Sing to Him a New Song

Michael E. Wood
September 30, 2013

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. Psalm 33:1-3

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15-16

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, Ephesians 5:19

In an earlier post we shared a link from which our dear sister in Christ, India Curry had put together a video from two concerts Celeste Chen preformed at two of the Assisted Living facilities at which we have an opportunity to minister the gospel on a regular basis.

In the link enclosed you will find the segment from the concerts which are specifically aimed at sharing three songs of which I had the privilege to write. The titles include: We Look to You, Oh LORD Teach us Your Rules, and Set Your Minds on Things Above. Celeste wrote the sheet music based on an acapella CD of the songs. And India put it all together so we could share it here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9JzfwJpYmA

You may follow the adventures of Michael & Celeste Chen at http://kenyachens.wordpress.com/

Thank you India and Celeste for sharing your gifts with the body,
To the praise of His glory!

The True Glory of God’s Face - Part 2

Michael E. Wood

September 11-12,26, 2013

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

While contemplating passages from 2 Corinthians, the following question came to mind. What is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?

So this is the continuation of an attempt to answer that question with part two of the preceding poem.

Jesus is the express image
Of the Father, and His eyes
Pierce the darkness of the human
Heart, exposing all the lies
That holds captive every single one
Unless we’re made to face
Our condition by His Spirit
As a gift to Adam’s race.

Thus in fear we’re made to see
Him, in our hopeless, lost estate.
And cry out in faith, believing,
He alone, and for our sake,
Took on flesh, as man fulfilling
All the perfect law required.
And as God, the reconciling
Of the image, man had mired.

So we glory in the glory,
He alone deserves to share
With the Father, in His likeness,
As He’s interceding there
At His right hand on the throne
From whence proceeds so great a grace
That in glory we shall see Him,
The true glory of God’s face.

Let us praise Him then for mercy
With true hearts in whom He’s shown
Such resplendent light of glory
In the face of Christ to own
His own presence while we wait the day
When all will bow the knee
And then see Him in His glory,
Our King Jesus, Majesty!

The True Glory of God’s Face - Part 1

Michael E. Wood

September 11-12, 2013

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

While contemplating passages from 2 Corinthians, the following question came to mind. What is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?

So this is an attempt to answer that question in a two part poem.

Now I know I cannot answer
With my small capacity,
But in part. I hope to share
A glimpse that you, His beauty see.
For this gift is so unspeakable,
No words will fully be
Comprehensible enough to tell
Of God so perfectly.

His features are the kindness
And the mercy shown to me.
In His face I see the glory
Of His sovereign majesty.
He has shown His love to thousands
Through the cross of Calvary.
And a myriad of angels
Wonder at His grace so free.

His compassion never faltered
When He hung there on the tree.
And He cried out to the Father
To forgive the likes of me.
And He suffered all the wrath
That would have been my destiny,
As He offered up His life blood
Through His death to set me free.

He is risen, demonstrating
That our Father’s satisfied.
Making godly, the ungodly,
As the Just One’s justified.
All appointed to His service
Thus, will dwell with Him on high
When we see Him in His glory,
And in Him we’re glorified.

He has given us His Spirit.
In our hearts He has outpoured,
His abiding, loving presence.
And He can not be ignored,
As we’re humbled by His holiness,
Partaking of His light,
We are filled with awe and wonder
By the power of His might.

With His mission then accomplished
We thus grow into the frame
Of the house He has established
To the glory of His name.
As each living stone is favored
To be like Him as the aim,
And we’ll praise Him as the Lamb
For us, before the world was slain.

