Grace Magazine His
May 2022
Photo by
Heidi Power
Twillingate,
Newfoundland, Labrador
"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."
Proverbs 31:28-29
WOOD Ministries
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Table of Contents His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26
Poetry.................................................................................Page 3 From the Pulpit.................................................................Pages 4-6 Book in Review..................................................................Page 7 Timeless Truths.................................................................Pages 8-9 Entertainment News.........................................................Page 11 World News.......................................................................Pages 12-13 Sports News.......................................................................Page 14 Recipe.................................................................................Page 15 Athletes for Christ.............................................................Pages 16-17 Prayer.................................................................................Page 18 Bible Study.........................................................................Pages 20-21 Movie in Review................................................................Page 22
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May 2022
His Grace Magazine!
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Difficult Days To have a difficult day is part of being human; We all know suffering, joy, ease, and confusion. Even though we feel alone and our struggling mind screams, With it, the gift of life brings a full range of feelings. We are so good at hiding our difficult days from others, We buy into the belief that we are the only one who suffers. But at this very moment, someone else may feel Their life is falling apart, or their heart may never heal. Some may have the flu, or are being abused by a partner; Others may be disappointed, or see themselves as a failure. More may be just plain irritated, or feeling a sense of loneliness; Many are trying to deal with receiving a terminal diagnosis. If we can be open and truthful to our common humanity, Every one experiences, to a greater or lesser degree Exactly what we are feeling, and it really helps to know There is nothing wrong with us, and we are not alone. What we are going through is part of being human; Compassion is a powerful healer; it allows our hearts to open. Jesus walked in our shoes; He's fully God and fully man; Closer than a brother and our troubles He does understand.
(Hebrews 4:15)
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."
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His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
Mothers of the Bible Our mothers take care of us and love us; they are a gift from God!
Owner/Publisher: Rob Wood
M
ay is the month to honour mothers; the second Sunday in May is Mother's Day. This special day gives people around the world a chance to show mothers how special they really are... the woman who took her time with you, loved you, cared for you... by bringing her flowers, gifts or both and showing your appreciation for all that she has done for you through all the years, including all the sacrifices that she made for you, and you know that no matter what, she will always be there for you. Anna Marie Jarvis is the founder of Mother's Day, as she wanted to honor her mother after she had passed away. She
had campaigned for the day to honor, not only her mother, but other mothers as well with a special day when they would be appreciated. In 1908, she held a memorial for her mother at the St. Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia; this was the first recorded celebration of Mother's Day. Mother's Day became an official holiday in West Virginia in 1910, being held as it is today on the second Sunday of May. Four years later on the second Sunday of May, the United States President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother's Day as an official holiday in 1914. One year later, Canada declared Mother's Day an official holiday in 1915, and we Canadians have celebrated this special holiday ever since. Mothers have always played an
important role in the family with their children. On Mother's Day, all mother figures should be given that respect...like stepmothers, foster mothers, grandmothers, mother-in-laws, aunts and so on... they should always be treated with love. God created mothers to be nurturers, take care and love their children, and there is a special bond between mothers and their children. It is bond that can only be explained by the love of God that He gives to all mothers who raise their babies. There are a lot of mothers we can talk about in the Bible; all of them that believed in God and loved God were mothers that did the Lord's work. Such mothers as Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah, Leah and Rachel, Jochebed, Elizabeth and of course Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.
So let's talk about them now, starting with Sarah. 1. Sarah: In Genesis 11:30 it says, "But Sarai was barren; she had no child." Now Sarai was Sarah before God changed her name. Sarah was childless as we just read; she couldn't conceive. This truly saddened both Sarah and Abraham. When the word of the Lord was given to Abram, he answered by saying what will you give me Lord since you have not given me an heir? Then God goes on to tell him, look at the stars in the sky, for that would be the number of Abram's offspring. You see, Abraham and Sarah waited 15 years before God renewed His promise to them, and 10 more years before that promise was fulfilled. Then Sarah gave birth to a son, named Isaac, and she became a mother at the age of 90 years old.
