“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
One of the people who the most influenced me in the need for prayer was my father Denis. As long as I can remember he lived a life of prayer. My parents were Roman Catholic. And I have very early memories of as a child of kneeling by my bed at night as my parents prayed over me and we said the Rosary together. Later in life in my teens and early 20’s I got involved in drugs and lived a the life of sex, drugs and Rock N Roll. My father prayed over me daily to be delivered and return to Christ. I would joke with him that because of my life style then and his praying over me on his knees, my dad and Jesus became closer known to each other.
As an adult and until my father passed on 9 months ago, he continued to have a remarkable life of prayer. Every morning he would begin his day with at least 2 hours of prayer. He had his prayer devotions and he would read and reply to mine almost daily. My father had to go through many back surgeries, he had arthritis in his hands, and there was not a day in the last10-15 years of his life he was not in some sort of constant pain. I know it was his prayer life that got him through every day with a smile on his face. When we talked on the phone, at the end of our conversation my father would always say, “I am praying for you son”. And I knew without a doubt he was.
Prayer is the life breath of our relationship with God. Just as physically, we breath or we die, spiritually, we pray or our relationship with God dies. My dad understood this, and it was his example of the necessity for prayer that aided in me now entering my 11th year of spending almost every weekday morning with my Bible open in prayer writing a morning devotion.
Who was an influence to your life of prayer? Who are you an influence to of the absolute necessity of prayer with your prayer life? The influence of my dad on the importance of prayer was one of the greatest gifts given to me by my father. With whom are you giving this gift? What is the state of your personal prayer life? Is your prayer closet collecting dust? You spouse, children, family, neighbors, desperately need you prayers. And more importantly, so does your relationship with God.
My family, as I sit and finish this devotion, I am praying over you who will be reading this. My prayer is that you will be influenced, reminded and reaffirmed of the necessity daily prayer in your life, and spend time this morning simply talking to God, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me, as I truly desire that you do. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Partner with us as the year begins!
As we begin the year, if you have the ability to be generous, I invite you tp partner with me, my wife, and One Direction Community to support our ministries of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over our ministries and outreaches into our community. We would be so grateful for your one time gift or monthly support. Thank you!
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Arise in my heart by Your Spirit, as I wait here a moment in Your Presence before I arise and go into my day. ...
“Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).
I begin a new day that will contain new challenges and events. To prepare for this I turn my heart and mind towards the unchanging, everlasting God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You’re everlasting in mercy and everlasting in love. You’re everlasting in faithfulness and fulfillment of every promise of Your Word. You’re everlasting in an eternity that has no beginning and no end in ways that unsearchable and beyond our understanding. And at the same time, You’re everlasting in every moment of our day and every detail of our lives.
You’re everlasting, but we’re not. Though spirit and soul will live for eternity, these physical bodies that carry us through our days on this earth will not. They grow faint; they get weary; they become exhausted.
But even then, You invite us to draw near to You, to open up to You, to wait on You a little while. And as we wait, as we worship, as we lift up our hearts and allow our spirits to arise into the intimate communion of Your Presence, You renew us and refresh us. You lift us up on eagles’ wings and fill us up with spiritual life.
Then we’re ready to run again. To run and not be weary, to walk and not grow faint. Until it’s time to come wait on You again and allow us to be strengthened again in the deep embrace of Your Presence. Thank You for this gift and grace of Your everlasting Presence, our everlasting God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be refreshed and renewed, ready to run again, as you wait on the Lord in the deep abiding Presence of our everlasting God, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this 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 Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are beginning a new year and new season of our ministry with ODC 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 season in my life and that of my family. 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 Thank You!
“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! (Matthew 23:23)
The picture above that I included in this reflection blog is that of a Homeless tent city ablaze with fire. Last week when the weather was brutally cold and roads covered with ice, all the residents of a homeless tent city. which included men, women, and families, were helped into a warming shelter them so they would have a warm bed, shower and food. Also with roads iced over no ministries would be able to reach them. With all the residents in a warming shelter the rent city was empty. The residents were supposed to move back into their tents yesterday.. However, the night before, someone I guess who did not want the tent city in their neighborhood, went through and burned tent city to the ground. Now all the families, women, and men who lived there, who are already poor, already homeless, and marginalized, have lost everything they own now and have nothing.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
There will be a special place in hell for the person who did this. Jesus had a heart for the poor and the marginalized. And those of us who follow Jesus are called to imitate Him and share in His compassion. We as Christians are called to build up, not burn down. The actions of this individual are unfortunately indicative to the rise of hate and polarization of groups in this country. We need to pray over our nation to rise above the hate and division that overshadows us.
My family, I pray you will join me in praying over our country. I pray you will join me in praying over those person who lost what little they had in the fire. I pray you will, as I asked yesterday, intentionally plan to do or join in an act of kindness in your community, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Want to help the people and families affected by the the fire?
Click on the easy tithe link below. When you log in, select the “Tent City” account. All funds donated to this account will be used to help those affected by purchasing tents, clothing, hygiene articles, and and meet other needs.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning!
Early Saturday morning myself and my friend and ODC member Ed put on warm clothes as it was 9 degrees outside, warmed up my truck and headed out to Publix stores to pick up the all their day old baked goods. There are various groups that alternate days of the week picking up the baked goods from a particular Publix location. But because of the ice covered roads and that I have a 4x4 pickup truck, I have been picking up all week from several Publix’s and taking the baked goods to various agencies. Saturday Ed and I spent an hour and a half picking up baked goods from 6 Publix stores.
