His Grace Magazine

Grace His

August 2020

Photo by Donna Wood

Ritters Arm, Newfoundland & Labrador

WOOD

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." Ministries Ephesians 5:25

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Table of Contents His Grace Magazine

August 2020

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Genesis 2:24

Comics................................................................................Page 3 From the Pulpit.................................................................Pages 4, 5, 6 Poetry Page........................................................................Page 7 Book in Review..................................................................Page 8 Prayer Page........................................................................Page 9 Athletes for Christ.............................................................Pages 10, 11 Walking with Jesus...........................................................Pages 12, 13 Racing with Christ............................................................Page 14 Recipe Page........................................................................Page 16 Retirement.........................................................................Pages 18, 19 Celebrations.......................................................................Page 20 Bible Study.........................................................................Page 21 Movie in Review................................................................Page 22

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Comic...

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

The Word According to Elijah Hey Elijah, Are you sure it's okay if I use your scratchpad?

Of course Bro, what's mine is yours!

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.'�

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His Grace Magazine!

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From the Pulpit...

August 2020

God's Plan for Marriage!

Owner/Publisher: Rob Wood

W

hen we get to mid August, we are almost at the end of another summer.

But to me, it is so much more than just that. To me, it's when I first met my wife in 2017 at a Tim Horton's in Cambridge, Ontario. We spent three hours there, just talking and getting to know each other. It was so hard to leave her, but I knew we would see each other again, because I knew I would marry her, as God had told me that she was to be my wife. During 2018, we met again in Ontario during the summer for three days. It was really hard having to let her go back home, but we kept in contact through phone calls everyday and texting. In February of 2019, I took my first trip by plane to see her; it was an amazing three days, but again was so hard to leave her.

Then came August of 2019, when I left my family and drove to Newfoundland to start my new life. Three days later, Donna and I were married.

Now this day is extra special to us; not only is it the day we

first met, but it is also the day we married. Today, August 20, 2020 is our first anniversary.

I have loved every minute of being married and I wouldn't change a thing at all. I love being Donna's husband, not because I like the title or because I like saying I'm married; it's simply because I love her, and that is one thing that we are told by God to do. Scripture says in Ephesians 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." This is not a suggestion

by God; He is commanding us to do this, guys. As for us husbands, we are to love our wives, it is a high standard put on the husband as he should always express his love for his wife. Jesus left us an example: the husband's love should always involve a profound, lifelong, enduring commitment and a desire to make sacrifices for her. Husbands are called to a high level of commitment; this includes love unto death. Not only are we to love our wives, but we are to dedicate our lives to staying with our wives, and we are to give our lives, if necessary. As scripture states in Ephesians 5:1, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children."

As for wives, they too are given instructions by God on how they are to be as our wives.

Scripture says in Ephesians 5:22-24, "Wives, submit to your

own husbands, as to the Lord.

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."

Unfortunately, this part of scripture is often taken out of context and misinterpreted.

First of all, wives are to submit to their husbands; women are not commanded to submit to all men. This includes dates, friends; they are to submit to their husbands only; it's a form of humbling ourselves to the Lord. When wives submit to their husbands, it illustrates their humbling to the Lord Jesus; this shows not only love to their husbands, but also to God. Marriage is not easy, but it sure is rewarding. Not really knowing the person can present challenges; I mean, you can date, but until you are married and living with your spouse, you really don't know their habits and quirks that makes them unique. I know this, because I have a few quirks myself. One thing that really helped Donna and I grow as a couple was knowing that God brought us together. Because of the distance involved, we were able to connect spiritually; we connected by really getting to know each other better through talking, reading the Bible together

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

From the Pulpit...

and praying over the phone. I remember I would always call Donna in the morning before she went to work. We talked for around 20 minutes, then we would pray. This helped both of us start the day properly by putting God in the center of our relationship. It made Donna and me grow stronger in our love and relationship, and we both truly needed that, especially with the distance that sometimes gets in the way of a relationship. It kept us strong so when we did meet, it was like we knew each other all of our lives. It made the life change so much easier for me moving here and getting married. God has truly helped us become closer together, all because we decided to put God first in our lives. One way to keep our marriages strong is to keep the main focus of the marriage squarely on God. When we get closer to God as a married couple, we will get closer to each other. God should always be the center of our marriages.