May 2022
It says in Genesis 15:1-6, "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." But Abram said, "Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me now offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!" And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward the heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them," And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." Now Sarah waited a long time, as so many of us do, for what we pray for. Also, as
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Mothers of the Bible
so many years go by after praying, Sarah laughed at the idea that God could do what He promised, but as we see, and thankfully, God's promises did not rely on the level of Sarah's faith, and it doesn't without faith as well. God had fulfilled His promise according to His plan and Sarah responded in Genesis 21:1-7: "And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sara conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him whom Sarah bore to him Isaac. Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have
borne him a son in his old age." It is so hard to imagine waiting until you are 90 years old to have a child! By today's standards, that wouldn't happen, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 says, "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." But Sarah had doubts as she tried to believe the promise, until it finally came to fruition. Sarah had even laughed with joy at what the LORD had done. Isaac would go on to continue in his father Abraham's footsteps. 2. Elizabeth: Elizabeth was married to a priest named Zacharias and Luke 1 tells us that both Elizabeth and Zacharias were very righteous before God, as they observed all of God's commands. Luke 1:5-6 says, "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah,
His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." But Elizabeth was childless, and they were both old in age also. Luke 1:7 says, "But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years." Back in those days, people thought that sin was preventing women from bearing children, as they thought that of Elizabeth. This would have been a hard thing for Elizabeth to face as she was the wife of a priest. Now as Zacharias was serving in the temple, Gabriel, an Angel of the Lord, appeared to him, as he was on the right side of the altar of incense. Now Zacharias was troubled and he became very fearful. Luke 1: 11-12 says, "Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of
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His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
Mothers of the Bible incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him." But the Angel Gabriel told him not to be afraid and that his prayers were heard and they would have a son and that his name would be John. Luke 1:12-14 says, "And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the Angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth." Now when Mary, the mother of Jesus, left her mother and father to visit her cousin Elizabeth, her baby leaped in her womb and at that moment she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:41 says, "And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." John would go on to
baptize many people from their sins with water and he would prepare the way for the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. 3. Mary: the mother of Jesus Christ. Mary was a strong, pure young woman, around the age of 15 years old. She was given to a man named Joseph to be her husband. Then one day, the Angel Gabriel came to her to tell her the good news; he told her that she was a favored one and that the Lord was with her and that she was blessed among women. He said that she would conceive in her womb a son and she shall call his name Jesus. Luke 1:31-32 says, "Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call his name Jesus." Mary wondered how this could be possible, as she was a virgin; she was with no man. But the Angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come onto her. Luke 1:35 says, "And
the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." After this, she embraced these words in faith. Mary would treasure the things in her heart of Jesus; she raised and loved Jesus, but also knew her son was the Son of God and He would, one day, sacrifice Himself for us on the cross. She would have to watch Him suffer, be tortured, mocked and be crucified on the
cross. John 19:25-27 says, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home." Mothers are caregivers from God. We should be thankful for all that they have done for us. We should love our Mothers, let them know how much we love and care for them.
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
May 2022
His Grace Magazine!
God Gives Second Chances
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How to Get Up, Dust off and be Used Again
Book by: R.T. Kendall Written by: Lynne Wood
G
od Gives Second Chances is written by R.T. Kendall. He is an internationally known speaker, author and teacher; he was also the pastor of Westminister Chapel in London, England for twenty-five years. Does God give second chances? Absolutely He does; we're given numerous examples where God has done just that in the Bible. There was Jonah, God wanted him to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah didn't want anything to do with that, Jonah said, no; God said, really. He left on a ship sailing to Tarshish; a wild storm came up. Jonah knew it was from God because he disobeyed Him. Jonah told them to throw him overboard and a great fish swallowed him. Jonah prayed and prayed for God to please let him do the very thing he had refused to do. God didn't have to give Jonah a second chance, but He did. Moses was born a Hebrew; he was raised as an Egyptian. One day, Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and he committed murder. God still used Moses to deliver the Hebrews to the promised land. King David committed adultery when he was
with Bathsheba. David loved God and he truly repented of his sin and God forgave him. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times just before He was crucified. Jesus forgave him and Peter went on to become a great leader among the disciples. Billy Sunday was a well known evangelist who said, the reason Christians fall into sin so often is because they treat temptation like strawberry shortcake rather than a rattlesnake. Romans 13:14 says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."
