New Blog….

If you are looking for us, we have moved.  Our new address is www.mmu.org .  Click the link to find our new and expanded Blog and Website.  Thank you for your support and readership.  We would love to hear from you.  So, click HERE and leave us a comment. Blessings, John

To All Our Family

Some years ago I started a book, as of yet unfinished, entitled “People Along The Way!” Every now and then I will go back and add a chapter, pray for me that I will be more diligent about this, and each time that I do I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude to my Father God! This Christmas season I found myself writing about my friend Joseph Sasser–known to me as simply, Joe. He and Beth, along with their son Benjamin, have a place in my heart that is truly difficult to describe. Beth and Joseph are an amazing gift to the Body of Christ. Joseph left us way to earlier in 2005 to be with his Father in Heaven and he left behind a beautiful, brave, remarkable wife and a young son who already has his Father’s Heart. There are many things along this journey that I do not seem to be able to wrap my mind around and Joe’s early departure is one of them. At the same time I trust my Daddy and He is always, all the time good and so is His plan. My thoughts go out to Beth and Benjamin during this Christmas season–they are very special people. Joseph was, and remains, a spiritual father to my son Scott, and his influence can be found in Scott’s heart for Jesus, his music, and his heart for worship.  Pure psalmist are rare in the Body of Christ but Joe was one of them, and his music will live on in hearts of all of us who were privileged to experience it.  I remember him often with his baseball cap on, head kicked back, guitar tilted up with praise and worship flowing from his heart.  Laughter and joy were always present when Joe was around–I guess that’s one of the reasons my thoughts are on him during the Christmas season.  People along the way–God’s gift for the journey.  Hey Joe!  “See ya at the House!”

Grateful Heart Carries its Own Blessing

The power of gratitude is an amazing thing.  The Scripture says that we are to be led by the Spirit of God and not by our own flesh, or if you will our natural mind.  The Power of Gratitude is that it transforms us from the inside out!  When I look at the world and see the obvious effort of the enemy to discourage and frustrate the family of God, it is good to know the Truth.  The Truth is that our God never changes—He is always kind, loving, merciful, listening, faithful, almighty, holy, and so much more.  Praise and Gratitude that rises from the Spirit man or Spirit woman is simply an affirmation of who our God is so that even though circumstances change–He never does.  So that no matter what it looks like in the natural—-we always win!  We are always victorious in Christ!  Praise and Gratitude to our God for who He is, as it is proclaimed by the Spirit,  speaks to our minds, emotions, our wills–building faith and literally transforming us from the inside out.  Praise Him!  Live with an attitude of gratitude in your heart for who He is and feel its transforming power change your life and your circumstances!  His Name Is Jesus–Praise Him!

Gratefull–emphasis on full

Each day is a day where I am reminded of  how Great our God is and how Full His Love is for us–there is no emptiness in His Love!  Some years ago (about 35) I discovered how important it is to live with an Attitude of Gratitude in my heart for the Nature of my God!  That kind of lifestyle changed my life forever–Praise Him, just Praise Him!  I had surgery on Monday to remove a rather nasty skin cancer from my face–the surgeon promised to make me look like Joan Rivers–now that’s a thought!  I’m good but now I look like a beat up,one eyed pirate.  I am so grateful that even though this thing I live in constantly needs some repair, my inner man–my Spirit man is being renewed every day and I am becoming more like Jesus!  He is a Mighty God!  Thanksgiving will bring all of our children and grandchildren, along with my mom (90) and Jo’s mom (89) together for a meal and a day of sharing thanks to Jesus!  Folks, our Daddy deserves all of the Praise and all the Glory–Praise His Holy Name!

John’s on Wed Nite

Being home this evening allows Jo and myself to go over to John’s for his small group meeting, and, quite frankly, I’m stoked about it.  Mom is recovering from her surgery and is planning to go with us tonight.  It is not often that I get to have mom and BJ  with me on an evening.  I have been living in Proverbs lately and am being challenged with “trusting God with my whole heart.”  I’d like to think that I always do that, but when I look around our country these days I find fear trying to creep in–but, then I meditate on His Love and things change.  I am reminded of a line from Joseph Sasser’s song, “Wait,” which says “if I could just sit at His feet and gaze into His eyes until love swallows fear and His Heart becomes mine.”  The power of  His love is an amazing thing!

What A Day

We began a weekend of prayer at Liberty on Friday evening and had prayer 24 hours through Sunday morning until the morning service started at 10:30.  It is absolutely awesome the difference in the atmosphere of the morning service when prayer has fervently been sewn into the house.  What a sweet spirit!  I remember saying to the congregation that it is really dumb to have to have a “prayer” weekend.  Now don’t go get  excited on me!  Having a prayer weekend to draw folks together to seek God and hear His voice is a good–incredibly wonderful and productive thing, but what about praying without ceasing.  What about developing our prayer lives so that each day, moment by moment we are talking to our Daddy. I  believe that the fundamental truth is that Oswald Chambers is right when he says that “prayer doesn’t prepare us for the greater work–prayer is the greater work.”  What we experienced this morning in a corporate setting we can experience day by day and moment by moment if we will be a people of prayer.