Thursday, May 20, 2010

Now Husband and Wife


On May 18th two thousand and ten
God for His glory brought to an end,
Two lives that they may be now only one,
Reflecting the glory of God's Holy Son.

We know not the future, but Christ is the key
That brought us together by His Sovereignty.
Where He leads we will follow and all we will boast,
Is the cross of our Saviour by His Sweet Holy Ghost.

Of Him and through Him is where we will live,
By the Word of His grace all the glory we give,
For He has done great things is what we will say,
For He is our Portion, our Guide, and our Stay.

Each day we will praise Him, for now in His sight,
We're one in our union by the power of His might.
Our task is to please Him in all that we do,
Til with Him in glory all things will be new.

Michael E. Wood
May 18, 2010

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Glimmer - May 16, 2010

All glory and praise,
For the Lamb He Is raised!
So sweetly He gathered and caused us to gaze,

Upon all His glory,
And gave us His joy,
That by Him, and for Him our songs tell His story!

Oh, Wonderful Saviour,
You changed our behaviour,
Transforming our hearts and our minds by Your favor!

As we now continue,
Your Spirit our sinew,
By the Word of Your grace, You build all we have in You!

Michael E. Wood
May 16, 2010

Saturday, May 15, 2010

At Any Place, At Any Time!

Why should it seem so strange to so many professing Christians that a man or a woman would break out in songs of praise to our Lord in most any place or at any time?

Even in one of the most well known of our contemporary hymns, "Blessed Assurance" by Fanny Crosby, the words declare, "This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long". In Reliquiare Baxterianae, Part 1, page 21, speaking of the effect of God's use of the Puritan Pastor Richard Baxter, it is said, "...on the Lord's days ...you might hear an hundred families singing psalms and repeating sermons as you passed through the streets."

There are a number of places in the Psalms which speaks of singing the praises of our God among the heathen, yea, among all peoples. While reading Psalm 71 and coming to verses 5-8, "For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you. I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day", the following words came to mind;

Is Christ your story, Oh, is He your Song?
Oh, do you sing praise to Him all the day long?
Are you now a sign of His Excellent Spirit,
Poured out on the alter of Christ, Who can hear it?

Has He not given a mouth and a tongue,
Whereby we may teach in the songs that are sung?
Oh yes, we need preaching, and in that we delight,
But praise is the due of the One in Whose sight,

Has brought us to birth, and from our mother's womb
Now shows forth the glory of His empty tomb!
As now up in heaven, enthroned far above
Intercessions are made sure, in Him, Who Is Love.

God Is our Hope and our Refuge, so Strong,
No trials or troubles will end our New Song!
Revive us He will, from the depths up again,
And show He is righteous in all He ordained.

His deeds of salvation, Oh tell all the day.
Their number past knowledge, through Jesus, The Way!
For His righteousness is, now all our own,
And all of the glory, is Yours, God alone!


Michael E. Wood
May 15, 2010

Friday, May 14, 2010

As Jewels that are all Your own!

This morning, while contemplating the fact that I would have--Lord willing--one last opportunity to minister to a very special group of ladies at the Springview Assisted Living facilities on Chapel Hill Road in Burlington, North Carolina; and, likewise knowing that I would not be completing a verse-by-verse study through the book of 1st John, I was given the grace to read through this little treasure chest given to us for the glory of God, and the following words came to mind:


Oh Father for the love You Gave,
We ask Your help in every way--
That we may show that You Are True,
And by Your Word our minds renew.

For we are weak, and You Are Holy
And Christ You gave to show Your glory.
For as He Is, now so are we;
Abide with us as now we flee--

Unto our Righteous Advocate
Who's faithfulness we'll not forget.
For He's the Keeper of our souls--
Reminding us that He now holds

Our life and breath within His hands,
Fulfilling all eternal plans
That You have promised for our good,
As in the gap for us He stood.

That chasm that was, Oh, so great
That we could not then contemplate
The glories of Your matchless love--
Enslaved by sin, but then Your Dove

Revealed to us our wretchedness
And then in awe, our souls You blessed
To show Yourself, Oh Blessed Saviour
And poured on us Your Loving Favor.

