I AM With You Always

Michael E. Wood

June 4-8, 2012

Matthew 28: 20b And behold, I Am with you always, to the end of the age.

Living in the presence of Christ is not optional for the child of God. While we have been commissioned by Christ with the greatest work that any human soul could ever be involved in while here on earth, we are like wise commanded to behold the fact that He is with us always, to the end of the age. Upon being given the privilege of preaching to my brothers and sisters of Immanuel Baptist church on the subject of “Living in the presence of Christ”, (of which you can listen to by clicking here this link:  http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Michael%5EWood , ) the following poem was given as an overflow of that privilege.

I Am with you when you rise and I Am with you when you sleep,

I Am with you every moment as the Shepherd of the sheep,

And watch and care for every one of which I’ve called by name

And placed within you glory in the bud removing shame; 

As grace sufficient for each day is now to you supplied,

You will magnify me by the life I lived for you and died,

With resurrection power as I reign o’er all the earth

And heaven by my Spirit showing all my matchless worth.

I Am with you when you’re low and I Am with you when you’re high,

And I Am with you by my providence to draw you ever nigh,

To see me as I Am one day in perfect purity

And cause you even now to see in part, imperfectly;

To reflect my glory, as the moon now does the sun

Having nothing in yourself but only that which now comes from

This gift I’ve given you by my own blood and through the cross

To know my tribulations are for good and not for loss.

I Am with you in afflictions showing others I Am health

Far beyond the bounds of mortal life, the source of all true wealth.

I Am with you when you see not what I’m doing for your good

And then gently will correct you by my glory understood,

That my presence may be with you as with me you are enthralled

By my goodness as revealed to you, the children I have called.

And then others will be strengthened while yet others may then stumble

As they grope for answers that I give unto the meek and humble.

I Am with you as a Father in communion as you call,

As the Bread of hidden manna feeding multitudes of all

Of which I have appointed in the sphere of all the host

Far beyond what you imagine through Jehovah, Holy Ghost.

I Am with you always to the end of present age,

Intertwining every member of my body for the stage,

In which the righteous will then shine like suns eternally

In the kingdom of their Father in His love then perfectly.

One Thing (New Song)

Michael E. Wood

May 1-2, 2012

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

“You cannot slay the enemy by throwing away your sword, and nearness to Christ is your battle-axe and weapons of war; you have lost your power when you have left your Lord. One thing is needful—let the rest go. What if we have not learning? - what if we have not eloquence? If we live near to Christ, we have something better than all these; if we abide in Him, and He abides in us, we shall ask what we will, and it shall be done to us. If His word abides in us, we shall go and bring forth fruit, and our fruit shall remain; if He abides in us, we shall enjoy heaven on earth, and be daily preparing for that eternal heaven which is to be our portion. ‘One thing is needful.’ God grant it to every one of us!-Amen.” C.H. Spurgeon

One Thing

What a privilege we share

As we come through You in prayer

Robed alone by the blood that You shed,

And our Father now hears

Wiping out all of our fears

And on Him we shall cast all our cares.

But one thing that means most

By Your sweet Holy Ghost

We draw near as we sit at Your feet.

At Your feet we see your face

Though now but dimly by Your grace

And You speak by Your own word

And bring delight by what we’ve heard,

Transforming all that lies within;

Compelling love which conquers sin.

Lord Jesus speak as we sit at Your feet.

There are times that we may grieve

Your Holy Spirit and to leave

Your very presence when we dwell on our sin,

But Your promise holds us firm

As You work that we may learn

That through the cross is where You did to us cleave.

And one thing that means most

Is that in which we shall boast

Is by that cross we will sit at Your feet.

At Your feet we see Your face

And grow in strength to run the race

As all before us have done

Secure in what You have won

And though all hell shall assail

In You alone we shall prevail

And safely home we shall sit at Your feet.

Father hallowed be Thy Name.

May Thy glory be our aim.

May Your kingdom come and find us then entire,

All arrayed in shim’ ring white

By the power of Thy might

As we dwell within the glory of Thy fame.

And one thing that means most

As a member of that host

Will be to see You and to sit at Your feet.

At Your feet we’ll see Your face,

The God of glory and of grace,

And all Your fullness then will be

The light of all eternity

And as we gaze upon Your smile

In adoration all the while

We’ll praise You as we sit at Your feet.

We’ll praise You as we sit at Your feet.

The Living Stone!

Michael E. Wood

May 9, 2012

City Light Preaching Nights

Various preachers and pastors from biblically based churches from around the city of Sacramento have been given the task to preach a series of messages on the attributes of God, hosted by Immanuel Baptist Church the first Saturday night of each month from May through the remainder of this year. Pastor Robert Briggs of Immanuel Baptist preached the first night, May 5^th, on “The Knowable God”.

Quoting from J.I. Packer, he noted, “It is better to know a little of God than to know a great deal about God.” “All men know God “, Pastor Briggs went on to say, reading the text from Romans 1:19-23  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

The first four verses of the following poem came to mind as he was preaching and was completed Wednesday morning while pondering the thoughts that had been expressed.

