Grace His
July 2021
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Photo by Rob Wood
Cottrell's Cove, Newfoundland & Labrador
It's our
Anniversary!
WOOD
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Ministries
2 Corinthians 4:17
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Table of Contents Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
"He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds." Psalms 147:3
Comic.................................................................................Page 3 From the Pulpit.................................................................Pages 4-7 Timeless Truths.................................................................Pages 8-9 Book in Review..................................................................Page 10 News...................................................................................Pages 11-14 Poetry.................................................................................Page 15 Athletes for Christ.............................................................Page 16 Prayer.................................................................................Page 17 Recipe.................................................................................Page 18 Bible Study.........................................................................Pages 20-21 Movie in Review................................................................Page 22
WOOD Ministries
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Comic... July 2021
Our 3rd Anniversary!
The Word According to Elijah
Bird Bath!
Everyone in the Pool!
Run! Home sweet Home!
You're not getting me in there!
Me neither!
Isaiah 54:13
“All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children.”
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From the Pulpit...
Owner/Publisher: Rob Wood
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ll of us have gone through a painful time in our lives at some point. It doesn't matter if it's a relationship break up or the pain of the rejection, I think we have all felt it. Or the pain from a divorce, which honestly feels like a death, because we were never meant to divorce once married; the pain from an injury, such as broken bones or as small as a cut on a finger that needs stitches; a sickness or death of a friend or family member. At times, life can be so hard. Without any warning, the storms in our lives just come over us. I know for myself, I personally have gone through a lot of painful seasons. I also know
Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
God feels your PAIN!
that some people have gone through a lot more than I have, and that doesn't mean that their pain or my pain is any less or more painful. Pain is pain, no matter what anybody says, and God knows this; He feels your pain. We have come a long way from the Garden of Eden, where there was no pain, no sickness, no hunger, no war, no violence of any kind. Animals didn't harm each other, nor did Adam and Eve eat meat; everything lived in perfect harmony and peace. Genesis 1:29-30 says, "And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so." The Garden of Eden
was perfect until the fall came, when satan as a serpent deceived Eve with the fruit of trees. Genesis 3:1-6 says, "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but not the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, Knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She gave to her husband with
her, and he ate." Pain, although it is for a season in our lives, can leave more than a physical scar; it also leaves very deep invisible scars that can last a lifetime if we don't seek help for that pain. So where does someone turn to for help? Do they go to a family member or friend? You can do that. Should you go to a doctor? Yes, you can if you're not well. Should you go to a Psychiatrist? Again, you can do that. But wouldn't it easier to go to the Lord instead, to tell Him all that you are going through? The secret is that He already knows what you are going through and He feels your Pain! Isn't it easier to go to someone that truly loves you more than anyone else? I think it would be. Jesus Christ felt your pain through His own, almost two thousand years ago. He felt all these pains that we feel today, while He was in the hands of the Romans. Jesus was beaten so
Our 3rd Anniversary!
From the Pulpit...
July 2021
bad that He was totally unrecognizable. He was scourged with a whip that had metal tips on the ends of the whip strands. When hit by those metal tips, they would stick into the flesh and when pulled out, they would leave a terrible wound, pulling flesh and muscle off the body. Jesus had His bones and internal organs showing in places after His horrific beating. Isaiah 52:14 says, "Just as many were appalled at youHis appearance was so disfigured that He did not look like a man, and His form did not resemble a human being." Then after His trial ended, He was made to carry His cross as far as He could, before He had help. Jesus was then nailed to a cross for all of our sins. He knew abandonment also, when He was on the cross because He took all of our sins upon Himself, so God had to turn His back on Jesus; God could not look upon Him because God cannot and will
God feels your PAIN!
