Acts 6: Now Stephen...Oposition Arose"

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

Acts 6:8-10

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

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

NOW STEPHEN. . . OPPOSITION AROSE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Your participation is important in this time together!! Please share your reflections in the comments box below.  

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

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

CICK HERE TO GIVE  CICK HERE TO GIVE 

 

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

Lord Jesus, In my life Lord be glorified today…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your participation is important in this time together.  Please share your reflections in the comments box below.  

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

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

CICK HERE TO GIVE  

Acts 4: "A Church Blazing With Holy Fire"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

•  Its power over all creation v.24

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Its power to fill all our needs v.34

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

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

  28 Days of Acts

I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together as we begin pray over a new revelation, a new manifestation of Jesus into the vision and ministries of our churches and our lives.  I would like us to dedicate ourselves to pouring ourselves into his word and prayer as we seek God’s will and direction for our lives.   To aid us in this I am asking us to commit to one another and join together in these 5 things:

1.  There are 28 chapters in Acts of Apostles, so we will read one chapter a each weekday for the next 28 weekdays.  

2.    If you are not in a Band group, start up or join one. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly.   We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ and to discern what we hear Christ speaking into our lives..   Do not delay, pray to God who to ask you which one or two persons to invite to join you, and do it.  Ne excuses, no delays.  

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

4.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

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

CICK HERE TO GIVE 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

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

  CICK HERE TO GIVE

28 Days of Acts

I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together to begin to pray over a new revelation, a new manifestation of Jesus into the vision and ministries of our churches and our lives.  I would like us to dedicate ourselves to pouring ourselves into his word and prayer as we seek God’s will and direction for our lives.   To aid us in this I am asking us to commit to one another and join together in these 5 things:

1.    If you and not in a Band group, start up or join one. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly.   We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ and to discern what we hear Christ speaking into our lives..   Do not delay, pray to God who to ask you which one or two persons to invite to join you, and do it.  Ne excuses, no delays.  

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

3.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  

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

Acts 2: "Jesus Is Both Lord And Christ"

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

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

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

ʻI saw the Lord always in front of me,

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

Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body also will live in hope,

because you will not leave my soul in Hades,

nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.

You have made known to me the paths of life;

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

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

ʻThe Lord said to my lord,

“Sit at my right hand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

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

28 Days of Acts

I am asking all of us as a church, as a family, as a community of faith to come together to begin to pray over a new revelation, a new manifestation of Jesus into the vision and ministries of our churches and our lives.  I would like us to dedicate ourselves to pouring ourselves into his word and prayer as we seek God’s will and direction for our lives.   To aid us in this I am asking us to commit to one another and join together in these 5 things:

1.    If you and not in a Band group, start up or join one. A band group is the Wesleyan name for accountability groups of 2-3 people of the same sex that meet weekly.   We need to both encourage and hold each other accountable to time in the Word, Prayer, and our daily walk with Christ and to discern what we hear Christ speaking into our lives..   Do not delay, pray to God who to ask you which one or two persons to invite to join you, and do it.  Ne excuses, no delays.  

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

3.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  

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

"Acts 1: Baptized With The Holy Spirit"

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

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

Intro to Acts:

The Book of The Acts of the Apostles, or as commonly simply called “Acts” picks up where Luke’s Gospel leaves off, recording the birth of The Church and the early progress of the gospel as Jesus’ disciples took it from Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the Mediterranean world. The story begins with Christ’s ascension and the events of Pentecost. As Gentiles begin responding to the gospel, the focus shifts to Paul and his missionary journeys. Acts forms a bridge between the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, showing how the apostles carried on Christ’s work and providing a historical background for Romans through Revelation. The Acts of the Apostles is the second of two New Testament books written by Luke. Like his Gospel, Acts was a letter to Luke’s friend Theophilus, written sometime in a.d. 62–64

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Pray for the return of Jesus. v.11

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

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

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

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

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

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!

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

 

 

 

 

"Launched with Love"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.   

Thank You!

"Sing Like A Warrior"

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

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

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

    a Warrior who gives victory;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

    He will renew you in His love;

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

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

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,

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

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord

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

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

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

 Please share you reflections in the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach

Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Help Us Help Them

I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.

Thank You!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE 

"Walking Alongside Our Sorrows and Disappointments"

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

"Now on that day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.... So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:13-32).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Give A Gift

I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.

Thank You!  

 

 

Shout At The Devil!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please share with us your reflections in the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach

Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Help Us Help Them

I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.

Thank You!  

The Resurrected Jesus is For You!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please share you reflections in the comment box below.

Gary Liederbach

Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

 

Help Us Help Them

I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.

Thank You!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

"Four Years of B 3"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please share your reflections in the comment box below.

 Please Partner With Me!

Help Me Share The Gospel With Truth And Love

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

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Discipleship Training.

