This morning my reflection flows out of my experience serving in prison the last four days.
I spent the last four days, Thurs -Sun inside Limestone Correctional Facility as part of a Kairos Prison Ministry team of remarkable men who went into the prison to share the Gospel of love and grace of Jesus with inmates. It was a n amazing weekend. In the conversations around the tables with team member and inmates was not heard any of the common replies of “I’m fine.” The conversations and exchanges were raw and real. All allowed themselves to become vulnerable, sharing real struggles and failures, weaknesses and hurts, and “fakeness” and hypocrisy in our lives. Both team members and inmates confessed sins, shared deep remorse, asked for forgiveness, repented, shed many tears, many deep embraces, and cried out to Jesus. The prayers shared that came from the broken, humble hearts of strong men were spontaneous, emotional, struggling to get the right words out as they bared their souls before God. The forgiveness, grace and love that outpoured was tangible and thick. The smiles through the tears of joy of those who received and accepted forgiveness was beautiful. The worship! Oh my God! The worship was a sold-out offering of their complete selves to God in praise and thanksgiving. The sound of these broken men’s praise that filled the room brought chills to the skin, life back to dry bones, freedom to the soul, and brought heaven down to earth.
To sum it all up: for 4 days we had church. We experienced the power of the church. We were the church.
And I guarantee that yesterday on Sunday morning, any of the men on the team besides the fact they were away from their spouses and family, would rather be sitting in a chair inside the maximum security prison they were in, than in a pew outside in a church. I still have allot to process from the four days.
My family, I pray this morning as we step out into the beginning of another week of work and routines, we seek in desperation to be raw and real before God. We seek to find ways to enter into conversations with others where we and they can be vulnerable, be real with life, real before God, really love each other, and really be The Church. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts on this reflection pin the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
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Good morning!
I am about to leave to head to Limestone Correctional Institution to serve on the Kairos team going into the prison to share the love, hope, and healing in Jesus Christ with men inside the prison. We will be inside the prison for four days Thurs-Sun and we could use your prayers. I reflected in my morning devotion Wednesday on our desperate need for silence to get connected with God and ourselves. Today inside the prison, we will begin our time with the inmates with my sharing of a meditation that ties into our need for silence entitled “Know Yourself.” For my devotion this morning I am sharing with you this devotion, as it is something all of us need to discern.
“On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.) Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!” Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth - you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (JOHN 1:43-51)
KNOW YOURSELF
I want you to think for a moment about what's going on with Nathaniel in this story.
As the story begins, we have Philip bringing Nathaniel to Jesus. At that point Jesus
has seen Nathaniel before, but Nathaniel had not yet seen Jesus.
Where had Jesus seen Nathaniel before? All we really know about that is that when
Jesus saw him, Nathaniel was sitting under a fig tree, apparently by himself. I like to
think he was meditating... getting to know himself.
That seems terribly unimportant, doesn't it? But it was important enough for Jesus
to have made a mental note of it. There was something about the fact that Nathaniel
was just sitting quietly there by himself that got Jesus' attention. We know from
many occurrences in Jesus' later life that he considered time alone to be very
important.
When was the last time you tried to get off by yourself, at least as much as
you can here, just to think? We all need to do that at times.
We need especially to think about ourselves, about who we are, about how we feel, about what's important to us, and about who is important to us. We
need to think about what makes us happy and what makes us sad, about
what things make us feel good about ourselves, and what things make us feel
bad, about what we like and what we don't like.
In short, we need to think about who we are.
Do you know yourself? How well do you know yourself?
Well, when Nathaniel was seen by Jesus he was just sitting and perhaps thinking.
And Jesus tuned in to his thoughts and knew him. And when Jesus greeted
Nathaniel, Nathaniel knew that Jesus knew him. In that moment he thought of
himself in a new way. Under the fig tree he had looked at his life from the inside.
Now it was like he was seeing his life through the eyes of Jesus. It was like he was
another person looking at his life from the outside.
Have you ever tried that - looking at your own life sort of from the outside? You
should try it.
Try a game of imagination with me for just a little bit. Close your eyes if you would.
Imagine that you are sitting quietly under a tree somewhere just thinking about your
life. Now imagine that your mind can move somewhere outside of yourself and you
stand off to the side looking at yourself, at your own life.
There is no one else around. There is nothing there to distract you, so take your
time. Take a good close look at yourself - at your life. What do you see? Whom do
you see? What's that person like when you look carefully? What mood can you
read from the face, the eyes? Can you look into the heart? The soul? What do you
see there?
When we are honest with ourselves, we may be surprised to find that we have many
more good qualities than bad. When was the last time you have thought about your
good qualities, the special gifts you have that no one else has?
We will also discover some qualities we wish we did not have. Yet, it is important
that we be honest with ourselves and accept ourselves as we are, including our
weaknesses. As we know from AA, the first step toward overcoming our
weaknesses is to admit that they exist.
It is very important that we know our condition if we hope to benefit from this Kairos time. This means being humble. The word “humble” comes from the Latin word
humus, which means earth. To be humble is to be like the earth, open and
receptive. The foundation upon which Kairos builds is honest self- knowledge which
comes through humility and openness.
