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
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 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
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
Saturday, November 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
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
Tuesday, November 2, 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
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
Saturday, October 30, 2010
I'm Free!
Psalm 61:11,12 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and to You O LORD, belongs steadfast love. For You will render to a man according to his work.
Isaiah 60:21,22 Your people shall be all righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the Branch of my planting, the work of My hands, that I might be glorified. The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I AM THE LORD; in it's time I will hasten it.
Job 34:10,11 Therefore, hear Me you men of understanding: far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from The Almighty that He should do wrong. For according to the work of a man He will repay him, and according to his ways He will make it befall him.
While contemplating these passages along with witnessing the cutting down of a fruiting mulberry tree out side our apartment I was given two new poems to write, but as I began to type I was reminded of the almighty work of God in my heart.
While reading in the book of Job, I was reminded of a time not too many years hence in which God used this selfsame book to reveal to me my absolute helpless and hopeless estate. Having gone to this book looking for comfort in the midst of having a professed faith in Christ for 31 years, I was living with more of what I have come to know as an antinomian mindset in open, flagrant, disregard for the name and glory of Christ in my self-deception and ignorance. While thinking I was trying to do the "right thing" I found myself being crushed under a load of guilt. As I read of the many false accusations attributed to Job, all I could hear within was "Guilty!", "Guilty!", "Guilty as charged!" If I hadn't done it, I had thought it, and the Sovereign God of all creation knows my thoughts. Having called a friend of mine, by the name of Bob Joyce and after having confessed in detail many of the sins of my life, I said, "Bob, I feel like I am as lost as I can be and there is no hope. Would you pray for me?"
I do not remember the exact words that he said, but his response was something like this, "If there is no hope, what do I pray for? Do you not understand that the Bible says that when Jesus went to the cross, he became sin, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. In our place, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, became the worst adulterer, the worst murderer, the worst thief, the worst liar and anything else you can think of. He suffered the full force of the wrath of God, shed his blood, made the atonement, and thereby made us acceptable to God."
Though I had understood intellectually many things of the Bible including the doctrines of grace, having obtained two degrees and holding various positions over the years in "full time ministry", I had missed the truth of the gospel.
Understanding that in and of Himself, Christ was not capable of sin, yet He bore the sins of those given to Him of the Father, that he might redeem us from all unrighteousness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. He was buried for our offenses and raised again for our justification. The Holy Spirit having made this application to our hearts and minds, birthed us into the family of God by faith and repentance, in conjunction with the unmerited love of God the Father manifested through His mercy and grace shown and given to us through Christ Jesus the Lord for His Own glory.
Some times I think back over all that has transpired over the years since I first professed faith in Christ in 1974, knowing of the many things of which there was an outward show of Christianity, and in many ways was far more zealous than many of my peers, and yet there was the lack of understanding in the very core and heart of my being that Christ alone for sin atoned! Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Through reading Spiritual Affections by Johnathan Edwards I have come to understand there are countless ways in which a person may have and display a type of spiritual understanding and possibly be used of God to show the way to others and yet not be born again. The truth is, a person may experience a number of "enlightenment's" and never truly taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh how many are there that follow the Lord for temporal gain and are blinded to the eternal weight of glory due to Christ alone, trusting in a type of faith that is not faith at all?
How many are there who trust in the teachings of men rather than the whole counsel of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as He reveals Himself through the scriptures? How many are there who have professed faith in Christ, call themselves backsliders, and say and believe they will "get right with God" someday, who have never truly been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb? How many are there who do not understand that being a Christian is not something you do, but something that was done and you are, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone?
That which is of the utmost importance is the testimony of Jesus Christ through the cross of Calvary to the glory of God the Father. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!(Psalm 40:2-4)
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift! Thanks be to God that He would save a helpless, hopeless, wretch like me. Thanks be to God that He by His Sovereignty watches over and orders every detail of our lives to bring many sons to glory. Thanks be to God that He works all things together for our good as He has called us to be conformed to the image of His Son; our past, our present, and our future, that in all things He may be glorified!
Far be it from God to ever do wrong.
The Infinite Almighty to ever do harm.
It is of His power to make of His sons
Like Jesus, His Image, all glorious ones.
Does it now matter if I am well known,
If by God's pleasure He hideth me?
For He Who Is Mighty condescended
And for His glory, redeemed; I'm free!
For He is my Treasure, All Glorious One!
I am my Beloveds and He Is mine.
To worship and praise Him for all He has done.
Oh then for joy, my soul shall resign.
For though now He pruneth, draws me close,
To provide fruit for all He doth choose.
To strengthen, empower, perfect for His will,
Hidden in Jesus, not one He will lose!
