To Your Praise

Michael E. Wood

April 21, 2017

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 
  Is. 55: 6-11

For those of us whom God has given the capacity to both read and comprehend His Word to some degree, we can easily find ourselves reading passages repeatedly with a disciplinary mindset.  This is not bad but if we are not careful we can very well find that in the habit of reading we are doing just that, reading out of habit rather than seeking to know Him and desiring to see His face in the reading.  While our heavenly Father is pleased to see, us reading His infinite Word, and has promised it will not return void but will accomplish that for which He has sent it, the benefits which we receive through reading are greatly increased as we are empowered by His Spirit to hear His voice through the scriptures and enabled to do what He says to the praise of His glory.

Words of glory, words of grace

Help me through them seek Your face.

Not mere duty but with glee

Brighten more my eyes to see

The wonders now of who You are

My Jesus, My bright Morning Star.

In seeing more, Oh, make me then

Renewed in mind so that within

The change will wholly demonstrate

You save for Your own glory’s sake.

So now in time and end of days

Oh, may my life be to Your praise.

Taste of Heaven

Michael E. Wood
April 8, 2017

And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness.
I Chronicles 29:22

While simply reading several portions of scripture as my normal portion for the day, the thoughts of this poem came to mind. I am fairly certain lingering thoughts from the preaching of Pastor Mark Webb at Beacon Baptist Church for the annual Spring Bible Conference had an impact on the resultant lines and they have a special place in being written as the first poem in our new place of abode in Burlington, N.C.  The preceding text of scripture is aptly appropriate and was read after the poem was written. How Great is our God, to confirm us as we go. To Whom is all the praise.

Oh taste of heaven in my heart
Which You by grace through Christ impart,
And all the glory goes to Thee,
Oh, Father through that matchless tree.
Though simple now these lines profess
The gift of Thine own holiness
Which by Your Spirit, You conform
Each child of Thine to be the norm,
To be like Christ in every thought,
Transformed to live as we are brought
Into Thy kingdom of the light
To show Thy glorious beauty bright.

While reading through Thy Holy Word
These thoughts of joy did thus occur.
Oh, take from us the frothiness
And fill with solid comforts bliss,
That we may honor as we stand
For truth, protected by Thy hand.
And help us see the open doors
By which Your Spirit thus out-pours
The Gospel to a dying land
Till all of Yours before You stand!

His Grace is Sufficient for me (Chorus)

Michael E. Wood
March 14, 2017

Sometimes simplicity is the best translator of eternal truth and this little chorus which came to mid is proof .

His grace is sufficient for me today.
His grace is sufficient for me.
Christ hath redeemed me from sin and shame.
His grace is sufficient for me.

The Providential Hand of God

Michael E. Wood

March 13, 2017

While God has shown Himself faithful to do abundantly above all Dianna and I could ask or think, He has likewise revealed wisdom in withholding things in the past to provide for things both in the present and for the future in relation to the temporal things that we have need of.  How much more are we enabled by His Spirit to trust Him for those things we need to be consistent in proclaiming His greatness both in the present and to future generations.

The providential hand of God by all who see is seen,

The glory of His majesty, and on Him wholly lean.

Tis seen by those who do not know and do not understand

His glory is the reason He controls with His own hand

The movements of His people for the gospel to be known

Both in and through and to all those whom Christ has made His own.

Oh, that we might with humble hearts and firm affections go

Where e’er He leads from day to day as soldiers made to grow

In strength to strengthen others for the battles yet to fight

That Christ be magnified to show the power of His might.

For of Him, through Him, to Him may the glory ever be

Expressed through songs of praise to God for all eternity.