The LORD said to Moses, “Go up from here, you and the people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ʻI will give it to your descendants’. I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way.” (Exodos 33:3)
You are on your own sayeth the Lord.
God told Moses, I am about to immensely bless you and give to you and your people everything you have desired, however, I will no longer be with you nor will you ever experience my presence again. Moses responded, “Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” He repented, begged for God’s pardon, and said the we do not want the inheritance of all these blessings without You God, for without You all these other things are worthless. The only inheritance we desire if that of your people and your presence in our lives.
Suppose God told you today I am about to immensely and completely bless you today. You will receive calls from family members and friends who you have been praying would come to know Jesus who have accepted Christ into their lives. All your prayer requests for healing over yourself and your loved ones will be answered. All your prayers for restoration of relationships with you wife and family members will be restored. You will receive a letter from an unknown relative stating that you will inherit 500 million dollars and be financially set for life. All these blessings and more you will receive. However, God says once you receive them, I will no longer be with you, I will withdraw my glory and remove my Holy Spirit from you. I will never hear or respond to a prayer from you, and you will never, ever, again experience my presence in your life. What would you do?
We can talk tough now tucked away in Sunday school and church amd declare “Nothing can compare to you Jesus, you are all we need.” But in life, behind closed doors honestly declaring that answer is not all that easy is it? Day to day we make a decision to that question as well in the small events of or day. Do we chose the comfort of our home and material goods, or to go out into our neighborhoods were God is. Do we hoard our homes as our own or open our door and welcome in others to learn about Jesus? Do we hoard our resources God has blessed us with and shut out God’s call to give, or do we give with extreme generosity. Do we choose to be right and Lord of our lives, or do we choose to experience God through humble forgiveness. Do we live as God called the Israelites in the passage above, as “stiff-necked people with our heads locked straight ahead at a mirror focused on ourselves, our wordly inheritance, our needs and desires, our blessings, and our goals, or do we turn our eyes towards Jesus and humbly offer him all we are and all we have, and tell Him, nothing is better than you in my life.
There are those times in our lives of wonderful transitions: We move out of our parents house for the first time and into our own home or apartment. We go to the bank and deposit our first pay check. We get married and move into our first home with someone to share out life with. We start a new well paying job. We get healed from a physical or mental illness, and so many other transitions. In all of these are a test from God. Will we enter into them stiff-necked, or will we enter into them only in the presence of Jesus. In all our transitions God tests our heart. Why? For He knows our choices and responses will effect our future direction and our destiny.
My family, I pray you may take a moment by yourself and simply say out loud., “Nothing is better than you Jesus and the experience of you in my life.” Then allow the Holy Spirit to honestly reveal the true application of that statement in your life, 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.
As Another Month Draws To An End, Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation now for next year, or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
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Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Arise in my heart and shine through my life today. ...
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25).
As I begin my day, fill my heart with Your Good Word. Let Your Word be a Lamp to my feet and a Light to my path (Psalm 119:105). The Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God will make me glad, as I hear it and as I share it (Luke 4:43).
Unfortunately, anxiety and depression fill the hearts and minds of so many people I talk to today. I had conversations with two different people today in their homes. Both of their conversations led to the state of the world today, what they saw on the news, the Tik Tok and Youtube short videos by “experts” they watched, Facebook and Instagram posts, and others all sucked them into feelings of anxiety and depression. These cause in them fear, paralyzes the soul, and are at the root and cause of many sins and disorders like hoarding, drug addiction, alcoholism, cutting, anorexia, suicide and others. As the roots of anxiety bears the fruit of depression. We however need to let the root of Jesus’s good words, rooted and grounded and springing forth from the Word of God, bear the fruit of gladness and peace and joy. I told them they need to spend less time watching TV and listening to, “Likeing” and “Following” social media “experts” and spend more time reading their Bible and listening to, “Likring” and Following the voice of Jesus. Listen to and allowing these thoughts to sink into your soul:
For Jesus, only Your words are Truth; Your words are Spirit; Your words are Life (John 6:63).
You are Love (1 John 4:8). And Your words are expressions of Your love. And they are better than life.
“I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise you as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:1).
So Jesus, let Your words of Spirit and Life fill my heart. Let Your words of Love and Life cast out all fear, all anxiety and lift off all depression, all discouragement, all heaviness of heart. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). “For (You have) not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). So we can cast all our cares, all our anxieties upon You, for You care for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Jesus, uproot from within us all sources that bear the fruit of depression, discouragement, and heaviness of heart. In their place, comfort all who mourn in sadness or weariness or sorrow:
“To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3).
Let it be so in me. And let it be so in every heart who would receive any words You would speak through me today on my journey of faith with You.
My family, I pray you may be filled with gladness and peace and joy as God's Good Words are rooted in your spirit, uprooting any anxieties, washing away depression, and casting out any fear, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share with us your thoughts and reflections with us this morning in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for myself, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commit 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.
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God’s complete desire, that of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is for us to be one with him, and as importantly, one with each other. The Casting Crowns lyrics come into my head. “Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth, would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt.” But as hard as it may seem sometimes, He does! At Christmas in Christ we see God’s desire to know us and be known by us as He became incarnate in Emanuel, God with us. Our relationship with our God is not like that of other religions of one of master to slave. Or like the beliefs of others of a vague form of deism where God is “out there”, detached, and impersonally directing the universe. Like a clock maker who makes a clock, winds it, sets it on the mantel, and walks away. Our God, The God, desires an intimate relationship with us, one in which we also know and desire Him intimately as well. Jesus tells us, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends (Joh 15:15). How remarkable is that! “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen 1:27 ESV) How amazing is that when you wrap your head around it!!