Kairos can build for the future only if:
We are available to God's loving knowledge of us.
We make the best use of this opportunity.
We do not prejudge the Kairos - there is no "expected response."
So take time now to begin to KNOW YOURSELF.
My family, I pray you will take time alone to reflect on truly coming to know yourself: who you are, who you want to become, and what changes you need to embrace to become all God has created you to be, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me and over the Kairos team and inmates over these next 4 days.. God bless you my friends!
Please share you reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and every moment of my day. ...
This morning I’m reflecting on the presence of God and the closeness of Your love available to us in the resurrected Jesus as declared from Romans Chapter 8 in The Message Version of the Bible:
“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us--who was raised to life for us!--is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing--nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable--absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (Romans 8:31-39 MSG).
Yes, Lord. With God on our side, how can we lose! “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!” (Romans 8:37).
And that gives me courage. That gives me confidence. That fills my heart with joy, fills my eyes with tears, and fills my mouth with praise! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray as we continue to Celebrate Easter may you be filled with resurrection joy in your heart, tears of joy in your eyes, and the praises of God in your mouth, as you know His powerful, unending love for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Please share you reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
I got up this morning at 6:00am and went outside and sat on my front porch in the cool, 59 degree morning. I drank my coffee, again read the compilation of Passion Narratives from all four Gospels I put together, and wrote this devotion. Aside from a few outside noises--a car driving . . . a barking dog . . .bird chirps… crickets or frogs from the pond across the street from me—all's quiet on the home front. That wonderful, much-needed presence has again come for a visit—QUIETNESS. Oh, how I love it . . . how I need it.
I cannot be the man I should be without times of quietness. Stillness is an essential part of our growing deeper as we grow older. We will not become men and women of God without the presence of solitude. Those words haunt me when I get caught in the treadmill of my calendar, time schedules and trying to meet the deadline of demands of my week, just like I know you experience. We are simply geared too high. Thanks to a blend of Alka-Seltzer, coffee, energy drinks, and Tylenol, we repeat our nonproductive haste with overwhelming regularity.
We are in such a hurry, we hate to miss one panel of a revolving door. We just have to open every FB post, Snap, Tik Tok, Tweet and Text. Talk about pollution! I want you to think about what our nervous systems undergo just to stay afloat: NOISE (music, news, talk, laughter, machinery, appliances, cell phones, social media, and traffic) from 6:00 a.m. 'til midnight. SPEED (bumper-to-bumper at 65 mph, on-ramps and off-ramps, deadlines, schedules and appointments) that all make us frown rather than smile . . . that causes us to check our watches more often than checking in with our Lord. ACTIVITIES(meetings, services, suppers, luncheons, breakfasts, rallies, our kids sport games, even church functions and ministries—all ("necessary" and "nice") that have a way of dismissing quietness like an unwanted guest. Sure—some things are important—super, in fact—but not EVERYTHING! Listen, if you and I REALLY treasure quietness, we will have to make time for it. When you feed it only the "leftovers" from the schedule, quietness always goes hungry.
I’'m just being direct and honest with you about an ingredient that cannot be ignored much longer in our lives without our paying a dear, dear price; and that is our need: To be quiet with God. Quiet to love ourselves enough to listen to God. Quiet to allow God to listen to and love us. I am desperately concerned that we slow down and quiet down and gear down our lives so that each week we carve out time for quietness, solitude, thought, prayer, meditation, and soul searching. And Jesus is concerned as well. Oh, how much agitation, stress and anxiety will begin to fade away . . . how insignificant petty differences will seem . . . how big God will become and how small our troubles will appear! Security, peace, and confidence will move right on in.
“The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Look, the LORD is ready to pass by.”A very powerful wind went before the LORD, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.” (1 Kings 19:11-13)
You want know something? That still, small voice will never shout. God's methods don't change because we are so noisy and super busy. He is longing for your attention, your undivided and full attention. He wants to talk with you in times of quietness (with the TV OFF) about your need for understanding, love, compassion, patience, self-control, a calm spirit, genuine humility . . . and wisdom. But He won't run your hectic race to catch up. He will wait and wait until you finally sit in silence and listen.
My family, We just went through Lent which is a season set aside to slow down, shut up, be quiet and listen. I pray and encourage you his week to seek out more silence and quiet moments. Block off and schedule an hour times on your calendar to seek silence and listen to God, and keep those appointments! Read through the passion narratives of the Gospels.
I am praying for you.
I am here for you if you want to reach out to talk.
Much love,
Gary
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/ Toney UMC
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!
Tho Lord has risen indeed! Alleluia!
As we continue to remember and celebrate the joy of Easter, I wanted to share with you the first sermon (outside of Scripture) we have on record. It is called On Pascha and was preached by Melito, Bishop of Sardis, who was a prominent figure of second-century Christianity. The present text (excerpted for length) was written in 167 AD, and is the earliest Christian sermon that has survived from the early history of the church. It has been preached over the centuries, often at Easter.