After the last store we headed to The Living Room. It is a ministry that reaches out to the homeless and low income population in Huntsville. When we pulled in there were several homeless people standing outside smoking. I went into the building and there was around 80 of so cots set up where ever they would fit inside with people laying on them who spent the night to get out of the frigid cold. The volunteers at The Living Room were starting to serve breakfast to those staying there. We gave the volunteers bread and baked goods to serve with their meals. Then we opened the tail gate of my truck, and opened the boxes of baked goods, and started handing out the baked goods and breads to the line of homeless people that was forming to get food. People in the back of the line were yelling “save some for us” and Ed jumped up in the truck as we tried to keep up with people taking the baked goods.
It was 9 degrees outside, I was bundled up in layers of long johns and clothes and I was still cold. My heart broke inside as I saw all these homeless men and women, with not the proper clothing, standing outside in line trying to get some food. It reminded me of scenes I have seen on TV in Palestine, Africa, and other areas of the world of refugees lining up desperate to get food. The warming shelter that opened for the night would be closing soon and these people all would be back outside.
Jesus speak all throughout the Gospels of our need to love our neighbors. In Matthew 25 he separates people into two groups of “sheep and goats” based on those who showed compassion and hands-on helped and ministered to their neighbors in need. I was reminded Saturday morning of this and felt sad and a little guilty driving away from my “neighbors” in my rear view mirror towards my warm house. We are falling short on following Jesus’ command to Love our neighbors as ourselves.
My family, we still have a couple months of cold weather ahead of us. And we all have neighbors in our communities that are homeless or struggling to get by. I pray that as we begin a new week of plans and events, we will schedule in at least a time to be generous to our neighbors, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Partner with us as the year begins!
As we begin the year, if you have the ability to be generous, I invite you tp partner with me, my wife, and One Direction Community to support our ministries of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over our ministries and outreaches into our community. We would be so grateful for your one time gift or monthly support. Thank you!
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day seeking for you to guide me in the way and truth my life should go today.
I was at the Waffle House and customers sitting around the low bar were talking about the messed up coming elections, and war ins is Palestine and Ukraine. one customers replied hopefully Jesus will come back again soon. A high school aged girl asked, “Who exactly is Jesus?” A couple old timer bowed up with shock! And answers came back like, “He is the Son of God”, and “He is our savior who died for our sins.” I sat silently just listening to the responses. If a person asked you “Who exactly is Jesus?”, how would you answer? With that conversation on my mind I sit now with the book of Hebrews open on my lap in reflection.
“After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Thus he became so far better than the angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.” (Hebrew’s 1:1-4)
I love Hebrews and soaking in the deep waters it contains on the deity, lordship, priesthood of Jesus. We dive into these deep waters in the very first sentence which contains the phrase, “He (God) has spoken to us in a son.” This phrase is at the core or The Book of Hebrews. The declarations that Jesus is the Son of God, our true High Priest through whom God reveals and speaks to us. This book begins with a contrast of the old revelations of God to this new revelation of how God now speaks to us, and it introduces a series of seven descriptions of the Son. These descriptions show why Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God:
1.God appointed Jesus the heir of all things. All authority has been given to Him.
2.Through Him all things were created. “apart from him not one thing was created” (John 1:3)
3.Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the representation of his essence, “The person who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:18)
4.He sustains all things by his powerful word, He is the Word made flesh.
5.He had accomplished cleansing of the sins of the world through his saving acts on the cross.
6.Jesus now sits in the throne room of God at His right hand and is our judge.
7. He is superior to all angels and any other created being and at the name of Jesus all knees will bow.
These verses by themselves contain theological descriptions, revelations and aspects of Christ one could reflect on and preach on for months and we only in the first four verses of this Book! Deep Waters. How much of this revelation and understanding of who Jesus is do we grasp when we in the church dare to pray in His name? Or when we at times flippantly say His name or put His name on the side of a coffee mug like “Jesus is the reason for the season.” When we fail to share the name of Jesus with others out of fear, feeling uncomfortable, or other reasons, do we really understand what we have done by not speaking His name?
My family, I pray today as we move into the weekend, you will set aside time in the Spirit to reflect on who really is Jesus to you? Some of you cannot remember a day or week since you were born you have not heard the name Jesus. The name Jesus is so common to you that the sharing of it/not sharing of it is the same as any other name. I pray you will reflect and refocus on who is Jesus and why He is the ultimate revelation of God in your life, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below with us from todays reading.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning everyone,
I had to go give blood for tests as part of my annual health check-up. I went to Quest Diagnostics off of Governors Drive. I went in, signed my name at the window and went and sat down in the waiting room. It had a large glass window facing the street, and there where about 15 people in the waiting room. I was there about 5 minutes when outside the window, a woman who was apparently homeless pushing a shopping cart of stuff walked up to the window. She was dressed in sweat pants, two jackets, and winter hat. She parked her cart in front and came in the door. Everyone’s eyes in the lobby was looking at her. She walked to the check-in window, signed in and handed the nurse some kind of Medicaid form. She then turned around looking across the waiting room area for a seat to sit in. Every ones eyes in the waiting room dropped or turned away from her, hoping that she would not sit next to them. As fate would have it she walked and sat down next to me.
It was apparent to me and others, by the strong smell of body odor that was filling the air around us she had not bathed in quite awhile. Frowns and wide-eyed looks were given to each other of those in the room. After the lady sat down next to me on my right, she bent over and started digging through a large beach-bag type bag she brought in with her filled with all sorts of items. She finally pulled something out and when I looked over at her I was surprised to notice it was a Bible. I looked over and saw she had opened it to 1 John chapter 4. Her eyes caught mine looking at the Bible and she asked me if I read the Bible. I said yes mam I do, and that I love 1 John. She said God has been convicting me that I am not loving others like I should. That I am becoming judgmental of others and their appearances and I need to repent and love others more freely. Knowing in my heart that I had just judged her by her appearance and smell, I said mam, thank you so much for sharing that with me. It is a sermon myself and everyone in the waiting room needs to hear. She asked me to pray for her to love others more freely, when just then my name was called by the receptionist, as I got up I told her we could talk and pray more when I got out, and went through the door into the other offices.
