To Him We May Fly!

Michael E. Wood
November 2, 2010

The following thoughts were written while contemplating my granddaughter's third birthday. With her name being Tatum, she is often called Tater-bug by her mother.

My prayer for you my Tater-bug;
One day you'll learn to fly.
On eagles wings
Where all will sing
With joy in Christ on high.

How can this be, for bugs don't sing,
Unless transformed in heart.
To save our life
From sin and strife
Revealed in hidden parts:

As God the Holy Spirit,
The Father sent in love
Shines forth the light
Of Jesus Christ
Who came down from above.

Our sinless holy Savior
Lived how we could not.
And He alone
For sin atoned
And spoiled the devil's plot.

For that liar and that thief,
Thinks only how to rob
The glory due
To Christ in few.
My Savior and my God!

And so I beg you listen
To this wisdom from a worm,
Who wickedly
And willingly,
God's love and Word I spurned.

But He in love unspeakable
Removed my stony heart.
In mercy gave
His life to save
No more now to depart.

God's wrath was satisfied that day
As Christ did count the cost,
And shed His blood,
Redeeming flood
For all His, through the cross.

By Christ alone our nature is changed
That to Him we may fly.
This world we leave
And to Him cleave,
As Abba, Father we cry.

As so as birthdays gifts will fade,
Received when three years old,
I pray the truth,
Like that of Ruth,
Will always be to you told.

For nothing less than holiness
Will bring unto God the glory,
That's due His Name,
Proclaiming His fame,
The Treasure of Christ with great joy!

Every Blade of Grass!

Michael E. Wood
November 1, 2010

In "Lecture to My Students", Charles Spurgeon addresses an issue entitled "To Workers with Slender Apparatus". In this chapter he speaks to those which have a relatively small library from which to draw the wisdom that comes from God. Having been blessed beyond measure with more books than I will possibly ever read in this life time, I find great delight in these words which come from that chapter, as well.

"In having time for meditation, you will be even better off than your brethren with many books and little space for quiet contemplation."

"Without books a man may learn much by keeping his eyes open."

"Every flower is waiting to teach you."

"Sermons glisten in the morning on every blade of grass, and homilies fly by you as the sere leaves fall from the trees."

"Go, thou who hast thine eyes opened, and find lessons of wisdom everywhere, in heaven above, in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth. Books are poor things compared with these."

While I am thankful for those who are far better than I in discipline and understanding to read, comprehend, and articulate the things which are given them from on high unto the praise and glory of our Most Awesome God , I continue to rejoice in the things He gives me in some of the simplicities of this life of which I trust He will use by the power of His Spirit to declare the truth of Who He Is to those He sends me.

How strange it seems that in October
Grass begins to grow,
Held back by the season of great drought
Californians have come to know,
To be the typical time of year
The rains begin to fall
And every tender blade comes forth
As from on high they're called

To show the temp'ral glory
Of all men born in their sin
And yet they bear the image of our God,
Creator of men.
And every blade cries forth the glory
Of our Almighty God
Who formed us for Himself like grass,
From dust, like earthen sod.

And many may produce in vain
Like splendid glorious flowers
While blessed by common grace from God
Sent down like wondrous showers.
But when the sun arises
With its scorching burning heat,
All grass will wither as before;
Flowers fall before the seat

Of Him Who Is The One True Judge
Of all the works of men,
And only those born from above
Through Christ, Who did condescend,
And took upon Himself our form
And bore the wrath due us.
Appointed by The Father,
A throng to join the chorus

Unto the glorious praise of Him
Who saves us by His grace,
As we through Sovereign mercy
See the light in Jesus' face.

And thus as all the seasons
Of this life are in God's hands
In faithfulness He sows His seed
Of Christ in all the lands,
Which will bring forth the fruit;
Eternal life, unto His praise,
Through Christ alone, Who by His Spirit
From the dead was raised.

