Good morning!
I sit and open my Bible and open my heart and mind to receive you love and guidance over my life today.
Last night at our House Church gathering in our home I played this video below by Michael Frost. In it He shares a message drawn from Jesus’ priestly prayer found in John 17. He highlights the facts that each one of us is God’s gift to Jesus, God’s gift to each other, and God’s gift to the world. He demonstrates this by sharing an amazing story of transformation in a slump in Cambodia, And He asks us all this question we all must discern, “To Whom are you sent?”
So fo my message this morning I am posting the video by Michael Frost to watch or play and listen to the audio of it sometime today. I would love to hear your comments after watching/listening to the video. Post them in the comments box below.
My family, I pray by listening to this video you will come to a deeper understanding that you are a gift from God to Jesus, A gift from God to eat other, and a gift from God to the world, and be able to answer the question, “To whom are you sent.”. 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
Please support and partner with myself and my family with your end-of-year financial gift as we serve as local missionaries to those in our community Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
TO GIVE, CLICK HERE
Good morning, Lord Jesus. This intimate time I begin my day with is my life-line. My personal prayer time with You in the morning sets the path for all the other times throughout my day. You're always with me and You're with me deeply and intimately in these first moments of my morning, keeping me fully aware and actively engaged with You throughout all the other moments of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body rests secure.... You show me the path of life. In Your Presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!" (Psalm 16:8-11)
Thank You for the joy of Your Presence. Thank You that it brings You joy when I embrace You and Your Word and Your Presence with me (John 15:11 and 16:24). And with the promise of Your Presence to Your first disciples and to all Your disciples in every age, You speak to our spirits today saying, "I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:20). By the abiding Presence of Your Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of Christ", with us and within us, we can see You and embrace You, again and again, every moment of every day (Romans 8:9).
You promised, "I Am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). So You are! And so my heart is glad and my soul rejoices in the fullness of joy in the intimacy of Your Presence, every day to the end of the age! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you experience the joy of the Presence of Jesus in your heart -- as you begin your day in the intimacy and communion of prayer with Him and throughout every moment of your day, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with myself and my family with your end-of-year financial gift as we serve as local missionaries to those in our community Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
“When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him” (Matthew 9:23-24)
Curtis Sergeant is an amazing man who has planed thousands of churches around the world, and consults with NGOs (Non Government Organizations and CPMs (Church Planting Movement) leaders around the world. He told me the story of when he was over in Asia in a secret location, where CPM leaders had gathered from around the world to pray, train and equip each other. Curtis said they had just gathered, when news came to one of the leaders that two of his church planting operatives in a city had just been put to death. The leader told Jesus he had to go back immediately. Curtis told him he was so sorry for what had happened, however he said all who had gathered had traveled great distances to get here, and great security and secrecy had been in place to allow this meeting to happen, could the leader just stay for a few hours of a day and fly back tomorrow. The leader looked at Curtis and said, I need to go back now to pray and see if Jesus will raise these dead men. Curtis thought to himself what he would do if a couple of his operatives were martyred and put to death. He would notify their family of the incident. Inform his board and discuss who they would send in to replace them. Contact the media to control and get a media story out. However, flying out immediately to go see if Jesus would raise his dead operatives back to life would not be on his list. The leaders faith and expectancy of the poser and ability of God both amazed and convicted him.
If I were to ask you, ask those in the church the question, How many believe that God can raise the dead?” I think most if not all hands would go up. If I asked the question, “How many expect to see God raise the dead today?” Many fewer, if not all hands would remain at people’s sides. Having a belief that God can raise the dead and expecting that God will and is raising the dead are two very different things.
Our simple, maybe even strong belief for many in the church that God can raise the dead comes out of our cognitive brain. It is a fact or data we hold to be true. It is like our belief in the fact that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the USA. What impact does your belief in the fact that Abaraham Lincoln was the 16th president have on your live today? None. What does your simple head knowledge that God can raise the dead have on your life today? None. The churches simple belief in the fact or truth that God can raise the dead has not and cannot impact on our daily life today without an expectancy that God will and is raising the dead today.
In Matthew 9:18-26 is the story of Jesus raising a young girl back to life. When Jesus tells them he was going to raise her back to life the crowd around him did not believe or support him but they laughed at him. If someone told you after the death of someone that they were going to pray and see if God could raise them from the dead, and if they asked you to come pray as well, would your thoughts be similar to those of the crowds?
