Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. I bow low and lift You high, as I begin my day, both reverently and intimately, in the Presence of my King in the communion of prayer with You; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, 'The one who is righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:16-17).
Today, we celebrate Halloween. Today also marks the 507th anniversary of the Reformation; the day the Catholic Monk, Martin Luther, nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It set off a revolution of reformation against many practices and doctrines that had crept into the teachings and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther was especially and passionately incensed against the spiritually coerced practice of requiring "indulgences" as payment to the church for the salvation of souls being purged in the fires of "purgatory." It's said that perhaps the straw that broke the camel's back for Luther was the inflammatory saying of Fr. Johann Tetzel, the Papal representative tasked with raising money from the people for building the basilica of St. Peter in Rome, "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs!"
It's not our coins, money, wealth, or assets but our hearts, turned to you in faith alone that determines our eternal destiny. And as I understand Your Word, there is no "purgatory," for "we are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). I thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have paid in full the penalty for my sins that I am forever cleansed of all unrighteousness through the repentance of my heart (1 John 1:9 and 2:2; Romans 5:8; Isaiah 53:5; Hebrews 7:7). When we depart this earthly realm in faith, we are with You in Your heavenly realm forever (Philippians 1:23; John 3:16). Though our works in this world may tested in the fire, we ourselves personally never will because of God’s mercy and grace by the sacrifice of Jesus and power of Your love for us "Through Him God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20).
Come, Holy Spirit. Awaken a revolution of reformation in my soul today. Cleanse my sins in the blood of Christ. Purify my heart in Your holy fire. Let my soul spring forth, filled with Your Spirit, to turn "(my) world upside down" in the name of Jesus for the glory of God and the salvation and sanctification of souls by faith alone (Acts 17:6). "For by grace (we) have been saved through faith, and this is not (our) own doing; it is the gift of God -- not the result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8). Make it clear to me the practices and doctrines that have crept into and are present today in the teachings and traditions of the church and in me, and ignite a revolution of reformation in my heart against all of these. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray the Holy Spirit awakens in your soul a revolution of reformation that first causes you to inwardly exam yourself and your church of practices and doctrines that have crept into your faith, And secondly, awakens and sends you out in His power and love to share your hope and faith in Jesus Christ to turn your world upside down today, 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
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
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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!! could use your financial support as we continue to missionally reach out into our community.
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and every moment of my day. ...
As I wait for Your leading, this Scripture comes to mind:
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore
‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:9-21).
As I read this passageI think, Why isn’t this love more present in our world, and even our church? It is because this kind of “love without hypocrisy” requires our obedience to Your Word to be an expression of Your Heart in our world. Yes, it is hard. In fact, it’s impossible -- impossible in our own power or wisdom, even with our best determination and religious effort.
But it’s not impossible for You Jesus. And with Your Holy Spirit abiding in us, it’s no longer impossible for us. “Christ in (us), the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). “(We) are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in (us).... If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in (us), He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to (our) mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in (us)” (Romans 8:9-11). “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). In fact, just as You said, “all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23).
So even living like a Christian is possible for us. Even when we’re mad at the evil around us, even as we “abhor what is evil” and fight against it with our prayers and our voices and our votes. But we are desperately dependent on You, You Word, Your Holy Spirit. Apart from You, we can do nothing but just be overwhelmed and overcome by this broken and fallen world in hopeless despair (John 15:5).
But we are not apart from You! You are in us! And Your Word and Your Spirit and Your Faith and Your Hope and Your Love abide in us. So by the power of Your Grace at work within us, we can overcome as we choose to obey and express the power of Your Love in our world.
Prioritizing time daily reading your Word, in prayer, and connecting deeper to Your presence in us is the only way we can have joy in the face of the evil we abhor. It is the only way we can be part of what You’re doing in our world and truly make a difference -- not listening to voices of hate on the internet, shouting and screaming, rioting and raging, not overcoming evil with evil -- but overcoming evil with good while both being diligent in action and fervent in spirit, continually steadfast in prayer and abiding in the power of Your love that conquers all, for Your “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may be empowered with the Love that never fails, abiding in you and overcoming the evil you abhor in this world, in Jesus' name. God bless you my friends!
Please share with my your thoughts or prayers with us in the comment box below.
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!!
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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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“So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence - and is set on fire by hell. For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in Godʼs image. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.” (James 3:5-10)
I normally do not post political centered reflections, however this morning I am compelled to as this issue has stirred strong conversations with my daughters and wife, friends, and was on my heart when I opened my Bibel this morning.
At a Trump rally at Madison Square Gardens, in the lead-up to Trump, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who goes by Kill Tony, referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage," made crude birth control jokes about Hispanics not “pulling out”, “cumming”, and not being welcomed. He inferred that Jews are cheap and Palestinians are "rock-throwers" and made a racist comment about a black man in the audience eating watermelon.
I listened to the full set of Hinchclife a couple times and each time afterwards I felt sick and saddened inside and asked myself “Why?” Why would Trump invite, include and allow such a divisive, racist comedian to speak at his rally? Now, I am not a “politically correct extremist.” I have in the past gone to and listened to comedians like George Carlin, Robert Downey Jr, Rodney Dangerfield, Chris Rock, and others. I know if I chose go to one of their shows and sit in the front rows I have a good chance of being ridiculed, made fun of, and negatively commented on as part of their set. I know what the subject is going to be about, I would not take my children, and know what I am getting into. However, this was a public event for the president of the US.
