Good morning Lord Jesus, mold my heart today not around Black Friday, a day we celebrate materialism and selfish desires, but around Good Friday and/or selfless sacrifice of love for me..
“Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,” v24
The events of Acts 15 and the gathering of the council of Jerusalem was such an important event to Luke that he took great care to write about. Paul in Galatians 2:1-14 gives an autobiographical narrative to this event and provides some details. I suggest you read it.
Some people came from Jerusalem “sent by James” Paul says and persuaded Peter to withdraw from the fellowship of the table with the gentiles. Paul saw Peter’s, and later Barnabas’s actions as a threat to the liberty of the gospel for the gentiles. He publically called Peter out on this saying it was wrong for Peter to force the gentiles to adopt the Jewish way of life to be saved. Peter was distressed by the conflict his actions caused. Since it all started with messengers, people sent by James, then the matter had to be taken up with James and the Council in Jerusalem that was under the chairmanship of James, who was the brother of Jesus.
The council’s decision basically was to have the gentiles prohibit Idolatry, and sexual perversion and fortification. Where true religion and basic Christian ethics were involved, Paul was strong on teaching gentiles to avoid idolatry and fornication. But in matters of food and drink which were religiously and ethically neutral, he refused to lay down the law. No food or drink he maintained was “unclean”, even if it had been previously forbidden by the law of Moses. Even if the food had come from an animal sacrificed to a pagan divinity. It was human beings that mattered, not food and drink. If a Christian was considering whether or not to eat this or drink that, the decision should depend on the conscience of the fellow Christian. Paul always argued from the order of creation and the ethical implications of a law-free gospel. To which I say Amen!!!
Which brings me back to the verse I quoted above, “Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,” v24
There are unfortunately way to many persons and voices in the church today going out and saying troubling words and saying unsettling things which God gave them no authority to say, Scriptures gives them no authority to say, but they are claiming authority based on what religion, tradition, and personal preferences have to say. They declare and prohibit restrictions on not only food and drink, but dress codes, worship places and styles, restrictions on the means of grace of who can baptize, celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and pray prayers of reconciliation. These things hinder people from encountering the gospel and encountering Christ. Paul was saying to the council that these things will turn away the gentiles, those that don’t know the gospel and Jesus, before they even hear it and then burden them while they try to listen the gospel. The same holds true in the church today. Most people today who do not attend church, who leave the church and walk away from the gospel, do not do so because they encountered Jesus and found him to difficult, but because they encounter at the door of the church hoops to jump through and restrictions to receiving the gospel and Jesus. They walk away from the church disturbed and troubled, never having encountered Jesus. A pole was taken asking people about spirituality, Jesus, and Christians. When asked about spirituality, people responded positively, there is a need for spiritual growth in people. When asked about Jesus, people responded positively. Jesus and what he represents has a positive image and message. When asked about Christians, the responses was negative. Why, when spirituality and Jesus are supposed to be at our core and what shapes and defines us do people have a negative response of Christians??
As I said in my previous post, because we have gone away from The Church being about and simply proclaiming simply Jesus: the simple gospel of Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, ad the forgiveness of sins.
My family, I pray you will reflect over what people and voices are you listening concerning The Church and your call to be a disciple of Jesus that have no authority by God or Scripture to put their laws, personal preferences of traditions on the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. Honestly reflect if any of these extra voices in the church are coming from you? What hoops do we we at our church have in place that can keep people from encountering Jesus we need to remove?
Please share your reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
Today I would like us to begin a time reading through Luke’s book of The Acts of the Apostles. I would like us to use this time as we begin the New Year, to as a community a spend 28 days of prayer and fasting over The Church in the World. our individual churches that are part of the body of Christ, and each of us as its members.
Yesterday my sermon was on Epiphany, the revelation and manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world. I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together as we begin 2022 and pray over a new revelation, a new manifestation of Jesus into the vision and ministries of our churches and our lives. I would like us to dedicate ourselves to pouring ourselves into his word and prayer as we seek God’s will and direction for our lives. To aid us in this I am asking us to commit to one another and join together in these 5 things:
1. Starting this Monday, Jan 1oth, spend the 28 weekdays that follow reading through the Book of Acts of the Apostles. There are 28 chapters in Acts, so we will read one chapter a each week weekday for the next 28 weekdays.
