Acts 12: Persecution and Suffering

Good morning Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love and grace that you lavishly pour into me.

“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also… “ vs.12:1-3

Jesus told James in Mark 10:39 that he would drink from his cup and share in his “Baptism.”  All of his disciples ended up drinking from his cup.

Persecution and suffering of the Disciples

·      Peter: There was a large fire that swept through Rome while Nero was emperor, He blamed Christians for causing it and began persecuting them.  In 60AD, Peter, was crucified.  He is stated to have said he was not worthy to be crucified the same way as Jesus and asked to be crucified upside down. He was crucified with praise coming from his lips

·      James: Son of Zebedee, faithful, and he was beheaded for his faith. The martyrdom of James is recorded in the New Testament of the Bible, in Acts 12:1-2. He was executed, with a sword, by order of King Herod Agrippa I in the year 44 AD:

·      Phillip: "He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison as a cripple, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54."

·      Matthew: served in Parathia and Ethiopia, among the cannibals. In the latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd (large spear) in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60."

·      Andrew: the bashful brother of Peter, he did not end up bashful.  He became a missionary to many lands.  He was the first missionary to Russia and The Cythians, probably the most barbaric people of the first century. Andrew might have been martyred in Achaia or Patrae, both of which are places in the western part of Greece. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "It is generally agreed that he was crucified by order of the Roman Governor, Aegeas or Aegeates, at Patrae in Achaia. Taken under arrest and scourged by 7 men with rods. And then he was bound, not nailed, to the cross, in order to prolong his sufferings. The cross on which he suffered is commonly held to have been an X shaped cross, the decussate cross, now known as St. Andrew's Cross. When Andrew was brought to the cross he replied to the cross, “Oh precious cross.  Thou has been consecrated by the body of my Lord, adorned with his limbs, I come to thee exalting and glad.  Receive me into thy arms.  That he who redeemed me by thee, may receive me on thee.”  And he was crucified. His martyrdom took place during the reign of Nero, on 30 November, A.D. 60); and both the Latin and Greek Churches keep 30 November as his feast."

·      Thomas: Called Didymus, Doubting Thomas, no.  He preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was imprisoned, tortured by the priests, and martyred by being stabbed repeatedly with spears.

·      John: ministered in Emphasis for many years, founded churches in Smyrna, Loudiosia, Thia, Pergamous, Philidelphia, and others. He was Captured by the emperor who threw him into a pot of boiling oil.  Miraculously he escaped with scars..  The emperor was superstitious of him.  So he put him on The Island of Patimous where he was haunted and hunted by enimies for his faith.  Only apostle we believe to die from natural causes.

·      Bartholomew: According to Eusebius, Bartholomew traveled to India to preach to the people there, leaving behind a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. Bartholomew was martyred by King Astyages in Armedia: He ordered the holy apostle Bartholomew to be beaten with rods; and after having been scourged, to be beheaded."

·      James son of Alphaeus: according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs, was beaten, stoned and clubbed to death.

·      Judas: Judas Iscariot was not a martyr. He killed himself after betraying Jesus.

·      Thaddeus (Jude): was crucified, "Jude, the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72."

·      Simon: Surnamed Zelot, preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even in Britain, in which latter country he was crucified, A.D. 74.

I don’t know what your future is, and I do not know what mine is.  We may see a day when we are called to pay for our faith with our own blood. However, I know one way you can pretty well make sure you won’t be called to martyrdom. That you won’t be persecuted, that you won’t endure suffering.  How?

Do nothing.

Continue to adhere to and follow the others idols in the world as well as Jesus.

Continue in materialism like drive new cars, but put an Ichtus fish on the rear bumper.

Continue To build and live in “temples” to yourself: large, nice, comfortable homes with back decks, but hang a cross on an interior wall.

Continue not to invite others into your nice homes for fellowship, Bible studies, and sharing your faith.

Continue Keeping your guest rooms empty instead on inviting in the poor, widows, and orphans.

Continue in isolation and social distancing, away for the body of Christ and those who need the love and support of that body

Continue to invest, in wear, and advertise materialism to the world, but wear a gold cross hidden under your shirt.

Continue to believe that “church” is a building and being a “disciple of Christ” simply means attending that building once a week.

Continue in to be silent in conversations when Christ is being mocked or sin is being exhalted.

Continue to be silent in sharing the talking about Jesus to your co-workers, classmates, family, and friends.

Continue to turn you head and not see; and hoard and cling to your resources when confronted with injustice, starvation, homelessness, and suffering in the world and your neighborhood.

If You continue to do all these things, I can almost guarantee you will never be persecuted or suffer for your faith in Jesus.

But then nothing will ever come of your faith.

• Everyone of those who were martyred Exhibited Immediate Costly Radical Obedience (IRCO).

• Everyone of those who were martyred, were active in their faith.

• Everyone who died was an “all in” disciple of Christ.

• Everyone who was martyred could have avoided it.

• No one had to die!  None had to go through Persecution or suffering for their faith.

• Everyone that did, went through it because they knew Jesus is worthy of it.

Hypothetical question:

If Jesus in some way spoke to you and told you the name of someone you did not know. And told you that person you did not know, was lost, unsaved, and was going to spend eternity in hell.   And Jesus said He wanted to use you, and could use you to “save” him, but it would cost you your life, Would you lay down your life for that unknown person?  How about if it was a bus full of people?  What about a city full of people? How about a family member?  If Jesus said you are blessed, because by your suffering, persecution and laying down your life this person or these persons are going to enter the kingdom of God for all eternity.  Would you be excited and praise God for using you, or would you step back in horror?

It comes down to the struggle of loyalty to the world, and the Kingdom of Heaven. We say this is not our home, that God is better than anything: our health, our wealth, our reputation, our lives; but when pressed, we hesitate, we back down, and don’t “walk what we talk.”

The Apostle Peter was bold and brash disciple of Christ.  He proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, he drew a sword and cut off a man’s ear in the garden trying to protect Jesus.  But when he was faced with the possibility of persecution and suffering for his faith, he bailed and three times he denied his faith. He chose life and his personal comfort over his character and life with Christ.  Because if Peter did not deny Jesus three times, there is a good chance there would have been four crosses on the hillside the next morning. 

Yet a few weeks later we read in The Acts of the Apostles chapter two, Peter boldly, in the face of great persecution and suffering, openly declared his faith and he shared the Gospel of Christ and thousands came to faith in Christ.  And we also read that Peter with joy received beatings and imprisonment for his faith.   And he was crucified upside down, joyously for his faith.  What changed in him?  What instilled in him the complete understanding that God is worthy of all and any suffering he might endure for his faith?   The power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus breathed into him and his encounter with the risen Christ.  As bold, strong and determined as Peter was in his flesh, in and by his flesh alone he was too weak to stand firm in the face of persecution.  And what is true of Peter, is true for me and you.

We cannot on our own, no matter how religious we may try to become or what restrictions we place on ourselves in our flesh, without the indwelling of and pushing deeper into and receiving the Holy Spirit personally into our lives, form a heart and soul that truly trusts, risks all, obeys, and believes that God is worthy of all and any suffering and persecution we may endure for our faith. 

