Michael E. Wood
November 10, 2011
In solitude God doth provide
The things that we have need of
And teaches us to look to Him
Whose bounty from above
Doth feed our souls with fatness
Which is found in Christ alone;
The marrow of His gladness
Which doth strengthen every bone
Of which cannot be broken
As we reap the benefit
Of the death that Jesus died
To make us every wit,
The children of His promise
As He guards each step toward home
Though now on earth we find within
Our spirit that we groan
To be swallowed up of life;
The burden of this tent,
Secured and guaranteed to us;
His Spirit He has sent
To take good courage as we walk
By faith and not by sight.
We make our aim to please Him
By the power of His might!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Christ Doth Reign From Heaven Above
Michael Wood
November 7, 2011
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
Psalms 105:5, 6
As God is gracious as a Father and knows what things we have need of, He may at times choose to withdraw a portion of His sensible presence to prove His faithfulness amidst the infirmities of our flesh. Oh how easily we are distracted at times by the things we hear, the things we see, and the things we feel, not to mention the fact that when we are called to take a new step of faith in the declaration of His Word by the life we live and the words we say, you can absolutely count on the fact that we will draw enemy fire both from within and without. Some times we may even draw what could be called friendly fire from those who judge according to fleshly observations based on preconceived ideology taught by the traditions of men rather than after the working of the manifold grace of God; Who gives to each of us according to the good pleasure of His will. Well did the song writer say, “Oh to grace, how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be, Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee!”
Thus it behooves us to take Him at His Word, and remember the wondrous works that He has done. For He that hath begun a good work in you shall perform it till the day of Christ! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
In times when You withdraw from me,
I feel my need more keen
To look into Your Holy Book
To see what I have seen
Of all the goodness You have shown
Throughout the course of time,
By miracles and wondrous works
Confirming all of Thine.
For You have uttered judgments
For the offspring and the seed
Of Abraham, Your chosen ones
In whom You are well pleased;
As only in the righteousness
Of Christ are we adorned
To come before the throne of grace
For mercy as those born
To proclaim Your glory
As Your praises we shall sing
Throughout eternity by Him
Who Is our Offering!
So in the early morning
And throughout the passing day
Oh strengthen us to see Your hand
At work in every way
Of which You choose to show
Through us the miracle of love,
That all may see that You, O Christ
Doth reign from heaven above.
November 7, 2011
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
Psalms 105:5, 6
As God is gracious as a Father and knows what things we have need of, He may at times choose to withdraw a portion of His sensible presence to prove His faithfulness amidst the infirmities of our flesh. Oh how easily we are distracted at times by the things we hear, the things we see, and the things we feel, not to mention the fact that when we are called to take a new step of faith in the declaration of His Word by the life we live and the words we say, you can absolutely count on the fact that we will draw enemy fire both from within and without. Some times we may even draw what could be called friendly fire from those who judge according to fleshly observations based on preconceived ideology taught by the traditions of men rather than after the working of the manifold grace of God; Who gives to each of us according to the good pleasure of His will. Well did the song writer say, “Oh to grace, how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be, Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee!”
Thus it behooves us to take Him at His Word, and remember the wondrous works that He has done. For He that hath begun a good work in you shall perform it till the day of Christ! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
In times when You withdraw from me,
I feel my need more keen
To look into Your Holy Book
To see what I have seen
Of all the goodness You have shown
Throughout the course of time,
By miracles and wondrous works
Confirming all of Thine.
For You have uttered judgments
For the offspring and the seed
Of Abraham, Your chosen ones
In whom You are well pleased;
As only in the righteousness
Of Christ are we adorned
To come before the throne of grace
For mercy as those born
To proclaim Your glory
As Your praises we shall sing
Throughout eternity by Him
Who Is our Offering!
So in the early morning
And throughout the passing day
Oh strengthen us to see Your hand
At work in every way
Of which You choose to show
Through us the miracle of love,
That all may see that You, O Christ
Doth reign from heaven above.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Your Covenant Secures
Michael E. Wood
November 1, 2011
He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, Psalm 105:8, 9
While God as a Father calls us to be responsible and to remember the mighty works that He has done throughout human history as well as within our hearts by His Spirit, He likewise knows the infirmity of our flesh which often includes a short memory span. I am so thankful that we live in a day in which we are privileged to have the written Word of God in its entirety at our disposal here in America, whereby we are enabled to stir up the gift of God that is within us by way of remembrance. But even more thankful am I that He is not dependant upon our memory to fulfill His covenant promises through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank You that Your memory
Is better than my own
And that Your covenant secures
Sure mercies from Your throne
For when my heart condemns me
For the sins that I have sinned,
My confidence comes from Your Word
And Spirit now within.