I was only in the room for the few minutes it took the nurse to draw a few vials of blood. When I went back out into the waiting room to leave I looked to where the woman and I had been sitting, however she was not there, nor anywhere in the room. So I thought she had got called back to see a nurse as well. However, when I walked toward the exit door I saw that her shopping cart she had parked in front was also gone. I walked outside and looked around the parking lot and she was no where to be found. I turned and looked one more time through the window into the waiting room and still did not see her. So a little puzzled by this, I walked to my car and driving off looked for her again, but did not see her.
I believe I encountered Christ that morning, and he smelled and looked like nothing I expected or preferred him to look like. I think he wanted to remind me of that. But then again, I have found he never does. We pray at times for Jesus to let us know he is real, that he knows us and to reveal himself to us. If He does encounter you and sits down next to you, it most likely will not be in a way we envisioned.
“Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we reside in God and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world…If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in him and he in If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And the commandment we have from him is this: that the one who loves God should love his fellow Christian too.” (1 John 4:15-16, 21-22)
My family, I pray Jesus encounters you today in a way that stretches your image of him and opens your eyes and hearts and releases you to love Him and others more freely, 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., myself and my family, as we try to bring justice and grace to those on the margins God has placed in our path and I refuse to walk around. Please begin 2024 by a 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
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your leading to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit.
"'For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,' says the Lord of hosts, 'that will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,' says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 4:1-3 NKJV).
Finally! I knew there was a verse in the Bible somewhere that said "go out and grow fat!" Thank You, Lord for leading me to this verse as I prepare to head out to the Waffle House this morning!
All the advertisements, New Year’s Resplutions, family members and other social media posts say I'm supposed to go to the gym, curb my food intake, and grow skinny. But according to this verse, that would only lead me to be among "the proud" and find myself among the "stubble" instead of among the humble and hearty! Yes, Your ways are truly higher than our ways and Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts!
However, this morning as I write my morning reflection with a smile on my face, I know You are speaking something deeper. You're speaking of the blessings that come with obedience to You, flowing out of a trusting relationship with You. When we are among those with “fat faith,” "who fear (Your) name," who honor Your Word, who entrust their lives to the One who loves us and leads us in the paths of righteousness, "the Sun of Righteousness" arises in our lives. And even the enemy of our souls is trampled under our feet.
So, Lord, please forgive me for having a little fun with my morning prayer today! But after all, You are the One who said, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17) and "in Your presence is fullness of joy!" (Psalm 16:11) LOL! Forgiven and free, would You fill me afresh with Your Spirit today and in 2024! By the power of Your grace, may I go out and “grow fat in faith” and the security of my identity in You, living into the fullness of the destiny of my blessings in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you are filled with the joy of the Lord today, and in 2024, going out and growing fat in faith and the fullness of all He has for you and desires to do through you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
You Can Help!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Here at the first of this new year, be first place in my heart, with Your Presence the first thought in mind and Your name the first word I speak. ...
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
My wife Nancy and I are beginning this new year of 2024 and new season of ministry God is calling us into with one Direction Community. We have started cleaning out and removing the things in our house and garage that we have collected and are clinging to that are taking up space, weighing us down, and require our time and attention. Yesterday, in a time of prayer and conversation with a spiritual brother, he also confirmed how the things that once seemed important him and that he could not get along without, as he is drawing closer to God, they no longer hold an attraction to him.
I have also been paying over removing and “laying aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely” that are and will continue to slow me down and the sin that would trip me up. I want to “run with perseverance the race that is set before us, that is set before you and me by God. I want to run this race “in such a way that (I) may win” the prize, as Your Word compels me (1 Corinthians 9:24).
And in the kingdom of God, the way to win the prize is by letting go of what lies behind and taking hold of what lies ahead. As the Apostle Paul said:
“Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind...” (Philippians 3:12-15).
“The heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus”. My family, that’s the race I’m determined on running! That’s the race I want to win -- as best as I can and all by and relying on the grace of God -- “looking to Jesus.” So by the same mercy and power of Your grace, I’m letting go of physical, mental, and spiritual “Stuff” that once attracted me yesterday, and taking hold of my new revelation of you and my calling today, to run my race well. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will join mr in laying side and remove from you everything physically, mentally, and spiritually that is clinging to you that would weigh you down or trip you up as you run the race set before you that you are called by Jesus to run, so you may be set free and you may become more like Jesus every day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this 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 Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I beginning in a new year and 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 season in my life and that of my family. 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 Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You’re with me always. And I seek to begin my week intentionally, deliberately looking to You and listening for Your leading, as I press in to Your Presence in the communion of prayer. ...
It’s in communion with You that my spiritual eyes are opened, that my spiritual heart catches fire with Your Spirit and comes life in Your Word -- just as You showed us on Your encounter with Your disciples on their walk to Emmaus:
“As they came near the village to which they were going, (Jesus) walked ahead as if He were going on. But they urged Him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and He has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how He had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (Luke 24:28-36).