Oh strengthen us Sweet Holy Spirit
To take the cross of Christ, not fear it.
As only through His death we're found
And raised with Him on holy ground,

To walk in love toward those without,
That they may hear the joyful shout.
Perfected by Your Love then known,
As jewels that are all Your Own.


Michael E. Wood
May 14, 2010

By Your Spirit and Your Word

(Note: This was written on May 13, 2010 and was posted a day late)


Psalm 65 begins with the words, "To The Choirmaster. A Psalm Of David. A Song. Praise is due to You, O God, in Zion, and to You shall vows be performed. O You Who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come."

While rejoicing in the joy of God's Word, as He Is our Choir Master, and has placed us where He sees fit to sing His praises --a song that delights my soul to sing to Him with His dear saints or to simply sing to Him when no one but He can hear is, "I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord", by Timothy Dwight, 1752-1817.

While delighting in Him and the Word that He has so freely given this morning these words came to mind:

In all we see with earthly eyes
They are but foretaste's of our Prize.
For Christ, You Are The One Who's due
Our vows performed to honor You.

For blessed we are, Your holy nation
Of which You chose before creation.
In Zion now our prayer You hear,
As we approach with godly fear.

And nothing in ourselves we claim,
But wholly lean on Jesus Name,
As through the cross You now empower,
And fill with grace for each new hour.

Oh, such abundance You now give,
That we may for Your glory live.
By awesome deeds You answer us,
O LORD, our God, our Righteousness!

Oh, by Your Spirit and Your Word,
Fulfill Your promise, we have heard,
That we may sow in all Your field,
As servants of Your will we yield.

Oh, give to us more precious tears,
And faithfulness through all our years.
With shouts of joy You will receive,
Your glory due in every sheave,

As bound we are to know Your ways,
With joy to give You all the praise,
And go we will the extra mile,
And live for Your eternal smile.


Michael E. Wood
May 14, 2010

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Lips of Clay

While going through some articles that had been packed away from years gone by, I found some things that reminded me of my past, and the thought came to mind, ""What were you thinking?" Ephesians 2:1-5 tells the story quite well.

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—"

And the following words came to mind.

Confusion thrives in all that hides
Within the depths of sin.
But God is clear to all who fear,
And know His peace within.

Pride o'ercome by Christ Who won
And bought the victory.
The price was paid, our sins were laid
On Him at Calvary.

Forget the past, for all that lasts
Is that which brings God glory.
And through the cross we count all loss
Which manifests His story.

Ne'er can we pay with lips of clay
A tribute such is due,
Though You refine in all of Thine,
That we may honor You.

And now our praise we joyfully raise,
Unto the God of glory,
For Christ redeemed is now our theme,
And He is all our joy!


Michael E. Wood
May 12, 2010 10:00 am

Your Glory Has No End!

While reading in the Psalms, I came to chapter 60:11,12, "Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is He Who will tread down our foes." And the following short poem came to mind.

Foes within and foes without,
Our God has triumphed with a shout!
Though we are weak and Oh so fragile--
Christ is our Head that makes us agile;
To fight the well fought fight with joy
And render unto Him the glory.

Oh, be exalted, O our God--
Above the heavens where You trod.
You walk upon the wings of wind
And there Your glory has no end!
Among the nations we'll sing Your praises,
As victors of the dead Christ raises.


Michael E. Wood
May 12, 2010 7:12 am

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

For He is our Life!

While reading Colossians chapter 2, I came to verses 13,14 which says, "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with all it's legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross." This in turn was used to direct me to Acts Chapter 3 and the following flowed freely from my Father in heaven:

Once like the man, who was laid at the Gate
Called Beautiful, I knew not my fate.
Lame from my birth, and begging for alms,
I knew not the joy then, spoken in Psalms

Then in the Name of Christ Jesus so simple,
Power I received to enter the Temple.
Now walking and leaping and praising my God,
Oh think it not strange, Oh think it not odd,

That the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Would glorify Christ, and clothe all the naked
Of which He appointed to show in due time,
Restoring all things to His glory sublime!

