Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of my heart and every moment of my day.
"Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22).
Lord you have been calling me to return to truth of my complete reliance on your presence in my life. You have been calling me to return to simple, undignified, shameless, foolish sold out worship of you. Lord, today I pray you use this renewed love for your to rekindle the fire of my love for others. Lord, help me learn to love others more deeply, not shallowly from my head, but "deeply from the heart." Help me learn to love with more than words, with more than knowing the truth, with more than seeking to do what's right and seeking to not do what's wrong, but to also love "deeply from the heart."
So Father, break through my barriers I have placed between my heart and loving others. Heal my wounds. Free me from my fears and prejudices. Deepen my willingness and capacity to trust more completely in you so I can be loved more deeply by you which will allow me to then trust others and love others more deeply -"deeply from the heart."
I have a sense I don't even know what I'm asking. But I also have a sense it's Your Spirit leading me to ask this. And when You lead me to ask, it's because You know what I need. So I'm willing to acknowledge my need and ready to receive by Your grace the desire and the power to love others "deeply from the heart." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be free and full of God's grace to be love by him more and then be loved others more deeply from the heart, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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The Title of this post could also be, “3 practical ways to be missional this halloween “
Halloween is almost upon us. I am getting my Halloween decorations out of my attic and decorating my yard for our 7th annual Halloween yard party. It’s interesting to me that for many this becomes a “hot button” topic to discuss. I posted our Halloween Gathering as an event on my Nextdoor App toilet my neighbors know about it. A lady posted a very antagonistic and very long comment that basically said anyone who celebrates Halloween worships Satan and is going to hell.
So it is time for my annual post in which I address the question: Should we as Christians engage in Halloween or should we abstain? 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 work 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 in rebellion to prove a point.
2. Calling the Halloween Party at your church building a “Harvest Party.” 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 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 my wife Nancy and I are about, we love Jesus. But they also know that when we enter a party we won’t make it weird, but we hopefully make it more enjoyable by us 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 lights, go to our church buildings and we have a “harvest party” 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 relentessly 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.
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Please add your thoughts or questions in the comments box below.
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.
“And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the trumpet. Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord…” (2 Samuel 6:14-16)
I spent this past Thursday through Sunday at United Pursuit’s Reunion 2017 gathering in Bon Aqua, Ten. I took my family and a group from One Direction Community up to Reunion to experience raw worship and prayer. It was attended by approximately 1,500 simple worshippers and lovers of Jesus from across our country from LA to Boston, and a some from overseas. Together we camped in tents in the middle of a farm that was in the middle of no where. Because of issues with portable showers we took cold showers all weekend and we endured portable toilets. However the lack of “western standard” comforts only highlighted why we were there, to simply encounter Jesus.
Reaffirming simply encountering Jesus at the DNA of what my ministry and life needs to flow out of has been the theme God and the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me and re-calibrating my life around the past couple weeks. As I looked back at my morning reflections blog posts, before the tragedy of the shooting in Las Vegas drew our hearts and prayers to those effected, my posts reflect this theme. “Repent”, “Jesus Came”, “Are You Sure God Said Me?” and “Twist and Shout” have all been reflections leading me back to the basics of seeking, embracing, worshipping and loving Jesus.
This past weekend at Reunion 2017 I found myself in the “oldest” 10% of those attending. I was surrounded by young people in their 20s and 30s and their passionate, sold-out, undignified, jumping, dancing, and completely saturating them selves in the worship of their Lord and King Jesus was so beautiful and it so blessed and encouraged me! It drew me into the dance and we all got caught up in the Spirit in pure, raw, powerful worship. “As the lyrics to the United Pursuit song we sang one night state,
“There’s no shame
in looking like a fool.
When I give you what I can’t keep
And take ahold of you.’
Here is a link to a video I took of a short portion of our Saturday morning worship session. It is a little "rocky" as I was dancing while I recorded it! :)
And it is in that place where I give all of myself to God and take ahold of him and loose all shame and dignity in worship that I find myself in the embrace of a Father who has absolutely no reservation, no shame or no dignity in expressing his love for me. During our time of worship Saturday night those leading worship asked the gathering if those who are struggling with shame in worship or their identity in Christ, and have feelings of unworthiness to sit down. (We all were standing in Worship.) They asked those standing to lay hands on them and pray over and with them. All around me young people were sitting and others were praying over each other. At one point I was on my knees praying and laying my hands, one on each of the backs of two young men who where face down on the floor needing prayer. As I was praying, I felt the hands of someone on my shoulders. And from behind me I heard the prayers of a young man speaking amazing words over me. I found my self on my knees in the middle of hands on my shoulders pouring into me while I had hands on people pouring into them. I was in almost perfect communion with the Holy Spirit. After our time of prayer I stood up and turned around to see who had been anointing me with prayers. We introduced ourselves and his name was Alex, he was 23 years old from North Carolina. He said he was in the back asking God who he needed to pray over. He said God told him to pray over someone in a Cleveland baseball cap. (I had my Indians cap on). He said he does not follow baseball at all, yet he walked around not knowing why looking for someone with a Cleveland cap on, saw me on my knees praying, and knew I was the one he was to pray over. The whole weekend was full of God moments like this.
After each night’s worship ended, people would gather around the 30 or so camp fires around the farm and share lives and stories of God, pray over each other, cook smores, and sing worship songs until 2:00am or later.
