30 Day Challenge: Day 16 (Oct. 16)

Good morning Lord Jesus, just as the Father sent you out in His Spirit into the world. send me out as well…..

 Today's challenge encourages us to prayer walk. I believe prayer walking is one of the best ways to equip people in prayer, create a missional, kingdom focussed heart; evangelize, plant churches, and change communities.  Go to todays challenge.  Then use these prayer walking techniques  and practices I included below from my Discipleship 101 Training manual to aid you in your challenge to prayer walk this week. 

Link to today's challenge for day 16 :  

 PRAYER WALKING

1.     JOIN WITH OTHERS. It is better to go with another person. Larger groups can split into pairs or small groups.

2.     SET ASIDE A SPECIFIC TIME AND DESIGNATE A SPECIFIC AREA.

3.     LISTEN TO GOD. We find as we prayerwalk that a key ingredient is hearing the voice of the Lord. After all, we are seeking to cooperate with God to pray His desires over an area. We know many of His desires from the Bible, and He will never contradict His Word. However, in prayer walking we see three specific ways that God gives us insight into what He wants to do.

• Observation: Seeing garbage on the streets may trigger you to pray against the garbage in people’s lives, for example.

• Research: From research you might find there are specific pockets of crime, injustice, or occult practices which direct you to those places and give you a clear direction for prayer.

• Revelation: You may get a nudge from the Holy Spirit to pray a certain direction or to pray a certain Scripture. You might even have a vision which reveals something to pray over.

4.     COORDINATE EFFORTS, REGATHER & REPORT if you are with a larger group.

 

ACTIVITIES COMMON TO PRAYERWALKING:

PRAISE

Praise gives glory to Christ and exalts Him to His proper place as Lord of all. The Lord inhabits the praises of His people. God’s presence fills the area when we praise, and the demons flee. In Ps. 100, praise is like the entrance into His very presence.

PRAYER

In Rev. 8, there was silence in heaven for the coming up of the prayers of the saints. Eph. 6:18 suggests our main weapon against the enemy is to “pray without ceasing.” God can do anything He wants without our help. But He chooses to use the prayers

of Christians as the vessel for releasing His power and bringing about victory in the spiritual  realm.

 •  Pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18).

•  Pray with your eyes open.

•  Pray together with others (Matt. 18:19-20, Lev. 26:8)

•  Pray Scripture passages.

•  True fasting has divine results (Is. 58).

PROCLAMATION

•  God-given scriptures or issues spoken in God- appointed places

•  Sharing the gospel

•  Prayer Evangelism - involves visiting your neighbors to ask what you can pray for. Often through God answering prayer, a person's heart is opened to hear His truth.  (See BLESS prayers on next page.)

OTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF PRAYER WALKING:

• Unity

• Decide on a leader

• Decide upon specific scriptures to pray in preparation for the prayerwalk

• Submission to the Lord

• Humility and obedience

• Persistence

5 PRESSURE POINTS

Places you might want to seek out in the area that you are prayer walking:

1. Government centers where legislation is made

2.  Commercial centers where decisions are made for who gets what goods

3.  Educational centers, especially the president’s office and teachers

4.  Communication centers, such as for media, TV, & radio

5. Spiritual centers, both Christian and non-Christian

Please share your experience with prayer walking with us in the comment box below.

The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time reading and reflecting on these chapters throughout the challenge

If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.  

30 Day Challenge: Day 15 (Oct 15)

Good morning Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to conform me ore into your image, the one I love…

Today marks the half-way point to the challenge, Keep going!!!  Day 15 looks at "What is a Disciple?"  In order to become a disciples and make disciples, you have to have a definition of a disciple that you are trying to make and become.

ODC Disciple Definition

A disciple is a committed apprentice of the Lord Jesus Christ who is growing in Love for God and others, sent out to make disciples, all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

…a committed apprentice… of the Lord Jesus Christ

This definition of disciple rests on the confession of the earliest Christians: Jesus is Lord.  If Jesus is Lord, then no one and nothing else can be. This implies exclusivity: Lordship excludes all other claims to loyalty; and totality: there is no area of life that is not under the rule of God. Jesus modeled total submission to his Father to the exclusion of all else and expects his followers to do the same. This is not something we can do by ourselves. We need each other and the power of the Holy Spirit.

…growing in love for God

We recognize discipleship as a life-long process of growing… becoming more and more like Jesus. As God reveals thoughts, attitudes, and actions that are not “Christ-like,” a committed apprentice responds by changing to be more like Christ.

The ongoing growth process is a series of baby steps of immediately obeying everything we hear Jesus commanded us to do.  His first command was to love God.