Oh fix your attention on Paul, Peter, and John
And all those in Christ who now speak from beyond,
As The Author of life, Whom God raised from the dead,
Suffered and bled on the cross in my stead.

Repentance and faith in His Name I received,
My sins blotted out, by His faith to believe.
And now all my strength and my health before all
Comes only through Jesus, as on Him I call.

Oh, listen to Christ in all that He tells
You by His Word and His Spirit to dwell,
And all of the wonder you see with amazement
Will then be your own for His glory by grace sent.

And the record of debt with it's legal demands
You'll find has been canceled, as you see in the hands,
The scars of The Saviour, Who bore all the loss
And set it aside when nailed to the cross.

And rooted and built up in Christ you will be
With all those in Jesus, Who's triumph we see.
For He is our Life, and in all we hold dear
Til with Him in glory we then will appear.

Michael E. Wood
May 11, 2010 4:40 a.m.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

For Mom on Mother's Day

Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with promise. This charge is committed to me as a child of God, that I might wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. Pray and intercede with thanksgivings for all people, that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly, and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

And the truth is God knew what He was doing all along for the sake of His Own glory, in the selection of the father and the mother He would use to bring us into this fallen world and as He also instructs us that if there be any virtue or any praise, we are to think on these things, and thus we are commissioned to honor our Father in heaven as we honor our father and mother on earth. And thus, with those thoughts, the following words came to mind:

Dear mom, you were the one
God chose to bring us into this world
And did your best to shape our minds
For all that would be hurled--


At us in life to test our hearts
To see what would be true.
And now it is our time to show
That we will honor you.

We thank you for the love you've shown
Through all these passing years,
Though there were times that all we gave
Brought nothing more than tears.


We thank you for the times you spoke
The truth when we heard not.
For truth in love will yet prevail
And never be forgot.

And now for one, I hope you know,
I love you more than words,
For actions speak far louder than
The songs of all the birds.


So hold to faith, and hope, and love
And know how much we're blessed
To have you as our mom, for God
Foreknew, what He deemed best!


Michael E. Wood
May 6, 2010

Note: Michael printed the above poem out with a graphic border made from two photographs he had taken earlier in the spring of cardinals in a tree covered with white blossoms. He framed it in a lovely frame and presented to his mother on Mother's Day 2010.



Saturday, May 8, 2010

Through the Cross, our lips He's kissed

As I was in the midst of reading Psalm 132, and came to verses 13-18: "For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: "This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine." my mind thought of the sweetness of which I have been made to partake in Christ as a member of the local body of Christ here in North Carolina which is now known by the earthly name of Beacon Baptist Church.

There are no words to express the privilege that has been afforded me, but as I also thought of how quickly the time seems to have gone by, my eyes filled with tears of sorrow intermixed with joy, as I began to write, and happily was led to Zephaniah 3:17, of which we hear the voice of His Word speak to our hearts; "The LORD is in your midst, a Mighty One to save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with singing.", and thus I began to write;

How short the time seems we have had
By which our Lord has made us glad,
As He has tightened up the strings
Of our heart chords, as He now sings--

Rejoicing o'er His bride with joy
That we might all, of Him enjoy
His mighty presence in our midst
As through the cross, our lips He's kissed.

Oh, how sweet, is His rest in love
As He prepares our place above.
And though for now we're afflicted and poor,
We feast on all He holds in store.

For He Who makes our speech so pure,
That we may call on Him secure,
And serve Him with our hearts ablaze,
As we lie down and on Him we graze.

Sing aloud, O Zion's daughter
And worship Him with all we offer!
For He has changed our shame to praise!
Redeemed for Himself, now all our days.

Before our eyes He will restore
Our fortunes by our King, we adore.
Oh, so much more than I can tell,
When we at last in glory dwell!


