Good morning Lord Jesus, I seek your Spirit inside me to guide me throughout my day..
Good morning Lord Jesus, Yours is the Lordship I choose to obey as I begin my Day. Give me the strength through your Spirit to obey you only today.
“ Any weapon that is forged against you will not succeed, and any tongue that rises up with you, you will find guilty. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness from me, says the Lord.” (Isaiah 54: 17)
I love this powerful verse! Whoever attempts to use a weapon or tongue against the people of God will not succeed, as all things must eventually serve God’s purpose. They may be able to injure God’s people, and appear to destroy them, but they will never be able to do so. It appeared Babylon had destroyed Israel, but God delivered them. In modern times, it appeared the Nazis and their holocaust had destroyed Israel and Judaism. Yet the main final result of its horrific acts was the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel, which had not existed for 2,000 years.
This morning I watched on the news the sufferings of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Ukraine. I pray this verse over the country and people of the Ukraine “ Any weapon that is forged against you will not succeed, and any tongue that rises up with you, you will find guilty. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness from me, says the Lord.” V. 17. Lord Jesus, we pray a prayer of protection over the people of Ukraine against the attacks of Russia. Come to aid of those who are flooded out of their homes, without food and water, and had facing sever hardships because of the destroyed dam. Send your warring angels down to fight for them. Release your created forces of nature against them. Empower us watching this horrific event in comfort with the boldness to do the next right thing in support and assistance of our brothers and sisters in the church of Jesus Christ who are being persecuted and suffering as a result of Russia’s evil actions. Lord have mercy on them, Christ have mercy on them, Lord have mercy on them.
My family, This is verse is the inheritance of those in the family of God, those in Christ Jesus, this is the inheritance of you and me!!! You may find your self in a situation now that is destroying your joy. It may even be one as the result of your deliberate sin. Israel’s exile into Babylon was a result of their deliberate sin against God. But when you repent and turn back to God, turn back to Christ, the destruction stops and healing begins as your relationship to God is renewed. I pray this verse this morning over your lives as well, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and prayers for those in the Ukraine in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
“Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is: ʻListen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your “mind, and with all your strength.ʼ The second is: ʻLove your neighbor as yourself.ʼ There is no other commandment greater than these.” The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.” (Mark 12:28-34)
I am still pondering and reflecting on my post yesterday on Acts 29, the purpose if the church today, and the questions it contained. Why am I here? Why is our church here? What is our vision? As the book of Acts reminds us of the beginnings and visions of the early Church, I went back and read my notes and reflections I wrote on the early beginnings of planting this church to remind me of its beginnings and why it is here.
We had our first ODC gathering in my living room in March of 2013. Here are my journal entry reflections from December of 2012.
“We together must come to the realization that Christianity and discipleship is not about imitating religion and church structures, but imitating a person, namely Jesus Christ. We must also believe that if you start with trying to form a church, you do not always end up with community. But if you start with simply forming community, then a church will be formed. And lives will be transformed. Because of this, our hearts must not just be opened, but convicted and compelled to doing church "new” again. Which basically means in reality not forming a new expression of our faith, but returning to the "old school;" faith of churches and communities of faith we find in the New Testament and early church, communities that Love God, Love Neighbor, and Make Disciples.
A disciple I define as a committed apprentice of the Lord Jesus Christ who is growing in Love for God and others, sent out to make disciples, all through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our church must be a radical community of disciples, centered on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, that is organized and focused around relationally and missionally reaching out into our context of Madison, Huntsville and the surrounding areas.
Our Prayer: “Lord, send us the ones that no one else wants and give us the strength and grace to love them and even greater strength and grace to allow them to love us.”
Our Mission:We are relationally and compassionately reaching out to those society would label ”un-churched” by living out Jesus’ commandments to Love God, Love our Neighbor, and Make Disciples. (Mk 12:29-31;Mt28:18-20) We can only accomplish this by exhibiting Immediate Radical Costly Obedience.
Our vision: To plant churches that are missional communities from the start. Where Sunday mornings is not "church," but a “Koinonia,” a fellowship of the people of God, missionaries who are sent out into the context of their community, gather to celebrate what they have done as “the church” throughout their week. Churches that do not focus on, "How do we get to heaven?" but on, "How do we get heaven here? Churches who at their core is extraordinary prayer, the Word of God, Holy Spirit fire, a resurrected Christ, compassion for the lost, a desire to make disciples who make disciples, and have a heart breaking in love for its neighbors. Lord, may it be so! Lord, let it be so in me!”
My family, We have read the about the stories, mission, vision and prayers of the early church in Acts. What is your mission, vision, and prayers? What are the church you attend vision and mission statements? What is it’s pray and definition of disciples? Do you know them? How are you entering into, encouraging, supporting and fulfilling them in your day to day life? I pray you will do as I did, and go back and read and reflection why your church exists, and reflect and pray over your church and how your are to be a disciple, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
As I am in a season of reflection, I would love to hear your reflections on my posts by sharing them in the comment box below.
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Jesus, help me love you more this morning so I can love more those I meet today…
“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” vs. 27-29
Agrippa's question was an attempt to sidestep Paul's question to him. The king neatly avoided denying his belief in the prophets and accepting Paul's presentation of them, that Jesus is the Christ. Paul replied that whether it took a short time or long, he did indeed hope to make everyone as he was, a disciple of Christ. Those in attendance could not have failed to have been impressed with the bravery and wit of Paul in engaging a king in such lively conversation!
Aggripa's question and his attempt to avoid denying his belief in the prophets and accepting Christ I believe powerfully illustrates the the totality, depth, and all encompassing truth that comprises faith in Christ. We modern "Genitles" I believe fail to realize and embrace this. The Scriptures that Paul claimed were fulfilled and used to argue that Jesus is Lord and Christ were all Old Testament (OT) Scriptures. There was not yet written John 3:16, or a "Roman Road" or any other verse in the New Testament to use to lead someone to Christ.
