% of the children that ran away from social services had probably become human trafficking victims.
Over 250+ Human Trafficking Victims have been rescued, 121 Children among them
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The youngest victim that was found during this initiative, "Operation Cross Country," is 11 years old. The federal agency had rescued 141 adult victims of human trafficking. The national operation, which overlooked 391 localized action across the country, took place in the first two weeks of August.United States Attorney General Merrick Garland had issued a statement this week; he voiced his thanks for the men and women of the FBI and partnering agencies, like the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. They helped rescue the abused children and adults. He said, "The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to combat the insidious crimes of human trafficking that devastate survivors and their families. I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the FBI and our law enforcement partners across the country for their tireless work to rescue trafficking survivors, including exploited children, to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of trafficking crimes, and to provide the services and support that survivors need and deserve." Also with the unbelievable number of rescues that were made, agents also arrested 85 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses.
Lance McCullers Jr.
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Houston Astros Lance McCullers gives a young fan a beautiful gift, after his glove was stolen
Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. gave an 11 year old boy a gift of a lifetime after he found out that the young fan had his baseball glove stolen.The story from the Houston Chronicle said that Ben Brothers lost most of his baseball equipment when someone stole the family truck last month while they were at a baseball tournament nearOneHouston.of Ben's equipment that was stolen was his prized baseball glove, which Lance had autographed earlier this season, right before the game at Minute Maid Park. When Ben received an unexpected package to the family home in Angleton, he was shocked to see a brand new baseball glove in the box, and it was signed by Lance. Ben's father Brent said, "He's just beyond ecstatic, overjoyed, I guess you'd say." When Lance was asked about his kind gift to Ben, Lance said he saw it as a special way to make Ben's day a whole lot brighter. "It's just an opportunity to make a kid's day, and I think a lot of guys on our team are always looking for opportunities to do that. I knew the glove would bring him a lot of happiness, so I got it signed and sent it out to him." Lance said why it is important for him, as he uses his platform as a means to have a positive way to bring joy to someone. "We have an amazing fan base and it stretches so far. They've supported us over the years and through a lot of difficult circumstances as well. I'm very grateful for the Astros fan base and so I like to do what I can, when I can." Before Ben's baseball glove was stolen, he used it in every baseball game he played. Brent, Ben's dad said that his son plans on keeping his new glove, "in a glass case and keep it there forever." Lance is well known for his generosity with children and animals. Back in 2018, he watched a video of a 4 year old Astros fan saying, "Lance McCullers is going to marry me." He then invited the little girl and her family to a game and he even brought them down to the field for batting practice. Lance also brought an 8 year old cancer survivor to an Astros spring training game in West Palm Beach, Florida.Lance and his wife, Kara, created the Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation to raise awareness and to advocate for homeless animals across the U.S.
August 2022 His Grace Magazine! Page 17 • 8 c Broccoli, cut in bite sized pieces • ¼ c chopped Green Onion • ¼ c dried Cranberries • ¼ c chopped Walnuts • ½ c Bacon Bits •Dressing:1cMayonnaise • 3 tbsp Cider Vinegar • 2 tbsp Sugar • Salt & Pepper to taste Broccoli Salad Ecclesiastes 3:13 "That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil – this is the gift of God." • In large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients • In med bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients • Pour prepared dressing over salad mixture; mix well • Refrigerate one hour before serving
Lorenzo was versatile enough to play whatever position his team needed him to play at that time of theLorenzogame. was with the Carolina Panthers in 2005 season and then with the Baltimore Ravens in 2006 season, but he only was on the practice squads with these two teams. He was with the Washington Redskins in 2006-2012 season, now called the Washington Commanders. Lorenzo played in Washington for 6 seasons; he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2012.
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Lorenzo signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 for two seasons. He then signed on with the Oakland Raiders in 2015 for one season. Lorenzo would then sign with the Buffalo Bills during the 2016 season, where he went on to be a Pro Bowl selection for a second time in his career. Lorenzo was also named a second All Pro in 2016. The season of 2016 was a year where everything fell into place for him as he stacked up 6 deflected passes, 3 forced fumbles and an interception. In all, Lorenzo played 4 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. After the 2019 season, Lorenzo retired from his NFL football career.
teammates during games. Some of those positions that he played were offensive line, special teams; he also played fullback, defensive end, defensive tackle, inside linebacker and outside linebacker.