God's plan for marriage has been misunderstood for years; the secular world has ignored and abused the fundamentals of marriage. Before I had a relationship with Jesus, I never read the Bible and had no idea that we were not supposed to live with someone or have sex outside of marriage. This is how the world still lives and sees marriage. They don't see it

God's Plan for Marriage!

the way it is supposed to work; it is a holy covenant between us and God. Sex is supposed to be for marriage and marriage only, and that is because our bodies are His holy temple, as scripture says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

The reason God designed marriage: When the couple speak their vows during their wedding, it's not the bride, groom or the pastor who is centre stage at that point; it is God Himself. But the world, and unfortunately, some Christians take marriage way too lightly.

That is because they don't see marriage for the beautiful union that it is... created for God's glory. Now for the biblical Christian, marriage is holy.

They see the beauty in it and they see how sacred to God it is. Christians should realize that marriage is the bigger picture of Jesus Christ and His church that He loves. It makes it a sacred binding and a lifelong covenant between a bride and groom.

Ephesians 5:28-33 says, "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and

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cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." This is all done for the glory of God, and it's for the generations to come who will see God's glory that is revealed with the faithfulness that a bride and groom have for each other in a marriage covenant.

Remembering our wedding vows: A marriage between a husband and wife is not a contract. I hear this so many times when people say, 'I don't want a contract come between us.' It is a beautiful, holy covenant based on our vows which are performed in front of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our vows are biblical and they must include four things: Union, Love, Honor and Submission.

Remember, marriage is for life.

It's not easy; it's hard work at times, but with our commitment, love and Jesus in the centre, our marriages will be strong.

Always have the Holy Trinity in the centre of your marriage: What is the difference in a secular and a Christian marriage? It's the

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His Grace Magazine!

From the Pulpit...

fact that we have the Holy Trinity in the middle of our marriages. We, as Christians, are adopted by the Holy One, God Himself, and we are apart of His family. So when a married Christian couple become closer to each other, when they become closer to God. God

Wife Husband We are to be holy and that is because God is holy, as 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, 'but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."' As we do this more and more we will start to become more like Christ everyday.

As couples show more submission and do the things that God is asking them to do, they will find that they become less selfish and start to become more humble and do things for each other, which will show more fruits of the Holy Spirit.

As couples begin to become more holy, they will also begin to practice spiritual discipline, both separately and also when

August 2020

God's Plan for Marriage!

they're together. This will not only strengthen their marriage, but it will also please God. Resist unholy distractions: We should always be careful of the things we let into our lives, such as movies we watch, books we read or even the music we listen to. They tend to distort God's very design for marriage by having some characters in the movies sleep around or have affairs, making it look like an acceptable thing to do.

This is why we must remember scripture and place it in our hearts, so that in times such as these, we can use it to push satan's lies away from us.

Remember, we are what we watch, read and listen to. If we are not careful, before long we will start to live the way of the world instead of in the spirit.

We must watch, as satan moves in when we least expect it. He will try to bring in pornography, cybersex, soft porn, which can be pictures or even in writing.

He will try to bring in lust instead of love.

We can prevent this by simply reading our Bibles, praying, talking with our spouse and having God right beside us.

Remember, we serve our spouses well by not humiliating them with gossip or even with jokes that may be on the crude side.

We are to watch what we say, as Ephesians 5:4 says, "neither filthiness, nor foolish talking,

nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." Marriages should be testimonies of faithfulness, wisdom and all of the goodness of God. So let's love our spouses with all our hearts and souls; show them every minute of every day. We need to show the world a clear view of the way that God intended marriage to be, just as 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Commit to loving your spouse with all your heart, just as Christ loves His church.

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 at 905-380-4489, or email us at wood.ministries.2020@gmail.com

Poetry Page...

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

A Love Designed

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Divine orchestration is the only way to explain; The supreme initiation of our meeting in 2017.

On the 20th of August, in the heat of the midday sun, Our souls were ignited and our hearts became one.

The following year in June, for three splendid days Our future began unfolding in a myriad of ways.

Again we dismissed the separate worlds we knew; Mutual love blossomed and adoration grew.

February confirmed what we knew was God-ordained; The Holy Spirit filled us with a peace that would sustain.

We grew deeper in the Spirit, believed we’d be together soon; The hands of time spun with the counting of full moons.