2. Start up/join in a Band Group. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly. We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ and to discern what we hear Christ speaking into our lives.. Do not delay, pray to God who to ask you which one or two persons to invite to join you, and do it. Ne excuses, no delays.
3. Set aside just one hour a week (you can do more than one) away from distractions and spend that hour in solid prayer.
4. Fast one day a week in prayer.
5. Daily Lunch + prayer: Everyday when you sit down to lunch, you pray over your meal. After your prayer over the meal, and a 30 second prayer over your church and its ministries for God’s vision and leading.
I pray your will join in covenant with each other in these 5 things. I desire us to see and be part of amazing transformation of our lives, our churches, and those in our community. This is God’s desire as well.
If you have any questions or comments, please get with me and I would be more than happy to discuss them with you.
PIntro to Acts:
The Book of The Acts of the Apostles, or as commonly simply called “Acts” picks up where Luke’s Gospel leaves off, recording the birth of The Church and the early progress of the gospel as Jesus’ disciples took it from Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the Mediterranean world. The story begins with Christ’s ascension and the events of Pentecost. As Gentiles begin responding to the gospel, the focus shifts to Paul and his missionary journeys. Acts forms a bridge between the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, showing how the apostles carried on Christ’s work and providing a historical background for Romans through Revelation. The Acts of the Apostles is the second of two New Testament books written by Luke. Like his Gospel, Acts was a letter to Luke’s friend Theophilus, written sometime in a.d. 62–64.
Today, as we read Acts chapter 1 and pray, some thoughts to pray on:
Pray over and into your personal, and church’s collective "Baptism of the Holy Spirit." v.5
Pray into the the power each of you received by the Holy Spirit v.8
Pray over your personal and our collective call as a church to witness to your community, the surrounding communities, our state and country, and unto the nations.v. 8
Pray for the return of Jesus. v.11
Pray that every member of your church will take seriously and embrace this call to pray and fast, and we will seek with one mind God's anointing and calling on us. v.14
Pray over your personal call to be a witness to the resurrection of Jesus. v.22
Pray over the leadership role in your church God is calling you to take up and step up into. v. 24
Pray, as we begin this time together, that each of us individually and as a church will seriously commit to devote time to reading and praying through Acts to understand what God wants us as a church to fulfill.
I want this to be as much a community reflection time together as possible. So please share your reflections, thoughts and new revelations Jesus is speaking to youwith each other in the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC/ Toney UMC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
Good morning Lord Jesus, i seen to hear your heart beat this morning to tune mine to its rhythm.
As we come to the end of the first full week in 2022 I want to encourage you be saying I love you all and I was so blessed by your friendship, love, and life we shared together in 2022. 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 recount to all as a time God made himself known to us.
[18] … Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. [19] “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)
Lord Jesus, as I begin one of the first of many mornings in 2022, 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.
"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. 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 word (v. 10). "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen" (v. 20).
Holy Spirit, as I read the words of the Christmas story 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 my spirit to go share all You've done for me! Like the shepherds, change any fear in me into faith. And forgive me for holding back the good news of great joy from others that turns their fear to faith and loneliness to praise! Let me truly be amazed at all You have done and be excited to go and see this God at work in my Community. This God who longs to bring into my life and those around me that same good news and great joy, In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My brother and sisters, I pray this morning you will hear and receive the good new and great joy that angels are still proclaiming over your life today. I pray the Holy Spirit will use this eternal love song of joy to awaken your soul with an excitement of faith and a passion to 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!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Begin The Year With A Gift!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Hey my church family and my friends,
I went to the Waffle House this morning and sitting at the low bar listening to people talking thier main conversation was about the upcoming College Football National Championship Game next Monday Jan 10th. This was no surprise and anyone whoknkows anything about sports and life in Alabama, knows that college football is king. So I want to remind all of my college football fanatics of the opportunity night Monday night provides you.
This is the perfect event to use to connect with friends, co-workers, and those who do not know Jesus with this custom made event! Especially us ling in Alabama! We need to leverage this “cultural event” as it is the perfect excuse you have been looking for to Make a Friend, Be a friend, and then lead a friend to Christ.