Lorenzo is now a One-Man Gang for Jesus Christ Lorenzo Alexander
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Lorenzo Alexander
Lorenzo 2016-2019BuffalowithAlexandertheBillsSeasons
Lorenzo spends a lot of his time giving back to his ACES Foundation. Lorenzo's mission is to support the youth through having accountability by taking some pride in where they live, their communities, going for educational excellence and promoting a healthy mind, body and spirit through playing sports. His foundation looks to helping young people to begin maturing mentally and spiritually, developing leadership skills and to promote a strong healthy lifestyle. He is hoping that every child will commit to a life of learning, one that will identify and chase after their purpose, and have strong families while also giving back to their community. Lorenzo was raised by his mother and his maternal uncle. He is married with two daughters and two sons. Lorenzo gave his live to Jesus Christ when he was playing for the Washington Redskins, now called the Commanders after he witnessed to a lot of his teammates who played and lived with integrity for Jesus. Lorenzo is now known as a "One-Man Gang for Jesus."
What are you retiring to?
What do we do with all that time? There’s the rub. As you approach your retirement -- probably somewhere between age of 65 and 75 -- consider taking a sabbatical; a few months off. Maybe even a year. Rest, relax, travel, visit the kids, do a few of the things that you've always wanted to do. But before boredom sets in, before you spend endless hours in your deck chair or riding around on a golf cart, you need to spend some valuable time reflecting on your life, focusing on your areas of expertise, knowledge and wisdom. It’s also important to spend considerable time in prayer, realizing how God has led you throughout your life, and to be open to His leading during this next chapter in your life. Pull out your latest resume or cv and reflect upon all that you have done: your various jobs – good and bad, your career challenges. Create a list of the areas of expertise that you have developed over the years.
After a life-time of experience, it’s time to simply ‘exhale’
Written by: Keith Knight
What are you retiring to?
“Retirement is unbiblical,” she told me, her fist firmly pounding her desk. Alice had been the company bookkeeper for about 50 years. She lived and breathed the daily routine, and now that she was approaching 80, she was reluctant to give it up. She believed that if she ever retired, she’d probably just pass away within a few months. Her work defined her. Retirement conjurs up a wide variety of emotions: anticipation, excitement, perpetual vacation, travel. But also anxiety, apprehension, and a loss of purpose.Theclosest that the Bible comes to mentioning retirement is in Numbers 8:25: "At the age of 50, they (the Levites) must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties ...but they themselves must not do the work." But its worthwhile to go back even further, to the beginning of Genesis to determine that work isn’t the result of sin but it’s part of God’s creation order. In fact, our very first image of God “in the beginning” is a God of work; creating the universe, creating day and night, plants and animals, mankind. “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested (ceased) from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” (Genesis 2:2) After God created Adam, He put him to work: pick fruit, tend the garden, and give names to each livingWorkcreature.ispart of the creation order. “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” There is delight in work. Work is also worship. It is how we use our God-given talents each day in God’s kingdom. It is only once we understand the value and the role of work that we can understand the value and the role of retirement. Is it true that, as that deskpounding retiree declared, “retirement is unbiblical” perhaps with the exception of the Levites who had to pack it in at ageThe50?notion of retirement is a fairly recent phenomenon. The Canada Pension Plan was created in 1965, setting the retirement age at 65. Interestingly, the life expectancy back then was 66.8 years for men and 73 for women. That’s not much of a retirement. Today, someone at age 65 can expect to live to age 90; that’s another 25 years! We’re living longer and staying healthy longer.
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What are you retiring to?
That could be a brief list or it could evolve into a novel. Your history will shape your future. What you have done, and accomplished, and even failed at, will help you determine how you can share your experiences withYouothers.havelearned a lot and done a lot in your life. Now it’s time to share it with others, especially teaching and training and mentoring the next generation. When our oldest daughter began her new career as a teacher after graduating from college, she was clearly nervous. I told her that, after all of those years of education and training, she simply had to “learn to exhale.” Just breathe all of that knowledge over those children. That’s what retirement can become for you. After decades of learning, doing and experiencing life, it is now time to simply ‘exhale’; breathe all of your knowledge over younger men and women as they shape their careers. There is, however, something even more important to share with others. It’s your spiritual journey. It’s about how God has shaped you and molded you and walked with you throughout your life. Tell them your story. It’s invaluable. As you mentor and train others, teach them your Christian perspective on leadership, on stewardship, on the right way to treat employees. Teach young men and women the importance of work/family balance. Remind them that their treasure is in heaven, not in the accumulation of wealth or toys or real estate. Most of us can expect to live 20 to 30 years after we reach retirement age. That's an entire career! Prayerfully take a sabbatical to determine where God wants you to serve next and who you should be mentoring. Then approach this new chapter in your life with the same zeal that you had in your former career. Except that now you will have the benefit of wisdom and experience. More importantly, you will have the benefit of walking with God throughout your life, feeling His presence as you made those thousands of good and bad decisions.It’stime to exhale. Keith Knight is the executive director of the Canadian Christian Business Federation, bringing together thousands of men and women who reflect their faith through their work.
