We are on day 2 of our year-long journey of reading through the New Testament, looking at Matthew chapter 2.
"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.... The star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:1-11).
The wise men were going to see the King. They followed His star and when they found Him they took Him into their hearts. They "rejoiced with exceedingly great joy!" They "fell down and worshiped Him" and "opened their treasures" before Him to offer their gifts to Him.
Lord Jesus, You are the King - "the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15). Give me the wisdom to pursue You every day. Give me the humility to open the treasures of my heart and offer the gift of my life completely to You. Holy Spirit help me worship Worship Jesus and welcome Him into my heart and every moment of my day, Your Spirit will fill me with the peace of Christ and "with exceedingly great joy!" Let me be among those wise men and women who are ever seeking to see the King! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray the Holy Spirit may stir in your heart this morning to go and see the King today and every day, giving Him the gift of your heart, as He fills you with His peace and exceedingly great joy, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I would love our time in The New Testament to be one of discovery and sharing from all of us! So please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Begin 2025 by resolving to partner with us!
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog in 2024?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025 STARTED YESTERDAY! YOU CAN STILL JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God, I worship You and welcome You here in my heart and every moment of this new year. I am excited for what you will reveal to us as we begin today reading and soaking the Your words found in the New Testament.
"she will bear a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
Jesus was given the name chosen by God the Father. His name expressed His nature, His identity, His destiny. Jesus, the Son of God -- Yeshua in Hebrew, jesous in Greek -- means the Salvation of God.
Through Jesus, God saves us, heals us, and delivers us into the forgiveness and freedom and future we have in Christ. "There is salvation in no one else, for there is not other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The name of Jesus is "that name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow ... and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).
Lord Jesus, As I begin this new year, I bow my knees and open my heart to speak Your name and confess You as Lord. In every way and everything I do in 2022, may you be the Lord of my thoughts and desires, Lord of my identity and destiny, Lord of my hopes and dreams, Lord of my relationships and fellowships, Lord of my provision and protection, Lord of my ministry and vocation, Lord of my gifts and calling, Lord of every dimension of my spirit and soul and body, Lord of every aspect of my life. All that I am and all that I have, I entrust to Your Lordship of my life. "(My) help is in the name of the Lord" (Psalm 124:8). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you begin 2025 on bowed knees and with an open heart desiring Jesus to be the Lord of every area of your life, as you call on His name and trust in Him as the Salvation of God, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Begin 2025 by resolving to partner with us!
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog in 2024?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025 STARTS TODAY! JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Happy New Year my family!
Tomorrow we begin our year of reading through the New Testament together, so I wanted to pray a blessing over you this morning! I love you all and I was so blessed by your friendship, love, and the life and moments we shared together in 2024. However, I am EXCITED at the sense I have of what God has in store for us this coming year. I also sense it may be the most trying season of our life, but I know it will be one we will never forget and we will proclaim and recount to all 2025 as a time God made himself known to us.
Lord Jesus, as I begin tomorrow the first of many mornings in 2025, let my soul awaken as I speak out Your name and lift up my heart in the communion of prayer with You, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
… Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)
"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.' So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in a manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about the Child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them" (Luke 2:15-18).
The shepherds couldn't wait to go and see what God had done! They "went with haste" to see what was said to them by the angels. The word of the Lord, spoken through the angel of the Lord, who broke into their loneliness of life, "living in the fields," changed their fear to faith and they said, "Let's go now" and see! (v. 8) And when they had seen the Child who brought such "good news of great joy for all the people," they couldn't wait to go spread the the great news that had recieved! (v. 10). "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen" (v. 20).
Holy Spirit, as I read through the words of the Christmas story this morning again; my prayer, my desire, my "New Year's Resolution" for the coming year is that you awaken my soul again with the excitement of faith! Return to me a longing for my first love! (Rev.2:4) Stir up in my spirit the desire, like that of the shepherds, to go, see, and encounter you by reading the Bible and time in prayer! Stir up my spirit to go share all You've done for me! Empower me and compel me to not withhold from sharing in every opportunity of 2025 the good news of great joy that turns fear to faith and loneness to praise! Let me truly be amazed at all You have done in and around me and be excited to go and see this God at work in my Community. This God who longs to bring that same good news and great joy into the lives of my neighbors through me! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My brother and sisters, I pray the Holy Spirit will awaken your soul 2025 with an excitement of faith and a passion to “go and see” and then to ”go and tell” all what the God of good news and great joy has done for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
End 2024 by resolving to partner in 2025!