So to avoid falling into sin, you need to avoid the temptation. Joseph faced sexual temptation when he worked for Potiphar in Egypt. Potiphar's wife was flirting with Joseph. He refused her advances because God would know what he did. Because of his faithfulness to God, He prepared Joseph for greatness; he would become the prime minister of Egypt. God prepares us for things to come, trials and even temptation. God never tempts us but He will allow temptation to come into our paths, it's how we respond to the temptation that determines the next step in God's plan for us. God will definitely help you to get up and dust yourself off when you have sinned, if you are willing to ask for forgiveness. Don't try to run from God, you can't and you will only feel worse. Just remember, even if you went down the wrong road, God can get your feet on the right path. God loves you and He will forgive you. God is our loving Father who wants to see us make all the right choices in life, but if we fall into sin He is right there with open arms ready to forgive. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
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His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
Praying...
R
omans 8:26: "And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought, the but Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered;" Does praying come easy for you? When you talk with God, do you struggle with what to say, or how to say it? Do you know that the Holy Spirit is working during our sweet times of prayer when we close our eyes and whisper our hearts to heaven? In the New Testament, Jesus taught His disciples to pray like this: "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13) Jesus intended this prayer to be a guide or
What does the Bible say? model for our prayers, which shows us a range of subjects to include, such as to begin with who God is, and to
us in the same manner that He has forgiven us of our sins. Remember God's grace and mercy towards us,
praise Him for who He is. Remember how great and awesome God is compared to our problems! Continue on in your prayer, expressing your desire to submit to His rule and reign in your life. Pray God's will over your mind, emotions and everything else in your life. It's not your will, but the will of God that needs to be done. Then pray about your needs, reminding yourself that God will provide your every need, providing it is within His will for you. Always remember to regularly confess your sins to God, and to ask for His forgiveness, and to help us forgive others who have sinned against
and in return, show that grace and mercy toward others. Acknowledge your spiritual battles to God, asking for protection or escape from Satan's traps. Finally, pray realizing that everything we are and everything we do is for God's glory, not ours. Chapter 8 of Romans shows us the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. And so much of that work is comforting believers who are in the midst of trials and suffering. It is to be expected that in this fallen world, believers will endure various types of suffering from time to time in different ways. The Bible is filled with assurances that God comes to rescue the
weak, those who can't protect themselves, or who are oppressed, poor, or despised. We learn to cope with our present suffering by realizing our certain future glory. That hope of glory helps us to cope here and now, helps us to bear up under our present suffering. Just as we are helped in our suffering, we are also helped in our weakness by the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity and is connected with the Father and the Son beyond what we can imagine. We remain dependent upon Him that His power may be perfected in our weakness. In the sense that we do not know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit teaches us to understand the Word and what the will of God is. When we set our minds on the things of the Spirit, and by the Spirit put the things of the flesh to death, we make ourselves available and teachable. He is then able to intercede for us in our prayers through wordless groans. Sometimes, I am
May 2022
so troubled I can't pray, for my thoughts are all over the place. These are the times that I need to lean on the Holy Spirit to help me. In accordance with the will of God, the Holy Spirit searches our hearts and allows access to God through faith. Another amazing fact is that, just as Jesus prays for us in heaven, the Holy Spirit is praying for us here on earth in our hearts! Besides praying for us, the Holy Spirit is our friend and also helps us bear our burdens. Through helping us, He comforts us, speaks to us, and strengthens us. What a gift that God has given us... the gift of the Holy Spirit and what comfort we get knowing that the Spirit acts on our behalf every time we pray! Even though sometimes we struggle in our prayer life, there are a few things we can do to help us grow in that area. One thing is to change our approach - try praying out loud if you normally pray silently, or if you often pray in words, try putting it to song. Also, listening to how other people pray may help you in your own prayer life. When
His Grace Magazine!