On our 1st anniversary, we are in awe of a love designed By a God who first loved us; a display of a love so kind.

He laid down His life; there's no greater love than this, Grateful we will be for His lasting faithfulness.

(Jeremiah 31:3)

“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

His Grace Magazine!

Book in Review...

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Shelter in God

August 2020

Your Refuge in Times of Trouble...

Book by: Dr. David Jeremiah Written by: Lynne Wood

S

helter in God is another wonderfully written book

by Dr. David Jeremiah. People are asking where is God when tragedy or disasters strike, like Covid 19, the unprecedented pandemic that has literally brought the world to its knees. God is here right beside you where He's always been. God is always with you; He is your rock in times of trouble. Dr. David Jeremiah has taken his inspiration from the Psalms in writing this book. Each chapter starts off with one of the wonderfully written Psalms from the Bible. He breaks down the Psalms at the beginning of each chapter in Dr. David Jeremiah's unique way of writing so you fully understand each Psalm. David wrote many of the Psalms in the Bible and he found his refuge in God. David found his refuge in God from the many years he hid from Saul, later from his son Absolom and all the wars he fought claiming land, God protected David and gave him shelter. David did not fear; God was his Rock and He is

yours also.

David expressed everything so wonderfully in Psalms 19:7-11, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The

judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward."

At times we may feel like everything is closing in on us, that you can't escape your problems.

Now if you were to stop and think for a moment on the God who loves you, and count your blessings one by one, things will start to change.

Instead of the darkness closing in, you will begin to see the light appearing.

Trust in God and under His wings you will find Refuge.

"I will love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3.

"Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

Psalm 91:1

Prayer Page...

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

Marriage

Dear Heavenly Father, We come before You to thank You For all You have done and continue to do In our lives and marriage.

Lord, strengthen the bonds Of both physical and spiritual intimacy, With You being the God-Head of our family.

Help us to honor You through our bodies, As they are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Let Your Holy Spirit empower us with humility, Gentleness, patience, and kindness.

Father, help us to be the spouse You desire us to be.

Show us where we need to improve.

Help us both to grow closer to You; Help us to always love one another.

We love You and give You all the glory.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

1 Corinthians 6:19

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His Grace Magazine!

Athletes for Christ...

August 2020

Raghib Ismail "Rocket" was his nickname...

R

ocket Ismail's real name is Raghib Ramadian Ismail; he was born on November 8, 1969 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He is a retired football player of the CFL and the NFL. Raghib was a receiver and kick returner; he was given the nickname of "Rocket" because of his amazing speed.

He would explode down the field.

Raghib Ismail was the crowd favorite when he played, fans were excited to watch him play the game of football.

It didn't matter if he was playing college ball or in the CFL or the NFL. When Raghib played college football for the Notre Dame University, he was electrifying, catching the ball and out running everyone on the field. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated on two separate occasions. He was All American, he was second in the Heisman Trophy voting, College Football News named Him #75 on their All Time Greatest College Football Raghib "Rocket" Ismail's Players list. On top of that, Sports Illustrated named him to their Rookie season 85 man roster of their All 20th 1991

Century College Football Team.

Raghib was expected to be picked #1 overall in the NFL draft, but he surprised everyone when he decided to sign with the Toronto Argonauts of the (CFL) Canadian Football League. In 1991, the Argos where under new management with three new owners: Bruce McNeil, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy. They really wanted a flashy, fast star to bring fan interest back and they picked Rocket Ismail to do just that. During his rookie season, he caught 64 passes for 1300 yards; he also had 786 yards on kick returns and 602 on punt returns.

During his first season as a rookie in 1991, he won the 79th Grey Cup with the Argos and he was named Grey Cup MVP. He also made the All Star team; he finished 2nd in voting for Rookie of the Year.

Raghib then left and went back to the United States in 1993 to play for the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, after only two seasons in the CFL. He played in Oakland for three seasons before playing for the Carolina Panthers for three seasons in which he had a breakout season where he had 1,000 yards receiving in 1998. He then signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 1999.

He answered in a big way as the Cowboys leading receiver; he gained 1,097 yards with six touchdowns. Raghib ended his career with the Dallas Cowboys, retiring from football in 2003.

Raghib is marred to Melanie since 1995 and they have four children together.