My family, I pray pray you will seriously pray today that you as individuals and we as a church can  lives out a faith in which Jesus is worthy of it all.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what that looks like in your life and us as a community of faith, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends.

Please share your reflections to this post or the verses and reflections the Holy Spirit led you into in Acts 12.

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.

CICK HERE TO GIVE 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Acts 11: "The Lord Was With Them"

ACTS 11

“The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.” Acts 11:22

Acts 11 convicted me again of the absolute necessity of the the presence and filling of the Holy Spirit in my life personally and in our church for us to be people anointed by God, with a heart conformed to the heart of God and his will.  We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit if we want to have any hope of providing a place where people can encounter salvation in Christ and receive healing of physical, spiritual, and emotional sicknesses and the restoration of shattered lives.  I am getting emotional now, as the desperation and urgency of this need sets into my soul. I feel bold enough to say, If we individually, and collectively as a church can not commit to the absolute necessity of pressing into and seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we need to quit right now claiming to be a a people full of the power of Christ for the transformation of the broken; quit claiming to be a source of new life; quit claiming to be a cross-bearing community willing to abandon everything for the sake of the Gospel; because without that commitment, we cannot be any of these things. And we need to walk away and disappear into the safe, redundant, and complacent cycle of Sunday church.

You and I have God-given gifts to use!

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

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

Some have the gift of Evangelism and to go out and prayer walk and tell people about Christ. 

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

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

Though one gift may be more prevalent, all of these gifts are in all of us. Yet all of these gifts must flow out of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These gifts we can’t claim or open in our our competency.

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

The Church needs people willing to use all their giftings that are listed above, but not if they are not wiling to do so in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to present and share the Gospel . If you do treat your neighbors kindly and fairly, help them out, serve at the House of Harvest and are a good neighbor but do not do not sharie the Gospel with them, you will be liked and make more friends.   Your popularity will increase and your circle of friends will increase, but your ministry will decrease.  Because it will be all about advancing your gifts without advancing Jesus’ gift of salvation, inviting people into your kingdom and not the kingdom of God. And your kingdom is not able to save anyone.

My family. How are your seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit?  How are you seeking to fall more deeper in love with God? The world, your family, your neighbors can’t truly be blessed through you if you are trying to use the gifts go God in a nominal, self-reliant, form of a Christian operating out of your own power but lacking the filling and power of the Holy Spirit. I pray you will earnestly seek to obey the great commandment above all else to love the Lord you God with all your heart, strength, mind and soul, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!

Please share your reflections from reading Acts chapter 11.  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

 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.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE 

Reminder of the 5 Spiritual acts we are committing to do while reading through Acts.: 

 1.      Spend time reading and reflecting on each chapter. Pray then over your ministry and your church.

 2.    Start up/join in a Band Group. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly.   We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ.   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.  You can use the Prayer Wheel if you like as a guide.  

4.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  Read Isaiah 58 on fasting for guidance or contact me if you have questions on fasting.

5.    Daily Lunch + prayer: Everyday when you sit down to lunch, you pray over your meal.  After your prayer over the meal, and a 30 second prayer over ODC and its ministries for God’s vision and leading. 

Acts 10, All are included!

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 and norms that were strongholds on peoples lives and excluded them from the Gospel.

All things are clean. It is not the object that is unclean (sex, alcohol, food, money, time, materials...) all Idolatry is the perversion of something good. “What God has made clean, do not call common.” V.15. 

As importantly, All people are "clean", able to receive the Gospel, including you and me!

"yet God has shown me that I should call no person defiled or ritually unclean" v,28

"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." v.34

"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." vs.47-48

My daily prayer every morning over my family and our church is, "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 Lord to please free me from the bondage and chains of pre-conceived judgments, prejudice, traditions, and thinking, "Its the way we've always done it."  I pray this over you as well.  Free me personally and all of us as our churches move forward from any hindrances or clinging to style, format, meeting space, and doctrine, in Jesus’ name. God bless you my friends!

Please share your reflections to my post or on the verses in Acts 10 that spoke to you. 

 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.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE 

"Acts 9: Road to Damascus"

Thank you Father, for spending this time with me this morning, encouraging and equipping me for my day.

Acts 9 contains one of the most amazing stories in the NT, the conversion of Saul to Paul on the road to Damascus.  In my prayer time reading this chapter, 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 my suffering, our suffering, the church’s suffering 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 for you, 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.  To be "Ananias" to each other.  To lay hands and pray over each other to receive the Holy Spirit, open our eyes to Jesus, enable us to be obedient to God, endure the hardship and suffering, and proclaim the Gospel to our neighbors. I prayed over all of you for the times and seasons when you have partnered and helped me. I needed it then and I need it today. I am so thankful for you all.  I prayed over my help for you when you need it.  I prayed over your participation in the church and our help for each other as a church, we need each other. I prayed over helping each other to be filled with the Holy Spirit and scales fall from our eyes to see Christ.

My family, I pray you will in prayer ask Jesus the hard question,  “How much I need to suffer for you?”  I pray you will also thank God for the “Ananais” he has sent to you in your life. I pray you will also ask Him who are those to whom He is sending you to be an “Ananias”. to them, 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 on, other verses probably stood out to you.  Please share this with us.

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community/Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Give 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!  

 

 

Acts 8: "Release yourself!"

Good morning Lord Jesus, In you alone I want to align my all my heart, mind, soul, and strength as I begin my new week.

“Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was performing.” (Acts 8:4-6)

I was almost excited when I read chapter 8.  The early church in Jerusalem, was forced to scatter, to leave the only "church" they knew.  This scattering, caused them to proclaim and share the Gospel to new people, new neighbors, and plant new churches. “The Church” became a movement of God as it was created to be! 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. 

As you start your day and go through your week and set to fulfill your plans you have made, remember God has set his plans he has made for you and needs you to fulfill as well.  His plan is to release you and I, ordinary people in the church out into our communities to do extraordinary things in the kingdom.  Just like in Acts 8:1. It was ordinary, un-named Jews, just some people, that scattered and spread the Gospel, lead others into salvation, made disciples, and grew churches.”

  God’s plan this week includes the scattering and sending of you and I.  People are saved, disciples are made, lives are restored and churches grow not primarily through programs and Sunday services, but through ordinary people spreading the Gospel.  Spreading and sharing the Gospel is not about bringing people into a building to hear someone speak, but sending people out of a building to speak it into the world. Armies of ordinary people in the church, empowered by the extraordinary power and presence of the Holy Spirit, speaking life, truth, and transformation to those they encounter in their day.

Lets all commit to get rid of any spectator mentality we may possess about our role in Christ’s church. What ever is the name of the church you attend, what ever is the last name of your family, let that name be known in your neighborhood not because of its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.  Because I believe at the end of the day that is how God is going to judge the church.

A change in spectator mentality won’t happen accidently.  Just like setting aside and scheduling time in your day and calendar is required to fulfill your plans for the week, setting aside time and creating margins in your day and calendar is required to fulfill God’s plan for you to do extraordinary things for his kingdom.  It requires intentionality.