Praying...
I first met my husband, Rob, I did not know how to even begin to pray, but we prayed together on the phone each morning, and by listening to him, I eventually felt comfortable and confident enough to pray what was on my mind and in my heart. It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to share your thoughts, your day, your failures and your joys with the Lord. It is especially comforting knowing that nothing is surprising to God, because nothing is hidden from Him; He knows everything about us, our every thought, our every deed, so when we confess, we know that He already knows and is very merciful to forgive us of our sins when we ask Him. It really helps to have a prayer partner as well. Rob and I pray together on a daily basis, and we find that what one of us forgets to bring to the Lord in prayer, the other will remember to do. Rob and I like to recite a couple of our favorite Psalms as well, and one of them is Psalm 91. In troublesome times, we gain much comfort in assuring ourselves that, "He who dwells in the
shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!' For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge. His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands that you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra,
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the young lion and the serpent you will trample down. "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My Name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation."" (Psalm 91:1-16) Other Psalms, such as Psalm 103 reminds us to praise the Lord and to not forget all of His benefits. Psalm 62 is a wonderful psalm to pray over someone going through a challenging time, and of course, Psalm 23 always reminds us of the goodness of God and how we can trust in Him. God is not looking for a beautiful speech when we pray to Him, nor does He need us to babble on and on. Try praying as if you were talking with your best friend. Prayer provides a way for us to be intimate with our Lord, to praise Him for all that He has done for us and continues to do every day. Come to Him as a child of the Most High and express your every need and care...He is just a prayer away!
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His Grace Magazine!
I know all the birds
of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
Psalm 50:11
May 2022
May 2022
His Grace Magazine!
Duane Chapman
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How Dog the Bounty Hunter had gone from being in prison to becoming a Reality Star
D
og the Bounty Hunter is known to millions on the reality tv show; his real name is Duane Chapman. He had widespread fame, especially with his tv reality show, as he grabbed fleeing criminals. Duane was the big star of Dog the Bounty Hunter, his show first aired back in 2003 and ran until 2012. The show was known for its tough and wild side, but Duane is a devout Christian. He came to hold on to faith after he went to prison back in the 1970's. Duane, who is now 69 years old, recently said about his very personal road and his spiritual roots, "My great grandmother was Christian, she was a pastor. My mother, all day long, her whole life, all she did was pray for us." When Duane was growing up, he had to always attend church as it was mandatory. He
said, "We had to go to church, or my mom took the keys away from my motorcycle." But even though
into a decision of moving forward in crime, or moving forward into a life of chance. He said, "After going to prison
Duane had been raised in the church, he started to turn his back on his faith as he began to fall away as a young man, and he started to take a more carefree attitude on a biblical life. He said, "I was committed, and then, I thought, God's really busy in Vietnam, so He's not going to care really what I do as long as I say the blessing and keep God kind of first." But Duane's journey had led him to a life of crime that forced him
in the 70s in Texas for 18 months, I realized, right then, that at the end of this rainbow of crime and all that, is not a bucket of gold, it's a cell." Duane was hanging around with three others when they broke into a man's home as they were looking for marijuana. One of the men shot and killed the house owner in a struggle. Duane was sentenced to five years and as we mentioned, he served 18 months.
Duane said that his mother had never given up on him, and prayed that he would come back to the Lord. When he was released, she would play the Bible while he was sleeping. He said, "As I slept, my mom put on a recording of the Bible, and every morning, when I woke up, I'm like, Mom, why did you? She's like, I don't know who turned that on." Duane became a bounty hunter and his 43 year career had him capture 8,000 fugitives. His rough past helped him speak the word of Christ to the offenders to help them. He said, "I would capture guys and tell them, 'Listen, man, I've been there, done that, we need supernatural help.'" After over 4 decades of bounty hunting, Duane said he wants to help others and share the truth. He said, "I am not a preacher, never will be. But I have a message."
