Of Self Examination

Michael E. Wood

March 15, 2013

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
2nd Corinthians 13:5

I can remember from an earlier time in my life that I was taught to never question my salvation, after all, I had said a prayer for God to save me hadn't I? I was outwardly demonstrating a walk of faith wasn't I? And just like so many others I would heed the words of another rather than to submit myself to the examination of God’s Word. The problem as I am made to see now is that I would always come away with a false sense of confidence based upon what I had done or was doing rather than the confidence which comes through Christ alone. Salvation is of the Lord, and it is He alone that gives strength in the midst of our weaknesses, and it is He alone that raises us to see that He is sufficient to meet our every need, including the capacity to not only endure self examination but to delight in Him who searches our hearts to expose our remaining sins and to cleanse us by His blood from all unrighteousness that we might be made partakers of His holiness. To Him be the glory who does all things well!

Of self examination, let’s approach with fear and do

For therein lies a place where God expresses love for you,

Who are the called and justified, though sin in you remains

Which serves as a reminder, Christ alone by grace now reigns.

For as our One True Advocate, He by His Spirit lifts

Our hearts to know forgiveness is but one of His true gifts,

As reconciliation with our Father supersedes

Our every sin and weakness through Christ’s blood to meet our needs.

And though we suffer long with our incessant sin and pride,

His patience calls for mercy to assist us in our stride,

As faithfulness He gives, and speaks to us as friend to friend

To know that Christ in us will manifest His glorious end-

To make us like Himself, who by His cross made us secure

And will present us faultless, as He is; so holy pure.

So let us now rejoice in Him, though oft with many tears,

To know by Him who conquers, we shall conquer all our fears.

As I Feel My Flesh Rise Up

Michael E. Wood

March 2013

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. Romans 6:15-19

One of the greatest challenges we face on a day to day basis is the ongoing battle with our flesh to bring it into subjection that we might spend quality time with God our Father in prayer. Does it not seem that our minds can go a thousand different directions and we not only feel the temptation to rise and do other things but actually more often than we would like to admit we give way to those temptations to do other things rather than to pray. Let us look to Christ for strength to subdue our flesh and seek a greater level of communion with our Father for His infinite glory!

Oh, as I feel my flesh rise up

To go both here and there

Oh help me know Your presence

And the power that You share

With all those You purchased

By Your blood in Holy union

And raised us up to know You

And the Father in communion.

To Whom so Much is Given

Michael E. Wood

March 6, 2013

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Luke 12:41-48

Several years ago my grandmother, Blanche Carden asked me the question, “What does it mean, ‘to whom much is given, much is required’?” I said, “Grandma, it’s quite simple. To whom much is given, much is required.” I continued to explain that to whom God has given much, whatever that may be, then the more He requires of us. That still may seem overly simplistic, but the reality is we each should evaluate that which He has given us individually, whether it be time, talent, treasure, or a combination thereof with the understanding that all comes from Him, and through Him, and for Him. One of the things which He has given me at this juncture in my life is time, and I trust that by His good pleasure, the enabling power of His Spirit, and the completed revelation of His will through the written Word of God that He will use me as a vessel through which seeds of faith will be sown to bring forth a harvest of souls for His glory.

To whom so much is given

There is so much more required

To use the time we’re given

For the One by whom we’re hired

To use the gifts we’re given

To transform our every thought

And show the glorious truth of Him

By whom our souls were bought

To manifest the glory

Of the One who for us gave

His life as the One Sacrifice

That sinners might be saved!

Grace, is Seen as Glory Bloomed!

Michael E. Wood

March 5, 2013

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:1-3

As Dr. M. L. Jones so vividly points out through his sermons from the book of Romans, God’s way of salvation has always been by faith in His provision of a sacrifice for the justification of our sins. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, to the praise of His glorious grace.