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

Athletes for Christ...

Raghib left Islam after his Muslim dad passed away, when he was a teenager. He moved in with his grandmother.

She was a member of the Assemblies of God Church.

Afterwards, he gave his life to Jesus where he serves the Lord and he loves sharing Jesus with other people. Raghib is now an inspirational speaker, where he speaks in many Corporations, schools and churches that he visits.

Raghib Ismail

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Jesus...Psalm

His Grace Magazine!

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Walking With

J

53 The Suffering Servant...

udaism teaches that Isaiah 53 is fulfilled in the suffering of the nation of Israel, which bore the sins of the Gentile nations. However, this prophecy cannot refer to the nation of Israel. Israel is not an innocent and silent sufferer, as is the individual described in the passage. Israel never died; the nation has continued to maintain a distinct national existence.

The nation of Israel is the beneficiary of the Servant’s sacrifice. The prophet Isaiah spoke of these prophecies 600-700 years before Christ came to earth, yet they speak of the necessity for Him to suffer for the sins of the people and His amazing triumph over suffering. The Suffering Servant plainly laid out God’s plan for salvation long before He was ever born, yet its ambiguity concealed His plan so well that not even Satan saw it coming. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 reads: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

The Messiah was not some fierce warrior come to overthrow the government. The sinless One came and took human sin on Himself. He bore the punishment for our sins and even the sin itself (Isaiah 53:11- 12).

He was beaten beyond recognition; our sins were the thorns in Christ's head, the nails in His hands and feet, the spear in His side. He was

delivered to death for our offences and interceded on our behalf (Isaiah 53:12). By His sufferings, He purchased for us the Spirit and grace of God. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah through His death on the cross.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus quotes from this passage and suggests it’s about Him: “For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” (Luke 22:37) In the New Testament, Philip used one of the Servant Songs as a starting point for evangelism. The Ethiopian eunuch asked him to explain the passage, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.“ (Isaiah 53:7-8) Philip introduced him to Jesus, the One who was led to His death for the sins of all humanity.

Isaiah 53:5 makes it clear that we deserved the punishment Jesus suffered: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And

by His stripes we are healed.” The good news is that His death and resurrection satisfied God’s righteous anger — which we all earned because of our sin and disobedience.

August 2020

Walking With Jesus...

His Grace Magazine!

August 2020

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The book of Acts The Risen Christ...

lmost half of the New Testament kingdom to Israel?” And He said to occurs after Jesus has already them, “It is not for you to know times been crucified and raised from the or seasons which the Father has put dead. in His own authority. But you shall Those books are filled with the receive power when the Holy Spirit accounts of what the disciples did has come upon you; and you shall be after Christ was risen, but what many witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in people do not always think about is that all Judea and Samaria, and to the end Jesus Himself appears several times of the earth.” in the Bible after His Resurrection.

Now when He had spoken these He does not simply disappear straight things, while they watched, He was to heaven. In fact, Acts 1:3 tells us taken up, and a cloud received Him that, after the Resurrection, there out of their sight. was a period of 40 days in which the And while they looked steadfastly risen Jesus appeared to His disciples toward heaven as He went up, behold, and spoke of things concerning the two men stood by them in white kingdom of God. apparel, who also said, “Men of In Acts 1:1-11, the apostle Luke Galilee, why do you stand gazing up writes, “The former account I made, into heaven? This same Jesus, who Oh Theophilus, of all that Jesus was taken up from you into heaven, began both to do and teach, until will so come in like manner as you saw the day in which He was taken up, Him go into heaven.” after He through the Holy Spirit had The first two chapters of Acts revolve given commandments to the apostles around the miracle of Pentecost. whom He had chosen, to whom He It would be on that special Day of also presented Himself alive after His Pentecost (the birthday of the Church), suffering by many infallible proofs, that the Church was to be birthed being seen by them during forty days into being, and so Jesus gathered and speaking of the things pertaining His followers and instructed them to the kingdom of God. to remain in Jerusalem, where they And being assembled together with would be baptized with the promised them, He commanded them not to Holy Ghost. depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for Little did this faithful band of the Promise of the Father, “which,” followers know that, in ten days time, He said, “you have heard from Me, for they were to receive that promised John truly baptized with water, but you baptism of the Holy Spirit, about shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit which both John the Baptist and the not many days from now.”