I know this blog is a little less concise than most, as what I and those that attended the weekend experienced if not concisely explained. All I know is Jesus is calling me into a deeper, freer, more fool-like love and worship of him. I found myself this morning praying and meditating in the Spirit the lyrics of another United Pursuit song, and asking God,
Help me let You go
Help me give up control
of the god i have made you
when my fear has contained you.
My family, I pray this Monday as you begin your week you begin to let go of God and all you have conformed him, contained him, and made him into by your fear of pure worship of him and fears of who he really may be and who you may be if you surrendered completely to him. I pray you will let go of those fears and let God be free to be God, and be free to be God in you, for you, and around you all who is truly is, so that you may be free to be, live and worship as you were truly meant to be. PLEASE pray the same for me! God bless you my Friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Every morning is a good morning in You. No matter what's going on in my world, You're always here in my heart. As you said long ago, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NLT).
As I enter into my time of prayer, the news is on in the background showing images of the Las Vegas shooting. This morning, my heart is still heavy with the massacre of so many in this shooting that is still fresh in all our thoughts and prayers. The music and dancing turned to screams and fleeing with nowhere to hide from a hailstorm of bullets out of a hell-storm of hatred and cowardice and evil. They'll try to find out what darkness filled his mind, but we know all too well and see all too often the darkness that seeks to invade any of our hearts to turn us against God and one another and ourselves. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10).
Ultimately, evil is not a person, but a spiritual force of darkness looking for every opportunity to divide and conquer and destroy. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV). So it's only in Jesus Christ and the mercy of Your grace and the power of Your name that we can find the security and peace we need in these dark days to "stand against the wiles of the devil" through every onslaught of his hatred, cowardice, and evil (Ephesians 6:11).
The only true shelter we have is "the Shelter of the Most High" as we seek to "abide in the Shadow of the Almighty," choosing to humble ourselves and call on Your name, to "say to the Lord, "My Refuge and my Fortress; my God, in whom I trust" (Psalm 91:1-2). You alone are our Comforter and Healer. You alone are our Redeemer of all that doesn't make sense and is so out of our control.
You never intend or will the evil in our world. But at the same time, You are never unaware of our suffering and our needs, our fears and our fights. And You never leave us nor forsake us through whatever we endure in our lives or in our land through the darkness of these days. Evil will never have the last word or the find say. And You never back down from the promise and the hope of Your Word to those who choose to find Shelter in You: "Those who love Me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know My name. When they call to Me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them My salvation" (Psalm 91:14-16 ).
Here in my heart, here in our land, be our Shelter again. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be safe and secure in the shelter of the Most High, knowing God is with you through whatever you endure, making sure His Word will have the final say over your life, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. I join with you in prayer for all who are suffering or shaken by what has happened in Las Vegas and is happening in our land. Together we call upon the name of the Lord who hears us when we call to answer us! Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart to guide my steps along my journey of faith in You today.
"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 consume and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also" (Matthew 6:29-21).
Everyone lives for some kind of treasure. Your treasure will control the one thing that controls everything else, your heart. What controls your heart controls your words and your life.
My heart will be in the right place when my treasure is in the right place. What I treasure most is what get's the most of me -- my time, my attention, my resources, my passion. And You said my treasures should be in heaven.
Things on earth should never be your treasure.
As things on earth will never be your savior.
Lord, what are "treasures in heaven?" "Treasures in heaven are the things that are treasured most in the kingdom of heaven. They are not treasures of silver or gold or diamonds or rubies. They are treasures of humility and faith, obedience and love, kindness and joy. They are the treasures that Jesus treasure’s most in your heart as he allows you to form his heart in you. For the kingdom of heaven is within you, and Jesus’ desire is to see the treasures in heaven become his treasures in you."
Lord. Grow these treasures in me. Store them up in me. Give me the grace to grow and embrace humility and faith, obedience and love, kindness and joy, and everything else that You long to see maturing in me. Let this be my treasure and let this be my heart. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My Family, may you treasure what Jesus treasures, and may His treasure grow in you every day, as you keep growing in Him. May “treasures from heaven” be what controls your heart and controls your words and your life today, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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“For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ʻHe has a demon!ʼ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ʻLook at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!ʼ” (Luke 7:33)
Friday night some good friends of my wife Nancy and I whom we have not seen for awhile, Ty and Joni, invited us out and treated us to dinner and a show. They took us to the Black Jacket Symphony’s rendition of the Beatles Sergeant Pepper’s Album that was at the Van Braun Civic Center Arena. Before the concert, we went first to an Italian restaurant in Big Spring Park. For two hours over good food, craft beer and wine we shared stories, laughed, and caught up on life.
We left the restaurant and walked over the VBC for the show. We had great floor seats, the musicians were talented, the complete Alabama Symphony Orchestra accompanied them, and the show was amazing! What surprised me was the subdued and reserve disposition of the crowd.
Being a Beatles concert, the majority of those attending were in the age 40-50 and up. In my BC days (before Christ) sitting in a concert seat I would encounter the aroma of pot in the air. The aroma that surrounded me Friday night was that of popcorn. The couple to the left of me and those in front of me had large bags of popcorn like at a movie theatre. And they sat there, silently eating their popcorn and listening to this amazing concert, putting popcorn in their mouth as if they were watching “The Note Book!” People all around me just sat there with their hands on their laps, giving an occasional nod of approval during a song. Neither those next to me or in front of me clapped or cheered at all until everyone applauded at the intermission. And then for the first time they got to their feet to go use the bathroom. And we had floor seats! Nancy and Joni stood up to sing and dance to “Strawberry Fields Forever” only to be told by a man behind them to please sit down so they could see. Finally when they played, “Got to Get You into My Life” and the crowd still domesticatedly watched the show, I had to get up out of my seat and stand in the isle so I could dance and sing to the song without getting yelled at to sit down.