The use of the OT to argue that Jesus is the Christ was a powerful argument for Paul because those who he was speaking to had the Torah, if not the whole OT memorized and knew it well. Most of those we witness to today do not know the OT well, and I believe most people in our pews really do not know and understand the over all mega narrative and prophesy of the OT as it relates to Christ. This may actually have made it more difficult for Jews to believe in Jesus as the Christ. For if a Jew believed in Christ, it effected everything they knew as a Jew. It affected their laws, culture, religion and understanding of God. The “great I Am” would now has a face and a name. And they would have to surrender and place everything they know and understand of Scripture in the truth that Jesus is Lord.
And we, those in church today, believers, and those sojourners seeking Christ do not grasp this. The lyrics to the song, "What if God was one of us" state, "If God had a face, what would it look like? And would you want to see it, if seeing meant believing in things like heaven and in hell, and the apostles, and in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets." If God has a face, and you come to believe and see the truth that that face is Jesus, then you must accept all the other truths in all of Scripture: the prophets, saints, apostles, the new earth to come, hell, the patriarchs and the cross.
The Jews who came to belief in Jesus as the Christ were in awe and wonder of him because they understood the depth of who he is: He is the Son of man spoken of in Daniel; He is the suffering servant and the root of David spoken of in Isaiah; he is the desperate soul who cries out in Psalm 22; and the list goes on. Christians today are grafted into a tree by faith and most have little or no understanding of its roots. In this age of materialistic, entitlement, and prosperity gospel, Christians really do not understand that the tree they are grafting themselves into roots go deep. It is a tree in the shape of a cross.
My family, I pray you reflect on, “Who is Jesus to you?” Everything written in the OT was fulfilled in Jesus. How deep do your roots and understanding, and awe of him go? I pray that the Holy Spirit will instill in you a desire to go deeper in you understanding of who is Jesus. I pray that the Holy Spirit will instill in us as a community of faith who claims Jesus as our Lord, a desire to go encourage each other to deepen our understanding of Jesus and the totality of his Lordship. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections of Acts 26 with us in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
Good morning Father, I rest here in your arms and embrace of love.
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” v. 24
Paul was ready to surrender his freedom and, if needed, his life itself for the sake of Christ and his service. Self-preservation and comfort were not a motive which he sought after. His main concern was to fulfill the course which Christ had marked for him to run, sharing in the Spirit’s power the good news of God’s free grace in Christ. Life or death was not the issue that mattered: what mattered most was, as he told the church gathered, that Christ should be magnified in his body and life.
The leaders of the church gathered around Paul and he laid on them a weighty responsibility. The Holy Spirit had entrusted them with the charge of the people of God and the church in Ephesus. They now were charged with the sharing of the gospel to the city and caring for its people as shepherds care for their flock. Their responsibility was great in that the flock which they were commissioned to was the church of God which he himself had purchased for himself with nothing less than the life-blood of his beloved Son.
Paul then looks forward to their future and the prospects for the Ephesian church was not completely promising. He tells them the sheep will have to be guarded with unceasing vigilance, for ferocious wolves will try to force their way among them and ravage them. As in Jesus’ parable of the good shepherd, it is the leaders of the church who are now called to be the good shepherds of their flock. They are called protect the church from false teachers, here described as wolves, because of the spiritual death and havoc they cause. They need to protect the church not only from wolves that will try to intrude the church from the outside, but that false teachings will come out of their own ranks and arise to try to seduce their followers away from the fold. Later in John’s writings in Revelations, the Ephesian church is chastised for abandoning her first love. Foreseeing these happenings, Paul urges the church leaders to be vigilant and follow his example: He urges them to maintain their course God has set them to run; to share the good new of God’s free grace; to shepherd and show compassion and concern on new converts; to be ready to surrender freedom and life; as all that mattered was that Christ should be glorified in their body.
My family, as you read chapter 23 and my reflection, I pray you understand that each of you in your baptism and receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit are now one of the leaders of the church today and Paul is speaking to you.. I pray you realize you are now called to be the good shepherds over the flock in your city and the church that God purchased with the blood of his Son. You are now called to keep the wolves out. And together as leaders, we are called to maintain our course God has set us to run; to share the good new of God’s free grace; to shepherd and show compassion and concern on new converts; to be ready to surrender freedom and life; as all that matters is that Christ should be glorified in our bodies, in Jesus’s name, Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections on Chapter 18 with myself and others in the comments box. My purpose for writing the daily reflections is to encourage your own reflections and prayers. I would love to hear what God is revealing to you.
Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You!
Good morning Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to guide my life today
Acts 18 is a chapter on discipleship. In this chapter we meet Aquila and Priscilla. A couple that took Paul in and were discipled by him for 1 1/2 -2 years in Corinth. And where did Paul’s discipleship training take place? In a church classroom? In a lecture hall? No, At work! “Because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade” (v.3). Paul discipled them at his workplace. The result was that that when Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, it was not Timothy or Silas that accompanied him on his trip, but Aquila and Priscilla.
While Paul was in Ephesus, God led him to witness in his neighborhood. “Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.” (v,7-8). Paul walked next door, walked around his neighborhood, and made disciples of his neighbors. Paul’s discipleship training also took place in his neighborhood. Aquila and Priscilla went with Paul as he talked to his neighbors, watching him, learning from him, being discipled themselves. The results of this was that after Paul spent time in Ephesus, he left but Aqulla and Pricilla stayed behind, continuing to make disciples there and helped plant and birth the church in Ephesus.