Read Acts 8:1-8, 11:17-22.  Then I challenge you this morning to open your calendar for the week and look at where you have scheduled times to release yourself in your community and spread the Gospel. Write down Intentional dates and times of release, sentness into an area of your community with no prescript expectation or outcome but sharing your testimony and the Gospel.  Schedule in times to prayer walk, go to a Waffle House, bar, mall, Walmart, hospital waiting room, Laundromat…ect.  If you do not have times set aside and scheduled for this, for fulfilling God’s plan for you, it won’t happen.  Luther said, “Delay is the sharpest arrow in the enemies quiver.”  Don’t delay.

My family, I pray you will schedule on your calendar this week on at least one day and time and an action you plan to do to be sent out in some way into your community, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!

Please share your reflections and prayers with us n the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Please help us share the Gospel into our community 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! 

"Acts 7: Forged Outside The Public Eye"

Jesus, I empty myself this morning, so you can fill me afresh with your Spirit..  

I read Acts 7 last night before bed and again this morning.  I usually include a section of a chapter that I focused my reflection on. However, my reflection this morning flows from all of Chapter 7 and Stephen’s amazing response to his accusers. Acts 7 is a remarkable chapter.  Stephen’s standing up to and response to the High Priest and his counsel is amazing.  It is full of confidence and power. This is because the story he is telling them is God’s story of the redemption of mankind.  His confidence is real because he really knows God, really knows the Scriptures, really knows God’s story, really knows his place and participation in God’s story, and his whole reply to them centers and focuses on the story of God in the lives of the Jews.  To be able to reply with the confidence, power, and authority of Stephen, you have to have spent much time in prayer getting to know God and much time reading, searching and taking to heart the Scriptures.  I asked myself, How deeply do I know God in prayer?  How thoroughly do I know God’s story in the Bible?  Could I reply with the confidence if asked like Stephen? 

 After I read Acts 7 last night, as I laid in bed I was strongly led into time of personal repentance and reflection over my life that continued when I woke up early this morning. My life and the life of every person person who is baptized are called to truly imitate Jesus.  During my prayer time I asked for us all to openly confess and repent of our sins to allow God to begin a revival in our church.  These things only deepened my reflection.  I reflected over how well I know God and his story. The areas in my life that still are not conformed to God and his story.  The thoughts in my head and desires in my heart that are not of God.  I said I was sorry for my failures as a husband and Father.  Places where pride still exist. I said I was sorry for my areas of disobedience and unfaithfulness to God.  Where my passion and ministry was directed by me and not God. Where I backed away from or sold-out of visions and responsibilities because of the cost. Where I neglected or placed on hold needed time in spiritual disciplines of prayer, searching Scriptures and fasting.  The times I ran off and spent doing things for God without first being with God.

I reflected over my life and ministry listening to v.51 "You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!" I repented from the things "made in my hands”, my idols, of: degrees, resumes, house comforts, buildings, and career.  I repented from things I use to box in God. "Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands,"v.46-48. I repented for any lack of authenticity in my leadership. Any lack of confidence or authority received from God. I prayed to be more like Stephen.  I would like to be more like Stephen.  And I know what it takes to be like Stephen.  Stephen’s faith and confidence was not forged by attending a one hour weekly public gathering, it was forged in spending many hours consistantly, outside the public eye, passionately and intimately praying and reading God’s Word.

My family, As we begin a new week I pray you take time to reflect today and throughout this week on what you are forging in your mind, heart, and soul outside the public eye. I pray you honestly ask yourself as I did, How deeply do I know God in prayer?  How thoroughly do I know God’s story in the Bible?  Could I reply with the confidence if asked like Stephen? I pray from this time you intentionally make plans starting Monday for an awakening of this in your life.  In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends. 

I would love to hear how you were affected by reading the response of StephePlease share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community/ Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Begin The Day 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!  

 

Acts 6: Now Stephen...Oposition Arose"

Good morning Lord Jesus, Father and Spirit, let my heart be the place you tabernacle within today..

Acts 6:8-10

“Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)--Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia--who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.”

Four words to keep in mind from this passage (at least 4). They reveal a pattern we see as the Holy Spirit spreads.

NOW STEPHEN. . . OPPOSITION AROSE.

It’s critical to understand the bigger picture here where we to get a birds-eye view of the first century church, everywhere we spotted the activity of the Holy Spirit stirring and moving, we would also witness the enemy in opposition actively stirring and moving. The same remains true to the present day. We must understand the real enemy is not the Jews or any other human being. Listen to how the Apostle Paul will later describe the battle.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12”

Human beings must indeed be held accountable when they serve as the willing agents of darkness, but they are not ultimately responsible. Evil is real and everyone remains susceptible to being drawn into its strategies. While evil is no match for the Holy Spirit, only those who learn to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” have any hope of standing against and overcoming it.  The Big Lesson: as much as people may willingly or unwittingly align themselves with the enemy, people are never the enemy.  This is important to remember when ministering to those "no one else wants."

This is also important when discerning the actions and directions of your church. “But some men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.” (vs. 9) This reveals it was the synagogue members, “Members of the church” the Jews, the people of God, not outsiders who were now actually in opposition of God by their actions and decisions. Unfortunately today, in our churches and among those who claim to be Christians, they can contain people of God who also actually may be in opposition to God and our actions and decisions as well.

This core dynamic of Christian discipleship consists in the crisis and process of learning to be “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power,” who is the Holy Spirit. One more key piece of information: THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS LOOK LIKE JESUS. We simply cannot learn or comprehend how the Holy Spirit works apart from keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. And this will not happen apart from immersing ourselves in every detail we can grasp from the inspired accounts we have of His life as revealed in the four Gospels and imitating Him!

We are about to witness a case study, a high-def demonstration of how all of this works out in a human life. Prepare to be astonished.

Remember in Luke 12 when Jesus said, "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

Read Acts 6:8-10 again. NOW STEPHEN. . . OPPOSITION AROSE. . “Now Stephen, full of grace and power….But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke!”

My family, I stated above, “ This core dynamic of Christian discipleship consists in the crisis and process of learning to be “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power,” who is the Holy Spirit.”  I pray today you will reflect on your reliance, equipping, and empowering by the Holy Spirit. I pray you will embrace the 5 things I asked of you: To read and reflect on these chapters daily, spend; one solid hour a week in prayer; form a band group; fast one day a week; and lunch + prayer.  Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint you right at this moment with his power and presence.  Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint and empower your church to be a church strong in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 Your participation is important in this time together!! Please share your 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

 

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! .

CICK HERE TO GIVE  CICK HERE TO GIVE 

 

Acts 5, "I Live For The Applause, The Applause, The Applause!"

Lord Jesus, In my life Lord be glorified today…

“But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.” Acts 5:1-6

Acts chapter 5 begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  In it Peter, who had so recently experienced the forgiving and restoring grace of God after his denial of Jesus in the high priests palace outer court, speaks words of unforgiveness and death over the couple.  Try how we may, we cannot imagine Christ acting towards sinners as Peter here is represented as doing.