This is the one who comes from heaven onto
the earth for us suffering ones,
and wraps himself in the suffering one
through a virgin womb
and comes as a human.
He accepted the suffering of us suffering ones,
through suffering in a body which could suffer,
and set free the flesh from suffering.
Through the spirit which cannot die
he slew the human-slayer death.
He is the one led like a lamb
and slaughtered like a sheep;
he ransomed us from the worship of the world
as from the land of Egypt,
and he set us free from the slavery of the devil
as from the hand of Pharaoh,
and sealed our souls with his own spirit,
and the members of our body with his blood.
This is the one who clad death in shame
and, as Moses did to Pharaoh,
made the devil grieve.
This is the one who struck down lawlessness
and made injustice childless,
as Moses did in Egypt,
This is the one who delivered us from slavery to freedom,
from darkness into light,
from death into life,
from tyranny into an eternal Kingdom,
and made us a new priesthood,
and a people everlasting for himself.
This is the Pascha of our salvation:
this is the one who in many people endured many things.
This is the one who was murdered in Abel,
tied up in Isaac,
exiled in Jacob,
sold in Joseph,
exposed in Moses,
slaughtered in the lamb,
hunted down in David,
dishonored in the prophets.
This is the one made flesh in a virgin
who was hanged on a tree,
who was buried in the earth,
who was raised from the dead,
who was exalted to the heights of heaven.
This is the lamb slain,
this is the speechless lamb,
this is the one born of Mary the fair ewe,
this is the one taken from the flock,
and led to slaughter.
Who was sacrificed in the evening,
and buried at night;
who was not broken on the tree,
who was not undone in the earth,
who rose from the dead and resurrected humankind from the grave below.
O mystifying murder! O mystifying injustice!
The master is obscured by his body exposed,
and is not held worthy of a veil to shield him from view.
For this reason the great lights turned away,
and the day was turned to darkness;
to hid the one denuded on the tree,
obscuring not the body of the Lord but human eyes.
For when the people did not tremble, the earth shook.
When the people did not fear, the heavens were afraid.
When the people did not rend their garments, the angel rent his own.
When the people did not lament, the Lord thundered from heaven,
and the most high gave voice.
“Who takes issue with me? Let him stand before me.
I set free the condemned.
I gave life to the dead.
I raise up the entombed.
Who will contradict me?
“It is I,” says the Christ,
“I am he who destroys death
and triumphs over the enemy,
and crushes Hades,
and binds the strong man,
and bears humanity off to the heavenly heights.”
“It is I,” says the Christ,
“So come all families of people,
adulterated with sin,
and receive forgiveness of sins.
For I am your freedom.
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am the Lamb slaughtered for you,
I am your ransom,
I am your life,
I am your light,
I am your salvation,
I am your resurrection,
I am your Kings.
I shall raise you up by my right hand,
I will lead you to the heights of heaven,
There shall I show you the everlasting Father.”
He it is who made the heaven and the earth,
and formed humanity in the beginning,
who was proclaimed through the law and the prophets,
who took flesh from a virgin,
who was hung on a tree,
who was buried in earth,
who was raised from the dead,
and ascended to the heights of heaven,
who sits at the right hand of the Father,
who has the power to save all things,
through whom the Father acted from the beginning and forever.
This is the alpha and omega,
this is the beginning and the incomprehensible end.
This is the Christ,
this is the King,
this is Jesus,
this is the commander,
this is the Lord,
this is he who rose from the dead,
this is he who sits at the right hand of the father,
he bears the father and is borne by him.
To him be the glory and the might forever.
Amen.
My family, I pray that the complete joy and freedom of Easter permeates your soul as you begin your morning. I pray you walk out your door with a song of praise in your heart for our savior Jesus Christ and eager to share the source of your joy with those you meet in your workplace, schools, stores and wherever your path leads today, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me.
God bless you my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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. Lead me in the Way and the Truth and Life in You today (John 14:6). For You are my Life, and my life is in You (Colossians 3:3). ...
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17 ESV).
If you remember back in April of 2020 covid shut everything down. However the government said we could still go out into parks and get fresh air and gather in small groups if we stay 6 feet apart They also said we could come together for religious gatherings. So I saw men were getting isolated from each other and under strain of trying to live their lives and lead their families in the fear and frustrations of Covid. Then I saw the park Campus 805 in Huntsville that sits between two breweries. And I invited men to come, bring your lawn chairs and Bibles. We could set up outside in the park in a circle 6 feet apart, and grab a beer, and pizza from the brewery (to-go only as dine-in was closed down), and boom! Brothers, Bibles and Beer (B3) was born. The picture in this post is from that first B3. Hard to believe we have been meeting every Thursday night since then now for 6 years! Why did I start B3 and why do we continue to meet?