Michael E. Wood
May 8, 2010

I am also so very thankful for the platform that I was given at Cracker Barrel to sing His praise and rejoice in Him with many of those He has chosen and called to Himself though not members of Beacon, I trust to see in heaven one day, to the praise of the glory of God's amazing, overwhelming grace. Amen!

Friday, May 7, 2010

All who seek You will Rejoice!

While contemplating Psalm 40, I came to verse 5 which says, "You have multiplied, O LORD my God, Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told" and the following words came to mind;

Your wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us
Are more than can be told,
And ears you have now dug for me*,
Your myst'ry to unfold.

For You take not delight in things
Where we once thought to stand,
For all we have to offer You,
Comes freely from Your hand. (1st Chron.29:13)

In mercy You inclined to me
And heard my feeble cry.
You drew me from the miry pit
And left me not to die.

You set my feet upon The Rock
And make my steps secure.
My mouth You put a new song in.
A song of praise so sure.

As many will now see and fear
And put their trust in You.
For Christ Is All--our Song of praise,
In which You chose to prove,

The glory of Your steadfast love,
And all Your faithfulness,
And for the glory of Your Name,
Christ Is our Righteousness!

All who seek You will rejoice--
Love You, Oh, our Salvation!
For Great Are You, O LORD our God,
And great Your congregation.

Michael E. Wood
May 7, 2010

(*ESV Hebrew for; you have given me an open ear)

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Then Jesus Saved Me

As I was given the grace to awake this morning and to begin the day with reading Titus, and the beginning of 1st Timothy 1:12-17 which reads, "I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." I had the thought of reading through, but was captivated by the thoughts given to the apostle Paul, and by the same grace given to Him by the Spirit of the Living God, I saw myself and my sin, and more importantly I saw my Jesus, Who Is my Strength and has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God, for His Own glory.

My actions once in unbelief,
In ignorance I brought Him grief.
My insolence opposed Him then
Until He saved me from my sin.

(Chorus)
For God in mercy, He has come.
O'erflowed my heart by grace and won.
With faith and love in Christ I see,
And to Him all the glory be!

The vilest hypocrite I know--
Professing faith that could not grow
And all my life was to my shame;
Then Jesus saved me by His Name.

(Chorus)

What tender mercy I receive
As faithful He appointed me
Unto His service I will live
And to Him all the glory give.

(Chorus)

What patience Christ now shows in me
That others in Him will believe
And all eternity we'll sing
To Jesus Christ our Lord and King.

(Chorus)

Michael E. Wood
May 4, 2010 11:06 am

Monday, May 3, 2010

Be Not Wise in Your Own Eyes

As I was directed by the Sovereignty of God to taste again for the first time of the treasures found in Proverbs 3:7-12 which reads, "Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. t will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights", I cannot but help to be thankful for all the members of the body of Christ that He has used and continues to use to build me up in the faith, of which I am quite certain none of us will truly know the full extent until we see Christ in glory. But while reading this passage my mind was directed to a message preached by Thad Boyd on the subject of "Jail House Religion"; a song that was sung by the teens at Beacon Baptist Church; Tim Keller's post from April 28, 2010 on "Proverbs, Community, and the Culture"; and, messages preached from the past by Gregory N. Barkman on the subject of "Counting others more significant than yourselves", and the following words came to mind:

Be not wise in thine own eyes,
Fear the LORD and turn from lies.
For His Truth will set you free
And your healing it will be

Refreshment to your flesh and bones
Building up the others stones,
As you find in Christ your wealth,
He knits His body into health.

What may seem like trash to you,
May be a treasure He doth hue
Into a diamond sparkling bright,
Reflect the glory of His Light!

Oh, Father please remove the scales
Upon our eyes which now prevails
As we confess our ugly pride
By which Your glory is denied.

Oh, help us think of others better
And hold them not unto the letter
Of the laws of which we set
Conformed not to Your image yet.

Oh, help us see in other cultures,
Consuming not like filthy vultures,
Those for whom Christ paid the price,
For He is all our Sacrifice.

Remove from us our wickedness
And all of our self righteousness.
Renew our minds to walk within
The steps of those, who've entered in

The presence of Your Perfect Love,
Delighting in our Christ above,
As they now witness to our heart
And bid us from our sin depart.