I am a Republican and I voted for Trump in the past two elections. I have two daughters in their mid-twenties I have been talking to about the issues and candidates. And after these last comments from this rally they are done with anything Trump, and sadly, I can’t blame them.
My family and I just three weeks ago took a trip to the Dominican Republic. And if you know your geography Puerto Rico is it’s next door neighbor island. We spent a week there loving, interacting, ministering, laughing with, learning from and embracing the beautiful Hispanic local people. And we were loved, ministered to, and embraced by them in return. My daughters were both so impacted by the trip, they are both taking Spanish lessons on line from a UAB professor and are planning on returning next month. My wife and I are planning on returning again in the future. I have served on mission trips to Costa Rica. I served for 3 years on the UMC task force for the poor and I serve and lead weekly at Manna House and House of the Harvest that ministers to, interacts with, and learns from the Hispanic and Latino community. As pastor at Toney UMC, leaders of my praise band were Hispanic and I worked to connect and worship together with local Hispanic churches. When I owned and operated my construction company I had Hispanic employees who were honest, hardworking, family oriented, men of faith.
So after the rally and my daughter’s heard the comedians speech my phone was lit up from texts from my daughters who know I am a Republican, and they also know my heart and love for all people I try to instill in them and others. They asked me if I had heard it, shared their disgust, they stated how wrong it was, and asked me for my honest thoughts. And I had to agree with them.
And I could not come back to them with “well Trump did not actually say those things.” It was his rally, he is responsible. If I’m pastoring a church and I invite someone to speak at a service that shares crude, divisive, racist comments, It is myself who is responsible and will be called to answer and my judgement questioned. Same if a teacher or principal invites some to share in a classroom or a school rally a person to speak that shares the same hate. It is the teacher or principal the parents are going to hold responsible. Same is a business person invites someone to speak at a conference or training. If a person stood up during our prayer time in church and spoke those hateful, divisive comments I would personally walk them out of the church and apologize for them. And Trump was there. He heard the comedians whole set. If he was appalled and disagreed with Hinchcliffe, the time to claim and state he made a mistake inviting him, and that the remarks the comedian made are not those he agrees with, was as soon he came to the microphone to speak. Yet he was in silent agreement.
I am sick and saddened by the hate, divisiveness, and attacks that are now commonplace and acceptable on both sides of the political aisle. This latest instance crossed a line.
The reflections above flow out of my personal experience and understanding of people and God and my understanding of His command for me to ‘love my neighbor.
One thing I am sure of, and I not based on my personal understanding, is that there are no “garbage people” that God created. There is no one on this earth that Jesus Christ out of complete love for them did not also die for them. There is no country or nationality that God claims but He has a world view of salvation, “God so loved the world. ”There is no language spoken that God prioritizes or prefers to hear prayers and praises. And there is no place or situation where it is acceptable for those who claim to be followers of Jesus and Christians to use their tongue, open their mouth, and “with the same tongue they bless the Lord and Father, use it to curse people made in Godʼs image. These things should not be so my brothers and sisters.”
My family, I pray this morning we all reflect on our tongues, the way we talk about, and especially post on line things about other people. I pray we would be reminded we are not to say anything about anyone unless we would say it if they were standing in front of us, and Jesus was standing beside us, 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 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. Help me hear Your heart and live into it today -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"You show me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).
With You in my heart and my heart in You, there are pleasures "forevermore." There is fullness of joy, fullness of peace, fullness of the abundance of life, just as You said, "I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). In You, there is "forevermore" and in You, there is "forever more."
I ask for more. More of You, more of Your Spirit, more of Your joy, more of Your peace, more of Your love, more of Your power, more of the fullness and abundance of Your life in me. "How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" (Luke 11:13). All of Your "more" is all by the extravagant gift of Your grace. And You are the God who always "gives all the more grace" (James 4:6). Your gifts are always "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over" (Luke 6:38).
So give me a holy hunger for more -- an unquenchable thirst and insatiable desire for more of all You desire for me. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). Your kingdom is within me; and of Your kingdom, there shall be "no end" (Luke 17:21 and 1:33).
Let me settle for nothing less than the "forever more" of all You have for me. "As it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor human heart conceived, what God has prepare for those who love Him!" (1 Corinthians 2:9). "Forevermore," You're always giving "forever more!" In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray this morning you begin your week in prayer with Jesus asking Him for more. More of His Spirit, more, joy, more peace, more love, more of His presence, intimacy, and fullness in your life. I pray you forevermore experience your heavenly Father' in all He desires and He has prepared for you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, 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
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.
Thanks You!
Write here…
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me start my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...
"He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
I have had many request for prayer this weak for various illnesses, anxieties, spousal issues, cancer and others. Jesus, whenever we feel sick, You are our Healer. Whenever we feel discouraged, You are our Encourager. Whenever we feel attacked, You are our Defender. Whenever we feel weary, You are our Strength. You're with us through it all and none of that will have the last word over us. The power of Your Presence dwelling in us is all we need to endure until we overcome in Your all-sufficient grace.