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His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
The Shelling Continues
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Russian Forces are continuing to shell Eastern Ukraine's industrial area
ussian forces are now stepping up their shelling of eastern Ukraine's industrial heartland as they try to push forward with their offensive in the eastern region. It's the focus of their fighting in this 3 month war. The grinding battles that are occurring in the Donbas area, where Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are battling in the towns, have forced many people to flee their homes and towns. Rayisa Rybalko said, "We haven't been able to see the sun for three months. We are almost blind because we were in darkness for three months." She hid her family in their basement at first; afterwards she went to a bomb shelter that was at a local school. She has since fled the town with her family. U.S. President Biden travelled to Tokyo, where he and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned Russia's invasion into Ukraine. President Biden also signed legislation giving
Ukraine $40 billion more in support to help defend itself from the Russian attack. The Polish President Andrzej Duda recently traveled to Kyiv to support Ukraine's European Union aspirations and addressed Ukraine's parliament, where he received a standing ovation after he thanked the lawmakers for allowing him to speak where "the heart of a free, independent and democratic Ukraine
beats." Poland has become a strong ally of Ukraine, as they have welcomed millions of Ukrainian refugees. They have also become a gateway for all the western humanitarian aid and weapons for Ukraine. It has also been an important spot for all of the foreign fighters who have volunteered to fight the Russian forces with the Ukraine fighters. With the Western
support for both financial and for weapons to defend themselves, it has been the key to Ukraine's survival. They have helped Ukraine who needs the weapons as they are out numbered by the Russian Forces but are fighting them off and pushing them back. Moscow is setting more limited goals in Ukraine now, setting their sights on trying to enlarge the area that Russia had held previously since 2014. The Ukrainian forces are dug in all around the main city of Sievierodonetsk that is in their control in the Luhansk province of the Donbas. Russia is escalating efforts to seize it. Ukrainian military said that the Russian forces have been unsuccessful in their attack on Oleksandrivka, which is a village just outside of Sievierodonetsk. President Zelenskyy said that 50 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers were killed each day in the east.
May 2022
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An Attack on Iran?
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Israel to Conduct a Large Military Drill on a Simulated Attack on Iran's Nuclear Sites
srael's military will be holding a large scale drill that will be simulating an attack on the Iranian nuclear sites. These air exercises are going to take place over the Mediterranean Sea. This will happen during the fourth week of Israel's "Chariots of Fire" drill. It simulates a regional conflict that involves many fronts, including the Iranian backed terror group, Hezbollah. They're located on Israel's northern border. Also, as Israel practices for repeated strikes that would take place inside Iran, Israeli forces are also expecting to simulate a plan for when Iran and its allies in the Middle East strike back. United States are expected to use their refueling planes in the training exercises. Israel's TV station channel 13 said that cooperation between the United States and Israel in this drill is unparalleled and it's also sending a message to Iran. Middle East
expert Ellie Cohanim, said, "I think what's historic is that the Biden administration is having America's military participate specifically on refueling Israeli jets, which is something very important." Benny Gantz who is Israeli Defense Minister, had met in Washington with the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to discuss the Iranian threat. Benny Gantz said, "We must act decisively against Iran's mounting regional aggression in a variety of ways, this includes strengthening a practical coalition under United States leadership together with regional partners." Before Benny Gantz
left for Washington, he told a policy conference in Israel that Iran is moving very quickly and they are approaching their nuclear objective. He said, "Iran continues to accumulate irreversible knowledge and experience in the development, research, production and operation of advanced centrifuges. It stands just a few weeks away from accumulating fissile material that will be sufficient for a first bomb, holds 60 kilos of enriched material at 60%, it produces metallic uranium at the enrichment level of 20% and prevents the IAEA from accessing its facilities." This large approaching drill is their goal to
develop a credible military choice against Iran should the negotiations in Vienna to restore the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal fails. The deal, that had strict limits put on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanction relief, fell apart in 2018 when President Trump's administration pulled out of the deal. President Trump backed out of the deal because he said it was "poorly negotiated" and still "allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium," which is a key component for a nuclear bomb. President Biden's administration has argued that President Trump's decision to pull out of the deal only sped up Iran's nuclear development, as they said Tehran was no longer required to honor the promises they made in the deal. The Biden administration rejected Iran's demands to be taken off the US terror list, unless Tehran makes adjustments on the issues of their nuclear program.