We see later in chapter 18, how Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos into their house, and discipled him for a time, then sent him out to Achia to plant grow the church. “But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” (v. 26). Discipleship changes individual(s) to go out and change the world and to go out and make disciples who make disciples.
The Lord spoke to Paul, ”Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people." (vs. 9-10). The Lord said there were many in his city that were “his people”, people who the soil of their hearts was good and ready to receive the seed of the gospel if Paul would just go and sow it in them. The Lord is speaking the same to you and I. Put your name and city in that verse, “Do not be afraid Gary, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in Madison, Toney, and Huntsville who are my people."
So who are you discipling now? In your workplace? In your neighborhood? All the years you have attended church and and walked with God, all your personal knowledge of Jesus and love for Jesus has absolutely no impact or any benefit at all to those around you, brings absolutely no light to the darkness around you, is a “light hid under a basket,” unless you personally share it with others. You are not called to your church. You attend your church, just like Paul attended the synagogue. However if all Paul did was attend his synogague once a week, you and I may not be going to church on Sundays. You are called to your work place and your neighborhood. You attend your church, however it is the front door of your home that you are called to open and invite people into. Who are your Aquilas and Pricillas your co-workers; who are the Crispus your neighbors, that you are pouring into and giving them real access to your lives so they can watch you, learn from you, read the Bible with you, pray with you, and grow as disciples? Real access does not happen in a hour church service or by sending text messages or FB posts. Real access requires a personal involvement and an investment of real time. We are called to be a church with discipleship making at our core. Discipleship requires investing personal and intimate time with other individuals.
Memorial Day is coming up when we remember the thousands of men and women who gave their lives to grant us and give us the freedom, hope, comfort and privileges we now live in as citizens of the USA. As a citizen of the USA, you have won the lottery with all the resources available to you.
We also remember we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. You have had thousands of saints of God and Christ himself who were martyred and died to grant you the position you are in now as citizens of heaven and to receive all the resources, power, grace, joy, mercy, forgiveness that has been bestowed upon you. You add those two together and we are blessed and equipped to share the gospel and disciple others greater than any other people on this earth!
You have won the two biggest lotteries available to you in the world! You and I had thousands of men and women give their lives to grant you and give you the freedom and privileges you now live in as citizens of the USA. You and I had thousands of men and women give their lives, and God himself gave His Son and Jesus willingly gave his life to grant you and give you the freedom and privileges you now live in as citizens, sons and daughters of the Kingdom of God..
What are you doing with it all? How is your life honoring those that died to give you the position of these two citizenships? You have won two lotteries, one from heaven and one from earth, how are you using those resources given to you at the cost of the lives of others? You and I have more resources than anybody else in the world to share the Gospel and bring people to Christ? How, where, to whom are you using your resources to bring people to Christ?
Prayers:
Discipleship flows out of us individually investing more personal and intimate time with God. Pray this morning that God will strengthen your resolve to invest time in Him by daily reading our chapter in the New Testament and reflecting on it. By, fasting day a week in prayer, spending at least one solid hour a week in prayer, and meeting weekly in a group for accountability.
Pray that our church, your church will finally awaken and move out of individual lives of isolation and move forward so we will invest more in each other, that true discipleship among us will occur. Pray for unity among us.
Pray as we move forward we will invest more in others by opening out homes to our neighbors and starting Bible studies and house churches, Band groups, and increased fruits into and of those you are discipling now.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you two or three people you know who need discipling in their life right now. Pray that God will give you the love to step into their life. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections on Chapter 18 with myself and others in the comments box. My purpose for writing the daily reflections is to encourage your own reflections and prayers. I would love to hear what God is revealing to you.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus out in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you or your church are interested I would love to help you and talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You!
I love Acts 17. It is a chapter of proclamation! It is a chapter on overthrow of idols and false gods and implementing the revolution of Jesus Christ! It is a chapter on the spreading of the Gospel and the claiming people and places as part of God’s Kingdom on earth!
“These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too, and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesars decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!” v. 7
“This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” v.3
"Paul had also proclaimed the word of God" v.13
"because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.”v.18
We too are called to join in today and proclaim there is another King named Jesus! "For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we too are his offspring."(17:28) If this is true, then our very lives should be proclamations of our King Jesus, and as his subjects, declaring that the Kingdom of God is at hand. The people were accusing Paul, Silas, Jason and other of proclaiming “Throughout the world.” Jesus is king. (v. 6) Those present in Thessalonica had knowledge of what had happened elsewhere in the world. Word about Paul and his companions and their message was spreading. The gospel was turning the world upside down! Paul says, ““He now commands all people everywhere to repent” v.30. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded. This includes all of Huntsville, Madison, Toney, and Harvest, Al; Cleveland and Northfield, Oh where I am writing this now; your city, your neighbors, your family, and yourself.
John Wesley said, “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God; such alone will shake the gates of hell.” We are called to join in shaking the gates of hell!
We are called to radically join in this revolution! We are called to stir up trouble, up-set the world, and turn the world upside down and declare in the face of all the idolatry in our cities,” There is another king named Jesus!” v.7. Everywhere Paul preached in Acts 17 he was driven out of town. John Wesley once said that if after sharing the Gospel he wasn’t driven out of town he feared he did not share it well enough. The gospel is radical message. C.S Lewis said, “A man who first tried to guess 'what the public wants,' and then preached that as Christianity because the public wants it, would be a pretty mixture of fool and knave”
My family, I pray over you that you will intentionally plan for, write down dates in your calendar and participate in nothing short of a revolution::
"Nothing great happens when you hold back." Pray that God will remove from you today anything that is "holding you back" from proclaiming Jesus is King.
“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” Martin Luther said, “Delay is the sharpest arrow in the enemies quiver.” Pray over your immediate Radical Costly Obedience to share the Gospel.
