"Following Jesus in Fear"

Good morning Father, Son, and Spirit, I claim your presence in my life as I begin my week so I can impact those I meet this with your love and grace.

“They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem. Jesus was going ahead of them, and they were amazed, but those who followed were afraid…” (Mark 10:32)

“But those who followed were afraid…” When was the last time you were afraid to follow Jesus?  When was the last time you made a decision to follow Jesus knowing it would cost you something?  When was the last time you obeyed His call to follow knowing it would be hard, difficult, uncomfortable and you would not get anything out of it but the satisfaction of being obedient?

We in America live and worship in a form of “ comfortable church” and easy discipleship that is absence of fear. We follow Jesus to comfortable worship buildings and Sunday school classrooms with comfortable chairs and AC.  We follow Jesus to Wednesday night suppers.  And we follow Jesus not with the His understanding that "church" is walking in public confronting and encountering others with the Gospel, but by isolating ourselves from our community and driving in comfortable cars, listening to Casting Crowns, drinking Starbucks and insulating ourselves from those who are around  us in the cars and homes we are passing, to go to a safe and comfortable "sanctuaries."  

Fear does not enter into our decision not to follow Jesus, comfort does.  Asking the question, "When was the last time you did not follow Jesus out of fear?" may not be applicable to us.  However the question, "When was that last time you did not follow Jesus for lack of comfort?, does apply to most of us.   If it is raining outside, we stay home.  If we had a hard day at work, we stay home.  If we just don’t feel like it today, we stay home.

We don’t talk to people we encounter in our work day about Jesus because it makes us “uncomfortable.” We don’t know our neighbors and invite them into our homes to build relationships with us to share Jesus because it make us uncomfortable. Yet those people actually attend your "church", those you meet along along the way as you follow Jesus.  Read Mark 10:32 again.  "Church" was those those they met along the way as they followed Jesus.

My family, I pray as you follow Jesus on your way today,  you follow Him in a way that makes you afraid, or at least makes you uncomfortable.  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!

"Not Enough Salt"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be my wisdom and my strength, as You lead my spirit and direct my path through the moments of my day.

“Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot" (Matthew 5:13).

This morning I reflected on “salt.”

We say someone is "the salt of the earth" as a way of saying they are a good person, trustworthy, thoughtful, considerate, and kind. When they're around, life tastes a little better.

I want to be salty, Lord - salty for Jesus. Salt preserves what is good and keeps things from spoiling, melts what is cold, and adds a little flavor. I want to be found faithful, "worth my salt" because I'm secure in my identity as a son of God, destined to be alive and strategically positioned by my Creator in my generation for such a time as this. Make me saltier still, salt me and bring out the flavors in me of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22).

You're my Savior so I can be Your salt. Give me grace to make life taste a little better today for everyone around me. Let them "taste and see that the Lord is good" because they taste a little bit of You in me (Psalm 34:8). "Christ in (me)" -- The Salt of the Earth in me. (Colossians 1:27). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray you'll be salty for Jesus today, the salt of the earth, worth your salt, full of the flavors of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control;to everyone you encounter today, all by the power of the grace of God at work within 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!

Lose to gain

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your leading. 

"If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for My sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:34-38).

Lord, what does it mean to lose my life for your sake and for the sake of the gospel?  ...

I believe I'm hearing in my heart you say to me, "To lose your life for me is to willingly choose in the freedom you have to fully entrust your life to me. It's allowing my will to become your will, my thoughts to become your thoughts, my desires to become your desires, my ways to become your ways, so that my nature becomes your nature. It's your choice. And it's a daily choice. It's a journey. And it's a daily journey. But it's the choice that will make all the difference for the journey of your life. Come; follow me. Come; and keep following me. It has been and will forever be the best choice you could ever make."

Yes, Lord. By the power of your grace, give me the desire and the power to choose you this day and every day. "God is working in (me), giving (me) the desire and the power to do what pleases Him" (Philippians 2:13 NLT). Choice by choice, day by day, on my journey of faith, you are conforming me into your image (Romans 8:29). As You give me the desire and the power to keeping losing my life for you, to keep entrusting my life fully to you, offering my life as "a living sacrifice" to you alone, you are freeing me to be all you created me to be (Romans 12:1-2).

It's only in your will that I am free. It's only as I lose my life for your sake that I can truly live into the fullness of all you long for me to be. Help me grow in my understanding of this truth. As best as I can and all by your grace, help me grow in my complete trust and full surrender of my life to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,  I pray you live into the fullness of all you were were created to be -- willingly choosing to lose your life for the sake of Christ, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! 

Please share your reflections or experiences on silence and prayer 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 my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.Become our partner and support us in our ministries by becoming supporting us monthly or with a one-time gift. Thank you! 

 

"Scraps for Dogs"

“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 2025 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!

 

 

 

 

"Make Me Get In The Boat"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're my Lord and Savior, and I surrender my life and every moment of my day into Your hands --You're nail-scarred hands that remind me every morning of all Your mercy and love for me. ...

"Immediately (Jesus) made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, He went up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and He was alone on the land. When He saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, He came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke to them and said, 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid!' Then He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded..." (Mark 6:45-51).

Your Word says You "made" Your disciples get into the boat to "go on ahead to the other side."

You weren't being mean or controlling. You weren't forcing them to do something they didn't want to do, because each one of them already made the choice before this day to let go of the lives they had, take hold of the life You offered, and to get up and go on and follow You. This was just another step of obedience, just another step of faith, just another step of surrender to keep learning to fully trust You and fully depend upon You to lead them into all You had for them and all You would do through them. You were making disciples of them.

So sometimes in Your mercy and love You have to "make" us take the next step. It's the only way we'll ever "go on ahead" to what You have next. You know our nature. We can get too comfortable with how it's always been. We can get too secure in what we think we have now. We can get too resistant to the nudges of Your Spirit and the sensing of Your calling to get up and come on because it's time to go on ahead to the next season of the journey to maturity in Christ.

There were some "adverse winds" they were about to encounter. There was some "straining at the oars" that was set before them. There were some scary things Your disciples were about to face. But the scariest thing turned out to be You all along! 