As I looked around the civic center of over 5,000 of my peers I wondered, How and when did we become so reserved and domesticated? When did we stop singing and shouting? When did we stop dancing? When did we become and start acting so old? And as I looked over the crowd sitting in their neat rows facing forward conformed and proper, it reminded me of the typical church service, that in so many ways lacks the same passion. We are being discipled and influenced by the knowledge that the same people that sit behind and around us at concerts ready to shout, “Sit down!” if we show passion and act undignified, are also sitting behind and around us at church ready to say the same thing, if not with words, then with a glaring stare.
The people that attended the concert last night paid good money for their tickets. It wasn’t the thought of sitting their with their hands on their laps that motivated them to purchase tickets to the show, it was thoughts and remembrances of when they first heard and fell in love with the Beatles. Remembering the past when their music brought them to life, impacted their lives with its passion and joy and caused them to dance and sing, and the hope of re-encountering those feelings.
The people that attended church on Sunday’s also are not motivated to attend by the thought of sitting their with their hands on their laps, nodding occasionally in approval of a song or the sermon. They attend because they remember when they first heard the Gospel and fell in love with Jesus. Remembering the past when his love brought them to life, impacted their lives with its passion and joy and caused them to dance and sing, and the hope of re-encountering those feelings.
There was nothing domestic, dignified, complacent, or formal about the songs and music that that flowed from the musicians voices and instruments on the stage last night that invited all to stand and sing and dance. There is nothing domestic, dignified, complacent, or formal about the cross, and the songs and music that Jesus released and flowed from the stage of Calvary 2000 years ago that today still invite all to sing and dance.
My family, I pray today you will throw all reservations aside and become undignified in your love for Jesus. May you dance, sing and shout along with the one, Jesus Christ, who is constantly dancing and singing over and around you. Remember, the accuser, the enemy who stands behind you shouting “Sit Down!” Jesus crushed under his heal when he walked out of the grave and began the dance! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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This morning is a guest blog by a beautiful friend of mine and member of our house church, Susan Dreyfus. The blog is her reflection on the Kairos Prison ministry team she served on last weekend at Julia Tutwiler Prison for women in Wetumpka, Al. Susan was part of a team, along with my wife Nancy, that spent four days in the prison sharing the Gospel and the grace of Christ with the inmates.
Isaiah 61:1- “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners”
I Just wanted to share a God filled moment. Earlier this year, I was chosen to be a Table Leader for this Kairos, which included giving a talk. When I was asked, I laughed and asked “Are you sure God said ME?” For weeks and weeks, I was stressing over it all. I put something in my talk that I didn’t think fit in. Pete told me that he thought they needed to hear it. So I left it. I was nervous giving the talk to my parents, as they didn’t know some of it. I was petrified when I had to give it at the team meeting and I can say that I didn’t handle the critique well AT ALL! I kept questioning if I was meant to be a leader. I am a follower, not a leader!! I know now, why God chose me.
One woman in particular said first thing to me Friday “I know God loves me, but does He like me?”. I told her yes and we talked further about it. Saturday morning, they're given pieces of dissolvable paper on which to write down people they need to forgive. She wrote names on top of names on top of names. There wasn't an empty place on the paper. I even offered her some of mine! At the forgivenesses ceremony, we’re in line and she says she has to talk to Clergy (specifically ours) that night. She wants to say something out loud that she's never said before and leave it at the altar that night. Of course I tried EVERY THING to arrange it. I even tried to arrange in line how she could get to her because she was cleansing hands. I realized it wouldn’t work out logistically. I tried to convince her to talk to Clergy who were saying blessings over everybody. She didn't feel comfortable. I explained that after the ceremony they will leave immediately in silence and I wasn’t sure it would workout. With a look of a child-like innocence she asked if she could just talk to me. I hesitated but I told her yes and she could trust I wouldn’t tell anybody. We were in a corner right behind Clergy sitting on the stage talking, which we weren’t supposed to do. So she is telling me all these things and I didn't know what to say to her or how to respond. I kept explaining how she was forgiven and what happened was forgiven and God loved her etc. I had nothing of "spiritual counsel" to say. I couldn’t find the words. As she finishes, we hug and she thanks me for listening.
The women left and I was walking around and couldn't quit crying and I couldn't breathe and I didn't know what to do. Other team members noticed something was wrong but I didn’t know what to say. I had taken on her burden. I couldn't focus on whatever was said before we left. I could only stand in the back and cry. I told my assistant table leader and Clergy member that we needed to talk. I had such a weight on my shoulders. I cried the whole way back to the church for our team meeting. At the cross ceremony, I was turning the crosses face down after they were prayed over and the first one I touched was hers! I did NOT go looking for it!! It made me cry because my heart hurt for her but also smile because I knew it was from God! At the hotel, myself, my assistant table leader and 2 Clergy members talked. I was able to debrief with them and my heart truly hurt for her. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around being the chosen one! They reminded me that we are all ministers! God sent me in there to be the set of ears this woman needed. I am not one to ask for prayers but I asked them to pray over me. I didn't sleep well that night because I kept thinking that I couldn’t believe God chose me for her!
First thing Sunday morning the woman thanked me for listening to her and not judging her. Well when we were in Chapel, at one point she put her hands in her ears and was rocking back and forth. She didn’t want to hear what was being mentioned. I mouthed to the team leader if I could go to her (it’s made real clear that we are NEVER to get up during Chapel). I went over just tell her to calm down and breathe. She eventually did.
At discussion time, our entire table family (even the street team members) shared stories of our experience which included our own sexual assault and abuse encounters. I even told them details from my story that nobody knows. When convicted felons realized we all had experienced similar things as them, they were in awe. They couldn’t believe we were just like them! Mostly they were in awe of God’s love through us. Two ladies had a such a hard time with me leaving. They sobbed and hugged me before we left and wouldn't let go of my shirt. I kept saying that they have each other! They have God! I also told them that I come back for reunions and I come to Tutwiler on the 3rd Sunday of every month.
Months ago when I began praying over this specific Kairos, I prayed to God that I wanted to help at least one woman. Let my story resonate with just one woman this weekend. While God made that happen, I also helped change 5 other women in inmates and 2 team members who’d never been in Tutwiler. The Clergy member said that I never once was boastful about my position. She said I made them feel like we were all one family. We are all members of God’s family!
We are all called to minister to others. I always thought I wasn't equipped or strong enough. I didn't have the piece of paper that I thought I needed. As it was so graciously put to me, God “slammed me” this weekend to truly show me that I don’t have to have it all together to share His love and His message. My heart has never been more full of love for God and these women. I truly pray that they will share God’s love throughout the walls of Tutwiler!
-Susan Dreyfus
My family, taking my prayer over you from above quotes from my sister Susan, I pray God “slamms you” today to truly show you that you don’t have to have it all together to share His love and His message. I pray you can “wrap your mind around” being the chosen one for your story to resonate with just one person today. I pray you will be reminded today that we are all ministers! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. I'm waiting and listening for Your leading, as I begin my day in the communion of prayer.
"There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 14:12).
Last night at our Community Dinners gathering at Terranovas Italian restaurant Bayram Erdmen was our guest speaker. Bayram was Born Muslim in Turkey and was a devout Muslim all his life until around 3 years ago when he had a vision of Jesus and gave his life over to Christ. For most of his life he was deceived and kept from “The Way”, Jesus Christ the source of eternal life.
Proverbs tells us there is a right way, among many alternative ways. But all ways are not the same. And all ways do not have the same end. There is a way that leads to life and there is a way that leads to death. And according to Your Word, the way that leads to death can seem like the right way to us.
We can be deceived. We can be confused. So we need discernment and determination -- discernment to know what's right and determination to do it; discernment to find the way that leads to life and determination to follow it.
So how do I discern the right way that leads to life?
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God…what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Lord, continue to renew my mind every day. Put Your thoughts in my mind; put Your desires in my heart. Align my thoughts with Your thoughts and my ways with Your ways, so I can rightly discern the right way that leads to life. Give me the desire and the power to seek "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16). Humbling myself to seek Your mind, the mind of Christ rather than the mind of this world. For it is the only way that leads to life, for You alone are "the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). And as I discern it, empower me to be obedient and to do it; day by day, step by step, decision by decision. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray that through prayer, searching the Scriptures, and personal accountability, you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind, discerning the will of God for the direction of your life that leads to the fullness of life in Christ every day, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit. Be One within me today, as I entrust my life completely to You, as best as I can and all by Your grace.
"I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure" (Psalm 16:8-9).
God, you are always before me, always encouraging me, strengthening me, inspiring me, and empowering me. You are Emmanuel -- the God who is always with me (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). And by the abiding presence of Your Holy Spirit, You're always here within me (Romans 8:9).
That's why my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. That why I don't lose heart and my hope doesn't fail. There's nothing I'll ever face that You've not already faced and nothing I'll ever endure that You've not already endured -- all on my behalf, all because You're for me, all because You love me. "Let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:14-15).
Because You areimmovable, I can be immovable in You. Because You are unshakeable, I can be unshakable in You. That gives me hope. And that steadies my soul in all that is going on around me and gives me peace, as live out my journey of today.
With You always before me and Your Spirit always within me, I shall not be moved. "I shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. I shall not fear when heat comes, and my leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought I am not anxious, and I do not cease to bear fruit" -- all in the power of Your grace (Jeremiah 17:8). When I read that passage over myself, it encourages my heart. It makes my soul rejoice and allows my body to rest secure, with my hope and faith secure in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you will read these Scriptures over and into you life! I pray you will not be moved, being firm and steadfast in your faith, even flourishing through whatever you endure. With the Lord Jesus ever before you, with our heavenly Father always embracing you, and His Holy Spirit always filling you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning Father, I come to you this morning to listen to you voice to hear your direction for my day this morning. “Speak, your servant is listening”(1Samuel 3:10.)
“because we wanted to come to you-I, Paul, again and again-but Satan hindered us.”1Thes. 2:18. As I was walking to our house church last night at our neighbors house around 6:00pm, I knew tonights worship gathering was going to be amazing because all day Satan was trying to show-out and being the biggest dick!!!
Because we were celebrating the young ladies and men who went through their Chrysalis and Emmaus Walk weekends, we rented and reserved our adjoining neighborhoods Community building for our gathering, which we have rented before. A few hours before the event when I went to get the key for the community center the lady I met backed out of renting it to us! I had 3 hours to find another location and notify everyone of the change.
I left the Community Center to pick up some food for the gathering and on the way back I got a flat tire on 255 Research Park highway. And I just got new tires 8 days ago on my car! Our neighbor and member of ODC opened their house to host our gathering and their kitchen sink plogged up so we could not use it. All through out the day I received calls: a family being attacked and separated because of addiction; a mother saying that her daughter is possessed; another that her daughter is in jail. I just kept rebuking Satan and doing the Lords work.
Last night was amazing. Our worship flowed from the throne room of God. People there from age 16 to 70 stood and spontaneously prayed over the gathering. We anointed with oil and healed the sick. We shared a meal and 7-8 people stood up and shared testimonies of Gods presence and deliverance in their lives. We closed saying goodbye to our friend from Turkey and she prayed over us in her native tongue. We all left knowing in the praise and presence of God.
“The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.” (Luke 10:17-19)
My family, I pray today you will rebuke Satan when he attacks and keep doing the Lords work. I pray Paul’s words over you today as you go out to your schools, work, gyms, and neighborhoods, “…I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ (Acts 26:17-18) Please pray the same over me. God bless you my friends!!
Here is a link to a2 minute video from last night: https://www.facebook.com/pete.lawrence.714/videos/10155123102495756/
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. I lift my eyes up to you Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God, for you are my help and my hope.
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:8-10 NKJV).
I watched the news and the stories of people who were affected ny Harvey, Irma, and the earthquake in Mexico. As I watched people battle the storms, to struggle to survive, to press on and persevere, you remind me to draw near to You. You remind me to humble myself before You, so You can lift me up. You remind me to remember You. Because apart from You, I can do nothing (John 15:5).
To humble ourselves is to willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone. It's the opposite of pride, which says I can do all things in my power, in my wisdom, with my resources. Pride says, "I will survive; I will thrive; I will restore; I will rebuild, all in my way, all as I will, all by myself." Humility says, "I need You, Lord; I'm desperate for You; apart from You, I can do nothing; and I praise You, that I never have to be apart from You, for You are my Help and my Hope."
Pride, in this sense, is an unholy independence from You, manifested in rebellion from Your presence and rejection of Your ways. But humility, in this sense, is a healthy, reverential fear of the Lord to honor You, embrace You, and desperately depend upon You to be our provision and protection, our loving Father who always knows what's best and who is always near and always ready to help through whatever we endure. So Lord, slay our pride and give us humble hearts, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
It's a heart of humility that will fill our hearts with hope. And hope is what we need. Hope in You alone is what we need. And hope is what we will have if we humble our hearts to hope in You. "Now may the God of hope fill (us) with all joy and peace in believing, that (we) may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13 ). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, as you humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, willingly choosing to be desperately dependent upon Him alone, allowing Him to lift you up and bring you through whatever you're enduring, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning Father, Son and Spirit, I enter into this day you have set before me with eyes wide open in anticipation and complete gratitude.--
I pray wherever you are, you are safe from the effects of Irma. I am posting a day late this week. This past weekend was a couple days of fluctuating, real, and raw ministry.
On the challenging side the church that lets me have space in it for an office in was broken into and every office vandalized including mine. In ministering to people I was assaulted, had my headlights and windshield smashed out, and I had a person pull a gun on me.
On the blessing side, I witnessed and heard the testimony of 22 men who’s lives get completely wrecked by the love of God on their Emmaus walk. I got to mentor 4 teenage girls who hearts on now on fire for God. I attended an amazing outreach of the Gospel in a high-crime and high-drug use Latino apartment complex. And I was invited to participate in a community celebration in a HUD housing project. You never know what the next moment will bring in life. I was reminded of this again last night.
Yesterday was the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. My wife Nancy and I watched a documentary on the tragic event on the History Channel, “102 Minutes that Changed America.” We remembered and prayed over those families that lost loved ones in the tragedy. We were also reminded that nothing is guaranteed in this life. As God’s word tells us:
“ 13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin”. (Jam 4:13-17)
Those that died, were injured, or affected by 9/11 were engaged in their normal day of business when something unimaginable happened; the millions to one odds of a jet crashing into the building they were in. No one would have imagined that happening at the start of their day. Nothing is guaranteed today. All of today is a gift. If there is a “right thing” you know you need to do: towards a family member, friend, co-worker, neighbor, acquaintance, maybe even yourself; then simply do it. Do it today. That is what today was intended for.
My family, I simply pray you will do the right things you know you are to do today. And do them in love and out of love and appreciation for the gift of today. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends! You are a gift to me!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:5)
As I stated in my last post this past Friday, I spent this past weekend with my daughter serving as a spiritual director on a Chrysalis team in which 14 mainly teenage girls attended. We left Friday afternoon and returned late Monday night. It was an amazing weekend of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the love and presence of Christ.
As I heard some of these girls stories shared in counseling and conversations, I was amazed and saddened at the trials and struggles many of them have gone through already in life at such an early age. They were two young to have been exposed to such “adult” circumstances that required them to be “strong” and “hold things in” way to early in life.
As the weekend progressed the girls opened up and let go of their loads and simply became beautiful teenagers girls. Saturday night during a time of examination of conscience and letting go and releasing while gathered in the chapel, The Holy Spirit fell in a real tangible way. The girls in spontaneous ways came to the altar, turned to each other in their chairs, on the floor in corners and shared prayers and tears over each other. Myself and others on the team had the privilege of being invited into these groups and leading prayer over them and being led by prayer over them. Their prayers flowed out of true repentance and a desperate desire for God in their lives. Their prayers flowed from their hearts and souls and the Holy Spirit met them there and real healing, restoration, release, and renewing of faith took place as these ladies, all of us present, found and re-affirmed our identity in Christ.
I remember getting off my knees with one group and before being led into another group just standing there and looking around the room. In every corner of it every girl and team member was huddled in true prayer and worship, and it was so beautiful that all I could do was look and praise God! It was raw, it was real, it was simple, it was Holy, it was church!! And I was convicted of the ways some church's youth groups in their programs and attempts to be “seeker friendly” and “fun” don’t expose their youth to simply the Gospel and raw worship. Our youth are far more capable of deep spiritual encounters and being sources of spiritual renewal and leadership in our churches than we give them credit. Their prayers and praise that surrounded me impacted me and drew me into Christ’s presence as much as any “adult” led gathering I have attend. I was so blessed.
““..I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven! Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:3-5)
My ODC family, I pray today if you run into a teenager today, you will see in them and share with them and encourage them to understand what an amazing potential vessel they are of the Holy Spirit. I pray that in your churches you will encourage and place your youth in leadership, and allow them to lead you “become like little children” and enter the kingdom of heaven! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. By the moving of Your Holy Spirit, I come to You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus the Son, and give You the glory for all the great things You've done and for the great God You are.
"With my whole heart I seek You… Let Your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your promise….. Remember Your word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope.... I implore Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.... Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.... Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is Your custom toward those who love Your name.... You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are true.... Let my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.... My lips will pour forth praise, because You teach me Your statutes. My tongue will sing of Your promise, for all your commandments are right" (Psalm 119:10-172).
O Lord, give me a love for Your ways, just as You've given me a trust in Your nature. Give me faith to believe You know what's best and give me courage to act according to the faith You give. "O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping Your statutes" (v. 5). "Happy are those who keep (Your) decrees, who seek (You) with their whole heart" (v. 2).
I admit I don't always follow Your ways from a faithful heart or honor Your statutes with a willing spirit or keep Your commandments in the way that expresses my trust in You as my wisest Father, loving Savior, and constant Companion. I admit I don't always seek You "with my whole heart." And those are the very places where I lose my peace and let go of my hope and allow my joy to fade away. That's no way to be; that's no way to live, when there's so much more of life and peace and joy in You and the wisdom of Your ways. "O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping Your statutes! (v. 5)
But by the power of Your grace at work within me, my part is not to do this in my power and strength or strong will and self-determination, trying to try harder and praying to pray harder. No, my part is to humble my heart and ask for Your help, to willingly choose to be desperately dependent on You alone. Then like a mighty rushing wind, You move in my heart to give me the desire and the power to seek You and trust You, to desire to obey You and then act in obedience to You (Philippians 2:13).
My part is call on Your name, as I choose to trust in Your nature. "For You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on You" (Psalm 86:5). My part is set my mind and my heart on the things of Your Spirit, rather than the things of my flesh. "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind of the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:5-6).
Come, Holy Spirit. Help me set my mind right, as You get my heart right. Give me the desire and the power to seek You with all my heart, "with my whole heart," so I can obey Your leading from my heart. I, of course, can't do it alone. And You never intended me to. That's why You are my Helper, just as God is my Father and Jesus is my Savior. How I need You today and every day. And O, how You're faithful to help me day after day -- especially on the days I deserve it the least.
As I finish this prayer this morning, not even knowing where all this came from or where this is going, I hear in my heart Your reminder of one of my favorite promises of Your Word: "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul 'therefore I will hope in Him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him" (Lamentations 3:21-25). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My ODC family, I pray you will be empowered with the desire to seek the Lord with your whole heart, holding nothing back, and embracing His steadfast love and tender mercies to live your life today filled with His joy and peace and favor, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me as I want to embrace this as well! God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning Father, Son and Spirit! I begin today with a heart of thanksgiving for all that you have in store for me today.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
Last night I was at a dinner at 5 Guys with a group and my daughter Milan was sitting next to me. My daughter and I were in a side discussion together arguing a point when the person across the table commented at us, “You two look just alike.”
I thought of who is Milan? She has a passion for life and people that is contagious. She questions and examines the reason why and purpose for everything and loves discussing and arguing points. Milan pushes back at the “status quo,” and establishment with a rebel heart that doesn’t like conformity or doing things “just because..” She stands her ground when she knows she is right despite the consequences. Yep, she is just like me. So parenting her for me at times has been challenging when our “likenesses” collide. Parenting her has also been amazing.
Back to the dinner table we were atin 5 Guys. My wife, Milan, and I were at the table, with other 17-19 year old teenage girls. Milan and I are serving on a Chrysalis flight for three days over Labor Day Weekend. It is a girls flight, where teenage girls are invited to come and spend a weekend on a spiritual retreat to deeper discover their identity in Christ, their purpose, gifts and their calling. All the girls around the table Milan had missional reached out to and invited to attend the Chrysalis weekend and I had invited the girls to come have dinner with us to discuss, explain, answer questions, and pray over the weekend.
I looked at these girls Milan had reached out to: One is a teen mom who the father of the baby left her to raise it alone. One girl, her father left her and her mom when she was a child. Her mom got into a relationship with a man who did not want her around, so her mom chose him over her daughter and literally kicked her out. She lived in her car for over a year, got into drugs, is clean now however is pregnant. One girl’s father has little to do with her and she spends time living either with her mom who is a recovering meth addict or her grandparents. Another girl who’s family does not have a vehicle questions if there is a God and struggles with her identity.
I began the meal with a prayer then started explaining the weekend to the girls. However, after a minute Milan jumped in and took over most of the conversation with these young ladies. With love for them she told them about the weekend and Jesus and the blessing they will receive by letting go and opening their hearts to Christ. She told them how excited and proud she was they were going, that she is here for them, and wants to start a group meeting weekly with them for accountability and support after the weekend. After the discussion Milan had all of us hold hands in a circle and prayed over these young ladies.