1. Throw a Party
The reason is that it gives you plenty of ways to bless people and the excuse you have been looking for around a common interest to invite them into your house. Be like the Apostle Matthew and invite 3 types of people to your party: non-believer friends, Jesus and a few followers.
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”
Matthew 9:10-12
When you invite others, you get to choose the crowd you hang with. Usually, for Christians, this is a bad thing as we over filter who we invite. But notice who was at Matthew’s party: Scum, Jesus, disciples. All mixed, partying like it’s 31AD! Now, I am not saying some of my friends are “scum,” LOL! However, The more this crowd: of Jesus, followers and not yet followers hang out together, the better.
2. Encourage Story
Encourage story with everyone. Walk around asking people “story” questions, or ask people, “have you heard his story, it’s awesome…” Get your guests talking and listen. You learn so much about them during these stories. Be the story encourager at your party. Ask questions like:
1 How’d you and your spouse meet?
2 Why did you choose your career?
3 Who is your favorite NFL (College) team and why??
4 What do you like most about living here?
Really, any open ended question will work. However, don’t be weird about it. It’s not to bait and switch them from talking about beer and chicken wings to talking about how unless you eat Jesus’ body and drink his blood you can never be one of his followers. It’s so you can actually get to know them and their story so that when the opportunity comes, you know where their story needs redemption and who or what is their functional savior so you can point to the one and only Saviour who brings eternal redemption, now and forever. You’ll know how to serve them, love them and show them Jesus in the ways that will tell a story that will hit their heart.
3. Go Overboard with Food
You ever been to a party where there isn’t much food? It Sucks right? Don’t be that party…be a party that points to the Great Wedding Feast. Not only that, but take into consideration who is coming. Ask if any have allergies, or a special diet. When you take others into consideration, it shows you actually care and desire for them to be comfortable in your house. It also gives you yet another connection point to their story.
However, Don’t supply all the food though. Request and encourage people coming to bring food. Have people bring a main dish. The reason is that a main dish usually has a story behind it. Either of how they grew up, who taught them how to make it or nothing at all. But I usually simply ask, “Does this dish have any significance to you?” You’d be surprised how much story can come from chicken salad.
4. Connect Another Way
If for some reason you can’t invite them into your home, try to connect with them in another way. Ask them, “what are you doing for the game? Maybe they will invite you to a party they are having. Maybe you decide to meet them at a sprotsbar of other place to watch the game together.
5. Ask the Spirit For Guidance
Who is pushing into you currently for relationship? Ask the Spirit to show you these people. Maybe for you it is your CrossFit gym. Invite all 400 members. Or invite your whole office or class at school. You know that 95% of them aren’t going to come, so you will have 15-20 attend. But it gives you an open to invite them into a relationship with you, and is a personal invite.
Ask the Spirit for time with those people who are personally pushing into you and your family for relationship so you can ask them personally as well. Don’t let them merely get the Facebook invite, do it “old school” and personally ask them if they are coming and that it’d be great if they did. Everyone I have been given by the Spirit, and asked personally to come, almost everyone one of them has come. It’s awesome, even if one of them is a fan of my opposing team.
Ask the Spirit for guidance on listening to their story at the party and what you should say, or how you should listen or how to encourage further relationship. Remember, yes be competitive and scream at the TV, however this isn’t about a football game. This whole party is wrapped up in story, so use this to learn other’s stories. Maybe you do get into a deep spiritual conversation, but maybe you don’t. Don’t beat yourself up. The Spirit will tell you when to speak, when to listen, when to keep it surface level and when to go deep. Just because you don’t present all of the Romans’ Road to them doesn’t mean you should feel guilted and shamed. The Spirit doesn’t guilt and shame you, that’s the devil’s game.
The more the devil can guilt and shame you the more you will see them as “a project” and you’ll have an agenda instead of listening to the Spirit on how to just love them and show off Jesus. Sometimes silence is the loudest witness. Don’t let the devil fool you into thinking you have to speak the name of Jesus at every party for it to be a “successful” party. But, always be thinking, how can I make this party be a shadow of our feasting and banqueting God that wants everyone invited to his party?