Good news is shouted forth to all
He giveth ears to hear it
And eyes to see with hearts made new
By God , The Holy Spirit.
For as the grass springs forth
To show the promise of life anew.
The question is, "Do you know God?"
Far better, "Has He known you?"

(This was read aloud on November 12, 2010 at the "Open Mic" of the California Writer's Club held at Barnes and Nobles bookstore.)

Help Us Not To Trifle

Michael E. Wood
October 31, 2010

Having begun this Lord's day around 4:30a.m., visiting two churches, spending the afternoon with an elder and his family from one of them, Dianna and I found ourselves exhausted and spent the evening watching Word Pictures from Cross T.V. featuring Mark Keilar. Having fallen asleep while in the midst of watching, I awoke to Mark quoting Charles Spurgeon using the word "trifling". This word is defined as spending ones time idly or ineffectively. And thus the following words came to mind.

O help us not to trifle
With this life You've given us,
But seek You and be pleasing
In those things which are a must!

O help us to redeem the time
By spending all we can
By the power of Your Spirit
In Your Word, lest sinking sand

Be the stuff we build upon
Which will not stand the test,
But wholly trust in Jesus Name
By Whom You've given rest.

O help us live unto the honor
Of Your highest calling
And pursue with all our strength,
Tis You which keeps from falling.

With thankful hearts You've given us
And all before You lay
In humbleness our very best
Until the final day

In which You'll show the metal
By which all on earth was done
As only faith more precious
Than all gold, with vict'ry won,

Will manifest Your glory
As our all to You we owe
With all our praise perfected
As then You we'll fully know!

Let Patience Have Her Full Effect!

Michael E. Wood
October 29, 2010

While contemplating the difficulty we have found in finding a church home in this place called California without compromising convictions of what we believe to be clear teaching of scripture on secondary issues of the faith, or having to sign documents which contain rather legalistic sounding requirements for membership, which appear to be on paper only; but not adhered to by the actual members of the church; the following came to mind.

My brothers count now all with joy
The trials of various kinds
You face as God will use them,
Testing faith and steadfast minds.

Let patience have her full effect.
Grow perfect and entire.
For Christ has raised you from the pit
With Him from deepest mire.

And if you lack the wisdom
That you need for each new day,
Then ask of God, Who liberally
Gives all through Christ, The Way!

For every good and perfect gift
Which comes down from above,
Our Father gives Who changes not
And answers out of love.

I'm starting to really feel like a missionary in a foreign land. Praising the Lord for a good home church (in North Carolina) and modern technology.

What Joy We Shall Behold!

Being at times rebuked in my own heart and mind, by a lack of progress and desire that in all things Christ might have the preeminence, I find comfort in the words spoken by the apostle Paul as written to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae. (Col.2:2) "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ"

One of the means of comprehending what "full assurance" entails is to understand the doctrine of true repentance.

"Repentance is a continual spring, where the waters of godly sorrow are always flowing. A sound penitent is still a-turning nearer and nearer to God; he is still a-turning further and further from sin. This makes the penitent soul to sigh and mourn that he get no nearer to God, that he get no further from sin, The work of repentance is not the work of an hour, a day, a year, but the work of this life."

"Next to my being kept from sin, I count it the greatest mercy in the world to be still a-mourning over sin, says the penitent soul. The penitent soul never ceases repenting till he ceases living."

"If thy repentance do not work thee out with thy sins, and thy sins work thee out of love with thyself, thy repentance is not that repentance that accompanies salvation."
Thomas Brooks-Heaven on Earth

(Sung to the tune of How Deep the Father's Love for Us - with a slight variation in melody)

O Father how my heart doth cry,
My sin that doth offend Thee.
But Christ has died to satisfy
Thy wrath which would consume me.
For He has shed His precious blood,
Atoned to show Your promise.
Your Spirit sent to dwell within.
Without His robes upon us.

Now justified I come to You,
By grace through faith You gave me.
For Christ did rise to magnify
Thy love which apprehends Thee.
For greater love has no man shown,
This gift not one deserveth.
Your faithfulness for all to see,
Your mercy now preserveth.

