"Revivals Start at Home"

“Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling things there, saying to them, “It is written, ʻMy house will be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

Jesus was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate him, but they could not find a way to do it, for all the people hung on his words.” (Luke 19:45-48)

 Jesus, as I read this I see that revivals begin at home.  Your revival and awakening against sin, religious corruption, and materialism began in “Your house.”  If I were to read through your Old Testament I would see throughout it, whenever God wants to initiate a revival and a radical return to Him in Israel’s midst, he begins at home, he begins with their worship practices.  He did so with Josiah as He used him for revolt and reform.

“The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel. He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem--those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts. He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the Lord to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. (2 Kings 23:4-6)

When God is going to make a move he begins by restoring the core of worship. That is what God was doing at Asbury University. It was a revival of worship. A revival and awakening of true worship of the one true God. And people from around the world came to experience simple, stopped down, yet Holy Spirit filled, life changing worship. Jesus was not part of the religious church of His day. He was not a Pharisee, Scribe, Priest, Elder or a religious leader. but He goes straight to their center, their worship, and where they encounter God, The Temple. And His goal is revival, and awakening, to turn everything around.

"It is written, "he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

The Temple was supposed to be a place where the poor and the oppressed found refuge. Instead, they found themselves overlooked and pushed to margins of the society. The religious insiders had turned it into a place of privilege that looked at worldly status, wealth and privilege. The exact opposite of what God intended had happened. 

Jesus, your story in Luke is also relevant today. The church has been a place of beautiful steeples where power, privilege and wealth collect.  Where people hang out with others of the same social views, political views, who drink coffee and listen to Casting Crowns. Where church revolves around serving its members instead of serving Jesus. No wonder we speak so much of “going to church.” And the poor and the oppressed find themselves pushed out to the margins of society and blamed for their own condition. 

Jesus, it is time for some reform and revival at home again. Cut through the ritualistic ruts of the religious tracks in our churches, We invite You to come in and turn over some tables and drive out what should not be there.  And where is your temple, your home where You reside today? It is in your people.  It is in me! You and I are the living temples where the presence of God through His Holy Spirit resides. If I am seeking a revival and an awakening of God in my life and the life of The Churches, I can’t “go” to a place or building to experience it unless I first personally embrace and experience it.   So Lord Jesus, I ask you to come turn over tables in me!  Reveal in my heart and mind, areas in my body, your Temple, that I have corrupted and made a “Den of Thieves.”  Areas where I have placed obeying and identifying with religion, denomination, and church practices and traditions over obeying and identifying with You. Areas of my faith and worship that serve me instead of serve Jesus.  Remind me that I don’t work for a church or denomination, I work for You. If I don not serve only you I will either burn out or sell out.  Cleanse your Temple, cleanse me today! Cleanses the stable of my heart where Immanuel, the babe of Christmas resides. Start a revival in me so I can then start a revival in my community! Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.

My family, I pray today that you in prayer and the Holy Spirit you invite Jesus into your heart and life to turn over the tables of areas of corruption, outward sin, and religious idolatry,  I pray you ask Him to have mercy on you, cleanse you, and in this time of Holy Week begin a radical revival of love and grace at home, which is you.  I pray as we enter the season of Lent tomorrow you embrace this season revive and awaken your worship of Jesus, in Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me!  God bless you my friends!

I really would love to hear your reflections, and I believe they would encourage others. So please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.

Worship Gathering This Friday February 24th

In my reflections on revival I have been saying that revival begins at home, and each of us needs to be catalysts for revival in our churches and communities. So I need to practice what I preach! This Friday February 24th at 6:30pm I am going to host a worship gathering in my backyard. I am setting up a couple tangents and a small PA in my backyard, putting out some chairs, and going to give the night to worshipping Jesus. It is going to outdoors, simple, raw and I do not know if 2 or 20 people will show up, however I need to be obedient. I you are a worship leader and would like to come join in or lead a set that night contact me at garyl@onedirection.community.com. We will see how God uses this night. My address is 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758. We will worship outside so drees for the weather conditions and bring a lawn chair if you like.

What: Night of Worship

When: Friday Feb. 24th 6:30pm-?

Contact for more info: Gary Liederbach, garyl@onedirection.community

 Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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         

Worship Gathering This

 

 

 

 

Revival Fire!

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be King of my heart and Lord of my life in every moment of my day. 

"'Present these offerings to the Lord because the Lord will appear to you today.' ... So the people presented all these things at the entrance of the Tabernacle, just as Moses had commanded. Then the whole community came forward and stood before the Lord. And Moses said, 'This is what the Lord has commanded you to do so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.'  ... After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community. Fire blazed forth from the Lord's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground" (Leviticus 9:4-24 NLT).

Lord, send the fire of Your presence! Let the glory of the Lord appear to us today! Fill our hearts with Your Spirit to shout with joy, even as we humble ourselves to fall face down before You!

 As Psalm 51:16-17 tells us you no longer desire the offerings and sacrifices of bulls and lambs.  “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”  So this morning we come before you God acknowledging our brokenness and offering you our hearts and all its desires. The sacrifices of the Old Covenant speak to us of Your Sacrifice of the New Covenant. You are our Sacrifice (John 1:29). You are our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1). And You are the Consuming Fire of the Presence of the Lord (Hebrews 12:29). And when we offer to You the sacrifice of our hearts through the trusting surrender of our lives, Your Holy Fire consumes us and the Spirit of Your Joy fills us.

Some of you may have the opportunity this weekend to drive to Wilmore. Ky like I did to enter into the revival there. However, ALL OF YOU have the opportunity this weekend to enter into your neighborhoods and pray over them. All of you can call friends to gather in your home and live stream the revival and pray and worship together. All of you can spend a day fasting and praying for revival.

Come, Holy Spirit! Light Your revival fire in my heart and in the heart of my "whole community." May we see the glory of Your presence "today!" Let "today" be "the day of salvation" -- the day of Your visitation and forever the day of Your habitation -- here in our hearts, here in our community, here in our land! (2 Corinthians 6:2)  May we be a people who bow before You in our hearts in humility, that we may rise up in our spirits with joy, as Your Fire blazes forth from Your presence to consume the sacrifice of our trusting surrender! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray the blazing Fire from the presence of the Lord consumes you today and that this weekend you actively pursue revival by prayer walking your neighborhood, gathering people in your homes and churches to cry out for a fresh revival of His glory today, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

Please share your reflections and comments in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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         

 

 

" Revival Requires Repentance"

“But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” (1John:1:9).

 I reflected yesterday on my trip Monday to Wilmore, Ky to join in the awakening/revival that God has begun at Asbury University.  The revival began at the weekly Wednesday noon prayer service on the campus for its students.  During my time there throughout the day they had times of testimonies where those attending could come up to the mics up front and share how the encountered God while at the revival.