Pray right now that the Holy Spirit will lead and put in your path today the un-avoidable and obvious opportunity to share the gospel with one person today. Pray over this with sincerity and expectancy, and then walk out your door expecting and searching for it to happen and be prepared to share when it does.
Pray that your life today will boldly and joyfully proclaim Jesus is the King!
Pray for those you know: friends, family members, co-workers, who as Paul refers to in Athens, that are worshipping an unknown god or gods. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to them the existence of the one true God.
Pray for the cities of Madison, Huntsville, Toney, Cleveland, Northfield, your city and your neighborhood, that the proclamation that Jesus is Lord will be the chorus heard through out it!
Pray all of these in Jesus’ name! And please pray the same over me. God bless you my
Please share your thoughts and reflections on Chapter 17 with myself and others in the comments box. My purpose for writing the daily reflections is to encourage your own reflections and prayers. I would love to hear what God is revealing to you.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You!
This morning instead of continuing on with our journey through The Book of Acts, my reflection flows out of my experience serving in prison the last four days.
I spent the last four days in St. Clair Prison as part of a Kairos team of remarkable men who went into the prison to share the Gospel of love and grace of Jesus with inmates. It was a n amazing weekend. In the conversations around the tables with team member and inmates was not heard any of the common replies of “I’m fine.” The conversations and exchanges were raw and real. All allowed themselves to become vulnerable, sharing real struggles and failures, weaknesses and hurts, and “fakeness” and hypocrisy in in life,. Both team members and inmates confessed sins, shared deep remorse, asked for forgiveness, repented, shed many tears, many deep embraces, and cried out to Jesus. The prayers shared that came from the broken, humble hearts of strong men were spontaneous, emotional, struggling to get the right words out as they bared their souls before God. The forgiveness, grace and love that outpoured was tangible and thick. The smiles through the tears of joy of those who received and accepted forgiveness was beautiful. The worship! Oh my God! The worship was a sold-out offering of their complete selves to God in praise and thanksgiving. It brought chills to the skin, life back to dry bones, freedom to the soul, and brought heaven down to earth.
To sum it all up: for 4 days we had church. We experienced the power of the church. We were the church.
And I guarantee that yesterday on Sunday morning, any of the men on the team besides the fact they were away from their spouses and family, would rather be sitting in a chair inside prison, than in a pew outside in a church. I still have allot to process from the four days.
My family, I pray this morning as we step out into the beginning of another week of work and routines, we seek in desperation to be raw and real before God. We seek to find ways to enter into conversations with others where we and they can be vulnerable, be real with life, real before God, really love each other, and really be The Church. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts on this reflection pin the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You! .
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“About that time King Herod laid hands on some from the church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too.” (Acts 12:1-3)
Having the faith in God to serve him, can be scary and intimidating. In fact, it is supposed to be. If your plans, if your faith are not intimidating to you, they are insulting to God. Because is you can do it in your own competency and comfort, then there is no faith involved. You can do it, you don’t need God. It is in those plans that if God does not show up we are screwed that you need faith, you need God. We cannot afford to be of smaller faith.
You do have those who’s great faith ended happily in this world, on this side of glory:
o Daniel's deliverance from the lion's den in Dan. 6,
o Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace Dan. 3.
o Those are found in Hebrews 11:17-35a
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead.
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection.” You have in this chapter of Acts 12 the story of Peter being miraculously free. These stories all ended in a “Happy ending” as these persons names were entered into heaven’s hall of fame.
But you also have Hebrews 11:35b-40. It does not always end in a happy ending in this world, on this side of glory.
“Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
You have as we read in Acts 7, Stephen, who was stoned and in this chapter James who was behead.
How the story turns out on earth has nothing to do with whether you enter the Hall of Faith or not. How the story turns out on earth has nothing to do with whether God is glorified or not. It may not have a happy ending on this side, but on the other side God is glorified. But whether it turns out happy or sad by earthly standards, cannot take away or hinder the glory that comes from big faith.
God delights and honors that big faith. Like Caleb and Joshua in Canna, Numbers chapter 13, who said, “Let us go up and occupy it, for we are well able to conquer it.” They are not looking at the problems, they are looking at their God.
My family, As I stated above, if your plans are not intimidating to you, they are insulting to God. What are your plans for serving God and living out your faith? Do they really even require faith? Or are you simply “following Jesus” and “carrying your cross” in a routine way that you can handle and that fits your schedule? Do you have plans you are stepping out in big faith and trying to achieve that you are on your knees fasting and praying for God’s help and provisions because if He does not show up you are screwed? I pray as we read through Acts and the amazing big faith of those that birthed The Church, you will reflect and pray on your level of faith, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections from reading Acts chapter 12 As we read through these chapters, though certain verses in each chapter stood out to me that I comment and pray on, other verses probably stood out to you. Please share this with us.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You! .
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
Good morning Lord Jesus, Father and Spirt, with all of my heart and all of my soul i love and desire your presence in my life.
Acts 9 contains one of the most amazing stories in the NT, what we call the conversion of Saul to Paul on the road to Damascus. In my prayer time over this two verses stood out to me.
First, The Lord tells Ananais concerning Paul, "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name".... v.16
We serve a suffering Savior. It was through suffering Jesus established his kingdom on earth. It was by enduring suffering and hardship that Paul further established the kingdom of God. It is through our sufferiing that God's kingdom will be further established on earth. I prayed the hard prayer for me, God show me how much I need to suffer, and give me the strength and ability to accept and suffer for your kingdom, for you are worthy of it. We need to pray this together as a church.
Second verse, "And laying his hands on him he (Ananias) said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” v. 17.