You were not a ghost coming to scare them. You were their Savior coming to get them to the other side. So in the midst of their fears and confusion, You once again spoke Your words of spirit and life into their hearts -- Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep -- saying, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid!"

There's so much in this Word You are speaking to me today. I feel like I could preach a sermon right now! But I know I'm the one who needs to hear Your sermon right now. I'm the one who needs to hear Your words of spirit and life in my heart -- Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep. ...

I believe I hear You speaking in my heart, "Don't be afraid. Get in the boat. We're going to the other side. I'll be with you. I'll come and meet you were you are. And as you know by now, I'll never leave you as you are. I'm making you into a faithful disciple who will make many disciples, all in My name and all by the power of My grace." ...

Yes, Lord. Yes, my Lord and my Savior. Give me grace to hear Your voice and follow You. Give me courage and grace to get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side into all You have next. Even if You have to "make" me. Because I do trust Your mercy and love for me. And I do trust Your work within me to make me Your disciple -- step by step, morning by morning, day by day, from glory to glory in You.

I do notice, as I peak ahead just a moment, that when those disciples of Yours got to the other side, amazing things started to happen! Probably even exceedingly, abundantly more than they could ever ask or imagine!

"When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized (Jesus) and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. And wherever He went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might touch even the fringe of His cloak; and all who touched it were healed!" (Mark 6:53-56)

Praise God! But that sounds like a sermon for another day. Today, just help me get into that boat. ...In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, may you hear in your heart the words of spirit and life of Jesus speaking Spirit to spirit, Heart to heart, Deep to deep, to nudge you out of where you are comfortable, to give you courage to get into the boat, to follow Him, to cross over to the other side into all He has for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

"Tell Them How Much The Lord Has Done For You!"

Good morning Jesus, tune my mind and my heart to you so I can play your melody throughout my day.

“And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.” (Mark 5:19-20)

In my reading through the story of the demoniac in Mark 5 this morning, these 2 verses I stood out to me.  In this story we have a man who was broken, insane and in evil bondage and Jesus sets him free. Jesus immediately sends him back to his home and to the cities around him to tell them what Jesus has done for him.  He goes from a demon processed lunatic to a traveling preacher.  And he was doing an amazing job as the story says the people “marveled” at him. I suppose he could have stood before the people and pointed to the scars all over his body he made and said, “Do you see what kind of deranged creature I was?" Look at me now!”

 I want to say that is the heart of Christian witness.  The heart of Christian witness is not, "Let me argue with you and try to persuade you in the logic of why God exists." It is not, “Let me persuade you how bad society is now.”  It is not, "If you die today do you know where you will go?" And it is not explaining to them, "Why you should go to church."  None of these are at the heart of Christian witness.  The heart of Christian witness is like the response of the man in John 9:25, “I was blind, but now I see.”   Here you have a person saying, “I was once insane! I was cutting myself in a cemetery!  Look at me now!”

There really can not be real Christian witness until there is real Christian experience.  Not until we have met Jesus.  Not until we know what it is like to be rescued. Not until we know what it is liked to be saved can we attempt to save anyone. Not until we have lived through being one thing and becoming another.   It is kind of hard being a witness to Christ when we do not know what that is.  And I would say maybe for some of us reading this blog, we need to sign up again from the very beginning and say, “I am not a new person. I have been acculturated to church, I go to church,  I give my money, I help out, I am a good soldier in the church “machinery” and programs, but to be honest with it, I never have ever been actually rescued by Jesus.”  That would be a great place to start or restart the journey.  To start the journey at the beginning by being rescued by Jesus. 

My family, this story in Mark is a story of the beauty of deliverance, the beauty of witness, and the beauty of peace being drawn right out of the midst of death and chaos.   I earnestly pray with tears in my eyes that this will become your story today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!  I usually do not with my blog with this however the Spirit is leading me to day to say if God is working with you in this area now and you are wrstling with this at all please contact me!  garyl@onedirection.community.  Or please contact another solid person you know in Christ.

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 my self and my family as we serve as local missionaries to those in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.  Donations can also be mailed to One Direction Community, PO Box 1293, Madison, Al 35758

"Miracle In The Storms of Life"

Good morning Jesus, I seek you to guide me through my week ahead.

"A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him up and said to Him, 'Teacher, do You don care that we are perishing?' He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?' And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'" (Mark 4:37-41)

The photo in this post I took of the wall cloud of the leading edge of the rains that rolled through my community for a couple days. Moments after I took this photo things it began to rain and it did not stop for two days.

As I sip coffee and look at my yard and what is soaked and what I need to clean up, I want to thank you Jesus for all the storms in my life you have got me through. Thank You, Jesus, for every time You've been my miracle in the storms of my life. Thank You for every time You've been my miracle in every moment when I was about to be devastated by something I couldn't control that threatened to wash me away with everything around me. Every time, You arose to rebuke the storm. Every time You spoke to the wind and waves of my anxieties and fears, saying "Peace! Be still!" And I know You always will.

You never promised me there would never be any storms. But You did promise me that even when the storms come You'll be with me through them all. Like You say in Your Word that always gives me great hope and peace through every storm:  "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.... Because you are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you.... Do not fear, for I Am with you" (Isaiah 43:1-5). 

By the power of the grace of God at work within me, by the peace that comes from the One who rebukes my storms and settles my soul, I choose to trust in You today. Through every storm, I'm trusting You to empower me to choose to not give in to fear, but hold on in faith, excited to see the next miracle of Your power and peace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray you will keep choosing to trust in our God to be with you and empower you in His peace to overcome every fear through any storm that may be going through now, or that ever comes, 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.

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!!  

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Subscribe to ODC Daily Devotions 

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"Sent Ones"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to start my day in the center of Your will and surrounded by Your presence--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.  

"Whenever the unclean spirits saw (Jesus), they fell down before Him and shouted, 'You are the Son of God!' ... He went up the mountain and called to Him those whom He wanted, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve, whom He also named apostles, to be with Him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons" (Mark 3:11-15).