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog in 2024?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025 STARTS TOMORROW! JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. In Your abiding Presence, I want to start my day embraced by my heavenly Father, centered in Jesus Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...
"And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before Him -- provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven" (Colossians 1:21-23).
"Continue securely established and steadfast in the faith." ... As I read these words and let them settle into my spirit this morning, I hear Your Spirit emphasizing the word "Continue." ...
As I ponder this word, I believe I hear You saying, "Ask Me Gary what is to continue on and what is to remain behind. As you leave behind the past year and enter into the new, ask Me what you are to carry with you and what you are to let go of."
So I am asking you Lord. And You're bringing to mind Your Word proclaimed through the Apostle Paul in his spiritual journey: "Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).
As I prepare for the new year that is two days away, I want to take time to let Your Spirit search my heart and show me what is to continue and what is to remain behind, what I am to hold on to and what I am to let go of. Show me the habits that need to be broken, the hurts that need to be healed, the heart condition that needs to be changed. Uproot and remove everything in me and lift up and break off everything from me that would keep me from fully embracing You and Your plan for my life this coming year. Reveal and remove all that's less than Your best so You can replace it with all that truly is Your best, in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you hear the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart to show you what is to continue into 2025 and what is to remain behind in 2024. What you're to hold on to and what you're to let go of as you prepare to move into the new year and continuing your journey into spiritual maturity in Christ, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Partner with us Before the year ends!
As we close out the year, if you have the ability to be generous, I invite you tp partner with me, my wife, and One Direction Community to support our ministries of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over our ministries and outreaches into our community. We would be so grateful for your one time gift or monthly support. Thank you!
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025. JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. "Lord at Thy Birth" and still Lord of All -- Be Lord of my heart, my life, and every moment of my day. ...
"And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a Ruler
who is to shepherd My people Israel" (Matthew 2:6).
We celebrated Your birth at Christmas, but do we yield to what You've birthed in us every day? We gave and received gifts at Christmas, but do we embrace the great Gift of Life You've given us and share that Gift of the Hope within us every day?
You were born to be our Ruler and Shepherd, to be Lord of All for all time. You were born to die and rise again, so that we could die to ourselves and be born again to live our lives for You -- "so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8)
Are we living for You? Do we worship with our hearts and our lives the One we've celebrated in our homes? Do we allow the One who was "Lord at Thy birth" to be Lord of our lives, of our choices, of our nation, of our world, to acknowledge Him as Lord of All?
Your Words come to mind as I ponder these questions in my heart this morning: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many deeds of power in Your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from Me, you evildoers'" (Matthew 7:21-23).
I want to be one who "knows" You, Lord Jesus. I want to be one who does the will of Your Father and mine, by Your Spirit who's been birthed in my heart. I want to be one who both celebrates You and serves You, who adores You and also lives for You. I want to be one believes You were born "Lord at Thy birth" and also embraces You as Lord of every area of my life -- on Christmas day and every day.
The One who was born "Lord at Thy birth" is still Lord of All -- "He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15). And "(I) know (and seek to live) the Message He sent to the people of Israel (and all people of all time), preaching peace by Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of All!" (Acts 10:36) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may know and worship and live your life for the One who was born Lord at His birth and who is still Lord of all, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
End 2024 by resolving to partner in 2025!
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
Yesterday we celebrated the birth of Christ and the coming of Emmanuel, God with us! For God to take on flesh and the birth of Jesus to take place, it required everything that was impossible to be made possible. With the birth of Jesus, everything and anything that was and is impossible in your life is now possible! In the birth of Christ, all that humanity hoped for became a reality. Today all that you may have settled for as the reality in your life can now be changed by the hope of Christ. In the Christmas story, we see a few small things, done by a few small people, in a few small places that launched the kingdom of God. In Christ’s story for us, he has a few small people, doing a few small things, in a few small places that continue his movement of God.
If your plans and dreams that you are hoping to achieve are not overwhelming and intimidating to you, and will be impossible for you in your own capacity and capabilities to achieve if God does not show up to help in a big and mighty way, then they are probably insulting to God. For you are rejecting the the possibilities of of Christmas and the ability of Jesus to help you. And you are settling on hopes and dreams limited by those of this fallen world.