The church is the place that professes Jesus is Lord, but it does not do “Jesus is Lord” well. Can I say that? We say Jesus is Lord the same way we say Lincoln was the 19th president. We say it absent for the most part of any expectancy of power and presence in our lives.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism in which I am an ordained clergy said before he died looking into the future of the church, “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.”
Read Matthew chapters 8 and 9 and see the expectancy and power of Jesus.
My family, I pray you will walk out of your door expecting to see God raising the dead and doing amazing miracles in the world today, because he is! All in and through Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I would appreciate your prayer and also any support for support myself as we reach our neighbors with the gospel through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
TO GIVE , CLICK HERE
Good morning Jesus, Lover of my soul. I start my day in that complete assurance of your love for me.
“While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue rulerʼs house saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher any longer?” But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”…. When he entered he said to them, “Why are you distressed and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him. But he put them all outside and he took the childʼs father and mother and his own companions and went into the room where the child was. Then, gently taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” The girl got up at once and began to walk around ... They were completely astonished at this. “ (Mark 5:35-42)
Saturday morning I served at the House of the Harvest distributing food. I served alongside some amazing teenagers who get up before 6:00am on a Sturdy to serve. As we served we talked and I heard stories of what some of them are going through. So my heart and mind this morning is on our youth. Our teenage sons and daughters who are growing up in raw and unfiltered exposure to the world through the unlimited access to social media. Teenagers, who because of the proliferation of divorce, the break down of the family and the re-defining of family lack the safe place to be loved, mentored and guided through these experiences. Teenagers being exposed to “Sexting” and other sexual perversions. Teenagers, who because of societies perversion of what is “success” have egotistical and narcissistic role models to follow. Teenagers, who the ruler of the world is subversively whispering into their parents, teachers, and pastors ears, “Your daughter is dead.” V.35.
Over our teenage youth I cry out, Lord have mercy! Christ have mercy! Lord have mercy! I pray the Holy Spirit will surround them and protect and empower them. I pray that through men and women in love with Jesus, and direct revelation form the Father in prayer, they will experience Jesus taking them by the hand, bring them back to life, and get up and walk, run, and lead a renewal in our churches. communities and families.
“Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:14-16)
My family, I pray today you will seek out a teenager who needs the love and guidance of a mentor who is in love with and guided by Jesus. You may be 80, and they may be 16, however both of you will be richly blessed by the time you spend together. Pray over this today. in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Please share your thoughts and reflections with us 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
I would appreciate your prayer and also any support for support myself as we reach our neighbors with the gospel through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
TO GIVE , CLICK HERE
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I look to You and listen for Your leading to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...
So I am still reading in Genesis. Thinking of the journey we're on in our world today, with all its uncertainties and unknowns, I'm thinking of Abraham, when You first spoke to him and called him on his life-long journey of faith in You.
"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.... So Abram went, as the Lord had told him..." (Genesis 12:1-4).
Like Abram, in some ways I feel like I have no clue about where my journey ahead is leading me. "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going" (Hebrews 11:8). And at the same time, You've given me a measure of guidance without giving me all the details, You've spoken to me Your word without overriding my free will. Like Abram, I'm on a "need to know basis" and You call me to trust You alone with knowing what I need to know and when I need to know it. And the same is true with every one of us in our world right now.
Hundreds of years and many generations after You first spoke those words to Abram -- after You changed his name and changed his character, after You passed down the blessings and the calling and the destiny to his children and children's children -- there came a time when the sons and daughters of Abraham were finally crossing over to enter in to their Promise Land of their inheritance. You commanded them to follow the Ark of the Covenant, saying through Your leaders, "Follow it, so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before" (Joshua 3:2-4).
It's a journey of faith and not sight, as Your Word says, "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). And Abraham is called the father of the faith, "the father of all of us," of "those who share the faith of Abraham" (Romans 4:16). "Hoping against hope, he believed.... being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised" (Romans 4:18-21).
We don't call Abraham "the father of having it all figured out" or "the father who always knows best because he always knows what lies ahead" or "the father who never fails, never falters, never falls because he's so holy and perfect and pure in his own self-righteousness." No, we call him "the father of the faith" because "his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:22), because "he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God" (Romans 4:20).