Thank You for the gift of communion with You -- not only here in these moments at the beginning of my mornings, but every moment of every day in 2024. You’re with me always (Matthew 28:20). You abide in me and I abide in You (John 15:4). You make Yourself “known to (me) in the breaking of the bread. And You are the Bread -- the Bread of Your Word, the Bread of Your Spirit, the Bread of Your Abiding Presence, “the Bread of Life” as I live my life in communion with You (John 6:35). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My fame;y, I pray in 2024 you may live your life in communion with Jesus, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections 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
Begin The Year With A Gift!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
TO GIVE , CLICK HERE
Last Friday morning my reflection blog was entitled “Entering The Not So Fine in 2024”. God has he usually does, aligned my day to what he spoke to me that morning. And he answered my prayer. I went to the Waffle House after writing my devotion. As I was leaving and walking to my car in the parking lot a cook who was outside taking a smoke break called on the side of the building called out to me and asked me if I had a minute to talk. We talked for 30 minutes. I have shared with him and all the staff there the Gospel of Christ and my past life testimony of drug cocaine and drug abuse. He said I believe in God though I have not gone to church in forever. He asked me how I did it? Got clean with God and stayed clean?
He told me his story again, most of which I already knew. He and his wife had been addicted to opiates. They got off opiates by going to the local Methadone clinic. And they both have been going for many years now. He said he is tired of his life. It is a grind. Both he and his wife go about 4 days a week to the clinic for a does. At $18 each that comes to $576 a month. Plus $250 a month in cigarettes and vape that is $900.00 a month. And more important than the financial burden, is the mental burden. He said. has little joy and is constantly depressed when he looks at his life. He said he wants to change and asked me to please help him. (I was silently praying hard).
He know it will be hard. And he knows change will not be possible unless both he and his wife stop going to the clinic together. Waffle House’s health insurance does not include detox/drug treatment. (They would be broke if they did). As we talked he knows he and his wife will both have to miss at least one week of work as they detox together because they will both be barely able to get out of bed, vomiting and too sick to work. When you live pay check to pay check, this is a problem. Plus not showing up to work for 7 days or so and the need to save their job. And they both will need someone there with them throughout their detox as they will be to sick and weak to take care of themselves. I told him I would not walk around them and help them financially and physically change their lives. I pray every morning “Lord, send me the ones no one else wants” and so I need to be available when that prayer works.
I actually had another encounter later that day with another person who asked me to “enter into their not their “Not so fine.” But because of time and length of post I may share it later.
My family, please pray for over this couple as we meet this week discuss, plan and prepare for their week going through the hell of detox. Pray for resolve of mind required to change. Pray against the attacks of the enemy who will act against them. Pray for patience and discernment as I walk them through this. Also pray over any changes that may need to take place in your life. Most changes are not easy. Pray for God to send you the people and resources that can help you through the change. And finally, pray as you walk through your place of work, school, gym, Walmart, or a parking lot that the Holy Spirit gives you the awareness of the person who needs the Gospel of hope in you, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friend!
Please share with us 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
Begin The Year With A Gift!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
This morning I began my prayer time and I had so many deep, personal, prayer requests of friends and people which with whom I have formed relationships.
· A good friend of mine has a mass in him the doctors found and has to have a CT scan.
· A friend of mine co-worker’s elementary age son was diagnosed with cancer and given 10 months to live.
· A friend shared his wife’s nephews has a drug addiction that is effecting the whole family.
· A waitress we are helping is struggling with drug addictions that are destroying her life.
· Financial fears and looming possible bankruptcy of another couple.
· A teenage girl is sadly remembering the anniversary of her mother’s death.
. The school shooting in Iowa.
. The wars in Palestine and Ukraine
And the list went on…
As I was praying this morning I was saddened by all of the prayer requests I had. But then I realized there was something sadder, not knowing anyone personally enough to deeply pray for them. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn…” (Matthew 5:4), because in order to mourn in prayer for someone, you first have to seek a relationship with them and be vulnerable enough to not only love them, but to allow them to love you.
You have to go beyond the shallow level of engaging a person in church or other places and exchanging the auto-pilot responses to each other of, “How are you” - ”I’m doing fine” and embrace the risk, compassion, access tp your life and time required to create a safe environment that allows the “Not so fine” responses to be heard.
A couple weeks ago we celebrated God’s ultimate example of “going” and embracing the risk, compassion and time required to enter into a world of “not so fine” and through becoming vulnerable he intimately bore our burdens and brought light and life into our darkness and pain. We are called to imitate Christ and follow his example. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Take a moment and reflect on your prayer time. Are there those you are praying for you encountered through going out and embraced the risk, compassion and time required to hear their “Not so fine” prayer requests? General prayers for things like world peace and our government are good, however, who are those co-workers, classmates, neighbors, friends, others) you mourn for in prayer because you stepped out of your comfort zone and sought and formed a relationship of intimacy? In this post-pandemic world we live in there are many people who are living in and experiencing “Not so fine”. Pray today for a boldness to take the risk and go, and that God will give you the unmistakable opportunity to push past exchanges of “Doing fine” and into the “Not so fine.”
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:13-16)
My family, I don’t want to travel this journey through the New Year of 2024 alone without the presence and prayers of those who I can share my “not so fine” moments that will come and I pray you do not want to as well. And I know that quite literally there are those who will not make it through their “not so fine” situations and make it through 2024 without being covered with prayer by people. people like you, in Jesus name. .
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Begin The Year With A Gift!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning Lord Jesus, Father,, and Spirit, you are the only help for our nation and world to be one of peace in 2024.
I want to begin the new year by sharing again one of my favorite prayer, and one that I pray over myself, my family, and those on my prayer list at least one morning a week. It is out of the Book "Wild at Heart" by John Elredgre which I first read about 12 years ago as I prepared for my first trip to Darfur, Sudan. It is a prayer that pushes back against evil. It is a prayer that claims the power of the triune God. It is a prayer that covers all aspects of ones life, family,, and faith. The prayer is called “Daily Prayer of Freedom” and it speaks into what we need to claim; freedom from fear, anxiety, and people in 2024.