not tolerate sin of any kind. Matthew 27:46 says, "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" The next question would be, Why does God allow us to suffer, if He loves us? I hear this question a frequently from people and on social media. There are a lot of questions that can go with this, such as, Why did God allow His own begotten Son to suffer in the hands of Romans and to suffer on the cross as He did? Look at all the people who suffered in the Bible such as Jesus, Job, Paul, the disciples...so many. One thing that was not promised to us was we were never promised a perfect life when we became Christians. We suffer because of the fall. We live in a broken world; the minute that sin had entered into the world, death also entered it in the form of diseases
and all kinds of pain. One thing we must remember is, despite all the bad things that may happen to us from time to time, we should always take our problems and questions to God. Don't allow them to become something that will fester up inside us, so much so that it starts to build a wall between us and God. Don't let our burdens interfere with our time or our relationship with God. When we sit and just overthink things, we tend to get very angry. Instead, talk to Him; ask God to take your burdens from you; lay them at the feet of Jesus. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." Suffering is one thing that we may never really know the reason for, but just know that when that season of suffering or hard time comes, God will take whatever you
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are going through and turn it into something really good. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." My wife knows this; you can read her article on Timeless Truths, to hear her story on how God turned something bad into something good with His promise to her. I also know this first hand to be true as well. When my son had passed in 2001, my life was turned upside down, yet three years later in 2004, I heard His voice tell me that it's all going to be okay. That very moment, my depression was gone and a few months later, I gave my life to Jesus. What a huge difference that was, my suffering from that was now over and my healing at that time was just starting. God turned it all into good for me for two reasons: The first
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From the Pulpit...
reason was to realize how much I need Him in my life. We can't go to heaven on our good works, because none of us are good; we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:21-24 says, "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." I needed Him in my life because Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven; if you don't have Jesus in your life and you pass away, you will NOT be going to heaven. John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" Jesus is saying that the
Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
God feels your PAIN!
Father is in heaven, and if you don't have a relationship with Him, because He is the only way, then you will not being going to heaven. The second reason was that I realized, many years after my son's passing, that I was now able to talk to people who have lost children. I can tell them of my painful experience and help them through their pain; I could also counsel them on what to expect and how to work and live through that terrible situation they're going through. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." When others are suffering, it gives us compassion for those hurting; it also enables us to minister to them
more effectively. People who are suffering really do want to be ministered to at that time. They want people to tell them that there is hope in what they are going through. Those who have suffered truly make the best comforters to people who are hurting. Suffering can refine us; pain and suffering always has a way of bringing out our strengths and weaknesses to the surface. When the debris works its way up to the surface, God scoops it all up and He purifies and refines and makes everything new. Isaiah 48:10 says, " Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." Suffering produces growth and maturity. If we turn toward God in all of our pain and affliction, He can take all of our suffering to strengthen us and mature our faith. We then begin to see the biblical truth which is shown to the persecuted church.
After we hear all their testimonies, no one could deny that all the suffering that they had gone through produces so much beauty, strength, faith and a mature spirit. James 1:2-4 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." Suffering molds us to be more like Jesus. If we are willing to just sit still and let God work in us, we will start to notice that we are being transformed into the image of Jesus, and that is our main goal, or at least it should be, to let Jesus change us from the inside out. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Suffering produces intimacy with God. Job was one in the Bible who suffered greatly. At the start of the book of Job, we see that he was a
From the Pulpit... July 2021
blameless and upright man who feared God and avoided evil. He had great riches and had seven sons and three daughters. He also had a great number of animals. Job 1:1-3 says, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East." But God gave satan permission to take all that he had away, only satan was not allowed to lay a hand on Job. His suffering, began with first losing his property, then his sons and daughters to a great wind, which was probably a tornado. Job 1:1819 says, "While he
Our 3rd Anniversary!
God feels your PAIN!
was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" He had animals raided and struck down by fire that came down from the sky. Job was afflicted with terrible skin sores (boils) all over his body. Job 2:7 says, "So satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head." Job's wife even tried to encourage him to curse God, then die. Job 2:9 says, "Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" Job refused to do that and didn't give up; he refused to sin against God by cursing Him;
instead he praised God. At the end of the book of Job, he was restored everything, twice as much as he had previously. Job 42:10 says, "And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job, who had suffered significantly, in ch. 42:5 says, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees you." Intimacy with God often begins in the furnace of afflictions. There is an opening of our souls that happens
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when we see and feel stress or anxiety that comes upon us. During deep, destressing times of suffering, we tend to lean on God more than we would if we were in a good season. This is when we experience God in a much deeper level than when things are good in our lives. So just know that God feels our pain; He knows when we are hurting. It is up to us to go to Him. Let's do that, give Him our burdens, and watch Him take care of our problems, molding us into the person He wants us to be.