Loving God includes all that we are (our soul), the expression of our emotions (heart); the exercise of our will to obey what Jesus commands (strength), and the content of our thoughts (our mind). It is not hard to see why loving God is a process that can be costly, or that seems radical. Nevertheless, it’s what Jesus expects of His followers, His disciples. (Matt 22:37)

…growing in love for others

ODC wants to form disciples who are growing in love for God (through Immediate Radical Costly Obedience) and others (by putting them first). (Mat 22:39)

Loving others extends beyond warm feelings or treating people with simple courtesy (although that is not a bad place to start). It involves listening (for many people, being heard is so close to being loved that they can’t tell the difference). We notice their needs, and take time to meet those needs by serving them.

Loving others by serving them often means inconvenience, and the sacrifice of personal time and resources. Radical hospitality… inviting our neighbors to enter into our lives… sets people at ease and fosters trusting relationships. “Welcoming the stranger” demonstrates our love for God by extending His love to those who are right in front of us.

Loving others by the practice of seeing them spiritually through the eyes of God. If we want to minister to them as Jesus would, we need to be able to see them as Jesus does.

….sent out

Jesus exemplified the Missio Deo or “The Mission of God.”  That is the spreading of the gospel that the Kingdom of God is at hand and ushering in that good news in a tangible way.  Just as God sent Jesus in to this world to proclaim this gospel, Jesus sends us out to proclaim it as well (Joh. 17-18).  Disciples are to be missionaries.  Missionary defined as someone who forsakes everything but the Gospel, for the sake of the Gospel.  Discipleship is actively following Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit out into their neighborhoods and communities. (John 17:18)

 ….and making disciples

Jesus’ last commandment to his disciples was for them themselves to go and make disciples. (Mat 28:19)  His commandment applies to all of us as well.  It is a good thing when we come to know Christ.  It is a better thing when we lead someone else to Christ.  It is the Greatest thing, the most Christ like thing, when we lead someone to Christ and disciple them so that they then lead someone to Christ.  Moreover, the goal of discipleship is to become the most Christ-like.

…through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, this definition of disciple reveals our total reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit for transformation and growth.

A core value of simple House Churches is that truth is revealed through the study of scripture, in community with others, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Gifted teachers and great curriculum are valuable but can never replace the Holy Spirit’s work in exposing the truth of scripture. Reading a few verses directly, without external commentary, allows the Holy Spirit to flow through multiple believers whose various personal experiences, traditions, reason, and spiritual gifts reveal the simple and obvious meaning of the text.

How do you make a disciple?

First and for most in my desire to make disciples is to personally answer this question, “Am I a disciple worth multiplying?” God does not desire to multiply mediocrity.  He desires to multiply those who exhibit immediate, radical, costly, obedience.  Discipleship is the act and process of modeling and conforming yourself to Christ.  I have come to understand that there is no “easy button” to achieve this; to become or make a disciple.  It requires reading Scripture more than I ever have before, praying more than I ever have before, and being openly accountable to others in the body more than I ever have been before.  How I become or “make” a disciple is simple, but it is not easy.  If I am not willing to consistently embrace and model this, then I cannot effectively lead others to become disciples.  I cannot lead them to a place I myself am not willing to go.  And no program, training, technique or tool I try to use can replace lack of obedience.  Am I a disciple worth multiplying?

Link to today's challenge:

If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.  

30 Day Challenge: Day 14 (Oct 14)

Good morning Jesus, as I begin another work week I seek your strength this morning that everything I do this week will be unto the Lord.

When you are in a group that starts saying the "Lord's Prayer" together and you are able to join in at say it with them, How are you able to do that?  When you hear the Bible stories of Noah, Jonah, Jesus' and others, How do you know them?  If you know it is wrong to steal, murder, and that you should respect others and your parents, How do you know that? You weren't born with a "Lord's Prayer" gene.  It is because some where in your past someone: a parent, grandparent, family members, friend, church member...someone; saw you as a child of God and invested time in you teaching, loving, and training you up in the way of the Bible and the Lord. 

Question: Who are you investing in now?  Who are the two or three people you are pouring into, mentoring, meeting with regularly, loving enough to want them to be a disciple of Christ.  If the name of two or three people do not easily come to you mind now, then day 14 challenge is for you.  If a few people do come to your mind, then I hope today's challenge encourages you and empowers you to contact two people to begin mentoring.

Today is the end of the second week and almost the half way point of our 30 Day Discipleship Challenge.. I am asking each of you to please post a comment in the comment box below on your thoughts and experiences of these first two weeks. This is important to me as it let’s me know how people are receiving it and what adjustments I may need to do in the coming weeks.

Link to Day 14 Challenge

The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time reading and reflecting on these chapters throughout the challenge.