And God Proved his desire to have an intimate relationship with us, to be one with him, through the incarnation of His Son, Jesus the Christ. God sent the Son to be born of a woman. He walked this earth, lived our life, bore our sins, carried our cross, suffered, was crucified, died, descended into hell, and was raised from the dead to create and restore a path, a way for us to an intimate, loving relationship with a God who intimately, madly, loves us. SOOOO LOVED GOD THE WORLD, (you and I ), that he sent His Son to demonstrate it. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 3:16;15:13)
However, The works of Jesus on the cross and the salvation and oneness with God it made available to us is not the end into itself. Jesus’ hope is for our oneness with him to be an “unto” something else. Jesus tells us,
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. You are my friends if you do what I command you. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. As God sent me into the world, so I have sent you into the world. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8, 9, 14,12; 17:1)
My family, as we begin a new week I pray you reflect on today, “What is the hope you as a Christian are striving for throughout your life in the world today?” did you make a New Year’s Resolution back in January? As we move on through 2026 “What is the hope you plan to seek and strive for before the year ends? in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please begin 2018 by a commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
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Good morning Jesus, I desperately need your light today…
“As all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ property, and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment.” (Luke 20:45-47)
Jesus warns us against pride. The Greek word for “Beware” or “Be on guard against" above is a present imperative and indicates that pride is something that is constantly lurking and something we need to be constantly on the watch for and guarding ourselves against. Pride separates. It separates us from others and from God. Pride in things you have leads you to covet them, forget that everything you have is a gift from God, and cause you not to be generous. Pride in finances and professions leads to entitlement and a false rationalization that “I deserve this because I worked hard.” Pride in your heart leads to narcissism and placing yourself above others.
Our guard against pride does not come from comparison to others. Jesus told this parable on pride in Luke chapter 18:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ʻGod, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.ʼ The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ʻGod, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!ʼ I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” (Luke 18:10-14)
Our measure of our pride or lack of pride does not come from our comparison to any others or anything, but solely by our comparing ourselves to Jesus who gave us the example when; “He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross!” (Phillipians 4:8) We Compare ourselves to the cross. It was only in His complete obedience, complete humility, complete absence of pride that He was able to do the will of the Father. You can not be full of pride and endure people cussing you, spitting in your face, striping you naked in public, smacking you around, beating you, then slaughtering you on the cross. I would have “Bowed up”, Jesus bowed down.
Prayer To Christ The Prisoner
“ Lord, because you wanted to save the world, you decided for the following things to happen:
· You became a man
· You were born a human
· You were circumcised
· You were rejected by your neighbors
· You were betrayed by a close friend, a traitor
· You were cuffed and shackled and led stumbling to court
· You were forced to stand in front of judges and prosecutors, with no attorney to help you
· You were accused by lying, paid witnesses
· You were tortured with beatings, insults and whippings
· You had men spit in your face
· You had sharp thorns shoved into your scalp
· You were punched in the face, and sticks beat your body and head
· You were not allowed any medical treatment
· You were blindfolded, had your clothes stripped off your body and forced to carry the thing which with you were killed, almost half a mile
· You were nailed through your hands and feet to a heave piece of wood
· You were hung on a cross between two criminals, in front or the whole ciry, and your family and friends
· You ere offered bitter wine to drink, had a spear shoved into your side and left to die with no appeal
Lord, you willingly allowed these things to happen to save the world and to save me. When I think of these things that happened to you, your sufferings, I ask you to bring me to the same paradise that you brought the thief that was killed with you. .All he asked of you was to be forgiven. This I ask also. “ Amen. (Taken from the Kairos Freedom Guide)
So forgive me Jesus when in my pride I read the passages above in Luke 20:45-47 and 18:10-14 and others come to mind and I don’t think they apply directly to me, in Jesus’ name. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
My family, I pray you will confront the pride that resides in you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I really would love to hear your reflections, and I believe they would encourage others. So please share your reflections and prayers with us from chapter 19 in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning!
I am still reflecting on my time of serving the weekend on the Kairos Prison Ministry team going inside of Limestone prison to share the Gospel of the love, grace, and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. For those four days the 42 men who attended were greeted each day with a welcoming smile of love and respect. They sat at 7 tables with 6 inmates and three team members at each table. They listened to talks and testimonies shared by the team and then at their tables shared their thoughts and personal connections and reflections on these talks. They spent time in the chapel of prayer and in meditations. They were led through forgiveness meditations where they were guided through how to forgive those who have inflicted pain and abuse into their lives, and as important, forgive themselves for the bad choices they had made, and receive the freedom and peace that passes all understanding only attainable in Jesus Christ.
The men were given an opportunity to share things and release things in their life that had scared and crippled them emotionally and physically. And for all, they were given a gift that most had not received in a long time if ever, the gift of simply being listened to without judgement, shame or fear of being humiliated or labeled. And this atmosphere led to a place both the listener and speaker entered into their deep brokenness, and through tears, hugs and prayers, release and restoration was made possible.
Listening = loving. So who do you have in your life to listen to you where you can honestly share the hurts, brokenness, fears, and challenges of your daily life? And who are you giving the gift of simply listening in love and allow them to share? We all need a safe small group of Christian men or women depending on your gender, where in holy confidentiality, honest sharing, encouragement, accountability, and prayer we can receive healing and encouragement on our daily walk with Jesus. No one is self-sufficient. Christianity is not a solo journey. Jesus modeled this for us in his small group of men he journeyed with.
My family, I pray this morning as you sit here and read this, the Holy Spirit will compel and convict you of your essential need to form a Band group, a small band of a few men or women to share, support and encourage each other in their daily walk with Christ. I pray the Holy Spirit will bring the names of those few people into your mind, and give you the courage to call them. Most will be honored that you thought of them to call. So by the end of this week a date and time for your first meeting will be set, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections on this blog post in the comments box below!
Below is an outline you can use for you small group to follow.
Begin with all praying together:
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
Those in the group then take turns answering these questions.
PIETY:
1.Overall, How is it with your soul?
2. Share one spiritual aid with which you have nourished your vital union with Christ and share how it nourished this union.