 A male student named Josh  came up to the mic to share his testimony.  He said he was at the Wednesday prayer service that started the revival.  He said the speakers message in the service that day was on repentance.  The speaker emphasized our need to repentance and forgiveness to allow God to work in our lives. The speaker said to take a moment and reflect on if there is anyone you need to forgive.  Josh shared as he lowered his head and closed his eyes another student at the campus came to his mind. Josh is a sophomore student.  He said during his first week of student orientation they had some outdoor games.  Josh said he is not very athletic and this student pointed him out, made comments, and laughed at him in front of others.  Josh said for two years he has been carrying anger and hate towards that student.  Josh said when he looked up and opened his eyes, that student was sitting right in front of him two rows up.  He got up and went to the student and shared with him his hate and anger and asked him to forgive him.  The other student asked for forgiveness from Josh.  They embraced and went to the altar and started praying together.

 The time for the noon prayer was over, and students were supposed to return to class however they did notl eave, but remained in Hughes Auditorium.  Students at the gathering briefly left and went to their classes they were supposed to attend next and asked Their professors permission to miss class and return to pray.  The professors said absolutely if God is calling you to remain.  Other students in these classes hearing this, were convicted and left their classrooms and went to Hughes. These students also openly confessed and repented.  They left and found the person they needed to forgive and came back with them to pray. The spirit of repentance, forgiveness and turning back to God moved on the campus.  More students were drawn in and the Holy Spirit anointed their honest repentance, fell on their gathering, and the revival began.

 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

 People are asking me to carry the revival I experienced and bring it to their community.  People aare crying out for and an awakening and revival in their churches and communities.  If you want to personally experience an awakening; if you earnestly desire for your church and community to enter into and experience awakening and revival, you must first earnestly and honestly enter into deep repentance, individually and publicly as a community, and humbly return to Him.  Our pride is the lock on our hearts and churches that keeps them closed and shuts out an awakening to the presence of God.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

 My family, Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance.  I pray today you will read it out loud.  I pray you will gather others together to read it out loud and then publicly repent, release, return and cry out to God, in Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends! 

Please share your reflections and comments in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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  

"Awake Oh Sleeper And Rise From The Dead!"

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!” (Ephesians 5:15)

 My family and I spent 4 years at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore. Ky.  7 days ago at Asbury University in Hughes Auditorium the school had  its weekly noontime  Wednesday service for its students.  At noon today that service will be going on for 9 days, 192 hours straight.   Like happened in 1970, again God in his holy Spirit has decided to descend and rest on that campus and an awakening, a revival is taking place.  A friend of mine John and I got up early this past Monday morning and drove the almost 5 hour trip from Madison to Wilmore, Ky to enter into the revival.  We got to Asbury around 12:40pm and walked into Hughes Auditorium and into the presence of the Holy Spirit.  A tangible sensing of the Holy presence of God enveloped us  and we were caught up in the ongoing worship and prayer.  I was “wrecked” by the presence and brought to tears at times.  So beautiful to witness the hundreds of college-age young adults worshipping, hearing the testimonies shared and witnessing lives being changed. Listening to testimonies shared from people who like us were drawn to Asbury from Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, and numerous other states.  The awakening is spreading.

 Leaving Asbury around 9:00pm after an amazing 8+ hours of prayer and worship. John and I wish we could stay longer but we had the 5 hour drive back to Madison. When we left Hughes auditorium was filled to capacity.  So they then also live streamed the gathering into Estes Chapel which is across the street at the seminary. That filled to capacity so they also live steamed it to McKenna Chapel. That filled to capacity so 150-200 people gathered on the steps outside and in the lawn.  Around 2,000 people had be drawn to tine Wilmore by the Holy Spirit. TV news crews were setting up.

 God’s presence is still moving, active, and alive today and falls on those who earnestly cry out to Him.  All of us who are in Christ have the DNA of revival in each of us.  A forest fire can burn through and ravage and destroy a whole forest.  However the singe seed of a tree, that survived and is sprouting beneath the ashes, contains the DNA to re-grow a forest. In each of us is the DNA to revive and awaken our community.

 This world, The Church, needs and awakening and movement of God.  At 8:35pm Monday evening while I was raising my hands in prayer and worship witnessing the Holy movement of the Holy Spirit move through that campus and bless the students; at the same time on the campus of Michigan State a man was raised his hands with a gun in them and was killing college students and that campus was experiencing a movement of fear and evil.  The Church needs to repent and awaken from its slumber and reclaim it’s cities for God!  Darkness flees when lights come on.  The presence of prayer and the goodness and love of God in His people drives out fear and evil, in Jesus’ name.

 My family, I pray this morning each of you claims you have the DNA of a revival, an awakening, a movement of God in you! I claim YOU personally will cry out to God and begin a gathering of prayer in you home, your church, your community and lay the tracks of prayer for the Spirit of God to roll into.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my Friends!   

 Below I have attached some photos I took of the awakening in Wilmore.  I have more photos and videos posted on my Facebook page and you can Youtube “Asbury Revival 2023 live steam” as well.

 

Please share your reflections on this reflection.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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  

 

Help Earthquake Victims in Turkey.

HELP VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY AND SYRIA!

My friend in the picture above is Bayram Erdma. Byram is a missionary in Malatya, Turkey trying to reach the Muslim's in his country with the Gospel. He pastor's a church there and is about to launch a second church. Malatya was near the epicenter on the earth quake. Bayram came to the United States last Tues. to attend a missions conference and flies back Sunday. I was with him at a prayer gathering Sunday evening when He began receiving texts through WhatsApp from church members in Turkey telling him about the earthquake. He received texts from friends trapped in fallen buildings asking him for help. His heart is broken for his people.

When Bayram files back Sunday, he and his church will be involved in boots-on-the ground, first-hand rescue and relief efforts as he tries to reach out with the love of Christ to his Muslim neighbors.

I will spend time with Byram one more time tomorrow before he flies back oyu can help the victims of the earthquake with your financial donations by giving to Bayram's ministry. He is a amazing man who will personally be in the affected area overseeing the use of your gifts.

You can donate through ODC's on line giving link to get a tax deduction at https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/odcgiving

I will then forward all donations received to Bayram.

Or you can mail a check made out to Better Together Community. Inc. (BTC is the name of Bayram's 501C3 ministry organization) to

ODC

PO Box 1293

Madison, Al 35758

I am on the board of BTC and wil put checks in his account.

"WHY?"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek You and need You. So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I entrust this day and my life to You. 

"Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?" (Psalm 10:1)

It seems we are in the midst of all the tragedies in our land that are coming wave after wave, one after another – hurricanes,, fires, floods, racial violence, mass shootings. the war in Ukraine, now the earthquake in Turkey. I watch the images of the disaster: the area of the site of England, 21,000 dead and rising, the total devastation; and my heart breaks for the people effected. I pray daily for them and the rescuers. And we're tempted to ask "Why?"  We want to know "Are we under attack or under judgment?" We wonder, "What have we done and what can be undone? What can we do now or is there anything we can do?" We take our questions go to Facebook, Youtube, and other online sites with so called “prophets” looking for answers. And in the midst of our questions, we find ourselves directing our questions to You God.  "Why, God?  Why do you allow this to happen?  Why God? Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why, God? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? Where, God? Where we You when we needed You? Where are You now?"