My family, I pray this morning as you remember and celebrate Christ coming into the world, you will be reminded of all the hope joy, love and unlimited possibilities in Christ the are now available to you, I pray you will ask God to stretch, re-shape, guide and encourage you to dream and seek the impossible for your life, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Much love and Merry Christmas,
Gary
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as swe pend time in this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025. JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-14)
This morning instead of reading from the stories of Jesus’ birth found in Matthew and Luke, I wade into the deep depths of the Gospel of John. “Christmas is for children,” or, “Christmas brings out the child in us all.” Those are nice sentimental thoughts on one level, but might they hold a more serious truth? Could Christmas be for adults too? On more than one occasion while teaching about his kingdom, Jesus lifted up a child and said things like, “Whoever wants to enter into the kingdom of heaven must become like a child” (e.g., Ma . 18:3; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17). This has most often been interpreted in a sentimental fashion, lifting out the whimsical, wondrous, carefree nature of children as the prerequisite mentality for entering into God’s kingdom. While these are commendable qualities, and perhaps have a tiny bit of relevance to what Jesus was saying, the biblical evidence points to a deferent meaning. In the first century, children held no status or value in the community. Children were more like slaves in the sense of being the property of another with no status or social value of their own.
While this is far from the case for most children in our North American context, it remains the situation for millions of children around the world. Many of them find themselves as both status-less children and slaves. Jesus’ point was not to become carefree and whimsical, which would have been somewhat foreign concepts to a first-century child. He lifted up a child to reference his utter humility. In the eyes of the society, they brought nothing to the table of value; not even themselves. Here’s a rough translation: “Unless you become humble, like this child, coming to grips with the fact that you bring nothing to the table, no claim of entitlement, no rights (birthrights or otherwise), privileges, status or anything else; unless you humble yourself in this fashion, just like this child I hold up before you, and enter in on the very same level as anyone else, you can’t come in. It’s not because I am barring the door to hold you out. It’s because you are disqualifying yourselves from even the possibility of perceiving the reality of my kingdom to begin with.”
With this backdrop, hear the Christmas text again:
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
It begins with believing, yet believing can be a deceptive word. We can believe in all we have read through and considered these past days of Advent and still be no closer to the real miracle of Christmas. We can believe Jesus is the Son of God and even the Savior of the world in the same way we believe the sky is blue and gravity is real. The birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, his resurrection on Easter, and his certain return on an unknown future date can be eternal verities we run up the flagpole and salute and yet remain unaffected in our lives by their truth. Examine the text closer:
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . .
Believing must lead to becoming, lest believing be emptied of its power. The whole point of Advent—indeed, of the gospel—is that seeds of faith be sown in our minds and hearts such that something genuinely and stunningly new could break through the service and burst into life.
Track further with the text:
Though the language has become cliché and caricatured through the years, the Bible is clear about being “born again.” Jesus said it plainly, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3 NIV).
The anonymous hymn writer may have said it best:
“Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born,
if He’s not born in thee, Thy soul is still forlorn.”
This is the invitation of Christmas: not passive belief but active becoming. It’s taking the risk of new birth. As gifts are given and received and the wrapping paper gathered up, the excitement of the day will recede. As the sentimentality of the day fades, the serious possibility remains: Will you humble yourself like a child? Will you receive, believe, and be born again and become humble before the God of heaven and earth, the Lord over all creation, Jesus Christ? What could be a better story than to say you were born again on Christmas Day?
My family, I pray you will say and believe the words of this prayer this morning. Our Father in heaven, nearer than my breath, thank you for these days of Advent and this new year in Christ. I want to be born again. I want to believe in Jesus in a deeper way than before. I want to receive him into the depths of my being. Lord, Jesus, I want for you to be born in me in a new and deeper way. I don’t discount what has happened prior to this day in my walk with you. I only know it has led to this present moment where I want to say yes to you like never before. I want to become one of the children of God afresh. Come, Holy Spirit, and let the life of Jesus Christ be born anew and afresh in me today and lead forward in a way of growing up in him and into the life I was made for. In the name of Jesus Messiah—the one who came, is here, and is coming again— for his glory and our good, in Jesus’ name, amen. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as swe pend time in this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025. JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. All that I am and all that I have, I give to You in trusting surrender--as best as I can and all by Your grace. ...
"The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, 'Look, here is the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, He said to them, 'What are you looking for?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which translated means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' He said to them 'Come and see.' They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day" (John 1:35-39)
Lord Jesus, I want to know where You're staying, so I can come be with You. I want to know where You're going, so I can go there with You. Where You are is where I want to be. You're the One I'm looking for.