Format reminder for the 30 Day Discipleship Challenge:

 Daily:  After reading my reflections, go to link for that day of challenge, read daily Bible passage and commentary, watch the 3-4 minute video, and then spend time in prayer over them and the completion of the action for that day.

Weekly: Pick a day that works for you and spend one day a week fasting in prayer over becoming a deeper disciple of Christ.Post reflections and thoughts as a comment below for discussion.

Periodically: Please Post a reflection, prayer , question, in the comment box below for discussion.

30 Day Challenge:Day 13 (Oct 13)

Good morning Lord Jesus, Father and Spirit, where ever you are that is where I want to be, so lead me to you this morning.

Today as in day 8 of our 30 Day Discipleship Challenge, we again look at obedience.  Why? because obedience is at the core of discipleship and the Christian life.  Their are two Latin words we use to describe areas of Christian life: orthodoxy, and orthopraxy.  Orthodoxy is when one has the true, accepted, and correct understanding of God. Orthopraxy is when one's conduct, behavior, and daily life conforms to the correct and true biblical calling.  You life reflects the life of Christ.

Most Christians have a higher Orthodoxy, understanding and "head knowledge" of God and Jesus, than they do Orthopraxy, being obedient and conform their actions to that knowledge.  The class room settings of Sunday morning church and Sunday schools give us head knowledge of Jesus, but do not give us hands on training in obeying God. So if Sunday morning church service is the extent of a person’s church experience, they will not experience the fullness of their faith.

Satan has perfect Orthodoxy.  He has a perfect and complete understanding of who the true God is.  On a scale of 1-10 his Orthodoxy is a 10.  Satan has a perverted Orthopraxy. there is no true obedience in him,  He is the father of lies, when he speaks he lies, his life example is the opposite of Christ and on a scale of 1-10 his Orthoptaxy would be a negative 10.

Orthopraxy + Orthodoxy= Christian Life, a Disciple of Christ.  Your obedience level to God, must equal your head knowledge of God.

Link to day 13 Challenge: 

This Sunday at Toney UMC we have our 10:00am service. Afterwards we are having a pot-luck lunch to get to know each other. Then we are going out and prayer walking our neighborhoods to get to know our neighbors. and practice sharing out testimonies. You are welcomed to join us. Or plan your own day out in the neighborhoods around your church.

If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.  

30 Day Challenge: Day 12

Good morning Lord Jesus, I want loving you to be my main activity this weekends as I drink my coffee I first want to drink in you.

In day 7 we were challenged to write out out testimony.  To write out a three minute response we would give if someone asks us, " What difference does being a Christian make in your life?"  Did you write it out?  Being able to share your testimony and the Gospel with others are the two core and basic capabilities every Christian needs to posses.  

We all are competent and enjoy starting up and entering into conversations on secular topics. We passionately and confidently enter into conversations on our favorite sports teams, politics, current events, and even gossip.  If someone sits down next to you at  a restaurant, bar, or other event we can start conversations on sports, politics, the weather...ect, but we shrink back from starting a conversation about our faith and Jesus.  Why?  Because most westerner lecture-based church models  don't equip or require you to share.  On Sunday you sit for an hour or so listening to a lecture and music from trained and payed professionals.  Then Monday morning at work, school, or other encounters with people in your communities you are "live" and asked to share your faith, when you never have practiced, rehearsed, or been showed models and ways of doing it.  Hence the need for this 30 day challenge.  If not you. Who?  if not now, when? 

Link for today's day 12 challenge:  

This Sunday at Toney UMC we have our 10:00am service. Afterwards we are having a pot-luck lunch to get to know each other. Then we are going out and prayer walking our neighborhoods to get to know our neighbors. and practice sharing out testimonies. You are welcomed to join us. Or plan you own day out in the neighborhoods around your church.

If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.  

30 Day Challenge: Day 11 (Oct. 11)

Good evening Lord Jesus, As I prepare to lay down for the night, strengthen me in my sleep to be bold and go out to the places that you send me.

Jesus in his prayer to the Father says in John 17:18, "As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world."  We are all sent by God as missionaries into our communities.  My definition of a missionary is “some who is willing to forsake everything but the Gospel for the sake of the Gospel.” So just go! Go sit at a Waffle House bar, hang out at Starbucks, go sit at a bar in a bar, go sit in your local emergency room or to a nursing home and talk and pray with people, walk your neighborhood, walk Walmart, walk at Big Springs Park, somewhere, anywhere, but just go!! Those places, those people that go there need your tangible example of Christ. And you need to get out and exercise your faith. We as Christians need to recover our "sentness" which is at the core of the Gospel and the Christian faith.   

