My Glory and My Head!

Having purchased an ESV Study Bible through DesiringGod.com, one of the benefits which came with the purchase was an on-line audio of the Bible. While being busy with some other things and listening to 1st John in it's entirety, the following came to mind;

The Son of God has come to me--
The Savior of the world;
And soundness to my mind He gives,
Though Satan's dart are hurled.

For on the cross He purchased me
And crushed that serpent's head
And freed me from my sin within
And to it, I am dead.

Though writhing yet remains in me
Through flesh of which I hate,
My Savior Is my Comfort
And through Him I shall escape.

Oh No, I take not lightly
All the flaws of which you've read;
But joy in God through Jesus Christ,
My Glory, and my Head!

Michael E. Wood
June 29. 2010

To Be A Godly Man!

While contemplating Palm 145:4,18 which tells us, "One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.", and the Priority of Prayer, as spoken of in the apostle Paul's charge to Timothy in 1st Timothy 2:1-6, the following came to mind:

I charge you now of first importance
To be a godly man.
That men should pray in every place
Uplifting holy hands.

For supplications must be made,
As with Aaron and with Hur,
Stayed the hands of Moses
When in battle fatigue occurred.

For not the arms of flesh will bring
To us the victory,
But by the means that God commands
Secures His sure decree.

Oh do not faint when you see not
With fleshly mortal eyes,
For faith will see through Christ alone,
In Him our vict'ry lies.

For it is he who wields the sword
Of His unchanging Word,
And fights unto the death by faith
With His full armor gird.

With marching orders that we have
No matter what our rank,
Approach the throne of mercy
In the lead or on the flank.

For God delights in mercy
And by Him we shall be heard,
And gives to us what He deems best,
According to His Word.

For this is good and pleasing
In the sight of God our Savior;
The blood of Christ now testifies,
The change of our behavior.

Oh what can we now offer Him,
But be His faithful witness.
Christ Jesus is our Testimony
And He for heaven fits us.

Until that day more glorious
On Him we'll keep our eyes,
For then His fullness we shall see,
Our Everlasting Prize!

Michael E. Wood
June 29, 2010

Entrusted

The voice of God tells us in 1st Timothy 1:5, "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." Every single day we are given is a gift from God through the abundance of His steadfast love and faithfulness. It behooves us to recognize it as such; ask, believe, and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to teach us, and then use us to speak the truth of the fact that JESUS SAVES, in love, and then trust that He will bring forth fruit unto His Own glory and praise through the gifts He has given His church until we are all with Him in glory.

Entrusted with these gifts You gave
No longer to ourselves enslaved,
Oh Holy Spirit come and make
Your presence known for Jesus sake.

Oh saturate our minds and fill
With love's strong chords to do the will
Of our Great God by which we're sent
Into this world with time we're lent.

Oh fill with weight each precious line
Of Holy Writ and show to Thine,
Both those who know and those to come
The power of Christ, The risen Son!

Oh purify each conscious thought
With sincere faith in all You've wrought
That grace and glory may abound
Unto Your praise with joyful sound.

Oh help us now for Christ lay up
Treasures of souls, with Him we'll sup,
With all the folds and flocks gathered in
As all of time will come to an end.

Michael E. Wood
June 28, 2010

Shebna or Eliakim?

Upon listening to a heart piercing, soul searching, message by Reddit Andrews from Isaiah 22 which was concluded with three questions:

(1) How seriously do I seek God's plan before I seek my own?
(2) Do we pay more attention to our relationship with God than our plans and preparations?
(3) Is my service to God more like Shebna's or Eliakim's?

I must confess that my desire has not always been, and continues to fall short at times, for the purpose of the glory of God alone. Oh how easy it is to fall into complacency and to have desires for things, which may not be bad in themselves--such as having a good name, but when the motivation comes from selfish pursuits rather than the glory of God alone then they are a stench in the nostrils of our Blessed and Holy Potentate--the KING of kings and LORD of lords.

When God in mercy doth search our hearts
And pierces through to our hidden parts
Our flesh then trembles in His sight,
Condemned to death by His Spirit's light.

Oh shall we by our pride suffocate,
And think of ourselves to pontificate,
And glory in what we think is our own--
When none but God yet sits on the throne.

O please have mercy O God of renown,
And grant us grace, restore then the crown
To cast at your feet, as we are still
And know You are God, embraced by Your will.

O help us reflect, before You be real,
Confess now our sins, give grace then to kill
All things that seek not Your glory alone,
And give You the praise, for all is Your Own!

O Father in whom my soul delights
Make all my motivations right.
Give grace to stand within your plan
Proclaim your glory throughout the Land.

Michael E. Wood
June 24, 2010

His Praise Endures Forever!