Celeste

A sweet sister in Christ, India Curry, merged the video from the concert at Atria with the video from the concert at The Terraces into one wonderful production and has posted it on Youtube.  She did an outstanding job!   You can enjoy both concerts in one here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrmnb1ehYbY

He Lifts Us in His Bosom

Michael E. Wood

September 10, 2013

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

 It seems that for some of us, as we grow older, our bodies change in various ways that are difficult to describe. Muscles don’t work as they once did, which is discouraging in relation to obtaining proper exercise. Our digestive tract doesn't respond to certain foods in the same way without the aid of medications such as Prilosec, which doesn't help in every situation. With the depletion of energy levels during the course of a day, we may find that our minds become cloudy and have difficulty focusing on what we are reading or attempting to study. And then on some occasions we are temporarily incapacitated by just feeling sickly, which may encompass all of the above.

About 6:30, Tuesday morning I had the opportunity to attend a Bible study with some of the guys from Providence Bible Church. We had a wonderful time of fellowship around the Word of God, as we have been looking not only into how the grace of God was working in the life of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but the manner in which Christ is the fulfillment of the promises of God. 

Upon returning to our apartment, I had a bite to eat, took a short nap, and intended on spending the rest of the day studying in preparation for a message to be preached the following Sunday. But when I awoke, I just felt sickly in my stomach, and had a difficult time focusing my mind on the things of which I needed to study. So, I just sat down and began to write…..

Sometimes I just feel sickly

And I don’t know even why.

Could it be my allergy to work,

Or just an alibi?

Could it be that I am given this

To now identify

With so many who now suffer

So much more than you or I?

For in weakness we are taught

To boast of Him, who is our strength,

As He gives to us sufficient grace

To know the breadth and length,

Of the love He has and demonstrates

While pouring in our hearts

That great peace that passes understanding

Far beyond our smarts.

And He lifts us in His bosom,

Holding us so ever close,

And He whispers, “Child, I have you,

And prescribe the proper dose,

From my own apothecary,

Just exactly as I planned,

And to use you for my glory

More than you now understand.”

And in time we shall proceed

To see beyond our earthly cares

That our Father surely gave His best

To all, who are joint-heirs.

For our treasure is laid up,

Where nothing ever more will test,

As we pass by grace to glory

In His everlasting rest.

The next day, I began by having a good morning leading a Bible study in a home for the elderly, I also visited with a friend at another facility, who’s health has declined to the point that they have accepted the fact that death is imminent. Upon reading some scripture, singing a hymn, and having prayer with this dear saint, she responded to the encouragement received by saying, “I’m going to die soon, and that’s O.K.” I smiled and said, ‘It’s more than O.K., it’s going to be beyond what any of us could ever imagine.”

Hidden in the Beauty

Michael E. Wood

September 9, 2013

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:9-12

With the busyness of life we often fail to contemplate the glory of God as He continually speaks through Creation. Yes, the scriptures are the primary means through which He reveals Himself by His Spirit, and yet the heavens declare the glory of God and day by day He speaks through His creation.

While driving down the street a few days ago, I noticed the subtle change which has begun to take place in the coloring of the leaves on some of the trees here in northern California. Though the temperatures continue to push toward the century mark, Fall is encroaching upon us.

As the words of the first stanza of this poem began to flow out of the enjoyment of the glory of God in creation, I came to a stopping place and wrote the thoughts which had immediately come to mind. Several days passed before I had time to contemplate what I had written in light of what the scripture has to say.

The breath of God begins to blow

And gently kiss the trees

In demonstration of His glory,

Beautifying leaves;

Which soon will fall and manifest

In part the promise made,

That He alone provides for all the life

Which soon will fade.

So hidden in the beauty is a

Warning to be heard.

Oh, let the rich think not that certain

Judgment is deterred.

For once the Fall is past then Winter

Surely will then come,

And only those prepared by grace

From God will know the sum

Of the fullness, of the glory, of

The ones who yet remain

Steadfast under trial to the end

And then shall claim

The crown of life which God has promised

To all those who love

Him, who loved us first and sealed us,

By His Holy Dove.

Hidden in the beauty, and remembrance

Of the Fall

Is the glory of our God; Lord Jesus,

Over all.

And He alone gives power to transfer

A soul from death

Into everlasting life, in Him,

Who gave us our first breath.