During the meal as I looked around at these young ladies Milan had sought out who are marginalized by society and I listened to my daughter share the Gospel with them out of love for them, my heart praised God! Yep, she was just like me.
I am the Lead Follower at One Direction Community. I launched One Direction Community (ODC) to be just that, a community of house churches that meets in homes, restaurants, laundromats, flea markets, apartments and other locations in the Madison-Huntsville, Al area. I believe we can more effectively reach our city through a network of reproducing churches. My home is the central gathering place of ODC where trainings take place, food for feeding the community is cooked, accountability groups meet, counseling and prayer takes place, and a house church meets every Wednesday night. Our home always has people coming and going, spending the night, and hanging out. Sometimes the lack of privacy and dynamics of this can be a challenge for my daughters and they at times have brought this up to me. I at times questioned how it was effecting them and their faith. Last night, as I sat their and watched and listened to the Holy Spirit just work through my daughter and reveal her missional heart and love for people and her love for Jesus, it answered my question about what I have been exposing her to. She gets it. She led church last night. She is just like me. I am full of praise!!!
My ODC family, I pray today you will seek and allow the Holy Spirit to work through you and create and reveal a missional heart and love for people and love for Jesus. I pray you will invite to coffee, lunch, or dinner today someone who needs you to speak the Gospel of grace and love into their lives. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God! I worship You in every dimension of Your Being and welcome You into every dimension of my being.
"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls" (Joel 2:30-32 NKJV).
Yesterday we all experienced "the sun shall be turned into darkness" across America. Many of us gathered to celebrate the signs in the heavens, and many gathered to cry out to God in repentance and prayer for the sins in the heart of our nation. Many studied the science of this event, and many searched in all kinds of ways for it's spiritual significance.
It's of interest to me that this day of the total eclipse of the sun marks the first of the forty days leading up to the Day of Atonement on the Biblical calendar -- the forty days set apart for prayer and repentance to prepare for the most holy day on the Jewish year. Perhaps it's a sign in the heavens of a call to prayer for repentance and revival in our hearts and in our land, as with all the hate, racism and violence we have experienced lately we needed one.
And just as the ancient prophecy speaks of dramatic moves in the heavens, it also speaks of a dramatic move of the Spirit: "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days" (Joel 2:28-29).
So often in Your Word and in our lives, Your judgment leads to conviction; conviction leads to repentance; repentance leads to mercy; and mercy leads to revival, as You "create in (us) a clean heart," "renew a (right) spirit with (us)," and "restore unto (us) the joy of Your salvation" (Psalm 51:10-12). May Your signs in the heavens lead us to seek Your Scriptures and search our hearts and lead us to our Savior. And by the power of the grace of God, may we yet repent and return to You in our hearts and in our land to experience a great breakthrough revival and awakening and outpouring of Your Spirit in the great "harvest" Your Word promises to come (Matthew 9:37-38; 13:24-30 and 36-43).
Thank You for Your covenant of revival that comes in power, as Your people see what You're revealing, hear what You're saying, and obey what You're doing. "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV). "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12 NKJV).
So come, Holy Spirit. May we hear the voice of Jesus and "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 4:17) May You use these signs in the heavens to lead us to repentance in our hearts and revival in our land. Thank You that though the 40 days of preparation began yesterday for the Day of Atonement, it is simply now a remembrance as the Day of Atonement was eternally fulfilled on the Day of the Cross. And may yesterday, the day the sun was darkened across America be a day that America begins to repent and return to the light of the glory of the Son. "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My ODC family, I pray you'll be moved to pray and repent in your heart and for our land, that we may experience revival and awakening for the great harvest to come, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
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Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
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"These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates. “ Deuteronomy6:7-9
This past Friday I did not write a blog post. Friday was move out of the house and move-in day for my oldest daughter Paris at Birmingham Southern College where she will attend for the next 4 years. My wife Nancy and I have two daughters and Paris is our first one to leave and start her life outside of our home. It was a full day for all of us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Physically, we left our home at 6:20am to get there at 8:00am. After checking in we spent the four hours along with the hundreds of other students and their parents helping them move in into their dorm rooms. We carried clothing, bedding, furniture and items up flights of stairs to get their rooms set up. Then running to Wal-Mart and back getting items needed.
Emotionally, we were surrounded by incoming students who were excited, terrified, sad, and joyful, and their family members like us who shared these emotions. As final good byes were said lingering hugs and tears took place then that release when both parent and child looked into each others eyes and expressed to one another, “This is really it, the moment of separation has taken place and our relationship will never be the same again.” My wife, younger daughter Milan, and Paris hugged and shared tears as well. I hugged Paris goodbye as well through all kinds of emotions.
Spiritually. Prayers were said by all, both parents and students; out loud at times however constantly in silence by parents wanting to get in their last minute prayers and blessings over their children. Parent's joyful yet reluctant prayers of thanksgiving and release of the precious gift their son or daughter is the Father has allowed them to raise for 18 years and letting them go to discover what God has in store for them on their own.
Before Nancy and I left our home after her water broke with Paris to head to the hospital for her delivery, Nancy stopped at the front door and said turn around and look at our house, when we return it will never be the same. 18 years later, Nancy and I returned and walked into a home that again will never be the same.
