Our Eternal End (New Song)

Michael E. Wood

July 16- August 27, 2013

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. Acts 2:23

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

Genesis 25:11

Just as David had commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments and that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brothers; likewise Christ has appointed that psalms and hymns and spiritual songs be sung to the LORD in our day as well.

This may seem to be a strange array of scripture passages from which to write a new song, and yet these were the passages through which I was taken to write the following. I have a tune in mind, but my precious wife, Dianna said though it may be the best lyrics I have ever written, it hurts to hear it. So, if you’re reading this and can come up with a tune better suited than the one I have in mind; please HELP!

Your presence to seek continually

Is that of which You taught

In days of old, Oh Lord, our God,

Through Him by whom You brought

Salvation to all peoples

And the hope in which we stand,

Secured by Christ, the sacrifice,

Whose blood spilled by Your plan.

Your pleasure to give the kingdom to all

Is that, which You now teach,

Your children, in Christ, Oh Father above,

With none beyond Your reach,

Whose hearts You make to open,

Like the flowers by Your grace

To drink the sunshine of Your love,

Which beams from Jesus face.

Our treasure, Our God, You are to us all,

Who live now in the realm

Of power supplied to sanctify

By which You overwhelm

All thieves and moths which vanish

By the grace You wrought within:

Sweet mystery of Christ alone,

Whose blood now covers sin.

Oh, settle us now, receiving all things,

To live out in Your sight

The life that You gave, which conquers the grave

And manifests the might

Of Christ with whom we’re risen

By the Spirit, You did send,

To glorify Your precious name

As our eternal end.

You Own Them as Your Own!

Michael E. Wood

August 20, 2013

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Philippians 1: 12-14

As the apostle Paul has finished with his introductory remarks and his prayer of rejoicing with the encouragement to grow in love to the glory and praise of God, there are a number of things which stand out as he begins the body of his letter to the saints at Philippi.

May we learn the appropriate applications by the Spirit to live out the truths which apply to the circumstance we find ourselves in.

1- Personal circumstance is no hindrance to the advancement of the gospel.

a) The apostle Paul was not focused on what he could not do, but focused on what he could do.

b) Though he was not in front of large crowds or churches, he focused on witnessing to those who were immediately around him (i.e., the Roman guards he was chained to for two years).

2- Jesus reigns over all circumstances of life and is seen by faith by those who are His.

3- Never underestimate the testimony of the power of Christ working through you as you patiently endure suffering.

4- The courage of one believer begets courage in other believers. It is the fruit of the saints suffering.

a) The witness of the apostle was an encouragement for others to witness.

5-Rejoicing in the power of Christ  is an evidence and manifestation of the work He accomplished on the cross.

Forgive me when my love

Does not excel and intercede

With prayer for other saints

Who suffer far and greater needs

Than I can now imagine with

My comforts and my pride

Which yet distract in moments

When I hear not what they cried.

Show mercy and love loyalty

To all You have in view,

For You alone are Judge of all

The hearts You have made new.

And give to them the measure of

Your grace that You know best,

Fits for each occasion of

Your children seeking rest.

In Christ alone give comfort

And the strength to burdens bear

Exactly as You measured

To display Your glory there,

In the midst of trials as

You make Your presence known

To show them that You love them

And You own them as Your own!

Proclaiming Freedom

Michael E. Wood

August 20-21, 2013

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, Philippians 1:12

Though we in America for the most part know very little about being literally in bonds or chains for the sake of the gospel, we can learn from the experience of the apostle Paul that God continues to be Sovereign over our own opportunities and experience.

My normal Wednesday morning schedule includes a Bible study-worship time at a small assisted living facility called Abiding Care which houses six residents. What had begun with visiting with one resident, a former resident of Atria-El Camino Gardens whose name is Anne, developed into a regular time with as many as four of them meeting with me on a somewhat regular basis.

Today was different. As I entered the dining area where we meet, they had just finished breakfast, which was normal. One of the ladies moved to a nearby couch which is more comfortable for her and listens from there; still normal. But everyone else left. So there I am with the one at the table with which this study began with an employee within ear shot doing some cleaning in the kitchen. Not totally disheartened, we began by singing Amazing Grace, read from Philippians 1: 1-12, had a time of prayer and then entered the study focusing on verse 12. After about fifty minutes I noticed my one faithful lady, Anne, had dropped her head and fallen asleep. Upon looking back at the lady on the couch, she too had fallen asleep.

Though there have been times when we have continued for an hour and a half, I realized it was time to come to a close for the day. Upon touching Anne on the arm, she was very apologetic of which I assured her that she was fine. I closed by reading a couple of quotes  I found written by commentator B. C. Caffin concerning the text, the poem recited below, and prayer.

“Example is better than precept. The sight of a suffering saint, patient, contented, happy, does more to win souls than hundreds of sermons. It is the visible proof of the power of Christ.”