Lord Jesus Christ Himself had spoken.

Therefore, when they had come This faithful little flock of believers together, they asked Him, saying, were to become the first members of “Lord, will You at this time restore the Christ's body - the Church.

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His Grace Magazine!

Racing with Christ...

August 2020

Brett Rowe Jesus answered his prayer...

B

rett Rowe was born on May 6, 1967 in Barboursville, West Virginia. Brett accepted Jesus in his life at a young age.

Brett grew up in a household of alcohol abuse and other problems. His testimony is that Jesus lifted him above all those problems in his life.

When Brett started his racing career, he started in the Busch Series now called Nationwide Series.

After his first race, he went back to the trailer where he saw two cases of Busch beer on the table.

It bothered him that alcohol was back in his life again. He

didn't want that to represent him.

Brett went to Jesus in prayer and asked Him to help him decide whether to continuing racing in the Busch Series. If it was going to cause Brett problems, then maybe he should leave. While Brett went to Texas for a big race, Lonnie Clouse, who is Motor Racing Outreach's lead Chaplain for the Busch Series, went to Brett and said to him, "Have you heard the news? We have a new sponsor for the series, it is going to be called the Nationwide Series now!"

Problem solved, God is so good with His amazing grace.

When Brett heard this exciting news, his favorite scripture came into his mind...Psalm 57:2: "I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me."

Jesus hears us and our prayers; He takes care of His children.

Jesus helped Brett enjoy his racing career better than he ever did.

Before every race, Brett would remove the "Coors Light Pole Award" decal from his car and he would replace it with the scripture of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" in its spot.

Brett's testimony is that God is continuing to help him through all of his trials, tribulations and temptations of this world and all its offers. Brett is so thankful and he feels so blessed.

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

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He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 1:3

Recipe...

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His Grace Magazine!

Cod au Gratin

August 2020

• 1 lb Cod Fillets, cut into cubes • ¼ c Butter • ¼ c Flour • 1 ¼ c Milk • 1 tsp Salt • 1 tsp Sage • 1 tsp Cilantro • Pepper to taste • 1 small Onion, finely chopped • ½ c Italian bread crumbs • ½ c Old grated Cheddar Cheese

• Preheat oven to 375 deg • Place cod in greased baking dish • Melt butter; stir in flour, salt, sage, cilantro and pepper until smooth; remove from heat • Gradually stir in half the milk; return to heat and beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining milk and chopped onion.

• Cook, stirring until smooth and thickened • Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese • Bake for 15-30 min until sauce bubbles and fish is cooked

Mark 6:41 “And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divide among them all.”

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

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Retirement...

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His Grace Magazine!

August 2020

What are you retiring from?

What are you retiring to?

After a life-time of experience, it’s time to simply ‘exhale’ Written by: Keith Knight

“Retirement is unbiblical,” day and night, plants and animals, expectancy back then was 66.8 years for men and 73 for women. she told me, her fist firmly mankind.

“By the seventh day God had That’s not much of a retirement. pounding her desk.

Alice had been the company bookkeeper for about 50 years.

She lived and breathed the daily routine, and now that she was approaching 80, she was reluctant to give it up.

She believed that if she ever retired, she’d probably just pass away within a few months. Her work defined her.

Retirement conjurs up a wide variety of emotions: anticipation, excitement, perpetual vacation, travel.

But also anxiety, apprehension, and a loss of purpose.

The closest that the Bible comes to mentioning retirement is in Numbers 8:25: "At the age of 50, they (the Levites) must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties ...but they themselves must not do the work."

But its worthwhile to go back even further, to the beginning of Genesis to determine that work isn’t the result of sin but it’s part of God’s creation order. In fact, our very first image of God “in the beginning” is a God of work; creating the universe, creating

finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested (ceased) from all His work.

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” (Genesis 2:2) After God created Adam, He put him to work: pick fruit, tend the garden, and give names to each living creature.

Work is part of the creation order. “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”

There is delight in work. Work is also worship. It is how we use our God-given talents each day in God’s kingdom.

It is only once we understand the value and the role of work that we can understand the value and the role of retirement.

Is it true that, as that deskpounding retiree declared, “retirement is unbiblical” … perhaps with the exception of the Levites who had to pack it in at age 50?