And as I looked over the auditorium during their Convocation at the room filled with 18 and 19 years old young men and women (my daughter is the girl near the middle smiling) looking around with deer-in-the-headlights looks on their faces of all the unknown and uncertainty that lies ahead of them it was a reminder to me of the inevitable, constant, continual change that occurs in our lives. For Paris to continue on in all that God has in store for her it requires a change in her life’s structure and surroundings, A release of the comfortable, the familiar and a going forth into the new, uncertain, yet wonderful adventure God has for her. And it requires a releasing and encouraging to go by her family structure. The only thing that is constant in life is change.
In our walk with Christ the only thing that is constant, besides the Father, is change. For us and the church to continue into all God has in store for us and are calling also requires a change in The Church’s structure and surroundings. A release of the comfortable and familiar and a going forth into the new, uncertain, yet wonderful adventure Jesus has for it’s bride.
I am reminded of a quote, “A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are built for.” John A. Shedd. My daughter was safe at home, but that is not what God designed her for. And The Church is safest gathered in a building, but that is not what God designed it for.
My ODC family, I pray today you will listen to the Holy Spirit and embrace the calling and adventure God is calling you to enter into outside of your comfort zone, your structured life, and your safety net of familiarity, family and friends, your harbor, and sail out into the adventure you were built for. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Please share your reflections with us in the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach
One Direction Community – Lead Follower
We would love your partnership and support of our ministry as we serve outside the harbor in our community!
On our trip to Great Brittian, France and Italy I visited and spent time in several cathedrals and famous churches. St. Paul and Westminster Abbey in London; Bath Abby in Bath; Notre Dame, Sacre Coure, and St. Chappelle in Paris; and the Doumo and Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. I will continue my daily blog on my reflections from my time spent in these churches.
We visited Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Painted on the wall in the Dominican Monk monastery next to the church is the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci,”The Last Supper.” Here is a photo I took of it.
Besides the fact that it was painted by Da Vinci, what makes this painting so famous? Why was it so unique when it was painted? Da Vinci was a renaissance artist, and the renaissance was focused on the mind, beauty, and accomplishments of mankind. Here is a picture of Jesus in the painting.
In almost all the paintings and Icons of Jesus before this painting it was Jesus’ deity that was stressed. He was painted with a halo around his head, on a cross, "glowing" in some way, or painted larger than other people around him. In The Last Supper, Jesus is painted simply as a man. He has no halo around his head, no other sign of deity and is the same size as the other disciples in the photo. Jesus is painted emphasizing his incarnation, completely human, in context, in community, present at the supper table.
Another thing that made this painting unique is the food on the table. Remember, the last supper took place in Jerusalem. When you study the food you will see some of the traditional foods used in the Passover meal, however most of the food on the table is that which would be served at a typical Dominican Monk’s dinner. Da Vinci painted this painting in a Dominican monastery, and he wanted to reflect the meal in its context painted. Like we do today in our context when we celebrate the Lords Supper in remberance of the Jesus’ acts in salvation.
Da Vinci is stating in his painting that Jesus desire was not to imitate or replicate the meal when we remember it as happening somewhere in the past, but to incarnate it into our current meal. At ODC we are centered around simple churches, house church type models. I remember back when one of our new house churches just launched that was made up of recovering addicts. I received a call one night from a member as they were meeting and they asked, “Gary, we do not have any grape juice in the house, is it ok to use apple juice, or will it ruin it for Jesus?” I told them apple juice is fine, Jesus is just delighted you are inviting him to your table. I got another call one night from a house church meeting in a restaurant asking me, “Gary, we forgot to bring bread from home, is it ok to use the restaurant’s dinner rolls?” I said, Yes, that will be fine.” When I was in Darfur, Sudan, I celebrated The Lord’s Supper every night. However, this were no grapes within 100 miles of where we were. So I celebrated The Lord’s Supper using some type of Sudanese moonshine/wine made of local flowers. Jesus’ promise of Whenever you do this in remembrance of me I will be present was not to the elements, but to you and I. It does not matter whether you use Matza or Wonder Bread. Nor does it matter if you serve it in a gold chalice or a red solo cup. At our ODC gatherings, I always ask the family who will be assisting me in serving The Lord’s Supper to bring a cup and plate from their home for us to use. One Gathering, a young girl of the family came up to me and handed me a “My Little Pony” cup and plate she had picked out to use for the Lord’s Supper and asked if this was ok?, I said perfect! And I consecrated the bread and wine on them and she proudly stood and served the congregation the Blood of Christ from her My Little Pony cup. Everyday at home when she uses that plate and cup she will be reminded of the incarnation of Christ in her everyday life.
Another thing that made this painting famous and unique are the three windows in the back of the painting showing outdoor scenes. Again, the Lord’s Supper to place in an upper room in Jerusalem and the wall would have been solid behind Jesus. However, Da Vinci added and painted scenes of landscape through these three windows. When you examine the landscapes painted, they are not of Jerusalem, but landscapes of Italian countryside. Again, by doing this Da Vinci is moving the setting for the Lord’s Supper from the past to the present context. He before his time, was missionaly stating in his painting, the Lord’s Supper and the incarnation of Jesus is not about Jerusalem anymore or any church building or location, but Jesus is present and glorified where ever and whenever it is celebrated to his remembrance.
My ODC family, I pray today you will remove any lingering religious teachings, traditions, or customs that have enforced in you the belief that Jesus is only present in a certain location, building, sanctuary or restricted to certain altars, vessels, or elements. I pray, like Leonardo Da Vinci, you will see and experience the incarnation of Jesus in your context and in your community and in doing so, bring the remembrance Jesus in your life and the life of those you meet today. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Gary Liederbach
One Direction Community- Lead Follower
Please share your reflections and thoughts in the comment box below.