So I accept Your invitation to 'Come and see,' so I can "Come and be"--come and be with You. To me, that's one of Your greatest promises in all of Scripture: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Holy Spirit, take away my wordly blinders, interrupt my schedule, break through my business of shopping and activities of Christmas and open up my eyes and my heart to see Jesus in the people around me today. Guide and lead me to the places and encounters where I will walk away from them blown away by the “God thing” that just happened! Remind me that Christmas was a “Come and see” day. Wise men, shepherds and others all had to leave their place of comfort to come and see Jesus. And Jesus left the comfort and safety of heaven, took on a human body, the same as yours and mine, and went into a world that was dangerous, so he could be with and encounter the gift of humanity, people like you and me.
My family, I pray the Holy Spirit will take away your wordly blinders, interrupt your holiday schedule, and open up your eyes and heart to “Come and see” Jesus in the people around you today. I pray that you come and be with Him and allow Him to come and be with you in all you are and all you do, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as spend time in this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025. JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm listening for Your leading and resting in Your Presence to begin my day in the communion of prayer with You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"At the time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah" (Luke 2:25-26).
A couple days ago I reflected on the expectant faith of the wise men. This morning I reflect on the expectant faith of Simeon. Simeon was full of expectant faith. He was "eagerly waiting for the Messiah." He knew the Written Word of the Scriptures that spoke of the One who would come as God's anointed Son to be the Salvation of Israel and a Light to the nations (Isaiah 9:6; 42:1; 61:1-3 and many more). But he also knew the prophetic word that had been spoken into his spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.
Simeon held on in expectant faith and pressed through in persistent prayer all through the years, by the Word and by the Spirit. And then the day finally came when his prayers were answered and the prophetic promises were fulfilled. The goodness of God was worth the wait!
Before Simeon died, he not only saw the Messiah with his eyes but embraced the Messiah in his arms. "That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the Child in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Sovereign Lord, now let Your servant die in peace, as You have promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. He is a Light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the Glory of your people Israel!'" (Luke 2:27-32)
As we "eagerly wait for the Messiah" in this season of preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ, remind us of Your written Word and every one of Your prophetic words to each one of us, to our nation, and to our world. Give us the grace of expectant faith and persevering prayer to see Your promises and purposes fulfilled! Give us the grace to wait -- not wavering in faith, not giving up in despair, but eagerly awaiting our Savior, our Messiah, our Fulfillment of Every Promise of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray today you will eagerly seek out the embrace of God with expectant faith and persistent prayer for the fulfillment of the prophetic promises of God for your life, for your family, for our churches, for our nation, and for our world, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. And I join with you and so many in prayer for our nation through this challenging time. God bless you, my friend!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as you “ponder” this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 2025. JOIN US!
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. In these first moments of my morning, I want to give You first priority in my day. ...
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
You are the One who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. You are the One who is fully God and fully Man, Son of God and Son of Man, the One who set aside the glory of Heaven to humble Yourself in the likeness of human flesh and blood to live and to love among us as Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). “You are Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” -- all from Your mercy and love for us (Philippians 2:6-8).
I can't truly conceive and all it means that You willingly humbled Yourself to be conceived in the womb of woman for me. "The sufferings of Christ" began in the womb, not only at the cross or the tomb (1 Peter 1:10). You had it all, yet You chose to sacrifice it all for me and for all who would embrace Your sacrifice of love and grace -- "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 2:9).
In Your humanity, You showed us the way to the Father -- how to live a life by the leading of the Holy Spirit, only doing what the Father was doing and saying what the Father was speaking, as You lived a life in the fellowship of the Father and in the communion of the Holy Spirit (John 5:19 and 12:49).
And as Immanuel, you were both born to live for us, and willing to die for us, that in Your death as a sinless sacrifice for us, we might live forever with You in the power and glory of Your resurrection. "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His suffering by becoming like Him in His death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection form the dead.... I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own" (Philippians 3:10-12).
Son of God, Son of Man -- One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit -- come be One within me. Immanuel, God with us, come live in me, that I can live for You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray, you will completely open up your heart up this morning to the One who is Immanuel, and allow Him to live within you, as you live for Him today in the fellowship of the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as you “ponder” this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
READING THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT IN A YEAR IN 2025
There are 260 chapters of the Bible in the New Testament (NT).
There are also 260 weekdays, Mon-Fri in a Year.
