"Thrown Into An Uproar!"

As I begin my work week, I turn my eyes to the one who loving eyres are always turned towards me.

  “The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 20:9-11)

Matthew chapter 20 is a convicting chapter to read . The crowds welcomed Jesus into their city, into their lives shouting, “Hosanna” which mean means “save us” or “deliver us.”   Jesus did come to save them, however in the people inviting Jesus into their lives and welcoming His salvation, they did not realize what the results would be. “The whole city was thrown into an uproar” (v.9) is what Jesus’s arrival did.  Jesus’s entry demanded a clear and honest assessment and revelation of their current life and worship, a calling out of their sins, and repentance and cleansing. It was the beginning of a revolution.

Jesus confronted them with  the way they had perverted and materialized their Holy prayer and worship of God. “Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. And he said to them, “It is written, ʻMy house will be called a house of prayer,ʼ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!” (v.12-13) 

He saw what and what not was bearing fruit, and took down that which looked good, but produced nothing. “After noticing a fig tree by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once.” (V.19)

He revealed the wicked intentions of those “in the church” and exposed them for what they were- hypocrites. “They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ʻFrom heaven,ʼ he will say, ʻThen why did you not believe him?ʼ But if we say, ʻFrom people,ʼ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We donʼt know.” (v.25-27)

He called out those who on Sunday mornings sing, “Mighty to Save”, cheer Jesus, and say “Amen” to the pastors benediction to go into the world and make disciples, and then do nothing. “What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ʻSon, go and work in the vineyard today.ʼ The boy answered, ʻI will not.ʼ But later he had a change of heart and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ʻI will, sir,ʼ but did not go. Which of the two did his fatherʼs will?” They said, “The first.” (vs.28-31)

Jesus knocked down the religious and leveled the playing field for those who will enter into heaven. “Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!” (v.31)

Jesus declared the fate of those who enjoyed living in the wonderful world He created but reject His Lordship. “Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”  (vs. 40-41)

He states that obeying Him, pick up their cross and following Him into the world and redeem the lost will not enter the kingdom..“For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (v.43)

My family, I know I will meditate on this chapter all day as Jesus words convict and asses the true nature of my heart, worship, and obedience to Him.  I pray that you will do the same.  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.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

 t’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started 4 weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 48 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 21-25.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.   

"Envious Generosity"

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

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

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

Lord Jesus, Your generosity is amazing to the extreme.  “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16).  You give us gift after gift.  The extravagance of your generosity, your grace, troubled those in the passage above, and at times it troubles me.  There is nothing “fair” about your generosity.   All receive the full measure of your love, grace and mercy whether they come to Christ as a child or on their death bed.  I was 34 years old when I fell in love with You, and  when I did the gates of heaven opened up, my Father in Heaven declared, “This is my son in which I am well pleased.”  I received the gift of eternal life in the eternal embrace of love of the Father.  

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

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

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

 

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

 

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"Would You Sit With Jesus?"

Jesus, lover of my soul, I begin my day expressing my love for you. 

“And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.”  (Matthew 19:16-22) 

Imagine  you are invited to a dinner at a church that is held in a church’s large parish hall.  You go through the buffet line and get your dinner and drink then you turn to look for a place to sit.  In the hall the are a dozen or so round tables set up.  You look around at the tables deciding which one to sit at.  You see people you know at a couple of the tables, then you notice at one table sitting by himself is Jesus.   Do you have the courage to go sit at the table with Jesus?  And if you did what would you ask him? The young man in the passage above chose to “sit at his table” and engage in a conversation with Him, and He left the table grieving.

Right now, like the young man did, you can rationalize, even pat yourself on the back that you are a “good Christian.”  Like the young man, you go to church on Sundays, don’t kill people or cheat on your wife, and read your Bible and pray fairly regularly.  When the young man told this to Jesus, he assumed that Jesus would respond with, “Wow. I am impressed with you!”  He did not.  Instead, He told the young what he lacked.  If you had the courage to sit at Jesus’ table and if you had the courage to ask Jesus “What do I lack?”  What would He tell you?  And once He gave you an answer, you could not rationalize your “Goodness” anymore.  You would have to either completely surrender and comply to what Jesus asked of you, or walk away grieving knowing you denied Jesus.

My family, I pray today in prayer and in the Holy Spirit, you have the courage to “sit at the table of Jesus and ask Him “What do I lack?” In what way is my life not conforming to your image and the life you desire for me?  In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends! 

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started three weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 50 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 16-20.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.   



 

 

"Little Ones"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and declare Your authority over every dimension of my life this day.  ...

"(Jesus) called a child, whom He put among them, and said, 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in Me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea.... Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of My Father in heaven.... So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost" (Matthew 18:2-14).

For the "little ones," they all are always learning, always vulnerable, and always in need of our prayers and Your angels.

Thank You for these ministering spirits, guardian angels who go forth at Your command and watch over Your children -- not just when they're little, but all the days of their lives. "Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14) "Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out His plans, listening for each of His commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve Him and do His will!" (Psalm 103:20-21)

Father, we entrust our children to You -- to Your word and Your will, Your protection and Your purposes, Your guidance and Your guardians, Your care and Your compassion, Your heart and Your hands. We entrust them to Your Holy Spirit in Your heavenly school, as they attend earthly school, secure in the Spirit. You love them more than we do and more than we ever could. And You'll watch over them sending forth Your word and Your warriors in ways we can't and never could. "The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him" and carefully watching over all those entrusted to Him (Psalm 103:13). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray your "little ones," no matter how old, are safe and secure in the Spirit of the Lord, with His holy word and His holy angels going forth to watch over them and protect them, confident in their identity and fulfilling their destiny in Christ, 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

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

Thanks You!  