The faith of Abraham speaks to us of Your invitation to put out all our faith in You. These are uncertain days and we've never been this way before. But by the power of Your grace at work within us, we will look to You, we will trust You, we fill follow You on our unfolding journey of faith in You, growing strong in our faith as we give glory to You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. As we do, we enter in to our Promised Land and receive "all the blessings of Abraham" in You (Galatians 3:14). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be filled with faith to trust in God to lead us into the land and into these times He's set before us, where we've never been before, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections with us 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
I would appreciate your prayer and also any support for support myself as we reach our neighbors with the gospel through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
TO GIVE , CLICK HERE
“Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, “Invade at such and such a place.” But the prophet sent this message to the king of Israel, “Make sure you donʼt pass through this place because Syria is invading there.” So the king of Israel sent a message to the place the prophet had pointed out, warning it to be on its guard. This happened on several occasions.
This made the king of Syria upset. So he summoned his advisers and said to them, “One of us must be helping the king of Israel.” One of his advisers said, “No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom.” The king ordered, “Go, find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him.” The king was told, “He is in Dothan.” So he sent horses and chariots there, along with a good-sized army. They arrived during the night and surrounded the city.
The prophetʼs attendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city, along with horses and chariots. He said to Elisha, “Oh no, my master! What will we do?” He replied, “Donʼt be afraid, for our side outnumbers them.” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he can see.” The LORD opened the servantʼs eyes and he saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
(2Kings 6:6-17)
Last night at our House Church gathering we read and discussed over these passages. We reminded each other of who is on our side in our challenges, struggles and battles in our lives. We need to lift our eyes above the what is presented to us by the world and focus our eyes on of Christ and what he presents for us. We need to stop having anxiety on the challenges that surround us based on our limited competency and resources to fight them, and on the limitless, abundance or God’s provisions and power to face them and defeat them. We need to surrender, ask, knock and receive all the help God desires to give us.(Matt 7:7-8) We need to remind ourselves “if God is for us, who can be against us and that in all things we have complete victory through Jesus who loves us! (Romans 8:31,37)
We need to remember as the passage above assures us that God hears and knows all our struggles and thoughts. He knows what we are speaking and thinking in the quiet of our bedrooms and what is keeping us up at night. He will never abandon or forsake us. (Jeremiah 12:7). And we need to seek out the “Elishas” in our lives. People of God who we can confided in who will help us discern which place we are to go, not go, and the direction God is calling us to go.
My family, I pray today you will take a minute to remember who is on your side and as the lyrics to the old hymn say, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” 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!
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart…
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
Lord, I seek You with my eyes and with my heart. I seek You with passion and with faith. I seek You to find You and embrace You, to hold on to You and be held by You. I seek You first and throughout the moments of my day. And you reward me with a deep sense of Your Presence, with the confident assurance You'll never let go. As someone has said, "I'm safe and secure in Your no-slip grip."
Blessed are those who seek You with all their heart for they will be the ones who find You (Jeremiah 29:13). You said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8, NKJ). You are the God who gives good things to those who ask and seek and knock (v. 7:11). You are the God who always gives Your very Spirit to all who will humbly and passionately pursue You in spirit and truth (Luke 11:13). And so I set my sights to seek You by faith more passionately each day than the day before - as best as I can and all by Your grace.
Heart of my own heart whatever befall,
Still be thou my vision oh ruler of all!
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you set your sights to pursue our God with passion and faith, more every day. May you find Him and embrace Him and never let go of Him. 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!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be Lord of my heart and all my desires, Lord of my mind and all my thoughts, Lord of my will and all my choices. ...
"Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
The Lord roars from Zion,
and utters His voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth shake.
But the Lord is a refuge for His people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.
So you shall know that I, the Lord your God,
dwell in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall never again pass through it.
In that day
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the stream beds of Judah
shall flow with water;
a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord
and water the Wadi Shittim" (Joel 3:14-18).
I was reminded in the news this morning that Election Day in America is just around the corner. Multitudes will go down to "the valley of decision" to cast their vote and speak their voice and make their choice.
Come, Holy Spirit. May the decisions made by the multitudes be decisions led by Your Spirit, informed by Your Word, guided by Your principles of the Kingdom of God and the authority of Your Scripture. May every decision we make today as we begin our week and every day be viewed as important and be decisions for life and not death, for blessing and not cursing, exalting Your ways in our land as one nation under God.