A. Personal Prayer B. Meditation
C. Song or music D. Spiritual Direction
E. Family Prayer G. Prayer Group or Church Gathering
G. Retreat or Quiet Day H. Other
3. Share one moment in which you felt closest to Christ, and why.
4. Share one moment in which you felt distant to Christ, and why.
STUDY:
5. Share one thing you have done to increase your understanding of your relationship with God and His Creation. What have you learned?
A. Scripture Readings B. Devotional, Theological, Christian living or other books
F. Group Study H. Other
ACTION:
6. In your attempt to witness or serve the Lord, what apostolic success did the Lord want you to accomplish through you this week?
* in your family * in your neighborhood * in your environment
7. With what failure/challenge did the Lord want to test you this week?
* in your family * in your neighborhood * in your environment
8. What unexpected opportunity to witness has the Lord offered you?
9. How was your plans for last week fulfilled? Plans for this week.
CLOSING PRAYER after all have answered questions and shared:
We give you thanks, almighty God, for all the benefits you have given us. You who live and reign forever and ever. AMEN
Please Partner With Me!
Help Me Share The Gospel and Make Disciples!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
Thank You!
Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day in prayer to allow you to raise me up on wings like an eagle so I can soar with you throughout my coming day…
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)
I have been reflecting on my time serving on the Kairos Prison ministry team inside of Limestone Prison last weekend. As i reflect however i realize tht there are people all around you; co-workers, classmates, neighbors, the person next to you in line at a store, who are suffering in “prisons” of addictions, abuse, depression, unforgiveness, financial struggles, that need to hear the Gospel of grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ that you can share with them and speak over them.
Years ago I was serving on a Kairos prison ministry team sitting at a table inside St. Clair prison talking with an inmate. The inmate shared with me this story. He and a friend were smoking crack in the living room of his small house. His 5 year old son was sleeping in the back bedroom. They ran out of crack and beer, so he and his friend left to go get more. While they were gone, his son got up and went into the living room. He found the small lighter/torch they were using to smoke the crack. His son started fires in the house, and then got scared and ran into his room and hid under the covers of his bed. The inmate and his friend returned an hour or so later and the house was consumed with flames. As he pulled in he ran to the house and heard his son coughing and calling out “Daddy! Daddy help me!” As he ran around the house trying to get in, the roof fell in from the fire and his son was killed, For the 6 years he had been in prison he had been living in his own hell. He could not get the sound of his son calling out “ Daddy, Daddy help me!” from echoing in his head. He could not forgive himself, turned to using drugs to quiet his son’s voice and engaged in destructive behaviors,
The inmate had just listened to another team member give a talk on forgiveness. With tears in his eyes he said there is no way God could forgive me for what I have done. In that one on one conversation with him, I was able being led by the Holy Spirit to share with him the gospel of grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ available to him. With hugs and tears from both of us, he embraced the Gospel, and finally received the forgiveness for his actions. That night for the first time since the fire he slept through the night, and a couple weeks later he was baptized, enrolled and went through the drug treatment program in the prison, and became freer in prison than he has ever been.
My family, I pray you may hear and receive these words from the prophet Isaiah:
“The spirit of the sovereign LORD is upon me,
because the LORD has chosen me.
He has commissioned me to encourage the poor,
to help the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,” (Isaiah 61:1)
And then walk out your door and share the Gospel of the grace, forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ with those you encounter today, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.
Help Me Share The Gospel and Make Disciples!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Thank You!
Lord God, I thank you for your love, grace and mercy.
“yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
I am still reflecting on my experiences from serving on the Kairos Prison Ministry Team inside Limestone Prison this past Thur-Sun. I have been blessed to serve on many Kairos weekends of going into prisons for four days like the onecoming up in September. During this time we spend in the prison it includes sharing meals, our life stories, listening to those of the inmates, sharing our love for them and sharing the love of Jesus. All the men in the prison are suffering the consequences of bad decisions they made in their life.
In the sharing with the inmates, one theme is always the most prevalent in the inmates stories; love, or the lack of love. Almost all of the men, with hardened hearts have built up walls of strength around them as required to survive in prison. They end up with tears in their eyes saying they have never experienced love like this that is shown to them during the weekend before in their life. Or they said they have forgotten for a long time ago what real love felt like. They also said they wish they had a person show them this kind of love when they were growing up, a mentor, someone to look up to who showed them love and taught them how to model love and Christian values. They probably would not be in prison now if they did.
Unfortunately, there are so many children, young men and women, single mom’s, children of single parents, and single men in our communities that have not experienced love or have a mentor in their life. You could be that person that “if only someone had shown me love and taught me how to love” that changes the direction of a person’s life. We may not all be called to write letters like Paul, launch a church planting network or lead a church congregation, however we are all called and capable to open our hearts, our homes, and invest margins of time to love and mentor one or two men or women who need role models. The only way we will stop having to spend weekends going inside prisons to reach men or women imprisoned inside them and share with them love and the Gospel of grace in Jesus Christ, is to start spending time on weekends to reach men or women outside in our neighborhood and community and make time to embrace them, mentor them, and share the Gospel with them, and change the direction of their lives.
My family, I pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you to the one or more persons you can simply love, listen to, share life, mentor and intentionally invest time in their life as a tangible presence of the grace and hope of of Jesus Christ, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I would love for you to share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Please Partner With Me!
Help Me Share The Gospel and Make Disciples!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!!
Let me help you!
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community.. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
This morning my reflection flows out of my experience serving in prison the last four days.
I spent the last four days, Thurs -Sun inside Limestone Correctional Facility as part of a Kairos Prison Ministry team of remarkable men who went into the prison to share the Gospel of love and grace of Jesus with inmates. It was a n amazing weekend. In the conversations around the tables with team member and inmates was not heard any of the common replies of “I’m fine.” The conversations and exchanges were raw and real. All allowed themselves to become vulnerable, sharing real struggles and failures, weaknesses and hurts, and “fakeness” and hypocrisy in our lives. Both team members and inmates confessed sins, shared deep remorse, asked for forgiveness, repented, shed many tears, many deep embraces, and cried out to Jesus. The prayers shared that came from the broken, humble hearts of strong men were spontaneous, emotional, struggling to get the right words out as they bared their souls before God. The forgiveness, grace and love that outpoured was tangible and thick. The smiles through the tears of joy of those who received and accepted forgiveness was beautiful. The worship! Oh my God! The worship was a sold-out offering of their complete selves to God in praise and thanksgiving. The sound of these broken men’s praise that filled the room brought chills to the skin, life back to dry bones, freedom to the soul, and brought heaven down to earth.