 

 

 

"Simply Jesus"

As I begin my day I ask you Jesus to open the eyes of my heart that I may see you in all your glory..

“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)

In this amazing story of the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, it says about Jesus, “ He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” (v.2).  It also says that Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and were talking to Him. (v.3). Moses and Elijah represented the Ten Commandments, the Law, prophecy, and all the traditions and teachings of the Jewish faith.  But then a cloud overshadowed them all, (v.5), Moses and Elijah were hidden by the cloud, and all the disciples could see was Jesus shining in His glory.  And God spoke to them saying, “This is my Son, listen to Him!” (v.5)

God overshadowed the images of Moses and Elijah, two great patriarchs of their faith, so all they could see was Jesus, and said He is the one you are to listen to now.  All the commandments, laws and traditions are fulfilled in My Son Jesus, it is simply about Him.

Holy Spirit, I ask you to reveal to me this morning what I am listening to besides Jesus.  What traditions, habits, personal preferences, religious activities or routines I have not obscured, but have actually placed in equal importance to Jesus.  What am I listening to other than “simply Jesus.”  Convict me Holy Spirit, convicted Your Church today as You convicted Your early Church saying, “you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent” (Revelation 2:4). Give me the courage to repent. Give me the strength to let go of and walk away from things I am clinging to and listening to, comfortable with, and simply return to listening to my first love, Jesus.

My family, I pray this morning you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you those things that you are listening to that need to be obscured, and simply return to your first love, Jesus. Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thank You!  

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 It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started three weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 50 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 16-20.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.   

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"Determined In Your Destiny"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice, for Your sheep hear Your voice and follow You (John 10:3).  ...

"From that time on, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to You.' But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things'" (Matthew 16:21-23).

You were determined to fulfill Your destiny. Even the anticipation of rejection, betrayal, and abuse could not dissuade You or distract You. Even the seemingly encouraging rebuke of love from an assuring friend and faithful disciple could not redirect Your steps, confuse Your thoughts, or alter Your course. You had set Your face and sight to go to Jerusalem and fulfill all righteousness with the holy sacrifice of Your holy life for all of us (Isaiah 50:7 fulfilled in Luke 9:51).

All along the way, You had the freedom to say "No," but continued to say "Yes" -- "Yes" to the will and the way of God, "Yes" to Your identity and Your destiny (Luke 22:42). And all along the way, it was necessary to have Your mind set on divine things, not human things, to "set Your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).

Peter thought he knew best. He even "took (You) aside and began to rebuke (You)" (Matthews 16:22). Wow, what chutzpah! But how many times have I done the same -- maybe not as directly, maybe a little more passively-aggressively, but with just as much insistence on the things and the ways of this world, instead of the things and the ways of God, nonetheless.

But You were resolute. Give me grace to do the same -- humility to seek the will of my Father, the faith to believe God always knows best from heaven's perspective even if it doesn't look like it from earth's perspective, and the courage to obey. Let me like Jesus exhibit immediate Radical Costly Obedience, In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray this morning you will be empowered by the grace of God, in complete humility, faith, and courage to be determined in the destiny our Father has for your life, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

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

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thank You!  

 It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started three weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 50 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 16-20.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.   

 

"Spring Cleaning"

Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin this morning seeking a cleansing and renewing of my heart, mind, and Spirit.

“‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far away from Me.

‘But in vain do they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

(Matthew 15:8-9)

This morning my reading of the New Testament led me to reading and reflecting on Scriptures in the Old Testament. As I read through Matthew chapter 15, Verses 8-9 stood out to me, which are a quotation from Isaiah 29:13.  Jesus was calling out people who replace a daily life of living out the love of Jesus and our call to make disciples, with religious activities like simply going to church on Sunday.  My praying into this led me to Jeremiah 7:1-13.  As I read it in my mind, I contextualized it to today by replacing the word “Temple” throughout the passage with “Church” to hear God’s message spoken to our Church.

“The Message from God to Jeremiah: “Stand in the gate of God’s Church and preach this Message. “Say, ‘Listen, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship God. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God, has this to say to you: “‘Clean up your act—the way you live, the things you do—so I can make my home with you in this place. Don’t for a minute believe the lies being spoken here—“This is God’s Church, God’s Church, God’s Church!” Total nonsense! Only if you clean up your act (the way you live, the things you do), only if you do a total spring cleaning on the way you live and treat your neighbors, only if you quit exploiting the street people and orphans and widows, no longer taking advantage of innocent people on this very site and no longer destroying your souls by using this Church as a front for other gods—only then will I move into your neighborhood. Only then will this country I gave your ancestors be my permanent home, my Church.

 “‘Get smart! Your leaders are handing you a pack of lies, and you’re swallowing them! Use your heads! Do you think you can rob and murder, have sex with the neighborhood wives, tell lies nonstop, gossip, worship the local gods, and buy every novel religious commodity on the market—and then march into this Church, set apart for my worship, and say, “We’re safe!” thinking that the place itself gives you a license to go on with all this outrageous sacrilege? A cave full of criminals! Do you think you can turn this Church, set apart for my worship, into something like that? Well, think again. I’ve got eyes in my head. I can see what’s going on.’” God’s Decree! (Jeremiah 7:1-11, The Message Bible)

My family, even though it is fall, I pray this morning you open your heart up to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to do a total spring cleaning on the way you live.  In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

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

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!