Some would say we should never ask "Why?" Some would say that's dishonoring and disrespectful, allowing our thoughts and our hearts to be filled with doubt that could lead to disbelief or hopeless despair. But that's not my theology. That's not my experience in my journey of faith with You, God. 

I've found that You're a God who calls us to come with our questions, to open up our hearts with our need for guidance and our desire for answers. You're a God who listens, who cares, who comes alongside us in our confusion and concern, who sees us in our suffering and in our frustrations and fears. Who sees those trapped in the rubble, those waiting for news of family members, and embraces them. And You're a God who reminds us that You're always with us through whatever we endure on our journey of faith through this broken and fallen world, though the things that break our hearts and Yours.

So I bring You my questions and listen for Your answers. We don't turn our own children away when they come to us with their questions. And neither do You. A loving father or mother doesn't tell their children "Be silent. Don't question. Just learn to take it. Just shut-up and get over it." And neither do You. We allow them to ask "Why?" And so do You. 

"Why?" is an expression of one of the deepest yearnings You've placed in our hearts to draw us nearer to You. As we ask our questions, seeking to know and understand, to sort out the confusion and the chaos of all our tragedies and trials, seeking to learn the principles and solve the problems, to learn from our mistakes as we learn to love in the midst of it all, our questions of "Why?" ultimately lead us to the question of "Who?"

As our "Whys?" turn to "Who?" our questions may begin with "Who did this?" or "Who allowed this?" but sooner or later, they will lead us to the questions of "Who will be with me through this? Who will give me the grace and the wisdom and the power to overcome this and help others overcome it.?" Then, in the fullness of time -- after the journey of shock and denial, anger and pain, forgiveness and healing -- our questions will even become, "Who will use this in my life and in the lives of others? Who will even cause good to come out of these tragedies, and bring triumph out of this tragedy that You never intended and You will not ignore?" 

Though you do not cause the suffering, You never waste a moment of our suffering or miss an opportunity to draw us nearer. In the power of Your grace and the sovereignty of Your love, You will always have the last word as we turn our questions and our hearts to You. And Your word for us is always good for Your nature is always good (Exodus 33:19, Mark 10:18). In Your time and in Your way, You cause it all to work together for good because You love us and You're for us, because You're always with us to always bring us through it all (Romans 8:28). 

As You promised Your children in their times of questions long ago and still promise us in our times of questions today, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I Am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.... You are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you.... Do not fear, for I Am with you" (Isaiah 43:1-5).

Through countless experiences of Your constant Presence, I have come to find peace in the One who always allows me to wrestle through my questions and always walks with me along my journey. Thank You for giving me permission to ask the questions of "Why?" And thank You that in one of the most profound examples of our freedom to ask "Why?" You asked that very question of our Father as You hung upon the cross in Your unfailing love for every one of us:  "And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' "(Matthew 27:46). There, You bore upon Yourself for each one of us all "our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4,). Then You entrusted Your spirit and Your questions into the hands and the heart of our loving and faithful Father (Luke 23:46). 

There at the cross, for You and for us, the question of "Why?" led to the Answer of "Who" -- to the One who sees the end from the beginning and causes all things to work together for good -- even the things that break our hearts and Yours. Lord, keep giving me grace to keep asking my questions and giving me faith to keep finding my Answer in the One who's always so faithful to me. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

My family, may you always be free to ask God "Why?" as He uses your questions to bring you closer to Him in the sovereignty and faithfulness of His unfailing love for you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. I continue today to join with you in prayer for all who are suffering by the earthquake in Turkey and Stria. Together we call upon the name of the Lord who hears us when we call to answer us and lead us to His salvation and peace. God bless you, my friends!

Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower

One Direction Community (ODC)

Please share your reflections and prayer s in the comment box below.

A group of us from ODC will be attending the Reunion 2017 event this weekend.  Reunion 2017 is a spiritual retreat of worship, teaching, prayer, and relaxation held on a farm in Bon Aqua, Tenn. We will be camping without electricity so I will be off “grid” and will not post a blog again until Monday at the earliest.

 

Partner with ODC and support us as we reach out missionaly to those in our community with the love of God.

Different Spirit

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. I'm listening now for Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God 

"My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it" (Numbers 14:24).

Caleb, along with his companion Joshua, had "a different spirit" than the others who went into the land to see what You had set before them. The others saw the land, but what they saw above all else were the giant enemies that seemed too big and too powerful to overcome (Numbers 14:28-33). 

Caleb and Joshua were full of faith, ready for the adventure, and excited for the opportunity to trust in You, to take the land and take hold of the promises of God. They had a spirit of faith, while the others gave in to "a different spirit," to a spirit of fear and all that it brings -- faithlessness, discouragement, hopelessness, and despair. Soon their fears fed their mistrust and rebellion, until they found themselves on the opposite side of the favor of God for not trusting You and Your word. "And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long will this people despise Me? And how long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they" (Numbers 14:11-12). None of those who gave in to fear instead of trusting in faith would ever be able to enter into the Promised Land (14:22-23).

Whatever giant enemies we face in our day -- concern of economic collapse, inflation, health issues, wars in Ukraine and other countries, family issues, and other challenges in life, -- let us be a people of "a different spirit." Let us be a people filled with the Holy Spirit -- full of faith and not fear, trust and not terror, peace and not panic.

Instead of fixing our eyes on the giants, let us turn our eyes to the potential fruit of a great harvest. Yes, this is a crisis and a challenge, but it's also an opportunity and an invitation to arise and shine in the midst of the darkness, to stand firm in the faith in the midst of the fear. Let a world overwhelmed with fear see faith in us and turn to the One in us who gives us "a different Spirit."

This is our time to shine! This is our time to lead the way to the One who's not afraid and who's always in control to bring us through whatever we face. "Arise, shine! For your Light has come, and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your Light and kings to the Brightness of your dawn!" (Isaiah 60:1-3) 

That Light that shines before us, that Glory of the Lord that rises upon us, that Brightness of our dawn that draws others to You through us, is "a different Spirit" within us -- the Holy Spirit of the Living God, who gives us courage and faith to live into the fullness of our Promised Land. And who empowers us to see the potential of the harvest and gives us opportunities to lead all who will come into their Promised Land in You as well. There's no enemy we'll ever face between us and our Promised Land that's too big or too powerful for us to overcome when our eyes are fixed on You! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,  may you be filled with "a different Spirit" -- with the Holy Spirit of the Living God, to overcome all you face and lead many into their Promised Land in the opportunities before us, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

 Please share your thoughts and 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 share your thoughts,  reflections, with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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  

Self -Examination Quiz

Good Morning!

Do you want to be closer to God?  Do you want to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more clear to guide you in your life? Do you want to encounter Jesus is a more real, powerful way in your life?   Do you seek a change and do you desire to experience a miracle in your life? Then here is what you do. 

Monday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

Tuesday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

Wednesday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

Thursday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

Friday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

Saturday, you could sleep in, but get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

Sunday, you could sleep in but get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.