Because men need the Lord. And men need one another. Together we encourage one another, learn from one another, lean on each other, and join together with one another to grow in spiritual maturity and authority. Together we find security in our true identity and fulfilling our God-given destiny in Christ. And sometimes that takes some time that’s set apart to get apart from our wives so we can become better husbands, get apart from our children so we can become better fathers, get apart from our parents so we can become better sons, get apart from jobs so we can become better employees and employers, even get apart from our local churches so we can become better disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Women, of course absolutely need these same things in their own way. My wife started a women’s group that meets on Thursday evenings as well 4 years ago. But any Godly woman will tell you the men in their lives need Jesus more than anything else. And if it’s a little time with a few other men with their Bibles out in a park, around a table in a brewery, in a booth at the Waffle House, or down by the river fishing that will make that happen and allow steel to sharpen steel, well then “Amen! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus! And pass me a beer, pour me a cup of coffee, and Holy Spirit make it happen.
My family, I pray you intentionally seek times set apart for fellowship, friendship, and accountability with the Godly people of your same sex He has put into your life to be sharpened and encourage and become more like Jesus, in Jesus' name. God bless you my friends!!
If you are in the Huntsville/Madison area and would like to join us men at B3 we will be meeting at The Green Bus Brewery this evening from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community
Please share your reflections in the comment box below.
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One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
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Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open the eyes of my heart to see You--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God--as I look and listen for Your leading today.
"Now on that day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.... So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:13-32).
Two disciples were walking to Emmaus after all the events of the cross and Easter. They had known You, loved You and had faith in You. But in their grief and sorrow and disappointment, they couldn't see You. They "had hoped" that You were the Messiah, but now they thought all their hopes and dreams were shattered (v. 21). They had even heard stories of Your resurrection, but they were still "slow of heart to believe" (v. 22-25). Even when You came alongside them, they couldn't sense that it was You, they couldn't recognize Your voice, even though they had such a personal relationship with You.
That may be a picture of many of us at times along our journey of faith. We know You, we have a real and personal relationship with You, we know the stories of Your resurrection; we celebrated at Easter, but at the same time, down deep inside, we still find ourselves "slow of heart to believe." Those times when our dreams and hopes are shattered, when things don’t work out as we planned, when we find ourselves in those times of grief and sorrow and disappointment. At those times we find it hard to see You and hear You and even recognize and remember that You are with us--that You're with us "always," just like You promised (Matthew 28:24), that Your sheep "hear (Your) voice," just like You said (John 10:3).
But even in those times--maybe even especially in those times--You'll come near and go with us (Luke 24:15). You'll come in and dine with us in the communion of our hearts if we'll invite You in to come abide with us (v. 29). Just as You did with those two discouraged disciples who desperately needed an encounter with You, You're ready to come and commune with all who would "urge (You) strongly" to come and stay (v. 29).
In the breaking of the bread with them, "their eyes were opened, and they recognized (You)" (v. 30-31). In the breaking of the Bread of the Word of God with them, "(You) interpreted to them the things about (Yourself) in all the Scriptures" (v. 27). Then their hearts burned within them in fresh fire and faith, in renewed hope and excitement, from their personal encounter in Your Presence with Your Word (v. 32).
Thank You for walking with me on my journey with You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for opening up the Word of God to me this morning and every morning, for revealing Yourself in Your Scriptures to me, "beginning with Moses and all the prophets" (v. 27) and being the source of these devotions. Thank You for coming to abide within me, for opening the eyes of my heart to see You, for making me more and more sensitive in my spirit to hear You. Thank You for the grace and faith to believe in my heart from my personal encounters in Your Presence with Your Word that "the Lord has risen indeed!" (v. 34) And thank You that every day You want to arise in me! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray following the joy of Easter your heart burns within you with fresh fire and faith, in the renewed hope and excitement that the resurrection of Jesus was meant to provide. I pray every day of your journey with Jesus, you will invest the time and invite Him to walk with you and encounter His presence in His Word, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Give A Gift
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day with the word of this psalm of longing for you on my lips.
O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you,
and witnessed your power and splendor.
Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
For this reason I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul.
My mouth joyfully praises you,
whenever I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
For you are my deliverer;
under your wings I rejoice.
My soul pursues you;
your right hand upholds me.
(Psalm 63:1-8)
Easter, and Jesus’s resurrection opened up to us the presence of God. As this psalmist desire, His presence is made available if we want to seek Him
The Bible is filled with stories of people who longed for and were filled with the presence of God. The one who has been in his presence.
Gideon in Judges 6-8
Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14
David 1 Samuel 30 But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
Paul, I have done more than any of you.... That I may know God. His Resurrection, life.
This what this book is about.
Is that you right now?
Are you are a person like those in this book?
Are you in His presence? Does Do you yearn for God ? ( Do you even know what that means?)
What is your promise you are claiming from Jesus’ resurrection at Easter?
What is that Easter miracle you are praying for, asking for?
Good Health? Successful business? Restoration of your family?
What is your promise land? what is your miracle you want for your church? To get pews/chairs set up different? Color changed? Growth in attendance? A bigger church?
How many of your miracles you asked for or prayers for things you need this week were to know Jesus better? To long for Him? To thirst for Him deeper?
How many of you desire to part of a church that longs for Jesus? That the minute you walk in you feel His presence? That when a person walks into this service, you want them to be freaked out by what they experience?