To sum it all up: for 4 days we had church. We experienced the power of the church. We were the church.
And I guarantee that yesterday on Sunday morning, any of the men on the team besides the fact they were away from their spouses and family, would rather be sitting in a chair inside the maximum security prison they were in, than in a pew outside in a church. I still have allot to process from the four days.
My family, I pray this morning as we step out into the beginning of another week of work and routines, we seek in desperation to be raw and real before God. We seek to find ways to enter into conversations with others where we and they can be vulnerable, be real with life, real before God, really love each other, and really be The Church. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts on this reflection pin the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
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! .
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Good morning!
I am about to leave to head to Limestone Correctional Institution to serve on the Kairos team going into the prison to share the love, hope, and healing in Jesus Christ with men inside the prison. We will be inside the prison for four days Thurs-Sun and we could use your prayers. I reflected in my morning devotion Wednesday on our desperate need for silence to get connected with God and ourselves. Today inside the prison, we will begin our time with the inmates with my sharing of a meditation that ties into our need for silence entitled “Know Yourself.” For my devotion this morning I am sharing with you this devotion, as it is something all of us need to discern.
“On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.) Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!” Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth - you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (JOHN 1:43-51)
KNOW YOURSELF
I want you to think for a moment about what's going on with Nathaniel in this story.
As the story begins, we have Philip bringing Nathaniel to Jesus. At that point Jesus
has seen Nathaniel before, but Nathaniel had not yet seen Jesus.
Where had Jesus seen Nathaniel before? All we really know about that is that when
Jesus saw him, Nathaniel was sitting under a fig tree, apparently by himself. I like to
think he was meditating... getting to know himself.
That seems terribly unimportant, doesn't it? But it was important enough for Jesus
to have made a mental note of it. There was something about the fact that Nathaniel
was just sitting quietly there by himself that got Jesus' attention. We know from
many occurrences in Jesus' later life that he considered time alone to be very
important.
When was the last time you tried to get off by yourself, at least as much as
you can here, just to think? We all need to do that at times.
We need especially to think about ourselves, about who we are, about how we feel, about what's important to us, and about who is important to us. We
need to think about what makes us happy and what makes us sad, about
what things make us feel good about ourselves, and what things make us feel
bad, about what we like and what we don't like.
In short, we need to think about who we are.
Do you know yourself? How well do you know yourself?
Well, when Nathaniel was seen by Jesus he was just sitting and perhaps thinking.
And Jesus tuned in to his thoughts and knew him. And when Jesus greeted
Nathaniel, Nathaniel knew that Jesus knew him. In that moment he thought of
himself in a new way. Under the fig tree he had looked at his life from the inside.
Now it was like he was seeing his life through the eyes of Jesus. It was like he was
another person looking at his life from the outside.
Have you ever tried that - looking at your own life sort of from the outside? You
should try it.
Try a game of imagination with me for just a little bit. Close your eyes if you would.
Imagine that you are sitting quietly under a tree somewhere just thinking about your
life. Now imagine that your mind can move somewhere outside of yourself and you
stand off to the side looking at yourself, at your own life.
There is no one else around. There is nothing there to distract you, so take your
time. Take a good close look at yourself - at your life. What do you see? Whom do
you see? What's that person like when you look carefully? What mood can you
read from the face, the eyes? Can you look into the heart? The soul? What do you
see there?
When we are honest with ourselves, we may be surprised to find that we have many
more good qualities than bad. When was the last time you have thought about your
good qualities, the special gifts you have that no one else has?
We will also discover some qualities we wish we did not have. Yet, it is important
that we be honest with ourselves and accept ourselves as we are, including our
weaknesses. As we know from AA, the first step toward overcoming our
weaknesses is to admit that they exist.
It is very important that we know our condition if we hope to benefit from this Kairos time. This means being humble. The word “humble” comes from the Latin word
humus, which means earth. To be humble is to be like the earth, open and
receptive. The foundation upon which Kairos builds is honest self- knowledge which
comes through humility and openness.
Kairos can build for the future only if:
We are available to God's loving knowledge of us.
We make the best use of this opportunity.
We do not prejudge the Kairos - there is no "expected response."
So take time now to begin to KNOW YOURSELF.
My family, I pray you will take time alone to reflect on truly coming to know yourself: who you are, who you want to become, and what changes you need to embrace to become all God has created you to be, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me and over the Kairos team and inmates over these next 4 days.. God bless you my friends!
Please share you reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and every moment of my day. ...
This morning I’m reflecting on the presence of God and the closeness of Your love available to us in the resurrected Jesus as declared from Romans Chapter 8 in The Message Version of the Bible:
“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us--who was raised to life for us!--is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing--nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable--absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (Romans 8:31-39 MSG).
Yes, Lord. With God on our side, how can we lose! “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!” (Romans 8:37).
And that gives me courage. That gives me confidence. That fills my heart with joy, fills my eyes with tears, and fills my mouth with praise! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray as we continue to Celebrate Easter may you be filled with resurrection joy in your heart, tears of joy in your eyes, and the praises of God in your mouth, as you know His powerful, unending love for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Please share you reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
TO GIVE CLICK HERE
I got up this morning at 6:00am and went outside and sat on my front porch in the cool, 59 degree morning. I drank my coffee, again read the compilation of Passion Narratives from all four Gospels I put together, and wrote this devotion. Aside from a few outside noises--a car driving . . . a barking dog . . .bird chirps… crickets or frogs from the pond across the street from me—all's quiet on the home front. That wonderful, much-needed presence has again come for a visit—QUIETNESS. Oh, how I love it . . . how I need it.