WOOD Ministries Publisher/Sales Graphic Designer/Writer: Rob Wood wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com
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
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H
ave you ever experienced such heartache that you couldn't even put it into words? Even though many years may have lapsed, simply trying to talk about it makes you well up? I have. It has taken me a long time to pen the emotions that cloud my world at times. I have rattled my brain trying to understand why things in life happen the way they do and I struggle to live with the pain of irreconcilable situations. Without going into unnecessary detail, I just need to say that my heart hurts over my relationship with my daughter. Try as I may, I never seem to say or do the right things and I end up shrugging my shoulders in defeat. We all have skeletons in our closets; we all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We all need forgiveness from the Lord; we all need to forgive and to be forgiven, to love one another and strive to work together to live in harmony. It's when the other person can't forgive... how do you go on living each day with a
Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
In and Out of the Fire
smile on your face? We know that the other party may be hurting as well, but when communication breaks down, there is
I was coming off my lunch break and heading back to work in my car, listening to a gospel radio program one day
no way to come to any resolution. The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:15: "Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." As Christians, we strive to be Christ-like by walking in His ways and loving each other like He loves us, but when the other person doesn't share your convictions, it's very difficult to work through conflicts.
in 2002, when God spoke to me. It was as though God was in my car with me. Words cannot even describe the sense of warmth and intimacy that came over and surrounded me at that point, and when He spoke, His voice was the voice of pure love and tenderness. He said to me, "Do not worry for Krystle, for I will let things happen to her, so that I can bring her unto Myself." I wasn't frightened, and never have I felt, nor heard a voice more beautiful and peaceful in my entire life. That was all He said, but Jesus was telling me to trust Him; to lean not on my own understanding, but to cast my burdens upon Him (Proverbs 3:5).
Many years passed, yet nothing really changed between my daughter and me. I had been living in NL for a couple of years at this time when, one day, I received a call from her significant other saying that Krystle wanted to talk to me. Once again the conversation became difficult, but before she hung up, she told me that she was expecting her first child, my first grandchild. I was overjoyed; my first grandchild! On June 15, 2011, my beautiful grandson, Austin, was born. It wasn't easy; there was almost four thousand km between us, but I managed to visit him three times over the next five years before Krystle again cut the cords on our relationship. Five more years have passed since then and I haven't seen or heard from her, nor have I spoken to my grandson, who is now ten years old. My heart breaks; I think of all the time lost when we could have been loving on one another, but instead, there's silence and disconnect. Just a few months back, I began doubting if God ever spoke to me that day, almost twenty
July 2021
years ago, in my car. I was thinking that maybe it was just all in my head. But then, while my husband, Rob, and I were reading chapter 36:15 in the book of Job, "He delivers the afflicted in their affliction, and opens their ear in time of oppression," the Lord, through His Word, spoke to me again, reconfirming the promise that He made to me back in 2002, that He was still in control of the situation, desiring to bring Krystle to Him. God sometimes uses suffering to chasten and open people’s ears to draw them to Himself, which brings repentance. He gave me that reassurance that I desperately needed. What an awesome God we serve ... it is so amazing how He comes through exactly when we need to hear from Him the most! I don't know what Krystle has going on in her life right now, but whatever it is, God is all over it. I know that He
Our 3rd Anniversary!
In and Out of the Fire is still working on her. He's healing her so that she will be able to hear His call. Our heavenly Father loves us more than words can express, and He loves us just the way we are. Remember, He is the One who formed us in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). He knows the numbers of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7), and He has given each and every one of us a free will ... the freedom to choose Him, or to reject Him (Ezekiel 18:31-32), because He is a God of love. I also know that once Krystle gives her life to Christ, her heart will continue to heal and she will want her family back in her life. This is the blessed hope that we have in Christ Jesus, that "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
The Great Deliverer Into the fiery furnace I went,
Bruised and melted with the pains of affliction; Mentally worn, emotionally drained,
My spirit held captive by a dark depression. I called upon the Great Deliverer
With thoughts distressed, wishing to die; I held nothing back; I bared it all,
My Heavenly Father heard my despairing cry. With flames roaring, He filled my soul;
He told me to trust and obey in His promise That He’d never leave, nor forsake me;
He had proven His love on Calvary’s cross. Out of the fiery furnace I came,
Remolded and polished into a new creation; I will forever live in His blessed presence
Stabilized, strengthened, matured, forgiven. Donna Wood March 17, 2019
"He delivers the afflicted in their affliction, and opens their ear in time of oppression."