Take some time this week to ask, “Spirit, how can I ensure that what I say and do Monday night will be a shadow of your Story” (It’s a good thing to do everyday!)
Listen. Then obey what the Spirit gives you.
If you do that…no matter what happens, your gathering will not be a failure, but will have happened by the power of the Spirit to bring people along as far as he wants them to so they might know more about the only story line that ultimately matters. And who knows…maybe he’ll show you even more about his Story so you can marvel at how large his Story really is, yet how much he carefully and specifically loves and hears your specific “small” requests.
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Please share your thoughts or comments
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/ Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please begin 2021 by a commitment to partner and support myself and my ministries through setting up a monthly donation 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!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End and Everything in between (Revelation 1:8). Be with me this day and every day, from beginning to end and every moment in between. ...
"And He said to me, 'It is done! I Am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:6-8, NKJ).
Lord, I thirst.... I thirst for the water of life that flows freely from Your fountain. I thirst for Your "living water" (John 4:10). Let me drink deeply every day -- drinking in Your Word, drinking in Your Spirit, drinking in the Presence of God here in my heart, mind, soul and strength. You are the Fountain of the Water of Life. You are "the Fountain of Living Waters" (Jeremiah 2:13). "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:9). So as I open wide my spirit to You, let Your water of life "become in (me) a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).
Lord, refresh my soul and renew my faith with the fullness of Your life. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart so that I desire and choose the things that lead to life and not to death. Empower me to overcome. Align my heart and soul to "inherit all things" You've prepared for me and for all love You and honor You by embracing Your grace to give You our hearts (Revelation 21:7). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will be filled to overflowing with the living waters from the One who is the Fountain of the Water of Life so you can pour out living waters today bringing life to all the Lord touches through you today. 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to start my day in the communion of prayer, in the intimacy of personal, spiritual relationship with You -- heart to Heart, spirit to Spirit. Make me one with You, one with Your Body of Christ, one in ministry to all the world until I feast with you at Your heavenly banquet in final victory. ...
"Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4).
Now is the time to have settled in our hearts the question of who is Lord of our lives. Now is the time to choose whether I would surrender my life rather than renounce my Savior. Let me have the humility to choose now so that I will have the courage to choose then on a day that may come when I find out just how sincere my faith truly is and what a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ I truly am.
Many are already being forced to make that choice today in our generation. Many will be forced to make that choice in the times to come, according to Your Word:
"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs. Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:7-14).
Lord Jesus, give me grace to hold fast to You, that I many endure to the end -- not only enduring, but faithful to be proclaiming with my life the good news of Your mercy and love throughout the world, to the ends of the earth, in testimony to all nations. Draw me closer to You every day that I will have to the courage to die for You if that day may come and the courage to live for You every day that comes now. Give me courage to overcome. Give me the grace to stand firm in my faith no matter what may come. Give me the conviction to be convinced of the truth that Jesus is Lord and worthy of laying down my life even in the face of death. As You said long ago: "If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for My sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:34-38). You asked Your first disciples, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8) I pray You will find faith in me on that day to come and find faith in me every day between now and then (Luke 21:27).
"Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:5). Lord, let pleasing You be the central desire of my life. May I die to self to I can live for Christ. By the power of Your grace, may I be able to say with the sons and daughters of God, the disciples of Christ of every generation, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is not longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who love me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:19-20). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will be empowered by the Holy Spirit, embraced in the strong arms of your heavenly Father, to endure in your vibrant, personal, intimate faith in Jesus Christ until the end. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by alsosharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Speak to my spirit; stir my heart; order my steps; lead me to honor You through my life today. ...
" 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready; to her it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure' -- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints" (Revelation 19:6-8).
With the body of Christ that is whole, with the bride of Christ that is holy, I want to be ready for the coming of Christ on the Day of the Lord (Ephesians 5:25-27). And at the same time, I want every day to be the Day of the Lord in my heart and through my life now (2 Peter 3:1-18).