God sent Ananias to Paul. It was through Ananais laying hands on Paul and praying over him that he received the power of the Holy Spirit to open his eyes to Jesus, enable him to be obedient to God, endure the suffering and hardship, and proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. All throughout this chapter and the Bible people are coming to Paul's aid and assisting him. Without their help, Paul would not have succeeded.
God sent you to me. God sent me to you. God sent us to each other. We are to be "Ananias" to each other. To lay hands and pray over each other, to receive to anoint each other with the Holy Spirit, to encourage each other to open our eyes to Jesus, and to support and enable us to be obedient to God, endure the hardship and suffering, and proclaim the Gospel to our neighbors.
My family, This morning I prayed over and thanked God for all of you who have been an “Ananias” to me at different seasons of my life and blessed me with your love, prayers and helping open my eyes to see Christ. I need you. I am so thankful for my wife Nancy who ministers to me daily. I prayed over the blessings I received in my helping you when you need it. I prayed over our help for each other today, as I still need it. I prayed over helping each other and our churches to be filled with the Holy Spirit and see scales fall from our eyes so as The Church we can see Christ. I prayed over our commitment to participate in this time of reading through Acts and our time together in prayer and fasting. I prayed over your prioritizing to start a Band accountability group, because if you are not in one you truly do not have “Ananias’s in your life, and you are intentionally forfrtting all the blessings of this passage. I pray these daily devotion blogs I write are a means of hope, love, encouragement and help to you in your walk with Jesus, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections from reading Acts chapter 9. As we read through these chapters, though certain verses in each chapter stood out to me that I comment and pray on, other verses probably stood out to you. Please share this with us.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You! .
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
Acts 8
Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day in prayer breathing in your Spirit to form and transform my own.
"Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria......Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word." vs.1, 4.
I was almost excited when I read chapter 8. The early church in Jerusalem, was forced to scatter, to leave their congregation and the only "church" they knew. This scattering, caused them to proclaim and share the Gospel to new people, new neighbors, new communities and plant new churches. “The Church that was a location became a movement of God! Later in chapter 11 we will read:
"Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch" (11:19)
Those early disciples were forced to leave their "home church", this led to planting of other churches, including the great church in Antioch! The persecution and scattering the enemy meant to destroy the church, God used it to grow and further establish His church. I look back at what happened to us when ODC had to leave Inside Out Ministry’s building. We were saddened and angry. However, this “scattering” of us led to the launching of The Well house church, Kids of the Kingdom, Community Dinners, Monday night Worship, Limestone Flea Market service, and the Downtown Rescue Mission training and Worship Nights. The church was designed to be a movement. To scatter then gather, scatter then gather again. When the church is forced to leave its building and takes with it nothing but Jesus is when it is most effective.
I am learning that the church is at its best when it is fluid, underground, subversive, and countercultural. It is with the unknown, quiet, humble stealth acts that the church changes things.
Pray over your life, the life of your church and the life of your ministries. Have you been stuck, complacent, or comfortable in a season of huddling? When was the last time instead of being a location, you were part of the movement of God? Pray that the Holy Spirit will motivate you, give you the courage, and guides you into a new season of scattering. Pray God leads you, leads your church, and reveals to you your new “Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antiochs” in which to scatter and start new outreaches, ministries, churches and connections.
Please share what verses you dwelled on in Acts 8 and your thoughts or questions with us in the comment box below.
Pray over you commitment and participation in our 28 days of Acts.
28 Days of Acts
We are at the end of our second week of reading through the Book of The Act of The Apostles together. During this time I asked all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together as we begin pray over a new revelation, a new manifestation of Jesus into the vision and ministries of our churches and our lives. I want us to dedicate ourselves to pouring ourselves into his word and prayer as we seek God’s will and direction for our lives. To aid us in this I am asking us to commit to one another and join together in these 5 things:
1. There are 28 chapters in Acts of Apostles, so we will read one chapter a each weekday for the next 28 weekdays.
2. If you are not in a Band group, start up or join one. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly. We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ and to discern what we hear Christ speaking into our lives.. Do not delay, pray to God who to ask you which one or two persons to invite to join you, and do it. Ne excuses, no delays.
3. Set aside just one hour a week (you can do more than one) away from distractions and spend that hour in solid prayer.
4. Fast one day a week in prayer.
5. Daily Lunch + prayer: Everyday when you sit down to lunch, you pray over your meal. After your prayer over the meal, add a 30 second prayer over yourself and your church and its ministries for God’s vision and leading.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You! Thank You! .
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
Tomorrow, I would like us to begin a time reading through Luke’s book of The Acts of the Apostles. As we move on in our celebration and living out the hope of Easter, I would like us to use this time in Acts as a community a spend 28 days of prayer and fasting over the resurrection and revival of the Church in the World, our individual churches that are part of the body of Christ, and each of us as its members.
I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together as we begin pray over a new revelation, a new manifestation of Jesus into the vision and ministries of our churches and our lives. I would like us to dedicate ourselves to pouring ourselves into his word and prayer as we seek God’s will and direction for our lives. To aid us in this I am asking us to commit to one another and join together in these 5 things:
1. Starting, tomorrow: There are 28 chapters in Acts of Apostles, so we will read one chapter a each weekday for the next 28 weekdays.
2. If you and not in a Band group, start up or join one. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly. We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ and to discern what we hear Christ speaking into our lives.. Do not delay, pray to God who to ask you which one or two persons to invite to join you, and do it. Ne excuses, no delays.
3. Set aside just one hour a week (you can do more than one) away from distractions and spend that hour in solid prayer.
4. Fast one day a week in prayer.
5. Daily Lunch + prayer: Everyday when you sit down to lunch, you pray over your meal. After your prayer over the meal, add a 30 second prayer over yourself and your church and its ministries for God’s vision and leading.