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

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

"Sent Ones Into The World"

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Give A Gift!

I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.

Thank You!  

 

 

 

This Is The One Who Comes from Heaven!

Tho Lord has risen indeed! Alleluia!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God bless you my friends!

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

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!

CLICK HERE TO GIVE

Questions After Your Resurrection

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I love You, Lord, and listen for Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...

"But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.' When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.' Jesus said her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, 'Rabbouni" (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, 'Do not hold on to Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'' Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord!'; and she told them that He had said these things to her" (John 20:11-18).

Even after the resurrection, Mary Magdalene was still confused about all that was happening. Even after seeing with her eyes and knowing in her heart that the tomb was empty, she still had questions about what was taking place.

She wept and she wondered. She tried to fit the pieces together in a way that made sense in her mind, but she didn't yet see the bigger picture from heaven's perspective. She needed a personal encounter with the risen Lord. She needed to turn around and look to You. She needed to hear Your voice. She needed to hear You call her by name.

Just like Mary, we can all find ourselves in that place at times. We've been walking with You in a personal relationship with You as Your disciple. We believe the cross and the empty tomb are real and true. So it's not a matter of faith. But somehow in all the chaos and confusion of not understanding all that's going on and not knowing yet what it all means and worrying about all that will happen next, we can have questions.

Mary expressed her thoughts and asked her questions. The angels didn't rebuke her and You didn't rebuke her. Instead, You come near to her and spoke to her. At first, she didn't recognize Your voice. At first, she didn't even turn to You to acknowledge You -- still overwhelmed in her grief and consumed in her questions. 

But then she heard You speak her name! Then she turned to You and called out to You! Then everything in her wanted to take hold of You and never let You go!

When she heard Your voice, when she turned to You to speak to You face to face, everything became much more clear. There was still so much she didn't know, so much she didn't yet need to know, about all that would happen and all that was to come. She didn't yet fully grasp how things would never be the same -- or what a good thing that would be, even though there would be plenty of hard days ahead.  But one thing is clear -- she couldn't wait to go share the good news! She couldn't wait to go encourage Your other disciples with the great joy that filled her heart!

Father, send Your Holy Spirit to make us more sensitive to the voice of Jesus. Even in the midst of all our questions and concerns about the coronavirus and what's going on in our world and what's to come, help us to see from heaven's perspective and listen for the voice of Jesus in the midst of all we're experiencing and all we're about to go through.

Lord Jesus, we believe in the victory of the cross and joy of the empty tomb. We praise You for all that You done and all You're going to do. And at the same time, we need a fresh and deep and intimately personal encounter with You. 

So Lord, let us hear Your voice. Let us hear You call us by name. And let us turn to You to encounter You face to face. Give us a deeper desire to take hold of You and never let You go. And fill us with a joy to go share the good news with others, even more so in this time of “bad news,” with all who so desperately need to hear it! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

My family,  I pray you may be free to ask your questions and express your concerns to God, along with a growing desire to turn to Jesus and hear His voice and be filled with His joy to go share His good news, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

Please share you reflections on this post with others 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

" Stream From He Who Was Pierced"

Good morning Father, Son and Spirit, speak to me as I speak to you…

“But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately. And the person who saw it has testified (and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth), so that you also may believe. For these things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled, “Not a bone of his will be broken.” And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” (John 19:33-37) 

“They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” Here a single phrase is quoted from Zechariah 12, but the entire context is associated with the events surrounding the crucifixion. The "Spirit of grace and of supplication" is poured out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the first part of v. 10. A few verses later in 13:1 Yahweh says "In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity." The blood which flowed from Jesus' pierced side may well be what the author saw as the connection here, since as the shedding of the blood of the sacrificial victim it represents cleansing from sin. As Jesus hung on the cross, the author may also have in mind the second coming here. The context in Zech 12-14 is certainly the second coming, so that these who crucified Jesus will look upon him in another sense when he returns in judgment. 

“ On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. …I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn…“In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity... (Zech 12:5-13:1)

Holy Spirit, the water of these Scriptures are very deep waters.  Continue to motivate me not to stay on the surface of what I read but dive deep to discover the treasures of Your Word of Life that lay there.  Continue to call me to run and jump into the fountain of life which flows from Christ where I am soaked, laughing and splashing in the waters of Grace that cleanses me of all sin, impurities, guilt, shame, and depression.  As I dive into your Word and prayer I want to to washed by the the river of the water of life that flows from Your throne today!

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1-4)

My family, I pray during Lent as you read these Scriptures you allow the Holy Spirit to mold you and speak to you through the Word of God you are reading. I pray you will not just receive from your daily readings but begin to share what yor hear the Spirit speak to you and reveal it to others. I pray you will today dive deep into the healing waters of life that flow from your Bible, In Jeus’ 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!  