Every day counts; every moment matters; every choice has consequences. So let me "be careful then how (I) live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time.... (Let me) not be foolish, but understand with the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17). "The world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever" (1 John 2:17). So as best as I can and all by Your grace, let me be ready. Let reprioritize the things I put on my slander to remember as important those things that are important to building your kingdom. Let me use my time well let me use it to do the will of God, Let me live out my salvation daily that lets me live forever, and let the Almighty One who reigns forever live in me now. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may be whole and holy, ready for the coming of the Lord, now and forever, living out the will of God today all by the power of the grace of God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by alsosharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be King and Lord of my life today. ...
"They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful" (Revelation 17:14).
Every day the world is at war with our faith. The wisdom of the world is at war with the wisdom of heaven; the ways of the world are at war with the ways of heaven. But we should not be surprised, as if something strange were happening. You said from the beginning, "In Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
You have overcome the world. You are the King of the kingdom of God and "(Your) kingdom not is of this world" (John 18:36). And now through faith in You, Your kingdom is within me (Luke 17:21). Because You have overcome, I can overcome, for You are in me and I am in You (John 15:5). In relationship with You and by the Presence and power of Your Spirit at work within me, I am one of Your "called and chosen and faithful."
You've not called me out of this world, but to overcome this world--all by the power of the grace of God at work within me (John 17:14-19). Empower me to overcome the wisdom and ways, the temptations and trials, of the world around me today. Let Your kingdom come, Your will be done, here in my heart in the midst of my world today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray this morning you will take time in Scriptures and prayer to connect with the Spirit of Christ within you to overcome the spirit of the world around you, as You make Jesus King of kings and Lord of lords in every area of your life. 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for the leading of Your Holy Spirit, here in the embrace of my heavenly Father. ...
"When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake" (Revelation 8:1-5).
As I woke this morning, I thought of the cross. I thought of Your suffering and sacrifice, Your mercy and love. I thought of Your holy humiliation that our human minds can't begin to comprehend as You cried out from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46). And then these words came to my heart: "Astonished Silence."
Your Spirit brought to mind the silence of heaven when You opened the seventh seal in the Apostle John's Revelation. There were "peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake" (Revelation 7:5). It was the same on the day of Your death at the cross: "Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed His last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split" (Matthew 27:50-51).
Every prophecy is ultimately fulfilled in You, as are "all the Scriptures" of the Word of God (Luke 24:27). You are the very Word of God, the Word made flesh (John 1:14). And this morning, I see a parallel in this prophecy of Revelation and a partial fulfillment--one in the eternal realm of heaven with the Lamb of God who stands at the throne and one in the historical realm of earth with the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Revelation 5:6; John 1:29). And in my heart I hear, "Astonished Silence."
In the midst of the earthquakes and darkness on that holy day of Your sacrifice and death at the cross, and in the midst of the ultimate judgments that must come upon the earth and upon those who would reject Your mercy and love, I sense the "astonished silence" of heaven. With all of heaven, I'm astonished that God would die for me, astonished that the fury of hell and the mercy of heaven could meet at the cross--at once, both cruel and beautiful, at a moment in time on this earth but forever timeless in the eternity of heaven--and astonished that all will not humble their hearts to receive all You've done for us at such a cost. With the silence of heaven, I am astonished at Your sacrifice of love I have no words to express. ...
As I ponder these thoughts in my heart this morning, I can hardly speak at all. I simply say, Thank You, Lord Jesus….. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family,I pray you experience the mercy and love of the One who sacrificed so much for you at the cross--at once, both cruel and beautiful, yet necessary for the salvation of your soul and mine, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Let me be single-minded and wholehearted in my intentionally-directed focus on You alone in these first moments of my morning. ...
"... These are the words of the holy One, the true One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens: 'I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut'... " (Revelation 3:7-8).
Lord, You are holy and true. Your heart is good and Your motives are pure. You can be trusted in every way with everything. You see the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end ... and everything in between.
And You know me. You know every desire I'll ever have, every thought I'll ever consider, every choice I'll ever make. You know the thoughts and intents of my heart better than I can ever discern or understand. You know what's of the Spirit and what's of the flesh; You know what comes out of selflessness and what comes out of selfishness. You rightly discern and You rightly judge, for You alone are the holy and righteous One.