(Job 36:15)
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WOOD
Ministries Written by: Donna Wood Photo: Stock
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Book in Review...
Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
Hope
Living Fearfully in a SCARY WORLD
Book by: Dr. David Jeremiah Written by: Lynne Wood
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aith, Hope and Love are three powerful words that are in the Bible. We have faith we love God and Jesus Christ and through them we have Hope. Were going to talk about Hop, the title of a book written by Dr. David Jeremiah. Faith is the foundation of things hoped for when we can't see them. Faith gives us Hope in the middle of whatever storms your going through. God uses the storms in our life to strengthen our faith in Him. We are to fear God not in storms, for our Hope is in Him. Whatever storm you might be going through in your life right now, place your faith in God. He will take away your fear, He already knows your thoughts and exactly what your feeling. Fear is the opposite of faith trust God and He will help you overcome. Jesus is more powerful than any storm you will ever encounter and He wants you to come to Him. He promises that those in Christ will be saved, they absolutely
will be. In James 1:2 He says, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." We will all encounter storms in this life even Jesus suffered for us, but our Hope is in Jesus. Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5, He also told His disciples, "Lo, I am with you always, even
to the end of the age" Matthew 28:20. The book of numbers in the Bible talks about the twelve men form the twelve tribes who were sent to scout out the new land. Only Joshua and Caleb returned with Hop in God's promises, the other ten men were afraid of what they had seen. You can either focus on
your problems or on the solution. The ten men talked about the giants of the new land, only two men trusted the size of their God. "If God is for us who can be against us?" Romans 8:31. God told Joshua he was to follow the word of God completely and not turn to the right or left. The people eventually turned to other gods and they suffered as God removed His protection from them. We have that same choice we can follow the material things of this world and live in fear, or always follow God and His word and live without fear. Jesus Christ is our only Hope. He is our living Hope. Psalm 91:5-7, "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you."
Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
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Andy Williams passes
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Former Drummer of Casting Crowns passes away from his injuries
ndy Williams, the former drummer of Casting Crowns passed away on Friday, July 9th, from injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident on June 27th. Andy was 49 years old. The accident left Andy on a ventilator after he suffered "trauma to both his body and his brain." Andy, last week, went through surgery to have his leg amputated above his knee. He was hit by another vehicle while he was going to church on his motorcycle. Andy's church, Grace Chapel, in Fairview, Tennessee had posted a very heart felt tribute from Andy's wife, Kelly, that was shared by Mark Hall, Casting Crowns' lead singer. The tribute said, "He fought a great fight, but the injuries that he suffered took a toll on his physical body. You prayed along with us that Andy would be healed. You prayed along with us that Andy would wake up. You prayed along with us that God would perform
a miracle. While we morn that Andy isn't here with us and that we didn't get to witness the miracle we longed for here on earth, all of our prayers were answered. He is healed, he is awake and we believer that he is more alive today than he has ever been. We hold fast
to Paul's words that we look not to the things that are seen, but to those things that are unseen, for they are eternal. We celebrate that Andy is in the arms of his Savior and we are grateful for the memories and laughter that Andy brought to all who knew him. We can't
thank you enough for your prayers, support, and unending love. You have walked with us through this very difficult journey and we felt you there the entire way." Mark Hall also shared a three minute performance video on Instagram of Andy during one of their concerts. Andy is survived by his wife Kelly and his three children. Grace Chapel has started a Go Fund Me page, in efforts to raise $250,000 for medical costs. So far they have raised more than $64,700 dollars.
Jesus. The movie, "Chosen Witness" was produced by Campus Crusade for Christ, as they made and released the film in time for Easter in 38 different languages. It has also received 250,000 hits after being uploaded on YouTube; it will also be available in another 250
languages. The viewers of this movie have been watching from around the world. Barry Cook who is the director of Disney's "Mulan" and Dom Carola is special effects director of Disney's "Aladdin," helped to design the set.