The selling and giving of goods to the community of the early church was voluntary.  The piece of land belonged to Ananias. He could keep it or sell it as he pleased, and when he sold it the money he got from it was his to use as he chose. Ananais and Sapphira retained part of the sale price for their private use, as they had every right to do. The problem was that they lied and stated the balance they gave to the church was the total purchase price that he received from the sale.  Ananias tried to lie and deceive Peter and the church into thinking he had done an extremely pious act.  A higher standard of character and honesty must prevail among the followers of Christ.  Ananais, in an effort to “look good” and gain a reputation for greater generosity than he had actually earned or deserved, tried to deceive the believing community.  However, in trying to deceive the church, he was really trying to lie to and deceive the Holy Spirit, whose life-giving power created, flowed through, and maintained the community.  A lie told to Peter on a separate private transaction though it would be a sin, would not have been as condemning.  But this act, whether Ananias knew it or not, was a lie told to God, something prompted as Peter said, by “Satan filling his heart” and he became an adversary to God and humanity.

The desire to “look good”, be respected in by others, be known for and/or gain a higher reputation than one is due for generosity, an act of humility, service, or some other virtuous act is not so uncommon among us that anyone of us can take a self-righteous attitude toward Ananais.  Instead I believe we are called to deep self-reflection on how we may have or are currently lying or deceiving our community of faith, or more importantly ourselves personally about our level of generosity, tithing, giving, and our complete surrender to Christ.  What ways are we building ourselves up in our minds and the minds of others of our level of generosity and obedience to build up or maintain a reputation, while in reality we are withholding and deceiving others, deceiving ourselves, and more importantly trying to deceive God and the Holy Spirit. Are we attending church on Sundays to look good and give the image that our lives are “all in” with Christ. Are we calling ourselves and telling others we are Christians, disciples of Jesus, when in reality it has been months since we attended a church. We say Jesus is our Way, Truth and Life, yet it has been forever since we opened our Bible on a daily basis to read, study and meditate on His Word. We say we believe in the power of prayer but we can’t look at our calendar in the past or future and see where we intentionally blocked out an hour to simply pray or prayed with any daily consistency. If Peter were to ask us on our level of tithing how would we have to honestly answer? Are we tithing our first fruits and sacrificing, or just giving Him our extras? All of this is a lie as in actuality we are withholding most of our life from Christ if one were to look at the true level of our discipleship, cross-bearing, and sharing the of gospel.

Satan filled Ananais’s heart with pride; a desire to be well thought of and known, a high reputation, a person of position, and to be thought of as special and important in the great movement of the Holy Spirit and movement in the church.  His deception however was one that tried to cause the movement of the Holy Spirit in the church to stumble.  How often do we see a movement of the church that is growing and revival and power being seen and present be hindered or derailed by pride and deceit of a leader or member. Is your level of discipleship, tithing, and the Lordship of Jesus over your daily life if you honestly looked at it helping or hindering the movent of the Holy Spirit in your church?

My family, We are reading, praying and fasting through Acts now over direction, vision and the revival of a movement of God.  Take time today to pray into the honesty of your heart.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal ways you are deceiving others, yourself, and God.  Don’t lie to yourself and take 30 seconds to glance at your soul then carry on your day and pretend you gave it your all.  We are covenanting to read a chapter of Acts each day and spend time in reflection and prayer on the chapter.  Get in a Band group.  Spend a solid hour in prayer a week and fast one day a week.  Are you earnestly reaching out to and contacting to people to form a band group? What are their names? Are you fully engaging in praying, fasting or deceiving yourself in your level of participation?  If we want to see a movement of God, we need to be all in, not withholding anything. This weekend take time to honestly re-commit to you level of participation. Please pray for the Holy Spirit’s revelation of this to me as well, in Jesus’ name. God bless you my friends!

Your participation is important in this time together.  Please share your 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

 

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! .

CICK HERE TO GIVE  

Acts 4: "A Church Blazing With Holy Fire"

Good morning Lord Jesus, I come to you empty to be filled with your Spirit..

I love Acts chapter 4!  It is a proclamation and testimony to the power of the resurrected Jesus our Lord and Savior!  All throughout the chapter you can sense the presence and power the resurrection of Jesus provided in his believers.  It is a picture of people and a church that have confidence in Christ. They have an expectancy that God is and will do great signs and wonders in their midst.  It is a church filled with boldness derived not in themselves, but in the living Christ.  It is the picture of a church filled with the anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit.  A church that prays.  A church that has complete unity of purpose that is radically meeting each others needs and affecting lives.  It is a church that is on fire with the power of God!  It is a church I so long to re-establish and be part of.

I read this chapter on the released power and presence of God in the resurrected Christ and the Holy Spirit in the church.  The church is exciting, expecting, and seeing healings, signs and wonders.  It is boldly standing up to powers and principalities, removing social barriers and injustice, and boldly spreading the gospel.  People are banqueting together and participating in life together.  And I so long to be part of that church. Why do I long for that church when there are churches on almost every corner today that are supposed to be places of the same presence of the resurrected Jesus who is alive and now present.  The same Holy Spirit full of power moves among the earth today.  The same kingdom of God is now at hand. 

   I was an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church (UMC). In 1786, the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, looked back on the revival begun during his lifetime. He seemed to think that it was well enough established that it would not immediately vanish after his death. However, he was not content with the survival of a lifeless sect that hung around, but failed to renew souls in the image of their creator. He wrote in “Thoughts Upon Methodism” : “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out."  These words haunt me. It is as if Wesley continues to challenge all who call themselves Christians, to continue to have the zeal to “spread Scriptural holiness” that the early Methodists had. I can’t read this quote without asking myself the obvious question, not just about the UMC, but The Church in America in general, “Is the church in America a dead sect, does it have the form or religion without the power? Or have we held fast to the doctrine, spirit, faith and discipline with which the early church we read about in Acts 4 first set out?”

I lead a men’s Bible study on Thursday nights called Brothers, Bible and Beer that meets in a local brewery. We were discussing yesterday’s reading of Acts chapter 3 and the miraculous healing of the crippled man begging at the Beautiful gate by Peter and John speaking the name of Jesus of Nazareth over him. In our discussion of this miracle I asked our group, “When was the last time you experienced or witnessed a true miracle that you know was an act of God?” It was amazing how many men had to sit there and think, could not remember, or went back to a time in their childhood. If I was to ask you “When was the last time you experienced or witnessed a true miracle that you know was an act of God?” could you answer right away? Was it something that happened today? This week? This month? or would you have to sit and ponder over past years to think of one, if ever? This ties into today’s devotion, Where is the power of Jesus in your lives? Is your church, your faith a dead sect, does it have the form or religion without the power?