So I trust You and I ask You to open the doors before me that align with Your perfect will and plan for me. And I trust You and ask You to shut the doors that do not. In all honesty I admit I have much to learn, but this much I know: You know what's best. And I want Your best. It's in Your best for my life that I'll know the fullness of Your peace and joy for me and everyone around me. That's the desire of my heart, as best as I can discern and believe; and that's my prayer. So I believe by faith that will and that has come to pass (Psalm 21:2). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will trust God with all your heart and ask Him to go before You opening and shutting doors to help direct your steps into His perfect will for your life. May you know the fullness of all His peace and joy for you and all those around you. 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of all I am and all I do this day. ...
"Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?' I said to him, 'Sir, you are the one that knows.' Then he said to me, 'These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship Him day and night within His temple, and the One who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:13-17).
I don't know the depths of the ordeals I will endure or the trials of tribulation I will face, as I run my race and walk out my journey in faith through this broken and fallen world. But I know I want my robe to be washed in white by the blood of the Lamb. I know I want You to be at the center of the throne of my heart, with my heart full worship day and night in the temple of Your Presence. I know I want to trust You to be my Shelter and my Shepherd, to lead me and to guide me to Your living waters and flowing fountains.
My time today on this earth is just the point where my present touches Your eternity. And my eternity is secure in You. Therefore, so is my present, my past, and my future. So give me the grace to embrace every day, every challenge, every encounter as it comes. With You at the center of my heart and my life, I cry out with all of heaven what I can experience here on earth every day, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb! ... Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!" (Revelation 7:10-12) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you live out every day centered in Christ, filled with worship, knowing the fullness of your salvation and the joy of your eternity, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by alsosharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
The Well
I want to invite you to The Well Night of Worship this Friday night as we as a church body and actively pursue God’s presence. No sermons, no lessons, no formal structure. This is simply two plus hours of spirit-filled worship music and song that creates a holy space in which to rest, pray, read, and soak in and be filled with peace and the presence of God. Come and go as you please during this time. . If you desire to experience God in a deep and fresh way, then we invite you to join us as we seek revival for North Alabama! Click the link below for more info.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
http://www.easytithe.com/dl/?uid=onepob279
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take me by the heart and lead me into a night of rest and slumber with my dreams centered on you.
"Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation," You "have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10).
You've chosen us and called us. You equip us and encourage us. You save us and send us as the people of God to proclaim the goodness and mercy of God. We are priests and prophets and kings in Christ -- a royal priesthood proclaiming Christ. "To Him who loves us and freed us from our sins by His blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever!" (Revelation 1:5-6)
"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
In alignment with Your heart and submission to Your will, abiding in Christ as Christ abides in us, we humbly and faithfully embrace our identity and fulfill our destiny as the body of Christ, filled with the Spirit of Christ, continuing the ministry of Christ here in this world (1 Corinthians 12:27). "As He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).
You are our Priest and Prophet and King. So in Christ, as the body of Christ, we are Your priests and prophets and kings -- "ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20). As priests, we pray; as prophets, we proclaim; as kings, we reign -- all in submission to Your will and Your way, all through Your Spirit and by Your grace, with the measure of authority You've entrusted to us as Your people, Your body, and Your church (Matthew 16:19). Your kingdom comes and Your will is done, here on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 5:10).
We do our part -- as best as we can and all by Your grace -- to live into the fullness of all You have already done by Your part (John 19:30). And all in Your time and all in Your way, we look forward to the day we hear "loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" (Revelation 11:15). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family,I pray you live into the fullness of your identity and destiny as a “chosen race, a royal priesthood”in Christ every day, as best as you can and all by God's grace, 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/ Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning Jesus my Lord, Let my prayers and praise as I start my day be a sweet fragrance to you…
“Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne…. From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal….They never rest day or night, saying:
“Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!”
And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”” (Revelation 4:2-11)
As I read these verses of John impossibly trying to write into words the spectacular images he is seeing of the throne room of God and Jesus sitting on the throne, the lyrics from the song, “I can Only Imagine” come to my mind, “ I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your face is in front of me… will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall; will I sing Halleluiah or will I be able to speak at all..” John is being shaken to his core by the incomprehensible beauty and overwhelming presence of the living God in all the glory of His Son.