I cannot be the man I should be without times of quietness. Stillness is an essential part of our growing deeper as we grow older. We will not become men and women of God without the presence of solitude. Those words haunt me when I get caught in the treadmill of my calendar, time schedules and trying to meet the deadline of demands of my week, just like I know you experience. We are simply geared too high. Thanks to a blend of Alka-Seltzer, coffee, energy drinks, and Tylenol, we repeat our nonproductive haste with overwhelming regularity.
We are in such a hurry, we hate to miss one panel of a revolving door. We just have to open every FB post, Snap, Tik Tok, Tweet and Text. Talk about pollution! I want you to think about what our nervous systems undergo just to stay afloat: NOISE (music, news, talk, laughter, machinery, appliances, cell phones, social media, and traffic) from 6:00 a.m. 'til midnight. SPEED (bumper-to-bumper at 65 mph, on-ramps and off-ramps, deadlines, schedules and appointments) that all make us frown rather than smile . . . that causes us to check our watches more often than checking in with our Lord. ACTIVITIES(meetings, services, suppers, luncheons, breakfasts, rallies, our kids sport games, even church functions and ministries—all ("necessary" and "nice") that have a way of dismissing quietness like an unwanted guest. Sure—some things are important—super, in fact—but not EVERYTHING! Listen, if you and I REALLY treasure quietness, we will have to make time for it. When you feed it only the "leftovers" from the schedule, quietness always goes hungry.
I’'m just being direct and honest with you about an ingredient that cannot be ignored much longer in our lives without our paying a dear, dear price; and that is our need: To be quiet with God. Quiet to love ourselves enough to listen to God. Quiet to allow God to listen to and love us. I am desperately concerned that we slow down and quiet down and gear down our lives so that each week we carve out time for quietness, solitude, thought, prayer, meditation, and soul searching. And Jesus is concerned as well. Oh, how much agitation, stress and anxiety will begin to fade away . . . how insignificant petty differences will seem . . . how big God will become and how small our troubles will appear! Security, peace, and confidence will move right on in.
“The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Look, the LORD is ready to pass by.”A very powerful wind went before the LORD, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.” (1 Kings 19:11-13)
You want know something? That still, small voice will never shout. God's methods don't change because we are so noisy and super busy. He is longing for your attention, your undivided and full attention. He wants to talk with you in times of quietness (with the TV OFF) about your need for understanding, love, compassion, patience, self-control, a calm spirit, genuine humility . . . and wisdom. But He won't run your hectic race to catch up. He will wait and wait until you finally sit in silence and listen.
My family, We just went through Lent which is a season set aside to slow down, shut up, be quiet and listen. I pray and encourage you his week to seek out more silence and quiet moments. Block off and schedule an hour times on your calendar to seek silence and listen to God, and keep those appointments! Read through the passion narratives of the Gospels.
I am praying for you.
I am here for you if you want to reach out to talk.
Much love,
Gary
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/ Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
THANK YOU!
Tho Lord has risen indeed! Alleluia!
As we continue to remember and celebrate the joy of Easter, I wanted to share with you the first sermon (outside of Scripture) we have on record. It is called On Pascha and was preached by Melito, Bishop of Sardis, who was a prominent figure of second-century Christianity. The present text (excerpted for length) was written in 167 AD, and is the earliest Christian sermon that has survived from the early history of the church. It has been preached over the centuries, often at Easter.
This is the one who comes from heaven onto
the earth for us suffering ones,
and wraps himself in the suffering one
through a virgin womb
and comes as a human.
He accepted the suffering of us suffering ones,
through suffering in a body which could suffer,
and set free the flesh from suffering.
Through the spirit which cannot die
he slew the human-slayer death.
He is the one led like a lamb
and slaughtered like a sheep;
he ransomed us from the worship of the world
as from the land of Egypt,
and he set us free from the slavery of the devil
as from the hand of Pharaoh,
and sealed our souls with his own spirit,
and the members of our body with his blood.
This is the one who clad death in shame
and, as Moses did to Pharaoh,
made the devil grieve.
This is the one who struck down lawlessness
and made injustice childless,
as Moses did in Egypt,
This is the one who delivered us from slavery to freedom,
from darkness into light,
from death into life,
from tyranny into an eternal Kingdom,
and made us a new priesthood,
and a people everlasting for himself.
This is the Pascha of our salvation:
this is the one who in many people endured many things.
This is the one who was murdered in Abel,
tied up in Isaac,
exiled in Jacob,
sold in Joseph,
exposed in Moses,
slaughtered in the lamb,
hunted down in David,
dishonored in the prophets.
This is the one made flesh in a virgin
who was hanged on a tree,
who was buried in the earth,
who was raised from the dead,
who was exalted to the heights of heaven.
This is the lamb slain,
this is the speechless lamb,
this is the one born of Mary the fair ewe,
this is the one taken from the flock,
and led to slaughter.
Who was sacrificed in the evening,
and buried at night;
who was not broken on the tree,
who was not undone in the earth,
who rose from the dead and resurrected humankind from the grave below.
O mystifying murder! O mystifying injustice!
The master is obscured by his body exposed,
and is not held worthy of a veil to shield him from view.
For this reason the great lights turned away,
and the day was turned to darkness;
to hid the one denuded on the tree,
obscuring not the body of the Lord but human eyes.
For when the people did not tremble, the earth shook.
When the people did not fear, the heavens were afraid.
When the people did not rend their garments, the angel rent his own.
When the people did not lament, the Lord thundered from heaven,
and the most high gave voice.
“Who takes issue with me? Let him stand before me.
I set free the condemned.
I gave life to the dead.
I raise up the entombed.
Who will contradict me?
“It is I,” says the Christ,
“I am he who destroys death
and triumphs over the enemy,
and crushes Hades,
and binds the strong man,
and bears humanity off to the heavenly heights.”