Psalm 111 begins with, "Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation." and ends with, "His praise endures forever!"

Does this not speak of both present and future glory? The great manifestation of the glory of God in heaven, as every member of the body of Christ will be perfectly formed, united as one: with one heart, one mind, and one mouth to praise our Eternal, Omnipotent, Thrice Holy God! And yet we have the good pleasure to taste of His goodness now by the assembly of the saints, as we gather together to humbly worship, praise and adore our Holy, Majestic, Triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
While contemplating the fullness of that which has begun and shall continue throughout eternity the following verses were written:

His praise endures forever!
The glory and honor of Christ is now told,
As the mystery of godliness in us He unfolds.
His praise endures forever!

For we are His workmanship created in Him,
Good works, God ordained, that we walk in them.
His praise endures forever!

Prepared in His glory, He speaks through His Son,
By the word of His grace, and His Spirit as One.
His praise endures forever!

O fix now your eyes on His cross and hold dear
The Name of our God, in both meekness and fear.
His praise endures forever!

For His Name is Holy and Awesome to all,
The ransomed, His chosen, as on Him we call.
His praise endures forever!

Oh guard this Gift by His Spirit in us
And know full well what His hands did entrust.
His praise endures forever!

For He is faithful and just in His call,
His righteousness endures and delights overall.
His praise endures forever!

His precepts are trustworthy, established forever,
Only dross as of gold, has God chosen to sever.
His praise endures forever!

With His glory in mind and our faith so refined,
We'll see the great splendor of all He designed.
His praise endures forever!

With thankful whole heart in the great congregation,
The company of the upright, from the dawn of creation.
His praise endures forever!

Oh fan into flames all the grace you've been shown,
That others in Jesus, His glory be known!
His praise endures forever!

Michael E. Wood
June 23, 20101

The Romans Project (Part Five)

While contemplating Romans 5:6-11:

Almighty God we did not revere.
Our helpless estate was Oh, so severe,
That God could not look on even one sin,
Yet in the due time, Christ entered in.

He died for us while we were yet enemies,
To deliver us from sin's captivities.
Perhaps for a good man some would dare die,
Or scarcely for the righteous who cry,

But God commendeth His love toward us,
That through the blood of Christ we're made just
As if we had never, ever once sinned,
To make us pure and holy within.

And all the wrath of God He consumed,
While enemies: in Christ we assumed
Reconciliation to God through His loss,
The death of His Son, who paid through the cross.

Much more, much more, being now reconciled,
We shall be saved by His life, as His child.
Not only so, but in God we rejoice
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who made us His choice.

All glorious praise to our God who had promised
By His word and His Spirit, He showered upon us
Such wonderful love through the life and bestowment
By Christ Jesus our Lord we received the atonement!

Oh what price could we then but fathom
Of all sins accrued beginning with Adam.
But had it been one, Christ still need have come.
Our thrice Holy God Is comparative to none!

For GOD IN HOLINESS IS SO INFINITE,
That Just He would be if to hell we were sent,
And yet through Christ, His justice was served,
And bore all the wrath of which we deserved.

Oh will you not repent then from sin
And be embraced by His Gift now within,
And know the love of God without measure?
The Just for the unjust, Christ Jesus, our TREASURE!

Michael E. Wood
June 22, 2010 3:31 pm

To be continued...

Oh Death, Where is Thy Sting?

While listening to an expository message by Redditt Andrews on Romans 6:1-4, and coming to verse 4 which states, "Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father", the words, "O death, where is thy sting?", came to mind. The first verse of the following came immediately to mind, and the remainder came while contemplating the text last night and this morning:

Oh death, where is thy sting?
Oh death, through you I will sing!
Because of the wonder and glory of grace,
Unto my Lord Jesus when I see His face.
Because of Christ I will sing!
Oh death, where is thy sting?

Oh death, where is thy sting?
Oh death, through you we will sing!
Into the death of Christ Jesus our Lord
We died then to sin, and no more now adored.
Because of Christ we will sing!
Oh death, where is thy sting?

Oh death, where is thy sting?
Oh death, through you we will sing!
Baptized in Jesus, in newness we walk.
His life now within us, by Him we are taught.
Because of Christ we will sing!
Oh death, where is thy sting?

Oh death, where is thy sting?
Oh death, through you we will sing!
Christ rose from the dead, by it, no more we're awed.
The glory of the Father, by Him we're enthralled.
Because of Christ we will sing!
Oh death where is thy sting?

Oh death. where is thy sting?
Oh death, through you we will sing!
Forever delivered from death and its claim.
We live by His Spirit, His glory our aim.
Because of Christ we will sing!
Oh death, where is thy sting?

Michael E. Wood
June 21, 2010