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" (Psalm 89:14). And "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12).
If our choices are right and our decisions are true, the mountains and hills, the streams and plains, will flow with the blessings of God. "A fountain shall come forth!"
Lord, let Your Fountain of Living Water come forth in our land. Let there be revival, awakening, and harvest as never before, as the heart of our nation continues to return to You. Move in Your power. Move by Your grace.
Against all odds, move in impossible and mighty ways that only You can do, so that all will see and know that only You have done this. For "Nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37) and "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). As we await decisions of elections, may Your multitudes remember as we pray in faith for our land that "All things are possible for those who believe" (Mark 9:23). And no matter what will happen at the close of this day and through the days to come, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love (You), who are called according to Your purpose" (Romans 8:28). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you make your decisions this day and every day led by the Holy Spirit, informed by God's Word, guided by His principles and the authority of His Scripture, receiving an overflowing fountain of God's blessings in your life, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. And I join with you and so many in continued prayer over the elections and for all we're facing in our world. 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!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You into my heart and every moment of my day. ...
"But as for me, I will sing about Your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about Your unfailing love. For You have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress" (Psalms59:16 NLT).
Tuesday evening I drove down to my daughters house in Birmingham and spent two days doing maintenance on their home:: yearly cleaning maintenance of HVAC system inside and outside, pest control, basement water barrier maintenance, install new toilet, electrical, car maintenance,…act. What dad’s do for their daughters! One thing I love about hanging out with my daughters is we are a family of singers! My wife and two daughters are always singing and maybe breaking out a move. So though the work may not be fun, my family is and it keeps a smile on my face! Jesus love for you and me is the same way. Though our labor for his kingdom may not always be fun, if we listen while we are doing it we will always her Jesus singing his song of love and grace over us. It flows out of his heart of complete joy for us so we can have complete joy in our hearts!
Thank You for waking me almost every morning with a song in my spirit! It's Your Spirit singing in my spirit, just as Your Word invites us to do. "I will sing in the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:15).
And I sing with joy of Your unfailing love. I sing with joy to the One who is my Refuge and my Place of Safety -- to the One who rescues me from distress, who delivers me from evil, who heals me from hurt, who comforts me with care, who leads me in the path of life in You.
As for me, I will sing about Your power. I will sing about Your love. I will sing about who You are and all You do.
No matter what I may go through or what may try to go through me or run over me or try to hold me back or shut me down or shut me up, I will sing and I will praise, full of joy for Your unfailing love! They can't take that from me. They can't put a mask over that. They can't distance me from the One who created me and calls me by name to wake up every morning with Your joy in my spirit because You've poured Your unfailing love into my heart! "I will sing of the Lord's unfailing love forever!" (Psalm 89:1) In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be filled with the Holy Spirit of the Living God and wake up this morning and every morning singing of His unfailing love, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and comments
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Yesterday we sang the song Surrounded at our worship service. I woke up singing it so I sing Your name over all, and surrender my all to You. ...
"(The king of Aram) said, 'Go and find where (Elisha) is; I will send and seize him.' He was told, 'He is in Dothan.' So he sent horses and chariots there and a great army; they came by night, and surrounded the city. When the attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army of horse and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, 'Alas, master! What shall we do?' He replied, 'Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.' Then Elisha prayed: 'O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.' So the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha!" (2 Kings 6:13-17).
In the morning, when I rise, no doubt there are great armies of horses and chariots, armed with weapons of worry and fear, confusion and chaos, hopelessness and despair, ready to come riding down on my mind and my spirit to overwhelm and overcome me, battling to take my thoughts captive. They want to present themselves as big and mighty, too much to overcome and no chance to stand against them, projecting themselves to be much bigger and much stronger than they are. They want to demand my attention, the priority of my thoughts, in the very first moments of my morning to plunder the treasure of my time with You.