"Walk On The Waters Of Faith"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take hold of my heart, as I take hold of Your grace to guide my steps throughout the moments of my day.  ...

"Peter answered Him, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' He said, 'Come.' So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him, saying to him, 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?' When they got in the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, 'Truly You are the Son of God!'" (Matthew 14:28-33) 

At some time in your past you sensed Jesus calling you.  You accepted His call and were baptized. And every day sense then, He continues to call you to "Come." And every day He calls you to step out deeper in faith. 

Some days I've realized and heard Your call to me more than others. Some days I've even thought I had much more of a measure of control than I ever truly did. Some days there was no doubt in my mind that my life was desperately dependent upon You alone. But every day has been no less miraculous than walking on the water -- walking on the water of faith that You are real and You are good and You are worthy of all my trust, no matter how afraid or unworthy I've ever felt at any step along the way.

You've protected me in ways I never saw. You've provided for me in ways I never knew. But in every way on every day, I know Your hand has been there to catch me when I start to sink and strengthen me when I start to doubt. You remind that You are One who called me and invited me to "Come." And You are the One who speaks to my heart through the wind and the waves that You'll never call me to come to a place where You're not already there. You're with me always (Matthew 28:20).

So as I begin my day -- another day to walk on the waters of faith -- give me the grace to hear Your voice and answer Your call to "Come." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,  I pray you will hear and answer the call of Jesus to "Come" -- trusting in Him with all our heart to be with you always in every step, as you walk on the waters of faith, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

 It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started two weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 50 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 11-15.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.  

 

"Why Jesus Would Not Attend Your Church's Harvest Festival"

Or Three practical ways to be missional this halloween

Halloween is coming upon us. This week I will be getting my Halloween decorations out of my attic and decorating my yard for our annual Halloween yard party. It’s interesting to me that for many this becomes a “hot button” topic to discuss. I was sitting in the Waffle House yesterday morning talking with a couple Christians at the bar.  Our talk over coffee came to Halloween.  One man stated how he hate's Halloween and went on to explain why.  I was driving with another Christian the other day and they stated how their family does not do Halloween.

 So today I want to address the question: Should we as Christians engage in Halloween or should we abstain? I am copying and pasting allot of this blog from a similar blog I posted last year at Halloween. In actuality if you start reading about Halloween’s roots, it’s hard to find an answer of where it came from. But, regardless of where it comes from, the question at hand should be: Why is Halloween celebrated today?  For most of us, Halloween isn’t a time where we celebrate the dead and go and skin a goat and sacrifice it to Satan.  For most of us, it’s a time to dress up our kids as a super hero and send them to strangers’ houses to get free candy.

It has become just part of our culture in the West and has very little to do with the “darkness”…it’s not good, it’s not evil…it’s just something we celebrate, like the 4th of July.  I know we might have stories of darkness, but there are also many stories of overdrinking and evil happening on our other holidays as well.

The whole of the Bible talks of God bringing reconciliation and redemption to all things back to himself.  To bring peace to all things.  Not only that but Paul speaks (1 Cor 8) to us about pagan festivals and says that there is nothing in them that is powerful, because there is only one God and everything and everyone comes through him and are because of him.

Paul then talks about eating food sacrificed to idols…saying…it’s no big deal, unless you have a brother who would be deeply hurt by it because they struggle with the idol and eating of that meat because they actually used to do those things.

Here’s how to contextualize for Halloween: If you have a brother who used to worship Satan and they used to sacrifice goats and drink its blood, then it might be a good idea to walk through Halloween with them and whether or not it would make that brother stumble.  This does NOT mean, if you have a brother who thinks it’s merely wrong to celebrate Halloween then you should put it to the side. That’s never the intent with any of the passages of making a brother stumble…if that was the case, many of us would be in sin because of all the things we do that make other Christians merely uncomfortable.  Jesus was not about making people comfortable.

And Jesus would have made many people stumble with the life that he led around sinners as he ate and drank (yep wine) with them.  Again…making a brother stumble and making a brother uncomfortable are completely separate issues.

With all that said, what are we to do with Halloween?  If we are to look to redeem Halloween, what does that mean?  If we are to do all things to the glory of God, what does that look for Halloween?

First, a few things you should probably STOP doing:

1.  Dressing your kid up as St. Paul or Moses to try to prove a point.

2.  Calling the Halloween Party at your church building a “Harvest Festival.” It is like an atheist calling a “Christmas Party” a “Holiday Party.”  It’s just calling the elephant in the room a squirrel and it’s weird.  

3. Taking all your people away from their neighborhoods and into your building.

4.  Wrapping a tract around an apple and handing it out to the kids who are trick or treating and calling it “evangelizing”

None of these things redeem anything, but just add to the notion that Christians want to be apart from the world and create their own subculture.  Instead, let’s be like Jesus and celebrate it like he would have.

When we look at the life of Jesus and our God, we see that they always pursued the sinner and the world.  They loved us right where we were and engaged us in the ways that we’d understand who God is and what He has done.

Not only that, but Jesus used the everyday celebrations as a way to build relationships so he could speak into the lives of those around him.  He was continually at parties.  So much so, that when Matthew was called to follow Jesus, it seemed normal to Matthew to invite Jesus and all the apostles back to his house to party with all his “sinner” friends. (Matthew 9:9,10; Mark 2:14-17) People knew that Jesus was about celebrating, he was about truth, he was also about pursuing and about building relationships with people. With that in mind, how can we then show people THAT Jesus to our communities during Halloween?