The notion of retirement is a fairly recent phenomenon. The Canada Pension Plan was created in 1965, setting the retirement age at 65. Interestingly, the life

Today, someone at age 65 can expect to live to age 90; that’s another 25 years! We’re living longer and staying healthy longer.

What do we do with all that time? There’s the rub.

As you approach your retirement -- probably somewhere between age of 65 and 75 -- consider taking a sabbatical; a few months off.

Maybe even a year. Rest, relax, travel, visit the kids, do a few of the things that you've always wanted to do.

But before boredom sets in, before you spend endless hours in your deck chair or riding around on a golf cart, you need to spend some valuable time reflecting on your life, focusing on your areas of expertise, knowledge and wisdom. It’s also important to spend considerable time in prayer, realizing how God has led you throughout your life, and to be open to His leading during this next chapter in your life.

Pull out your latest resume or cv and reflect upon all that you have done: your various jobs – good and bad, your career challenges. Create a list of the areas of expertise that you have developed over the years.

Retirement...

August 2020

His Grace Magazine!

What are you retiring from?

That could be a brief list or it could evolve into a novel.

Your history will shape your future. What you have done, and accomplished, and even failed at, will help you determine how you can share your experiences with others.

You have learned a lot and done a lot in your life. Now it’s time to share it with others, especially teaching and training and mentoring the next generation.

When our oldest daughter began her new career as a teacher after graduating from college, she was clearly nervous. I told her that, after all of those years of education and training, she simply had to “learn to exhale.” Just breathe all of that knowledge over those children.

That’s what retirement can become for you. After decades of

learning, doing and experiencing life, it is now time to simply ‘exhale’; breathe all of your knowledge over younger men and women as they shape their careers.

There is, however, something even more important to share with others. It’s your spiritual journey.

It’s about how God has shaped you and molded you and walked with you throughout your life. Tell them your story. It’s invaluable.

As you mentor and train others, teach them your Christian perspective on leadership, on stewardship, on the right way to treat employees. Teach young men and women the importance of work/family balance. Remind them that their treasure is in heaven, not in the accumulation of wealth or toys or real estate.

Most of us can expect to live 20 to

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30 years after we reach retirement age. That's an entire career!

Prayerfully take a sabbatical to determine where God wants you to serve next and who you should be mentoring. Then approach this new chapter in your life with the same zeal that you had in your former career. Except that now you will have the benefit of wisdom and experience. More importantly, you will have the benefit of walking with God throughout your life, feeling His presence as you made those thousands of good and bad decisions.

It’s time to exhale.

Keith Knight is the executive director of the Canadian Christian Business Federation, bringing together thousands of men and women who reflect their faith through their work.

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His Grace Magazine!

Celebrations...

August 2020

June, July & August

Happy Birthday!

June Carolann Langdon July Brenda William t t e r r a B S n y s Mart August Agnes Reid

Anniversaries!

Aaron & Julie MacDonald August 1, 2014

Rob & Donna Wood August 20, 2019

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you..."

Jeremiah 1:5

August 2020

Bible Study...

H

His Grace Magazine!

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands love your wives...

usbands, love your wives: The love demanded of the husband by God is the highest form of love ever known to man (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). The word for love is AGAPE, which means much more than sexual passion or even family affection. It means seeking the highest good for another person. This is not a love based on self-interest, because that type of love will always fail. This is a love that loves the hard-to-love (Romans 5:6-8). This divine kind of love is not motivated by selfinterest or the attractiveness of the one loved, but by a sincere interest in that person’s well being.

This enduring love consists of being affectionate, respectful, honoring your wife, providing all things necessary for her, protecting her from all injuries and abuses and concealing her faults and covering her infirmities.

This love ought to be sincere; it should be shown in private, as well as in public; it should be constant and perpetual. The husband is to be an example for her, to counsel her if she needs counsel, and to make the path of salvation as easy for her as possible. If a husband has the spirit and self-denial of the Savior, he will regard no sacrifice too great if he may promote the salvation of his family.

This type of love requires an attitude of unconditional acceptance of an imperfect person,

not based on her performance, but on her worth as God’s gift to her husband. This love arises out of a commitment of the will.

Just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her: How did Christ love the Church?

He laid down His life for her.