My family, I pray you take the time to read this prayer, out loud if possible, over yourself, your family, and the church to push back Satan and all forms of evil and fear and claim Christ over your life and your domain. I pray you obtain the habit of reading it weekly, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends! .
Daily Prayer of Freedom
From John Eldredge’sbook, “Wild at Heart”
My dear Lord Jesus, I come to you now to be restored in you, renewed in you, to receive from you all the grace and mercy I so desperately need this day. I honor you as my Sovereign, and I surrender every aspect and dimension of my life totally and completely to you. I give to you my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will. I cover myself with your blood—my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will. I ask your Holy Spirit to restore me in you, renew me in you, and lead this time of prayer. In all that I now pray, I stand in absolute agreement with your Spirit and with my intercessors and allies, by your Spirit and by your Spirit alone.
Dearest God, holy and victorious Trinity, you alone are worthy of all my worship, my heart’s devotion, all my praise, all my trust, and all the glory of my life. I love you, I worship you, I 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, every idol, and I give to you the place in my heart and in my life that you truly deserve. This is all about you, God, and not about me; you are the Hero of this story, and I belong to you. I ask your forgiveness for my every sin. I renounce my sins. I ask you to search me and know me and reveal to me where you are working in my life and grant to me the grace of your healing, deliverance, your holiness, and 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, redeemer, sustainer, and the true end of all things, including my life. I love you, I trust you, I worship you. I give myself over to you, Father, to be one with you in everything as Jesus is one with you. Thank you for proving your love by sending Jesus; 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, establishing me in his authority, and anointing me with your love, your Spirit, and your kingdom. I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will. I bring the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ over my life today, over my home, my family, my household, throughout my kingdom and domain.
Jesus, thank you for coming to ransom me with your own life. I love you, I worship you, I give myself over to you to be one with you in all things—spirit, soul, and body, heart, mind, and will. I sincerely receive all the work and triumph in your cross, death, blood, and sacrifice, through which my every sin is atoned for, I am ransomed and delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transferred to your kingdom, my sin nature is removed, my heart is circumcised unto God, and every claim being made against me is disarmed this day. I now take my place in your cross and death, dying with you to sin, to my flesh, to this world, to the evil one and his kingdom. I take up the cross and crucify my flesh with all its pride, arrogance, unbelief, and idolatry [and anything else you are currently struggling with]. I put off the old man. Apply to me all the work in your cross, death, blood, and sacrifice. I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will.
I bring the blood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ over my life today, over my home, my family, my household, my vehicles, finances, over all my kingdom and domain. I bring the cross, death, blood, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ against Satan, against his kingdom, against every foul and unclean spirit, every foul power and black art, against every witch, and against every human being and their spirit, their warfare and household. I bring the cross, death, blood, and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ to the borders of my kingdom and domain, and I stake it there in the name of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my Life, and I receive all the work and triumph in your resurrection, through which you have conquered sin, death, judgment, and the evil one. Death has no power over you, nor does any foul thing. And I have been raised with you to a new life, to live your life—dead to sin and alive to God. I take my place now in your resurrection and in your life, and I give my life to you to live your life. I am saved by your life. I reign in life through your life. I receive your hope, love, faith, joy, your goodness, trueness, wisdom, power, and strength. Apply to me all the work and triumph in your resurrection; I receive it with thanks and I give it total claim to my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will.
I bring the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ over my life today, over my home, my family, my household, my vehicles, finances, over all my kingdom and domain. I bring the resurrection and the empty tomb of Jesus Christ against Satan, against his kingdom, against every foul and unclean spirit, every foul power and black art, against every witch, and against every human being and their spirit, their warfare, and household. I bring the resurrection and the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ to the borders of my kingdom and domain, and I stake it there in Jesus’ name.
Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my authority, rule, and dominion, my everlasting victory against Satan and his kingdom, and my ability to bring your Kingdom at all times and in every way. I receive all the work and triumph in your ascension, through which Satan has been judged and cast down, and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to you. All authority in the heavens and on this earth has been given to you, Jesus, and you are worthy to receive all glory and honor, power and dominion, now and forever. I take my place now in your authority and in your throne, through which I have been raised with you to the right hand of the Father and established in your authority. I give myself to you, to reign with you always. Apply to me all the work and triumph in your authority and your throne; I receive it with thanks, and I give it total claim to my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will.
I now bring the authority, rule, and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over my life today, over my home, my family, my household, my vehicles, finances, over all my kingdom and domain. I now bring the authority, rule, and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fullness of the work of Christ against Satan, against his kingdom, against every foul and unclean spirit—every ruler, power, authority, and spiritual force of wickedness, their every weapon, claim, and device. [At this point, I specifically name all foul and unclean spirits that I know have been attacking me, such as fear, doubt, accident, injury, death, the religious spirit, pride, arrogance, etc.] I send all foul and unclean spirits bound to the throne of Christ, together with every back-up and replacement, every weapon, claim, and device—by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and in his name. I command the judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the heads of those that refuse to obey, and I send them to judgment, by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and in his name.
I now bring the authority, rule, and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fullness of the work of Christ against every foul power and black art—every hex, vex, and incantation, every spell, weave, web, veil, shroud, charm, and snare; against every ritual, sacrifice, and device; against every vow, dedication, and sacrifice, every word, judgment, and curse—written, spoken, unspoken, or transferred to me. I command them disarmed and broken by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and in his name.
I now bring the authority, rule, and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fullness of the work of Christ against every witch, cult, and coven, every channel of black arts to me. I cut them off in the name of the Lord; I send the glory of God to them to turn them in Jesus’ name.