You cove closer to God, hear the voice of the Spirit, encounter Jesus when you establish Christian disciplines into your life.  Going to church gatherings is important; attending Christian conferences and concerts re-kindle a fire; these things reinforce your daily walk with Christ, but first you have to have a daily walk with Christ. There is nothing “sexy” about establishing a Christian discipline in your life. However, if you do, I guarantee 60 days from now miracle will happen in your life. You will not be the same person you were 60 days ago. The time is not as important, but the consistency.  Remember, there is no short cut way to becoming a disciple of Christ. 

 

In my Discipleship 101 Training I lead, one week for home work I have those in the group spend one day reflecting in self-examination.  I use John Wesley’s “quiz” to aid in this. I use it on a monthly basis to gauge my spiritual walk. I encourage you to do it as well.

My family, I pray you spend time this morning reflecting on the question below and honestly looking at your walk with Jesus. I pray you will begin a time of Christian discipline daily in you life. Please pray the same for me. God bless me my friends!

 

WESLEY’S SELF-EXAMINATION QUIZ

Here is one set of questions similar to what John Wesley gave to members of his groups more than 200 years ago. The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club."

 

1.            Am I creating the impression that I am better than I rea(y am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2.            Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?

3.            Can I be trusted?

4.            Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

5.            Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6.            Did the Bible live in me today?

7.            Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?

8.            Am I enjoying prayer?

9.           When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?

10.        Do I pray about the money I spend?

11.        Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12.        Do I disobey God in anything?

13.        Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

14.        Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15.        Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

16.        How do I spend my spare time?

17.        Am I proud?

18.        Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the tax collector?

19.        Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? What am I doing about it?

20.        Do I grumble or complain constantly?

21.        Is Christ real to me?

WESLEY’S SELF-EXAMINATION QUIZ

Here is one set of questions similar to what John Wesley gave to members of his groups more than 200 years ago. The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club."

1.            Am I creating the impression that I am better than I rea(y am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2.            Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?

3.            Can I be trusted?

4.            Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

5.            Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6.            Did the Bible live in me today?

7.            Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?

8.            Am I enjoying prayer?

9.           When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?

10.        Do I pray about the money I spend?

11.        Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12.        Do I disobey God in anything?

13.        Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

14.        Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15.        Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

16.        How do I spend my spare time?

17.        Am I proud?

18.        Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the tax collector?

19.        Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? What am I doing about it?

20.        Do I grumble or complain constantly?

21.        Is Christ real to me?

Please share your thoughts and 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 share your thoughts,  reflections, with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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  

Breastplate Prayer.

“For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:13-17

This morning I read Ephesians 6:10-20. I reflected on how many in the church, perhaps many reading this post, the only piece of "the full armor of God" they put on with any consistency is the "Helmet of salvation" and then go about their life and into battle naked from the neck down.  I also reflected on how you can only wear one suit of armor.  In order to put on the armor of God, we must remove our personal armor of pride, jealousy, self-reliance, materialism, complacent, and others things we attach to us and clothe ourselves with. In order to put on the full armor of God, we must first by faith surrender ourselves to God, and stand before Him naked, and allow Him to then equips us with his armor. As I read over Ephesians again, the word "breastplate" reminded me of of one of my favorite, ancient prayers, St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer.  Though recent scholars lean towards the author of this prayer being an anonymous source, I still call it by its traditional name.  

My family, I pray you read this prayer over yourself this morning, preferably aloud. I pray you  pull it up on your phone and say it again as your prayer at lunch.  May it be used by the Holy Spirit to "clothe you in righteousness" at the start an noon of your day, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!

St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

 

I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

 

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of cherubim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

In the prayers of patriarchs,

In the predictions of prophets,

In the preaching of apostles,

In the faith of confessors,

In the innocence of holy virgins,

In the deeds of righteous men.

 

I arise today, through

The strength of heaven,

The light of the sun,

The radiance of the moon,

The splendor of fire,

The speed of lightning,

The swiftness of wind,

The depth of the sea,

The stability of the earth,

The firmness of rock.

 

I arise today, through

God's strength to pilot me,

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

From snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill,

afar and near.

 

I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils,

Against every cruel and merciless power

that may oppose my body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;

Christ to shield me today

Against poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

 

Christ with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

 Please share your thoughts,  reflections, with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

CLICK HERE TO GIVE 

"Chose Life and Love"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me into the abundant life You have for me today. ...

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" --Jesus (John 10:10).

There's a "thief" at work in our world. And his work is "to steal and kill and destroy." Right now, we see his "handiwork" everywhere we turn.

“One of his most wicked works is to turn us against one another, to divide us and conquer us. He knows a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” When President Abraham Lincoln said those words in the midst of the horrendous civil war in America, he was not quoting some social philosopher or politically astute sage of his times; he was quoting the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:25).

As we read and hear on the news, online, and from the mouths of people around us the violent and hateful rhetoric of our times that feels like in some ways a civil war being waged before our eyes, we know the "thief" is at work again. But Your Holy Spirit reminds us that our true enemy is not one another. Our true enemy is our enemy. Our true enemy is the thief at work in the weakness of our flesh, in the unhealed wounds of our past, in the strongholds of our selfishness and self-centeredness, in the places where we've made room for the devil and given him a foothold in our hearts and minds, in our words and actions, in our rebellion and pride, in our arrogance and attitudes of insisting on our own ways instead of following Your ways. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

There is a fight that is right. There is a cause that is worth fighting for and dying for. But that fight is not against one another and that cause is not to come into agreement and become a part of the wicked purposes and plans of the "thief" who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy."

The fight that is right is "the good fight of the faith" as we "take hold of the eternal life to which we were called" (1 Timothy 6:12). The cause that is just is the cause of the Kingdom of God that we would stand up for one another, speak out against what is wrong, and fight for one another with "the weapons of our warfare" of love and truth, of humility and faith, of proclamation and prayer, as a people grounded in God's Word and filled with God's Spirit to be ambassadors of His light in the darkness and His hope in the midst of despair (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). For God "has given us the ministry of reconciliation.... Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

So by the power of Your grace, I choose life. I renounce death this day. I renounce the "thief" and all his works in my world to "steal and kill and destroy," to divide and conquer. And I choose the One who is Life, the One who laid down His Life that all may live and love and overcome in the authority of His name, the power of His grace, and the mercy of His love to make a difference in our world. "For God so loved the world that He have His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, may you be grounded in God's Word and filled with His Spirit, choosing Life and Love to overcome the evil of this world and the thief of our souls in the Cause worth fighting for, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

Please share your thoughts,  reflections, with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

CLICK HERE TO GIVE

Hunger for Power

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I embrace Your tender mercies and steadfast love, my heavenly Father. Come, Holy Spirit, and fill me, transform me, and overflow through me today with the love of my Father in the power of the name and the nature of Jesus, I pray. 

"Brothers and sisters, God loves you, and we know He has chosen you, because the Good News we brought to you came not only with words, but with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with sure knowledge that is true" (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6).