Your patience now enthralls my heart,
Repentance gave to please Thee.
More love You speak through all Your words
By which Your power transforms me.
That I a living sacrifice
Be used to tell the story
Of Jesus and the cross He bore
Til with You then in glory.

When You shall wipe away all tears
What joy we shall behold then.
For Christ has conquered all our fears,
You've chosen out of all men.
What glory shall be then displayed
By all you have appointed,
To magnify the precious name
Of Christ, our Lord, Anointed!

Oh may I now with mortal tongue
And life show honor to Thee,
For all You Are, I want and need,
Tis grace by which You Own me.
Though none can show the magnitude
Your worth, by word or action
May You be pleased to show in me,
You Are my Satisfaction!

Michael E. Wood
October 20, 2010

"God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him."
John Piper

Born of the Secret Garden

As most mornings go, Dianna and I spend a little time reading from the Word of God together, as she prepares for work. We walk together to the car just before sunrise and have a few moments of prayer before she drives off.

At this time of year, though you cannot see them, you can hear the sound of turkeys, blue jays, and hawks. Having read from 1st Kings 8:22-66, our hearts were made especially tender in worship and praise to our Lord for that which He has done and for the glorious promise of what He shall do in the future. What a glorious Father we have, who provides for us that which we have need of as each day requires. What a beautiful picture we are given in this passage of the true worship of our God and King as saints assemble to the glory of God with the result being: "...they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David and to Israel his people."(8:66)

As our Lord Jesus Christ is our King and we are His people, we rejoice in the goodness of our Father in heaven in providing His church with such a feast to partake of as we gather together to hear the Word of God being preached by the power of His Spirit unto the praise of the glory of His grace. For a greater than Solomon has come, we delight in the sound of His voice, and with gladness of heart we look forward to His return. The following song was written as a reflection of these things. It is song to a "southern gospel" type melody.

Turkeys and blue jays and hawks.
Sweet sounds from our early morn walks.
Sounding praise for the light,
As we live in God's sight.
Oh what joy He doth give with delight!
Sounding praise for the light,
As we live in God's sight.
Oh what joy He doth give with delight!

Our Father provideth with food.
We gather regardless of mood.
For His Word is a lamp,
Giving light in our camp,
And His Spirit our seal and His stamp.
For His Word is a lamp,
Giving light in our camp,
And His Spirit our seal and His stamp.

What love He has shown from above,
For we are His wife and His dove.
Sweet apple of eye,
From our hearts to Him cry,
And one day we will unto Him fly.
Sweet apple of eye,
From our hearts to Him cry,
And one day we will unto Him fly.

And all will be sweet glory there.
Adorned all in white, we shall wear,
The robes He did give,
In His presence to live.
Hallelujah! Our sins He forgives!
The robes He did give,
In His presence to live.
Hallelujah! Our sins He forgives!

Because of the blood of the lamb,
As our Father provided the Ram!
Unto Jesus we sing,
Both our Savior and King,
Sacrifice of our hearts to Him bring!
Unto Jesus we sing,
Both our Savior and King,
Sacrifice of our hearts to Him bring!

Michael E. Wood
October 14, 2010

To Proclaim Your Glory!

While preparing to go to the "Open Mic" at Jericho Coffee to sing, I came to this passage in Ezekiel 36:22-38. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

Having read and considered, along with continuing in "Communion with God", by John Owen, the following poem was written. With hope of the opportunity to read the poem in lieu of a song, I took it with me. Upon arriving, I was asked to be first up and to open with prayer. Normally I don't particularly like going first, but on this occasion, I was pleased to be allowed of the Lord, not only to sing, but to read verses 22-28, the poem and pray.

Do we too often look unto men
And thus Your Holy Spirit offend?
Yet softly You speak in drawing us near
To approach Your throne with meekness and fear.

Oh brighten our eye, partaking of honey,
You give so sweet without price or money.
Your feast of fat things, purchase of Christ.
In all that You Are, The One Holy Thrice.