Your first followers to came to You and were sent out by You. They were Your disciples, Your apostles--appointed and anointed to grow in the nature of Your character and to go in the authority of Your name. They were not "the Son of God," but they were sons of God. And so are we--the sons and daughters of God, coming to You and being sent out by You (Romans 8:16). We're led by the same Spirit (Romans 8:14). And the same Spirit and power that raised You from the dead lives in us and flows through us to proclaim Your message of forgiveness and freedom, healing and hope, by Your authority and in Your power, everywhere You send us (Romans 8:11) 

Just as the Father sent You, so You send us--filling us with Your Spirit and grounding us in Your Word (John 20:21). Our names are written in heaven and on the palms of Your hands (Isaiah 49:16). And in the authority and power of Your name, even the demons must submit to us and our position in You as disciples of Christ and children of God (Luke 10:19).

Thank You for the invitation to keep coming to You in the intimacy of prayer and the communion of Your Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). Thank You for the assurance of Your presence, that You are always with me, abiding in me as I abide in You (Matthew 28:20; John 15:4). And thank You for appointing me, equipping me and anointing me to go with joy and faith, as You send me to be Your ambassador as an extension of Your Word and Your Spirit, secure in my identity and fulfilling my destiny. This is Your will, You calling, and Your plan for every one of Your sons and daughters. We are all to be “sent ones”. And even all "creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God" (Romans 8:19).  In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray you go in joy and faith everywhere Jesus sends you in His authority and power, growing in His nature and going in His name, appointed and anointed as a disciple of Christ and a child of God, 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 reaching with the Gospel 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!  

 

 

 

"Free Your Soul"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. From the rising of the sun, through every moment of my day, I give You praise -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. 

"When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that (Jesus) was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and He was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.' Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 'Whey does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' At once Jesus perceived in His spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and He said to them, 'Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins' -- He said to the paralytic -- 'I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.' And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!'" (Mark 2:1-12).

This man was paralyzed in his body. But You didn't speak first to his body, You spoke first to his soul. You said, "Son, your sins are forgiven." He needed healing in his body, but first he needed the healing of his soul. His body was paralyzed, but so was his soul.  His soul was as paralyzed and lifeless and dead as his legs. But You came that he would have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). You came to set him free from his paralyze and death, that You might raise him up to walk in newness of life -- "just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life!" (Romans 6:4)

You called this man "Son" because You are our Father, the Father of all who believe in You to forgive us from our sins and free us from death and free our souls from all that would keep us bound up and crippled from embracing the fullness of life You have for us all. "To all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12). "For in Christ Jesus (we) are all children of God through faith" (Galatians 3:26).

As You spoke Your words of spirit and life into his spirit, You forgave him of his sins and freed him of his bondage. And he responded in faith. He stood up and took up his mat and walked out his faith in front of them all with great joy! The salvation of his soul began to manifest in the salvation of his body! And al lwho saw it -- even the Your critics -- were amazed and glorified God! (Mark 2:12)

Lord Jesus, Your words are "spirit and life" (John 6:63).  As I prepare to walk out my door and begin another day, speak Your words of spirit and life into my spirit this morning. Let me hear Your words as well, “Son, Your sins are forgiven” so I may be free me from any bondage. Raise me up into newness of life to “pick up my mat” and walk in Your ways -- leaping in my soul and shouting Your praises and glorifying my God! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

My family, I pray you begin your day this morning in time with the Holy Spirit and embraced by faith the fullness of life our Father has for you, forgiven and free from bondage and sin, in the innermost parts of your soul. Then “pick up your mat and walk” and get about doing God’s work he created you to 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/Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

I could use your financial support re;atone;;y reaching out with the Gospel to 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!

 

 

 

 

 

"Repent"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. In my prayers and worship, in these offerings of the first fruits of day, I draw near to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God and welcome You to draw near to me. 

"Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.... Then Jesus said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men' " (Mark 1:14-17).

 At One Direction Community we are discussing, discerning and reflecting on the Bible passages we are reading and their application on us as disciples of Jesus trying to imitate Jesus. I read through the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel this morning and the first word spoken by Jesus in this Gospel stood out to me.

The first words of Jesus in this Gospel of the Kingdom of God is not "Believe in Me" or "Follow Me" or "Go into all the world and make disciples of Me."  His word’s are not "Go, be baptized in the Holy Spirit, pursue the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit, save souls, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, storm the gates of hell, preach with power, teach with authority, grow up into the maturity of Christlikeness, as you are being transformed and conformed into the image of the Son of God." Without question, these are all important parts of the Gospel of the Kingdom (Mark 6:7; Matthew 10:8 and 28:18-20; John 14:12 and 20:21; Luke 9:1-2; Acts 1:4-8). However, all these powerful commands and worthy aspirations are not first.

Jesus' first word of the gospel of the kingdom of God is simply "Repent."

Before we do anything else, we must repent. We must make a choice to turn to Jesus: to change our mind, to have a change of heart, to trust You and entrust our lives to You, as best as we can and all by Your grace, just as we are. We must simply repent.  Repentance is the first thing required to enter the Kingdom of God.

And it's not just a one-time choice, a one-time prayer, a one-time “X” we put on a day of our spiritual calendar. Something we check off once as completed on a check list.  It's choosing a lifestyle of repentance -- choosing to continue to turn our hearts over to Christ, every moment of every day. It's the on-going attitude of a heart of being transformed by the renewing of minds, being conformed to the image of the Son of God, being filled with Your Spirit, and being empowered to be more like Christ every day.

We can't do any of that in our own power. We can't even desire any of that in our own will. Apart from You, we can do nothing that would ever bring any good or lasting fruit for ourselves or for others. You have to give us the desire and the power. However You're always so ready to do just that. Our part is to make that choice and keep on making that choice. Our part is to repent.

We repent because the kingdom of God is at hand. And as we repent, the kingdom of God begins to live and grow in our heart -- for "the kingdom of God is within (us)" (Luke 17:21). "For the kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).