Last night at a prayer gathering I witnessed the amazing breaking of a generational curse over a family. An empowering of the wife and the speaking by her over her husband of freedom, empowerment, and spiritual blessing, all that flowed out of claiming the power of Jesus over thier lives. It was an amazing miraculous night. Jesus, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your Power. Thank You for the Gospel, the Good News of Your forgiveness and favor, mercy and love, healing and deliverance, encouragement and strength, all by the power of Your grace. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith" (Romans 1:16).

I pray and earnestly hunger to see more of Your power in my life today. I pray to see You changing lives, changing my life, saving souls, healing hearts and bodies and relationships, breaking the chains of darkness, and displaying Your glory in the power of Your name. "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead!" (Philippians 3:10 NLT) "All glory to Him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time!" (Jude 25 NLT) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray as you go today may you go to places seeking to experience and expecting to see the power of the Gospel, the power of Jesus in your life today, in you and around you, giving all glory, honor, and praise to Him alone, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! 

Please share your thoughts,  reflections, with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

"Stop playing with fire"

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”  James 5:14

Recently, a Christian family that is dealing with a demonic presence and paranormal activity in there house and family invited some friends to come burn sage throughout their home to “cleanse” it.  I also had a Christian friend suggest the burning of sage to his friends.  Another Christian friend has crystals in their home to “absorb the negative and evil energy” in their home. Though not as wide spread as people may think, today there are more Christians turning to, bringing into practice, or “Blending” Native American pagan  religious rituals and mythical items and beliefs with their Christian faith.  Such as burning sage, the use of crystals, and other items.  I believe If you try to bring in ancient middle age, new age or pagan rituals with their connection and supposed “curing” powers that are not connected to that of God, but of manmade gods, and you are acknowledging that something other than God has power in this earth, you are opening and granting access to then to those things not of God.

It is like when I anoint with olive oil.  Olive oil is not “magical” or has any powers. When I anoint with it I claim it as a visible sign of the invisible sealing and anointing  of the Holy Spirit.  I claim the presence and power of God.  Smoke from sage or anything else you burn, or a rock or crystal is not “magical’ or has any power in itself. You have to believe it is connected and derives any spiritual power from a deity, spirit, or god.  If not our one true God, the. What god are you claiming  powers of  healing in?

There is in the Bible references to burning incense and crystals and gems.  However, The Bible never assigns any mystical properties to crystals.  None of these superstitious beliefs about sage, crystals or other pagan practices come from the Bible. The Bible does not say that these are beneficial for attracting wealth, rekindling romance, or warding off evil spirits; neither does it say that sage, crystals or other items are needed to connect to God’s Spirit. On the contrary, the Bible warns strongly against engaging in anything related to superstition and the occult. God declares the practice of the occult detestable: “There shall not be found among you …anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) The use of these items and assigning them powers as charms, amulets, or talismans is a type of occult practice, however harmless it seems. Anything that seeks to manipulate the spirit world can be categorized as witchcraft.

My family, I pray you will declare over your life today that Jesus is Lord, salvation and healing is in Christ alone, and putting your hope, trust and healing in the hands of anything else is a sin, missing the mark, and remove, repent and release these things to the foot of the cross, in Jesus name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

 Please share your thoughts,  reflections, with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

"What the enemy planned for evil, God used for good"

“As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. So now, don’t be afraid.” (Genesis 50:20-21)

 Last week I posted a reflection of spiritual warfare.  In it I related about a family that a demonic entity had attached to their house.  Their 3 year old daughter was the main focus of this entity.  Crosses hanging by strings were flipping defying gravity and hanging upside down, furniture was being moved, voices heard, and many other outward manifestations of the  presence of  the “Black mask with red eyes” that talked to the daughter out of the closet.

 I went over their house one night and spent 3 hours interviewing them on all that has happened, then prayed and anointed the house and the family.  My wife and I went back two nights later and again prayed over the house, the couple and the family.  

 Discerning this presence needed the “church” to free it, I arranged for the Tuesday Evening House Church that usually meets in our home to meet in this families home instead.   I also contacted people locally to come who God has placed in my life that we have shared deep spiritual warfare in the past, and deep nights of prayer for revival and claiming our city for the kingdom of God.  And Tuesday night they came.

 And that evening “What Satan planned for evil, God used for Good.” The evil presence that came into the house to bring darkness, led to the Holy presence of the church that brought light.  Spiritual brothers and sisters, kindred of Christ, some who I have not worshipped with for over a year gathered, re-connected, re-kindled the flame of the Holy Spirit among us, and through our time of worship, prayer, reading Scriptures, laying hands and anointing, a strong presence of the reign of God fell on that house and on us.

 “What the enemy planned for evil, God used for good.”

 The night was a beautiful experience of "real Church." I think those attending would agree there was not a moment of fear during the night. We came in the authority of Jesus and His love, and perfect love casts out all fear. Is Spiritual warfare real, absolutely.

 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12).  Are occurrence of evil and demonic activity increasing around us, yes.  “Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.”  (1Peter 5:8)  However, when we put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18) we can “stand Firm against evil” and “extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.” “Because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1John 4:4)

 We need to separate the "Hollywood" portrayals of confronting evil and heaven's actual 'Kingdom on Earth" reality. God is in control; ” The heavens belong to you, as does the earth. You made the world and all it contains.” ({Psalm 89:11).  Jesus is Lord; “ yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.” (1Cor 8:4). And The Church is God's "Plan A" for confronting evil, breaking chains of those oppressed and freedom to those possessed on this earth, and there in no "Plan B" ; “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18)

 My family, I pray you will reflect and understand that in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit  you in the church together can face down and defeat any evil that comes against yourself of others “Because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”, in Jesus name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

 Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

'No Condemnation"

Good morning Lord Jesus, I simply want to thank you this morning for your unconditional love for me.

This morning I am sharing with you a reflection of a friend of mine, Matt Holiday. He shared this reflection, and when I read it this morning it became the focus of my devotion time this morning. I pray it will be something you reflect on today as well.

One of my very best friends lost his son recently. His son was 35. I attended the funeral service and heard the family preacher speak during the beginning. He spoke very honestly about how the son had battled with sin. He also spoke very honestly how he too battled with sin. He then said, if we were honest that all of us there too battle with some type of sin or addiction. I do believe that to be true.

I love this 35 year old son of my good friend. I am grateful that he knew Jesus before he started his battle, during his battle and now that he is with Jesus, that his battle is over. I am grateful that the family of this 35 year old son, brother, father, have a deep love for Jesus and that they will be carried through this time of grief. I am certain they will grow closer to the one who has paid for all of our sins, who sits at the right hand of God the Father and is our advocate before His throne of Grace. By the time this preacher had finished speaking, I felt I couldn't stay any longer because I was struggling to breathe from how hard I needed to cry. So I did leave. I hope and pray no one was offended by that. I don't breathe well and I was concerned that I might need help.