I, and I know you as well long to be part of a church like that in Acts 4.  Long to be part of a church that others will look at and long to be part of, because it is full of the power and presence of the resurrected Jesus!  Please read Acts chapter 4 and pray over and into these prayers today and over the weekend:

• Pray the power of the resurrected Jesus over yourself, family, and church:

•  its power to save humanity vs. 4, 12,

• Its power to heal. vs.9-10, 14. 22, 30

• its power to provide us and fill us with the Holy Spirit v, 8, 25, 31,

•  Its power to fulfill prophesy, and sovereignty over time and our lives vs.24-29

•  Its power over all creation v.24

• Its power to give us boldness in proclaiming the Gospel v.29

• Its power to give us the ability to heal and do signs and wonders. V. 30

• Its power to give our prayers power in and through the Holy Spirit v. 31

• Its power to bring God through the Holy Spirit tangibly into our midst. “The place where they were assembled was shaken”. V.31

•  its power to unify us into one body v.32

• Its power over all we posses v.32-36

• Its power to fill all our needs v.34

• Repent of ways you have continued on in a faith with the form of religion that is powerless and where you have contributed to your church being a dead sect. You received the power of the Resurrected Jesus at you baptism.  Pray into that power. Ask God to remind, reveal and revive that power that is dormant within you. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you people, places, possibilities for your church to powerfully proclaim the risen Jesus, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!

  Please share your thoughts of my post above or your reflections from your reading of Acts chapter 3 with us in the comments box below.

  28 Days of Acts

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.  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! .

CICK HERE TO GIVE 

Acts 3: "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth."

Lord Jesus, thank you for your love, grace and mercy that constantly surrounds me..

“And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God…. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all” Acts 3:5-8, 16

“The faith that is through Jesus”.  Note how this verse explains how the claim to "faith in Jesus' name" works and what it means. To appeal to the name is to point to the person, Jesus.  Just saying, “In the name of Jesus” is not a “magical” phrase that brings miracles.  But it points to the person Jesus, that by faith the one speaking has positioned his life relationally with and can “introduce” Jesus into the situation and speak with his authority.   

It is not clear that the lame man expressed faith before the miracle.  So it was not by his faith he was healed, but by that of Peter and John’s.  This could well be a "grace-faith miracle" where God grants power through the apostles to picture how much a gift life is (Luke 17:11-19). In Luke Jesus heals 10 lepers not by their faith.  I sometimes hear in the church, even in my small circle of friends it said about someone who is ill or going through some trial, “We prayed for them, but if they do not have faith or believe, there is nothing we can do for them.” Or “I heard recently, “Their mother practices Wicca and as long as that takes place in the house we can’t do anything.”    I cringe when I hear that.  First of all THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR THEM, IT IS ALL JESUS!!  Only he can heal/change/restore their situation.  And so by saying that, you are now speaking for Jesus and limiting who he can heal, how he can heal, why he can heal, and his power of restoration, to your limited human capabilities or understanding. 

Peter and John did not ask if the man had faith faith before they healed him.  They did not ask him if he understood the doctrine of Justification by faith or the need for repentance or if he was baptized. They simply pointed him to, and introduced him to Jesus.  And our Christology (understanding of Christ) is that grace is at his core.  And his grace is emphasized here in this passage.  All throughout our day Christ graciously provides for us, heals us, restores us, and provides for us, Not because we deserve it or earned it any more than the crippled man at the gate and not because we asked him out of deep faith. And if we are honest, most days we do not even thank him.  But he does it out of his love and grace towards us.

Lord, help me to be gracious towards those in my life: my wife, my daughters, family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others.  Even harder, help me when I encounter those lame, diseased, broken, abusive, addicted, and foul, dumped by the gate. People who may even reject you, that I do not withhold or try to limit your grace towards them, but bravely embrace your amazing grace and in the name of Jesus, point them to you.  Help our church be a family of faith that just as grace is at the core of who you are Jesus, grace will be at the core of who we are as well.

My family, I pray today you do not limit the power of Jesus and who you share Him with by your limited understanding of Him. But, introduce Jesus to everyone you meet today. I pray you ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind anyone you have refrained from offering grace to out of religious piety or personal judgement, and seek them out, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God Bless you my friends!

Please share your thoughts of my post above or your reflections from your reading of Acts chapter 3 with us in the comments section below in the comments box.

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!

  CICK HERE TO GIVE

28 Days of Acts

I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together to begin to 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.    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.  

2.    Set aside just one hour a week (you can do more than one) away from distractions and spend that hour in solid prayer.  

3.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  

4.    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. 

Acts 2: "Jesus Is Both Lord And Christ"

Good morning Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I begin my morning in thanksgiving for your love grace and mercy that you rain down on me..

This morning I used The S.O.A.P.S method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer, Share) of reading a passage of Scripture and gleaning what it is speaking ito my life through observing the context, setting and background in the passage. Reflecting in the Spirit how it applies to my life today. Praying the passage back to God and over me. And discerning how I am to share what I gleaned with others. Using SOAPS daily is good way to soak and self-feed yourself on the Word of God. 

1. SCRIPTURE: Acts 2:22-36 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know - this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. For David says about him,

ʻI saw the Lord always in front of me,

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body also will live in hope,

because you will not leave my soul in Hades,

nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.

You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of joy with your presence.ʼ

“Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

ʻThe Lord said to my lord,

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”ʼ

Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”

2. OBSERVATION: I observed that Peter's evangelistic message to the crowd contained nothing about him and his works or his efforts, but only Christ's death and resurrection, and his Lordship. And that Peter included Scripture in the message he shared to allow the Word of God to be the authority of his messaged to allow God to speak into the hearts of those listening.

3. APPLICATION: As I attempt to lead, grow and make disciples in my church, be a spiritual leader in my family, and each my neighbors who don’t know Jesus Christ,, my success has nothing to do based on my boasting, clever speech, on works or efforts,. But just like Peter, my success will be based on my loving them enough to tell them of Jesus and His saving works on the cross and the sharing of Scripture with them..  If I leave that out, no matter how nice I may be to people, my popularity may increase, but my ministry will decrease.

4. PRAYER:  Jesus, just as I could not initially save myself but my salvation was only made possible through my claiming you as my Lord and through your works of redemption, I cannot continue in my salvation today without claiming the same. I cannot lead and grow a church by my pulling a lever or by my efforts or means. My “job” in your church is the relentless pursuit of who God has made me to be.  And anything else I do is sin and I need to repent of it. It is only in my relentless pursuit of who God made me to be that I can become everything my church needs me to be.  I cannot lead people somewhere I am not trying to go myself.  I don't have to have arrived.  I don't have to be perfect, but I do have to be on the same path.  And that is why for so many the church experience has been so shallow, because so many leaders have never descended into the depths of their own souls. Help me to descend Lord to where all that is left is you Jesus. 

 5. SHARE: Help me proclaim simply Christ, Christ crucified, Christ resurrected, to those I meet today. Especially those at the WH this morning.

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!  

28 Days of Acts

I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together to begin to 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.    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.  

2.    Set aside just one hour a week (you can do more than one) away from distractions and spend that hour in solid prayer.  

3.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  

4.    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. 

"Acts 1: Baptized With The Holy Spirit"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship You and welcome You into my heart and into my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  ...