When they hear the person up front, or sitting next them, or across the aisle pray, there is something different about them and their connection with God. The pastors prayer is not just a cue to move on in the service but moves out from his heart of his service to God.
That during the prayer time, that visitor listens to the honest, desperate prayer requests of those around him, they hear them praying like they really know this Jesus they are praying to. The visitor sees them at the altar, and in their seats praying for one another and they want what they have.
Moses went up the mountain because he desired to be in God’s presence.
People are not going up to the mountain. Churches are not going up to the mountain. They are busy with so much stuff. I am busy with so much stuff.
And you know I can’t, your pastor can’t, even Jesus can’t make you go up to the mountain.
I can’t, your pastor can’t, even Jesus can’t make you love him and long for him.
I love church. I love you.
But There has to be something more than this.
I remember sitting in the church as a kid at the rituals that was part of the service. I remember when I made my confirmation that the bishop spoke some words over us and then gave me a rose.
There has to be something more than just this.
That somehow I need to lead us beyond this, somehow I need you to lead me beyond this.
And if you are hearing this understand that I am not talking in any way negatively about the church or a church building. It’s just that when I read this book I see so much more in the church and I don’t want us to settle for less. And I believe that if you heart is burning inside it is because of the Holy Spirit confirming in your heart that you don’t want to settle for anything less.
I see a church that is not just fine with the unsaved people around them.
I see a church that is not complacent or fine with people going to hell.
I see a church that is not ok to just sing another song, and tie it up right, and then let’s have another year of services.
I see a church that says, God, we got to have you.
God, I got to have you.
God, I got to experience what I read in this book.
Jesus, death and resurrection and Easter was so we could know Him.
Do you know Him?
I am not talking about some time in your past when you said a prayer and began your relationship with Jesus.
Do we Know Jesus?
Do we Long for Jesus?
Do we Thirst for Him?
Do we want to be the one who has been in his presence?
My family, there has to be something more than just this.
Somehow I need to lead us beyond this.
Somehow I need you to lead me beyond this.
To where our prayers are like those of the psalmist:
“O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are 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!
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. W will continue to rejoice and celebrate, however now it’s time to obey are call 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 the mountain tops of 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!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I wake up this morning still celebrating Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week! The season in the church calendar of Lent his over and we are now in the season of Eastertide. During these days of the remembrance and celebration of Easter, let my joy encourage me to come closer to You with excitement and expectancy to hear what You'll say and see what You'll do in my life through the power of Your resurrection. -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know you seek Jesus who crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said! Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that His is risen from the dead! ..." (Matthew 28:1-7)
God's not dead. He is alive!
Death and the devil didn't win. Hell couldn't hold You down. The grave couldn't keep You hidden away. The stone couldn't seal You up. You overcame it all in the victory of the cross and the power of the resurrection!
And because You overcame, we can overcome. Because You had victory, we can have victory. Because hope and faith won the day by the power of God in You, hope and faith by the same power of God in us will win the day for us! Because You live and are Holy, even after Holy Week all our days are Holy because your live in us!
"If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11).
Father, You sent Your Spirit to raise Jesus from the dead. And You send that same Spirit in that same power to raise us from the dead every day-- to give is the victory of life over death, of hope over despair, of faith over fear. By the power of Your grace at work in us, at work in our world, hope and faith will win the day! You are our Hope. You are our Faith. You are our Answer and only Hope for all we face, as we put all our faith in You alone.
For death is swallowed up in victory! ... Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:54)
We're not overcomers unless we've overcome something. We don't have a testimony unless we've been tested. We can't be more than conquerors unless we've had something to conquer. And the empty tomb is the eternal witness of the power of God to empower us to overcome whatever we're going through in our world today and in our world to come!
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love" (Romans 5:3-5).
Let the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead stir up the hearts of God's people around the world to release Your power of hope and faith to overcome as never before! Let everything we're going through develop endurance and character and hope in us that can be held down or sealed off or shut up. Let Your resurrection life and power arise in us to shine in our world as we remember and celebrate what You have done!
As we remember the victory of the cross and the empty tomb, let us receive and embrace Your promise and power of faith and hope: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!" (Romans 15:13) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, as we begin a new week after Easter may you be filled afresh with hope and faith in the One who overcome the grave and the devil so that we can overcome all that we face in the resurrection power of the risen Christ, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share you reflections on this passage and your Easter experiences in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” (Matthew 27:62-66)
Today is Holy Saturday, the day Christ was absent from us in the tomb and the whole world waited in hope and expectation and wondered what would happen next.
What will happen next for you?
We have spent 40 days of Lent together, 47 days including the Sundays, We spent this time reflecting, repenting, discerning our walk with Christ, praying, fasting, giving up things, taking on things, reading Lent devotions, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) preparing ourselves for Easter to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and joining in His resurrection. We deepened our understanding that “We are not our own and that we were bought at a price and that we are therefore to glorify God with our bodies.” (1 Cor 6:19-20)
So why did you do all of it?
What is the unto?
How have you been changed through it?