Jesus animated movie is reaching large audiences in 38 languages
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new animated film of the life of Jesus told through Mary Magdalene's eyes has been receiving a large following. It's called "Chosen Witness." The animated movie was released in April by the Jesus Film Project, highlighting the death and resurrection of
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Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
Chicago Gun Violence
Fighting for people of Chicago, Pastors fighting gun violence with the Gospel
D
uring the last twenty years, Chicago has witnessed a never ending flood of violence. The U.S. Department of Defence said that between 2001-2020, more people were killed in Chicago than in Afghanistan and Iraq war combined. Christian leaders in Chicago are coming together praying to change that record, using the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Dimas Salaberrios, who was a former drug dealer from New York City, knows all the realities of gun violence. He went on a 40 day fast in the hopes of ending the violence; at that time he felt the drive to make a film called "Chicago: America's Hidden War." Pastor Dimas filmed in the city for two years; he said that he sees a spiritual battle going on there in the streets. "I would say in Chicago there is definitely a demonic presence that I sense when I'm praying
and interacting with people on the street." Pastor Corey Brook, who has a ministry in Chicago that is called Project Hood, does agree with Pastor Dimas. "There's a real spiritual battle going on in the city of Chicago for the lives of people. There seems to be a spirit of murder throughout the city." Pastor Corey then went on to tell us how evil is working its way into the lives of all the young people here. "Some of it is gang related. You have a bunch of splinter groups who are part of organizations. And these splinter groups go from block
to block, neighborhood to neighborhood, and it makes things very difficult." Unfortunately, it's the children that are among many of the victims. "We're halfway through the year and over a hundred children have been shot already. We have a child in our film, Quincy, who sleeps under his bed because he feels like he can get shot. He realizes from the bullet holes on the walls of his house from many drive bys in the neighborhood that are the level of his bed, if he slept in his bed, he would be shot," said Pastor Dimas. The trouble is, the
paralysis of fear is everywhere. Pastor Corey said, "We have a lot of parents who are leery about just allowing their children to go out and play." This has also been very difficult on the economy with all the violence going on in the city. "We had a McDonalds, of all things, close because of the violence. I've done so many funerals, unfortunately, you know, too many to even count." Pastor Dimas' documentary, which is now eligible for an Academy Award, showcases the church and how it is fighting the darkness of this world through prayer and evangelism. As of now, the word is spreading through the streets about the film with the help from Hollywood Christian stars such as Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington with Mark Burnett, Roma Downey and many other celebrities.
July 2021
Our 3rd Anniversary!
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Canadian Church Fires
A Canadian Civil Liberties Group Leader calls for all Churches to be Burned down
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n an alarming tweet, the leader of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association has cried out for more Christian churches to be set on fire in response to the discovery of many unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools for Indigenous children, as they were run by churches years ago. Harsha Walia, the association's executive director, had responded to the news reports of more Catholic churches being burned down, as reported by the Western Standard. She tweeted, "Burn it all down." The Western Standard also said that any attack on a religious building is classified as a hate crime in Canada. On an ironic note, the BCCLA's website says, "We were established in 1962 by a group of academics and activists at the University of British Columbia in response to draconian police responses to religious minorities in the province." There has been a lot
of immediate backlash in response to Walia's tweet. Here are some of the tweets: "This lady needs to be removed from BC Civil Liberties. She is an
embarrassment to BC and she has no business (sic) in that role. She is inciting violence and hate. It's our people that are going to pay the price for her hate
speeches. Violence has no place in our society." Another tweet was wondering if the British Columbia's RCMP would be looking into her tweet saying, "I wonder if the @ BCRCMP might like a word with Miss Walia." Yet another tweet said, "Unbelievable, can she be charged for inciting violence?" Several newspapers and media channels have been reporting of churches across Canada being set on fire or vandalized, some of them on indigenous land. Rebel News has reported that First Nations Leaders have been imploring people to stop the vandalizing and burning of their churches. But there are some who are not as upset as others are concerning the hate crimes that are happening against our churches. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned the burning and vandalism of the Catholic churches.