We are in the season now as we move from the Holiday of Easter towards Pentecost. So today I Am going begin a time reading through Luke’s book of The Acts of the Apostles to help us focus on Pentecost and the birth of The Church.. I would like us to use this time to as a community spend these days in prayer and fasting over The Church in the World. our individual churches that are part of the body of Christ, and each of us as its members.  

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

"While staying with them, He ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. 'This,' He said, 'is what you have heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.... You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth' " (Acts 1:4-8).

Lord Jesus, just before You ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives with all your disciples looking into the sky, You told them to wait for the promise of the Father, for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They knew You personally in their relationship of faith and they believed in Your resurrection as the Son of God. But there was more. You commanded them to wait for more.

They were never meant to go to work for the kingdom of God in their witness of faith without the power of the kingdom of God at work within them. Though they had great faith, though they had a personal relationship with You as Lord and Savior, You told them they needed more. You told them they needed to wait. They needed to wait to be empowered by Your Holy Spirit, to be baptized, saturated, immersed, and filled to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. You said, "See, I am sending upon you what My Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49).

Your first disciples were to wait with hungry hearts and expectant faith for their baptism with Your Holy Spirit. And so are we. We need You and we need Your power at work within us to be Your witnesses wherever You send us -- whether across the street or to the ends of the earth. We need to be baptized, saturated, immersed, and filled to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit, clothed with Your power from on high. We are to be the body of Christ, filled with the Spirit of Christ, continuing the ministry of Christ in this hurting, broken, and fallen world.

So as we Embrace The resurrection of Jesus and move towards Pentecost Sunday in May, let us open wide our hearts every day for the coming of Your Holy Spirit. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus. I embrace Your promise, my Heavenly Father. Come, Holy Spirit of the Living God. Baptize me afresh today and everyday with Your power from on high. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,I pray you will embrace the promise of the Father and be baptized with the Holy Spirit to be empowered to be a witness of Jesus everywhere He sends you each day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

Asbegin our 28 Days reading through Acts and praying together by reading Acts chapter 1, here are some thoughts to pray on:

• Pray over and into your personal, and church’s collective "Baptism of the Holy Spirit."  v.5

• Pray into the the power each of you received by the Holy Spirit in your baptism. v.8 

• Pray over your personal and our collective call as a church to witness to your community, the surrounding communities, our state and country, and unto the nations.v. 8

• Pray for the return of Jesus. v.11

• Pray that every member of your church will take seriously and embrace this call to pray and fast, and we will seek with one mind God's anointing and calling on us. v.14

• Pray over your personal call to be a witness to the resurrection of Jesus.  v.22

• Pray over the leadership role in your church God is calling you to take up and step up into. v. 24 

• Pray over your commitment to embrace the 5 items I listed in yesterday’s post.

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!  

 

 

 

 

"Launched with Love"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...

"The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple" (Ezekiel 43:5).

Come, Holy Spirit of the Living God. Come lift me up into the inner court, into the intimate place of Your Presence in deep communion with You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let the glory of Your Manifest Presence fill this temple of my heart, to begin my day lifted up in Your embrace.

My wife and two daughters got back home late Saturday night from our family vacation. We had a great time together. Most days we spent part of the time lounging around the resorts swimming pool. When my kids were young, whenever we travelled whether for vacation of a ball game one of their favorite things was to stop over and stay in a motel along the way of our journeys. The best part was the swimming pool. They loved for me to shoot them up into the air, out of the water, as high as I could throw them. Or they would stand on my shoulders and I would lift with my legs and launch them in the air. They would say over and over again, "Do it again, Dad! Shoot me up higher!" We'd do that forever it seemed, at least until their launch base got worn out from launching and throwing them and had to shut down for a minute.

And I was thinking this morning how You're a Father who loves to lift us up and launch us high into all You have for us. You love to hear us giggle with delight at the thrill of the adventure. You love to give us the desires of heart whenever You can, maybe even just to see the smile on our faces and hear the joy in our voices, excited for You to do it again and again and again. And You're a Daddy, a good, good Father -- our Abba Father -- who never wears out and never gets tired of giving good gifts to Your children (Romans 8:15; Matthew 7:11).

My Father, You lift me up. You shoot me high into the sky, like a rocket. You have in Your heart to do exceedingly, abundantly far more than I can even ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him!" (1 Corinthians 2:9) So this morning I scream with joy, “Do it again, Daddy!” Abba, my Father God! Shoot me up like a rocket today! Higher Abba Higher! And the cool thing is you never get tired of launching me and laughing with me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, as you begin a new week I pray you may you be lifted up and launched high in the adventure our Father has for you today, even giggling with delight in the thrill of the adventure no matter what you face, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

Please share your reflections and prayers with us n the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Please 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!

"Sing Like A Warrior"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind, Your desires in my heart, and Your words in my mouth, as I watch and wait for Your leading, my Lord -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

This morning I found myself singing a worship song and it reminded me of a passage from Zephaniah:

“The Lord, your God, is in your midst,

    a Warrior who gives victory;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

    He will renew you in His love;

He will exult over you with loud singing!” (Zephaniah 3:17)

You are our Singing Warrior who gives victory to overcome all that we’ll encounter each day. You take our emptiness and pour into us Your fullness. You take our regrets and give us expectant faith of what is yet to come. You take all our self-imposed limits and You release to us Your limitless power and love to live in us and through us, as You sing over us and cause a new song to rise up within us!  

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,

    and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord

    and their vindication from Me, says the Lord!” (Isaiah 54:17).

O Mighty Warrior, O Singing Warrior, You’ve defeated every weapon including death at Easter. You’ve silenced every tongue against me as You vindicate me by Your victory over the cross. As you sing over me in Your love, You establish me in Your peace. This is my heritage as a servant of the Lord, as a child of God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

My family,  I pray you may be stirred in your spirit with the song of the Lord, our Singing Warrior.  I pray you will hear Him singing over you and within you, bringing you into alignment with His heart and His will for your day, and out of joy you will join in and sing along with Him, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

 Please share you 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

 

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!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE 

"Walking Alongside Our Sorrows and Disappointments"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open the eyes of my heart to see You--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God--as I look and listen for Your leading today.  

"Now on that day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.... 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?'" (Luke 24:13-32).

Two disciples who were walking to Emmaus after all the events of the cross and Easter. They had known You, loved You and had faith in You. But in their grief and sorrow and disappointment, they couldn't see You. They "had hoped" that You were the Messiah, but now they thought all their hopes and dreams were shattered (v. 21). They had even heard stories of Your resurrection, but they were still "slow of heart to believe" (v. 22-25). Even when You came alongside them, they couldn't sense that it was You, they couldn't recognize Your voice, even though they had such a personal relationship with You.

That may be a picture of many of us at times along our journey of faith. We know You, we have a real and personal relationship with You, we know the stories of Your resurrection; we celebrated at Easter, but at the same time, down deep inside, we still find ourselves "slow of heart to believe." When our dreams and hopes are shattered, when things don’t work out as we planned, when we find ourselves in those times of grief and sorrow and disappointment. We find it hard to see You and hear You and even recognize and remember that You are with us--that You're with us "always," just like You promised (Matthew 28:24), that Your sheep "hear (Your) voice," just like You said (John 10:3).