But my Master, You open my eyes to see! You lift my eyes to the hills where my help comes from! You open my spirit to perceive the truth I'm not alone, I'm not overwhelmed, I'm not overcome. You draw my heart into the intimacy of Your strong embrace and security of Your steadfast love. And You remind me "The One who is in (me) is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
As I look to You and give You the priority of my day, the first thoughts of my morning, as my first act of worship in prayer and praise, my spiritual enemies don't look so big and mighty. In the light of Your truth and the Presence of Your Spirit, they flee away at the sound of my praise and the authority of my prayers in the power of Your name. "Let God arise; let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him!" (Psalm 68:1)
Thank You, my Master, my Lord and Savior, for opening the eyes of my heart to see You, to know You, to experience Your Presence right here with me to overpower my enemies and overcome my adversary (Ephesians 1:15-21). Great are You, Lord! Mighty is Your name!
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your holy angel armies. Thank You that in You there are always many more with me than those against me! For nothing can stand against You and Your great name! (Philippians 2:9-11) And with You standing for me, nothing can stand against me, for I am always an overcomer and more than a conqueror in You! (Romans 8:31-39) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, May the Holy Spirit come upon you and the power of the Most High overshadow you and open your eyes tp see and know your identity and fulfill your destiny to the praise of God's glory through your life today, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
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.
“I begin God today in gratitude for all the ways you have shown love to me.
“But after hearing of Him (Jesus), a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.” (Mark 7:25-28)
To the Jews living in Israel of Jesus’s time, dogs were an “unclean” animal and viewed similar to a pig. Dogs were viewed as scavengers that ate things Jews believed defiled them, dead things and garbage and were not looked at as pets to keep in your home as a companion. Gentiles were viewed by the Jews as “unclean” as well. Jews commonly referred to themselves as the “children” of God and Gentiles as “dogs.”
God’s plan of salvation is for all the world to be saved and blessed. His saving grace was for all people. Israel does have a special place in His plan, as it is through Israel that his salvation was to flow through and to the rest of the world. As Paul states “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (the whole world through faith), to the Jew first (Israel) and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “ But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17). And the woman in the story agrees with this plan as she said the dogs get the scraps from the table.” Meaning Israel received first and through them all the world will receive blessing, “Scraps” But what we must remember is that what is called “scraps” is in reality abundance and more. In the feeding of the 5,000 Jews all were satisfied, all were filled and not by scraps, but 12 baskets, a bounty was left over, In the feeding of the 4,000 gentiles, all were filled, all were satisfied, and there were “Scraps”, a bounty of 7 baskets left over. The “Scraps” of Jesus, which in reality is a bounty, cast out a demon from the woman’s daughter from a distance and brought healing and satisfaction to her household. And in Jesus all of us whether Jew or gentile can receive a bounty of his love, grace, and mercy and be satisfied.
You in the church have “tasted and seen that the Lord is Good” (Psalm 34:8). You have experienced the love, mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ. You are part of and have experienced the acceptance, fellowship and bounty of the body of Christ. Now who are the “dogs” you need to share the “scraps” of the bounty you have received. You in the church who hang out with other “Clean” people in the churches hospitality center and other gatherings who look like you, dink specialty coffees, listen to Casting Crowns, use words like “Fellowship” and “discerning,” and get the first fruits of your friendships. Who are the “dogs” to you, that you personally avoid as “unclean” because of their lifestyle, the way they look, where they live, how they are viewed in your circle of friends as someone, “not good to throw the bread of life” to them. In the passage above Jesus left Israel and went to the land occupied by the gentiles, by the “dogs” and cast out demons, heeled the deaf and dumb, fed them and loved them. Who is God calling you to leave your “Clean” little circle and enter into what you perceive as the “unclean”? They could be across the world, across the city, across the street, across the classroom in sitting in a desk, or in the office cubicle next to you.
My family, I pray today that you will reflect on the bounty God in Jesus Christ has supplied and has for you and he desires to “satisfy” you with his love, grace and mercy. I pray you will also open your eyes to see beyond your circle of “Cleaness” to those you may see as unclean, and open your heart to share the “scraps” of the Gospel of the bounty of grace with them. In Jesus’ name.! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please begin 2018 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!
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 5:7-8)
I work one day a week at Lowe’s on Mondays. Every Monday morning I leave at 8:00am and serve at Manna House in Huntsville until 12:30pm unloading the food trucks and help getting the food lines set up to distribute food to around 350 families later that afternoon. I drive home, eat something, then work a 2:00pm-10:00pm shift at Lowes. I started working at Lowes as a way to still connect and pray with people when my churches shut down for Covid and there was no Sunday services or weekday Bible studies or classes and the church was empty. All I was doing was live streaming a Sunday message. When covid restrictions finally ended I continued to work the one night a week to try to continue to bless the Lowes employees and customers.