But the reason for this post is not about that. It's to reach out to whoever is reading this to say that we have a Savior who knows ALL of your struggles and sympathizes with you before you ever have them. And there isn't ANY sin that HE doesn't know about and hasn't already atoned for. And what EVER IT is, His grace is sufficient. His grace is INFINITE. His mercy is INFINITE. His forgiveness is INFINITE. His love is INFINITE. The only sin He cannot forgive, is simply rejecting Him. If you need help with your battle, He knew about it and won it for you on the cross. You are forgiven, if you have called upon His name to save you. And you are free from your battle. You are not free to sin because of His Grace, you are free from your sin because of His grace. Therefore, free to NOT keep doing whatever THAT is. FREE!

Read Romans 8:1. "Therefore, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." He said right before He died on the cross, "It is finished" for that reason. We are not saved by our good works. We are saved by His grace for HIS good works. We are free to put away whatever our battle is. He may not take away the temptation, but He is greater than ANY temptation. EVERY time. I love the peace I feel when I get to say, "Thank you Jesus that I did not do THAT today". We never have to worry about keeping it real or honest with Jesus. And He will never be anything but that with us. I love what Dana and I heard David Jeremiah say recently. It's okay to tell God about your problems, but maybe we ought to tell our problems about God. And then we'd realize how much greater He is than ANY problem we may have. INFINTELY greater. Please pray for my dear friend who I love so much as well as his family. My friend is such a truly "big hearted" man.

My family, I pray as you read this reflection you also come to the understanding that there is no condemnation at all of you by Jesus That you are free to share with Himall your struggles, as he knows them already. I pray today you take time to “ge real” with Jesus, and allow Him to be real with His love and grace with you. I pray you will seek out a trusted brother or sister and openly be real with your struggles with them, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me.

God bless you my friends!

Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

"Pray Over Your Family"

Good morning Lord Jesus fill me with the power of your presence so I can impact today with the power of my presence.

"Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul." v.16

Last week I posted on a event of Spiritual Warfare when I went and prayer over a family and their home. It is important for you to pray over your family as well. In Acts 23 we read about the son of Paul's sister, or Paul's nephew.  His nephew, not named, heard about the plot against his uncle, and ran to his uncle and told him.  When we read Acts and the stories about Paul, we may tend to forget that like all of us, he had a family.  Brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins, grandparents, and a mom and dad.  They were around him, he visited them, and they were part of his day to day life while he was in Jerusalem. They were also Jews.  They knew their son/brother/uncle and that he was a devout Jew, passionate for his God, passionately hunting down the Christians that were speaking blasphemy and putting them in prison and to death..  He was in the center and leader of this movement.  No, doubt, he had spoken of this to them and encouraged their support in condemning and persecuting Christians.

  Imagine their shock and surprise when uncles, nephews, siblings, parents, relatives of Paul heard that this defender of the Jewish faith and persecutor of Christians, was now a Christian himself!  And not only that, but now he was in the center of the Christian movement.  He was the talk of the town that everyone was gossiping about.   And now those in power, who once were his strong allies, are now plotting to kill him!  As Jews, did his family members also want to stone Paul?  Were they embarrassed by their “church friends” of what he was doing? Or did they want to join him?  His nephew it appears was a family member who Paul's conversion resulted in an acceptance of him, and perhaps an acceptance of Christ. 

I believe for our church or any church to press deeper into our calling, grow stronger together and grow our ministries together as a church family in Christ, we must strengthen and grow our personal families in Christ.  I strongly believe in the importance of all of our call to be part of and lead houses churches, Band groups, and other small groups. However, as important as these groups are, the most important small group we are part of and are called to lead is our family.  Focus your prayers and reflections today on your family.

Pray and reflect for a moment how your living out your faith has affected, and more important, is affecting your family: spouse, sons and daughters, parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins.  

Reflect on: Do you daily share your faith with your family? How do you share your faith with your family? Pray that you may witness to those in your family more bolder.  Pray for the faith of your family. Spend your time at lunch praying over your family.  Plan to spend a day fasting in prayer over your family. Read ad speak The “Daily Prayer of Freedom” over you family at least once a week.

Are there family members who want to stone you because of your faith?  Pray that peace and reconciliation between you may occur, and the presence and Spirit of Christ may one day be something that bonds you, instead of divides you.

Pray a prayer of thanks over family members, who like Paul's nephew, went out of their way on your behalf, and ministered to you and allowed you to be where you are in Christ today.     

Pray for the forming of a sturdy covering of prayer over your family, your home and your relationship with them.  Pray your home can be encouraging to each of you individually, and that your home and can be an outpost of the kingdom of God. 

Pray over ways you can engage your family and together as a family serve and share the love of Christ with those in your community. You are called to encourage your family to love God and also love their neighbor.

Pray that our church, your church, The Church, will become an even stronger family bound by prayer that stands up for and supports each other, serves Christ together, and proclaims the gospel together.

Pray over imediate action: Do not delay, but make plans to share this message and pray with your family today.  Call at least one family member today and let them know you are praying over them. In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!

Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

 

Monterey Park

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lord and Savior -- Lord of my life and Savior of my soul, lead my heart and my steps today. 

"Listen, I will tell you a mystery. We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:  'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' ... Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:51-57).

I am sitting in my chair watching the tragic updates from Sunday’s shooting in Monterey Park, Ca where 10 people were killed and others wounded. Those 10 people killed see You now "face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12). "In the twinkling of an eye" their work on earth was done and they now rest forever in Your embrace. In the everlasting joy and eternal peace of Your resurrection power, they are "away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Here on earth, as I sit in my chair, I struggle, we all struggle to try to make sense of the senselessness of the horrific mass murders by an elderly man in his 70’s shooting mainly other elderly people in the middle their Lunar New Years Eve celebration. We will try to seek answers. We will try to seek justice. We will try to seek and make adjustments to try to guard against the terror and tragedies of this kind of evil in our world. But for every one of them who had You in their hearts, their fight with the evil of this broken and fallen world, of trying to seek answers, justice and make adjustments, is finished. Death has lost its sting; death has found no victory, for You snatched them out of the grip of death and delivered their souls into the arms of their Father forever.

One day the last trumpet will sound and all who have lived or are living in personal relationship with You as Lord and Savior "will be caught up in the clouds together ... to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). But in a sense, the trumpet could sound just as suddenly, just as unexpectedly for any one of us or for any one of those we love, in any place, on any day. 

So whether we're the one going home to be with the Lord or whether we're among the ones left here to mourn and grieve through the sorrow and anger, we all need You. We need to know You're with us, You're for us, and that You'll love us and lead us through whatever death or devastation we may endure until it's our day for all to be changed in the twinkling of an eye. "Now may the Lord of peace himself give (us) peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with (us) all" (2 Thessalonians 3:16). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

My family, I pray you will live every day with the peace of Christ in your heart, ready at any moment to be with Your Savior forever.  I pray you will leading those around you to live in that peace of Christ as well, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!

I join with you in prayer for all those who are grieving and struggling with this tragic loss of life in from the shootings in Monterey Park.

 

Please share your reflections and prayers 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

 

Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve as local missionaries to those in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.