And You are so much greater
Than my heart or anything
That would seek to separate me
From the loving Spring
Of which You are and showed to us
When Christ; His life laid down
That we may stand alone in Him
Who Is the solid ground,
And stabilizes every step
As we follow in His train,
By grace through faith as He
Our Master over us doth reign.
November 1, 2011
He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, Psalm 105:8, 9
While God as a Father calls us to be responsible and to remember the mighty works that He has done throughout human history as well as within our hearts by His Spirit, He likewise knows the infirmity of our flesh which often includes a short memory span. I am so thankful that we live in a day in which we are privileged to have the written Word of God in its entirety at our disposal here in America, whereby we are enabled to stir up the gift of God that is within us by way of remembrance. But even more thankful am I that He is not dependant upon our memory to fulfill His covenant promises through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank You that Your memory
Is better than my own
And that Your covenant secures
Sure mercies from Your throne
For when my heart condemns me
For the sins that I have sinned,
My confidence comes from Your Word
And Spirit now within.
And You are so much greater
Than my heart or anything
That would seek to separate me
From the loving Spring
Of which You are and showed to us
When Christ; His life laid down
That we may stand alone in Him
Who Is the solid ground,
And stabilizes every step
As we follow in His train,
By grace through faith as He
Our Master over us doth reign.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
To Serve Before Your Throne
Michael E. Wood
November 1, 2011
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:9-13.
When the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ shines within our hearts, the true grace that is given is not perceived by those which are in the world and the depths of that work is not always discerned immediately by others whom God has called unto Himself. Thus a part of the working out of our salvation may often mean undergoing a type of rejection or “waiting period” from God’s own people. Even the apostle Paul as noted in the scriptures was given the task to defend the authority that had been given him by God to the saints as well as the other apostles. To be well known and yet unknown for the glory of God is the task we are often called to, and thus in humble submission to the will of Him that does all things well, “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD!
He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
They did not know the work of God that by Him would wrought.
And blind as they are we, until we humbly bow the knee,
And subject ourselves unto the King at Calvary.
And this we could not do apart from sovereign grace
Which shined within our hearts to see the light of Jesus face.
Should we then be surprised, if against us should then rise
The same contending spirits who did witness with their eyes
That God as One had come to us. The person of His Son,
Incarnate in the flesh, and on the cross our vict’ry won.
He sent to us His Holy Spirit and though the battle rage,
The Captain of our souls doth by His Word teach us to wage
The warfare here on earth that will render honor due
To God alone and glorify our Savior Jesus too!
Oh help us then to know the things You teach about our self,
That we may know the healing balm and glory of Thy wealth,
Of which You freely give, as we to You, our Father cry
For grace with full assurance of Your mercies as we fly
With wings like eagles as we mount upon Your strength alone,
Renewed in faith as those who wait to serve before Your throne.
November 1, 2011
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:9-13.
When the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ shines within our hearts, the true grace that is given is not perceived by those which are in the world and the depths of that work is not always discerned immediately by others whom God has called unto Himself. Thus a part of the working out of our salvation may often mean undergoing a type of rejection or “waiting period” from God’s own people. Even the apostle Paul as noted in the scriptures was given the task to defend the authority that had been given him by God to the saints as well as the other apostles. To be well known and yet unknown for the glory of God is the task we are often called to, and thus in humble submission to the will of Him that does all things well, “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD!
He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
They did not know the work of God that by Him would wrought.
And blind as they are we, until we humbly bow the knee,
And subject ourselves unto the King at Calvary.
And this we could not do apart from sovereign grace
Which shined within our hearts to see the light of Jesus face.
Should we then be surprised, if against us should then rise
The same contending spirits who did witness with their eyes
That God as One had come to us. The person of His Son,
Incarnate in the flesh, and on the cross our vict’ry won.
He sent to us His Holy Spirit and though the battle rage,
The Captain of our souls doth by His Word teach us to wage
The warfare here on earth that will render honor due
To God alone and glorify our Savior Jesus too!
Oh help us then to know the things You teach about our self,
That we may know the healing balm and glory of Thy wealth,
Of which You freely give, as we to You, our Father cry
For grace with full assurance of Your mercies as we fly
With wings like eagles as we mount upon Your strength alone,
Renewed in faith as those who wait to serve before Your throne.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Man You’d Have Me Be
Michael E. Wood
October 30, 2011
A Prayer
Oh by Thy grace help me to be
The man You’d have me be
And live by faith through Your pure Word
To honor only Thee.