1. Be THAT House

You know “that” house.  When you were a kid and you went to a house and said “trick or treat” and they handed you a full size candy bar, it was like winning the lottery.  It was such good news, you’d tell strangers dressed up like a clown zombie where to find the goods.  Everyone knew that house in the neighborhood and if you didn’t have one in your neighborhood, you’d travel what seemed to be miles to get to that house. Be THAT house.  We have been blessed to be a blessing.  Think about how this shows people the Father.  Everyone is expecting to get a small fun size bar.  It’s what they’ve earned by dressing up and having the courage to knock on your door and say “trick or treat.” What they know they haven’t earned is a full size candy bar…it speaks to this idea of grace and blessing.

You don’t need to tell the kids this, but it starts to tell the story of what your house is about to the neighbors.  It tells a different story than what they expect or are used to and this is exactly the story of the gospel. Spend the extra cash to make that happen.  If you can’t afford it, get your Missional Community to all pitch in.  Ask your church to put it in the budget for next year…whatever you gotta do…be that house! You’ll be amazed at what doors that opens with your neighbors.

2. Be a Welcoming Presence

If our God is about pursuit, blessing and welcoming then what would it look like to be about pursuit on Halloween?  How about instead of staying inside your house, be in the driveway or front porch.  I know this isn’t available for everyone because of weather, but what would it look like in your neighborhood for people to feel welcomed to come to your house and feel blessed by it?

For The Liederbach's, we are going to have fire pit in our front yard. We will be cooking hot dogs over the fire and making s’mores.  We put invitations in all our neighbors mailboxes.  Last year we had over 280 kids trick or treat our house and over 100 or so hang out and cook a hot dog or s’more.  It’s a way for us to come together and hang out and bless our neighborhood.  It shows that we are more than about handing out candy, but we are here to bless their entire family and in a sense, welcome you into our lives.

Again, it shows something quite different than every other house.  Last year a father with three young kids came up with them to our front porch to get candy.  The father said, “The kids all discussed before we headed out they wanted to go to this house last. Save the best for last!  Plus once we come her we usually hang out awhile.”  The kids put candy in their bags then they headed towards the fire pit and fun. We have been doing this for 5 years and the neighborhood now expects it and people come and hang out and have a great time meeting their neighbors.

If you can’t be outside, how can you bless the families that are walking around your neighborhood?  Maybe offer coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. to the parents and trick or treaters that come to your door.  Again…think, “How can I be a blessing and show that we are a welcoming and pursuing people like our Dad?”

3. Celebrate

It is not secret that Jesus loved to party.  So much so, that people kept inviting him to parties.  Pretty amazing to think about.   If we have a Dad in heaven that loves us and accepts us, not for what we do or have done, but because of what his Son has done for us and now we are heirs to the throne of heaven…don’t we have the most to celebrate?

We should be defined as Jesus was defined: a glutton and drunkard.  He was celebrating so much that the religious saw him as a glutton and drunkard but the sinners and the world saw him as a dude that they’d like to hang with. Where have we gone wrong here?  Christians shouldn’t be the ones avoided for parties, but should be the ones that people are most excited to have come around because they bring the “better wine.”

We made it almost a rule in our house that if we are invited to a party…we are going and we are going to think through how we can bless that party as much as possible.   We are always invited to parties because of this. People know what Nancy and I are about, they know we love Jesus. But they also know that when we enter a room we won’t make it weird, but we hopefully make the room more enjoyable by being there.  We have literally had people say, “if Jesus is like this…he was a lot different than we’ve ever been told.”

If you aren’t invited to parties…this Halloween is a great time to throw one. Throw a costume party, a pumpkin carving party, a cookie decorating party, have a photo booth at the party, have a party with games for kids.  You can do all kinds of things for Halloween…it’s a party holiday.  By doing this, meaning throwing an awesome party, you start to show off something different about you as a follower of Jesus and showing off who Jesus was and what he was about.

He was about parties because that’s where people were and that’s where people connect and share stories and start and continue relationships.  Halloween is a really funny holiday when we think about it.  But, it’s a holiday that is so easy to build relationships and bless the community and start (or continue) to show off what our Dad is like.

If instead, we turn off our front porch lights, lock our doors, go to our church buildings and we have a “harvest festival” we show the world exactly what they’ve always seen about our God.  He is closed off, judgmental and waits for us to come to him.  This isn’t our Dad…he is quite different.  He is welcoming, he is gracious and merciful and he pursues us and can’t wait to celebrate with us. Don’t use this holiday to make a point.  Use this holiday to point to the true reason we all get to celebrate and bless…Jesus.

My guess is that if Jesus lived in our neighborhood, everyone couldn’t wait to go to his house to see what he was going to hand out this year.  Everyone would be excited to go to Jesus’ Halloween party and couldn’t wait to invite him over to their party.   My only question I wonder is “Who would Jesus dress up as for Halloween?” Who knows…but you know it’d be a killer costume.

Please add your thoughts or questions in the comments box below.

Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower

One Direction Community

 My daily prayer is, “Lord send us the ones no one else wants.” Please give, support and partner with us as reach out to those in our community.

Photos from our neighborhood Halloween party last year. Click on and scroll through the photos.