So come, Holy Spirit. Move in my heart, remove any pride and move me to repent and keep on repenting in a lifestyle of repentance, allowing You to keep changing my mind, my heart, and my soul into who I'm created me to be, a reflection of Jesus.  Abba Father, let Your kingdom come and Your will be done, here on earth and here in my heart, as I continue to turn and entrust my heart to You. 

As Your Word proclaims and promises, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Come, Lord Jesus. "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'" (Revelation 22:17) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray today you will take time to simply, yet deeply repent. That you will daily choose to repent and embrace the kingdom of God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength as best as you can and all by God's grace, that the King of the kingdom may advance His kingdom in you and in the world around you every day, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

 I ask you to please share your reflections and prayers on your reflections from this mornings reading with us in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

I could use your financial support as I seek to relationally reach with the Gospel 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!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

Jesus Wants You To Throw A Super Bowl Party!

Good morning Jesus, let et reaching out to you in desperation lead me to outreach to those in desperation today.

The NFL playoff games are over and tomorrow the Eagles and the Chiefs will play on Super Bowl Sunday. It is a day when millions of people will gather in homes and taverns to watch football, party, laugh, cheer, connect and share life together. It is one of the few days of the year that you have an excuse to invite people into your home, or accept an invitation into another home, and share stories and life together. Super Bowl Sunday is a pre-made missional outreach day that every Christian is required to participate in. Everyone needs to preferably host a Super Bowl Party and if not, then attend one. If you were looking for an excuse to invite your neighbors, co-workers, work-out friends, classmates, and others over to your house, Super Bowl Sunday offers that excuse. It is also an excuse to accept an invitation into another’s home, or yes Pub, for their gathering. I do not care if you do not like football! Watch the commercials, eat the food, whatever. It is an opportunity to encounter and enter into people’s lives in a real way.  Here is why.

 “Storytelling is powerful because it has the ability to touch human beings at the most personal level. While facts are viewed from the lens of a microscope, stories are viewed from the lens of the soul. Stories address us on every level. They speak to the mind, the body, the emotions, the spirit, and the will. In a story a person can identify with situations he or she has never been in. The individual’s imagination is unlocked to dream what was previously unimaginable.“

– Mark Miller 

“Story telling is powerful.” Corporations know this. Obviously Budweiser has picked up on this in the last few years with their Super Bowl commercials.  They moved from the comedic frogs of Bud-weis-er to the now infamous stories of their heritage and horses.  Those are always popular each year. 

The reason is not merely because people love stories, which they do, but because stories hit a people’s hearts and not merely their heads.  And, because advertizers know that the Super Bowl is a story on the biggest stage, and if they can develop a story within the story, they’ll win the rigorous marketing wars between companies vying for your attention.

And, if they hit your heart, that’s what causes action.  We can all watch commercials that have facts about how this pill has caused people to lose weight, or how many dentists recommend this toothpaste, but that doesn’t move us…what moves us, is the story, because it hits us deep in the heart.  This is why the Super Bowl is important, and this is what the Super Bowl is about. And the great news is that we as Christians have the most amazing story to tell in all the world to tell and share, The Gospel of Jesus Christ! And we need to tell it and the Super Bowl gives us an opportunity to share it.

This Super Bowl…like all others is filled with storys and everyone wants to be part of it, talk about it, be around it because as football players will say, “The game is bigger than all of us.” Everyone wants to be part of a larger story, let’s use this opportunity as a door opener to the largest story ever told. How can we use the Super Bowl to simply point to the larger story of God ? 

1. Throw a Party

For our family, we’d rather throw a party than merely attend one.  The reason is that it gives us plenty of ways to bless people and have them in our house.   I feel I can be like the Apostle Matthew and invite other tax collectors and sinners like me: my fiends, co-workers, neighbors to my party to encounter belonging in that my Jesus.

“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” (Matthew 9:9-12)

When you invite others, you get to choose the crowd you hang with.   Usually, for Christians, this is a bad thing as we over filter who we invite.  But notice who was at Matthew’s party:  Scum, Jesus, and disciples. All mixed, partying like it’s 31AD.  The more we get this crowd of Jesus, followers and not yet followers to hang out together, the better. Jesus gave us this example of connecting people to His salvation of grace, and He used this type of gathering over and over to reach people. We are called to use it as well.

2. Encourage Story

Encourage story with everyone.  Walk around asking people “story” questions.  Get your guests talking and listen.  You learn so much about them during these stories.  Be the story encourager at your party.  Ask questions like:

1  How did you and your spouse meet?

2  Why did you choose your career?

3  Who is your favorite NFL team and why??

4  What do you like most about living here? 

Really, any open ended question will work.  It’s not to bait and switch them so you can talk about how unless you eat Jesus’ body and drink his blood you can never be one of his followers.   It’s so you can actually get to know them and their story so that when the opportunity comes, you know where their story needs redemption and who or what is their functional savior so you can point to the one and only Saviour who brings eternal redemption, now and forever. You’ll know how to serve them, love them and show them Jesus in the ways that will tell a story that will hit their heart. 

3. Go Overboard with Food

You ever been to a party where there isn’t much food?  It sucks.  Don’t be that party…be a party that points to the Great Wedding Feast.   Not only that, but take into consideration who is coming.  Ask if any have allergies, or a special diet.  When you take others into consideration, it shows you actually care and desire for them to be comfortable in your house.  It also gives you yet another connection point to their story.

Don’t supply all the food though.  Have people bring food.   We are having people bring their favorite football food.  The reason is their dish usually has a story behind it.  Either of how they grew up, who taught them how to make it, or why they like it.  But I usually simply ask, “Does this dish have any significance to you?”  You’d be surprised how much story can come from chicken salad. 

4. Ask the Spirit For Guidance

Who has God currently placed in your path for forming a relationship?  Ask the Spirit to show you these people.  Maybe for you it is your CrossFit gym.  Invite all 400 members.  You know that 95% of them aren’t going to come, but it gives you an open to invite them into a relationship with you, and is a personal invite.

 Ask the Spirit for time a time when you can invite them personally.  It means so much more to me when I don’t merely get the Facebook invite, but when someone looks me in the eyes, ask me if I would come to an even and tell’s me personally it’d be so great if I did. Almost everyone I have been given by the Spirit in prayer to ask, and I’ve asked personally to come, everyone one of them comes.  It’s awesome, even if one of them is a fan of my opposing team. 

But, don’t stop there.

Ask the Spirit for guidance on listening to their story at the party and what you should say, or how you should listen or how to encourage further relationship.  Remember, this isn’t about a football game, this whole day is wrapped up in story, so use this to learn other’s stories.   Maybe you do get into a deep spiritual conversation, but maybe you don’t.  Don’t beat yourself up. The Spirit will tell you when to speak, when to listen, when to keep it surface level and when to go deep.  Just because you don’t present all of the Romans’ Road to them doesn’t mean you should feel guilted and shamed.  The Spirit doesn’t guilt and shame you, that’s the devil’s game.

The more the devil can guilt and shame you the more you’ll have an agenda instead of listening to the Spirit on how to show off Jesus in the ways of Jesus in the power of the Spirit.  Sometimes silence is the loudest witness.  Don’t let the devil fool you into thinking you have to convert someone to Jesus at every party for it to be a “successful” party.   But, always be thinking, “How can I make this party be a shadow of our celebratory God that wants everyone invited to His party?”

Take some time this week to begin planning your party and asking the Holy Spirit who you should invite to your party. Listen, then obey what the Spirit gives you.

If you do that…no matter what happens, your gathering will have happened by the power of the Spirit to connect people so they might know more about the only story line that ultimately matters. And who knows…maybe he’ll show you even more about “His Story” and how much He loves and wants to connect with you.

I have offered ODC members $100 from the church to use to throw a Super Bowl Party at their home to invite co-workers, neighbors and non-church members friends to attend. That $100 investment by your church will reach intimately reach more people and is a far better way of inviting new people into your church that spending hundreds on from door advertisements, mailings, or a message on your church sign out front. I tell my Odc family not to invite people to our church until you first invite them to your house for dinner. If you invite a co-worker to church they probably will not show up. If you invite a co-worker to your super bowl party their is a much highter chance they will come, and then give you an opening at some point in normal conversations to share your faith and invite them into it with you.

 

Please share your thoughts,  reflections, and maybe other examples of what you use to invite other people into your story with us in the comment box below.

Resolve to Help in 205

 I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries!   We begin 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. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help.  You can also give a one-time donation on the same link.  Thank you!

CLICK HERE TO GIVE

You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758

Discipleship Training.

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

Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?

Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

"Rejoice and Go!"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Grounded in Your Word, filled with Your Spirit, I want to begin my day in communion and alignment with You. ...

“So (the women) went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me!’” (Matthew 28:8-10)

Jesus, When You met the women outside the empty tomb, You told them two things: “Rejoice!” and “Go!”

When you encountered each of us Easter Sunday, you spoke the same words to us “Rejoise”, now “Go”!

At Easter we rejoiced! We came together in churches and shouted “Hallelujah! We gathered with family and friends, feasted,  had Easter egg hunts, took photos and celebrated Jesus’ resurrection. It is so hard to believe that we are almost in Lent again and Easter Sunday is again just around the corner! For this past year since we rejoiced and celebrated last Easter, we were called to Go!

The level of our faith and declaration that “Jesus is Lord” is not measured by how high we can jump and shout “Hallelujah!” in a sanctuary on Easter Sundays, but how low we we are willing to stoop to embrace those that are hurting and do not know Christ in our neighborhoods in the year between Easter Sundays. Our rejoicing in the personal knowledge and the collective knowledge of our churches on Easter that that Jesus died for our sins, rose again, freed us and gave us eternal life has absolutely no impact on our communities unless we go and share that knowledge with them. The light of the risen Christ that burns now in each of us as light-bearers has no impact on the darkness in the world if we simply gather with other light-bearers, we need to run into the darkness with our light.

So yes daily we will continue to “Rejoice” together, high-five each other and declare “He is Risen!!” However, after we high five lets “Go” out into our communities and embrace our neighbors and co-workers and share with them why we are rejoicing, that He is risen, who the “He” is, and what that Good News means to them, in Jesus’ name!

My family, I pray you will be filled today with the joy of Jesus’ resurrection and then be sent out today rejoicing to go share this Good News with others. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends! (He Has! Now Go bless others!)

 Please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.   Thank You!Thank You!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

"Our Call To Come Die So We Can Live"

Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my work week put my life in the hands of the one who loved me from the beginning.

Above his head they put the charge against him, which read: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews…. If he comes down now from the cross, we will believe in him! He trusts in God - let God, if he wants to, deliver him now because he said, ʻI am Godʼs Sonʼ!”  (Matthew 27:37,42-43). 

There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, "save yourself!" and "come down from the cross!" They wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save His physical life, but it was indeed His staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life. Those passing by only believed what they saw.  All of Jesus’ disciples only believed what they saw and fled, hid themselves and abandoned Him. Jesus’ resurrection had not yet occurred in the world and they had no knowledge or faith in what was happening before them and what was to come.

However, we who today call ourselves “Christians“ have knowledge of the death and resurrection of Jesus and it is at the core of our faith. We also understand that it is only by dying to ourselves that we also can experience resurrection from the dead into eternal life.   “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-26)

When we read that verse we hum through it. We too want Jesus to come down from the cross.  Because if we truly believe that Jesus had to die on the cross, if we truly believe that it was through suffering that Jesus would redeem the world, then we must truly believe that in order to call ourselves a “Christian”, a follower and imitator of Jesus, the “anyone” in the verse above Jesus is referring to is “Me”. And the “anyone” in the verse above Jesus is referring to is you reading this devotion right now. And we can either hum through the verse or truly read, understand, and believe it and then we too must also “Trust in God,” we too must also pick up our cross, and we too must also suffer. 

Jesus asked His disciples, “Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” (Matthew 20:22).  This morning and every morning we are blessed to wake up to be part of another day on earth, as our feet are hitting the floor next to our bed Jesus asks the same questions of us. “Are you willing to drink the cup that I drink today?” When was the last time you can honestly say you picked up your cross and suffered for your faith?  When was the last time you did something that made you even a little uncomfortable for your faith?  What are your intentional plans for cross bearing today? Or do you plan on “humming” through the day.