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:36). "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Lord, as You know, I have been praying for friends and loved ones who have not felt well or or are under some kind of attach in recent days. But You've been with them through it all, you have been standing by their side and abiding in their heart. I pray Lord You're already taken upon Yourself everything that would try to take hold of them, that they could be healed and whole and free (Isaiah 53:4-6 fulfilled by Christ in Matthew 8:17). So by the power of Your grace at work within them, I come into agreement and alignment with Your Word that will not return void and will accomplish Your good will for them. (Isaiah 55:11). Your will and Your plans for us are always good (Jeremiah 29:11). So I thank You now for what You've already done and all these good things of Your good will that we will see come to pass (Mark 11:24). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I earnestly pray this morning you are strengthened and encouraged, healed and free, thanking God now for all He has done and will help you to see and embrace in His good will for you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
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 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, 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) As you start a new 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 simply through programs, 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. Halloween is coming up and it is a rare opportunity when your neighbors come out and walk their neighborhoods and gather for parties. What are your plans to bless them?
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 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!
I would love for you to please share your reflections 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!
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This post could also be titled, “Three practical ways to be missional this halloween.”
Halloween is coming upon us. Last weekend I got my Halloween decorations out of my attic and decorated my yard for our 11th Annual Community Halloween yard party. It’s interesting to me that for many this becomes a “hot button” topic to discuss. I posted an event for our Halloween Gathering to invite our neighbors on our Nextdoor App. A lady posted a comment that was really long and really antagonistic that basically said that all who celebrate Halloween worship Satan and are going to hell.. I was in the Waffle House this morning and I invited a waitress to our party and a regular customer who knows I am a pastor sad to me, “You are a pastor and having a Halloween party?” We had a conversation on Halloween and that is what had me post this reflection from last year again as, it is that time again.
So as I did last year, I want to address the question: Should we as Christians engage in Halloween or should we abstain? . In actuality if you start reading about Halloween’s roots, it’s hard to find an answer of where it came from. But, regardless of where it comes from, the question at hand should be: Why is Halloween celebrated today? For most of us, Halloween isn’t a time where we celebrate the dead, go and skin a goat and sacrifice it to Satan. For most of us, it’s a time to dress up our kids as a super hero and send them to strangers’ houses to get free candy.
It has become just part of our culture in the West and has very little to do with the “darkness”…it’s not good, it’s not evil…it’s just something we celebrate, like the 4th of July. I know we might have stories of darkness, but there are also many stories of overdrinking and evil happening on our other holidays as well.
The whole of the Bible talks of God bringing reconciliation and redemption to all things back to himself. To bring peace to all things. Not only that but Paul speaks (1 Cor 8) to us about pagan festivals and says that there is nothing in them that is powerful, because there is only one God and everything and everyone comes through Him and have their being because of him.
Paul then talks about eating food sacrificed to idols…saying…it’s no big deal, unless you have a brother who would be deeply hurt by it because they struggle with following the idol and eating of that meat because they actually used to worship it and perform various religious things.
Here’s how to contextualize for Halloween: If you have a brother who used to worship Satan and they used to sacrifice goats and drink its blood, then it might be a good idea to walk through Halloween with them, guiding them so it would make that brother stumble. This does NOT mean, if you have a brother who merely thinks as his opinion it is wrong to celebrate Halloween that you should put it to the side. That’s never the intent with any of the passages of making a brother stumble…if that was the case, many of us would be in sin because of all the things we do that make other Christians merely uncomfortable. Jesus was not about making people comfortable.
And Jesus would have been in sin and made many people stumble with the life that he led around sinners as he ate and drank (yep wine) with them. Again…making a brother stumble and making a brother uncomfortable are completely separate issues.
With all that said, what are we to do with Halloween? If we are to look to redeem Halloween, what does that mean? If we are to do all things to the glory of God, what does that look for Halloween?
First, a few things you should probably STOP doing:
1. Dressing your kid up as St. Paul or Moses to try to prove a point.
2. Calling the Halloween Party at your church building a “Harvest Festival.” It is like an atheist calling a “Christmas Party” a “Holiday Party.” It’s just calling the elephant in the room a squirrel and it’s weird.
3. Taking all your people away from their neighborhoods and into your building.
4. Wrapping a tract around an apple and handing it out to the kids who are trick or treating and calling it “evangelizing”
None of these things redeem anything, but just add to the notion that Christians want to be apart from the world and create their own subculture. Instead, let’s be like Jesus and celebrate it like he would have.
When we look at the life of Jesus and our God, we see that they always pursued the sinner and the world. They loved us right where we were and engaged us in the ways that we’d understand who God is and what He has done.
Not only that, but Jesus used the everyday celebrations as a way to build relationships so he could speak into the lives of those around him. He was continually at parties. So much so, that when Matthew was called to follow Jesus, it seemed normal to Matthew to invite Jesus and all the apostles back to his house to party with all his “sinner” friends. (Matthew 9:9,10; Mark 2:14-17) People knew that Jesus was about celebrating, he was about truth, he was also about pursuing and about building relationships with people. With that in mind, how can we then show people THAT Jesus to our communities during Halloween?
1. Be THAT House
You know “that” house. When you were a kid and you went to a house and said “trick or treat” and they handed you a full size candy bar, it was like winning the lottery. It was such good news, you’d tell strangers dressed up like a clown zombie where to find the goods. Everyone knew that house in the neighborhood and if you didn’t have one in your neighborhood, you’d travel what seemed to be miles to get to that house. Be THAT house. We have been blessed to be a blessing. Think about how this shows people the Father. Everyone is expecting to get a small fun size bar. It’s what they’ve earned by dressing up and having the courage to knock on your door and say “trick or treat.” What they know they haven’t earned is a full size candy bar…it speaks to this idea of grace and blessing.