I now bring the authority, rule, and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fullness of the work of Christ between me and every human being—their spirit, soul, body, their sin, warfare, and their household. I bring the full work of Christ between me and [now I name people I’ve counseled or prayed for, family members, folks in crisis looking to me, etc.]. I command their human spirits bound back to their bodies and their warfare bound to the throne of Christ in their life. I bring the full work of Christ between me and my household and all people, in the authority of Jesus Christ and in his name.
Holy Spirit, thank you for coming. I love you, I worship you, I trust you. I honor you as Lord. I receive all the work and triumph in Pentecost, through which you have come, you have clothed me with power from on high, sealed me in Christ, become my union with the Father and the Son, the Spirit of truth in me, the life of God in me, my counselor, comforter, strength, and guide. I honor you as Lord, and I fully give to you every aspect and dimension of my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will—to be filled with you, to walk in step with you in all things. Fill me afresh, Holy Spirit. Restore my union with the Father and the Son. Lead me into all truth, anoint me for all of my life and walk and calling, and lead me deeper into Jesus today. I receive you with thanks, and I give you total claim to my life.
Heavenly Father, thank you for granting to me every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. I claim the riches in Christ Jesus over my life today, over my home, my family, my work, over all of my kingdom and domain. I bring the blood of Christ once more over my spirit, soul, and body, over my heart, mind, and will. I put on the full armor of God: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel, helmet of salvation; I take up the shield of faith and sword of the Spirit, and I choose to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of your might, to pray at all times in the Spirit.
Jesus, thank you for your angels. I summon them in the name of Jesus Christ and instruct them to destroy all that is raised against me, to establish your Kingdom over me, to rebuild the shields and hedges of protection around me and my household, and to minister to me your ministry. I ask you to send forth your Spirit to raise up prayer and intercession for me. I now call forth the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout my home, my household, my kingdom, and domain in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving all glory and honor and thanks to him. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Please share your thoughts after reading this prayer over your domain.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Begin The Year With A Gift!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE , CLICK HERE
Lord I begin my day in the complete acceptance of your love for me..
“What God has made clean, do not call common…”yet God has shown me that I should call no person defiled or ritually unclean…."" (Acts 10:15, 28)
Acts 10 is a removing by the Holy Spirit any barriers and the breaking of the binding chains of tradition, religion, cultural, ethnicity, nationality, family heritage, food laws, personal preferences and norms that were strongholds on peoples lives, and excluded them from the Gospel. As we begin the new year of 2024 I pray you will read Acts 10 and it will also remind you to break any chains on your faith of habits, attitudes, or identities that you picked up or were spoken over you in the previous years.
All things are clean. It is not the object or action that is unclean when used as God designed (sex, alcohol, food, money, time, opioids, tobacco, materials). All Idolatry and addiction is the perversion of something good. It is our abuse of them to fulfill own our personal personal desires, power, lusts, and lifestyles that changes these “clean” things to “dirty.” addictions and sins
More importantly, all people are "clean" and able to receive the Gospel.
“Then Peter started speaking: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him…..No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." (Acts 10:34,.47-48)
God shows no favoritism to any nation and every person is on level ground before the cross to receive salvation of love and grace including: black, white, Asian, Hispanic, American, Palestinian, Israelis, Ukraine, Russian, and every tribe and language. I pray Lord you will continue to free me in this new year from the bondage and chains of pre-conceived judgments, prejudices, racial fears, traditions, profiling, and negative thinking towards another person. Free me from “cliquish” thinking that I am part of the ”in group.” Free me from thinking in terms of “Us” and “Them” to “We”. Release me from the control of the mindset of “Its the way we've always done it." Free me personally and all in our church as we move forward from any hindrances or clinging to style, format, meeting space, and doctrine.
I pray daily, "Lord, send us the ones nobody else wants." Let us truly embrace this, no matter who or what this looks like.
My family, I pray you reflect on what “clean” things you are making “dirty” by your abuse and perversion of your personal desires and lusts. I pray you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any prejudices or profiling of people you still entertain in your heart and release them from continuing into 2024. . I pray you ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart to see everyone around you as God sees them, created in His image. I pray today you intentionally begin this process by stepping out of your comfort zone and share your love of Jesus with someone who is ethnically or culturally different from you, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this 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
Begin The Year With A Gift!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning Lord Jesus, I sit here quietly listening for your voice to guide me through my day.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!” Hebrews 13:8.
As we prepare to leave 2023 and enter into 2024 this verse from Hebrews is one we need to meditate on. Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever. Jesus was the same in 2023. Even in the midst of all the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza,, racial tensions, inflation, Wokeness, and all the life changes with the fears and anxieties they caused, Jesus was always the same. Every morning in 2023 including this morning, as was true in all the years before, when I got up, poured myself a cup of coffee, opened my Bible. opened my heart up in prayer, and began reading God’s Word, Jesus, the Father and The Holy Spirit were present. None of the things in 2023 I mentioned above, nothing said on TV, Facebook, social media altered God’s Word. No actions by Governments, politicians, armies, or even peer pressure, or any actions of man ever restricted or hindered Jesus’ access or longing to be with me. Any morning I did not embrace Jesus and His Words, any changes in my in my consistency to pray, were because of a change in my priorities to seek out Jesus both intimately and collectively as be part of His Church, not a change in the priorities of Jesus. Jesus is not swayed by Governments or public opinions, and access to Him and His willingness to meet me is also the same yesterday today and forever.