For it is You, O Christ my King
Who captivates our hearts
And changes them to build Your church
With all its body parts
Set in order by Your Holy Spirit pleasing You
Unto Your praise through endless day
And for Your glory too!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Most of My Heroes are Eighty Years Old
Michael E. Wood
October 24, 2011
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. Psalm 145:3, 4
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1st Peter 2:9
(See also the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
In the place that God has designed for my personal growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am often afforded some time each week to listen to sermons online as I go about the doing of chores around the house. On one of these occasions I was blessed in the message received through the voice of one who is a godly example of that which he preaches. While in the process of preaching from 2nd Chronicles 34 on the subject of, “Excellence: The Pursuit that Honors God”, Pastor Bob Latour used the word “heroes” in reference to many of the members of Beacon Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina. With great affection my mind was stirred with appreciation for many of these faithful members of the body of Christ, whom God has used as expressions of His love loyalty and faithfulness through the years. And thus the word hero is defined by the context in which it is used.
Likewise, Dianna and I have been given the privilege to minister the word of His grace to a number of God’s people at Atria El Camino Gardens, of which some of them are eighty years old and more. While not only having the opportunity to preach the gospel of the kingdom of our Lord we also are in the beginning stages of seeing the blessings of the relationships He is building through this ministry to the praise of His glory.
Over the first few weeks of preaching we have found ourselves focusing on the texts from Revelation 12:11 and Revelation 1:9. From these texts we can easily see the relationship which is formed in the body of Christ both locally and universally throughout all of time as those who were written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world. In the Lamb who was slain we are united as one unto the praise of His glorious grace and are sown by Him in this world to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Thus, most of my heroes are eighty years old and more.
Most of my heroes are eighty years old
Or more if you count from the grave,
For though days on earth may have ended in time
They speak of One mighty to save.
With lives full of faithfulness as the great mark
Of grace which was on them outpoured
They shine as the stars from the heavens above
And shout things which can’t be ignored.
They tell of the Savior of which they had met
Whose mercy and power subdued
All of their sins by the blood of His cross
And even through death He has proved
The life that He gives is eternal in value
And kept now in store by His Name
Till all who believe shall be gathered as one
Forever proclaiming His fame.
For this is the purpose for which we were born;
As seeds sown in each generation
Will show forth the glory of Jesus our Lord,
The Lamb slain before the foundation
Of this present world before it was formed
Or spoken by Him to existence,
As He The Almighty with one single word
Will overcome all the resistance
Now present as vanities of nations rage
Continually sinking in mire.
This age will then end by His Word as decreed:
Our God; a consuming fire.
Oh, where will you be, and what will you see
And feel at the end of your course?
Will you enter with joy the presence of God
And know Him through Jesus the source
Of life from the dead, our covenant head,
Rejoice in the great consummation,
Or forever be doomed as the flames will consume
All hope, in eternal damnation?
Now is the time and today is the day
If you by His grace hear His voice
And answer the call as before Him you fall,
Rejoice that He made you His choice.
Oh Spirit of God, please come and breathe through
The words of Your infinite heart,
And help us more clearly, the love of our Savior
To see, though now but in part.
And know the assurance that like Him we’ll be,
Beholding His glorious face,
Fulfilled by the promise You speak by Your Word
To enter Your glory by grace.
Upon completion of this poem, the thought came to mind that this might make for a good Southern Gospel song, and thus music came to mind and it has been recorded as such.
October 24, 2011
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. Psalm 145:3, 4
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1st Peter 2:9
(See also the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
In the place that God has designed for my personal growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am often afforded some time each week to listen to sermons online as I go about the doing of chores around the house. On one of these occasions I was blessed in the message received through the voice of one who is a godly example of that which he preaches. While in the process of preaching from 2nd Chronicles 34 on the subject of, “Excellence: The Pursuit that Honors God”, Pastor Bob Latour used the word “heroes” in reference to many of the members of Beacon Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina. With great affection my mind was stirred with appreciation for many of these faithful members of the body of Christ, whom God has used as expressions of His love loyalty and faithfulness through the years. And thus the word hero is defined by the context in which it is used.