You don’t need to tell the kids this, but it starts to tell the story of what your house is about to the neighbors. It tells a different story than what they expect or are used to and this is exactly the story of the gospel. Spend the extra cash to make that happen. If you can’t afford it, get your Missional Community to all pitch in. Ask your church to put it in the budget for next year…whatever you gotta do…be that house! You’ll be amazed at what doors that opens with your neighbors.
2. Be a Welcoming Presence
If our God is about pursuit, blessing and welcoming then what would it look like to be about pursuit on Halloween? How about instead of staying inside your house, be in the driveway or front porch. I know this isn’t available for everyone because of weather, but what would it look like in your neighborhood for people to feel welcomed to come to your house and feel blessed by it?
For The Liederbach's, we are going to have fire pit in our front yard. We will be cooking hot dogs over the fire and making s’mores. We prayer walked our neighborhoods and personally invited or put invitations in 450 of our neighbor’s mailboxes. Last year we had over 380 kids trick or treat our house plus I don’t know how many adults that accompanied them come and hang out and cook a hot dog or s’more. It’s a way for us to come together and hang out and bless our neighborhood. It shows that we are more than about handing out candy, but we are here to bless their entire family and in a sense, welcome you into our lives.
Again, it shows something quite different than every other house. Last year a father with three young kids came up with them to our front porch to get candy. The father said, “The kids all discussed before we headed out they wanted to go to this house last. Save the best for last! Plus once we come here we always hang out awhile.” I put candy in his kids bags then they headed towards the fire pit and fun. We have been doing this for 11 years and the neighborhood now expects it and people come and hang out and have a great time meeting their neighbors.
If you can’t be outside, how can you bless the families that are walking around your neighborhood? Maybe offer coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. to the parents and trick or treaters that come to your door. Again…think, “How can I be a blessing and show that we are a welcoming and pursuing people like our Dad?”
3. Celebrate
It is not secret that Jesus loved to party. So much so, that people kept inviting him to parties. Pretty amazing to think about. If we have a Dad in heaven that loves us and accepts us, not for what we do or have done, but because of what his Son has done for us and now we are heirs to the throne of heaven…don’t we have the most to celebrate?
We should be defined as Jesus was defined: a glutton and drunkard. He was celebrating so much that the religious saw him as a glutton and drunkard but the sinners and the world saw him as a dude that they’d like to hang with. Where have we gone wrong here? Christians shouldn’t be the ones avoided for parties, but should be the ones that people are most excited to have come around because they bring the “better wine.”
We made it almost a rule in our house that if we are invited to a party…we are going and we are going to think through how we can bless that party as much as possible. We are always invited to parties because of this. People know what Nancy and I are about, they know we love Jesus. But they also know that when we enter a party we won’t make it weird, but we hopefully make the party more enjoyable by us being there. We have literally had people say, “if Jesus is like this…he was a lot different than we’ve ever been told.”
If you aren’t invited to parties…this Halloween is a great time to throw one. Throw a costume party, a pumpkin carving party, a cookie decorating party, have a photo booth at the party, have a party with games for kids. You can do all kinds of things for Halloween…it’s a party holiday. By doing this, meaning throwing an awesome party, you start to show off something different about you as a follower of Jesus and showing off who Jesus was and what he was about. And do this at your home in your neighborhood, don’t simply rely on your church to do this for you.
He was about parties because that’s where people were and that’s where people connect and share stories and start and continue relationships. Halloween is a really funny holiday when we think about it. But, it’s a holiday that is so easy to build relationships and bless the community and start (or continue) to show off what our Dad is like.
If instead, we turn off our front porch lights, lock our doors, go to our church buildings and we have a “harvest festival” on Halloween, we show the world exactly what they’ve always seen about our God. He is closed off, judgmental and waits for us to come to him. This isn’t our Dad…he is quite different. He is welcoming, he is gracious and merciful and he pursues us and can’t wait to celebrate with us. Don’t use this holiday to make a point. Use this holiday to point to the true reason we all get to celebrate and bless…Jesus.
My guess is that if Jesus lived in our neighborhood, everyone couldn’t wait to go to his house to see what he was going to hand out this year. Everyone would be excited to go to Jesus’ Halloween party and couldn’t wait to invite him over to their party. My only question I wonder is “Who would Jesus dress up as for Halloween?” Who knows…but you know it’d be a killer costume.
My daily prayer is, “Lord send us the ones no one else wants.”
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 be examples of Jesus’ love and grace to 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!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." 2Cor. 1:3-6
If you read my reflection blogs fairly regularly, you know that many of my morning posts flow out of encounters with people were by simply listening to them I was granted Holy entrance into their lives. I was working my one-day a week shift at Lowes last night and a couple employees were adjusting the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations. Walking through that section of the store it is a reminder we are entering into the holiday season. I was talking with a fellow employee setting up a Thanksgiving display. The conversation turned toward the upcoming holidays. The employee shared her mother had passed away this past June. She was very close to her. She said this would the first Thanksgiving and Christmas without her. Their family always went to her house for holiday gatherings and meals and this year it will be so different and she does not know what she will do. I just listened and let her share “life” with me. Then there in the seasonal aisle of Lowes, I prayed with her.
We all, including myself have suffered from loss. Loss of a spouse, parent, or other family member; a recent divorce, loss of a job, a recent move away from family. All these things can create emotions of sadness and depression. And we all, including myself, need others, someone to simply listen to us share our feelings to get through it. We all need real conversations with real people. Not just an on-online Facebook or other post and comments.