"Words Matter"

This morning I come to your Father with a heart in tune with the old hymn, “It’s me, it’s me, its me Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer”…

“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34-37)

Words matter.  “The Word” was the Apostle John’s favorite term to refer to Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1).  Words express meaning.  Words explain.  Words teach. Words convey what is in the heart of the speaker.  Words are powerful.  Words carry authority.   Jesus was the “Word” of God.   He was the true expression of God, completely in line with the heart of God in all his power and authority.  

Words can build up, Words can tear down. Words are eternal.  If I say something negative or evil about a person, my words bring that evil into existence when I speak them.  That evil that never existed in this world now does.  People hear it, they think it, they remember it, and that evil now exists and echoes in this world forever.   If I say something positive or good about a person, my words bring that good into existence when I speak them.  That good that never existed in this world now does.  People hear it, they think it, they remember it, and that good now exists forever.  One I speak words out, I can never completely take them back.  In this world of social media we live in now, the posting and reposting of words on the internet reminds us of that.

Words speak out of and point to the character of a persons heart. ““For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.” (v.34-35)  You may think you are a person who’s nature is good, however if you gossip, or speak harsh words against a neighbor, your words reflect the true nature of your heart.

So this morning God, through your power and presence of the Holy Spirit in me I cry out and ask, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!” (Psalm 51:10)   Align my heart completely to yours, then “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

My family, I pray this morning you will reflect on your words, what you said yesterday, what you are planning on saying today.  Then more importantly, I pray you will reflect on what these words reveal about your heart, and allow the Holy Spirit to perform “heart Surgery “ on you where needed. In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends! 

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started two weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 50 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 6-10.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

"You Are the One To Come"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Prepare my heart in the coming days to celebrate the coming of Christ as the Light of the world. ...

"When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, 'Are You the one is to come, or are we to wait for another?' " (Matthew 11:2).

In the days of John the Baptist and all the long centuries before, the people of God longed for the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. They longed and looked for the One who was to come. Something in their hearts, deep down in their spirits, yearned to hear the voice and experience the Presence of the One who would be the Child of God and Savior of man, named "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). 

They believed the prophecies of God would be fulfilled in the perfect timing of God. And then, "when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children," that through the Christ, the Messiah, each of us would be "no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir of God through Christ" (Galatians 4:4-7).

And just as You came as Christ at Your first coming, You will come as Christ at Your second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). You are forever "the Alpha and Omega," the One "who is and who was and who is to come" (Revelation 1:8). And at the same time, You are the One who is always coming, again and again, into every heart that prepares You room -- our Immanuel, our God who is with us always (Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled in Matthew 1:23).

So Immanuel, our God who is with us, Jesus the Christ, the One who is "both Lord and Messiah," I open my heart to You today (Acts 2:26). I join in the adventure of today you have given me with expectant faith and excited hope to experience Your Presence as the Light of my world today.  And may all the people who are walking in darkness yearn again to experience and embrace Your great Light (Matthew 4:16). "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

My family,I pray you'll embrace the adventure of today with expectant faith and excited hope, longing and looking for Christ afresh in your heart by His Spirit today and every day. Please pray the same the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started two weeks ago beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year and we still have 50 weeks to go! This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 6-10.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

 

"Daily Prayer of Freedom"

Father, Son, nd Spirit, this morning I press into your deliverance from everything that may harm me including myself, and rest in your peace and protection.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21-22)

Chapter 10 contains stories of warfare.  War fare against our own flesh in taking up our cross, warfare against demons, governments, neighbors, family members and sickness.  John Eldridge wrote a prayer he calls, “The Daily Prayer of Freedom.”  It is one of my favorite prayers for battle and I read this prayer at least once a week over myself and my family.  I have included it below for my devotion this morning.

My family, I pray this morning you read this prayer over yourself and your family and claim all the power and freedom that is available to you by, in, and through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

After you read the prayer, I would love if you would share your reflections on itin the comment box below.

Daily Prayer of Freedom

My dear Lord Jesus, I come to you now to be restored in you – to renew my place in you, my allegiance to you, and to receive from you all the grace and mercy I so desperately need this day.  I honor you as my sovereign Lord, and I surrender every aspect of my life totally and completely to you.  I give you my body as a living sacrifice; I give you my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and I give you my spirit as well.

I cover myself with your blood – my spirit, my soul, and my body.  And I ask your Holy Spirit to restore my union with you, seal me in you, and guide me in this time of prayer.  In all that I now pray, I include (my wife, and/or my children, by name).  Acting as their head, I bring them under my authority and covering, and I come under your authority and covering.  Holy Spirit, apply to them all that I now pray on their behalf.