I pray your will join in covenant with each other in these 5 things. I desire us to see and be part of amazing transformation of our lives, our churches, and those in our community. This is God’s desire as well. I Lead a 9 week training called Discipleship 101 for churches and groups. It is an intimate and deep time of reflecting as a church on what are call to discipleship looks like and it can help your church as you refocus on what your mission and ministry together.
If you have any questions or comments, please get with me and I would be more than happy to discuss them with you.
Intro to Acts:
The Book of The Acts of the Apostles, or as commonly simply called “Acts” picks up where Luke’s Gospel leaves off, recording the birth of The Church and the early progress of the gospel as Jesus’ disciples took it from Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the Mediterranean world. The story begins with Christ’s ascension and the events of Pentecost. As Gentiles begin responding to the gospel, the focus shifts to Paul and his missionary journeys. Acts forms a bridge between the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, showing how the apostles carried on Christ’s work and providing a historical background for Romans through Revelation. The Acts of the Apostles is the second of two New Testament books written by Luke. Like his Gospel, Acts was a letter to Luke’s friend Theophilus, written sometime in a.d. 62–64.
Tomorrow, (Tues) we will begin and read Acts chapter 1. Some thoughts to pray on:
Pray, as we begin this time together, that each of us individually and as a church will seriously commit to devote time to reading and praying through Acts to understand what God wants us as a church to fulfill.
I want this to be as much a community reflection time together as possible. So please share your reflections, thoughts and new revelations Jesus is speaking to youwith each other in the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I begin this day "looking to Jesus" -- "the Author and Finisher of (my) faith" (Hebrews 12:2). ...
As I begin my prayer this morning, this simple prayer is rising up in my heart -- "Jesus."
This simple name, but powerful name, that is above every name is rising up in my heart -- "Jesus."
The Word of God that comes to mind is this: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13).
Through your death and resurrection we celebrated at Easter we were saved. To be "saved" is to have eternal life in You. But to be "saved" is also to have the fullness of Your life in us now. I've taught many times of all the Scriptures that speak of the fullness of Your salvation in every area of our lives through the power of Your name -- eternal life, healing, deliverance, freedom from all that would hold us back from being all we're created to be, released from every burden that would weigh us down, forgiveness of every sin that entangle us and trip us up. I have preached this on Sundays. But this morning, I don't sense the desire to teach or to preach as much as I desire to simply pray Your name over everything in my life and my world -- "Jesus.". Claim and pray these prayers out loud along with me.
For those that lost their lives in mass shootings and for their families, friends and communities effected by the shooting, I pray -- "Jesus."
For our teachers, police officers, fire fighters, nurses, and all those who serve our community and protection over their families, I pray— “Jesus.”
For Godly wisdom for all our leaders nationally, locally and everyone around the world making critical decisions that the lives of others, I pray -- "Jesus."
For the need of world-wide repentance and return, of world-wide surrender and trust, of world-wide revival and awakening, through the only One who is the Answer to all our questions, the Source of all our needs, and the Savior of all our world, I pray -- "Jesus."
For our youth and children and parents who raise them, I pray-”Jesus.”
For all our churches, the Brides of Christ that they may be faithful as Jesus plan A to redeem the world, and there is no plan B, I pray “Jesus.”
For forgiveness of our sins, for healing of our wounds, for freedom from our bondage, for overcoming of our fears, for clarity of our thoughts, for purity of our hearts, for transformation of souls and every area of our lives, I pray "Jesus."
For those who do not simple know Jesus: family members, friends, co-workers, classmates, neighbors and unto the nations, I pray “Jesus.”
I pray Your name. I speak Your name. I call on Your name. "Jesus."
For Yours is "the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). "For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13).
So I Join with all those who humble their hearts and bow their knees to turn to You and call on Your name in this simple and powerful prayer -- "Jesus."
It's my prayer and my proclamation -- "Jesus." Around the world and in every area of our lives, let it be our prayer and our proclamation together -- "Jesus." For there is power in the name of Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be filled a deep peace as you pray the name of Jesus, as you speak out loud and proclaim the name of Jesus over all that's on your heart and comes to your mind in agreement with me and all who will call on His name, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Good morning Jesus, speak to me your servant is listening.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).
John 11:1-44 contains one of the most powerful and amazing stories in the Bible. If you read this story and you are not moved to fall on your knees and praise Jesus as you are confronted with the reality of who He is then you are either already dead or an unbeliever. The story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
Most Christian’s general understanding of the resurrection at the last day when they die is inadequate. For the gift of life that conquers death is a present reality to Jesus so it is a present reality to all Christians today. This is consistent with the author John’s perspective on eternal life in his Gospel: It is not just a future reality, but something to be experienced in the present as well. It is the "realized eschatology" of the Fourth Gospel
The present condition of life for humanity was the focus of Jesus in these passages in John and is His focus for our life today. Verse 35 states, Jesus wept.” The context for the weeping is triggered by the thought of Lazarus in the tomb. This was not personal grief over the loss of a friend since Lazarus was about to be restored to life, but grief over the effects of sin, death, and the realm of Satan. And it grieves Jesus over the effects of sin, death, and the realm of Satan in our world today. It is also possible that Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus because he knew there was also a tomb for himself ahead.
“Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you that you have listened to me. I knew that you always listen to me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that you sent me.” “When he had said this, he shouted in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The one who had died came out,” (vs. 41-43) The reason Jesus shouted out loud is so the people around Him would hear Him and believe in Him and receive through belief the gift that conquers death, sin and Satan today!