I post a blog daily to in someway allow us to be in conversation and share our life and faith together, Though I ask for readers to share their reflections and thoughts, it is usually a one- way conversation in which I am the one talking, However, I want you to know I am here for you. I want you to remember my door is always open, the coffee pot is always on and my sofa is always warm and a place of peace and non-judgement. Any one,, whoever you are.... who simply need to chat are welcome to contact me anytime. It's no good suffering in silence. I have cold drinks in the fridge...tea & coffee in the cupboard and I will always be here....You are never not welcome!! Starbucks and Waffle House are open where we can gather to talk as well or go grab a beer. You never have to go through a difficult season in life alone. You never have to suck-it-in and push through a gloomy overcast day of depression, loneliness, addiction, fear, frustration, or bleak thoughts alone. It's always good to talk but its even better to listen, and to be listened to. Some days this hits closer to home than we think. I'll always lend an ear and a shoulder and my heart. My hands are always ready to raise in prayer. Call/text me Gary Liederbach at 256-302-3785
My family, I pray you read the passage from 2Corinthians again. Then reflect on your life situations today. Maybe you need to call someone today to talk. I know if you pray to the Holy Spirit, he will lead you to a name you need to call and simply listen. OR maybe the same Holy Spirit will lead to a person’s name you know may be going through a life situation you need to call or go visit; not text, not FB, but actually call and talk to. Or a co-worker or class mate you need to step out of your routine and ask to listen to them, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Pease share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
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One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
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"Let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, so that those who love Your name may exult in You. For You bless the righteous, O Lord; You cover them with favor as with a shield" (Psalm 5:11-12).
When I was at the Waffle House bar the other morning, the lady sitting next to me turned to me and asked me what I do for a living. I told her I am in Community Development. I don’t usually tell anyone when I first meet then that I am a pastor. As when I do, allot of times they say”Oh”, then they will put out their cigarettes, pour out their beer, change the way they talk, and just act weird! The lady said, "Well, you just seem like a genuinely happy person." I thanked her and smiled and told her that was really nice to hear.
I know, I probably should have invited her to church or asked her about her faith, or offered to minister healing and deliverance or something; but honestly, at that moment, I was just thinking about what a great blessing You've given me. I thank You, Lord, because You're the One who gave me that joy the lady noticed. Despite everything I've ever been through, and You know I have been through allot, You've never let my joy be taken from me. I'm genuinely joyful because You've put that joy in me. It's like the Sunday School song says: "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart, down in my heart to stay." I like that other verse too -- "And if the devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack, sit on a tack today!,.
Even when I was a general contractor, I loved to joke and laugh." I've still got my old jokes and I've still got my laugh! But Your joy has always been my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). And Your joy has always been at the heart of my experience of You and the growing fulfillment of Your kingdom in my life. "For the kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
You've allowed me to see one of the great purposes of Your words of Spirit and life are "so that (Your) joy may be in (me), and that (my) joy may be complete" as I learn to obey You and abide in You (John 15:10-11). And even though on our daily, spiritual journey through this broken and fallen world "(we) have pain now ... (but at the same time, our) hearts will rejoice, and no one will take (our) joy from (us)" as we live out our days in the conscious awareness of Your Presence (John 16:22-24). "You show me the path of life. In Your Presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!" (Psalm 16:11)
You're the God who makes us genuinely joyful! You take away all our sins! What can be more Joyous than that? You remove our sorrows to give us freedom and joy to display Your glory through our lives. "(You) give (us) beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that (we) may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified!" (Isaiah 61:3 NKJV) In You, You fulfill in us the promise of Your Word: "The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away!" (Isaiah 35:10) Thank You, Jesus! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you begin this Monday morning of a new week you pray to Jesus a prayer you probably do not pray often, to be genuinely joyful this week, that the joy of the Lord may be your strength, and that no one can take your joy from you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections on joy 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.
Thanks You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God, You are the same yesterday and today and forever. Steadfast and true, faithful are You. Empower me to be faithful too. ...
"If we are faithless, He remains faithful -- for He cannot deny Himself" (2 Timothy 2:13).
Jesus, as I sit here and reflect on these verses this morning, a song is streaming in the background with the lyrics, “Oh the overwhelming, never ending reckless love of God..” Some Christian songs today speak of Your reckless love -- reckless because it's so overwhelming and we're so undeserving. Some speak of Your unfailing love -- unfailing because it never ends and always wins. But above all, I've experienced Your relentless love -- relentless because You never relent, You never retreat in Your passionate pursuit of my heart -- no matter how undeserving or unfaithful, how timid or compromising, how I've been tempted to turn to the world or put up a wall or settle for something less than all You've desired for me. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). That's relentless love.
So who could resist Your relentless love? Why would we run from Someone running so hard after us? What a picture You gave us in the parable of the prodigal son when You showed us the relentless love of a father running to embrace his lost son. "But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). You are that Father, just as we are that son that could never run far enough away and never do wicked, selfish enough things that could make You stop loving us. That's relentless love.