For only in our brokenness
We know the joy of holiness.
Rejoice our hearts to fear Your Name,
As only Christ we shall proclaim!

For He Is All our Hope and Fear,
As by His blood we now draw near.
Oh, Father help us count the cost
For Jesus came to seek the lost.

As once we were apart from You
And blinded to our sentence due,
But Christ for all Your glory came,
Oh bless His Precious Holy Name. Amen

Michael E. Wood
May 3, 2010

Can You Hear the Distant Sound (Part Two)

After reflecting and writing the previous poem/song, these words came to mind and are a continuation of the pondering and mediation from my time with the Lord on the morning of May 2, 2010:

Though eye has not seen; nor ear ever heard,
God reveals to His own by His Spirit and Word.
Though bodies give way, and our thoughts may take wings,
We're blessed by our God with all spiritual things.


Though words express not, but only in parts,
Nor yet God reveals to mere human hearts,
But kept now in store for those who adore,
And love Him, and Jesus we'll meet on that shore.



Michael E. Wood
May 2, 2010

Can You Hear the Distant Sound? (Part One)

As I was awakened this glorious Lord's day before 6:00a.m. with my head still groggy from sleep, the words of a song by "Mercy Me" came to mind, "And all creation sing with me now". This conjoined with the sounds of praise sung by various birds of the morning here in North Carolina, along with the sounds of the frogs chirping in the background as I spoke with my beloved Dianna last night, nearly three thousand miles away in our new temporal place of abode, and closing with the passage found in Revelation 22:12-21, brought the following words to mind;

Oh, can you hear that distant sound
With the angels gathered round
Bending now before the throne
Expressing all the glory shown?

Of the Father, and the Son,
And Holy Spirit, three in One!

All of grace and mercy hear it
Empowered by God's Word and Spirit.
The blood of Christ has bought us,
Redemption, Oh so glorious!

Praise the Father, and the Son,
The Holy Spirit, three in One!

By faith we walk in weakness now
But then in power we shall bow.
A mighty voice we'll lift as one,
All praise to Christ, by Him we come.

To glorify the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, three in One!

Though all creation speaks of this,
And groan we now, but then all bliss.
We walk in love and faithfulness,
Until as one our Saviour kiss.

God's glory will be all the sum,
The Spirit and the Bride say, come!

Michael E. Wood
May 2, 2010 - (Part One)

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.


"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.


I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.


He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.


Rev 22:12-21

Saturday, May 1, 2010

What's in it for me?

While contemplating questions I was being asked concerning others which preach a gospel which is not "The Gospel" at all and looking to God through His Word in 2nd Peter chapter 2 and coming to verses 17 and 18 which tells us, "These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For speaking load boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh", the following words came to mind;

"What's in it for me?" is what they did ask.
Though not with words--I was given the task,
To look to God's Word to find what He says;
The hope of the gospel to raise from the dead,

Those who are lured by their sensual passions,
Caught up in the darkness of vanities fashions.
For what now appeals to their self-centered ways,
Has blinded their minds to the Ancient of Days.

So if you are reading now, Do you not know
Condemnation and destruction reserved long ago,
Is determined for those whose hearts trained in greed;
Will keep you from seeing what you truly need;

Repentance and faith, as you look to the Son,
The Gift of God's glory--The Only Just One!
For all we have sinned and God's glory defame,
And apart from His grace we would die in our shame!

Only the cross of my Jesus can give you,
Forgiveness and grace, God's mercy will grant few.
Though many are called, they go on in the broad way,
And living in error, they will find themselves cast-away,

From the Presence of Him, Who has shown forth His love,
By sending Christ Jesus; our Lord from above.
So now I will ask you this one final question,
"Will you turn from your sin, look to Christ for direction?"

For all that He Is and all that He's Done
Will only be true for those who humbly come
To the end of themselves, to show forth God's glory,
And enter through Jesus, His Kingdom with joy!

Michael E. Wood
May 1, 2010 7:40 am