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

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

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

ʻI saw the Lord always in front of me,

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

Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body also will live in hope,

because you will not leave my soul in Hades,

nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.

You have made known to me the paths of life;

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

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

ʻThe Lord said to my lord,

“Sit at my right hand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC 

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28 Days of Acts

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

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

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

3.    Fast one day a week in prayer.  

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

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