My family, as we approach the end of reading through the Gospel of Matthew which will be tomorrow, our first book of the New Testament that we are reading through together. I pray you will reflect on your call to be cross bearers and the same irony that is only by you giving: giving up the safety and comfort of physical life that you and  those you encounter in the world will experience a resurrection from death to life. In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

I ask you to please share your reflections and prayers on your reflections from this mornings reading with us in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

I could use your financial support as I seek to relationally reach with the Gospel 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!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

 

"Less Like Judas, More Like Jesus"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I worship You and welcome You, here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.  

"When it was evening, He took His place with the twelve; and while they were eating, He said, 'Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.' And they became greatly distressed and began to say to Him one after another, 'Sure not I, Lord?' He answered, 'The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.' Judas, who betrayed Him, said, 'Surely not I, Rabbi?' He replied, 'You have said so'" (Matthew 26:20-25).

Sometimes I wonder what happened to Judas. Did he get too close to the money? (John 6:29) As he dipped his hand in Your bowl, did he become presumptuous of his access to Your greatness or begin to take his invitation to Your intimacy and his acceptance of Your grace for granted? Did being one of the Big Twelve give him the big head and in his heart it started becoming more about me? Or did the seeds of sin and self-seeking sown into his fallen soul finally grow to full harvest in his heart of betrayal? In any event, somehow Satan himself entered his soul to consume his thoughts and influence his choices (Luke 22:3).

You know every choice we will ever make, seeing the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end (Isaiah 46:10). You know every heart and every motive of every choice (Acts 1:24; Jeremiah 17:10). Yet, the choices are ours in the freedom of will that a true relationship of love requires (Joshua 14:15; Deuteronomy 30:14-15; John 7:17). 

And what if Judas had made better choices with all that was entrusted to him? Surely Your Word was true of him as It is with us all: "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). "As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live" (Ezekiel 33:11).

Judas was not born a traitor, but he "became a traitor" (Luke 6:16). And by the time it was time for Judas to choose blessing or curse, life or death, "the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray (You)" (John 13:2). In the end, "Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place" (Acts 1:25).

But what if instead of becoming "the one destined to be lost," Judas would have humbled himself in repentance and faith, seeking You healing and freedom of all that would hold him back of being a faithful follower instead of a condemned traitor (John 17:12)? His confession and repentance came too late when finally acknowledged, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!" (Matthew 27:3) What if he could have become a son of God instead of the "son of perdition" (John 17:12)? What if he was to spill out his heart to lead others to Christ instead of spilling out his guts after hanging himself on a tree (Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18)? What if even the Book of Jude (Judas) could have been his book, sharing words of encouragement and exhortation from a life that was changed and surrendered to God to fulfill a destiny to honor Christ (Jude 1)?

You are "longsuffering toward us (all), not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). So before I judge Judas for the speck in his eye, give me a humble and teachable heart to see the log in my own eye (Matthew 7:5).  The ways, if I look honestly into my heart, that I m more like Judas than Jesus. Let me "judge not," so that by the measure I judge I will not also be judged and that very thing come up me (Matthew 7:1). Let me never take my grace for granted or presume upon my place of intimacy with You. Convict me of my sins and keep me sensitive in my heart to the leading of Your Spirit, so that it's never too late to choose well and live well in the destiny You desire for me (Ephesians 1:11). By the power of Your grace, may I grow to be much more like Jesus than Judas (Romans 8:29). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray you grow in the grace of God to become more like Jesus every day, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

Friends, thank you for joing with me on this daily journey of prayer each day. Thank you for allowing me to share them with you! And thank you for praying them back over me!

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!

 

 

 

 

 

"Freeing of Prisoners"

Good morning Lord Jesus,  I begin my day in prayer to allow you to raise me up on wings like an eagle so I can soar with you throughout my coming day…

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”  (Matthew 25:34-36)

 Years ago I was serving on a Kairos prison ministry team sitting at a table inside St. Clair prison talking with an inmate.  The inmate shared with me this story.  He and a friend were smoking crack in the living room of his small house.  His 5 year old son was sleeping in the back bedroom.  They ran out of crack and beer, so he and his friend left to go get more. While they were gone, his son got up and went into the living room.  He found the small lighter/torch they were using to smoke the crack.  His son started fires in the house, and then got scared and ran into his room and hid under the covers of his bed.  The inmate and his friend returned an hour or so later and the house was consumed with flames.  As he pulled in he ran to the house and heard his son coughing and calling out “Daddy!  Daddy help me!”  As he ran around the house trying to get in, the roof fell in from the fire and his son was killed,  For the 6 years he had been in prison he had been living in his own hell.  He could not get the sound of his son calling out “ Daddy, Daddy help me!” from echoing in his head.  He could not forgive himself,  turned to using drugs to quiet his son’s voice and engaged in destructive behaviors,

The inmate had just listened to another team member give a talk on forgiveness.  With tears in his eyes he said there is no way God could forgive me for what I have done.   In that one on one conversation with him, I was able being led by the Holy Spirit to share with him the gospel of grace and forgiveness  of Jesus Christ available to him.  With hugs and tears from both of us, he embraced the Gospel, and finally received the forgiveness for his actions.  That night for the first time since the fire he slept through the night, and a couple weeks later he was baptized, enrolled and went through the drug treatment program in the prison, and became freer in prison than he has ever been.

Thursday evening my wife Nancy and I will be going to the second team meeting as part of the team that will be going this time into Limestone Prison in March. Nancy and I are going into an actual prison, however there are people all around you; co-workers, classmates, neighbors, the person next to you in line at a store, who are suffering in “prisons” of addictions, abuse, depression, unforgiveness,  financial struggles, that need to hear the Gospel of grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ that you can share with them and speak over them.

My family,  I pray you may hear and receive these word from the prophet Isaiah:

“The spirit of the sovereign LORD is upon me,

because the LORD has chosen me.