Father, forgive me for ever resisting Your relentless love. Forgive me for ever taking it for granted. Forgive me for ever squandering the blessing and invitation of a lifetime of intimacy with You. You are so worthy of my relentless love in return. I love You because You first loved me; I pursue You because You first pursued me (1 John 4:19). You "have loved (me) with an everlasting (relentless) love" when there's nothing I could ever do to ever earn it or deserve it (Jeremiah 31:2). So this day, here in a deeper surrender of my heart and vulnerable intimacy in Your presence, I embrace Your relentless love for me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
My family, I pray you fully accept the invitation embrace the relentless love of our passionately pursuing God in a deeper surrender of your heart and vulnerable intimacy in His presence, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your comments, reflections, and prayers from today’s reading 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
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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. Fill me with Your Light so I can walk in the Light today -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in; so they brought those men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar said to them, 'Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?' Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let Him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up'" (Daniel 3:13-18).
Those were perilous times for those who refused to worship the god of the culture of the day. They had to make a choice. They had to take a stand. And they chose to take their stand against all the power and pressure that came against them in furious rage, intent on forcing them to turn away from their God and bow down to worship the false god being exalted in their land like everybody else.
Their choice of conscience, their "vote" to whom they would devote their trust, could cost them so much more than their respectability and reputation in their culture. Their "stand" on the positions of righteousness could cost them their very lives in the fire of the furnace or their very souls in the face of heaven. But in courage and faith, they chose what was right. They chose to face the fire and the fury of those who sought to silence their voice and defile their God and force them to forsake their faith, no matter the cost.
"Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace heated up seven times more than was customary, and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics, their trousers, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire" (Daniel 3:19-21).
But then their perilous times became deeply precious times. You drew near to them in the intimacy of Your Presence. You stood with them in the mist of the fire and in the face of their tormentors.
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, 'Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?' They answered and said to the king, 'True, O king.' 'Look!' he answered, 'I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.' Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.' Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them" (Daniel 3:24-27).
We as well live in a perilous time where we are challenged, confronted, pressured to remain silent, and discouraged from sharing our faith and abandoning our beliefs. These attacks and confrontations our coming from family, friends, co-workers, classmates, public opinion, social media, government policy and others in power and position. Lord, let these perilous times become our most precious times. Give us courage and faith to stand firm for You and for what is right. By the power of Your grace, may we refuse to bow down to the false gods of our culture, even in the face of all the power and pressure coming against us to shut up and back down.
No matter the cost, may we choose You. May we choose to stand firm, to speak out, to pray and to vote, for what is right. You'll be with us through whatever fire and fury we face. And may our courage and faith even become a powerful witness to our tormentors, that even they may come to acknowledge the Most High God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be filled with courage and faith to stand firm in the face of whatever fury and fire you face, as a faithful servant of the Most High God, 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
Pleas 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 here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours'" (Mark 11:22-23).
You invite me to pray and ask n faith. And the main focus of my faith is to be in You. You said "Have faith in God." So the main focus of my faith, my prayers, and my words is to be in You and who You are. Yes, I am to have faith in what I asking for and speaking to, because You said "believe that what you say will come to pass," but the main focus of my faith is not to be in what I'm seeking to come to pass but in the One I'm seeking. I'm to seek You first, and then these things I'm praying for and speaking to (Matthew 6:33).
Relationship first.
It's like when You sent out Your disciples to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God in Your name, praying for people and speaking to whatever held them bound and held them back from the fullness of Your mercy and love (Luke 10:1-12). When they returned, they were excited that even the demons submitted to their word spoken in faith and the authority of Your name (Luke 10:17). But even as You rejoiced with them and thanked our Father for them, You reminded them that the main focus of their faith was to be in God and their personal relationship with You (Luke 10:21). You said, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that yhe spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke10:18-20).
Lord, increase my faith in You. Help me grow in my focus on You first -- on who You are, on Your nature and on the nature of Your relationship with me. It's out of this intimacy and communion of our relationship that I can pray and say in faith what's on Your heart and what's in line with Your will, because You're aligning my heart and my will with Yours. "Anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17).
This is how I keep growing to the place in my relationship with You where I pray and say and "do not doubt in (my) heart, but believe that what (I) say will come to pass;" and this is how I keep growing to the the place in my relationship with You where I can "believe that (I) have received it, and it will be (mine)" (Mark 11:22-24). It's not by what I have done or will do, but all by You and what You have done -- the One who's written my name in heaven and on the palms of Your hands (Luke 10:20; Ephesians 2:8; Isaiah 49:16). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you are growing in your faith in God and your intimacy with Him that you can pray and say in faith what on His heart through your life, 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!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. In Your grace and from Your embrace, I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, as I begin my day in the intimacy of Your Presence - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue ... and others from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke" (Acts 6:8-9).
I love the story of Stephen because he was like you and me and we can be encouraged from him. Stephen was not one of the 12 apostles; he was simply like you and I, a servant of Jesus. He was not a learned scholar; he was a student of the faith. He was just a person who sought to live his life in "good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom ... a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit" (v. 6:3-5). Yet the Holy Spirit anointed him and empowered him, and did "great wonders and signs" through him. And the Holy Spirit desires to do the same through every one of us in the authority of the name of Jesus and the power of the Spirit -- "through those who believe" (Mark 16:17-18).