Dear God, holy and victorious Trinity, you alone are worthy of all my worship, my heart’s devotion, all my praise and all my trust and all the glory of my life.  I worship you, bow to you, and give myself over to you in my heart’s search for life.  You alone are Life, and you have become my life.  I renounce all other gods, all idols, and I give you the place in my heart and in my life that you truly deserve.  I confess here and now that it is all about you, God, and not about me.  You are the hero of this story, and I belong to you.  Forgive me, God, for my every sin.  Search me and know me and reveal to me any aspect of my life that is not pleasing to you, expose any agreements I have made, and grant me the grace of a deep and true repentance.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and choosing me before you made the world.  You are my true Father – my Creator, my Redeemer, my Sustainer, and the true end of all things, including my life.  I love you; I trust you; I worship you.  Thank you for proving your love for me by sending your only son, Jesus, to be my substitute and representative.  I receive him and all his life and all his work, which you ordained for me.  Thank you for including me in Christ, for forgiving me my sins, for granting me his righteousness, for making me complete in him.  Thank you for making me alive with Christ, raising me with him, seating me with him at your right hand, granting me his authority, and anointing me with your Holy Spirit.  I receive it all with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Jesus, thank you for coming for me, for ransoming me with your own life.  I honor you as my Lord; I love you, worship you, trust you.  I sincerely receive you as my redemption, and I receive all the work and triumph of your crucifixion, whereby I am cleansed from all my sin through your shed blood, my old nature is removed, my heart is circumcised unto God, and every claim being made against me is disarmed.  I take my place in your cross and death, whereby I have died with you to sin and to my flesh, to the world, and to the Evil One.  I am crucified with Christ, and I have crucified my flesh with all its passions and desires.  I take up my cross and crucify my flesh with all its pride, unbelief, and idolatry.  I put off the old man.  I now bring the cross of Christ between me and all people, all spirits, all things.  Holy Spirit, apply to me (my wife and/or children) the fullness of the work of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for me.  I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my new life, my holiness and sanctification, and I receive all the work and triumph of your resurrection, whereby I have been raised with you to a new life, to walk in newness of life, dead to sin and alive to God.  I am crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.  I now take my place in your resurrection, whereby I have been made alive with you, I reign in life through you.  I now put on the new man in all holiness and humility, in all righteousness and purity and truth.  Christ is now my life, the one who strengthens me.  Holy Spirit, apply to me (my wife and/or my children) the fullness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for me.  I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my authority and rule, my everlasting victory over Satan and his kingdom, and I receive all the work and triumph of your ascension, whereby Satan has been judged and cast down, his rulers and authorities disarmed, all authority in Heaven and on Earth given to you, Jesus, and I have been given fullness in you, the head over all.  I take my place in your ascension, whereby I have been raised with you to the right hand of the Father and established with you in all authority.  I bring your authority and your kingdom rule over my life, my family, my household, and my domain.

And now I bring the fullness of your work – your cross, resurrection, and ascension – against Satan, against his kingdom, and against all his emissaries and all their work warring against me and my domain.  Greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world.  Christ has given me authority to overcome all the power of the Evil One, and I claim that authority now over and against every enemy, and I banish them in the name of Jesus Christ.  Holy Spirit, apply to me (my wife and/or my children) the fullness of the work of the ascension of Jesus Christ for me.  I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.

Holy Spirit, I sincerely receive you as my Counselor, my Comforter, my Strength, and my Guide.  Thank you for sealing me in Christ.  I honor you as my Lord, and I ask you to lead me into all truth, to anoint me for all of my life and walk and calling, and to lead me deeper into Jesus today.  I fully open my life to you in every dimension and aspect – my body, my soul, and my spirit – choosing to be filled with you, to walk in step with you in all things.  Apply to me, blessed Holy Spirit, all of the work and all of the gifts in Pentecost.  Fill me afresh, blessed Holy Spirit, I receive you with thanks and give you total claim to my life (and my wife and/or children).

Heavenly, Father, thank you for granting to me every spiritual blessing in the Heavenlies in Christ Jesus.

I receive those blessing into my life today, and I ask the Holy Spirit to bring all those blessings into my life this day.  Thank you for the blood of Jesus.  Wash me once more with his blood from every sin and stain and evil device.  I put on your armor – the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the readiness of the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation.  I take up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and I wield these weapons against the Evil One in the power of God.  I choose to pray at all times in the Spirit, to be strong in you, Lord, and in your might.

Father, thank you for your angels.  I summon them in the authority of Jesus Christ and release them to war for me and my household.  May they guard me at all times this day.  Thank you for those who pray for me; I confess I need their prayers, and I ask you to send forth your Spirit and rouse them, unite them, raising up the full canopy of prayer and intercession for me.  I call forth the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ this day throughout my home, my family, my life, and my domain.  I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, with all glory and honor and thanks to him.

Amen.

 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! 

"Don't Just Be Decent"

Lord of Lords, King of Kings, I come before your throne seeking your mercy, grace and protection over my family and my life this morning…

“Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”  (Matthew 9:35) 

As we read Matthew chapter 9 this morning, it is a chapter full of Jesus going out into his community with love and the outpouring of power and miracles, because he had compassion for them (v.36).  Jesus wiped away a mans sins, (v.2), healed a paralytic man, (v.6), you had dinner with sinners (v.10), healed a woman from a hemorrhage (v.20), raised a young girl from the dead (v.25), gave sight back to two blind men (v.30), cast out demons (v.32), and healed people of every kind of sickness and disease (v.35).  Jesus, you loved people and wanted to meet their physical needs, but your main purpose was not meeting their physical needs, but their spiritual needs.  The main words you desired people to hear were not that they were physically healed, but the Gospel that they could be saved.  

Jesus you know I am a decent person.  That I have a desire to meet people’s physical needs for food, clothing, shelter, safety and healing.  Yet people do not need simply my decency, they need you.  They do not need to hear that I am a “nice man” but the Gospel of your saving grace.  If I simply meet their physical needs out of my decency, I will be liked and my popularity will increase, but my ministry will decrease.  Like you Jesus, help me keep the fist thing first when I meet someone, which is sharing the Gospel and that the Kingdom of God is at hand.  Help me push past  nice conversations out of my decency with my friends, neighbors and co-workers, and enter into kingdom conversations out of your saving works of the cross and resurrection.