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His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
Titans draft Malik Willis
'God has Blessed him' says Quarterback Malik Willis of the Tennesse Titan
he former Liberty University Quarterback Malik Willis was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Surrounded by family and friends, Malik was completely overcome with his emotions after being picked by the Titans. After the announcement was made, he then tweeted about how grateful he was for being drafted into the NFL and he gave God all the glory. Malik talked with the Tennessee Titans' play by play announcer Mike Keith, where he told him that it was a blessing to play football and it was a gift from God. Malik said, "I'm blessed to do it, man. God's put me in a position where I can use my platform to glorify Him and bring people closer to Him, and just give joy to other people. So I enjoy playing the game because I'm blessed with the abilities, so I get to go use what God blessed me with and
impact other people and just make them happy." Malik started his college football career in Auburn back in 2017, before moving over to
Liberty University. Malik, the senior in college, wasn't shy about sharing his Christian faith with people, as he said that he doesn't
play the game for any approval from anyone. Malik says, "The only one I have to prove anything to and respect is God. I'm playing for an audience of One, and I don't really care too much what others say." Malik went on to clearly tell of his faithfulness to God in the fall 2021 Sports Spectrum Magazine where he said, "People say I'm humble, but I don't really know if it's humble. It's just very, very obedient, knowing that it's not me at all." He continued to say, "I just feel like He keeps beating it in my head, 'Just know how many people you influence, know what your impact does to people.' I feel like that's just a reiterating thing because I keep going to these places being a counselor, and I'm impacting a lot of young people's lives." Malik always likes to sign off on his social media posts with this #TGFE, which stands for "Thank God For Everything."
May 2022
His Grace Magazine!
Donna’s Easy Loaf/Muffins
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Sift together in Large Bowl: • 1 c Flour • 2 tsp B. Powder • 3 tbsp w. Sugar • 3 tbsp br. Sugar • ½ c Fruit, or nuts or chips, or combo Mix together in Med. Bowl: • ½ c milk • 1 egg • 1 tsp Lemon • Small container Apple Sauce or Yogurt • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil • ¼ c warm Coffee
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients • Mix lightly • Loaf: Bake for 45-55 minutes @ 350 deg. • Muffins: Bake for 25-30 minutes @ 350 deg. (Makes 12 muffins)
Genesis 1:29
"Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
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His Grace Magazine!
May 2022
Willie Aikens
Willie, after going to Prison, found Jesus Christ
W
illie Mays Aikens was born on October 14, 1954 in Seneca, South Carolina. He grew up in poverty in the Bruce Hill community of Seneca. He was a standout athlete in baseball, football and basketball at his Seneca High School. Willie also went to the historically black South Carolina State University on a baseball and football scholarship. Willie was drafted in the first round of the MLB 1975 draft by the California Angels. After he had 101 plate appearances in 1977, he became a steady regular for the Angels and in 1979, he hit 21 home runs and 81 RBI's in only just 379 at bats that season. After that season, Willie was traded to the
Kansas C i t y Royals where he started to shine as a baseball player; he smashed 20 home runs followed by 98 RBI's during the 1980 season. During that season, Willie
became the first Major League baseball player to hit 2 home runs in a twice World Series game. Willie played for the Kansas City Royals until he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays during the season of 1984. There he played 2 seasons for the Blue Jays, but at this point Will had a drug problem and his career in baseball was gone. Willie was labelled by so many as the next Reggie Jackson. But unfortunately, he didn't listen to the advice of so many of his teammates, and he took himself out of the game of baseball and right into the lengthiest prison sentence ever given to a professional athlete, as he received over 20 years. It was the drug of crack cocaine that put him in there. Willie spent his time at Atlanta Penitentiary. He was scheduled to be released in 2012 but was released on June 4, 2008...three months after Congress approved new guidelines for the federal drug laws and made them retroactive. A former teammate of Willie's, Hal McRae, was the only one of his former Kansas City teammates that talked with him while he was in prison. Hal helped Willie get a job in construction working on manholes. Since Willie's release from prison, he has spoken at schools about all that he went through, and
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Willie Aikens to the Royals young players, as he was always praying he could return to baseball. In November of 2008 he said to all the Royal fans that he was sorry for all that he had done, and for his time in prison. On February 1, 2011, the Royals announced they had hired Willie as a minor league coach. But unfortunately, the hiring was delayed as Willie's wife had a stroke, which was believed to have been from complications of lupus. Willie has recently told of his life story, from his terrible poverty he suffered as a child to the heights of fame and money, down to the horrible time in prison where he served 14 years. But Willie gave his life to Jesus Christ and now serves Him. Willie's life has proved that if God can forgive Willie, He can forgive anyone. Jesus Christ died on the cross for EVERYONE, and Willie accepted that offer of forgiveness of sins and his name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Willie is sharing his story to a wide variety of audiences, both from corporate and Christian. Every and any upand-coming athlete need to hear his story so that he or she can avoid the traps of drugs that Willie ran into. Willie and his wife have three daughters.