"Daily Prayer of Freedom"

Father, Son, nd Spirit, this morning I press into your deliverance from everything that may harm me including myself, and rest in your peace and protection.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21-22)

Yesterday morning I reflected on Spiritual Warfare.  We experience warfare against our own flesh in resisting taking up our cross, warfare against demons, governments, neighbors, family members and sickness.  John Eldridge wrote a prayer he calls, “The Daily Prayer of Freedom.”  It is one of my favorite prayers for battle and I read this prayer eat least once every weekend over myself and my family, more often during the week depending on what I or my family are experiencing. I read this prayer with the family yesterday over their home and family.   I have included it below for my devotion today. You can read it this morning. I also want to encourage you to set aside a time this weekend to sit with your spouse, children or room mates and read it tout loud together over your lives. Schedule a time in your 2023 calendar one day a week to read this prayer together.

My family, I pray today you read this prayer over yourself and your family and claim all the power and freedom that is available to you by, in, and through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

After you read the prayer, I would love if you would share your reflections on it in the comment box below.

Daily Prayer of Freedom

My dear Lord Jesus, I come to you now to be restored in you – to renew my place in you, my allegiance to you, and to receive from you all the grace and mercy I so desperately need this day.  I honor you as my sovereign Lord, and I surrender every aspect of my life totally and completely to you.  I give you my body as a living sacrifice; I give you my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and I give you my spirit as well.

I cover myself with your blood – my spirit, my soul, and my body.  And I ask your Holy Spirit to restore my union with you, seal me in you, and guide me in this time of prayer.  In all that I now pray, I include (my wife, and/or my children, by name).  Acting as their head, I bring them under my authority and covering, and I come under your authority and covering.  Holy Spirit, apply to them all that I now pray on their behalf.

Dear God, holy and victorious Trinity, you alone are worthy of all my worship, my heart’s devotion, all my praise and all my trust and all the glory of my life.  I worship you, bow to you, and give myself over to you in my heart’s search for life.  You alone are Life, and you have become my life.  I renounce all other gods, all idols, and I give you the place in my heart and in my life that you truly deserve.  I confess here and now that it is all about you, God, and not about me.  You are the hero of this story, and I belong to you.  Forgive me, God, for my every sin.  Search me and know me and reveal to me any aspect of my life that is not pleasing to you, expose any agreements I have made, and grant me the grace of a deep and true repentance.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and choosing me before you made the world.  You are my true Father – my Creator, my Redeemer, my Sustainer, and the true end of all things, including my life.  I love you; I trust you; I worship you.  Thank you for proving your love for me by sending your only son, Jesus, to be my substitute and representative.  I receive him and all his life and all his work, which you ordained for me.  Thank you for including me in Christ, for forgiving me my sins, for granting me his righteousness, for making me complete in him.  Thank you for making me alive with Christ, raising me with him, seating me with him at your right hand, granting me his authority, and anointing me with your Holy Spirit.  I receive it all with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Jesus, thank you for coming for me, for ransoming me with your own life.  I honor you as my Lord; I love you, worship you, trust you.  I sincerely receive you as my redemption, and I receive all the work and triumph of your crucifixion, whereby I am cleansed from all my sin through your shed blood, my old nature is removed, my heart is circumcised unto God, and every claim being made against me is disarmed.  I take my place in your cross and death, whereby I have died with you to sin and to my flesh, to the world, and to the Evil One.  I am crucified with Christ, and I have crucified my flesh with all its passions and desires.  I take up my cross and crucify my flesh with all its pride, unbelief, and idolatry.  I put off the old man.  I now bring the cross of Christ between me and all people, all spirits, all things.  Holy Spirit, apply to me (my wife and/or children) the fullness of the work of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for me.  I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my new life, my holiness and sanctification, and I receive all the work and triumph of your resurrection, whereby I have been raised with you to a new life, to walk in newness of life, dead to sin and alive to God.  I am crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.  I now take my place in your resurrection, whereby I have been made alive with you, I reign in life through you.  I now put on the new man in all holiness and humility, in all righteousness and purity and truth.  Christ is now my life, the one who strengthens me.  Holy Spirit, apply to me (my wife and/or my children) the fullness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for me.  I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my authority and rule, my everlasting victory over Satan and his kingdom, and I receive all the work and triumph of your ascension, whereby Satan has been judged and cast down, his rulers and authorities disarmed, all authority in Heaven and on Earth given to you, Jesus, and I have been given fullness in you, the head over all.  I take my place in your ascension, whereby I have been raised with you to the right hand of the Father and established with you in all authority.  I bring your authority and your kingdom rule over my life, my family, my household, and my domain.

And now I bring the fullness of your work – your cross, resurrection, and ascension – against Satan, against his kingdom, and against all his emissaries and all their work warring against me and my domain.  Greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world.  Christ has given me authority to overcome all the power of the Evil One, and I claim that authority now over and against every enemy, and I banish them in the name of Jesus Christ.  Holy Spirit, apply to me (my wife and/or my children) the fullness of the work of the ascension of Jesus Christ for me.  I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Holy Spirit, I sincerely receive you as my Counselor, my Comforter, my Strength, and my Guide.  Thank you for sealing me in Christ.  I honor you as my Lord, and I ask you to lead me into all truth, to anoint me for all of my life and walk and calling, and to lead me deeper into Jesus today.  I fully open my life to you in every dimension and aspect – my body, my soul, and my spirit – choosing to be filled with you, to walk in step with you in all things.  Apply to me, blessed Holy Spirit, all of the work and all of the gifts in Pentecost.  Fill me afresh, blessed Holy Spirit, I receive you with thanks and give you total claim to my life (and my wife and/or children).

Heavenly, Father, thank you for granting to me every spiritual blessing in the Heavenlies in Christ Jesus.

I receive those blessing into my life today, and I ask the Holy Spirit to bring all those blessings into my life this day.  Thank you for the blood of Jesus.  Wash me once more with his blood from every sin and stain and evil device.  I put on your armor – the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the readiness of the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation.  I take up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and I wield these weapons against the Evil One in the power of God.  I choose to pray at all times in the Spirit, to be strong in you, Lord, and in your might.

Father, thank you for your angels.  I summon them in the authority of Jesus Christ and release them to war for me and my household.  May they guard me at all times this day.  Thank you for those who pray for me; I confess I need their prayers, and I ask you to send forth your Spirit and rouse them, unite them, raising up the full canopy of prayer and intercession for me.  I call forth the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ this day throughout my home, my family, my life, and my domain.  I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, with all glory and honor and thanks to him.

Amen.

 Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

TO GIVE CLICK HERE 

"Spiritual Warfare"

Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day hiding myself in the shelter of your wings.

 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:24)

 Yesterday evening I went to the house of a family that is battling against demonic activities and presence in their home.  Paranormal events are taking place  There young child is hearing and talking to a spirit who’s presence resides in a bedroom closet that it tell them to kill their pets, hurt others, and causes them it behave in in-human ways.  Their dog sense the presence and barks at an empty room.  There are many more details I will not go into. 

 I spent almost three hours in the home  I talked with the family to try to discern the reasons, source and what has allowed this presence have access and manifest a presence in their home.  I  prayed over the home, anointing the whole house with oil, anointing and praying over the family with oil, declaring Scriptures and release over the home and casting out any demonic presence in the name of Jesus.    