My family, I pray today you go beyond the “nice” “”comfortable” level of conversations you have with those in which whom you work, play, hang-out with and serve.  I pray you enter you calling not to simply be a nice person to the them out of your decency, but a harvester of their souls out the Gospel.   In Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thank You!  

 It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started last Monday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 6-10.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

"Amazed By You!"

Good morning Jesus, this morning I choose you over me for my decisions made today…

“He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:26-27)

All throughout the New Testament “amazement” describes the emotions and reactions of those who encountered you.  As we read yesterday in our reading for the day we read people were amazed at his teachings, “When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching” (Matthew 7:28).  Tomorrow we will read they were amazed at  his triumphs over evil in their world,

“After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” (Matthew 9:33).  People were amazed when they took time to listen to him “And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.” (Matthew 22:22) Even government officials were amazed by Jesus,“And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.” (Matthew 27:14).

This morning I can say I love you.  I can say I believe in you, but Jesus I want to say more than that, I want to say I am amazed by you!  I stand up in a church service, raise my hands and sing “Amazing Grace”, however when I leave the service do I anxiously expect to encounter that amazing grace I sang about while I am on my way to lunch?  When I open my Bible and hear your words written in it, do I stop at amazement at what I am reading? When I walk out my door this morning do I really expect to be amazed by the power and presence of your at work around me and at the end of the day have stories to share of how you are casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead, because you are!

Jesus, forgive me for my lack of amazement in my relationship with you.  I do not want to simply want to look at you with eyes of faith and love.  I want to look at you through eyes of amazement!  

My family, I pray this morning you ask the Holy Spirit not to simply fill it with faith and love for Jesus, but with amazement and expectation to experience his amazing presence in your day today and every day.  In Jesus, name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

 It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started last Monday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 6-10.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

"Those Who Ask Are The Ones Who Receive"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I set out to seek You before I seek anything else today. 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-11).

Those who ask are the ones who receive. Those who seek are the ones who find what they pursue. Those who knock are the ones invited to walk through the open doors. This is one of Your spiritual principles, the principle of pursuit. You are "a rewarder of those who diligently seek (You)," those who passionately pursue You (Hebrews 11:6). "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter" (Proverbs 25:2).

 May I never stop seeking, never stop pursuing, never stop searching. Give me a passion for truth, a passion for the presence of God and an insatiable hunger for more of You in my life every day. May I never grow content or satisfied, passive or complacent, in my relationship with You. May every day be an adventurous day on my spiritual journey with You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

My family, I pray you never stop passionately pursuing the Lord your God with all your heart,  in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

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

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

Not to late to join us on our journey! 

We started last Monday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 6-10.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.   

"Where Is Your Treasure?"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. As for me and my house, I seek to serve You, Lord. I seek to honor You and worship You, entrusting my life to You and loving You with all my heart and mind and soul and strength--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.  ...

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Do I treasure You, Lord? Do I truly treasure Your Word in my heart? (Psalm 119:11)  Do I put You first--first in my thoughts, first in my desires, first in my choices--with no other gods before You? (Exodus 20:3)  Do I seek first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness before seeking to build my own kingdom and seeking after all the trappings of the false treasures the kingdoms of this world have to offer? (Matthew 6:33)  ...

It seems I hear You speaking in my heart:  "My son, I AM your Treasure. It is true that at times I am not what you treasure most in the moment, but you are willing to let Me remind you of your true treasure--that your name is written in My book of life, that My Spirit lives in your heart, that you are My child, My disciple, and even My friend, living every day throughout all eternity in personal, passionate relationship with Me. And you remember that there are no greater treasures then these."  ...

Yes, Lord. Thank You for Your patience with me. Thank you for all for all Your mercy and grace for me, Thank you for Your unfailing, everlasting love for me. Help me by your Spirit treasure You more every day. By the power of Your grace, may I faithfully "guard the good treasure entrusted to (me), with the help of the Holy Spirit living in (me)" (2 Timothy 1:14). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray you treasure the One who lives in you and knows you intimately as His child and disciple and friend. I pray this morning you seek to begin this work week and live today, live everyday, throughout all eternity in a deeply personal, passionate relationship with Him who treasures you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! 

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

 

 It’s not to late! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started last Monday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend. Last week we started reading in Matthew chapters 1-5. This week we will continue on in chapters 6-10.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

 

 

 

"Led By Th Spirit"

Good morning Lord Jesus. Help me begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. 

This morning we are reading Matthew Chapter 4 in our year long journey reading through the New Testament.

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.... Then the devil took Him to the holy city.... Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain.... Jesus said to him, 'Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.'' Then the devil left Him, and suddenly angels came and waited on Him" (Matthew 4:1-11).

Lord, help me learn to discern when I'm in a place where the Spirit has led me or where the devil has taken me. Even You, holy and without sin, were both led by the Spirit to places at times and taken by the devil to places at times, according to the Word of God. You were "in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15 ). You always knew how to respond. You always embraced all the Spirit had for You and always rejected all the devil had for You. By the power of Your grace, may I learn to do the same.