Page 22 His Grace Magazine! August 2022 Martyn S CarolannBarrett LangdonBrendaWilliams Agnes Reid Kathy Thomas Darlene Broderick AugustJuly "Before I formed you in the womb, I knewJeremiahyou..."1:5June Happy Birthday! Wayne Budgell Grogan Ryan Albert LushTammy Elliot June, July & August
August 2022 His Grace Magazine! Page 23 Anniversaries!"Andnowabidefaith,hope,love,thesethree;butthegreatestoftheseislove."1Corinthians13:13Steve&DianeSharronJuly29,1989Aaron&JulieMacDonaldAugust1,2014Rob&DonnaWoodAugust20,2019July&August
John 14:6: 'Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."' Seeing it is that time of year when we are more focused on the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, I thought it would only be fitting to talk on John 14:6, words that were spoken by Jesus shortly before His arrest and death. In the previous verses, Jesus explains to His disciples that He will be going to prepare a place for His followers, that where He is, there they will be also. Thomas asks Him how they are supposed to know the way if they don't know where He is going. Jesus responds by declaring that He is, 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' Jesus was not telling His disciples that they had to find their own way to where He was going; He was saying that He would come to get them and take them to where He is going. Jesus is the Way... The world tells us there are many paths to God ... go to church, be a good person, different religions, basically whatever works for you. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." The world tells us that the road to heaven is wide open, but the Bible tells us something totally different. Matthew 7:13 says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." Jesus is that narrow gate; He is the only way for fallen man to get to the Father. And that way was the cross of Calvary, where His shed blood and selfless sacrifice shattered the barrier between sinful man and God. Salvation cannot be accomplished by good works. Our sinful nature makes it impossible for us to reconcile ourselves to God. The way to salvation is not a process - the way to salvation is a person ... the person of Christ. Jesus is the only way by which we can be redeemed; He became the perfect sacrifice for us when He gave His life for us on the cross. We cannot strive to earn heaven, we can only seek to follow Christ. And through following Christ, we know God. 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, "For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." God is always there, speaking to our hearts, calling our names, telling us that Today is the day of Salvation. He sent His only Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Jesus is the Truth... Before Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, he asked Him if He was a king. Jesus' response was, "I have come into the world, to testify to the truth." (John 18:37) Pilate retorted to Jesus, "What is truth?"(John 18:38). Ironically, the world doesn't know what truth means. It still believes that truth is subjective, or that it is a collective judgment, the product of cultural beliefs. And then there's those who believe that truth simply doesn't exist. However, the Bible teaches us that truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory and being of God.
"What is our function as Believers?" John 14:6
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Jesus is the life in whom we have our hope. There is no other way to God; no other truth about God; and no other life apart from God. No other religion, no other faith, no other path, no other philosophy and no other gospel but the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads the sinner to God the Father. So, how do we follow Jesus today? By hearing His words and believing in them and obeying them; by confessing our sins and believing that He died to take the punishment of our sins and He rose from the dead to give us new life; by following His commandment to tell others the truth about sin, righteousness and judgment. Believing in Him is not about trying to be good enough to make it with God; it's more about how we live our lives ... following Jesus' examples of selfdenial, compassion, trust and surrender. We are saved from hell's destruction the moment we invite Jesus in to our lives. Our eternity has already begun at that very moment. It's time to give up 'trying' to work our way into heaven. Christ has commissioned us to be the light of the world, to shine so that we can tell the world of the glory of Christ, to drive out the darkness, to reveal the work that God has done in our lives and to show the world the way to salvation, for Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; Jesus is, ultimately, the way to heaven.
nameYourdarkmethatyetactgrasp,myFather,DearPrayer:HeavenlyYourWordisTruth.OpenmyeyesandunderstandingtobelieveandonthesesimpleprofoundTruths.ThankyouforallYouareandhelptobealightinthisworldtospreadTruth.InJesus'preciousIpray,Amen.
