Stay in the Way

Michael E. Wood
January 22, 2013

Once we are brought by the Spirit of God to the place of repentance from sin and of faith toward God through the person and work of Jesus Christ, we are enabled to see Him in every book of the Bible. We are thus directed to follow Him and moved to praise Him not only for what He has done, but what He will do to the end.

Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Psalm 27:11

We are:

Vessels of mercy and channels of grace

Reflections of glory which stream from the face

Of Christ our dear Savior, who rules from above

Transforming our minds and our lives by His love.

You teach us dear Jesus to stay in the way

Though narrow, yet level, the path till the Day

Our pilgrimage comes to a close in the house,

With God as our Father and we as your spouse-

All enemies vanquished with death as the last,

So help us more boldly, on you our cares cast,

While knowing all things will then prove in the end

That you; The Almighty, our Father did send!

On Mercies Errand

Michael E. Wood

January 11, 2013

“Art thou at peace with God? O then show no discontent at any affliction that God visiteth then withal! If he hath visited thee first with His mercy, thou hast reason to bid Him kindly welcome when He comes to visit thee with His rod. Thou hast sugar by thee now to sweeten thy bitter cup. When the prophet Samuel came to Bethlehem, it is said, ‘The elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably!’ 1^st Sam.16:4-5 Thus when God comes with some heavy affliction to us, it may make us tremble till we know what it comes for, whether peaceably or no. Now, if thou beest at peace with God the fear is over, it cannot but come peaceably; thou mayst conclude it comes on mercy’s ground.” William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour.

Whereas the vast majority of our prayers are directed through the Son, by the Spirit to the Father, there are occasions in which we may find ourselves communing with praise directly with the second or third person of the God-head. As a part of our purpose as members of the body of Christ is to suffer for His sake, we ‘fill up His afflictions’ as the apostle Paul has stated and rejoice in the knowledge that our labor is not in vain in the Lord Jesus Christ! To Him be the glory both now and forevermore. Amen!

On mercies errand affliction comes

To draw more sweetness from the tree

Acquainting us with suffering, 

Thou didst endure that we might flee

Into Thy arms of faithfulness

As shown by Thy unfailing love

Which bears us up amidst our weakness

With Your grace sent from above.

For as You teach us by Your Spirit,

Who intercedes for us within,

With groans which only You decipher,

Producing fruit, You glory in,

As more our transformation likens us

Unto Your image there

In light which none on earth can fathom

And with God the Father share.

Give Thanks to God

Michael E. Wood

January 8, 2013

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 2nd Corinthians 1:3-6


…if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.  2nd Timothy 2:13

  

It may seem silly to some but there are certainly times that God as a loving Father will pour out what would appear to be random ‘little’ blessings to melt our hearts to show His kindness by His presence in the details of our lives which humbles us and causes us to give thanks to Him as by faith we are enabled to see Him at work by His sovereign power to literally move people and things, bringing His Word to bear by His Spirit on our particular situation to draw us close and to worship Him. He knows the weaknesses of our flesh and of our minds which are so easily subject to forget He is present and have need of daily renewal insomuch that even in the times we may find ourselves busy for God and at the same time without faith in communing with Him, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!

Give thanks to God for every blessing that you know He gives,

Unmerited, and humbling to strengthen those now His.

For even when our faith is small, He proves Himself faith-full,

For He can not deny what He alone has done to pull

Us up from sloughs of great despond to show the power of

The gospel to reactivate our full affections love

For all He is when we feel not what we once felt before,

Renewing us by His own Word to know Him and adore.

So treasure every moment that alone with Him you spend

Which comes as His free gift of grace, on which you can depend

To fill you more as days go by to be a help to others

That they may see the love of Christ, as sisters and as brothers.

Self-esteem

Michael E. Wood

December 26, 2012

  

I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, Psalm 31:6-7

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:6-11

Do we crave significance and strive for self-esteem,

Pursuing thoughts of vanity and build upon a dream

Which shall be counted worthless when our life on earth is done

And stand before the Judge of all, the Holy Righteous One?

For idols of the heart exceed much more than meets the eye

And shall be in their fullness seen displayed by Him on high,

As He will surely render unto all in truth their due,

Revealing on that Day all that He knew you did pursue.

Oh, if we see now remnants of these things within our heart

Then hope we have through Christ alone for grace in every part

Which received the death blow, giving courage for the fight

To pursue His honor by the power of His might.

But if we are yet self-consumed and do not obey truth

God’s wrath and fury will show forth His knowledge by the proof

Of tribulation and distress for every human soul

Which refused His kindness made through Christ to be made whole.

Oh, do not be deceived to think this Day you will escape

And no excuse you have will keep His judgment from your pate.

For if we do not judge ourselves in truth with godly fear,

“Depart from Me”, then from His mouth, is that of which you’ll hear.

So take a moment and rethink the truth of your own heart

And see the kindness meant to lead you from your sin to part

And look to Christ who for the glory of the Father bore

Our sins to give eternal life to all He doth restore.

With My Song I Give You Thanks (New Song)

Michael E. Wood

December 24-25, 2012

Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:6-7

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”  Isaiah 12:2

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.  Psalm 40:3

When God the Father graciously reveals the Son of his love to us by the cross of Calvary through the power of the Holy Spirit; He not only becomes the object of our praise, but the very source of our praise. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

What began as a chorus springing from Psalm 28:6-7 developed into a song over a two day period of time with two different melodies; one of them being closely akin to the country music classic” This World is Not my Home”, written in 1965 by Mary Reeves and Albert E. Brumley  (I write this strictly as a note to myself as writing the words often comes much easier than remembering the music and there is enough difference in the tune of which someone else would actually have to hear it to know where the similarities come in.)

This life You give to live according to Your will,

As by the Word of truth Your Spirit did reveal,

My sins You did forgive to glorify Your Name

Through Your Son who bore my shame.

(Chorus)

With my song I give You thanks for You have heard my pleas

For mercy and for strength when humbled on my knees.

Oh Lord, You are my shield; in You my heart will trust.

With my Song I give You thanks.

Your promises are that with which my soul You feed

As through the blood of Christ, You meet my every need,

And though the way seem hard, Your grace sufficient is

For my soul to know I’m His!

(Chorus)

With joy beyond all words, I now begin to taste

Your glory in the bud which stirs my heart to haste

To know You as You are; like Jesus I shall be,

My new Song, who set me free!

(Chorus)

With my song I give You thanks for You have heard my pleas

For mercy and for strength when humbled on my knees.

Oh Lord, You are my shield; in You my heart will trust.

With my Song I give You thanks.

With my Song I give You thanks.

With my Song I give You thanks.