You who have come to Christ by faith have received this gift. When was the last time you mourned or were moved to tears by the condition and effects of sin, death and the evils of Satan in the world, or more importantly your community? When was the last time you wept like Jesus did over Lazarus, over those who are lost and do not know Jesus and are in an eternal tomb of death and sin separated from Jesus? Again, as the example given by Jesus, When was the last time you were moved by what you saw, then prayed to God and thanks Him that He always hears your prayers and is always with you, then go into your neighborhood, your work place, your classrooms and shout so those lost can hear the saving Gospel of grace in Jesus? Jesus had personal knowledge of His identity and who He was as The Son. However His personal knowledge whoHe is would not have impacted or raised Lazarus from the dead if He did not share that knowledge. As I stated yesterday, your personal knowledge that you are saved and your identity is now as a daughter or son of the Father also has no impact or effect on those dead in sin around you unless you share it.
My family, As we continue in the celebration of the raising of Christ from the dead to free us from sin and death, I pray that after reading this story in John your heart will be drawn to mourn for the effects of sin and evil in your community and weep for the names that come into your mind that don’t know Jesus. That you will pray and thank God that He hears you and that nothing can separate you from His love in Christ Jesus, and then you walk out your door or pick up your phone and share out loud with others so they can hear about Jesus through you and step out or whatever dark tomb they find themselves in into the light and life of Christ, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the resurrection and the life. Come alive and arise in me today and every day.
"Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?' She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, the One coming into the world'" (John 11:25-27).
Yesterday we celebrated Resurrection Sunday. As I begin my work week I say to You, like Mary and the followers of Jesus throughout the ages, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, the One coming into the world." You ar “The Way, The truth, and the life.” You're the One who's come into my world and into my heart to change my life and my world around me in the glory of Your name and the power of Your love.
My heavenly Father, fill me afresh with the Spirit of Christ, with resurrection power. "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in (me), He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to (my) mortal body also through His Spirit that dwells in (me)!" (Romans 8:11) So I welcome Your Word and Your Spirit to come alive and arise in me today and every day. Let it be my joy to share with others the good news and grace of my resurrected Lord that can change their life as well.
For forty days we journeyed through Lent in solemn reflection and preparation for the celebration of your resurrection. Let all this time of preparation not end after only one day of celebration! May we continue celebrating, rejoicing and partying for the same forty days! May we be inviting people over for dinners, feasting, and toasting to Jesus and the hope and Joy He has ushered into our lives. In Jesus' name pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you are filled afresh with the Spirit of Christ, coming alive and arising in you this day and every day. I pray you continue to share and celebrate our cry, “The Lord has risen indeed, Alleluia!” in your conversations at home, work, school, and gatherings throughout this week, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections 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
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
CHANGE OF VENUE AND TIME OF GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE TONIGHT!
For the last 9 years we have held our Good Friday service and Stations of the Cross meditation outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway Park. Unfortunately, the weather will not allow us to have an outdoor service tonight. So we will be moving it indoors and it will be held in the community center on Cathedral Drive in Madison off of Hughes Road. And since we do not have to worry about daylight we are pushing the service starting time back to 6:30pm. All are welcomed to attend. I join with you today as we pray and reflect on the unimaginable love and unimaginable suffering Jesus went through today on our behalf.
Much love!
Gary
WHAT: Good Friday Service and Stations Of The Cross Meditation
WHEN: 6:30pm
WHERE: 1310 Cathedral Circle, Madison, Al.
”After this Jesus, realizing that by this time everything was completed, said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty!” A jar full of sour wine was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop and lifted it to his mouth. When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Today is Good Friday, the day we remember the Passion (suffering) of Christ: His betrayal, trial, scourging, crucifixion, and burial. “ (John 19:28-30))
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
"Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull).... And they crucified him.... When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'... Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing Him, saw that in this way He breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:22-39)
We truly have no idea of the suffering You endured for each one of us. For as much as we can take at a time, we begin to imagine the physical suffering and the emotional suffering, as You hung naked and rejected by the nails driven into Your hands and feet, gasping for breath and dripping with blood from Your shredded skin and nerves. And we can't even begin to comprehend the spiritual suffering You endured as the One who knew no sin became sin on our behalf, when You willingly took upon Yourself all the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In that moment, bearing the full weight of our sins, the full weight of my sins, You were forsaken by the Father and separated from the holiness of God, so that we would never have to be forsaken. In unimaginable anguish of spirit, You cried out to the Father in the most heart-wrenching cry of all eternity, as the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world by taking them on to Yourself in the passion of the cross, determined before the foundation of the world and prophesied long before the coming of that day (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).
Carrying our sins, You descended into hell on our behalf to break the power of hell over our lives (Acts 2:31; 1 Peter 3:18-22 and 4:6). But hell couldn't hold You because Satan had nothing in You and no power over You (John 14:30). "Through death, (You defeated) the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death" (Hebrews 2:14).
What an incomprehensible price You paid for each one of us. We may never fully comprehend for all eternity the depth of Your suffering for our sins so that we could dwell forever in the depths of Your love in the intimate presence of our holy God. But on this holy day, we stand amazed at the foot of the cross and in the Presence of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, a family born out of the blood of the cross, I pray you take time on our Holy Week journey to the joy of celebrating the resurrection of Christ, pause today to think on the suffering of Jesus and be filled with knowledge of the truth of how much God loves you and suffered for you to always be with you. In Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me.
Today is the day more Christians fast in prayer than any other and I ask you to join in with them. Scripture tells us Jesus hung on the cross from the sixth thru the ninth hour, and on the ninth hour he died. That converts to 12:00pm-3:00pm for us today. Be in prayer today.
Please share you reflections on Good Friday throughout your day in the comment box below.
ALL ARE WELCOMED!
CHANGE OF VENUE AND TIME OF GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE TONIGHT!