Likewise, Dianna and I have been given the privilege to minister the word of His grace to a number of God’s people at Atria El Camino Gardens, of which some of them are eighty years old and more. While not only having the opportunity to preach the gospel of the kingdom of our Lord we also are in the beginning stages of seeing the blessings of the relationships He is building through this ministry to the praise of His glory.
Over the first few weeks of preaching we have found ourselves focusing on the texts from Revelation 12:11 and Revelation 1:9. From these texts we can easily see the relationship which is formed in the body of Christ both locally and universally throughout all of time as those who were written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world. In the Lamb who was slain we are united as one unto the praise of His glorious grace and are sown by Him in this world to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Thus, most of my heroes are eighty years old and more.
Most of my heroes are eighty years old
Or more if you count from the grave,
For though days on earth may have ended in time
They speak of One mighty to save.
With lives full of faithfulness as the great mark
Of grace which was on them outpoured
They shine as the stars from the heavens above
And shout things which can’t be ignored.
They tell of the Savior of which they had met
Whose mercy and power subdued
All of their sins by the blood of His cross
And even through death He has proved
The life that He gives is eternal in value
And kept now in store by His Name
Till all who believe shall be gathered as one
Forever proclaiming His fame.
For this is the purpose for which we were born;
As seeds sown in each generation
Will show forth the glory of Jesus our Lord,
The Lamb slain before the foundation
Of this present world before it was formed
Or spoken by Him to existence,
As He The Almighty with one single word
Will overcome all the resistance
Now present as vanities of nations rage
Continually sinking in mire.
This age will then end by His Word as decreed:
Our God; a consuming fire.
Oh, where will you be, and what will you see
And feel at the end of your course?
Will you enter with joy the presence of God
And know Him through Jesus the source
Of life from the dead, our covenant head,
Rejoice in the great consummation,
Or forever be doomed as the flames will consume
All hope, in eternal damnation?
Now is the time and today is the day
If you by His grace hear His voice
And answer the call as before Him you fall,
Rejoice that He made you His choice.
Oh Spirit of God, please come and breathe through
The words of Your infinite heart,
And help us more clearly, the love of our Savior
To see, though now but in part.
And know the assurance that like Him we’ll be,
Beholding His glorious face,
Fulfilled by the promise You speak by Your Word
To enter Your glory by grace.
Upon completion of this poem, the thought came to mind that this might make for a good Southern Gospel song, and thus music came to mind and it has been recorded as such.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Happy Birthday, Mom!
Michael E. Wood
11/18/11
Have you ever gone out to find a birthday card for a loved one which simply resulted in frustration? The world offers everything from twisted perversions, unrealistic ideologies, or the thoughts which sprang forth from another heart which doesn’t quite meet the criteria you have in mind. And then of course there are those cards of which you think in your own mind, that if you were on the receiving end, you would rather that they would have sent the money in a plain envelope rather than to have spent it on a card. Alas many will settle for something close to what they have in mind or on an unusual occasion may actually find something befitting. I could not, and thus with the help of my beloved wife the following was enclosed in an artistically appealing home made card for my mom.
I looked and looked
And looked and looked
And looked to find a card.
You’d think that
Something simple
Wouldn’t be so very hard.
But when I read
The words that
Others wrote by their design,
I could not
Find a single one
Expressing every line,
Of which I knew
In truth would be
Exactly from my heart
And so I wrote
This simple rhyme
By which I could impart
The knowledge of
My love and
Happy Birthday wishes too,
For there is
Not another
Single one on earth like you.
Happy Birthday Mom!
11/18/11
Have you ever gone out to find a birthday card for a loved one which simply resulted in frustration? The world offers everything from twisted perversions, unrealistic ideologies, or the thoughts which sprang forth from another heart which doesn’t quite meet the criteria you have in mind. And then of course there are those cards of which you think in your own mind, that if you were on the receiving end, you would rather that they would have sent the money in a plain envelope rather than to have spent it on a card. Alas many will settle for something close to what they have in mind or on an unusual occasion may actually find something befitting. I could not, and thus with the help of my beloved wife the following was enclosed in an artistically appealing home made card for my mom.
I looked and looked
And looked and looked
And looked to find a card.
You’d think that
Something simple
Wouldn’t be so very hard.
But when I read
The words that
Others wrote by their design,
I could not
Find a single one
Expressing every line,
Of which I knew
In truth would be
Exactly from my heart
And so I wrote
This simple rhyme
By which I could impart
The knowledge of
My love and
Happy Birthday wishes too,
For there is
Not another
Single one on earth like you.
Happy Birthday Mom!
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