So if you read just one chapter of the NT, just 5 days a week. , Mon-Fri, you will read through the whole NT in a year. So I would like for us to join together in reading through the NT in 2025. And in 2025 I am going to use the daily NT reading for my weekday morning ODC Daily Message devotion blog so we can reflect on the readings together..
To make it easy for us to stay on track of what chapter we are on each day I want us to use the Bible plan found at [https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/#net]
It is very simple.
Go to the website.
When it comes up select the language: English
Select the translation: New English Translation
Select the initial reading date: Jan 1st, 2025
Select the time you want to receive a daily email stating the days chapter reading
Enter the email you want the daily email sent to
Click on subscribe!
You will be sent an email tyou need to click on to confirm subsciption Then, starting Jan 1st every weekday morning you will get an email with the days NT chapter reading.
You can invite others, family members, friends to join in. It does not matter where they live. When my father was alive in Cleveland I had him subscribe so he could read through the Bible with us as well. Let me know if you have any questions!
Looking forward to our time together in the Word!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I seek to follow in Your steps today. ...
"In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the Child who has been born King of the Jews? For we observed His star at its rising, and have come to pay homage'" (Matthew 2:1-2).
Before hope was fulfilled, the wise men saw hope from afar.
Long before the day of the birth of Christ, they looked up to the sky and saw a star of hope in the heavens. As the star was rising in the sky, hope was rising in their hearts. So they followed that star until their hope was fulfilled.
There was something unique about this star that spoke to their hearts that there was something unique about this Child. They probably didn't know that the fulfillment of their hopes was destined to be the fulfilment of the Promises of God and the hope of all of mankind.
"For so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler who is to shepherd My people'" (Matthew 2:5-6).
The wise men followed their hearts and hopes. They followed "the star they had seen at its rising until it stopped over the place where the Child was (Matthew 2:9). And on that day, their hopes were turned to joy. "When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they knelt down and paid Him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:9-11).
Holy Spirit of the Living God, come fill our hearts with hope. Come lift up our eyes to the heavens, from where our help comes from. Give us courage and faith to keep following the star of hope You cause to shine in our hearts until our hopes are fulfilled in You. "Hope deferred make the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled in a tree of life" (Proverbs 13:12).
Fulfill the desires You've put in our hearts, Father. Fill our hearts with Your new life. Like wise men on a journey going to see the King, we believe with expectant faith and hopeful hearts that our journey will end in joy! And we will bow down and pay homage to the One whose hope does not disappoint.
"Hope does not disappoint us because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). So arise and shine in our hearts, Holy Spirit of God, O Star of Hope, who always leads us to the King. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, i pray as you begin a new week that hope may rise in your heart with expectant faith and courage to pursue the promises our Father has put into your hearts by His Holy Spirit on your journey to the King and His kingdom purposes in your life and our world, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as you “ponder” this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. O come, O come, Emmanuel -- God with us -- God with me, here in my heart and in every moment of my day.
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So that you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir of God through Christ!" (Galatians 4:4-7)
When the Holy Spirit entered the womb of the virgin Mary "the fullness of time had come." God sent His Son in the likeness of human flesh and blood to be both our example of a life in obedience to the Father and led by the Holy Spirit, as well as our atoning sacrifice for all that would divide us from the intimacy and joy and peace of a personal, living, eternal relationship with God (Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:20; John 3:16).
In "the fullness of time," You fulfilled the purposes of Your first coming and returned to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). And "the fullness of time" will yet come again when You return to this earth in the fullness of Your glory (Malachi 4:5-6; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 19:11-16). Your timing is always perfect and Your purposes are always fulfilled -- all in Your time, all in Your way (Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:44). "For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:3).
Likewise, the days in which we live are also in "the fullness of time." The choices we make and all the choices our governments make as the nations of the earth all fit into Your plans and all affect our lives, our calling, and our destiny for "the fullness of time." In our generation, as in every generation, we can say with Queen Esther that we are alive in our time, strategically positioned and divinely aligned "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).
Christmas is the time that Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. And we all look forward to the coming of the Messiah in His second coming who will be the Light of the world and restore all things in peace as the One "named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Come, Lord Jesus -- Prince of Peace and King over all the earth (Revelation 22:12)! "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'" (Revelation 22:17) Move in our hearts and teach us to pray by the leading of Your Spirit in agreement with the will of our Father and the purposes of God (Luke 11:1; Romans 8:26-27). As we leave this past year and enter into the new, may we be increasing excited and expectant to see what You will do in our lives and our world in our generation (1 Corinthians 2:9; Jeremiah 33:3). The best is yet to come (Haggai 2:9; John 2:10)! And I believe You've allowed us the honor to be alive and called to Your purposes in "the fullness of time" and "for such a time as this!" Lord, let it be so. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will be led by the Holy Spirit to pray according to the will and purposes of God in your life and our world -- here in the fullness of time and for such a time as this, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you my friends!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're my Lord and my Savior, and I welcome You into every moment of my day. ...
"Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favors!' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.' So they went and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in a manger. When they saw this, they made know what had been told them about this Child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them" (Luke 2:13-20).
Mary "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart."...
Do we treasure these stories of your birth Lord? Do we take time to ponder these words in the Bible in our hearts? Or do we think we know the stories so well and have heard them so long that we simply gloss over them or treat them like fairy tales or the simple lines of children's Christmas plays? Have you at any time this season sat down by yourself and read the birth narratives in Luke or Matthew and treasured them, pondered on them, and spent time reflecting on them?
These stories are treasures. These "Christmas Stories" are the Word of God -- "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until It divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). As You've said of Your Word, "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, but It shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent It" (Isaiah 55:10-11).
Today God, let Your Word be Treasure in my heart. Let me prioritize it, seek it, and not let anything keep me from it as a priceless treasure., Remind me that reading and pondering these stories of your birth are the priority of this season, not something to hopefully get to if my busy schedule of shopping, decorating, cooking and entertaining allows. Let me never take Your Word for granted or treat it with less than the honor and awe It deserves. Let these stories of Your birth and Your hope and Your life bring comfort and peace and joy every time I read them and ponder them. May I desire to share them as treasures with others. "My child, be attentive to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20-22). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray all the stories of the birth of Christ come alive and active in your heart, and you prioritize time to read them, treasure them, ponder them and share them with others, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below as you “ponder” this devotion.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Like 2:11-12)
I read this morning Luke chapter 1 and 2 the Story of Jesus’s birth. What we refer to as the “Christmas Story.” How God in his entirety and all his glory left his heavenly realm far from us, descended to the earth and in the babe Jesus, became Emmanuel, God with us. In the incarnation God took on completely human form and became like one of us (Phil 2:7-8). In this Christmas Story we see how God changed everything of how we are able to access Him, relate to Him and most importantly, imitate him (Heb 4:15). Before Jesus was born we had no tangible example of what God was like or how we were to follow him. Because we had no one to “follow.” What mankind had was a Temple form of worship, in which only a few elite priests could access the Holy of Holies and be in God’s presence. It was as very religious, legalistic, and distinguished form of encountering God. With the Christmas story God forever changed that and changed how we encounter him now to a very personal, simple level.
In the Christmas Story we see that God chose Mary to be the mother Jesus. She was not distinguished at all. She was not of royalty, or the daughter of a high priest or a rich respected landowner. She was a poor, nameless 15-18 year old girl.
Her husband Joseph likewise was not who you would think would be the earthly father of the Son of God. He was not a King, or ruler, or a respected religious Clergy. Nor was he wealthy, owning much land, live stock and riches like the patriarchs of his faith: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. He was a poor, unknown carpenter. Who for the trip to Bethlehem he did not even have a cart for them to ride in, but he could only afford one donkey for his wife to ride and had to walk the whole trip beside her.
The place in which Jesus born was not distinguished or religious at all. The Son of God was not born in the Temple, or a palace, or even a nice home in a warm bed on silk sheets, but on straw in a manger among the animals.
When Jesus was born, who did the Angels and the company of heaven go and announce it to? To Rome and the Emperor? To Jerusalem and King Herod or in the Temple to the high Priests? No, to poor, common shepherds. (Luke 2:8-12).
This whole story of Jesus’ birth, the beginning of Christianity, and the Christmas story is one of meager, common, humble, unreligious beginnings. Jesus’ story on earth ended the same way. He is crucified as a common criminal and after he is raised from the dead and leaves the tomb, who is the first people to see him? Women. (Matt 28:7-10). Not to take offense with the women of today, but back then women did not count, literally.
Jesus told the women to tell the men to meet him in Galilee which is approximately 60 miles from Jerusalem. (Matt 28:16-20) Jesus was saying “church”is not about Jerusalem any more! His church was now about Him, and forming a deep, intimate personal relationship with him. He wanted a personal relationship with us at our level. But we, mankind did not, and still do not like this. Even though all of mankind has read or heard this story I just read, that God became incarnate in man in the most humble, intimate, and personal way. We are uncomfortable with it. We still in some way do not believe it. That we are ok as we are. That God wants to dwell personally with us and that we are his plan through whom God will restore the world. God can’t just reside in me, in my home. To grasp that God is with us, Emmanuel, was just to simple. God can’t reside in me, he must live in something special.