In what way do you know Him

Who is God of all the earth?

Do you know Him just by nature

Or in truth of all His worth?

For He himself has shown you

Even though you may suppress

The truth of who He is

By all your own ungodliness.

And though you may now hide behind

The things of your own mind,

Born out of such imagination

In the end you’ll find-

He has indeed revealed to you

And made it very clear,

Jehovah-Tisidkenu* alone

Is He whom you should fear!

For those of us He purchased

And has made His very own,

We take delight in giving praise,

For Jesus did atone.

As for our sake He took upon

Himself all of our sin,

And justice met with mercy,

For us righteousness to win.

And as we are now justified

And give the glory due,

God likewise will be honored

By His condemnation too.

For all who are not humbled

With new hearts made to repent,

Rejecting Jesus as the only One

Of whom He sent

Will bow before Him in the judgment

When comes the final day

And proclaim Him Lord of all,

His triumph then display.

Oh will you not now come to Him?

By grace through faith alone

And trust in Him for mercy

As He Is The Living Stone!

(*Jehovah Tisidkenu- Jehovah is our righteousness.)

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The following City Lights Preaching Night Schedule is included as an invitation to anyone may read this blog during this season of special meetings. Thank you Greg Garcia and Viktor Palenyy for your labor of love.

CITY LIGHT PREACHING NIGHT A SERIES ON THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

6:30 PM WHERE: IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH (1424 24TH STREET - MIDTOWN)

1.	The Knowable God	May 5th	Robert Briggs	Immanuel Baptist Church
2.	The Triune God	June 2nd	Steve Meister	River City Grace
3.	The Infinite-Personal God	July 7th	Greg Stoever	River City Grace
4.	The Holy God	August 4th	Phil Layton	Gold Country Baptist Church
5.	The Loving God	September 8th	Erik Myers	Veritas
6.	The Wrathful God	October 6th	Jeremy Twombley	Immanuel Baptist Church
7.	The Faithful God	November 3rd	Ron Poarch	Grace Reformation Church
8.	The Beautiful God	December 1st	Jon Mroos	Elk Grove Bible Church

When Did You Last Shed a Tear?

Michael E. Wood

May 15, 2012

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8: 18-25 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Psalm 126:6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

God as a Father, through the Son, by the power of His Spirit, initiates and sustains our thoughts toward Himself: the Father, by that which He has decreed; the Son, by what He has done through the finished work of the cross and His present intercession; and, the Holy Spirit by working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, and will do to the praise of His glorious grace.

He has chosen to use men and women as vessels of mercy to each of us as members of His body to build one another up in the faith as the aroma of life unto life and to the lost as the aroma of death unto death. In the poem that follows, I am thankful first of all to God for this stewardship of which He has called me to in recording thoughts poetically.   Though imperfect, I trust Christ is magnified thereby.

Though it is never truly possible to give credit to all who have been an encouragement in writing any particular poem, there are often those who stand out in a moment of time for their godly influence. While listening to a message online by Pastor Michael Karns of Beacon Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina based on Romans 8:1.  To the best of my memory he made the statement, “When was the last time you wept simply because you were overwhelmed by the grace God has given to you?”

Next, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones has left us some incredible insights through his commentary developed from his sermons on the book of Romans.

At the present Pastor Robert Briggs is preaching through the book of Revelation on Sunday mornings at Immanuel Baptist Church, in Sacramento, California.

And finally, I am so thankful for my precious wife, Dianna, who not only is a help in guarding this season of time which has been given to us; but , is also my sounding board for suggestions in difficult lines and for the maintenance of biblically sound, God glorifying thoughts.

Oh when did you last shed a tear as all of grace, not sinful fear

You were o’ercome by such love that only God Himself above

Could have drawn from your own heart through Christ who did to you impart

The sweetness of His sacrifice to raise us up not once but twice?

First within, as in His train, we follow, as He is our gain

And fills us with expectant hope with all creation as the scope

Of which He shall one day release and bondage from corruption cease

As manifest the sons will be, to shout His praise eternally!

Oh when did you last shed a tear for those of whom you now hold dear

Or those of whom you daily pass who have no hope of Christ; Alas,

Are you so now hardened by the things of earth you cannot cry

Out to Him and faithful sow the Seed of life in Christ to show

That He alone by God’s decree has shed His blood upon the tree

To vindicate the awful wrath due all who stay on sinful path.

Apart from His redeeming grace we too would not behold His face.

So measure now the gift He gave and weep that He may others save.

Oh when did you last shed a tear and mourn o’er sins remains so drear,

Yet knowing what our Savior said, you shall be blessed and Spirit led,

Transforming every single thought as captives of the One who brought

Us to Himself and thus display the power of His cross that day

In which the luster of His jewels shine bright in glory as He rules

With love perfecting every strain of songs of praise as we shall reign

Forever in our Father’s house, as Christ the bridegroom, we the spouse

Fulfill all that which was decreed; He is our all, and all we need!