He has commissioned me to encourage the poor,

to help the brokenhearted,

to decree the release of captives,

and the freeing of prisoners,” (Isaiah 61:1)

And then walk out your door and share the Gospel of the grace, forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ with those you encounter today, in Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

 Chapter 25 is an amazing chapter of parables. As we read through these chapters together, I can only share on a verse or two that spoke to me. I pray you will participate and add to what God wants to reveal from these chapters by sharing your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.Please Partner With Me!

Help Me Share The Gospel and Make Disciples!

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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Let me help you!

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Thank You!    

 

"I Am A Hypocrite"

Lord Jesus, I pray today you will be glorified in and through my life.

“and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:51)

In the previous chapter I reflected on the seven “Woes” Jesus speaks out in Matthew 23, that were directed towards hypocrisy in The Church. The word “Hypocrite” is found 18 times in the Bible. 14 of these times it is found in the Gospel of Matthew.   10 of those times it is found in chapters we are now reading, Matthew 21-25.  I think the Holy Spirit desires us to reflect on and deal with our hypocrisy; that of The Church and that of ourselves personaly.

“And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ (Mark 7:6)”

Lord Jesus, I confess my hypocrisy before you this morning.  My lips often speak words that my heart and actions do not follow up. There are times in vain I do worship you. I stand and raise my hands in church and sing “You are mighty to save” then I walk out of the church never seeking the lost or sharing your Gosple of salvation with those that need saved.  With all my years spent reading your words in the Bible telling me to love my neighbor, hearing sermons on shepherds leaving the flock to look for one lost sheep, and my talking about having compassion and love for the lost, You know the last person I actually loved like You and took the time to lead to salvation in you that was baptized.  My head knowledge of You. who You are and Your words far exceeds my obedience and call to action of those words. I am a hypocrite, and I am sorry.

“For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:29)  You know Jesus how I strive to present a good appearance.  I have a closet full of cloths to wear and try to style whatever hair I have left. I wash and detail my cars I am seen in.  I pour money and time into my home and its decor knowing in my heart you could care less about those things.  It is not my outer appearance you care about but my inner heart. It is time spent with you in Your Word and prayer you desire.  It is my pouring out of my resources into others instead of into myself you desire..  I know this yet I still do it.  I am a hypocrite, and I am sorry.

 “I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.” (Psalm 26:4-7) Lord, I know that in your eyes hypocrisy is a sin and is a characteristic of those who practice evil and wickedness, not your fruits of the Spirit. I am a hypocrite, and I am sorry.

Lord, do not let me this morning rationalize away the true nature of my heart and level of my obedience. Do not let this message and the knowledge I received and now know against being a hypocrite, make me become more hypocritical through my prayers to you this morning and my actions, or lack of actions towards othersI meet today.  I do not want to be like the person in James’ letter who looks in the mirror before he leaves the house and says, “What a good Christian am I,” then walks out the door to begin his day and lives out that day like all the non-Christians around him, like a hypocrite whom you dispise.. (James 1:23-24) Convict me Holy Spirit by Your inspired Words into action! I desperately need you to equip me and in Christ raise my level of obedience so that not only do I “Talk the Talk,” but I “walk the walk.”

My family, I pray as you begin a new week, this morning you honestly reflect on your level of hypocrisy and the areas of you life it is most prevalent.  I pray you repent and ask for a renewing and equipping by the Holy Spirit of your level of obedience. I pray today you do not just talk the talk that “Gos is mighty to save” but walk the walk and share the love of Jesus with those who need saved, in Jesus name. PLEASE pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

Please share your reflections and prayers from my blog in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Woe!"

Good morning Lord Jesus, speak to me, your servant is listening.

 This morning we have a convicting chapter to read. No passage in the Bible is more biting, more pointed, and more severe than these seven “Woes” in Matthew 23 spoken by Jesus Christ upon the Pharisees. The Pharisees, while attempting to honor the Word of God and manifest an extreme form of religious observance, were actually the farthest from God.  The theme of the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount was righteousness. The theme of the teachings of these woes is hypocrisy. There is a common strong emphasis in both teachings on the religious leaders’ failure to understand and submit to the Scriptures. Jesus gave both addresses to contrast the true meaning of Scripture with the Pharisees’ interpretation and application of it. The Pharisees professed to teach the Scriptures accurately but did not do so. They were therefore hypocrites.

 Every one of the seven ‘woes’ is an exclamation like the nine ‘blesseds’ of the Beatitudes. They do not state an opinion, but a fact. The woes are not a curse that calls down calamity but a calm, true judgment and verdict rendered by the supreme Judge himself, Jesus. Six of these judgments have the evidence attached by means of a “because” which illustrates the full reason for the verdict ‘Woe’” and in the remaining judgment.

There is today only one proper Christian use of the “Woe” sayings of this chapter.  It is found not primarily in the application of the passage to the historical Pharisees, and even less to modern Judaism as a religion. The proper application of this passage is for those reading it today, the Christian members of The Church today. Hypocrisy is the real enemy of these woes, not the scribes, the Pharisees, or the Jews. If, on the application of these woes, a finger is to be pointed, a bitter woe is to be pronounced against anyone today, it must be directed solely against we Christians and the hypocrisy found in our churches today.  Here is a translation of a “Woe” from this chapter from the GRV Bible (Gary’s Reflective Version).

Woe to you Christians! For they go to church so that their faith may be seen and approved by people. They love to be greeted as “brother” or “sister” as they fellowship before the service with a cup of coffee in their hand and Hillsong playing in the background. They wear crosses around their necks, and put crosses and Icthus fishes on the back of their cars that they ride in comfort to their churches with windows rolled up as they drive past the homeless, poor, the widows and orphans.  After church, they fatten themselves at lunch and have struggling single-mom waitresses who have to work on Sundays to make ends meet serve them. The only sharing if any of their faith all day with others is when they show their church bulletin at lunch check out to get 10% off their meal.  They then pull into safe garages who’s door close out their neighbors they are called to go out and serve. But instead they walk into comfortable living rooms with a picture on the wall that says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Woe to you! You Christians, you hypocrites! 