Paul declares Jesus’ unchanging love for us, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39. There is however one thing that can separate myself from accessing the love of God, and being in His presence, and that is me I can spend time with Jesus in the morning or I can not. I can prioritize my faith and relationship with Him, or other things. I can actively “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matt 6:33) or I can seek first my kingdom and my desires.. Jesus gave me and you the free will to draw near to Him Him or distances ourselves from Him. And any morning I choose not to seek him, any day I do not open my Bible, any distancing or complacency I may find myself in with my faith, any shrinking commitment to His Church; I can’t blame it on wars, governments, social media, or actions of men. For as Paul states none of these can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. There is no one to blame but me. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
My family, I pray if you are not actively seeking first the kingdom of God, if you are not daily spending time with an open Bible in your lap and open heart in prayer, if you are not daily sharing your faith with another, if you are not living a life that reflects loving God with all you heart, your mind, your strength and your soul and loving your neighbor as yourself; you will as a last intentional act as you close this year be honest with yourself, quit blaming it on anything, anyone or any situation in 2023, take full responsibility and admit the blame is on you. And turn and prioritize following Jesus again, I pray this in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Partner with us Before the year ends!
As we close out the year, if you have the ability to be generous, I invite you tp partner with me, my wife, and One Direction Community to support our ministries of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. We would be so grateful for your one time gift or monthly support. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning Jesus, my desire today is more of you, less of me.
Two days ago we Celebrated Christmas and Emmanuel, God with us. From his birth in a manger and forever onward, Jesus now has become central to the identity of the church. Christians have always agreed that the church is all about Jesus—her very existence, identity, purposes, and functions are all completely bound up with this person who is at the core of it all. He is our Founder, Redeemer, Lord, and our Head.
If Jesus is God’s will in human form and the perfect expression of who He is and His nature, then we cannot bypass Him and still remain in the faith. Our understanding of God is fundamentally changed by Jesus’ birth: Whatever we now seek to know about God must be seen through the lens of this particular person—Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is “The Father’s ‘summary statement.” (John 14:7) Or as we put it in theological language, “Jesus is preeminent.” To get a feel for the importance of this, listen to Paul who in order to communicate something of the revelation derived through Jesus and His meaning on the church, had to resort to some pretty dense and deep theological statements.
13 "He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by and through him all things were created everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he existed before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the ecclesia (church). He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Col.1:13-20)
The ecclesia (church) therefore ought to be the one place in human existence where Jesus is to be taken with the utmost as possible seriousness, enough to make Him central to absolutely everything Christ-ian. For all Christians, salvation depends on identifying with Christ. Christian Identity follows from Christian faith. Who could deny this? And yet, the church has consistently failed to fully represent Jesus in the world. As Alan Hirsch puts it, “One can perhaps say that any church is dysfunctional to the degree that it lacks focus on Jesus. In other words, the lack of Jesus’essence and presence lies at the root of all dysfunctional religion.”
Religion has a way of marginalizing the central role of Jesus in the life of his people—apparently he is too difficult to deal with. You might think that all this is basic Sunday School and goes without saying. But it’s truly astounding how churches forget their very nature and purpose as Jesus’s people.
Jesus is, and must remain, the defining criterion for everything important about the church. Where else can we go to gauge whether we are truly Christ-ian people and we are truly witnessing to the Jesus revealed the Gospels? Are we really consistent with the examples, teachings, model, and agenda of our Founder?
Paul states, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1Cor.3:10-11
Therefore, any attempt to go around or diminish the "preeminence of Jesus" in our lives (individual and communal), means that we inevitably end up with something far less than what God intended through us in the first place. We are either diciples of Jesus or we are not. We are either defined by Jesus or we are not. And history is clear when we are not defined and shaped by Jesus, other cultural and spiritual forces quickly will fill the gap and we move to becoming a false, illegitimate, and toxic religion.
By declaring our identity in Jesus whos birth we just remembered and celebrated, we clarify the most important aspect of the church…that it consists of the people who are redeemed by Jesus, who belong to Jesus, are led by Jesus, and are willing to be defined by Jesus in every way possible.
"We are being transformed into his image from one degree of glory to another. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2Cor.3:18).
My family, As we move forward and into a new year after celebrating the birth of the one who's identity now defines our Christian faith, take some time today to reflect on, "Am I willing to be defined by Jesus in every way possible?" In Jesus’name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Partner with us Before the year ends!
As we close out the year, if you have the ability to be generous, I invite you tp partner with me, my wife, and One Direction Community to support our ministries of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. We would be so grateful for your one time gift or monthly support. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“In the sixth month of Elizabethʼs pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virginʼs name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. So the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.
“And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age - although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! For nothing will be impossible with God.” So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-38)
We see it in Luke chapter 1 the angel Gabriel comes and tells Mary she will bear his son. Gabriel tells her she is highly favored. And Mary, at 15 or 16 year old common, pheasant girl thinks, “Highly favored. Impossible!”
Gabriel tells her she will have a son and be impregnated by the Holy Spirit and name him Jesus, he will be the Son of the most high God. Mary answered, “How will this happen since I am a virgin?” It is impossible!!! The Angel told her, “Nothing is impossible with God.” And Mary Believed, and said “Here I am your servant, Let it be as you said.”
Joseph, he met the girl of his dreams. He had hopes and plans of settling down in the nice, quiet suburbs and starting a family with Mary. Look what happened! The Angel tells him his wife is pregnant wife the child of God! What?!? All of his friends were like, “Ya right” Joseph thought, “That is impossible!!!! But Joseph did the hard thing and believed.
The Bible is a story of hardship and suffering and difficulty and trying faith.
Mary and Joseph were having the child of God and look how hard it was for them. If any couple should have had it easy having a child it would have been them. So if having and raising the child of God was hard, if their life was full of difficulties and challenges, why do you think raising your children and your life should be easy?