Michael E. Wood
October 1, 2010
Isaiah 60:21,22 Your people shall be all righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the Branch of my planting, the work of My hands, that I might be glorified. The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I AM THE LORD; in it's time I will hasten it.
Job 34:10,11 Therefore, hear Me you men of understanding: far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from The Almighty that He should do wrong. For according to the work of a man He will repay him, and according to his ways He will make it befall him.
While contemplating these passages along with witnessing the cutting down of a fruiting mulberry tree out side our apartment I was given two new poems to write, but as I began to type I was reminded of the almighty work of God in my heart.
While reading in the book of Job, I was reminded of a time not too many years hence in which God used this selfsame book to reveal to me my absolute helpless and hopeless estate. Having gone to this book looking for comfort in the midst of having a professed faith in Christ for 31 years, I was living with more of what I have come to know as an antinomian mindset in open, flagrant, disregard for the name and glory of Christ in my self-deception and ignorance. While thinking I was trying to do the "right thing" I found myself being crushed under a load of guilt. As I read of the many false accusations attributed to Job, all I could hear within was "Guilty!", "Guilty!", "Guilty as charged!" If I hadn't done it, I had thought it, and the Sovereign God of all creation knows my thoughts. Having called a friend of mine, by the name of Bob Joyce and after having confessed in detail many of the sins of my life, I said, "Bob, I feel like I am as lost as I can be and there is no hope. Would you pray for me?"
I do not remember the exact words that he said, but his response was something like this, "If there is no hope, what do I pray for? Do you not understand that the Bible says that when Jesus went to the cross, he became sin, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. In our place, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, became the worst adulterer, the worst murderer, the worst thief, the worst liar and anything else you can think of. He suffered the full force of the wrath of God, shed his blood, made the atonement, and thereby made us acceptable to God."
Though I had understood intellectually many things of the Bible including the doctrines of grace, having obtained two degrees and holding various positions over the years in "full time ministry", I had missed the truth of the gospel.
Understanding that in and of Himself, Christ was not capable of sin, yet He bore the sins of those given to Him of the Father, that he might redeem us from all unrighteousness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. He was buried for our offenses and raised again for our justification. The Holy Spirit having made this application to our hearts and minds, birthed us into the family of God by faith and repentance, in conjunction with the unmerited love of God the Father manifested through His mercy and grace shown and given to us through Christ Jesus the Lord for His Own glory.
Some times I think back over all that has transpired over the years since I first professed faith in Christ in 1974, knowing of the many things of which there was an outward show of Christianity, and in many ways was far more zealous than many of my peers, and yet there was the lack of understanding in the very core and heart of my being that Christ alone for sin atoned! Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Through reading Spiritual Affections by Johnathan Edwards I have come to understand there are countless ways in which a person may have and display a type of spiritual understanding and possibly be used of God to show the way to others and yet not be born again. The truth is, a person may experience a number of "enlightenment's" and never truly taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh how many are there that follow the Lord for temporal gain and are blinded to the eternal weight of glory due to Christ alone, trusting in a type of faith that is not faith at all?
How many are there who trust in the teachings of men rather than the whole counsel of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as He reveals Himself through the scriptures? How many are there who have professed faith in Christ, call themselves backsliders, and say and believe they will "get right with God" someday, who have never truly been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb? How many are there who do not understand that being a Christian is not something you do, but something that was done and you are, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone?
That which is of the utmost importance is the testimony of Jesus Christ through the cross of Calvary to the glory of God the Father. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!(Psalm 40:2-4)
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift! Thanks be to God that He would save a helpless, hopeless, wretch like me. Thanks be to God that He by His Sovereignty watches over and orders every detail of our lives to bring many sons to glory. Thanks be to God that He works all things together for our good as He has called us to be conformed to the image of His Son; our past, our present, and our future, that in all things He may be glorified!
Far be it from God to ever do wrong.
The Infinite Almighty to ever do harm.
It is of His power to make of His sons
Like Jesus, His Image, all glorious ones.
Does it now matter if I am well known,
If by God's pleasure He hideth me?
For He Who Is Mighty condescended
And for His glory, redeemed; I'm free!
For He is my Treasure, All Glorious One!
I am my Beloveds and He Is mine.
To worship and praise Him for all He has done.
Oh then for joy, my soul shall resign.
For though now He pruneth, draws me close,
To provide fruit for all He doth choose.
To strengthen, empower, perfect for His will,
Hidden in Jesus, not one He will lose!