But even in those times--maybe even especially in those times--You'll come near and go with us (Luke 24:15). You'll come in and dine with us in the communion of our hearts if we'll invite You in to come abide with us (v. 29). Just as You did with those two discouraged disciples who desperately needed an encounter with You, You're ready to come and commune with all who would "urge (You) strongly" to come and stay (v. 29). 

In the breaking of the bread with them, "their eyes were opened, and they recognized (You)" (v. 30-31). In the breaking of the Bread of the Word of God with them, "(You) interpreted to them the things about (Yourself) in all the Scriptures" (v. 27). Then their hearts burned within them in fresh fire and faith, in renewed hope and excitement, from their personal encounter in Your Presence with Your Word (v. 32).

Thank You for walking with me on my journey with You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for opening up the Word of God to me this morning and every morning, for revealing Yourself in Your Scriptures to me, "beginning with Moses and all the prophets" (v. 27) and being the source of these devotions. Thank You for coming to abide within me, for opening the eyes of my heart to see You, for making me more and more sensitive in my spirit to hear You. Thank You for the grace and faith to believe in my heart from my personal encounters in Your Presence with Your Word that "the Lord has risen indeed!" (v. 34) And thank You that every day You want to arise in me! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,  I pray following the joy of Easter your heart burns within you with fresh fire and faith, in the renewed hope and excitement that the resurrection of Jesus was meant to provide. I pray every day of your journey with Jesus, you will invest the time and invite Him to walk with you and encounter His presence in His Word, 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

Give 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!  

 

 

Shout At The Devil!

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to Act”  Deitrich Bonhoeffer

“To ignore evil is to become accomplice to it.”  Martin Luther King Jr.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”   Edmund Burke

“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”  Albert Einstein

Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice and wait for Your leading. 

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:1-7).

There is a so-called "prince of the power of the air" who is a "spirit;" an evil and destructive spirit (Ephesians 2:2). It's the same spirit who is "the thief" who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). It's the same spirit Jesus called "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31). And it's the spirit of destruction and death at work in our world, seeking to destroy and defile God’s creation by every means possible and at every opportunity available. "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now" longing to be "set free from its bondage to decay" (Romans 8:19-23)

The past days since Easter have contained some battles. Our youth group that has been growing and flourishing has been under attack by personality differences, attitudes and statements made made youth and parents. Young people we are ministering with can’t break free of drug addiction and physical abuse. Marriages that are under attack.

So this morning I say enough is enough! This morning in the power of the resurrected Jesus we claimed on Easter I am shouting at the devil! I am pushing back and calling out in prayer and the name of Jesus and calling out to you to also push back in prayer,  in the laying of hands and anointing of oil and call out and push back against "the prince of the power of the air." To call out and push back against "the thief who comes to steal and kill and to destroy." To call out to and turn our hearts and our prayers and our hope to the One who says "I came that (you) may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).  To call out and claim over our lives the One who is "rich in mercy," who reaches out to us in our distress. Who wars with us even in our sins, even in the places our own destructive acts, even where we have opened the door to destruction in our hearts or in our land throughout our generations to the accusing enemy of our souls and of Your creation. This morning we call and claim and invite and call on the God of angel armies to battle and push back against the darkness! (Ephesians 2:4).

O God, hear our prayer. Crush "the prince of the power of the air!" Grant us mercy in the face of its attempt to destroy. Stir in the hearts and prayers and proclamations of Your people who are called by Your name to take a stand in faith to speak against mountains of destruction, even as we humble ourselves to be desperately dependent upon You alone.  “And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:22-25). 

And as You bring us through no matter what we may endure, as we groan with all Your creation for the redemption of our broken, fallen world, may we continue to turn to You to be our Hope and our Help. "Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:7). May You continue to fulfill Your Word through these days of what seems like unrelenting catastrophes:  "The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with (us)" (Romans 16:20). In Jesus' name we pray. 

My family, I pray in faith in agreement with you that our God who is rich in mercy will give faith and grace to all to endure and overcome the "prince of the power of the air" and its destructive forces, in Jesus' name! And I join with you in prayer that lives would be restored and those caught in the storms of this season would experience the protection and provision of our God, in Jesus' name! May the presence of God in His mercy and love and through His people be evident in the midst of it all. God bless you my friends!

Please share with us your 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

 

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!  

The Resurrected Jesus is For You!

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and every moment of my day. ...

This morning I’m reflecting on the presence of God and the closeness of Your love available to us in the resurrected Jesus as declared from Romans Chapter 8 in The Message Version of the Bible:

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us--who was raised to life for us!--is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing--nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable--absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (Romans 8:31-39 MSG).

Yes, Lord. With God on our side, how can we lose! “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!” (Romans 8:37).

And that gives me courage. That gives me confidence. That fills my heart with joy, fills my eyes with tears, and fills my mouth with praise! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray as we continue to Celebrate Easter you may be filled with ressurection joy in your heart, tears of joy in your eyes, and the praises of God in your mouth, as you know His powerful, unending love for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Please share you 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

 

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!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

"Four Years of B 3"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the Way and the Truth and Life in You today (John 14:6). For You are my Life, and my life is in You (Colossians 3:3). ...

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17 ESV).

If you remember back in April of 2020 covid shut everything down.  However the government said we could still go out into parks and get fresh air and gathering small groups if we stay 6 feet apart They also said we could come together for religious gatherings. So I saw men were getting isolated from each other and under strain of trying to live their lives and lead their families in the fear and frustrations of Covid. Then I saw the park Campus 805 in Huntsville that sits between two breweries. And I invited men to come, bring your lawn chairs and Bibles. We could set up outside in the park in a circle 6 feet apart, and grab a beer, and pizza from the brewery (to-go only as dine-in was closed down), and boom! Brothers, Bibles and Beer (B3) was born. The picture in this post is from that first B3. Hard to believe we have been meeting every Thursday night since then now for 4 years! Why did I start B3 and why do we continue to meet?   

Because men need the Lord. And men need one another. Together we encourage one another, learn from one another, and join together with one another to grow in spiritual maturity and authority, finding security in our true identity and fulfilling our God-given destiny in Christ. And sometimes that takes some time that’s set apart to get apart from our wives so we can become better husbands, get apart from our children so we can become better fathers, get apart from our parents so we can become better sons, get apart from jobs so we can become better employees and employers, even get apart from our local churches so we can become better disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Women, of course absolutely need these same things in their own way. My wife started a women’s group that meets on Thursday evenings as well 4 years ago. But any Godly woman will tell you the men in their lives need Jesus more than anything else. And if it’s a little time with a few other men with their Bibles out in a park, around a table in a brewery, in a booth at the Waffle House, or down by the river fishing  will make that happen and allow steel to sharpen steel, well then “Amen! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus! And pass me a beer, pour me a cup of coffee, and Holy Spirit make it happen.

My family,  I pray you intentionally seek times set apart for fellowship, friendship, and accountability with the Godly people He has put into your life to be sharpened and encourage and become more like Jesus,  in Jesus' name. God bless you my friends!!