“It is I,” says the Christ,
“So come all families of people,
adulterated with sin,
and receive forgiveness of sins.
For I am your freedom.
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am the Lamb slaughtered for you,
I am your ransom,
I am your life,
I am your light,
I am your salvation,
I am your resurrection,
I am your Kings.
I shall raise you up by my right hand,
I will lead you to the heights of heaven,
There shall I show you the everlasting Father.”
He it is who made the heaven and the earth,
and formed humanity in the beginning,
who was proclaimed through the law and the prophets,
who took flesh from a virgin,
who was hung on a tree,
who was buried in earth,
who was raised from the dead,
and ascended to the heights of heaven,
who sits at the right hand of the Father,
who has the power to save all things,
through whom the Father acted from the beginning and forever.
This is the alpha and omega,
this is the beginning and the incomprehensible end.
This is the Christ,
this is the King,
this is Jesus,
this is the commander,
this is the Lord,
this is he who rose from the dead,
this is he who sits at the right hand of the father,
he bears the father and is borne by him.
To him be the glory and the might forever.
Amen.
My family, I pray that the complete joy and freedom of Easter permeates your soul as you begin your morning. I pray you walk out your door with a song of praise in your heart for our savior Jesus Christ and eager to share the source of your joy with those you meet in your workplace, schools, stores and wherever your path leads today, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me.
God bless you my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the Way and the Truth and Life in You today (John 14:6). For You are my Life, and my life is in You (Colossians 3:3). ...
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17 ESV).
If you remember back in April of 2020 covid shut everything down. However the government said we could still go out into parks and get fresh air and gather in small groups if we stay 6 feet apart They also said we could come together for religious gatherings. So I saw men were getting isolated from each other and under strain of trying to live their lives and lead their families in the fear and frustrations of Covid. Then I saw the park Campus 805 in Huntsville that sits between two breweries. And I invited men to come, bring your lawn chairs and Bibles. We could set up outside in the park in a circle 6 feet apart, and grab a beer, and pizza from the brewery (to-go only as dine-in was closed down), and boom! Brothers, Bibles and Beer (B3) was born. The picture in this post is from that first B3. Hard to believe we have been meeting every Thursday night since then now for 6 years! Why did I start B3 and why do we continue to meet?
Because men need the Lord. And men need one another. Together we encourage one another, learn from one another, lean on each other, and join together with one another to grow in spiritual maturity and authority. Together we find security in our true identity and fulfilling our God-given destiny in Christ. And sometimes that takes some time that’s set apart to get apart from our wives so we can become better husbands, get apart from our children so we can become better fathers, get apart from our parents so we can become better sons, get apart from jobs so we can become better employees and employers, even get apart from our local churches so we can become better disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Women, of course absolutely need these same things in their own way. My wife started a women’s group that meets on Thursday evenings as well 4 years ago. But any Godly woman will tell you the men in their lives need Jesus more than anything else. And if it’s a little time with a few other men with their Bibles out in a park, around a table in a brewery, in a booth at the Waffle House, or down by the river fishing that will make that happen and allow steel to sharpen steel, well then “Amen! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus! And pass me a beer, pour me a cup of coffee, and Holy Spirit make it happen.
My family, I pray you intentionally seek times set apart for fellowship, friendship, and accountability with the Godly people of your same sex He has put into your life to be sharpened and encourage and become more like Jesus, in Jesus' name. God bless you my friends!!
If you are in the Huntsville/Madison area and would like to join us men at B3 we will be meeting at The Green Bus Brewery this evening from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community
Please share your reflections in the comment box below.
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One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
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Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Open the eyes of my heart to see You--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God--as I look and listen for Your leading today.
"Now on that day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.... So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:13-32).
Two disciples were walking to Emmaus after all the events of the cross and Easter. They had known You, loved You and had faith in You. But in their grief and sorrow and disappointment, they couldn't see You. They "had hoped" that You were the Messiah, but now they thought all their hopes and dreams were shattered (v. 21). They had even heard stories of Your resurrection, but they were still "slow of heart to believe" (v. 22-25). Even when You came alongside them, they couldn't sense that it was You, they couldn't recognize Your voice, even though they had such a personal relationship with You.
That may be a picture of many of us at times along our journey of faith. We know You, we have a real and personal relationship with You, we know the stories of Your resurrection; we celebrated at Easter, but at the same time, down deep inside, we still find ourselves "slow of heart to believe." Those times when our dreams and hopes are shattered, when things don’t work out as we planned, when we find ourselves in those times of grief and sorrow and disappointment. At those times we find it hard to see You and hear You and even recognize and remember that You are with us--that You're with us "always," just like You promised (Matthew 28:24), that Your sheep "hear (Your) voice," just like You said (John 10:3).
But even in those times--maybe even especially in those times--You'll come near and go with us (Luke 24:15). You'll come in and dine with us in the communion of our hearts if we'll invite You in to come abide with us (v. 29). Just as You did with those two discouraged disciples who desperately needed an encounter with You, You're ready to come and commune with all who would "urge (You) strongly" to come and stay (v. 29).
In the breaking of the bread with them, "their eyes were opened, and they recognized (You)" (v. 30-31). In the breaking of the Bread of the Word of God with them, "(You) interpreted to them the things about (Yourself) in all the Scriptures" (v. 27). Then their hearts burned within them in fresh fire and faith, in renewed hope and excitement, from their personal encounter in Your Presence with Your Word (v. 32).
Thank You for walking with me on my journey with You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for opening up the Word of God to me this morning and every morning, for revealing Yourself in Your Scriptures to me, "beginning with Moses and all the prophets" (v. 27) and being the source of these devotions. Thank You for coming to abide within me, for opening the eyes of my heart to see You, for making me more and more sensitive in my spirit to hear You. Thank You for the grace and faith to believe in my heart from my personal encounters in Your Presence with Your Word that "the Lord has risen indeed!" (v. 34) And thank You that every day You want to arise in me! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray following the joy of Easter your heart burns within you with fresh fire and faith, in the renewed hope and excitement that the resurrection of Jesus was meant to provide. I pray every day of your journey with Jesus, you will invest the time and invite Him to walk with you and encounter His presence in His Word, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day with the word of this psalm of longing for you on my lips.