Father God, lay Your hands upon me today. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit today. With the authority of the name of Jesus in my words and the nature of Jesus growing in my heart, do great wonders and signs of Your love and grace through my life. Just like Stephen, I'm Your servant and I'm Your son -- a child of God, being filled up to overflowing with the same power and the same nature that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). Display the glory of Your power and love, Your wisdom and grace, through me today -- "Christ in (me), the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray this morning as a new week begins you will ask the Holy Spirit to be filled afresh with his Spirit, full of Jesus’ love, full of God's grace and power so you can be used by the Father to display His glory, His great wonders and signs, through your life today, 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
Help us continue our ministries to those “no one else wants” in our community by giving a one-time gift or monthly financial gift by clicking link below. Donations by checks can be made out to "ODC" and mailed to: One Direction Community, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your sheep hear Your voice, so I call on Your name and listen for Your leading.
"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress; He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and He brought them to their desired haven" (Psalm 107:28-30).
I watched the news this morning of hurricane Milton to hit Florida yesterday. Though the hurricane has passed, the rains remains, the rivers are rising in what they're catastrophic flooding and there is major damage. Thousands are stranded and wait for rescue. A million people were without power. Thousands more now wonder how they will rebuild and move on. While I'm thankful that we were not impacted in our community, I'm moved with compassion and stirred to intercession for all who were and for all who long for this nightmare to be over.
So I join with every heart crying out to You, calling on Your name, and seeking Your help. Lord, dry up the rains, push back the clouds, clear up the skies, and send forth Your word. Bring provision and protection for all who are in need. Send out Your angels and send out Your servants to be Your hands and Your heart.
You've stilled the storm and hushed the waves, now be our Rescue and our Refuge for all who are crying out in distress. We need You now in our hour of need. And we thank You now for every way we will see You come through and bring each soul "to their desired haven.
We set aside our pride and humble our hearts to be desperately dependent upon You alone. You are our Rock and our Refuge. Be our Strong Tower, our Mighty God, as we call on Your name. "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in You my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by" (Psalm 57:1). May our prayers of urgency become prayers of consistency, as we continue to keep our hearts humble and our faith strong before the One who is our only true and lasting Hope, come hell or high water. In Jesus’ name I pray.
My family, I pray you'll be rescued and comforted if you're in distress and that you'll be moved to intercession for all who are. Please join me in prayer for all who are suffering in the wake of this hurricane. 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 your thoughts 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
Give A Gift!
I could use your 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 YouI!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead my heart, renew my mind, and guide my steps in the way, the truth, and the life of Christ today.
"I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.... Do not, O Lord, withhold Your mercy from me; let Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness keep me safe forever.... Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me.... As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!" (Psalm 40:1-17)
O Lord, our God, hear our cry. Hear the cry of every soul whose patience is running thin and whose faith is growing weary. Reach down into their pit of despair and lift them out of the miry bog of confusion and disillusionment. Set their feet on the solid ground of the assurance of Your presence, Your protection, and Your provision. Bring order out of their chaos and hope to their hearts.
O God, hear! O God, act! O God, come in Your power and love in both Your supernatural miracles and in Your Spirit-led people, reaching out to the hurting and taking hold of the helpless, to weather this storm and rebuild their lives in You. We need Your hope! We need Your help! "You are (our) Help and (our) Deliverer; do not delay, O (our) God! (v. 17) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray in agreement with you and all who are led to join us in prayer by the Holy Spirit over those affected by Hurricane Helene and those who now find themselves in the path of Hurricane Milton in Florid.. Many of us have vacationed along these beautiful coasts and have family memories that were made on their beaches. Let’s together pray for all who are suffering in the wake of these storms that they 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. And may these terrible storms be turned into a great harvest. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts 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
Give A Gift!
I could use your 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 YouI!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the way of life in You today. ...
Last week as I sat on the shore of the ocean one morning, with the vastness of God and His presence everywhere and anywhere on earth came into my mind. Sitting on the beach, with it’s billions of grains of sand, I am in a way like one of the billions of grains of people on this planet. And even though You God have a world view of salvation, “God So loved the World” you also desire a deep personal connection with me.
The truth is: "O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your Presence! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I god down to the grave, You are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there You hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night -- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.... And when I wake up, You are still with me!" (Psalm 139:18 NLT)"I bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your Presence the pleasures of living with You forever!" (Psalm 16:7-11)
You are "right beside me." ...
What if I were to live my life believing that was true? ...
What if I were to live this day believing that was true? ...
If I truly believed You were right beside me, would I make different choices throughout the moment of my day. Would I be more secure and confident? Would I be more careful and diligent? Would I be more honest and faithful? Would I be afraid in the fear of the Lord or would I be fearless in the certainty of my Savior?
The truth is You are right beside me. Always (Matthew 28:20). You never leave me (Hebrews 13:5). In fact, You are within me by the indwelling of Your very Spirit (Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 3:16). You always know every thought in my mind and every desire in my heart. I couldn't hide from You if I tried. They don't make fig leaves that big anymore!
So no matter how it makes me feel or act, You are "right beside me" regardless. And in the light of that eternal truth, give me grace to live my life each day with a deeper awareness of that truth and Your Presence. It's a good thing. No, it's a great thing. In fact, it's a grace thing that I could never earn and never deserve, but only receive as the great gift of God that it is -- the gift of the ever-abiding Presence of my God who loves me and likes being with me!
Thank You, Lord! Help me learn to appreciate You and Your Presence more. Thank You for being "right beside me" every moment of my life forever. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you live this day and every day in the growing awareness of the ever-abiding Presence of God who loves you and likes being with 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
Give A Gift!
I could use your 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 YouI!
Good morning Lord Jesus, Set me free today from anything that would bind me from laughing and running through the fields of life with you today…..