Oh if you shed not godly tears, you have good reason then with fears

To dread the coming judgment day when wrath on you will then display

The glory of Almighty God, whose love you spurned, as He will trod

The winepress of His fury as, depart from me is what He says

To all who did not to him flee. Oh will you not NOW bow the knee?

And humbly from Him mercy seek, as grace He gives to sinners meek,

And blessed are they in all the earth as they inherit by the worth

Of Christ the Lamb for sinners slain! Come Lord Jesus, make it plain!

By Him of Whom We’re From

Michael E. Wood

April 30, 2012

Romans 6:11

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 ^{Romans 8:13}

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

“Mortification is a continued act, it is a daily dying to sin, ‘I die daily.’ A crucified man will strive and struggle, yet, in the eyes of the law, and in the account of all that see him, he is dead. It is just so with sin.”

Thomas Brooks, “Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Device”

What a wonderful and encouraging description we are given through the words of Thomas Brooks concerning the ongoing process of our sanctification. For though we may and do suffer setbacks or momentary declension, we are continually born up by the Holy Spirit given to us through Christ Jesus our Lord, who loved us and gave Himself for us, thereby being not only our guarantee that we shall never return to whence we came but will indeed receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls culminating in that glorification that encompasses all creation to the praise of His glorious grace.

The cross we bear is that of daily dying to our sin

And yet we do rejoice as it is Christ we are to win.

For as we look to Him we find He is the means of grace

And more like Him we shall become while looking in His face.

And as the sirens of this world will vie for our attention

It is the Holy Spirit who will keep us from declension.

Though setbacks are determined by our arrogance and pride,

Our Sovereign God will use these too to show us we have died.

For as we cry for mercy, we still find we are embraced

By Christ Himself who through the cross has our own sins erased.

Lift high therefore the banner and continue in the fight

Through the blood of Jesus who has conquered by His might,

Every foe we find within ourselves and those without

That for His praise we’re carried by His Spirit then to shout,

“He is the God alone in whom we trust o’er all the span

Between the heavens and the earth fulfilling Father’s plan

To manifest His glory even now and more to come

When all creation is renewed by Him of whom we’re from.”

You Need Not Any Thing

Michael E. Wood

March 14, 2012

Psalms 115: 1-3 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Revelation 4:9-11 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

On some occasions God will bring forth words of praise or prayer to Himself in the form of poetry from my heart during the course of a message being preached or taught. When that takes place I usually write down the thoughts which immediately come to mind with the intent to further develop it later, and then return to focusing upon that which is being taught in that present moment. There have been a number of times that that has occurred over the past few years and has resulted in the writing of a poem to completion soon thereafter. On other occasions it has resulted in the thoughts being transferred from whatever was handy in that moment to write upon a card or in a book of which seem to lie dormant in its development, or as in this case it becomes what my precious wife Dianna has labeled as a “spark”.  As Pastor Jeremy Twombley began teaching on a Wednesday night the Attributes of God, we looked at a number of passages from scripture and he made the following statements. “God is self-existent, in need of nothing.” And “God chooses to glorify Himself through creation and man.” As he relied heavily upon instruction given by Wayne Grudem, this little “spark” is likewise an expression of how God uses faithful men to teach faithful men as well as uniting them together for the praise of His glorious grace.

For though You need not any thing of aught that we might do,

You grant to us the privilege to offer up to You

The form of worship that is pleasing by true faith alone,

Centered on the glory of the Lamb upon the throne!

Thank You for the pleasure in expressions that You give

By Your Holy Spirit knitting members then to live

As one body in the temple of Christ crucified

And resurrected by the power in Him glorified.

Amazed In Glory Shared

Michael E. Wood

April 21, 2012

2^nd Thessalonians 1:10-12

"...when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

“All afflictions and troubles that do attend men in a way of righteousness can never rob them of their treasure, of their jewels.”

“The treasures of a saint are the presence of God, the favor of God, union and communion with God, the pardon of sin, the joy of the Spirit, the peace of conscience, which are jewels that none can give but Christ, nor none can take away but Christ.”

“Why, a believer’s treasure is always safe in the hands of Christ: his life is safe, his soul is safe, his grace is safe, his comfort is safe, and his crown is safe in the hand of Christ.”

Quotes above taken from “Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices”, Thomas Brooks*

Remains of doubts, remains of fears,

Remains which bring me more to tears

But these afflictions prompt to rise

And look to You my souls True Prize,

To thank You for this evidence

You gave to me to know and sense

The working of Your Spirit in

My heart to purge me from my sin.

For this You came to earth to do

In every son to make anew.

Oh Christ the One true offering

Who by Your blood gave covering

That we may of Your Spirit drink

Much more than what we know or think

And by Thy will our souls preserved

As daily we of that reserved

Partake of hidden manna for

Thy glory by the cross You bore.

Our minds get dull, our thoughts get weak

Until we hear Your Spirit speak

Through Your unchanging holy Word

And know it is Your voice we heard,

By which You lead us then to praise

Your Name Oh God through passing days

Until we in that place prepared

Will stand amazed in glory shared.

*Puritan Paperbacks, The Banner of Truth Trust