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My
Truth is the way that things really are, whether we want to believe them or not. God is the source and author of all truth. Deuteronomy 32:4 tells us that the Almighty is referred to as, 'the God of truth.' Jesus says that He is the Truth, which means that all truth is defined by God and His eternal glory. Truth is the perfect expression of God and the absolute embodiment of all that is true. Jesus tells us that the written Word of God is pure, unchangeable truth. Absolute truth cannot contradict itself. Truths about God and His moral standards are stamped on the human heart and to deny this truth is to dishonor God and to provoke His wrath. Any other truth must be measured by the truths of the Bible, because truth means nothing apart from God. It cannot be defined or explained without God as the source. When a society suppresses the connection between God and truth, we end up with a society that is perverted in its thoughts and ways. To reject and rebel against God's truth will result in darkness, sin, judgment and the never-ending wrath of God. To accept and submit to God's truth is to find life everlasting. Jesus is the Life... Jesus teaches us that there is so much more to life than this mortal existence here on earth. What we are to be concerned about is eternal life. This life here on earth is not our ultimate goal; it is a mere drop in the bucket. Our goal is to live a life here that prepares us for eternal life with Jesus and all of His saints in heaven. Jesus shows us that following Him daily in faith will lead us to a better, richer, more meaningful life than we could ever imagine on our own. Jesus is the source of all life, both physical and spiritual and in Him is eternal life for all who trust and believe in His redemptive work. He delivers us from a life of bondage to sin and death to a life of freedom in eternity. He laid down His life for His sheep and then He was raised from the dead. He has authority over life and death as being granted to Him by the Father. He is the One who breathes His own resurrected life into a fallen man, by faith. It is by faith in Him that we are indwelt by the Spirit of God who lives within us.
This entertaining new movie on Netflix, Blue Miracle, is about a man in Cabo, Mexico who is on the brink of losing an orphanage. The only way to help his cause is to enter a fishing competition with a grumpy man who is a former winner of the event. Blue Miracle is a delightful, touching, moving and frequently funny Christian movie that's very enjoyable; it's uplifting and inspiring. The orphanage in Cabo, Mexico, is called the Casa Hogar. It's run by Omar and his wife Becca. Omar finds himself with purpose and meaning while running the orphanage and is determined to do anything to help the boys. Omar is told one night that one of the little boys has walked to town, but the area he has gone down to is very dangerous. But when Omar hears where the boy has gone, he heads down there as fast as he can in the middle of the night and rescues the boy, even with all the gang violence that is in that area. Now Omar is getting calls from the bank telling him that he owes them more than $100,000. He is stuck and doesn't really know what to do at this point. That is when he decides to visit his friend, Wayne, and asks him if he can give a good word for him. Wayne is the head of a very profitable fishing competition, and it just happens that the registration is on the same day Omar comes to seeWhenhim. Omar shows up, he sees a very rough fisherman named Wade who is complaining about the entry fee that he has to pay for the competition. Wade is a fisherman who has won the competition twice already and he doesn't think that he should have to pay the fee to enter. Omar's friend Wayne tells Wade that if he takes some of the boys and Omar out with him in the boat, he will waive the entry fee to the competition. Wade and Omar don't really want to be in the competition together, but both of them recognize that if they do win this competition and catch a big blue marlin, they would win hundreds of thousands of dollars together.Notonly does Omar bring the boys from the orphanage, but he also brings a boy to the boat who had been caught stealing. Omar is hoping that the boy will learn some responsibilities when he is on the boat, but unfortunately the boys start to fight and lose a fish that was hooked on the line. Will the boys be able work together? Will they find the winning big blue marlin? Will they be able to save the orphanage? And will Wade learn to be kind to Omar and the boys while they're on the boat? Blue Miracle is a movie that is well made with lots of excitement and joy. It's well scripted with all the scenes, and they also give everyone something to laugh about here and there. It has strong Christian, biblical lessons to trust God. on a True Story”Blue Miracle
“Based
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August 2022 His Grace Magazine! Page 27 Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to Heaven Come to Him now, before it's too late! Page 28 His Grace Magazine! August 2022 JESUSAVESJohn14:6