“The gift of preaching is far inferior to the grace of charity. The eloquent preacher may be ambitious, worldly, actuated by party spirit, not by love of Christ.”

Nothing quite like this had ever happened in the year and a half that I have been going to this facility and it resulted in me leaving earlier than normal. While being a little baffled at what had taken place I continued to my next stop.

The Eskaton in Carmichael houses another former resident of Atria named Lucy of which we have had the pleasure of meeting with for nearly two years. She was one of the first people we met and the Lord has used her to open a number of gospel opportunities over the years and today was just one example. As I walked down the hall toward her room she was sitting outside in her wheel chair. Another lady named Doris was near by and asked who I was. Upon introducing myself and telling her about our relationship with Lucy and that I would be sharing some scripture and singing she accepted the invitation to join us. As I began to sing Amazing Grace, Doris joined in. Another lady named Lou who was sitting in her wheel chair not too far away joined in as well and rolled herself closer to us. While opening the scriptures and singing another song we found ourselves being joined by two men. So there we were in the hallway with an opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with five of the residents which may not have happened in the way that it did had I not been there at that exact time. Yes, God is still Sovereign over our opportunities and experiences when we trust and obey.

While driving back to our apartment I came to a stop at a light behind a truck with a decal on the back window which said “Going Fishing”. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

He takes those things which seem distressing

To bring forth a richer blessing,

Turning all out for our good

Though far from us yet understood.

For though we may seem now deterred

By circumstance; His voice is heard

Proclaiming freedom through our bonds

To hearts He opens and responds

Unto the faithful gospel call

That Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

How to Love You

Michael E. Wood

July 8-13, 2013

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

For those who are more logical than feeling oriented, this particular poem may come as a bit of a personal confession. Please pray for me that the realities spoken of in the preceding verses taken from the apostle’s letter to the Philippians will grow to be more and more prevalent over the course of the years that I am given while here on earth.

For those who tend to be more feeling oriented, I would encourage you to join me not only in prayer, but in the pursuit of the knowledge of God. For God is love!

Having demonstrated the greatness of His love toward us through the sacrifice of His Son, He has also given to us great and precious promises. He opens our understanding to what the practical application of love looks like through the scriptures and then enables us by His Spirit to live out these truths as members of the body of Christ, both in the knowledge of His presence and for the benefit of men.

Remove from me temptation

To interpret by my feelings

Your grace which flows so freely

Through the gospel, of Your dealings;

With my soul which stands in need,

Yeah, constant all the time,

To know that You are with me

And that I am wholly Thine.

Through the channel of Your word

By Your Spirit in my heart,

Write afresh those things in secret

You implanted from the start,

That I may grow to love You

More and more each passing day;

With true knowledge and discernment,

Giving light along the way.

Oh show us how to love You

As we've never known before,

And grow in likeness to You

So that others may adore

Our Father who first loved us

Long before He gave the keys

To unlock the hearts of all;

        Who come, 

And humbly bow their knees.

The Treasure Others See

Michael E. Wood

August 5, 2013

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Are there passages of scripture that seem to captivate you, filled with depths which cannot be plumbed? Well, this has been one for me.

Commentators tell me within these three verses lie every aspect of insight of which the Apostle Paul will unfold through the course of the rest of the letter to the Philippians. While I believe that to be true, without going into too much detail, there are a number of things which have become obvious already.

This model of prayer is for all saints, regardless of what their position or giftedness may be in the church. Our love should be excessive in quantity, quality, or both; ever increasing without end, both for God and man. Through knowledge and discernment by the scriptures we learn to approve what is excellent. As we learn to test and appropriate what is excellent we become more Christ like in character, working out with fear and trembling what He has worked in by His Spirit with the assurance that our Father will bring His work to completion at the day of Christ.

“There are three faculties in our souls which are capable of receiving spiritual strength. They are the understanding, the desires and the will. So any spiritual ability we have must be because it has been imparted to these faculties.”

“We are utterly dependent on him for all our good actions and for that root and spring of holiness in us from which all spiritually good actions arise.”

“We are to behold Christ. We should be stirred by Christ's example to be like him. Since all he did was out of love for us.  All he did was for our good; imitating him will be the best thing we could do for our good.”  John Owen, "The Holy Spirit”, Puritan Paperbacks, The Banner of Truth Trust

Help me seek You as I serve You

In this course of study here,

So that I may live to please You

As I walk within Your fear,

And then prove that which is excellent

As now judged by Your light

Which gives weight to what You’re speaking

As we stand now in Your sight.

Oh permeate our hearts and minds

With Your unchanging Word,

Oh Father, to live out in truth

The things of which we've heard.

For nothing so compels us as

The love by which we’re bound,

Transforming every thought and deed

Till Christ alone is found,

To be the treasure others see

When come we face to face

And show the matchless wonder

Of Your own redeeming grace.