For the last 9 years we have held our Good Friday service and Stations of the Cross meditation outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway Park. Unfortunately, the weather will not allow us to have an outdoor service tonight. So we will be moving it indoors and it will be held in the community center on Cathedral Drive in Madison off of Hughes Road. And since we do not have to worry about daylight we are pushing the service starting time back to 6:30pm. All are welcomed to attend. I join with you today as we pray and reflect on the unimaginable love and unimaginable suffering Jesus went through today on our behalf.
WHAT: Good Friday Service and Stations Of The Cross Meditation
WHEN: 6:30pm
WHERE: 1310 Cathedral Circle, Madison, Al.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good Shepherd, let me hear Your voice in my spirit, as I begin my day in the deep communion of contemplative prayer with You--embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
"Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, 'Are You the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, 'Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?' Pilate replied, 'I am not a Jew, am I? You own nation and the chief priests have handed You over to me. What have You done? Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not from this world. If My kingdom were from this world, My followers would be fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here.' Pilate asked Him, 'So You are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice'" (John 18:33-37).
Lord Jesus, Your kingdom is not of this world. Yours is the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God. Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. All authority in heaven and on earth has been give to You (Matthew 28:18). And Your name is "the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). You are "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). You reign forever and ever, "and of (Your) kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:33 fulfilling Isaiah 9:7).
Today is the first of 3 days of remembrance that are at the heart of the Christian faith: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. We remember complete obedience, self-sacrice and suffering of love that demands all humanity to drop to its knees before You in praise. So King of kings, be King of my heart. Lord of lords, be Lord of my life. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, here in me and my domain, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). I claim you as my King this morning. King Jesus, come take Your throne of authority and power, of majesty and glory, in every area and every moment of my life. Come rule and reign in me, as I bow my knees and my heart, as I confess with my mouth and my actions that You are Lord to the glory of my Father. "Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all!" (Acts 10:36) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My Family, I pray you experience all the authority and power, the majesty and glory, of the One who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who is the King of the kingdom of God and the Lord of all, in every area and every moment of your life, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections as well in the comment box below. Thank you!
I really want to encourage all of you to prioritize and set aside time to attend Holy Week services this week at your church. Whatever you do weekly on these evenings will be there next week. Don’t skip over to Easter. If your church does not have these services, seek out and visit another church for tonights and tomorrows services.
If you are in the Madison/Huntsville area, and your church does not have Holy Week services of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, here is the list of services I will be leading and ALL our welcomed! For questions or more information please email me at garyl@onedirection.community. Or post it in comments box below.
Thursday, April 6, 6:30pm-8:00pm: Maundy Thursday Service: Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum” meaning mandate or commandment. On his last night before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples In John’s Gospel and then gave them a new commandment to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34). He instituted the Lord’s Supper in Mark, Matthew and Luke and the commandment to “Do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus in John’s Gospel also instituted the washing of feet. Service will be held at 135 Harpers Hop Drive, Madison Al.
Friday, April 7, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Good Friday Service: This service remembers God’s loving and redeeming the world through the passion and the saving works of the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Gathering will be held outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway located in Creekwood Park off Slaughter Road in Madison just north of the Farrow Rd / Slaughter Rd intersection. 392 Harvest Wood Ct.Huntsville, AL 35806. We will be outside so dress appropriately for the weather that evening.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
THANK YOU!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be high and lifted up, here in my heart and every moment of my day.
"Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, 'Have You no answer? What is it that they testify against You?' But He was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked Him, 'Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?' Jesus said, 'I AM; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,' and 'coming with the clouds of heaven'" (Mark 14:60-62)
You are the Messiah, the Christ, the One who is both Son of God and Son of man, the Word of God made human flesh like us, to walk among us and willingly lay down Your perfect and sinless life for us as the atoning sacrifice for all our sins that we might know You and live with You forever in the very presence of God. You are I AM (John 8:58; Exodus 3:14).
At that divine declaration, the high priest tore his garments in fleshly anger because he didn't believe. But Your Holy Spirit compels all who would hear and believe to tear our hearts in holy desperation to welcome You into them as Lord and Savior. "Yet even now, says the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing" (Joel 2:12-13).
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. I tear it open to You today. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit. Remind me of Your sacrifice that draws me into Your love. "For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.... As a result, He has brought (us) into His own presence, and (we) are holy and blameless as (we) stand before Him without a single fault. But (we) must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it" (Colossians 1:19-23).
By the grace of God, I'm a child of God, forgiven and free, through all You've done for me! "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT). Thank You, thank You, thank You Jesus! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, as the cross draws near of Good Friday, I pray you are moved by the Holy Spirit to tear open your hearts to Jesus, compelled by love and in holy desperation for Him. I pray you tear open your heart in ever-deeper surrender to the One who loves you and laid down His life for you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Holy Week Services
IF you are in the Madison/Huntsville area, and your church does not have Holy Week services of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, here is the list of services I will be leading and ALL our welcomed! For questions or more information please email me at garyl@onedirection.community. Or post it in comments box below.Holy Week Services
Thursday, April 6, 6:30pm-8:00pm: Maundy Thursday Service: Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum” meaning mandate or commandment. On his last night before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples In John’s Gospel and then gave them a new commandment to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34). He instituted the Lord’s Supper in Mark, Matthew and Luke and the commandment to “Do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus in John’s Gospel also instituted the washing of feet. Service will be held at 135 Harpers Hop Drive, Madison Al.
Friday, April7, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Good Friday Service: This service remembers God’s loving and redeeming the world through the passion and the saving works of the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Gathering will be held outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway located in Creekwood Park off Slaughter Road in Madison just north of the Farrow Rd / Slaughter Rd intersection. 392 Harvest Wood Ct.Huntsville, AL 35806. We will be outside so dress appropriately for the weather that evening.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