God is our “daddy” “by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15). We do have a friend in Jesus, as He said, “I have called you friends,” (John 15:15) However, as this passage reveals The Triune of God; The Father, Son, and Spirit, is incomprehensible and greater or outside of any box I can try to put Him in. Remind me Lord, as You did Moses, to take the “sandals off my feet” when I come before you in prayer and worship and enter into your presence that I am entering into the Holy of Holies! “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5). Forgive me Lord when I throw out Your name casually for You have the, “name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow- in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10). Forgive me when I think I have You figured out and put You in my box” I created for You. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Romans 11:32). Lord, let my heart be amazed and lost in the shock and awe of the beauty of who You are, In Jesus name!
My family, I pray this morning you are reminded of as well and your heart becomes amazed and lost in the shock and awe of the beauty of who God is, 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good evening, Lord Jesus. I seek Your face and listen for Your voice, as I end my day embracing Your Presence in the communion of prayer. ...
“But I have this against you: You have departed from your first love! Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Do the deeds you did at the first..” (Revelation 2:4-5)
Forgive me when I've not asked for You and not pursued You first. Forgive me when I've left You hanging with arms stretched out wide in unfailing love for me and I didn't take the time to love You back. Forgive me and my nation, forgive me and Your church when we've forgotten our way and spurned our first love.
"I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am,' to a nation that did not call on My name. I held out My hands all day long..." (Isaiah 65:1-2).
Lord, You held out Your hands on the cross for me and every day You hold out Your hands in love for me. You're always ready to be sought out, to be pursued, to be embraced in the intimacy of worship and the communion of prayer.
Thank You for Your mercies that are new every morning, you're your love never ceases (Lamentations 3:22-23). Thank You that You are faithful even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). Like the father who longed for the return of his son, You're always ready to be sought out and ready to be found. Whenever we remember You, You're waiting for us with arms open wide (Luke 15:20).
Like Your mercies, the promise of Your Presence never comes to and end. And throughout the moments of our days, You continue to invite us to come into Your embrace through worship and prayer: "So I say to you, Ask, and it be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Luke 11:9-10).
So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I choose to ask and seek and knock. I choose to pursue You and embrace You. I choose to not forget my first love, always expressed to me with Your hands stretched out and Your arms open wide. Thank You, Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My Family, I pray you remember your first love. I pray this evening as you lay down you also choose to ask and seek and knock, embracing the One who loves you so with outstretched hands and arms open wide. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by alsosharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
http://www.easytithe.com/dl/?uid=onepob279
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You, Lord God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- into my heart and into my day. ...
“Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)
You are faithful and unchanging. You are "Faithful and True" (Revelation 19:11). And I trust You and Your Word and Your will. I don't have to worry about You wavering. I don't have to be concerned about Your Kingdom collapsing. When all is said and done, Your Word will stand. And by the power of the grace of God, I will stand on Your Word, as I stand in You
"God is not a human being, that He should lie, or a mortal, that He should change His mind. Has He promised, and will He not do it? Has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?" (Numbers 23:19)
You are my unchanging God. In You, "there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). You are "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). In You, all the promises of God are Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20).
And You have spoken Your steadfast word. You have eternally declared, "I the Lord will speak the word that I speak, and it will be fulfilled" (Ezekiel 12:25). "The Lord of hosts has sworn: As I have designed, so shall it be; and as I have planned, so shall it come to pass.... For the Lord of hosts has planned and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?" (Isaiah 14:24
My family, May you stand firm in the steadfast word of our unchanging God, I pray you will commit this morning to the “building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life” (Jude 2o-21), 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
“Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers). They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone forth on behalf of “The Name,” accepting nothing from the pagans. Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth.” (3 John 5-8)
The saving grace of the Father was His Act of “sentness” which from His first saving act in Christ to His continued saving works today which flow through those same acts of Christ. “For this is the way God loved the world: He sent his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)
From it’s very conception the church was not designed to be a location, but a movement, part of the missio deo The mission and movement of God. Jesus prayer to the Father over the church had movement and mission at its heart. “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, …Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” (John 17: 15,18)
The Holy Spirit is always moving among us and when we as a church are full of the Spirit we will be caught up in His movement and hear His call to wear He is sending us. “While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off.” (Acts 13:2-3)
My family, I pray that through this passage and the Holy Spirit you will understand that”church” is not a location, the building your church gathers in on Sunday mornings that you see in your rear-view mirror as you pullout of it’s parking lot. :Church”is a movement, what you see out your windshield as you drive through your neighborhood. I pray you will embrace the movement of the Spirit as a sent one in “a manner worthy of God,” in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by also haring with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm seeking Your face and listening for Your voice, as I watch and wait for Your leading. ...
"Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.... If we love another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us.... God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.... because as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:8-17).
Learning to love is the point of it all. For You are love; and You've created us to learn and grow in our capacity to love and be loved. When we hold steadfast in faith through whatever comes, we grow in learning to love. Faith grows and love increases as we suffer through every challenge of persecutions and afflictions in the world around each one of us each day in the power and peace of Your grace.
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering" (2 Thessalonians 1:2-5).
I know the sufferings, afflictions, and persecutions of my world are pretty mild compared to the apostle Paul's or the first century Christians he was writing to, in order to encourage and inspire them. I know what I endure is hardly anything compared to what so many Christians endure around the world every day in our own generation. But whatever we endure at whatever level of severity is always an opportunity for each one of us in our own surroundings and challenges to learn to love and grow in faith.
"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has be poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:1-5).
Holy Spirit, give me a right spirit and right perspective as I endure and grow through the opportunities that may come today. Whatever it is, no matter the source, You will use it to make me more like Jesus if I embrace the power and peace of Your grace and I continue to love God and others through it all. Thank You for the promise of Your Word, "'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in (your) weakness.' So I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
I know with all my heart, because I've seen it so many times, that my God is able to cause all things to work together for good for me if I continue to love God and obey and follow His calling on my life. (Romans 8:28). And I know with all my heart, because I've seen You confirm the truth of Your Word in my life so many times, that my God "is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all (I) can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever!" (Ephesians 3:20-21) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray both your ability to give love and receive love increases and your faith grows through every challenge you face, becoming more like Jesus each day in the peace and power of God's grace for you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! Thank you for joining with me on this daily journey of prayer each weekday by the leading of the Holy Spirit. I want to encourage you to join me by sharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. All that I am and all that I have is Yours -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
“Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked.” (1 John 2:3-6).
In the freedom of Your grace, you give of the ability to choose to keep your commandments and walk in your ways. You're always leading me to choose You and Your will and Your ways. Even in grace, You desire obedience -- the obedience that freely flows from a heart that truly believes You love me and want the very best for me. This includes wanting the best people to surround me and for me to associate with.
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals'" (1 Corinthians 15:33).
If bad company ruins good morals then good company inspires good morals. So I want to keep good company with You, Lord Jesus. You are my Companion and my Inspiration. You are my "Friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). And You fill me with Your Spirit so that my thoughts become more like Your thoughts, my desires become more like Your desires, and my ways become more like Your ways (Romans 8:9).
Some would imply that under a dispensation of grace, we are free to do what we want to do, to be with whom we want to be with, to go wherever we want to go. Who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). Right? "All things are lawful for me" in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:23). Right? Yes, but not all things are good for me; and in the freedom of my salvation I still have the freedom to choose right from wrong, good from evil, to walk in Your ways or walk in the ways of the world, for me to be lord or for You to be Lord (1 Corinthians 10:23). So along with companionship always comes discipleship; and along with grace comes obedience -- as You're teaching me Your ways while I'm walking in deeply personal, intimate relationship with You.
Come, Holy Spirit of God. Move in my heart to give me a right heart. Keep creating in me a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Keep transforming me by the renewing of my mind and conforming me to the image of the Son of God (Romans 8:29 and 12:2). May I never stop to "grow in the grace and knowledge of (my) Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever!" (2 Peter 3:18) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray today in your freedom to choose today to simply read though this reflection and go about your day, or set aside time to personally read today’s chapter and reflect on it and keep good company with Jesus, you choose the later. I pray today as you have the choice to walk with Jesus and obey Him as your Lord, or walk away from Him and be your own lord over you life, you choose the later as well. At the end of the day no one will know what choice you made but Jesus, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Thank you for joining with me on this daily journey of prayer each weekday by the leading of the Holy Spirit. 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 comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