O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you,
and witnessed your power and splendor.
Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
For this reason I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul.
My mouth joyfully praises you,
whenever I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
For you are my deliverer;
under your wings I rejoice.
My soul pursues you;
your right hand upholds me.
(Psalm 63:1-8)
Easter, and Jesus’s resurrection opened up to us the presence of God. As this psalmist desire, His presence is made available if we want to seek Him
The Bible is filled with stories of people who longed for and were filled with the presence of God. The one who has been in his presence.
Gideon in Judges 6-8
Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14
David 1 Samuel 30 But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
Paul, I have done more than any of you.... That I may know God. His Resurrection, life.
This what this book is about.
Is that you right now?
Are you are a person like those in this book?
Are you in His presence? Does Do you yearn for God ? ( Do you even know what that means?)
What is your promise you are claiming from Jesus’ resurrection at Easter?
What is that Easter miracle you are praying for, asking for?
Good Health? Successful business? Restoration of your family?
What is your promise land? what is your miracle you want for your church? To get pews/chairs set up different? Color changed? Growth in attendance? A bigger church?
How many of your miracles you asked for or prayers for things you need this week were to know Jesus better? To long for Him? To thirst for Him deeper?
How many of you desire to part of a church that longs for Jesus? That the minute you walk in you feel His presence? That when a person walks into this service, you want them to be freaked out by what they experience?
When they hear the person up front, or sitting next them, or across the aisle pray, there is something different about them and their connection with God. The pastors prayer is not just a cue to move on in the service but moves out from his heart of his service to God.
That during the prayer time, that visitor listens to the honest, desperate prayer requests of those around him, they hear them praying like they really know this Jesus they are praying to. The visitor sees them at the altar, and in their seats praying for one another and they want what they have.
Moses went up the mountain because he desired to be in God’s presence.
People are not going up to the mountain. Churches are not going up to the mountain. They are busy with so much stuff. I am busy with so much stuff.
And you know I can’t, your pastor can’t, even Jesus can’t make you go up to the mountain.
I can’t, your pastor can’t, even Jesus can’t make you love him and long for him.
I love church. I love you.
But There has to be something more than this.
I remember sitting in the church as a kid at the rituals that was part of the service. I remember when I made my confirmation that the bishop spoke some words over us and then gave me a rose.
There has to be something more than just this.
That somehow I need to lead us beyond this, somehow I need you to lead me beyond this.
And if you are hearing this understand that I am not talking in any way negatively about the church or a church building. It’s just that when I read this book I see so much more in the church and I don’t want us to settle for less. And I believe that if you heart is burning inside it is because of the Holy Spirit confirming in your heart that you don’t want to settle for anything less.
I see a church that is not just fine with the unsaved people around them.
I see a church that is not complacent or fine with people going to hell.
I see a church that is not ok to just sing another song, and tie it up right, and then let’s have another year of services.
I see a church that says, God, we got to have you.
God, I got to have you.
God, I got to experience what I read in this book.
Jesus, death and resurrection and Easter was so we could know Him.
Do you know Him?
I am not talking about some time in your past when you said a prayer and began your relationship with Jesus.
Do we Know Jesus?
Do we Long for Jesus?
Do we Thirst for Him?
Do we want to be the one who has been in his presence?
My family, there has to be something more than just this.
Somehow I need to lead us beyond this.
Somehow I need you to lead me beyond this.
To where our prayers are like those of the psalmist:
“O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Grounded in Your Word, filled with Your Spirit, I want to begin my day in communion and alignment with You. ...
“So (the women) went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me!’” (Matthew 28:8-10)
Jesus, When You met the women outside the empty tomb, You told them two things: “Rejoice!” and “Go!”
When you encountered each of us Easter Sunday, you spoke the same words to us “Rejoise”, now “Go”!
At Easter we rejoiced! We came together in churches and shouted “Hallelujah! We gathered with family and friends, feasted, had Easter egg hunts, took photos and celebrated Jesus’ resurrection. W will continue to rejoice and celebrate, however now it’s time to obey are call to Go!
The level of our faith and declaration that “Jesus is Lord” is not measured by how high we can jump and shout “Hallelujah!” in a sanctuary on Easter Sundays, but how low we we are willing to stoop to embrace those that are hurting and do not know Christ in our neighborhoods in the year between the mountain tops of Easter Sundays. Our rejoicing in the personal knowledge and the collective knowledge of our churches on Easter that that Jesus died for our sins, rose again, freed us and gave us eternal life has absolutely no impact on our communities unless we go and share that knowledge with them. The light of the risen Christ that burns now in each of us as light-bearers has no impact on the darkness in the world if we simply gather with other light-bearers, we need to run into the darkness with our light.
So yes daily we will continue to “Rejoice” together, high-five each other and declare “He is Risen!!” However, after we high five lets “Go” out into our communities and embrace our neighbors and co-workers and share with them why we are rejoicing, that He is risen, who the “He” is, and what that Good News means to them, in Jesus’ name!
My family, I pray you will be filled today with the joy of Jesus’ resurrection and then be sent out today rejoicing to go share this Good News with others. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends! (He Has! Now Go bless others!)
Please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I wake up this morning still celebrating Resurrection Sunday of Holy Week! The season in the church calendar of Lent his over and we are now in the season of Eastertide. During these days of the remembrance and celebration of Easter, let my joy encourage me to come closer to You with excitement and expectancy to hear what You'll say and see what You'll do in my life through the power of Your resurrection. -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know you seek Jesus who crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said! Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that His is risen from the dead! ..." (Matthew 28:1-7)
God's not dead. He is alive!