I mainly work in the plumbing department. Last night I walked down an aisle to put back a return item and in the aisle was a man on the phone. He was shaking and there were tears in his eyes and running down his face. I intentionally stayed in the aisle taking longer than necessary to put back the items until the man hung up his cell phone.
I walked up to him and asked him if he was ok? He said with a big smile and tears running down his face “Yes! These are tears of joy! I am so happy!” I asked him if he wanted to share why? The man said his son and daughter in law are expecting their first child and are 2 ½ months pregnant. He said in his families genealogy there is a gene that is hereditary the cause severe birth defects. He has relatives that were born severely mentally and physically disabled. And his other son and his wife had a baby 2 years ago and it was born with severe disabilities. His son and expecting wife had a medical procedure done that morning to see it their baby had this hereditary defect or not. His wife had just called him and said they got the results of the test and the test came back negative! The baby was going to be born normal! I said. “Praise God!” and he said “Yes! Praise God!” and he hugged me and I hugged him back, both of us with tears in our eyes now.
I asked him if I could say a prayer of thanksgiving over the child and his family. He Said YES!!!. I asked the child’s name. He said it is just over 2 months old now. They do not know the sex yet or have given the baby a name. So we stood facing each other, with our hands on each other’s shoulders and heads bowed between us and tears falling to the floor, and I prayed a prayer of praise and blessing over the child and his family. When I finished with a big smile he hugged me again and said he was so glade I was there to share this good news with me. I helped him find the plumbing fitting he came in to get, we hugged again, said “Praise God” to each other and he left the aisle. And I started wiping my eyes and took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. Then, with a big smile on my face and new joy in my heart from the “church” I had just experienced, I left the aisle as well.
My family, this amazing blessing and deep encounter I was so blessed to experience simply came out of my asking another person, “Are you ok?” I pray today you take the blinders off of your days schedule enough to ask a co-worker, class mate, neighbor, or person who just happens to be in the aisle with you at Lowes of Walmart, “Are you ok?” And as the verse above states, ask and you will recieve, In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share with me and others your reflections and what God is speaking to you from todays reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, make me one with You, one with Your body, and one in ministry to all the world until I feast with You at Your heavenly banquet in final victory. ...
But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
I know I live every day in the midst of a broken, fallen world, where evil is real. And evil is out to get me (1 Peter 5:8). But as I look to You for my help, trusting that Your light always overcomes the darkness and Your power is made perfect in my weakness, I will always overcome through whatever challenges or sufferings I may endure (2 Corinthians 12:9).
"I lift up my eyes to the hills -- from where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.... The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore" (Psalm 121:1-8).
My part is to lift up my eyes to You, while You promise Your part is to look out for me. Remind me to do my part; and remind me that You're always doing Your part.
You'll even cause those battles to work together for my good, redeeming every moment of my suffering and making me more like You though every challenge (James 1:2-4). "After I have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called (me) to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish (me). To Him be the power forever and ever" (1 Peter 5:10-11). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, as we begin a new week I pray you may always know deep in your heart that Your God is Your help and He will bring you through every battle you face, making you more like Him as you keeping looking up to Him. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share with me and others your reflections and what God is speaking to you from todays reading in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Awaken my soul as I focus in on You first with all my heart and mind and soul and strength.
"Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.' And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:1-4).
I walked into the Waffle House yesterday morning as usual and I sat at the low-bar and listened in to the discussion those sitting there were having. I got in on the end of it, however it appears the conversation was about immigration and “foreigners” as the person talking ended the conversation by saying, “We are Americans, and America is the greatest country in the world, and if they don’t like it the can get the hell out!” Those at the bar cheered or nodded in unity together.
There's a false unity that's fueled by the human pride to "make a name for ourselves." It has its own language, with its own words. And it's purpose is to build its own kingdom. It seeks to exalt its tower of authority and power over the whole earth and into the heavens. It's inspired and empowered by the same spirit that says, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14).