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Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
Monty Williams Forgiveness
Monty Williams Poenix Suns' head coach, his Christian Faith and Forgiveness
hoenix Suns' head coach Monty Williams' team has a 2-0 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals; he may tell you that his faith in Jesus Christ happens to be the best victory of all. Monty Williams, who is 49 years old, had suffered through a family tragedy five years ago. Monty's wife, Ingrid, was killed when someone who was driving under the influence of methamphetamine, had crossed over into Ingrid's lane and hit her with their three children in the car. Monty is as outspoken now as he was then; he is outspoken about his faith in Jesus and sees all his work with his players as an act of service for God. Following the game where the Phoenix Suns had defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Finals, reporters asked Monty Williams how he goes about balancing the roles of mentor and
coach. "The essence of my coaching is to serve. As a believer in Christ,
NBA Coach of the Year. Monty Williams is known for his coaching
that's what I'm here for. And I tell my players all the time, if I get on you, I'm not calling you out; I'm calling you up. You have potential, and I have to work my tail off to help you reach that potential." Players are "embracing" that game plan, Monty said, "It has served us well." In June Monty Williams, Suns' Head Coach was named Coach of the Year by the National Basketball Coaches Association, and Monty also finished second in voting for
in the NBA, but he is also remembered for his forgiveness that he showed at his wife's funeral in 2016 that gathered the attention of many people and it didn't take long for the video of the funeral and his loving eulogy to his wife, Ingrid, to go viral. Monty said, "Everybody is praying for me and my family, which is right. But let us not forget that there were two people in this situation. And that family needs prayer as well. And we have no ill will towards that family."
Monty also wants to make sure that his kids understand forgiveness and other people to understand it also. Monty said, "In my house, we have a sign that says, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We cannot serve the Lord if we don't have a heart of forgiveness." A few years ago Monty said how he was continuing to trust in God as he was mourning. "God is good; He loves me. You go through a time like that and you tend to lose sight of that because you are hurting, but God is good." Monty is not remarried and he said that he has "that hope of seeing Ingrid again, which is one of the coolest things about our faith." Monty also said, "To be able to share that with my kids and God using that through us to do whatever He's going to do in the Kingdom, that's an awesome thing that I can't lose sight of."
Poetry...
July 2021
Our 3rd Anniversary!
Love is...
Uniting and abiding, Honoring and forgiving, Empowering and healing, Listening and believing. So infinite is His love, Taking us as we are... Full of pain and disconnect, Open wounds with many a scar. The Holy Spirit He sends Teaching us mercy and grace, Comforting us through affliction; My Lord, my dwelling place.
(Psalm 91:2)
“ I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!'”
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Our 3rd Anniversary!
Athletes for Christ...
Juan Guzman
J
Juan Guzman with the Toronto Blue Jays 1991 to 1998
July 2021
Juan is now an ordained Minister
uan Guzman was born on October 28, 1966 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Juan originally signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1985. He was an amazing pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays and their World Series Championship teams of the early 1990's. In his first three years with the Blue Jays, from 1991 to 1993, Juan won 40 games while losing only 11 games for a .784 winning percentage. But in 1993, he had a fantastic 14-3 record, giving him a .824 winning percentage which led the American League. Juan also pitched in the post season for his first three years and he had a 5-1 record with an 2.44 Earned Run Average. He had the hot hand when it came to the playoffs. Juan would end up winning two World Series Championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. Juan had a lot of fantastic seasons in Toronto with the Blue Jays, which included an All Star appearance in 1992 and winning the American League pitching title in 1996 with and ERA of 2.93. Juan played with the
Blue Jays for seven and a half years. The Toronto Blue Jay fans nicknamed Juan the "Human Rain Delay" because of how slow he was between pitches; he was very calculated out there on the mound. During the 1998 season, Juan was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for relief pitcher B.J. Ryan and Jacobo Sequea. In 1999, he was traded again; this time to the Cincinnati Reds of the National League, then he was traded back to the American League; this time to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2000, where he only pitched in one game before retiring from the game of baseball. Juan finished his career with a record of 91-79 and a 4.08 ERA. Juan had a great fastball and some in-your-face pitching had allowed Juan to strike out 7.5 hitters at the plate per 9 innings throughout his career. He also had 1,243 career strikeouts. Juan was one of many great Dominican players that the Toronto Blue Jays scouting team found for the team over the years. They also helped the Blue Jays with their great play during their back-to-back World Series Championships. Juan is now running the Juan Guzman Foundation, whose sole purpose is to bring the love of God to children in Latin countries. He is married to his wife Ana; he is also an ordained minister who has published his testimony in his book called, "Yes You Can."