On You we can count, our God Who prevails,
Delighting in mercy, Your grace never fails.
To give us so freely of that which we need
To proclaim of Your glory, of which we now plead.

For that is our joy for which we now look
And hold to the Promise, You give in Your Book.
For the sake of Your Name, a most holy thing,
You'll do through Christ only, our Lord and our King!

Michael E. Wood
October 8, 2010

I have seen much of my own stupidity...

Do you ever feel frustrated in talking with others concerning the truth of the Gospel, and yet rejoice in the opportunity to speak, knowing that God will bless His Word by the power of His Spirit to bring forth fruit unto the praise of the glory of His grace?

In "Lectures to My Students" Charles Spurgeon makes the statement, "I have seen very much my own stupidity while in conversation with seeking souls. I have been baffled by a poor lad while trying to bring him to the Savior; I thought I had him fast, but he has eluded me again and again with perverse ingenuity of unbelief. Sometimes enquirers who are really anxious surprise me with their singular skill in battling against hope; their arguments are endless and their difficulties countless. They put us to a non plus again and again. The grace of God at last enables us to bring them to the light, but not until we have seen our own inefficiency."

How encouraging it is to read the honesty of a man such as Spurgeon concerning our dependence upon God, for the souls of men. To sow the seed in utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit of God to convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment, and to glorify Christ.

Oh God of glory, One so Great;
Oh give me words to articulate--
Your wondrous Beauty and Your Worth,
To all You send me on the earth.

Tis You alone, Who justifies
The ungodly, that we may magnify
The fullness of Your Almighty Love
Beyond our thoughts with You above.

You are our Source of Infinite Wisdom
To guide us through our fleeting days.
For You alone are God so Holy
And yet You made us for Your praise.

Michael E. Wood
October 6, 2010

Victory Won!

While reading Communion with God, by John Owen, I came to the chapter entitled, "The Nature of the Grace which Christ Purchased", and the following words came to mind.

His death on the cross
Removed sin and it's guilt.
Acceptance with God
Through Christ we are built.

His perfect obedience
Now reckoned to us,
In God's sight alone
Our Sure righteousness.

Oh Father on You
Our souls are dependent.
Your offspring through Christ
Though Adam's descendant.

For unto Your praise
As Your church interlinked.
Your walls of salvation
Which never will sink.

Your Spirit indwelling
By which You now guide
To the praise of Christ Jesus
In Whom we now hide.

Habitual grace
Is now given to us,
Opposed to the nature
That's in us of lust.

Actual ability
You have given to do
All things by Your Spirit
And pleasing to You.

And thus by the purchase
Of Your Holy Son,
Adopted, our priv'ledge
And victory won!

Michael E. Wood
October 4, 2010

For though now He pruneth...

I Am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1,2 (ESV)

As I watched what I first thought to be the pruning of a fruiting mulberry tree take place, the words of this poem came to mind. The tree itself was actually cut all the way to the ground, for the purpose of keeping the roots from growing to the point of causing damage to the sidewalk which leads to our apartment entrance. Dianna and I were saddened to see it go, as we had enjoyed watching the squirrels and birds eat from it, and had partaken of the fruit ourselves.

From the vantage point of our balcony above, we could see that our capacity to see things below had broadened. Thus I am reminded that we are to continually look to the LORD, to see things from His perspective. It is of His prerogative to do with us as He will, and as He has designed us to bring forth fruit unto His glory, He will use others, even the hands of evil men to make us like Christ.

For though now He pruneth
By hands of men sent.
Through sadness He gladdens.
We shall not relent.

Through loss He doth increase
Our most ultimate joy.
His love worketh all
For our good and His glory.

We praise Him for all
Of His fruit in His season
To increase our vision
Delight in His reason.

Though our sins are like scarlet,
We so gladly confess
That Jesus our Root
Is our sole Righteousness.

So as He protects
All in those He invests,
We gladly will praise Him,
As in He Who knows best.

Michael E. Wood
October 1, 2010