It's the opposite of the true unityYou desire Jesus--"the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). This is the "unity of the faith" as we put our faith in You instead of ourselves or our country, building Your kingdom instead of our own, humbly and willingly choosing to desperately dependent upon You alone for our true sense of identity and destiny (Ephesians 4:13). United in You and united with one another in our global bond of humility and faith, "there is one body and one Spirit, just as (we) were called to the one hope of (our) calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:4-6).
In the true unity of Your Spirit--where we exalt Your name instead of our own, living for You instead of ourselves--You pour out every blessing of heaven we'll ever need: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing--life forevermore!" (Psalm 133:1-3).
And in that spirit of unity, all the world will begin to see You--seeing You in us, as we abide in You and You abide in us as one body with one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of all. As the Son of God and Son of Man walking this earth in the flesh and blood of Your incarnation, You prayed to the Father this great prayer of unity: "As You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, may they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me. The glory that You have given Me I have given them, so that they may be one as We are One, I in them and You in Me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me" (John 17:21-23).
This is the true unity You long to see. This is the new world order You've envisioned from the beginning--the "new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). This is the one world government You passionately desire--the "government (that) will be upon (Your) shoulder... (and) of the increase of (Your) government and peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:6-7). In the unity of Your Spirit all, "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family,I pray today you unite with Christ and promote His body of faith in the Holy Spirit as the one true source of unity with our Lord, one God and Father of all, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“My commandment is this - to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this - that one lays down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)
Today we remember the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion at Normandy, France. It was the greatest multi-nation joint air, land and sea invasion that changed the course of history. Change our history. I can’t imagine the bravery and absolute fear and terror of the men inside the aquatic landing boats that were hearing the machine gun bullets striking against the steel door of their boat. Knowing that when they landed on the beach, and that door dropped, those bullets would be hitting them. Over 4,000 men, (actually 18 and 20 year old teenagers and young adults) lost their lives that day.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
D-day was not just a physical invasion, it was a spiritual invasion as well. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12). A darkness cast by the “Ruler of the World” had been covering over Germany and that region that allowed unspeakable atrocities and evil acts to be committed and “good people” to be swayed into accepting them and be deceived into supporting them, participating in them, as something good. D- Day was also an invasion of light into darkness.
So today we remember and commemorate those men and women who possessed such remarkable character, morals, convictions, and a fundamental, basic understanding of the difference between what is right and wrong, holy and unholy, and selflessly sacrificed to stand up and speak truth into lies with their lives. And in doing so changed the course of history.
My family, I pray today you take time to reflect on the whole enormity of D-Day and bow and say a prayer of thanks and gratitude to all those who participated in and those who also lost their lives that day 80 years ago. I pray that it encourages you and motivates you as you look around our world and society and see how leaders and people are being swayed and deceived into accepting and supporting immoral and evil actions and attitudes, and remember you are also called to possess and live out remarkable character, morals, convictions, and a fundamental, basic understanding of the difference between what is right and wrong, holy and unholy, and you are also called to selflessly sacrifice and stand up and speak truth into lies with your lives. As history will also look back one day and reflect on our actions or failures to act, 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
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 begin 2018 by a commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Good morning, Lord Jesus. All that I am and all that I have, I give to You in trusting surrender--as best as I can and all by Your grace.
"The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, 'Look, here is the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, He said to them, 'What are you looking for?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which translated means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' He said to them 'Come and see.' They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day" (John 1:35-39).
Lord Jesus, I want to know where You're staying, so I can come be with You. I want to know where You're going, so I can come be with You. Where You are is where I want to be. You're the One I'm looking for. So give me the courage today to step out of my comfort zone and the routine of my day and seek out the One I love. If you were my spouse or one of my children, and I did not know where one of them was, my love for them would compel me to go and do anything to find them and embrace them. May my love for you compel me to go and do anything to find and embrace you today in silent reflection, the people and places you lead me.
So I accept Your invitation to 'Come and see,' so I can "Come and be"--come and be with You. Your desire for me to “come and be” with you flows out of your complete and deep unfathomable love for me. To me, that's one of Your greatest promises in all of Scripture: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). In this you are saying, “Gary understand this, I will love you always, to the end of the age.” To which I say, "Praise God!"
My family, I pray today you “come and see” Jesus, that you “come and be” with Him and allow Him to embrace you in His ‘Love unto the ages,” and come and be with you in all you are and all you do, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please 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!