Prayer...
July 2021
Our 3rd Anniversary!
Lord, my Strength
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Dear Lord, Thank You for Your providence over me. Give me strength when I am weak, Love when I feel forsaken, Courage when I am frightened, Wisdom when I need to make decisions, Comfort when I am lonely, Hope when I feel discouraged, And peace when I am in turmoil. I put my trust in You, Lord. Thank you for everything You do for me, In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
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Recipe...
Our 3rd Anniversary!
Rhubarb Cake
July 2021
• 2-1/2 c flour • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder • ½ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp salt • ½ c butter • 1-1/3 c sugar • 2 eggs • 1 tsp vanilla • 1 c Greek yogurt • 4 c chopped rhubarb
• Preheat oven to 350 deg • Whisk together first 4 ingredients. Set aside • With mixer, cream together butter and sugar until creamy • Add eggs, one at a time • Add vanilla and fold in rhubarb • To creamy mixture, add 1/3 of flour mix, then ½ of yogurt. • Repeat until all combined • Line 9 x 9 pan w/parchment paper • Spread cake batter evenly into pan • Bake for 60-70 min, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean
John 6:27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
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Our 3rd Anniversary!
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And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
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P
Our 3rd Anniversary!
Bible Study...
salm 84 is regarded as one of the sweetest psalms of peace. It was written by the sons of Korah who were Levites. Korah led a rebellion of 250 community leaders against Moses during the wilderness days of the Exodus (Numbers 16). God judged Korah and they all died, but the sons of Korah remained (Numbers 26:9-11). Perhaps they were so grateful for this mercy that they became known in Israel for praising God. This psalm reveals that the future kingdom of Christ will be saturated with the spiritual qualities of loving kindness, truth, righteousness and peace, and these attributes will relate to each other in perfect harmony. God’s favor and friendship will be better than life itself as we know it. This current world, however, is in darkness; but if we choose God to be our Lord, He will be our sun, our source of light, joy and happiness. The love of God for His people is one of
Psalm 84:11
"Our Sun and Shield"
the most fundamental teachings throughout the scripture. The psalmist explains the goodness and blessing that come to those pilgrims who love and long for the house of God. The pilgrim nation found both sun and shield in the fiery, cloudy pillar, which was the symbol of
of the world that dispels darkness, enlightens His people with the light of His grace. He warms them with the beams of His love and cheers and refreshes their souls with the light of His countenance. The prophet Malachi tells us that those who fear
God’s presence. Today, we Christians have both light and shelter in the Lord our God…a light to show the way and a shield to ward off its perils. Malachi 4:2 says, “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” Christ is the “sun of righteousness,” the light
the Lord will feel His warmth with healing in His light. This not only means recovery from physical harm done by the wicked, but it refers to sickness linked with sin. This healing comes only through the suffering of our Lord and Savior. God will be our shield, protecting us from danger lurking about us. He is the shield of faith against the temptations of the devil; He is the shield of
July 2021
salvation which shelters from divine justice and from the wrath to come. God promises His grace to those who seek Him. He gives converting grace, sanctifying grace; He freely gives justifying, pardoning, adopting and persevering grace. Grace is the knowledge and love of Him made known to us through His Holy Spirit. We gain access to God through faith in Jesus, allowing us to commune with Him and abide in His presence. Christ has made it all possible by giving us of His Spirit. However, there are many Christians who grieve the Spirit and do not allow the fullness of the Spirit to reign through them. There is a divide between those filled with the Spirit and those occupied with their desires of the flesh. Believers filled with the Spirit are filled with joy and peace, but those refusing to follow the Spirit have no joy, peace and love because they carry out the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:1625). Our desires and wants should not lead us, but God’s Spirit should.