If an Easter miracle could happen in your life tomorrow what have you prayerfully asked God for and what would it be?
My family, Easter Sunday Christ wiped your slate clean and gave you a “clean black board”go write the next chapter of your life . I pray you will take time today, to ponder, What will happen next in you obedient following Jesus? Where, what and how you sense He is calling you to rise with Him tomorrow, and walk out your front door as He walked out of the grave, and join our resurrected savior in redeeming the world? In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends.
Discerning God’s calling and direction to follow him in obedience can be a challenge at times. If you need someone to help you pray about it, simply listen to you as you talk it out loud, or confirm your decision, reach out to me and I will listen and pray with you. Or you may know someone who you trust to pray, listen and talk with you: a pastor, church member, friend, co-worker, family member. I want to encourage you to reach out to them. You will be so glad you did, and Jesus will be as well.
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!
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy..
Good morning, Lord Jesus. On this Good Friday, we remember our Good Shepherd, when You laid down Your life for Your sheep. ...
"Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull).... And they crucified him.... When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'... Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing Him, saw that in this way He breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:22-39)
Jesus, We truly have no idea of the suffering You endured for each one of us. For as much as we can take at a time, we begin to imagine the physical suffering and the emotional suffering you endured as You hung naked and rejected by the nails driven into Your hands and feet, gasping for breath and dripping with blood from Your shredded skin and nerves. But we can't even begin to comprehend the spiritual suffering You endured as the One who knew no sin became sin on our behalf, when You willingly took upon Yourself all the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In that moment, bearing the full weight of our sins, the full weight of my sins, You were separated from the holiness of God, so that we would never have to be separated from the holiness of God.. In unimaginable anguish of spirit, You cried out to the Father in the most heart-wrenching cry of all eternity, as the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world by taking them on to Yourself in the passion of the cross, determined before the foundation of the world and prophesied long before the coming of that day (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).
Carrying our sins, You descended into hell on our behalf to break the power of hell over our lives (Acts 2:31; 1 Peter 3:18-22 and 4:6). But hell couldn't hold You because Satan had nothing in You and no power over You (John 14:30). "Through death, (You defeated) the one who has the power of death, that is, Satan himself, and freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death" (Hebrews 2:14).
What an incomprehensible price You paid for each one of us. We may never fully comprehend for all eternity the depth of Your suffering for our sins so that we could dwell forever in the depths of Your love in the intimate presence of our holy God. But on this holy day, we stand amazed at the foot of the cross and in the Presence of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, a family born out of the blood of the cross., I pray you take time on the journey to the joy of celebrating the resurrection of Christ to think on the suffering of Jesus and be filled with knowledge of the truth of how much God loves you and suffered for you to always be with you. Offer to Christ the idols, attitudes, behaviors and things you need to die from and place them on His cross, In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
IF you are in the Madison/Huntsville area, and your church does not have Holy Week service of Good Friday, or you would like to experience something different, here is info on our Good Friday Stations of the Cross service we hold outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway. We use a contemporary, interactive version of the Stations of The Cross. ALL our welcomed! For questions or more information please email me at garyl@onedirection.community. Or post it in comments box below.
Friday, April 3rd, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Good Friday Service: This service remembers God’s loving and redeeming the world through the passion and the saving works of the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Gathering will be held outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway located in Creekwood Park off Slaughter Road in Madison just north of the Farrow Rd / Slaughter Rd intersection. 392 Harvest Wood Ct.Huntsville, AL 35806. We will be outside and walking wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather that evening.
Russ Lee's song Love is a Cross with lyrics.
Please share you reflections on Good Friday throughout your day in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I journey with You this Holy Week when we remember Your journey to the cross, help me listen and see all You're showing me, as I take up my cross and follow You.
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord'" (Matthew 23:37-39).
Jesus, when You came into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey in deep humility, the crowds waived their palm branches and declared You were the Messiah, the Son of David, coming as King, declaring "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!" (v. 21:6-10). But You already knew in your heart that in a short week's time, those same crowds who are now welcoming and loving you would soon be despising you and crying out for Your crucifixion on a cross, rejecting Your words and rejecting You as their Messiah (v. 27:20-23). And You knew in Your heart Jerusalem would be destroyed, as a city divided in her heart and denying her Savior (v. 24:1-2).
Yet, even so, You would continue to love her and seek to gather her together again in hope, fulfilling the ancient prophecies of the restoration of Israel and the salvation of Jerusalem at the end of the age (Zechariah 12:1-11). And on that day that will seem like all the nations of the earth are about to finally destroy Jerusalem and all she represents, the crowds of Jerusalem will look up to heaven, to the return of her Messiah, "the One whom they have pierced," in mourning and repentance to declare, "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord" (Zechariah 12:10).
We are no better than the crowds who cried out for Your crucifixion because it was our sins as well as theirs that nailed You to the cross, You continue to cry out for us every day/ And because of Your sacrifice of love, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for never giving up on us, for never giving up on me! You are the blessed One who comes in the name of the Lord (Psalm 118:26). You are the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. Despite the sins of our souls and the unfaithfulness of our hearts, You never give up on us. Your steadfast love never comes to an end (Lamentations 3:22).