Death and the devil didn't win. Hell couldn't hold You down. The grave couldn't keep You hidden away. The stone couldn't seal You up. You overcame it all in the victory of the cross and the power of the resurrection!
And because You overcame, we can overcome. Because You had victory, we can have victory. Because hope and faith won the day by the power of God in You, hope and faith by the same power of God in us will win the day for us! Because You live and are Holy, even after Holy Week all our days are Holy because your live in us!
"If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11).
Father, You sent Your Spirit to raise Jesus from the dead. And You send that same Spirit in that same power to raise us from the dead every day-- to give is the victory of life over death, of hope over despair, of faith over fear. By the power of Your grace at work in us, at work in our world, hope and faith will win the day! You are our Hope. You are our Faith. You are our Answer and only Hope for all we face, as we put all our faith in You alone.
For death is swallowed up in victory! ... Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:54)
We're not overcomers unless we've overcome something. We don't have a testimony unless we've been tested. We can't be more than conquerors unless we've had something to conquer. And the empty tomb is the eternal witness of the power of God to empower us to overcome whatever we're going through in our world today and in our world to come!
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love" (Romans 5:3-5).
Let the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead stir up the hearts of God's people around the world to release Your power of hope and faith to overcome as never before! Let everything we're going through develop endurance and character and hope in us that can be held down or sealed off or shut up. Let Your resurrection life and power arise in us to shine in our world as we remember and celebrate what You have done!
As we remember the victory of the cross and the empty tomb, let us receive and embrace Your promise and power of faith and hope: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!" (Romans 15:13) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, as we begin a new week after Easter may you be filled afresh with hope and faith in the One who overcome the grave and the devil so that we can overcome all that we face in the resurrection power of the risen Christ, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share you reflections on this passage and your Easter experiences in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach
Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” (Matthew 27:62-66)
Today is Holy Saturday, the day Christ was absent from us in the tomb and the whole world waited in hope and expectation and wondered what would happen next.
What will happen next for you?
We have spent 40 days of Lent together, 47 days including the Sundays, We spent this time reflecting, repenting, discerning our walk with Christ, praying, fasting, giving up things, taking on things, reading Lent devotions, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) preparing ourselves for Easter to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and joining in His resurrection. We deepened our understanding that “We are not our own and that we were bought at a price and that we are therefore to glorify God with our bodies.” (1 Cor 6:19-20)
So why did you do all of it?
What is the unto?
How have you been changed through it?
If an Easter miracle could happen in your life tomorrow what have you prayerfully asked God for and what would it be?
My family, Easter Sunday Christ wiped your slate clean and gave you a “clean black board”go write the next chapter of your life . I pray you will take time today, to ponder, What will happen next in you obedient following Jesus? Where, what and how you sense He is calling you to rise with Him tomorrow, and walk out your front door as He walked out of the grave, and join our resurrected savior in redeeming the world? In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends.
Discerning God’s calling and direction to follow him in obedience can be a challenge at times. If you need someone to help you pray about it, simply listen to you as you talk it out loud, or confirm your decision, reach out to me and I will listen and pray with you. Or you may know someone who you trust to pray, listen and talk with you: a pastor, church member, friend, co-worker, family member. I want to encourage you to reach out to them. You will be so glad you did, and Jesus will be as well.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy..
Good morning, Lord Jesus. On this Good Friday, we remember our Good Shepherd, when You laid down Your life for Your sheep. ...
"Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull).... And they crucified him.... When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'... Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing Him, saw that in this way He breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:22-39)
Jesus, We truly have no idea of the suffering You endured for each one of us. For as much as we can take at a time, we begin to imagine the physical suffering and the emotional suffering you endured as You hung naked and rejected by the nails driven into Your hands and feet, gasping for breath and dripping with blood from Your shredded skin and nerves. But we can't even begin to comprehend the spiritual suffering You endured as the One who knew no sin became sin on our behalf, when You willingly took upon Yourself all the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In that moment, bearing the full weight of our sins, the full weight of my sins, You were separated from the holiness of God, so that we would never have to be separated from the holiness of God.. In unimaginable anguish of spirit, You cried out to the Father in the most heart-wrenching cry of all eternity, as the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world by taking them on to Yourself in the passion of the cross, determined before the foundation of the world and prophesied long before the coming of that day (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).
Carrying our sins, You descended into hell on our behalf to break the power of hell over our lives (Acts 2:31; 1 Peter 3:18-22 and 4:6). But hell couldn't hold You because Satan had nothing in You and no power over You (John 14:30). "Through death, (You defeated) the one who has the power of death, that is, Satan himself, and freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death" (Hebrews 2:14).
What an incomprehensible price You paid for each one of us. We may never fully comprehend for all eternity the depth of Your suffering for our sins so that we could dwell forever in the depths of Your love in the intimate presence of our holy God. But on this holy day, we stand amazed at the foot of the cross and in the Presence of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, a family born out of the blood of the cross., I pray you take time on the journey to the joy of celebrating the resurrection of Christ to think on the suffering of Jesus and be filled with knowledge of the truth of how much God loves you and suffered for you to always be with you. Offer to Christ the idols, attitudes, behaviors and things you need to die from and place them on His cross, In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
IF you are in the Madison/Huntsville area, and your church does not have Holy Week service of Good Friday, or you would like to experience something different, here is info on our Good Friday Stations of the Cross service we hold outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway. We use a contemporary, interactive version of the Stations of The Cross. ALL our welcomed! For questions or more information please email me at garyl@onedirection.community. Or post it in comments box below.
Friday, April 3rd, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Good Friday Service: This service remembers God’s loving and redeeming the world through the passion and the saving works of the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Gathering will be held outdoors at Indian Creek Greenway located in Creekwood Park off Slaughter Road in Madison just north of the Farrow Rd / Slaughter Rd intersection. 392 Harvest Wood Ct.Huntsville, AL 35806. We will be outside and walking wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather that evening.
Russ Lee's song Love is a Cross with lyrics.