Christ loved the church with a love that is sincere, pure, constant and persevering. The love of Christ for His Church is such that He counts Himself incomplete without her (Ephesians 1:23), and raises her to be one with Himself.

He bears with her weakness and

frailty; He draws her on by the cords of love. He gave Himself up in death to provide salvation for her. Who can doubt a love which has proved its strength and glory in such suffering and death? By His death, Christ proved the character of His love.

The authority of the man over the woman is founded on his love to her, and this love must be such as to lead him to risk his life for her.

That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing

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of water by the word: Christ gave Himself a ransom for the church when she was polluted, in a state of slavery and misery.

The church was unworthy of His affection. But His love for her was a tenderness beyond all conception. He gave Himself up for her in order that He might, by means of the washing of water, by the word, sanctify and cleanse her from her sins in His own blood.

Someone then asks, ‘Why doesn’t the apostle Paul say that wives should love their husbands like that?’ Paul did say that. He said it when he instructed them to be in subjection to their husbands. Her obedience, freely and willingly given, is the greatest evidence of her love for him. The woman who will not submit to her husband loves neither him nor the Lord. "Submission" and "Love" are two aspects of the very same thing…that selfless self-giving which is the foundation of an enduring and growing marriage.

Husbands, as Christ brought to His feet by much tenderness one that even wantonly rejected Him, so do you act tenderly toward your wife. No bond is more sovereign, especially in the case of husband and wife. You ought to bind to you the companion of your life, the mother of your children, the basis of all your joy, not by fear, but by agape love.

His Grace Magazine!

Movie in Review...

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T

August 2020

Fireproof “Never Leave your Partner Behind�

his movie was released in 2009; it was produced by the Kendrick brothers and this was their third movie at the time. Fireproof is an amazing, intriguing, captivating, heartbreaking, life changing story directed at saving a marriage that is starting to fail.

Caleb is a fire chief who lives in Albany, Georgia, who says he getting respect from everyone else except from his wife, Katherine.

Katherine is a public relations officer at Albany's hospital. Every time he comes home from fires and rescues, there is no food made up for him. Instead of talking and asking about it, he gets angry with Katherine, and she gets mad and

yells back at him for not buying groceries himself as he has more time off than she does. Caleb then tells her she should stay home and take care of the shopping and housework, but Katherine has to work as her mom had a stroke and she needs a wheelchair and a special bed that costs thousands of dollars.

Katherine is also mad because while she is working to help her mom, Caleb is saving his money to buy a boat. She also confronts him on watching pornography on the computer.

It looks like their marriage is over until Caleb's dad asks him to take a 40 day challenge called "The Love Dare", to work through the problems and treat Katherine better. Caleb agrees to try, but Katherine doesn't trust him. To make things worse, a doctor at the hospital has a liking for Katherine.

The more Caleb tries to show he is changing, she keeps pushing him away.

Now halfway through the 40 day challenge "The Love Dare", Caleb's dad tells Caleb he needs to understand that we need the love of Jesus, because we can't truly love, if we don't have the love

of Jesus in us. Caleb has said he doesn't need Jesus in his life, but while with his dad in front of a wooden cross, he realizes that he does need Jesus and gives his life to Jesus.

Afterwards, things get harder when Katherine leaves him divorce papers. Caleb continues to follow Jesus and changes his ways. He has also found a new love for Katherine. He rescues a girl from a fire and received burns on his arms, only to receive a cold shoulder from Katherine. The ending will surprise you; this movie is emotional with a powerful message and has a few unexpected twists and turns.

Alex and Stephen Kendrick made this powerful movie with the help from their church in Albany and with the help of many volunteers, who showed a lot of talent in the making of this movie. Kirk Cameron does a great job as Caleb; his character is funny at times as well as shows us many other emotions. It's a great movie with a low budget and the grace of God. Starring: Kirk Cameron, Erin Bethea, Ken Bevel, Harris Malcolm, Eric Young, Stephen Dervan, Alex Kendrick, Renatta Williams, Dwan Williams, Jason McLeod.

Director: Alex Kendrick.

Producers: Alex Kendrick, Stephen Kendrick, David Nixon.

Executive Producers: Michael Catt, Terry Hemmings, Jim McBride Fireproof: is available on Blue ray and DVD.

His Grace Magazine!

Grace

August 2020

His

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His Grace Magazine!

August 2020

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