The Bible, the story of God is full of people who continued to believe in the possibilities of God in the face of impossible things. And what I want to encourage you with as we head into Christmas. Is that God is able to overcome the situations, circumstances, challenges, or whatever it may be in your life right now that you are facing.
That God is still a God of impossible things. He still makes the impossible possible.
And Christmas is the moment to awake from your sleep, and open up your life to Jesus Christ, and come to grips with the fact that our ways have come up short, and that they are not working. And despite our best efforts, things are not turning out like we planned. And like Mary, we need to yield to the sovereignty of God, let his Spirit and love overshadow us, and say, “Here I am Lord, let it be so in my life.” To invite Jesus Christ to be our savior and our Lord. And to bring us into the life he came to earth to give us.
It won’t be easy, but it will be gloriously good!
My Family, I pray you will let this new year be an awakening of your life.
Maybe you have believed before, maybe you have been baptized, maybe in some way you had an association with Jesus, through friends, family members, a spouse. Or maybe an association or relationship with a church. Maybe you have had a relationship with Christianity, but not so a deep intimate relationship with God. I pray this is the year, this is the time for Jesus to be born, reborn in your heart. For you to trust in God in a way like you’ve never trusted in God before. I pray this year will be a4 time for Jesus to make new wine in you! You do not have to even bring old wine, all you have to do is bring water, or even sour grapes, and he will turn it into wine, and not just any wine, but the best wine. And not just a little wine but barrels full of it. And turn your dry life into a fountain of life in which living waters flow out of it, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends and Merry Christmas
I want to encourage you to join me by also sharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
As the year draws to an end, please give and help Nancy and I help them!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
My wife Nancy and I in our ministries are 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 season in our lives and that of our family and ODC. Please partner and support us and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-O
10Good morning, Lord Jesus. O come, O come, Emmanuel -- God with us -- God with me, here in my heart and in every moment of my day.
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So that you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir of God through Christ!" (Galatians 4:4-7)
When the Holy Spirit entered the womb of the virgin Mary "the fullness of time had come." God sent His Son in the likeness of human flesh and blood to be both our example of a life in obedience to the Father and led by the Holy Spirit, as well as our atoning sacrifice for all that would divide us from the intimacy and joy and peace of a personal, living, eternal relationship with God (Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:20; John 3:16).
In "the fullness of time," You fulfilled the purposes of Your first coming and returned to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). And "the fullness of time" will yet come again when You return to this earth in the fullness of Your glory (Malachi 4:5-6; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 19:11-16). Your timing is always perfect and Your purposes are always fulfilled -- all in Your time, all in Your way (Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:44). "For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:3).
Likewise, the days in which we live are also in "the fullness of time." The choices we make and all the choices our governments make as the nations of the earth all fit into Your plans and all affect our lives, our calling, and our destiny for "the fullness of time." In our generation, as in every generation, we can say with Queen Esther that we are alive in our time, strategically positioned and divinely aligned "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).
Christmas is the time that Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. And we all look forward to the coming of the Messiah in His second coming who will be the Light of the world and restore all things in peace as the One "named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Come, Lord Jesus -- Prince of Peace and King over all the earth (Revelation 22:12)! "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'" (Revelation 22:17) Move in our hearts and teach us to pray by the leading of Your Spirit in agreement with the will of our Father and the purposes of God (Luke 11:1; Romans 8:26-27). As we leave this past year and enter into the new, may we be increasing excited and expectant to see what You will do in our lives and our world in our generation (1 Corinthians 2:9; Jeremiah 33:3). The best is yet to come (Haggai 2:9; John 2:10)! And I believe You've allowed us the honor to be alive and called to Your purposes in "the fullness of time" and "for such a time as this!" Lord, let it be so. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will be led by the Holy Spirit to pray according to the will and purposes of God in your life and our world -- here in the fullness of time and for such a time as this, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you my friends!
I want to encourage you to join me by also sharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.
As the year draws to an end, please give and help Nancy and I help them!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
My wife Nancy and I in our ministries are 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 season in our lives and that of our family and ODC. Please partner and support us and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. All that I am and all that I have, I give to You in trusting surrender--as best as I can and all by Your grace. ...
"The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, 'Look, here is the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, He said to them, 'What are you looking for?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which translated means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' He said to them 'Come and see.' They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day" (John 1:35-39)
Lord Jesus, I want to know where You're staying, so I can come be with You. I want to know where You're going, so I can come be with You. Where You are is where I want to be. You're the One I'm looking for.
The Shepherds when they learned about the birth of Jesus ran to see him. “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.” So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. (Luke 2:15-16}
So I accept Your invitation to 'Come and see,' so I can "Come and be"--come and be with You. To me, that's one of Your greatest promises in all of Scripture: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Holy Spirit, take away my worldly blinders, interrupt my schedule, and open up my eyes and my heart to see Jesus in the people around me today. Guide and lead me to the places and encounters where I will walk away from them blown away by the “God thing” that just happened. Remind me that Christmas was a “Come and see” day. Wise men, shepherds and others all had to leave their place of comfort to see Jesus. And Jesus left the comfort and safety of heaven, took on a human body, the same as yours and mine, and went into a world that was dangerous, so he could be with and encounter the gift of humanity, people like you and me.
My family, I pray the Holy Spirit will take away your worldly blinders, interrupt your holiday schedule, and open up your eyes and heart to “Come and see” Jesus in the people around you today. I pray that you come and be with Him and allow Him to come and be with you in all you are and all you do, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
As the year draws to an end, please give and help Nancy and I help them!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
My wife Nancy and I in our ministries are 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 season in our lives and that of our family and ODC. Please partner and support us and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