“On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Letʼs go across to the other side of the lake.” So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, donʼt you care that we are about to die?” So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!” “So they came to the other side of the lake, to the region of the Gerasenes. Just as Jesus was getting out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came from the tombs and met him.” (Mark 4:35-44, 5:1-2)
The photo above is was taken the last day of our trip. The owner of the resort out of his generasity, allowed us for free to take a 45 minute trip on his yacht that ended literally 30 minutes before we jumped in the van that took us to the airport. This wonderful, short post ride on the sea inspired me to read a story in the Bible of Jesus and his disciples boat ride on the sea. In the story from Mark, Jesus asks His disciples to go for a boat ride with Him. And they all said yes. I mean who would not want to take a cruise on a boat with Jesus!!!! As wonderful as our ride was in the photo above, a boat ride with Jesus would have to be 100 times more amazing! I am sure the disciples imagined this boat ride would be absolutely wonderful! It would be like a scene of The Little Mermaid with fish jumping all around them, dolphins spraying water around the boat and birds swooping around in the sky singing to them. This is Jesus after all! However, instead Jesus headed the boat straight into a storm in life. The winds and rain pounded the boat, the waves were swamping it, the disciples were afraid and cried out to Jesus. They thought he may be able to help by maybe miraculously producing buckets for bailing the water or something like that. But what Jesus did was far beyond anything they imagined. Jesus said to words, and In an instant the chaotic and powerful storm with huge waves, strong wind, thunder, lightning and rain stopped. All became calm and quiet, and a smooth slick came over the ocean like glass. The disciples were afraid when they found themselves in the storm, however when Jesus calmed the storm they were even more terrified than in the storm, and asked “WHO IS THIS THAT IS IN OUR BOAT?”
And after they got through the storm, and their fears had begun to subside some, I am sure they figured this boat trip with Jesus could not get any worse and they would head back to a safe familiar harbor. No, instead Jesus sailed the boat to an unsafe, unknown beach where lived scary, un-clean people. When they landed on the shore they were immediately met my a maniac who lived in the tombs. Jesus got out of the boat, but the disciples looked at the scene and said, “No, way in hell” and they remained cowering in the boat and did not follow Jesus. When this new challenge in life came up they so quickly forgot “Who was in their boat”, abandoned Jesus and did not trust Him enough to follow Him.
Each morning, including this morning, Jesus is asking you and me to “get into the boat” with Him. And He asks us to trust Him enough to sail with Him out of our comfort zone into places that are strange to us and to people who our foreign, maybe even a little scary to us. Why? Because that is where we will find the people who are “living and trapped in the tombs” of this worlds evil and chaos without Jesus. That is where we will find people who are desperate for us to help them break loose from their chains of sin. That is where we will find Jesus.
My family, do you really believe Jesus is calling us to follow Him into sanctuaries and sit in pews? Or wants us to stay in our comfortable, safe crowds who drink Starbucks and listen to Casting Crowns:? No, He is calling us into a “holy fear” where we remember not just “Who is in our boat”, but “Who is actually in us” through His Holy Spirit breathed into each of us in our baptism. My family, I pray you choose to follow Jesus, and pick up your cross and plant it as the mast in your rescue boat, and sail out into the storms of your communities, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use your 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.G
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
ThankYou!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. All that I have and all that I am, I entrust to You today.
I was so blessed that the picture above was the view from my chair in the Dominican Republic as I was sitting looking at the vastness of the ocean and hearing the endless crashing of the waves,. I opened my Bible on my phone and turned to one of my favorite “Beach” scenes. Here are my reflections and prayers The Holy Spirit gave me from this time with Him.
"Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.'... They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, 'Children, you have no fish, have you?' Then answered Him, 'No.' He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you fill find some... When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea" (John 21:3-7).
In the face of persecution and out fear of crucifixion, Peter denied Jesus three times after vowing he would never denyJesus. Naked and ashamed, stripped of his pride and still hurting inside, he went back to fishing along with Thomas and the other disciples. I'm sure he still wrestled with forgiving himself for failing You. And in the dark night of his soul, he caught nothing.
But "just after daybreak," he heard Your voice again. Like the dawn of a new day, Your voice broke into the darkness of his soul. He remembered Your voice and remembered his past when he'd heard You call him to cast his nets on the other side of the boat before. He knew it was You. And though he had failed You, You had never forgotten him. So he jumped into sea and swam out of his self-pity to the shores of Your grace. And there by the warm fire of Your tender mercies and unfailing love, You restored his identity and released him into his destiny (v. 15-19).
Thank You Jesus, that through my thoughts, actions and words in life I have denied you way more than 3 times. I also have wallowed in self pity. Yet You've never given up on me. Thank You for the dawning of every new day, when You remind me of Your faithfulness in the past and encourage me with Your faithfulness forever. Your love never fails and Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness! Great is Your love! Great is Your power to redeem and restore! In the fire of Your spirit You confirm my identity as a child of God and release me into my destiny as disciple of Christ. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My Family, with tears in my eyes as God is wrecking me right now, I pray you may experience the dawn of a new day, remembering the faithfulness of Jesus whenever you may struggle with failure or lack of faith. I pray you may hear the voice of Jesus calling you back to the shore of His grace, experience the endless waves of His mercies, soak in the oceans of His loving embrace, and emerge dripping in the water of life, redeemed and restored. 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!
Please partner and support myself and One Direction community in reaching out into our community with the saving grace of Jesus 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 YouI!
TO GIVE , CLICK HERE