This Sunday at Toney UMC we have our 10:00am service. Afterwards we are having a pot-luck lunch to get to know each other. Then we are going out and prayer walking our neighborhoods to get to know our neighbors. You are welcomed to join us. Or plan you own day out in the neighborhoods around your church.

Here is the link day 11 challenge:

If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.  

30 Day Challenge: Day 10

Good morning Jesus, help me to hunger and thirst for you throughout my day.

Today we look at the importance of multiplication and Disciples making Disciples.

It is a great thing when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  It is a greater thing when you take time to lead someone else to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It is the greatest thing when you take the time after leading someone to Christ to spend time and Disciple them and see them lead someone to Christ.  Jesus did not command us to simply evangelize, he commanded us to make disciples.  Leading someone to Christ is an important part of the process, but not the fulfillment of Jesus's command for us, which is to make disciples who make disciples.

“Discipleship" is an "in" word in the church today.  Books and trainings are being written about discipleship.  Many churches claim they are about making Disciples. If someone were to stand up in front of your church, your ministry, your family and ask all to stand up.  They then said those who have done the great thing of accepting Christ as their Lord remain standing.  Then they said in the past 6 months, all those who done the greater thing of leading some to Christ remaining standing.  Finally they said in the past year those that have done the greatest thing and discipled someone to leading someone to Christ remain standing.  How many would be left standing?  If no one or few are left standing, then you need to honestly reflect on your claim your church is about making disciples as Jesus commissioned, and re-think your discipleship training at your church. Today's challenge is critical.  Here is a great article on 5 Myth’s of Jesus’ Great Commission to read  when you can. 

Link for day 10 Challenge:

Remember to please post reflections, comments, questions below.

30 Day Challenge: Day 9 (Oct 9)

Good morning Lord Jesus, Father, Spirit I receive all you have for me with joy and thanksgiving.

In challenge 9 we look at "pace" and our need to have compassion for the lost and and urgency in reaching those who don't know Christ. Instead of my reflections this morning let me share with you one true story, and one quote.

Charles Frederick Peace (14 May 1832 – 25 February 1879) was an English burglar and murderer, who embarked on a life of crime.  He killed a couple policemen and robbed many people in London. On the morning of his execution, Peace ate a hearty breakfast of bacon, and calmly awaited the coming of the public executioner, William Marwood inventor of the "long drop". He was escorted on the death-walk by the prison chaplain, who was reading aloud from The Consolations of Religion about the fires of hell. As the chaplain spoke of Christ's power to save, Peace turned to him and said: "Do you believe it? Do you believe it? "Sir, if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worth while living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!"

"I believe that if an angel were to wing his way from earth up to Heaven, and were to say that there was one poor, ragged boy, without father or mother, with no one to care for him and teach him the way of life; and if God were to ask who among them were willing to come down to this earth and live here for fifty years and lead that one to Jesus Christ, every angel in Heaven would volunteer to go. Even Gabriel, who stands in the presence of the Almighty, would say, "Let me leave my high and lofty position, and let me have the luxury of leading one soul to Jesus Christ." There is no greater honor than to be the instrument in God's hands of leading one person out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious light of Heaven." J. Oswald Sanders

After reading these , think about how many people your church has baptized this year? What soul have you had the luxury of leading to Jesus Christ?

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord Have mercy.

Link to today's challenge for day 9: Day 9: A Sense of Urgency

30 Day Challenge: Day 8 ( Oct. 8)

Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day to align my will in complete relieance on your will for my life.

In an earlier challenge it talked about the importance of IRCO: Immediate Radical Costly Obedience in discipleship.  Today's challenge looks at obedience.   Matthew 21:28-31 comes to my mind

"What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you."

"Did the will of the father" equates to “obeyed him”.  Jesus directed this parable against the Jews, the churched of his day. Today, he would direct it to those who call themselves Christians and attend church.  Those who at the end of the service hear the benediction tell them to "Go out and be a witness in their neighborhood," to which the reply is yes and amen!  However then go to lunch, and afterwards pull in their garage, close the garage door, and witness to no one.  

No matter how often we go to church, or what we raise our hands to and say Amen to while worshiping, nod in agreement to sermons and/or say you what we will do to the Father while in a pew, Jesus hears our conversations and sees our actions outside of church. Just like you can’t full your mom, she knows if you obeyed her, God knows as well.  Saying to yourself, I am planning on daily getting back in the Word again, means I don't read the Bible now.  Rationalizing  soon I need to start praying again is the same as saying I don't pray now.  Just thinking one day I want to get involved in prayer walking and serving in my community should trouble you that I am  doing nothing to help my neighbors now..  Reflecting, I really need to start tithing soon is the same as saying I don't give back to God now.  Jesus asked the crowd, "Which of the two did the will of his father?” Not just in words, but in action.  I hope todays challenge will remind you of the necessity of obedience in being a disciple of Christ. 

Link to challenge for day 8: 

We have finished one week of the 30 Day Challenge.  After you go to link and read todays verse, challenge and watch the video, please come back as I would love to hear your comments and thoughts of the first week.  It would help me evaluate how the challenge is going for everyone.  Please post as a comment in the comment box below.  Thanks!!

If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.

30 Day Challenge: Day 7 (Oct 7)

Good morning Jesus, I begin my work week claiming and accepting your saving works on the cross over my life and that of my family and domain.

All Christians need to be able to share their testimony.  Revelations 12:11 tells us the way we will overcome the world and evil is by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.  Your testimony does not have to be something elaborate.  It simply needs to be able to answer the question if asked of you by an individual, "What difference does it make in your life that you are a Christian?  They do not want a apologetics argument.  There not seeking a theological statement.  They don't want to know about your pastor or the church you attend.  Wether that person is a co-worker, classmate, friend, family member, or someone you are standing in line with at Walmart: at that moment the question is asked they are simply wanting to hear you tell them what difference it makes in your day to day life that you love and follow Jesus. it is your relationship with them at that moment that matters to them.  If you can't share with them why you love Jesus, if you can’t look them in the eye and tell them differences in your life following Jesus has made, then why should they follow him?  Your being able/not in love to share your testimony with another person may have eternal kingdom ramifications on that persons life.

Link to Day 7 (Oct 7) Challenge: 

 Please share your thoughts, reflections of questions from going through the first week of the challenge. in the comments box below!

For the 30 day challenge:

 Daily:  After reading my reflections, go to link for that day of challenge, read daily Bible passage and commentary, watch the 3-4 minute video, and then spend time in prayer over them and the completion of the action for that day.

Weekly: Pick a day that works for you and spend one day a week fasting in prayer over becoming a deeper disciple of Christ.Post reflections and thoughts as a comment below for discussion.

Periodically: Please Post a reflection, prayer , question, in the comment box below for discussion.

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community/ Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Help Us Help Them!

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

Thank You!  

CLICK HERE TO GIVE

30 Day Challenge: Day 6 (Oct 6)

Good morning Jesus, I belong to you safe and secure this morning and every morning,

Prayer is one of the greatest forms of evangelism and teaching. Saying a simple prayer out loud like. "I thank you Lord Jesus that you hear my prayer," speaks volumes theologically to those hearing you pray, especially non-Christians.  They hear "I”; individuals can personally speak and partition to God. They hear “thank you”: thanks and gratitude are directed towards God.  They hear that “Jesus is Lord”: the name of the one before whom all knees shall bow.  And that they that “you hear”: Jesus hears you when you pray, that not only can you come to God personally, but that he personally comes to you.    Pray out Loud whenever the opportunity arises in public, it impacts those who hear your prayer more than you know.       

We are on Day 6 of our 30 challenge. Here is the link to todays challenge. 

Please share an experience you had from your time prayer walking yesterday in the comments box below!

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community/ Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Help Us Help Them!

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

Thank You!  

CLICK HERE TO GIVE

30 Day Challenge: Day 5 (Oct 5)

Being missional in your daily life does not require adding any additional time or a change in your schedule, it requires a change in your focus.  From seeing through your eyes, to seeing through God's eyes.  Before you go out to do anything you normally do in a day: go to a store, a restaurant, your work or school, the gym, before you leave your car do one thing.  Take a minute and pray that God allows you to see the people you will encounter as he sees them.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will present you with an unavoidable opportunity to share the Gospel, then leave your car and enter the place you are going.  It changes everything.  95% of evangelism's simply being spiritually present where you are.

Link to Day 5 Challenge:  Day 5: Prayer-Walking 

Please share an experience you had from your time prayer walking in the comments box below!

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community/ Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Help Us Help Them!

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

Thank You!  

30 Day Challenge: Day 4

I hear in churches and prayer ministries leaders teach that prayer is fundamentally about petition, intercession, repentance, thanksgiving…ect.  I do not believe prayer is fundamentally about these.  It is not fundamentally about waiting around to hear God speak to us.  Fundamentally prayer is the breathe of the Christian life.  And the funny thing about breathing is if you don’t breathe, you die.  Breathe or die.  Pray or die. Prayer is not to be seen as something you do, prayer is to be part of your being. Scriptures tell us we are to pray without ceasing. How can I do that if I have a meeting in an hour or have to coach a ball game. When prayer becomes some thing we do, praying without ceasing is impossible. When it becomes part of our being, then just like breathing, it becomes part of our existence.  Why are churches declining and dying?  Because they have stopped breathing.

Link to day 4 Challenge:  Day 4: Make a List

For the challenge:

 Daily:  Go to link for that day of challenge, read daily Bible passage and commentary, watch the 3-4 minute video, and then spend time in prayer over them and the completion of the action for that day.

Weekly: Pick a day that works for you and spend one day a week fasting in prayer over becoming a deeper disciple of Christ.Post reflections and thoughts as a comment below for discussion.

Periodically: Please Post a reflection, prayer , question, in the comment box below for discussion.

Help Us Help Them!

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

Thank You!  

TO GIVE CLICK HERE

30 Day Challenge: Day 3 (Oct 3)

How do you make a disciple?

First and for most in my desire to make disciples is to personally answer this question, “Am I a disciple worth multiplying?” God does not desire to multiply mediocrity.  He desires to multiply those who exhibit immediate, radical, costly, obedience.  Discipleship is the act and process of modeling and conforming yourself to Christ.  I have come to understand that there is no “easy button” to achieve this; to become or make a disciple.  It requires reading Scripture more than I ever have before, praying more than I ever have before, and being openly accountable to others in the body more than I ever have been before.  How I become or “make” a disciple is simple, but it is not easy.  If I am not willing to consistently embrace and model this, then I cannot effectively lead others to become disciples.  I cannot lead them to a place I myself am not willing to go.  And no program, training, technique or tool, including this 30 day Challenge, I try to use alone can replace lack of obedience.  Am I a disciple worth multiplying?

Link to day 3 Challenge, click here:   Day 3: Real Disciples

Posts any questions or comments to my thoughts above or in today's challenge as a comment below.  If you want to contact me privately, my email is garyl@odcmadison.com

30 Day Challenge: Day 2, (Oct. 2)

In day two of our challenge we are asked to invite someone to join in taking this challenge with us: a co-worker, classmate, neighbor, friend, family member. Simply call them or better face to face tell them you are going through this 30 day challenge and you are required to ask someone to join you in it, and you thought of them. They will probably be honored you thought of them. You see making Disciples is about making relationships.  For most people who attend a traditionally structured church, wether it is in fact a traditional or contemporary service, they are used to and conditioned to invite people "TO" something: They invite people TO their church, TO meet their pastor, TO a worship service, TO an event.  Discipleship however is about about inviting people "INTO" something, a relationship with you. Who you are and your relationship to them is what is important, not someone else or something else.  You are to introduce them to “you” and your relationship with Jesus. The goal is not to get them walking into a service or pastor's office, but walking in a relationship with you where you can disciple and hold each other accountable.  Big difference.  However that is not what we have been conditioned or called by the church to do. But a study of the life of Jesus reveals it is what he calls us to do.

Here is the link to day 2:  Day 2: Recruit Another

post your comments below

30 day Challenge: Day 1 (Oct. 1)

30 Day Challenge Starts Today!!!

I am so glad you decided to begin this challenge with us! Starting today we will be spending the month of October taking the 30 Day Challenge. I want to encourage you to stay the course during this time together as we grow as disciples of Jesus.

For the challenge:

 Daily:  Go to link for that day of challenge, read daily Bible passage and commentary, watch the 3-4 minute video, and then spend time in prayer over them and the completion of the action for that day.

Weekly: Pick a day that works for you and spend one day a week fasting in prayer over becoming a deeper disciple of Christ.

30 Day Challenge: Day 1

Today is the first day of the challenge.  You are asked to reach out and ask another person with the gift of prayer to pray for you daily to keep you on track daily in the challenge. This is extremely important! Satan does not want you to complete this challenge. You need to call someone who agrees to petition in prayer over you each day for the next 30 days.  The video lesson today explains the big picture of what to expect the next 30 days, the basis of discipleship, Satan resistance to you completing this challenge of becoming a disciple, and Disciple Bible Studies. 

Here is the link to today's challenge: http://moredisciples.com/partner/  

Please post any reflections, praters or questions you have during these next 30 days as a comment in the box below for reflection and discussion.

"Fast God Chooses"

Good morning Jesus, I begin my day entering into your presence Jesus my Lord.

Starting tomorrow Tuesday, October 1st for 30 days we are going to challenge ourselves to live out and put into practice what we have spent a year reading about Jesus.  For the 30 Day Challenge starting in October my daily post each morning will have us read that mornings Bible passage, a short reflection on the passage and watch a 3-4 minute short video.  These will encourage us to do some type of action that day of following Jesus.  I also want to encourage each of us to spend one day a week fasting and in prayer over our this time together and our Churches.