So what did we do? We built the great cathedrals of St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London, and Notre Dame in Paris. Great halls ornate with gold and art work. We built big churches on our street corners. We built temples again! Churches with carved altars, and stain glass windows. We serve the Lord’s Supper in ornate gold and silver chalices. We did what is the exact opposite of what this story in the Bible tells us to do. We re-built for us “temples”, We re-built for us “Jerusalem”, the same thing that Jesus had his disciples walk three days away from. We chose cathedrals over mangers. Cathedrals are the opposite of a manger. They suggest the opposite of the incarnation message that God is made flesh among us, and that God is present in our ordinary lives. Cathedrals proclaim God resides here under their steeples, and we must go to them to encounter God.
The church prefers seeing God in a gold box on an altar than in a panhandler on a street or a single mom in a welfare line. However, that is not the story of Christmas.
My family, I pray today you will read the Christmas Stories in Luke and Matthew. Then spend time in prayer and reflect on, “Is how and where you seek to encounter Jesus like that of the Christmas story?” How is it different? What do you need to change so your faith is simply about intimately knowing Jesus? May you walk out your door this morning understanding that “You are the church” so that you may lead those you encounter today to understand the same, In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections with us in the comment box below
PS: Am I busy this time of year, Absolutely. Yet can I make time to talk to you? Absolutely. The Holiday season can bring out many emotions in people. Need to talk? My door is always open, the coffee pot is always on and my sofa is always warm and a place of peace and non-judgment. Any who needs to chat are welcome to contact me anytime. It's no good suffering in silence. I have cold drinks in the fridge...tea & coffee in the cupboard and I will always be here....You are never not welcome!! Starbucks and Waffle House are open and a place to talk. You never have to go through a day of addiction, depression, fear, frustration, or anxieties of life alone. It's always good to talk but its even better to listen, and to be listened to. Some days this hits closer to home than we think. I'll always lend an ear and a shoulder and my heart. My hands are always ready to raise in prayer. Where ever you are, if you are struggling with anything and need to talk, go to your church, call a friend or family member.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let Your light shine in my heart and through my life today -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord!'" (Luke 2:8-11)
"Good news of great joy for all the people!" -- that's God’s heart and His purpose for this season we now call Christmas. To bring salvation and hope, light from our darkness, and good news of great joy for all! God with us -- "Emmanuel"
So while we can be honest and real about any darkness that surrounds us or even any darkness that remains within us we are dealing with, let us not this season get stuck in discouragement or disappointment or despair. While we can acknowledge any loneliness or anxiety, confusion or fear, Jesus invites us all to lift up our heads and open up our hearts to welcome Him in as our Savior, our Messiah, our Lord.
Like the shepherds in the field, we can respond to the word of the Lord and the hope of heaven to say, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us!" (v. 15) Let this thing that has taken place become a living encounter today and every day with the One who's come take His place in our hearts. Truly this is the good news of great joy God has for us all! In Jesus' name pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you are filled with the great joy that comes from hearing and embracing of the good news of God's heart for you and His longing to fill you with His Presence -- Emmanuel, God with us -- in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill my heart with Your Spirit and guide my steps into Your will -Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb.... For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy!" (Luke 1:39-44)
Deep calls to deep, as Spirit calls to spirit (Psalm 42:7). Elizabeth's spirit leaped with joy with Mary's spirit. And John, the child within in Elizabeth's womb, leaped with joy with Jesus, the Child within Mary's womb. When Elizabeth and her baby encountered Mary and her Baby, Elizabeth was "filled with the Holy Spirit" until joy overflowed! (Luke 1:41) "In Your Presence there is fullness of joy!" (Psalm 16:11)
Lord Jesus, we can encounter You every day. We can be filled with Your Spirit until joy overflows every day (Ephesians 5:18). We can welcome Your kingdom that has no end right here in the kingdom of our world, in the kingdom of our hearts every day to experience the same joy that Elizabeth and Mary experienced that day. "For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within (us)" (Luke 17:21). "For the kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
The deep in me cries out for the deep in you. My very spirit that is at the core and essence of who I am desperately desires to encounter the very Spirit of God in a real way! So come, Holy Spirit. Fill me afresh with Your Presence and Your joy today. Let everything within me leap for joy! "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" (Psalm 103:1) And as we move through this season we have set aside called Advent of preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ, help me set aside time to prepare my heart for the coming of Your Spirit every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you intentionally set aside time to encounter the living Presence of the risen Christ today, and are filled afresh with the Holy Spirit, leaping for joy, as your spirit is overwhelmed with the love of Jesus’ Spirit. In Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek Your face and listen for Your voice to begin my day embraced by My Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...