Thank You for the promise of Your Word, "All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Romans 8:14). And for Your promise, "When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide (me) into all the truth" (John 16:13). I am Your child and You are my Father. Come lead me by Your Spirit into Your truth. Empower me to discern and resist every temptation of the devil. "No temptation has overtaken (me) except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow (me) to be tempted beyond what (I) am able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that (I) may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let Your Word be hidden in my heart so that I can declare what is written; and let Your Spirit guide my spirit so that I'm certain where I am and who led me there or took me there. Then -- no matter whether it was You or the devil -- You'll cause it all to work together for good in the fulfillment of Your plans and purposes (Romans 8:28). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray you are led by the Spirit through every temptation with God's Word hidden in your heart and God's Spirit guiding your spirit, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! 

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

 IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started Monday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

 

 

 

"With the Holy Spirit and Fire!"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I want to start my day seeking Your face, listening for Your voice, and following Your leading here in the communion of prayer. 

Today we read Matthew 3 on the third day of our journey reading through the New Testament in a Year

“In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.' This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:  'Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.' " ... (John said), 'I baptize you with water for repentance, but One who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and will gather His wheat into the granary; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire' " (Matthew 3:1-12).

My heavenly Father, let my heart be prepared for the way of the Lord. Come have Your way in me. Make my paths straight. Make my heart right. Let me fully embrace the mercy and power of Your grace in the fullness of Your love as a child of God, forgiven and free through the blood of Christ (1 John 1:9). I want all that You have for me, with nothing separating me from the fullness of Your holy Presence.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus -- not just in the clouds of heaven at the sound of the trumpet one day, but also here in my heart everyday. "Baptize (me) with the Holy Spirit and fire." Burn "the chaff" out of me with Your "unquenchable fire." Give me courage to embrace the fiery flame of Your holy Presence in every area of my life.

Come, Holy Spirit. I want to be cleansed and purified from everything that would hold me back from the intimacy You desire in my relationship with You, O Lord, my God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  "Who will ascend the hill of the Lord? And who will stand in His holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation. Such is the company of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob" (Psalm 24:3-6).

Holy Spirit, baptize me with Your holy fire. "Sanctify (me) entirely" in "spirit and soul and body" that I may be "sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls (me) is faithful, and (You) will do this" (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Set me ablaze with a passion to "love the Lord (my) God with all (my) heart, and with all (my) soul, and with all (my) mind, and with all (my) strength ... (and to) "love (my) neighbor as (myself)" -- as best as I can and all by Your grace in the power of Your Spirit (Mark 12:30-31). Set me ablaze with the confidence to know my identity and fulfill my destiny as the child of God that I am (Romans 8:16). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray the Holy Spirit will prepare the way of the Lord in your heart to be continually baptized with the Holy Spirit and His holy fire, embracing the promise of the Father empowering you to be a faithful witness of Jesus everywhere He sends you each day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! 

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

 

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, JOIN IN!!

We started Monday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

"Where is He?"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and the center of my life. And give me the grace to live into all that means. 

We are on day 2 of our year-long journey of reading through the New Testament, looking at Matthew chapter 2.

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.... The star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:1-11).

The wise men were going to see the King. They followed His star and when they found Him they took Him into their hearts. They "rejoiced with exceedingly great joy!" They "fell down and worshiped Him" and "opened their treasures" before Him to offer their gifts to Him.

Lord Jesus, You are the King - "the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15). Give me the wisdom to pursue You every day. Give me the humility to open the treasures of my heart and offer the gift of my life completely to You. As I worship You and welcome You into my heart and the moments of my day, Your Spirit will fill me with the peace of Christ and "with exceedingly great joy!" Let me be among those wise men and women who are ever seeking to see the King! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray the Holy Spirit may stir in your heart this morning to go and see the King today and every day, giving Him the gift of your heart, as He fills you with His peace and exceedingly great joy, in Jesus' name!  Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends! 

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

 

JOIN IN!! We started yesterday beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend.   The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org.  Click the button below to go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day. 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!  

"The Name of Jesus"

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

Egis morning we are beginning reading through the New Testament in a year and we started reading Matthew 1.

"she will bear a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus was given the name chosen by God the Father. His name expressed His nature, His identity, His destiny. Jesus, the Son of God -- Yeshua in Hebrew, Iesous in Greek -- means the Salvation of God. 

Through Jesus, God saves us, heals us, and delivers us into the forgiveness and freedom and future we have in Christ. "There is salvation in no one else, for there is not other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The name of Jesus is "that name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow ... and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).

Lord Jesus, I bow my knees and open my heart to speak Your name and confess You as Lord. Be Lord of my thoughts and desires, Lord of my identity and destiny, Lord of my hopes and dreams, Lord of my relationships and fellowships, Lord of my provision and protection, Lord of my ministry and vocation, Lord of my gifts and calling, Lord of every dimension of my spirit and soul and body, Lord of every aspect of my life. All that I am and all that I have, I entrust to Your Lordship of my life. "(My) help is in the name of the Lord" (Psalm 124:8). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,  may Jesus be Lord of every area of your life, as you call on His name and trust in Him as the Salvation of God, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

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

Join in! Today, September 17th we are Beginning the journey of reading through the New Testament in a year. This plan has only one chapter to read each weekday. There are no assigned readings on the weekend.  Use that time for other studies or to catch back up on chapters you may have missed during the week. The plan we will use is from Bibleplan.org. The website address for it is https://bibleplan.org/plans/new-testament-in-a-year/ or you can get to it by clicking the button below.  Go to the site, enter the starting date Sept. 17. 2018, enter your email, and a time you want to receive an email reminder, then click subscribe.  Every weekday then you will receive an email reminder of the chapter reading for that day.  

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

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

Thanks You!