Willie Aikens with the Kansas City Royals 1980-1984 Season
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His Grace Magazine!
Prayer For Love
May 2022
Dear Lord God, Thank You for the love that You bestow on me. When I feel unworthy of being loved, You have made me worthy. When I feel incapable of showing love, help me to remember what You've sacrificed for me. Let me be a reflection of Your love. In Jesus' name,
Amen
“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are My disciples, when you love each other.”
John 13:34-35
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D
Daniel 9
May 2022
"The Seventy Weeks of Daniel"
aniel 9:24: "A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place." To break down Daniel's seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24, the passage refers to seventy periods of seven years totaling 490 years, required to bring in the ultimate jubilee: the release from sin, the establishment of everlasting righteousness and consecration of the temple. Even though Daniel was a high government official, he was a diligent student of Scripture who built his prayer life on the Word of God. When he prayed, he approached God with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. He began his prayer by recognizing the goodness and righteousness of God. As he confessed Israel's sin on behalf of his entire nation, he prayed as if he
were as bad as the rest of Israel, for he realized that Israel was rebellious and wicked and did not make their prayer of confession before the Lord, even though the Lord delivered them out of Egypt. He begged for mercy and simply asked God to turn to His people and shine His face upon them. Daniel's prayer was
prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, which focused upon Daniel's people, the Jews, and his holy city of Jerusalem and it mapped out a series of events that began in Daniel's lifetime, and will continue until the Second Coming of Christ. Daniel chapter 9 is one of the most significant prophetic books in the
answered when the angel Gabriel swiftly came to him while he was still praying during the time of the evening offering. Gabriel announced that he came to bring an answer to Daniel's prayer. Because Daniel was dearly loved by God, God revealed many things to him through the angel Gabriel's visit. Gabriel told him of the
Bible and Daniel's study in prophecies of Jeremiah showed him the seventy years described in Jeremiah 25:11-13: "This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years." Daniel's knowledge of the times revealed that his people's captivity would be
limited to seventy years, and that this seventy year period was almost over and that God was about to set His people free. Gabriel explained to Daniel that from the time Jerusalem would be restored and rebuilt, which happened in 445 B.C., when Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem with safe passage and supplies to rebuild the city and the walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8), until Jesus made His triumphal entry to Jerusalem, presenting Himself as Messiah the Prince to Israel (Mark 11:1-10), there would be seven weeks and sixty two weeks, or 69 weeks, totaling 483 years. So, the first seven periods of seven years (49 years): the city of Jerusalem is rebuilt (445 B.C. - 396 B.C.). Daniel 9:25 says, "From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times."