This is our position still;

Not of works or bent of will

But faith that God to our account

Declared us righteous from the mount

Called Calvary where Jesus died

As He the Just One justified

The Father, by the sin He bore;

With wrath for us no more in store,

To grant forgiveness, clearing dept,

Providing grace through which we’re kept

Until the Day all is consumed

And grace is seen as glory bloomed!

Worship God in Glory Too!

Michael E. Wood

March 5, 2013

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
Philippians 1:1

That which is most often translated as the word servant in our English versions of the Bible is literally rendered ‘slave’ in the original Greek and Hebrew languages. Such is the case when we read the first verse of Philippians chapter one. Though this word engenders a negative connotation in the minds of most people, a thorough investigation of the background and the Source of our understanding which is God Himself teaches those of us who have been redeemed from the slave market of sin that our relationship with God through the person and work of Jesus Christ is based upon His unmerited love for us and brings delight in the fact that everything we are and everything we have belongs to Him. He has revealed Himself to us now in time that we may worship Him both now and forevermore.

Bound by love; by Christ I’m owned

For He has for my sin atoned.

Once so worthless; now His child,

Oh Praise His Name, on me He smiled-

So with my mind, my hands, my feet,

I’ll live for Him who made me meet

To offer up, as best I can,

And know by faith, in Him I stand

To know and do His Sovereign will

As He by scripture doth reveal

Unto my heart, while Spirit led

In thankfulness to Him who bled

To purchase all of the elect

And bring in time the full effect

Of praise and honor that is due

To worship God in glory too!

The Crown He’ll Wear

Michael E. Wood

February 23-25, 2013

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

While reading through “The Unsearchable Riches of Christ”, an exposition of Ephesians Chapter three by D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, Dianna had made a treasury for her Etsy Team Jabez. She was notified that God had used her in an unusual way to bring comfort to someone who had lost a child via miscarriage. As she relayed this story with tears in her eyes to me, the words of the following poem had already begun to flow.

We thank You for Your tenderness

And great compelling love

By which You draw us to Yourself

Through manifestations of

Your very presence in our hearts

To melt and mold and make

Us more into Your likeness

For Your glory and Names sake.

For left unto ourselves

Our every effort would be vain

As doubts and fears would cloud

The very path that You make plain.

But You, Oh gentle Shepherd

On Your shoulders hold us tight

And carry every moment

By the power of Your might.

Forgive us when we’re slow to see

How great You really are

While working all things for our good

When we feel yet afar.

By Your design, Oh help us know

The love we know not yet;

The height, the depth, the breadth, the width

By Him, You did beget-

Who bore upon Himself all of

Our sin to bring us nigh

Unto Yourself, Oh Holy Father

As You dwell on high,

But also as Your Word declares,

In humble contrite hearts

Who yield to You and thus pursue

Your praise in all our parts-

For every member of the body;

Of Christ’s flesh and bones,

You have made to glorify

Him here, as living stones,

Receiving of His fullness

Both of grace and truth to be

The Jewels of the crown

He’ll wear for all eternity.

Oh, Magnify the LORD with Me

Michael E. Wood

February 15, 2013

My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! Psalm 34:2-3

I awoke with thoughts concerning the song sang at a recent Memorial service I had the privilege of preaching. “Thank You”, by Ray Boltz, which tends to magnify the works of men rather than the finished work of Christ for the salvation of the souls of men was further distorted to emphasize what sounded like a universal salvation for all rather than that of the remnant for which He shed His blood and secured efficaciously, to magnify the glory of the Father.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

Exalt His Name on high.

Give Him the praise for all His works,

In humbleness draw nigh.

For He has brought us to Himself

From sin and self and pride;

And put to death the things of earth

By Him who for us died.

Oh, boast not now in anything

Of which you may perceive,

Except of Him who shed His blood

That we might Him believe.

And follow Him, who reigns above,

Whose Spirit lives within

Our hearts, that He be magnified,

As Christ we seek to win!