So let me be part of that crowd, from every generation, saved by Your grace, from the cross to the second coming of Christ, who cries out to You, "Blessed in the One who comes in the name of the Lord." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray as we draw deep into Holy Weeki with.Maunday Thursday tomorrow, you cry out in your heart to Jesus, "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord." May you hear and see all the Lord desires to show you on this Holy Week journey to the cross. In Jesus’s name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Holy Week Service
IF you are in the Madison/Huntsville area, and your church does not have Holy Week service of Good Friday, here is info on our Good Friday Stations of the Cross service we hold outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway. We use a contemporary, interactive version of the Stations of The Cross. ALL our welcomed! For questions or more information please email me at garyl@onedirection.community. Or post it in comments box below.Holy Week Services
Friday, April 3rd, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Good Friday Service: This service remembers God’s loving and redeeming the world through the passion and the saving works of the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Gathering will be held outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway located in Creekwood Park off Slaughter Road in Madison just north of the Farrow Rd / Slaughter Rd intersection. 392 Harvest Wood Ct.Huntsville, AL 35806. We will be outside and walking wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather that evening.
SUNDAY, April 5th : EASTER SUNDAY GATHERING AND POT LUCK LUNCH: 11:00am. Easter Sunday is the greatest day of Christianity when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ!! Our Easter Gathering, weather permitting, will take place in the Liederbach’s back yard. We will start our service at 11:00am. Following the service, we will share together a pot-lock lunch to toast and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! Start thinking what amazing dish you will bring and share!
ATTENTION: Theere is a high forcast for rain Easter Sunday.. If weather is bad, we will hold our Easter Gathering in the Cathedral Circle. Community Center located at 1310 Cathedral Circle, Madison, Al 35758
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!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit and make me more like You today.
"While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it He broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out fro many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom' " (Matthew 26:26-29).
As we prepare to celebrate the Hebrew feast of Passover, You are our Passover Lamb. You are "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" by the pouring out of Your precious blood upon the cross (John 1:29). You are the fulfillment of the prophetic act of the first Passover, when death passed over the Hebrew people who took the blood of the unblemished lamb and anointed the doorways of their home, just as You call us to anoint the doorways of our hearts with Your blood (Exodus 12:1-28).
The first Passover and every Festival of Passover, celebrated in remembrance of the provision of God, is a foreshadow of things to come, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:16). So as I remember the Passover, I'm remembering the last Passover, the Last Supper, You celebrated with Your disciples during that Holy Week on the night You were betrayed and gave up Yourself for us.
Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your gift of Your Body and Your Blood, given and poured out for me. In You, death passes over me and the fullness of life forevermore floods my soul. "Those who believe in Me, even though they die, yet will they live" (John 11:25). Thank You for Your sacrifice of love that takes away the sins of the world, and even more personally, Your sacrifice of love that takes away my sins. Today I remember You and behold the Passover Lamb of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may behold the Passover Lamb of God and all the fullness of life God the Father has provided for you through God the Son. 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.communityFacebook: 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 my family,
Yesterday was Palm Sunday and we began the time called Holy Week in the church. It is my favorite week in the year. We remember the last week of Christ’s life before his resurrection. It contains so many powerful events, examples, and expressions of God’s love for us as demonstrated in the life of Christ. It starts tomorrow with Palm Sunday and Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Jesus’s cleansing of the temple. The institution of the first Lord’s Supper. Jesus washing the disciples feet. Jesus’s final teaching to his disciples in the upper room. The betrayal by Judas. Jesus prayer and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. His trials before the Sanhedrin, Pilot and Herod. Jesus’ scourging, and crucifixion, and finally, resurrection.
I know I am preaching to myself with all I have to do with getting ready for all the upcoming events this week, but I want to encourage you to try to make this week different. Try to slow down. Read through a passion narrative in one of the four Gospels each day. Commit yourself to Fast and pray as often as you can this week. Try to “Fast” as much as you can from social media, TV, video games and other Apps and spend that time in prayer. Serve and do acts of mercy at The House Of The Harvest, Manna house, Downtown Rescue Mission, or other outreaches into your community. This is a reason why ODC holds and I invite you to participate in our Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services before Easter Sunday to help reinforce this week is different and set aside extra time for something we need to do more of, time in collective prayer together. I know many of you do not attend ODC, so please attend your churches or another in your communities Holy Week observation gatherings.
Pray over One Direction Community, (and your church and their vision) that we can press forward with our vision of Loving God, Loving Neighbors, and Making disciples through our House Churches. Share your testimony and the Gospel at least once a day with others. Prayer walk more this week seeking new people of peace to invite into existing, and start up new house churches. Invite people to our (your) Holy Week gatherings. If for some reason you are still not in a Band Group, (an accountability group) make it a priority to start one this week. Pray we can more deeply develop a heartbeat for those who are not yet here, rather than those who are here. That is why God sent His Son, that all may be saved by his suffering and resurrection of grace.