"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.' But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to here, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God...'" (Luke 1:26-30).
Mary "found favor with God." What does that mean, Lord? ...
Does it mean she earned it? Does it mean she was worthy of it? Does it mean she was sinless or perfect or worthy of worship herself? What does it mean for Mary? And what does it mean for me? ...
As I ponder my question like Mary pondered her greeting, some Scriptures come to mind: "The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the entire earth, to strengthen those whose heart is true to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9).
What did You see when You saw Mary's heart? ...
I think You saw the heart of one who knew they needed a Savior. She sang out, "My spirit rejoices in God my Savior!" (Luke 1:47). And I think You saw the heart of one who was quick to rejoice in the One who saves us. I think You saw the heart of one who was humble in Your sight, saying, "He has looked with favor on the lowliness of His servant" (Luke 1:48). I think You saw the heart of one who was thankful and appreciative, not taking anything for granted, but giving You praise in all things, declaring, "The Mighty One has done great things for me and Holy is His name!" (Luke 1:49) And I think You saw the heart of one who would seek to be faithful to You and Your word and Your calling upon her life, responding from her heart, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).
You're the God "who searches our hearts" (Romans 8:27). You're the God who knows our thoughts (Luke 5:22). "O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who sees the mind and the heart" (Jeremiah 20:12). You see the end of the beginning and the beginning from the end; You see every desire of our heart, every thought of our mind, and every choice we'll make, even as You give us the freedom to make those choices that flow out of our hearts and minds (Isaiah 46:10).
So for Mary and for me and for all Your sons and daughters of God who are called by Your name, we don't earn Your favor or Your grace -- it is the free gift of God (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:9). And at the same time, we are called to be "found faithful" just as we are blessed to be those who have "found favor" (1 Corinthians 4:2). We can't deserve it; we can't earn it -- that only comes by the power of Your grace and the Presence of Your Spirit at work within each one of us -- "For God is working in (us), giving (us) the desire and the power to do what pleases Him" (Philippians 2:13 NLT).
Lord, I want to be "found faithful" as one who has "found favor" in You. By the power of Your grace, give me the desire and the power to do what pleases You -- with humility, thankfulness, faithfulness, obedience, and praise -- just like Mary. "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may seek a heart that is favored by God. A heart humble, seeking, rejoicing and found faithful in Him by the power and grace of His Spirit alive and at work within you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by also sharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Centered in Your Presence, grounded in Your Word, I wait to follow Your leading on my journey of faith in prayer with You today.
"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.... Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end'" (Luke 1:26-33).
Mary was a "favored one" -she had "found favor with God." And how was she favored? As the angel Gabriel confirmed to her, the Lord was with her. The Lord had chosen her and called her, empowered and anointed her to know her identity and fulfill her destiny.
Though Mary didn't understand at the beginning all it would involve and all it would mean, by faith and obedience, she said Yes. Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (v. 38).
Like Mary, we are chosen and we are called. We are favored with the Presence of God who is with us. And like Mary, we are empowered to know our identity and fulfill our destiny, as the Holy Spirit comes upon us and the power of the Most High overshadows us (v. 35). In Christ, we are "filled with the Spirit" -- the same Spirit the conceived Christ in Mary's womb and favored Mary with the Presence of God (Ephesians 5:18).
None of us will carry the Son of God in our womb, but all of us who will say with Mary "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" will carry "the Spirit of Christ" in our hearts (Romans 8:9). Like Mary, we won't understand from the beginning all it will involve and all it will mean for us, but You invite us to trust Your heart and embrace Your word to "walk by faith" and obedience as favored ones of God (2 Corinthians 5:7).
With the favor of Your Presence, we have nothing to fear, but only our identity and destiny in Christ to embrace. "In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of His glory!" (Ephesians 1:11-12) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you embrace your identity and destiny as a most favored child of God by the anointing and presence of Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ in you. You are a favored one of the Most High God, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
As The Year Draws To An End, Please Give and Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over us and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