God’s complete desire, that of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is for us to be one with him, and as importantly, one with each other. The Casting Crowns lyrics come into my head. “Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth, would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt.” But as hard as it may seem sometimes, He does! At Christmas in Christ we see God’s desire to know us and be known by us as He became incarnate in Emanuel, God with us. Our relationship with our God is not like that of other religions of one of master to slave. Or like the beliefs of others of a vague form of deism where God is “out there”, detached, and impersonally directing the universe. Like a clock maker who makes a clock, winds it, sets it on the mantel, and walks away. Our God, The God, desires an intimate relationship with us, one in which we also know and desire Him intimately as well. Jesus tells us, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends (Joh 15:15). How remarkable is that! “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen 1:27 ESV) How amazing is that when you wrap your head around it!!
And God Proved his desire to have an intimate relationship with us, to be one with him, through the incarnation of His Son, Jesus the Christ. God sent the Son to be born of a woman. He walked this earth, lived our life, bore our sins, carried our cross, suffered, was crucified, died, descended into hell, and was raised from the dead to create and restore a path, a way for us to an intimate, loving relationship with a God who intimately, madly, loves us. SOOOO LOVED GOD THE WORLD, (you and I ), that he sent His Son to demonstrate it. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 3:16;15:13)
However, The works of Jesus on the cross and the salvation and oneness with God it made available to us is not the end into itself. Jesus’ hope is for our oneness with him to be an “unto” something else. Jesus tells us,
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. You are my friends if you do what I command you. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. As God sent me into the world, so I have sent you into the world. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8, 9, 14,12; 17:1)
My family, I pray you reflect on today, “What is the hope you as a Christian are striving for throughout your life in the world today?” As we move to the half-way point of 2024, “What is the hope you plan to seek and strive for before the year ends? 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
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 begin 2018 by a commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Arise in Your resurrection power in my life today.
"Then He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" (John 20:22 NLT).
Breathe on me, O Breath of God. Let Your Spirit fill my lungs with praise. Let your Breath fill my mouth with Your words. Let Your Presence abide in my soul.
Breathe on me, Lord. Breathe new life, fresh passion, renewed vision and determination to seek Your face, to return to my first love, to follow Your ways, to be the child of God and disciple of Christ You created me and called me to be--not in my strength but in Your power, not in my goodness but in Your righteousness.
I desperately need You. I breathlessly await You. Increase my capacity to breathe You in as You breathe on me. Fill me afresh that You can overflow onto those around me, through me this day and this next season of my life in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you fall on your knees this morning and desperately desire to be filled afresh with the Breath of God to overflow anew with His life and love flowing out of you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please begin 2018 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!
Good morning Lord Jesus,I being my new week with the hope of complete sanctification in you and your love.
This morning my reflection blog is a little different. I was at the Waffle House low bar talking with customers and sharing my faith. A regular smirked back sarcastically that “the church would burn down if I entered it” and “it would take me along time to get right before that happens.” Last night at a local brewery where we held our men’s group, Brothers, Bibles and Beer (B3),we talked about my reflection from yesterday. We went around the group and reflected over the question, “If I had enough balls to make a change I believe God is calling me to make, what would that change be and what would it look like?" One of the men said he does not believe, or struggles to believe he is worthy enough for God to want to use him in any remarkable way.
In praying over these conversations this morning, I was reminded of a video. A couple years ago I was sent this short 3 minute video by a friend of mine. I have reflected on it, turned to Scripture, meditated on it, and shared it many times. The link for it is below.
We are not “made right” or “made worthy” by anything we can do in our flesh. We are not saved by our works. We are not saved by our professions of faith. We are not saved by our religion, church affiliation, or church attendance. We are not saved by our attendance in Bible studies like B3 or knowledge of Scriptures. We are not saved by the amount of time we pray. All these things are good and of extreme vital importance to the Christian faith. But any assurance or reliance of salvation on anything you put an “I” in front of is arrogance. Salvation is a solo act of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ who we all enter into only by the grace of God.
My family, I pray you will watch this video and then spend time on your own reflecting on it. I pray that either any feeling of being unworthy or removed from you, or on the other hand any ways in arrogance you are ascribing any part of your salvation, and that of others on anything other than the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ is removed from you, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I would love for you to please share your reflections on this video with myself or others using the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!