 Yesterday evening was spent in intense spiritual warfare.  For my reflection this morning I want to remind you that Spiritual warfare is real and exists.  Ephesians 6 declares this truth.  "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places"

 As we begin 2023 and we make resolution physically to make changes, lose weight, declutter and clean out our house, I want to encourage you to do the same spiritually.  If there is anything  you have entered into, brought into your house, or dabbled in that is not of God, get rid of it.  If you have dabbled in Taro cards or any kind of paganism or with craft stop it, repent, receive forgiveness and release it.  It you have been looking at websites of acult, paranormal, demonic, other such sites delete them from your screen, repent and release. If you have pulled up on the internet pornography, or any kind of violent or sadistic websites and watched them, delete them, repent, release and pray.  If you have brought anything into your home, any form of idolatry, any form of other foreign religious statues of prints, Buddha’s, Hindu deities, or other items, get rid of them, repent, ask forgiveness and release.

 And if this sounds a little “over the top” or sounds intense and serious to you, that is because it is.  That is because there is an enemy, and adversary, Satan and his minions who are serious and intense in seeing that resembles Jesus, anything that is Good and holy to be perverted and destroyed.  The enemy has to be allowed access, like a rat squeezing through a tiny hole.  So discern these you may have entered into or brought into your life, remove them repent and release.

 The enemy wants nothing more than to see good, sincere, loving. talented, gifted, and gracious people and families get destroyed or wounded, or help in the destruction or wounding of others.  Because people: moms, dads, families; are trying to claim being a Christian. a follower of Jesus, claiming to be a beacon of light so needed in this dark world, that is also a beacon seen by the enemy who rages against the light, and he has placed a bullseye on it.  They are claiming to be a follower of Jesus, a beacon, an outpost of the kingdom in spiritual warfare while they are not in a true covenant relationship with God and playing around with and entertaining other idols, religions or cults in their lives.  Satan rages against the light in us.  Satan has placed a bullseye over you, over your family and he rages against the light in you, the love in you for your family, others and Jesus; and your participation in the birth of more light.

 “Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith,” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

 My family, I pray today as you begin the new year you will “clean house” spiritually.  I pray ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any thing you have entered into, allowed access to, or are entertaining that or not of God. I pray you will honestly admit to these things, remove them, repent of them, ask forgiveness of them and release them at the foot of the cross, in Jesus name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

TO GIVE CLICK HERE 

 

 

 

 

 

"Full of The Holy Spirit"

Good morning Jesus, fill me afresh with your Spirit as I begin my day.

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?..When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord” (Acts 15-17, 23-24)

Yesterday I reflected on Maartin Luther King Junior’ call for us to be extremists of Love. We can’t be extremists of love without first becoming a Church of extremists of Jesus. So I read this morning from Luke’s book of The Acts Of The Apostleswhich gives us insights into a church of extremists of Jesus. Acts 11 convicted me again of the absolute necessity of the the presence and filling of the Holy Spirit in my life personally and in us as a church for us to be people anointed by God with a heart conformed to the heart of God and his will.  We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit if we want to have any hope of providing a place where people can encounter extreme love, salvation in Christ and receive healing of physical, spiritual, emotional sicknesses and the restoration of shattered lives.  I am getting emotional now as the desperation and urgency of this need sets into my soul. I feel bold enough to say, If we individually, and collectively as a church can not commit to seeking to be filled with the Spirit, we need to quit right now pressing into becoming radical disciples of Jesus, and walk away into the safe, redundant, and complacent cycle of Sunday church.

All of us in the church have gifts to use

We have a strong gifting of service, and we are constantly either personally or in groups collectively encouraging other members help their neighbors whether it is bringing food, helping them move, working on house..ect.  Also serving at Manna House, House of Harvest, Downtown Rescue Mission and prayer walking neighborhoods. 

Some have an Apostolic gift of visioning, planning, white boarding, and strategic thinking.

Some have the gift of Evangelism and to go out and lead prayer walks and telling people about Christ.

Some have the gift of pastoring and naturally can sit, listen to, love on and offer compassion and guidance to individuals.

Some have the gift of prophecy, of hearing what God's desire is for his people and seeing the gap of where His people actually are, and live, pray, speak into and mourn in that gap.

Some have the gift of teaching and love to build up others in the knowledge of God.

 Yet all of these gifts must flow out of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

If we can't, or more personally, if I can't prioritize and commit to seeking being full of the Holy Spirit by committing my self to time in the Word, prayer and to fasting, I have no business trying to use any of the gifts above.  The number one mistake made by Christians that are missionally minded is neglecting the great commandment in observance of the great commission. That is spending time "doing" something for God before they have spent time "being" with God.  I can not “go” and make disciples if I myself am not willing go deep into my personal discipleship.  I can not lead others to a place I myself am not willing to go. I need to seek that place where I Love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, Then I can have an extreme love for my neighbor that flows out of this extreme love for God.  Observance of this great commandment is required before I can go to places and people to make disciples.  All this holds true as well for us as a church.

 Our church needs people willing to use all their giftings that are listed above, but not if they are not wiling to do so in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. If you do treat your neighbors kindly and fairly, help them out, care for them and are a good neighbor but do not do it in the Holy Spirit and sharing the Gospel with them, you will make more friends.   You will be known as a “good person. Your popularity will increase and your circle of friends will increase, but your ministry will decrease.  Because it will be all about advancing your kingdom and not the kingdom of God. And your kingdom can not save anyone.

My family, I pray today you will reflect on, “How am actively I seeking to be an extremist of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit?  How am I seeking to obey the great commandment and fall more deeper in love with God, before I obey the great commission? In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!

 Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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 

 

"What Kind of Extremists We Will Be?

Good morning Father, Son, and Spirit, I begin my week in complete reliance of your love, grace and mercy every day and every moment of all my weeks.

“When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”” (Acts 17:6-7)

Yesterday we remembered and celebrated the life of a modern-day prophet, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr (MLK).  I read his 'Letter From A Birmingham Jail" again yesterday morning. I asked you to read it s well.  For my reflection blog post today, I am using excerpts of MLK's refections in his letter. Read his words as they speak truth into our individual lives today and the life of the church.

“Of course, there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience. It was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians, who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks rather than submit to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire.“

“But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth…We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed…We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal"…it was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers…”

“I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”

“…Time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation…”

“Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." …So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment….

“There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators."' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things as they are”….

“But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust.”

It is amazing how these words MLK penned 60 years ago to the church are as, or even more so relevant today.

My family, I pray today after reading this that if you will use this holiday from work not for honoring yourself by seeking and serving to your needs and desires, but seeking to serve the needs and desires of others.  Prayer walk your neighborhood, volunteer and serve in a community outreach ministry, and spend time in prayer of areas of injustice, poverty, and hate you are aware of in your community and the world.  Even if you are working, do one simple obvious thing to to help or serve a coworker, classmate, or neighbor.  In Jesus’ name!  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!!! 

 

Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 2023

 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

Discipleship Training.

One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.

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