My family, I pray today you will intentionally commit to refocusing your heart, your free time, and dates on your calendar for next week and remove distractions and include Holy Week gatherings, times of service and sharing the Gospel, and time in Word and prayer. In Jesus’ name. PLEASE pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I love you all,
Gary Liederbach
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please begin 2018 by a commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Through Your Body and Your Blood, make me one with You, one with Your Body of Christ, and one in ministry to all the world until I feast with You at Your heavenly banquet in final victory.
"Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.... Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off His outer robe, and tied a towel around Himself. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around Him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, 'Lord, are You going to wash my feet?' Jesus answered, 'You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' Peter said to Him, 'You will never wash my feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no share with Me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to him, 'One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.' For He knew who was to betray Him; for this reason He said, 'Not all of you are clean' " (John 13:1-11).
Lord Jesus, though You are One with Father and One with the Holy Spirit, You set aside the glory of Heaven to humble Yourself in the likeness of human flesh and blood. And before You humbled Yourself to be betrayed and rejected and crucified by the human flesh and blood You created, You humbled Yourself to wash the dirty, smelly, unclean feet of Your disciples. No wonder Peter could hardly bear the thought of his Messiah, the Son of God, down on His knees washing his feet.
Lord Jesus, help me grasp the humility of Your nature. Though You are the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the exact image and very Word of God, with all power and authority in Your hands, You would humble Yourself with Your holy hands to wash the dirty feet of human flesh.
Your disciples couldn't fully understand what we still have trouble fully understanding as Your disciples today that You are our example in every way. Just as You laid down Your life for Your friends as an example of Your love, we are to lay down our lives in sacrificial love for one another. Just as You washed their feet as an example of Your humility, we "ought to wash one another's feet" (v. 14). "Servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If (we) know these things, (we) are blessed if (we) do them" (v. 16).
Lord, help me learn and embrace Your example. You are my "Teacher and Lord" (v. 13). Help me learn to follow in Your steps as Your disciple. Though You've made me clean though Your sacrifice on the cross, you created my hands to get dirty, as I continue Your ministry of humility and love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will be filled with the humility and love of Jesus today, as you follow Him as your example. I pray that you will intentionally set aside a time this weekend to get your “hands dirty” in ministry through real contact in the real lives of people around you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and questions in the comment box below.
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Thank You!
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
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Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Father, Son and Spirit, as I begin to move and breath at the start of a new week, create in me a clean heart…
“And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22:14-15)
Jesus, at the beginning of the Lord's Supper says to those around him, "And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." v.15. Jesus in complete love earnestly desired to be with and pour into the lives of those around him. And he earnestly desires to be with you. A good question for each of us to honestly discern this Lent is, "What do I earnestly desire?" “What is it that you earnestly desire in life?” The answer to that question is incredibly important because what you desire will control the one thing that controls everything else in your life; your heart.
What is Lent? At Jesus' baptism the sky was violently torn open, the Spirit of God descended like a dove and landed on Jesus, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, My Beloved, with whom I am pleased." Afterward, as told in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was sent, literally driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. There he fasted and prayed for 40 days. During his time there he pressed deep into the Holy Spirit so when he was tempted by Satan, he had the power, found clarity and strength to resist temptation. After his 40 days of prayer, he was ready to begin his ministry and announce for people to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Lent is a 40 day period before we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus when we set aside 40 days to more intentionally focus on prayer, repentance, pressing into the Holy Spirit, and discerning clarity of our lives and ministries. Maybe you needed some time with God to sort through the major changes happening in your life. Maybe you need to set time away from family, friends and your familiar routine in order to see God more clearly. Perhaps you want some intentional time with God to search for direction and answers of your calling. Like Jesus, we need to take some serious time to pray and listen for God.
The Spirit moves me to spend time meditating and reflection more on Lent and our need to set aside time to fast, pray, repent, and spend time in the Word.
My family, I pray this morning you will set aside a block of time and be bold enough to ask the Holy Spirit to help you honestly reflect on the questions, What are the things I am desiring now that are controlling my heart? “What do you Jesus earnestly desire in me?” 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. Make me more like You today.
“Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him…He went away from them about a stoneʼs throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 22:39-40)
In humility of heart, I want to willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone. Set me free from my selfishness and self-centeredness, from my insistence upon my independence apart from Your wisdom and authority in my life. Forgive me for my pride that says I'll do it my way, instead of Your way and demands my will instead of trusting Your will. Give a heart that honestly says, "not my will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).
You are the God who "leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble (Your) way" (Psalm 25:9). You are the God who "adorns the humble with victory" (Psalm 149:4). And it's to the humble You grant Your favor and Your blessings (Proverbs 3:34). And Your Word says, "God resists the proud, but give grace to the humble.... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:6-10).
God, I admit I need a more humble heart. In you Holy Spirit, help me have the courage to boldly entrust my heart into Your hands and commit my will to Your will today as I begin my week, and every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may you experience the blessings and favor of God, and seek his will to be done in you life. I pray you humble your heart in His sight and allow Him to lift you up and lead your life, 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
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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!