If you are in the Huntsville/Madison area and would like to join us men at B3 ( or my wife’s ladies group) we both meet at 6:00pm on Thurs.. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community

Please share your reflections in the comment box below.

 Please Partner With Me!

Help Me Share The Gospel With Truth And Love

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!!

CLICK HERE TO GIVE

Discipleship Training.

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

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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

"Sent Ones Into The World"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit and set my heart ablaze with Your Fire. Let me be a torchbearer and Fire-carrier everywhere You send me today.  ... 

"I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but I ask You to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world" (John 17:15-18).

You never called us to huddle up and hide out. You never intended to tuck us away in some tower of tranquility.   You did not create our hands to ring church bells and enter into sanctuaries, but door bells and enter stranger’s homes. Your “Church” You created was not intended to be a building dedicated to God for Christians to walk into, but a movement of God Christians are called to enter into and spread throughout our communities. You gave us a revelation of you to be part of a revolution for you. You sent us into the world, even knowing the challenges we'd face and the temptations we’d encounter and even the persecutions we'd endure (v. 14). Yes, a ship is safest resting nice and comfortably in a harbor, but that is not what a ship was created for. Yes, we are safest and most comfortable resting on a church pew, but we weren’t created for that either.  Jesus would much rather walk into your church sanctuary on Sunday morning and find it is empty because the congregation is truly obeying his words “As You have sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” Because the congregation is intentionally participating together in the mission of God by spending the day out in their community seeking the lost, addicted, outcast, and orphaned.  And the Father would as well. 

Jesus, your prayer to the Father was “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” (v.18).   Last weekend we celebrated Easter and your resurrection and conquering of death and walking out of the grave into the world with your message of Life. If we claim to be people of Easter then we are called to go out with the same message of life. You send us into the world because you want us to become more like You, to imitate You and the “sentness” of Your heart. You send us into the world because You love the world (v. 3:16). You're not willing that any should perish, but that all would have life in You. You desire all to know the joy of Easter we just celebrated a few days ago. So You send us out to be the expression of Your love for them. Just as the Father sent the Son, so the Son sends us in the power and love of the Spirit of God living in us (v. 20:21-23).  You are a sent one, and You created us in your image to be sent ones as well.

"Here I am, Lord. Send me" (Isaiah 6:8). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray the truth of these Scriptures plant deeply in your heart.  I pray out of the power of Easter the Spirit of God fills your sails today, that you leave the comfort and safety of any harbor your are resting in because you were not created for that purpose. I pray out of love for God and neighbor you listen to Jesus as He sends you into the world to express the Father's heart of love for everyone you encounter. I pray this is the adventure you actually plan and center your first upcoming weekend after Easter around. What other way would Jesus desire you to spend it and would bring Him the most joy? He suffered, died, and rose to equip you for this purpose, 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

Give 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!  

 

 

 

This Is The One Who Comes from Heaven!

Tho Lord has risen indeed! Alleluia!

As we are in the first week after Easter I wanted to share with you the first sermon (outside of Scripture) we have on record. It is called On Pascha and was preached by Melito, Bishop of Sardis, who was a prominent figure of second-century Christianity. The present text (excerpted for length) was written in 167 AD, and is the earliest Christian sermon that has survived from the early history of the church. It has been preached over the centuries, often at Easter. 

This is the one who comes from heaven onto
the earth for us suffering ones,
and wraps himself in the suffering one
through a virgin womb
and comes as a human.
He accepted the suffering of us suffering ones,
through suffering in a body which could suffer,
and set free the flesh from suffering.
Through the spirit which cannot die
he slew the human-slayer death.

He is the one led like a lamb
and slaughtered like a sheep;
he ransomed us from the worship of the world
as from the land of Egypt,
and he set us free from the slavery of the devil
as from the hand of Pharaoh,
and sealed our souls with his own spirit,
and the members of our body with his blood.

This is the one who clad death in shame
and, as Moses did to Pharaoh,
made the devil grieve.
This is the one who struck down lawlessness
and made injustice childless,
as Moses did in Egypt,
This is the one who delivered us from slavery to freedom,
from darkness into light,
from death into life,
from tyranny into an eternal Kingdom,
and made us a new priesthood,
and a people everlasting for himself.

This is the Pascha of our salvation:
this is the one who in many people endured many things.
This is the one who was murdered in Abel,
tied up in Isaac,
exiled in Jacob,
sold in Joseph,
exposed in Moses,
slaughtered in the lamb,
hunted down in David,
dishonored in the prophets.

This is the one made flesh in a virgin
who was hanged on a tree,
who was buried in the earth,
who was raised from the dead,
who was exalted to the heights of heaven.

This is the lamb slain,
this is the speechless lamb,
this is the one born of Mary the fair ewe,
this is the one taken from the flock,
and led to slaughter.
Who was sacrificed in the evening,
and buried at night;
who was not broken on the tree,
who was not undone in the earth,
who rose from the dead and resurrected humankind from the grave below.

O mystifying murder! O mystifying injustice!
The master is obscured by his body exposed,
and is not held worthy of a veil to shield him from view.
For this reason the great lights turned away,
and the day was turned to darkness;
to hid the one denuded on the tree,
obscuring not the body of the Lord but human eyes.

For when the people did not tremble, the earth shook.
When the people did not fear, the heavens were afraid.
When the people did not rend their garments, the angel rent his own.
When the people did not lament, the Lord thundered from heaven,
and the most high gave voice.

“Who takes issue with me? Let him stand before me.
I set free the condemned.
I gave life to the dead.
I raise up the entombed.
Who will contradict me?

“It is I,” says the Christ, 
“I am he who destroys death 
and triumphs over the enemy, 
and crushes Hades, 
and binds the strong man, 
and bears humanity off to the heavenly heights.”

“It is I,” says the Christ,
“So come all families of people,
adulterated with sin,
and receive forgiveness of sins.
For I am your freedom.
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am the Lamb slaughtered for you,
I am your ransom,
I am your life,
I am your light,
I am your salvation,
I am your resurrection,
I am your Kings.
I shall raise you up by my right hand,
I will lead you to the heights of heaven,
There shall I show you the everlasting Father.”

He it is who made the heaven and the earth,
and formed humanity in the beginning,
who was proclaimed through the law and the prophets,
who took flesh from a virgin,
who was hung on a tree,
who was buried in earth,
who was raised from the dead,
and ascended to the heights of heaven,
who sits at the right hand of the Father,
who has the power to save all things,
through whom the Father acted from the beginning and forever.

This is the alpha and omega,
this is the beginning and the incomprehensible end.
This is the Christ,
this is the King,
this is Jesus,
this is the commander,
this is the Lord,
this is he who rose from the dead,
this is he who sits at the right hand of the father,
he bears the father and is borne by him.
To him be the glory and the might forever.
Amen.

My family, I pray that the complete joy and freedom of Easter permeates your soul as you begin your morning. I pray you walk out your door with a song of praise in your heart for our savior Jesus Christ and eager to share the source of your joy with those you meet in your workplace, schools, stores and wherever your path leads today, 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 

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