FASTING: Since I am asking you and encouraging you to fast one day a week in prayer over your walk with Christ and that of your church, let me explain what is fasting. Fasting is a means of grace where you place spiritual food over physical food. Fasting from food from Sun up to Sun down is what is meant by fasting, however if because of medical or other reasons that is not possible for you, there are other ways to fast. You can fast by cutting out some things in your life that distract you from God.   You can fast from all social media for a day: Facebook, Instagram, snap chat, gaming, and use that time you would spend searching, connecting, and catching up with other people with searching, connecting and catching up with God. What do you need to let go of or “fast” from in order to focus on God?  What clutters your calendar and life? How can you simplify your life in terms of what you eat, wear or do? Isaiah chapter 58 is my go-to chapter in the Bible on fasting. I have pasted a section of Isaiah 58 in my post below. Read it and listen to how Isaiah explains fasting. Then begin praying over the next 30 days.

"Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
3 'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
(Isa 58:1-11)

God, when I read your inspired words through Isaiah, I understand the fast that You choose for me is a fast from my flesh, a fast from selfishness and self-centeredness. It's a fast that frees me from the tyranny of my self and turns my heart to the things on Your heart.

Give me Your heart, Lord. Open my eyes to see the needs of those around me and fill my spirit with the power to do something about it. Give me time and passion for people like you have, in the ways that I can make a difference. Let me be part of the move of Your Spirit in my city and spheres of influence to rebuild the "ancient ruins," to "raise up the foundations of many generations" and "be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets" (v. 58:12).  Let me first seek these things in me.

Fasting is not about ancient rituals or even faithfully executing spiritual disciplines. Fasting is about putting You first, as Your Spirit overcomes my flesh so You can change the world around me through my life. This is the fast You choose. (v. 5) So by the power of the grace of God at work within me, let this be the fast I choose. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family, I pray today you will reflect on the question, “What is the fast you choose for me God?” I pray you will reflect on what forms of fasting, service and prayer God wants to use in these upcoming 40 days to draw you back into deep discipleship with him. in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

Please share your thoughts and experiences on fasting 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

30 Day Challenge starting October 1st!

Last week we finished our year journey together reading through the whole new New Testament of the Bible.  We read all of the Gospels and their stories and teachings from the life of Jesus.  We read The book of Acts and its account of the birth and spread of the Church in the world.  And we read all the letters from Paul, John, James, Peter, Jude and other books that spoke on how we are as followers of Jesus to what we learned about Jesus into our daily lives.  Starting Tuesday, October 1st for 30 days we are going to challenge ourselves to live out and put into practice what we have spent a year reading about Jesus.  For the 30 Day Challenge starting in October my daily post each morning will have us read that mornings Bible passage, a short reflection on the passage and watch a 3-4 minute short video.  These will encourage us to do some type of action that day of following Jesus.  I also want to encourage each of us to spend one day a week fasting and in prayer over our this time together and our Churches. I want to highly encourage everyone to commit and join in with me on this challenge.  Invite your church, small groups, co-workers and classmates to join in with you!  I will post each day’s challenge of Facebook.  If you would like to receive the the link to each daily challenge by email message me yours and others email address.  I am looking forward to where this will lead us as we intentionally follow Jesus.

Since we have finished reading through the New Testament, until next week begin praying into and preparing yourself for the next 30 days. Pray into what and where you want to get stronger in your Loving of God, Loving of Neighbor, and Making Disciples. Start contacting people to go through the challenge with you.

Much Love!

Gary 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community/ Toney UMC

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Help Us Help Them!

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

Thank You!  

HOPE!

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Draw me close to You - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let there be nothing between us, so I can hear Your voice and follow Your leading. .. 

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

We are not created and called to merely have hope, to hold on to hope, to hope against hope. No, we're created and called to "abound in hope." Hope is to continually rise up in us, to overflow out of us, to change the atmosphere around us. And in that believing, overflowing, abounding hope, we are filled with all joy and peace in believing by the God of hope.

And thank You, Lord, that we don't have to manufacture this ourselves or try to talk ourselves into this perspective and attitude. This kind of hope comes "by the power of the Holy Spirit" and only "by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Come, Holy Spirit. Stir up hope within me today. Remind me of the promises of God. Remind me of the moments of supernatural provision and protection and power manifested by the God of my salvation. Remind me of the steadfast love and unfailing mercy of my God who forgives me of my sins, heals me of my wounds, and frees me from my chains. Remind me of the gifts and calling of God that are without repentance and for the building up of His Body and the reaching out to the lost to express His glory in the earth. And remind me of all my God has done by the power of His love and grace in me so that He can express His love and grace through me.