Michael E. Wood
October 1, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
"The Memory of the Righteous is a Blessing"
*Proverbs 10:7a
Upon contemplating the home going of Allen Vestal of whom I have known for nearly 40 years, I was at a lose for words initially; for how can we as men convey that which our hearts know and feel to the glory of God, and for the encouragement and comfort of others. And yet as we look to the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our tribulation, we trust that by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ will be magnified through the weakness and smallness of our words and actions to will and to do of His good pleasure. Thus these thoughts came to mind--
Heaven never seems so near
Than when with grief we bear
The temp'ral lose of our beloved
Into our Father's care.
With joy we shall continue on
With hearts yet firmly fixed
In Christ alone in hope we live
With sorrows intermixed.
For though the pain we feel is real
Our love for Christ grows strong
And peace He gives, as Him we seek;
For His return we long.
How glorious then will that day be
When all with Him we'll be
And praise Him for the Life He gave
Through all eternity.
We thank You Father for new life
You gave to Allen Vestal.
Who now with You, his works complete
Will shine like stars celestial.
His character You formed and forged
Through all You brought in life,
And faithfulness in Christ displayed
Through grace against all strife.
Commending Your great mighty works
In his own generation,
Unto another, Your Majesty
You chose before creation.
And all will speak, pour forth the fame,
Of Your abundant goodness.
Give thanks to You, O LORD, our God,
Made righteous in Christ likeness. (John 3:1-3)
Michael E. Wood
October 26, 2010
Upon contemplating the home going of Allen Vestal of whom I have known for nearly 40 years, I was at a lose for words initially; for how can we as men convey that which our hearts know and feel to the glory of God, and for the encouragement and comfort of others. And yet as we look to the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our tribulation, we trust that by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ will be magnified through the weakness and smallness of our words and actions to will and to do of His good pleasure. Thus these thoughts came to mind--
Heaven never seems so near
Than when with grief we bear
The temp'ral lose of our beloved
Into our Father's care.
With joy we shall continue on
With hearts yet firmly fixed
In Christ alone in hope we live
With sorrows intermixed.
For though the pain we feel is real
Our love for Christ grows strong
And peace He gives, as Him we seek;
For His return we long.
How glorious then will that day be
When all with Him we'll be
And praise Him for the Life He gave
Through all eternity.
We thank You Father for new life
You gave to Allen Vestal.
Who now with You, his works complete
Will shine like stars celestial.
His character You formed and forged
Through all You brought in life,
And faithfulness in Christ displayed
Through grace against all strife.
Commending Your great mighty works
In his own generation,
Unto another, Your Majesty
You chose before creation.
And all will speak, pour forth the fame,
Of Your abundant goodness.
Give thanks to You, O LORD, our God,
Made righteous in Christ likeness. (John 3:1-3)
Michael E. Wood
October 26, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
The Grace of His Lips!
Inspired by a message entitled, “God’s Assuring Love on Earth” (Roman 8:28-39) preached by Joel Beeke on October 10, 2010 during the Conference held at Covenant Reformed Church in Sacramento, California entitled The (Neglected) Doctrine of Assurance.
God, owner of all, accepted the payment
Christ made by His blood for our purchase.
When raised from the dead; our Savior and Head,
Ascended to Glory to serve us.
For there He now sits; and the grace of His lips,
Is poured by His Spirit upon us.
For no other love can ever compare
With that by which he makes righteous.
Oh, now our response, to all that He is
In glory and beauty of person—
Exceeds all His gifts; and great benefits
Through seasons of life that may worsen.
For none shall escape His great disciplines
By which all His sons are made Holy—
As all for our good, shall be understood;
By which we cry unto Him, Glory!
How worthy is He who once then endured
The hatred that sprang from our hearts—
By His sacrifice, He gave us new life;
And new hope to see past the parts—
Now hidden to us; as only in love
Could He change us, so wicked and vile—
To be like He is; in Heaven to live,
Unashamed then to look on His smile.
Michael E. Wood
October 11, 2010
God, owner of all, accepted the payment
Christ made by His blood for our purchase.
When raised from the dead; our Savior and Head,
Ascended to Glory to serve us.
For there He now sits; and the grace of His lips,
Is poured by His Spirit upon us.
For no other love can ever compare
With that by which he makes righteous.
Oh, now our response, to all that He is
In glory and beauty of person—
Exceeds all His gifts; and great benefits
Through seasons of life that may worsen.
For none shall escape His great disciplines
By which all His sons are made Holy—
As all for our good, shall be understood;
By which we cry unto Him, Glory!
How worthy is He who once then endured
The hatred that sprang from our hearts—
By His sacrifice, He gave us new life;
And new hope to see past the parts—
Now hidden to us; as only in love
Could He change us, so wicked and vile—
To be like He is; in Heaven to live,
Unashamed then to look on His smile.
Michael E. Wood
October 11, 2010
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