Bible Study...
July 2021
Romans 7:18 says, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.” Believers can miss the full blessing of His will if we do not walk uprightly. Even when we faithfully seek the Lord, there will be times when bad things will happen to us. But God will constantly oversee our lives through these trials, helping us to triumph through the pain and trouble that
Our 3rd Anniversary!
Psalm 84:11
we often experience. Jesus suffered and was crucified, yet He triumphed over death. God keeps our faith steady by His promises, reminding us that all is well, even if life throws us lemons at times. The gift of eternal glory is a gift of God through Christ. As He gives grace to those who wait on Him, He encourages and increases their hope of glory. As we are transformed into Christ’s image, His glory is the fullness of being
made like Him. When we strive to walk uprightly before Him every day in truth and holiness, and when we walk by faith, the Lord will not withhold any good thing that He has purposed for us, promised to us; no spiritual good thing and no temporal blessing will He deny us. The nature of this beautiful promise is appropriate under the Old Covenant, where God promised direct blessings for obedience and curses
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for disobedience. Under the New Covenant, the believer receives God’s good things on the basis of Jesus’ goodness, and then goes on to walk uprightly. God’s greatness and goodness lead the psalmist to experience and declare the blessedness of trusting in God. Psalm 84:11: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly."
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Movie in Review...My Brother's Keeper Our 3rd Anniversary!
July 2021
“In Spiritual warfare, no one is left behind”
T
his new movie, My Brother's Keeper, is a faith based film about a veteran's spiritual battle while struggling with PTSD, as he tries to keep his closest friends safe. My Brother's Keeper opens where SFC Travis Fox (played by TC Stallings) is talking with his best friend, SFC Ron "Peach" Pearcy (played by Joey Lawrence). They have both served for 15 years for the United States Rangers. But
his friend Ron is very nervous about heading out with his unit, more nervous than his friend Travis has ever noticed before. Ron pulls out his Bible and then asks Travis if he would pray for him and his unit. But Travis tells Ron that he doesn't believe all the lies in the Bible. Ron then begs that his friend Travis doesn't neglect his soul, but unfortunately Travis believes that God gave up on humans a long time ago.
Later on that night, Travis was given some terrible news, Ron and his entire Ranger unit were killed in a IED blast. Travis is so devastated by the news he has been given and returns home. When Travis is home it is showing that his parents were killed in a car accident two years before, and Travis is serious about finding out what happened to them. He then remembered a necklace that he gave his mother and she told him that she would not take if off until Travis came home. But he can't find it and that starts to raise some doubts about what happened to them. Travis then joins with his best friend, Donnie but then he decides not to hang out with him. Travis's PTSD is brutal, and he is really struggling to understand what his purpose and having thoughts of his friend Ron filling his mind. The local church has a ministry for veterans it's run by Dr. Tiffany Roberts (played by Keisha Knight-Pulliam). Tiffany and the church's pastor are both trying to persuade Travis to help out at the church. Travis continues to get angry
and stills says that God has turned His back on him. As times goes on, Travis is really struggling with his PTSD as it grows more intense each day, to the point where he is now thinking of suicide. Travis continues to struggle to find his purpose in life and then he neglects to see all those people around him, like Tiffany, the ones that are trying to help him. Travis now needs to face his turmoil that is deep inside him, but more than that, he needs to face the fact that God is real, and he needs to come to that truth and the truth of God's word is always the truth. My Brother's Keeper tells a powerful story; it emphasizes Biblical, Christian virtues, such as forgiveness, sacrifice and hope through faith in God. This movie shows what veterans go through when returning home. This movie also shows the hurting reality of PTSD and all the effects, such as suicide thoughts and the hopelessness that surrounds them everyday, but with Gods healing they can overcome this horrible reality.
July 2021
Grace Our 3rd Anniversary!
His
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New stories every month! Interesting Christian topics, Great Movie, CD and Book reviews! Get your FREE copy of His Grace magazine today! Call 905-380-4489 wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com or check out our magazine on-line @ Ministries www.issuu.com/His-Grace
WOOD
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Our 3rd Anniversary!
G GOD O D IS
PLEASE SHARE GOD'S LOVE
July 2021