Let all of this rise up within me and flow freely through me, abounding in hope, filled with the joy and peace of my God. Let me never settle for getting by and getting along, but purposefully choosing to live in faith believing there's always more and the best is yet to come. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My family,  I pray you will abound in hope today! Be filled with the joy and peace of our God of hope, believing in Him that there's always more and the best is yet to come! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!

I want to encourage you to join me by alsosharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website: https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Help Us Help Them!

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

Thank You!  

 

"Tattooed Samaritan"

Good morning Jesus, I receive the love you desire to pour into me as it is my desire to pay it forward and pour love into those I encounter today. 

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side. So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ʻTake care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.ʼ Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” (Luke 10:30-37)

I am in an accountability group with 5 men that meets weekly at 5:30am at a local Waffle House (WH).  We share our lives from the past week and speak truth into each other for encouragement and re-directing as needed. Yesterday, our encouragement came not from or table, but from the WH cook, who I will call Bill, though that is not his real name.  Bill is in his late 20s, has sleeves of tattoos on both arms and is your stereotypical WH cook.  He has a “fiancé” of four years, who is a waitress there as well and is pregnant and due in a month.  They are not married but live together and Bill laughingly call’s her his “fiancé.”  We have been meeting their WH regularly and have gotten to know him and pray over him when we pray over our meal.

Yesterday morning I asked Bill how the pregnancy is going with his fiancé and baby.  He said fine, however though they need the money, she will have to cut her work shifts in half as the day is getting closer, she is getting bigger, and standing for 10 hour shifts from 9:00pm-7:00am on concrete it affecting her.  He also said his church is throwing a baby shower for them after church this Sunday. I followed up and asked him where he goes to church?  He said he goes to a small church in Mount Olive.  (Now for geography info, Bill lives in North Huntsville and Mount Olive is in North Birmingham which is an hour and 20 minute drive one-way.)  I said to him, you drive and hour and a half each Sunday to attend a church in Birmingham, why?  He said about 6 months or so ago a man came into the WH for breakfast.  He said he was from Bham up for business.  The man attends the small church in Mount Olive and somehow in the conversation the church was brought up and how the church was struggling because it is small, averages 25 people on a Sunday, and does not have and can’t find anyone to lead worship. Bill plays guitar and sings, and during the conversation he said God put it in his heart he needed to help this small church.  So Bill and his fiancé had their schedules changed to be off Sunday mornings (which if you know the WH working Sunday mornings is huge as they are one of the busiest times and all employees fight to work them because waitresses make good tips), took the financial hit to their budget which is a legit cost for them, so they can drive to Bham and back every Sunday to serve that small church.  He said it is a long drive, but they are sweet people that minister to him and his wife as he ministers to them.

Compared to those who come into the WH after their church services in their church clothes for breakfast and lunch, Bill covered with tattoos and living with his unmarried, pregnant woman, looks like a “Samaritan.”  However, like the widow who in Mark 12:38 put in a couple small coins and gave out of her necessity, Bill and his “fiancé” are serving Jesus in a way that actually costs them way more than just tithing like most do from excess. They joyfully drive 3 hours round trip to serve others unlike most church goers who look at their watch to see when the service ends, and they are “all in” and more real in their faith and level of discipleship than probably 99% of those that “look like they came from church” that come into the WH to be served.  I would love to have a congregation of “Bills”, of Samaritan’s who are ok with it costing them to love their neighbors. God does not look at the outside of a man but into his heart, and I know the heart He sees in Bill is beautiful and brings Him great Joy! 

I am going to do something I have never done before. Below is a link I include with every daily prayer and devotion I send out asking for your partnership in my ministry to those on the margins.  My men’s accountability group will meet at the WH where Bill cooks again a week from today next Weds. morning Sept 25th.  All donations given to that link from today until next Tuesday I will use to buy a Walmart gift card Tuesday evening and give it to Bill and his fiancé as a baby shower gift Wednesday morning to put towards items they need.

My family,  I pray today you are inspired by Bill’s love and level of “all in” with loving his neighbor.  I pray the Holy Spirit leads you to look past your outer appearance, and into your heart and reflect on what God sees, your level of love for your neighbor, and what actual sacrifice or cost you are bearing as a disciple of Christ, in Jesus’ name.  Please pray the same for me.  God bless you my friends!

I want to encourage you to join me by alsosharing with us your thoughts, comments, reflections, and prayers you received from today’s reading in the comment box below.

 

Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower

One Direction Community

Email: garyl@onedirection.community

Website:https://www.onedirection.community

Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC

Help Us Help Them!

I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around.  Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758. As I stated above, All donations given to the link below or checks received from today until next Tuesday I will use to buy a Walmart gift card Tuesday evening and give it to Bill and his fiancé as a baby shower gift to put towards items they need.

Thank You!