Hypocrisy in the life of the church and Christians is one of, if not the main source of negative criticism directed towards the church and Christians and the main reason people do not walk into a church, or attend a walk out of the church, and the church is declining. They read the words of Jesus, Look at the way Christians live out their lives, give of their resources, post on social media, and the hypocrisy makes them say “Hell no.”

My family, Paul in 2nd Timothy tells us, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2Timothy 3:16).  Even the Scriptures like this one that holds a mirror up in front of us and make us access the true level of our discipleship as a Christian. I pray you will read and spend time guided by the Holy Spirit reflecting on this chapter and looking in the mirror.  “It’s a me. It’s a me, it’s a me Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer,” In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends! 

I want to encourage you to please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

I could use your financial support as I relational reach out to 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!   

"You Are Invited"

Good morning Lord Jesus, bring new wine into me today.

“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ʻTell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”ʼ But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.”  (Matthew 22:1-6).

Lord, as adopted sons and daughters into the kingdom of God through the atoning work of the blood of Jesus in His death, resurrection and ascension, you do not only invite us to your banquet, we are all those for whom the banquet is celebrated.  We are the ones the Father ran to, embraced and said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on her hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son/daughter was dead, and is alive again; she was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:22-24)

This morning, we are invited to the banquet of “Today.”  Today we are all invited to “Taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8).  When you walk out your door this morning do you accept His invitation and do you really expect for God to do amazing things so that by the end of the day or the end of the week you will have amazing stories to tell of what God is doing?  Because He Is!  And you have been invited today to be part of it!  What is the banquet of God except a day by day, moment by moment invitation to step into something that God wants to do in somebody’s life and you have the privilege of seeing it happen?  Do you accept His invitation to experience His banquet of love and grace and truly expect and receive it in your own life today enough to be able expect it anywhere else?  

My family, I pray you will accept the invitation to participate in the banquet God has set before you called “Today.” I pray you will both seek out a time alone with God to taste and see that He is good, and walk out your door with an expectant heart ready to participate what God is going to do in, though and around you today, in Jesus name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

 I want to encourage you to please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

I could use your financial support as I relational reach out to 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!   

"Hearing And Doing"

Good morning Lord Jesus,  I seek out and I need your Holy Spirit to assist me in obeying you as my Lord today.

This morning in chapter 21 we read:

“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ʻSon, go and work in the vineyard today.ʼ The boy answered, ʻI will not.ʼ But later he had a change of heart and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ʻI will, sir,ʼ but did not go. Which of the two did his fatherʼs will?” They said, “The first.” (Matthew 21:28-31)

A couple weeks ago in chapter 7 we read:

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!” Matthew 7:24-27)

 In these passages above you make it clear to us Jesus there is a difference between hearing your word and doing what your word says.  Our Lives as Christians are not built solidly on the “Rock of Christ” because of our  hearing and head knowledge of your words in the Bible, but our doing and acting upon them in our lives.  You honor and desire us to read your Word and to pray and listen to Your Spirit’s teachings, calling ,and guidance.  However, if we do not obey and actually do the things you are telling us to do, what good is it to You Jesus, or to us.  You bless and honor my devotion time in the mornings, searching Your Scriptures, listening to the Holy Spirit, and writing down what I hear on how we should live our lives.  However, when my posting is finished, my coffee cup is empty, and I close my laptop and get up off the couch, if I do not obey, do, and live out what I just posted, I am the boy who said “ʻI will, sir,ʼ but did not go.”  “I am a hypocrite and a foolish man who hears Your words and does not do them, and my “house is built on sand.”

 Going to church on Sunday mornings is not necessarily an act of “faith.”  There is nothing “unknown” or that you need to rely on God for to go to church.  It is a matter of your free will.  Your decision if you are going to go or not is more on your calendar than faith.  You choose to go or you choose something else you feel is more important that morning. Because if all you are going to church on a Sunday morning is to hear worship songs, to hear prayer requests, to hear a sermon, and not for encouragement in doing and obeying what you hear Monday through Saturday then what you heard on Sunday morning is nothing but sand to you.  Do you go to church with the faith that whatever you hear that morning you will obey that week, no matter what the cost?

 Jesus’s teachings are simple and consistent throughout  the Gospels:

“If you love me, you will obey my commandments.: (John 14:15)

“Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him. The person who does not love me does not obey my words” (John 14:23-24)

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”(Luke 11:27)

““If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

 My family, I thank you for taking the time to read this reflection. However, now as you finish reading it, what are you going to do with what you read?  I pray you will obey the Father and go work in the vineyard today sharing the Gospel. And I pray you will build your house and that of your family on the “Rock of Christ” by not simply hearing, but doing what you hear God speak to you in His Word and Prayer, 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!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE             

"Envious Generosity"

Jesus, I begin today thanking you for your love, grace and mercy that constantly surrounds me.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.”(Matthew 20:1-16)

Lord Jesus, Your generosity is amazing to the extreme.  “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16).  You give us gift after gift.  The extravagance of your generosity, your grace, troubled those in the passage above, and at times it troubles me.  There is nothing “fair” about your generosity.   All receive the full measure of your love, grace and mercy whether they come to Christ as a child or on their death bed.  It was not until I was 34 years old that I fell in love with You, and  when I did the gates of heaven opened up, my Father in Heaven declared, “This is my son in which I am well pleased.”  I received the gift of eternal life in the eternal embrace of love of the Father.  

Because of this, what more do I desire?  What more can I ask for?  How can I not share or jealously withhold this gift from another?  I serve You daily not out of obligation or  to earn or receive more of Your love, because right now at this moment Your love for me is complete and Your delight in me is ravishing.  So my service to You Jesus flows out of my worship for you for you are worthy of it all.  

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.” (John 15:12-17)

My family, I pray this morning you remember that no matter what time in your life, early or late, you entered the vineyard of  Lord, it was out of the generosity of Jesus  that He sought you out and saw you first.  That He chose you. That He made known to You the very heart of the Father.  That you are called out of a heart of worship to go into the market places, and love those you encounter there and bear fruit.  In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

 

Please share your reflections and prayers and today’s reading with us in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

I could use your financial support reaching 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!