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The next 62 periods of seven years (434 years): Awaiting the MessiahZechariah 9:9 says, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" From the time of Jesus' birth to when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Palm Sunday), was from 396 B.C. - 32 A.D., totaling 434 years. Daniel 9:26 reads, "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off." The Jews called for Jesus' execution five days after He rode into Jerusalem as the promised Prince. Because the Jews did not receive Jesus as their Messiah, but instead crucified Him, this rejection from Israel of Jesus as the Messiah marked the beginning of a gap in Daniel's 70th week prophecy. This indefinite period of time is referred to as "Unreckoned time" and we are still living in it today. During the last period of 7 years, the Church will be raptured
Daniel 9
without notice and the Tribulation period will begin: Antichrist comes, ratifies an agreement with the nation of Israel providing military protection and religious freedom for Israel. Daniel 9:27 says, "Then he (the prince who is to come) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." This means that for the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, the antichrist will even help the Jews rebuild the temple and reestablish the sacrificial system. During the second 3 1/2 year period however, the antichrist breaks the treaty with Israel, ends the sacrificial system and begins a reign of terror, claiming to be God and demanding all
to worship him or else be put to death. These seventy weeks, or seventy sets of seven years totaling 490 years, focuses on Israel, not the gentile nations or the church. It was to bring an end to transgression by establishing a new order on earth, bringing an end to man's rebellion against God and bringing an end to sin itself through a new, redeemed world which Jesus will set up at His second coming. For all who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah, sin was reconciled to God's justice and holiness by the work that was accomplished at the cross. But for Israel, the consummation of His redeeming work will not occur until the end of the Tribulation, at the end of the Seventy Weeks - that's when Israel will finally recognize the atoning effect of Jesus as Messiah. Once Christ returns and establishes His kingdom, prophecy will
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be fulfilled, vision and prophecy will be sealed up because there will be no more sin and the Son of God will reign in the Holy of Holies, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are complete for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 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.
John 14:2-3
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May 2022
No Vacancy
“There is always room for Hope”
T
he movie No Vacancy, tells of the true story of a reporter who gets demoted to a small rural town of Leesburg, Florida, but there he finds a purpose and faith when she starts to pursue a story that is about a local Baptist Church's efforts to give support to the homeless, physically and spiritually. No Vacancy tells of this true story in this lively, captivating way and the movie has a powerful Christian message; it has themes
of redemption, sacrifice, trust and perseverance. No Vacancy opens with a man walking into the middle of a street, where he wants a car to hit him. Later in the movie, it is shown to us that he is addicted to drugs and because of that, he believes that there is no hope for him in this world anymore. The man, Cecil Johnson, is seen heading to the liquor store, and a friendly man offers to buy him some breakfast. Cecil is thankful for the
breakfast, the man then goes on to tell him that he knows of a good rehab center that can help him overcome his addiction to cocaine. Cecil then agrees to start rehab. At about this time, a reporter named Brandi Michaels is demoted to Leesburg, Florida, after the news company that she works for moves forward and goes digital and has to make a few cuts. Brandi is discouraged that she has yet to story on the newspaper's front page, despite all of her hard work for the paper. Brandi's demotion comes at a terrible time for her because she has to take care of her alcohol addicted brother and their mother is suffering from dementia. Hesitantly, Brandi accepts a story that follows the efforts of Pastor Cliff Lea and The First Baptist Church of Leesburg, as he tries to buy a hotel to offer the homeless some shelter. Brandi is personally against any type of religion, but she truly starts to research the story and the positive jolt that it would have on the community.
As Brandi continues to research the Church's ambition to buy the motel, she interviews a now clean Cecil Johnson. Cecil tells Brandi of how he changed his life through the church, with this miraculous transformation. Pastor Cliff Lea needs to raise $600,000 to buy the motel. Now also with financial challenges he has, the city officials are against the church buying the building because they believe it will only put the middle class families that live around the motel at a higher risk. Regardless of all the odds that are against him and the church, Pastor Cliff Lea only trusts in God to help him. As Brandi finds out some truth behind what the church's purchase of the motel would do for the community, she knows that her story could help the church or hurt the Pastor's plans. After Brandi has a personal encounter with God, she knows what she has to do. But with the city against them, will the Pastor and Church put their faith in God or lose hope?
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Lives in Me
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