 

 

"Jesus' Hands Are Dirty"

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 are commandedt 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 through Your sacrifice on the cross, you created my hands to get dirty, as I continue Your ministry of humility and love. My hands were not created to simply clasp each other in prayer over people’s life situation in my church or home, but to personally and physically grasp and embrace people and aid them. Just like You dd Lord, 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 prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.

Holy Week Services

Here is the list of Holy Week Services I will be leading if your church does not have these services..

Thursday, March 28th, 6:30pm: Maundy Thursday Service, Cathedral Circle Community Center located at 1310 Cathedral Cir, Madison, AL 35758Friday, March 29th, 6:00pm: Good Friday Service and Stations of the Cross
Indian Creek Greenway Park off Slaughter Road. 392 Harvestwood Ct Madison, AL 3575

Sunday, March 31st , 11:00am: Easter Sunday Service in Liederbach’s back yard. 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al

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!  

 

"Be Like Simon"

Good morning Father, Son, and Spirit, I begin my day receiving you love, grace and mercy.

Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate… So Pilate spoke to them (crowds) again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!...” So the soldiers led him into the palace….Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.… Those who passed by defamed him, (Mark15:1, 12,  16,19, 29)

Jesus, as I read this passage this morning it hits my heart and saddens me how completely alone and abandoned You were in your suffering.  The chapter before tells us that when You were arrested,  “all the disciples left him and fled.” (Mark 14:50) In this passage everyone else rallies together against you: Chief priests, Elders, experts in the law, the crowds, Pilot, soldiers, passers by; all wanted to humiliate and hurt You, You were completely alone.

All except one man, Simon of Cyrene.  “The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country” (Mark 15:21)  One man stepped out, embraced your cross, entered into your suffering, and walked with you.  The passage said he was forced, but he still did it. 

Lord help me be Simon today and everyday of my life.  Carrying your cross is not the popular thing to do. Those in the crowd around me (my co-workers, classmates, family, friends neighbors) may ridicule me.  Like Simon, honestly in my flesh it may not be what I want to do and it may be way beyond my comfort zone.   Walking close with You, I will receive the brunt of people’s anger and get hit in the face by the spit that is intended for You.   However, today I have to make a choice;: Will I be like Simon, or will I be like the rest of the crowd.  Holy Spirit give me the strength, fill me with love for Jesus and my neighbors, and instill in me a heart of worship to embrace Jesus, embrace His cross, and carry it into a a desperate world that needs its love and redemption.

My family, I pray today you choose to be like Simon and not like the crowds around him or the crowds around you. I pray as you step into the Monday of a new week which is also Holy Week, you step out of your comfort zone, embrace Jesus, carry your cross, and speak the love of Jesus into the crowds today. I pray you will share Jesus and your faith with at least one person today and every day of Holy Week, in Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!!

Please share your reflections and prayers on my post 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 Carry The Cross To Others

I could use your financial support as I relationally share the Gospel tothose 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!  

 

 

"The Crowds Cried Out"

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 you enter intp Holy Week by crying 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 Services

IF you are in the Madison/Huntsville area, and your church does not have Holy Week services of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, here is the list of services I will be leading and 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

Thursday, March 28th, 6:30pm-8:00pm: Maundy Thursday Service: Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum” meaning mandate or commandment. On his last night before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples In John’s Gospel and then gave them a new commandment to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34).  He instituted the Lord’s Supper in Mark, Matthew and Luke and the commandment to “Do this in remembrance of me.”  Jesus in John’s Gospel also instituted the washing of feet. Service will be held at The Cathedral Circle Community Center located at 1310 Cathedral Cir, Madison, AL 35758 

Friday, April7, 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 so dress appropriately for the weather that evening.

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

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!

"Holy Week Reflections"

Good morning my family,

With Holy Week beginning Sunday my thoughts and prayers this morning were on preparing our hearts for this time. Sunday is Palm Sunday and will 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 death and resurrection.  It contains so many powerful events, examples, and expressions of God’s love for us as demonstrated in the life of Christ. Holy Week starts 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 next week, but I want to encourage you to try to make this next 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 next 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 Manna house, Downtown Rescue Mission, House of Harvest or other outreaches into your community.  This is a reason why I invite you to participate in Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services before Easter Sunday to help reinforce Holy week is different and set aside extra time for something we need to do more of, time in collective prayer together. You are invited to attend ODC gatherings if your church does not have them, or please attend your churches or others 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 next week.  Pray we can more deeply develop a heartbeat for those who are not yet in our churches, 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. And that is why God sends all of us to share with others Jesus’ salvation of mercy and grace with others.

My family, I pray today you will intentionally commit to refocusing your heart, your free time, and the 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.

 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!

If your church does not have Holy Week gathers, you are invited to attend ODC’s.

All are welcomed

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC