Good morning Lord Jesus, you are my sanctuary this morning, fill me so I can pour out into others.
During this season of Lent we find our self in now, we reflect on our identity in Christ. Though the means of grace of fasting, prayer, searching the Scriptures, and self reflection we recenter our identity in Christ. Our personal identity is also an important part of our process of becoming a disciple. All of us need to look at how we identify ourselves and those we are discipling to discern what is influencing and at the core of our/their identity.
Luke 4:1-13 contains the story of Jesus’s temptation by Satan in the Desert. The temptations Jesus faced in the desert were the same that Adam and Israel faced, and that we face as well. Any discipleship process you are in or you lead people through that does not lead people into the desert to look at their identity and deal with core temptations in their life is missing a huge part.
Luke 4:1-13, Satan questions Jesus’ identity
4:3-4 First temptation: Appetite. Filling our needs and satisfaction, Satan tells Jesus to turn the stone into bread. This is the temptation to become your own provider that can meet all your own needs. We are tempted to become our one provider, but what we provide ourselves is so lacking compared to what God can provide. You can struggle on both sides of this temptation. Becoming my own provider can lead to the extremes of selfishness and greed, or it can lead to neglecting your self through the extremes of Gluttony on one side or anorexia at the other. The temptation of appetite produces a consumer identity motivated by fear that says, “I will never have enough.” (look at our current crises: toilet paper, baby food…)
4:5-8 Second temptation: Ambition: To have the kingdom without the cross. The temptation to get to a justified end by any mean possible. The two sides and symptoms of Ambition are Workaholism or laziness. The drive to “I must win at any cost” or the resignation of “I don’t care.” The temptation of ambition creates unhealthy competition with guilt at its source that “I will never accomplish enough.”
4:9-12 Third temptation: Approval: Acceptance and rejection, Satan’s temptation was for Jesus to become the messiah that everyone wanted him to be, instead of the misunderstood savior God had created him to be. Your temptation is to become the person that everyone wants you to be, instead of the person God has created you to be. The two sides and symptoms of Approval are a person who feels they needs constant approval or a person who feels they needs no one. The temptation of approval creates a “celebrity” identity motivated by shame that “I will never be enough”
Psalm 106:13 reflecting on Israel’s time in the desert states,
“They quickly forgot what he had done;
they did not wait for his instructions.
In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving for meat;
they challenged God in the desert.”
You need to deal with the core issues of temptation in your life.
You need to understand what Jesus defeated personally in the desert, he defeated permanently for you in the cross. He became the temptations and took them through the cross. “ For God accomplished what the law could not do for it was weakened through the flesh, by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, He condemned sin in the flesh so that the righteous requirements of the law would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but assorting to the Spirit.” Roman 8. The temptations Jesus defeated permanently allows you to defeat them permanently.. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in you.
My family, I pray you will read Luke 4:1-13. Then I spend time allowing the Holy Spirit to be your “mirror” and reveal your identity. We all have one of these temptations we struggle with more than the others. What is the main temptation to your identity?
Appetite: I will never have enough, motivated by fear.
Ambition: I will never accomplish enough, motivated by guilt.
Approval: I will never be enough, motivated by shame
How do you think that temptation may be presenting itself in your life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to cover you with the blood of Jesus for His saving works on the cross and receive it, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for mee. God bless you my friends!
Please post your reflections, questions, or prayer requests over your identity in the comments box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
Please become a partner supporting monthly in our ministry.
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me start this day and every day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Yesterday morning I sat in the Waffle House and “Chuck,” walked in! You may remember Chuck from my blog post 5 1/2 years ago.t, “He’s My F*cking Pastor.” If you did not read the post, you need to stop and read it. Here is the link to it: https://www.onedirection.community/conversations/2017/7/14/hes-my-fcking-pastor.
Chuck had moved away and came back to visit some friends. We sat at the bar and he told me tabout his life since the death of his son. He teared up one or twice ass he told me of the struggles his son’s two children had going forward without their father. How his wife still can’t get the video in her head of witnessing her son’s death to stop playing. And he shared of his continued pain. Chuck said his son always wore one type of cologne. And he said I know its crazy Gary, but I swear I smell his cologne many times and in different places and it makes me turn around and look for him. We talked for another 45 minutes, and Chuck even let me pray with him at the end! Amazing! His return journey to a relationship with Jesus is slow, as he still has a lot of baggage he is carrying. However, he is releasing it little by little, and I am so proud of him. I gave him an extra Lent devotion book I had in my car our church is reading through.I prayed God would make a river in his dessert. And I will simply pray and wait.
God, You're the one who makes a way where there seems to be no way. And while You're making a way, You call me to wait. And though I struggle in my passion to wait, it's in the waiting that I'm learning to trust You and allow You to make the way in Your wisdom, Your power, and Your timing. It's in the waiting that I'm learning to "trust in the (You) with all (my) heart, and lean not on (my) own understanding; in all (my) ways acknowledge (You), and (You) shall direct (my) paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I choose to wait for You to make a way in the places where I look but can't see a way. Open the eyes of my heart to see the One who is the Way -- "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). W ith my eyes on You, with my heart set to wait on You, trusting in You, I'm choosing to believe You will make a way. And that way will be good and right and true, because it's made by You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, if you have not read my previous post I gave you the link to above, please click the link and read it. I pray you will be filled with trust and faith as you wait on God, trusting in Him with all your heart, to make a way for you in the places where there seems to be no way, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
Please become a partner supporting monthly in our ministry.
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
For Lent members of ODC are going through a 47 day lent devotion book based on the Temptation story of Jesus found in Luke 4:1-13. Yesterday’s reading focused on the word “Wilderness” and his Jesus often went our into isolated, quite places to pray. All throughout the Gospels, “We see him get up early go into yjr quiet places, we see him looked for and not found, because he is in a solitary place and no one is with him.”
Anyone who knows me, knows I value silence and the power of silent prayers of a people. I begin every house church gathering, and almost every meeting or gathering with a time of communal silent prayer.
C.S. Lewis’s book “The Screwtape Letters” is a book that reveals the correspondence between Screwtape, the under-secretary to the devil, and his nephew, Wormwood. Screwtape instructs Wormwood on the best ways to tempt the followers of the Enemy, God. I love and I am convicted by this passage from the book where Screwtape, in presenting the Devil’s mindset, (the “Father” in the passage) explains to Wormwood his hate of silence.
“My dear Wormwood: Music and silence–how I detest them both! How thankful we should be that ever since our Father entered Hell–though longer ago than humans, reckoning in light years, could express, no square inch of infernal space and no moment of infernal time has been surrendered to either of those abominable forces, but all has been occupied by Noise–Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile–Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples, and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the end. We have already made great strides in this direction as regards the Earth. The melodies and silences of Heaven will be shouted down in the end. But I admit we are not yet loud enough, or anything like it. Research is in progress.”
I dig deeper to try to gain understanding, purpose , plan and direction in my own life. I find this is part of God's plan for me. God is silencing everything but him Silencing my own thought on my mind, my ears, my eyes, my heart, my lips, my tongue and all the noise around me.
Silence gives us a new outlook on everything. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and through us. Jesus is always waiting for us in silence. In that silence, he will listen to us, there he will speak to our soul, and there we will hear his voice.
If we are careful of silence it will be easy to pray and to pray fervently. There is so much talk, so much repetition, so much carrying of tales in words and in writing. Our prayer life suffers so much because our hearts are not silent. The interior silence is very difficult, but we must make the effort to pray. In silence we will find new energy and true unity. The energy of God will be ours to do all things well, and so will the unity of our thoughts with his thoughts, the unity of our prayers with his prayers, the unity of our actions with his actions, of our life with his life. All our words will be useless unless they come from within. Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness. To make possible true interior silence, we shall practice
Silence of the eyes, by seeking always the beauty and goodness of God everywhere, closing them to the faults of others and to all that is sinful and disturbing to the soul;
Silence of the ears, by listening always to the voice of God and to the cry of the poor and the needy, closing them to all other voices that come from the evil one or from fallen human nature: e.g., gossip, tale-bearing, and uncharitable words;
Silence of the tongue, by praising God and speaking the life-giving Word of God that is the Truth that enlightens and inspires, brings peace, hope, and joy, and by refraining from self-defense and every word that causes darkness, turmoil, pain, and death,
Silence of the mind, by opening it to the truth and knowledge of God in prayer and contemplation, like Mary who pondered the marvels of the Lord in her heart, and by closing it to all untruths, distractions, destructive thoughts, rash judgment, false suspicions of others, revengeful thoughts, and desires,
Silence of the heart, by loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and one another as God loves, desiring God alone and avoiding all selfishness, hatred, envy, jealousy, and greed.
My family, I pray my words will encourage you today to seek out times of silence to allow you heart to both speak words to and receive words from the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in Your steps.
"(Jesus) called the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, 'If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for My sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.' And He said to them, 'Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power'" (Mark 8:34-9:1).
Jesus, You called Your first disciples to "take up their cross" even before You took up Yours. That was your opening invitations to following you. And now that You've taken up Yours, Your invitation and call to every person who chooses to follow You to today is the same “Take up your cross”
We are in the season of Lent which is a season of reflecting on your saving works on the cross. It is a season to discern how we need to re-orientate our lives as cr0ss-bearers for You, so we can re-connect with You and Your resurrection. Lord Jesus, give me the courage to take up my cross and follow You. Give me the grace to willingly, obediently, and joyfully choose to lose my life for Your sake and for the sake of Your gospel. May I do my part in my generation to see Your kingdom come with power -- here in my heart and here in my world -- today and every day until You come again in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.
Let these words be true of me as they were of Your disciple Paul: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is not longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:19-20). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family I pray you will find great joy and fulfillment in your journey with Jesus by taking up your cross, losing your life for His sake, and following Him into all He has for in your life. May you carry the glory of His name in your heart into your world, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Come into my heart and every moment of my day.
"(Jesus) said to them, 'Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching human percepts as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition'" (Mark 7:6-8).
Jesus, I want to hoop with you not only with my lips, but with my heart also; not only with this morning devotion and prayers, but with my choices throughout all the moments of my day also -- I worship You in spirit and in truth. May I be faithful and true from the inside out, rather than on the outside alone.
Uproot and remove in me all that is merely ritual, tradition and religion. Remove all the days I simply “talk the talk,” but fail to “walk the walk”. Give me a passionate desire and uncompromising hunger for an authentic and real relationship with You. May my actions and my heart be genuine expressions of my true faith in my one, true God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray your actions and your heart may be a genuine expression of your true faith in our one, true God throughout your day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I arise today in the full blessing of the Father, Son and The Holy Spirit.
In my men/s Group, “Brothers, Bibles, and Beer”, last night we read through and reflected on Isaiah chapter 58. Prayer and fasting is a central part of the season of Lent. And Isaiah 58 is a core passage on God’s definition of prayer and fasting. Fasting in not a practice God wants you to enter into, but a lifestyle he wants you to embrace. So for today’s reflection I am going to let God speak to you out of the Message Bible.
Shout! A full-throated shout!
Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
3-5 “Well, here’s why:
“The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit.
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
6-9 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
9-12 “If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
13-14 “If you watch your step on the Sabbath
and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage,
If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy,
God’s holy day as a celebration,
If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’
making money, running here and there—
Then you’ll be free to enjoy God!
Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all.
I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.”
Yes! God says so!
(Isaiah 58, The Message)
My family, I pray as we begin our journey through the season of Lent together you will come to understand, embrace, and then comform your life to the type of fast God is calling you to live out, in Jesus’s name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I really would love to hear your reflections, and I believe they would encourage others. So please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Worship Gathering Today! Friday February 24th!
In my reflections on the Asbury Revival I have been saying that revival begins at home, and each of us needs to be catalysts for revival in our churches and communities. So I need to practice what I preach! This Friday February 24th at 6:30pm I am going to host a worship gathering in my backyard. I am setting up a couple tangents and a small PA in my backyard, putting out some chairs, and going to give the night to worshipping Jesus. It is going to outdoors, simple, raw and I do not know if 2 or 20 people will show up, however I need to be obedient. I you are a worship leader and would like to come join in or lead a set that night contact me at garyl@onedirection.community.com. We will see how God uses this night. My address is 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758. We will worship outside so drees for the weather conditions and bring a lawn chair if you like.
Here is The link to the Facebook Event page for A Night Of Worship:
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Align my heart with Your heart and my will with Your will, O Lord, my God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about Him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the bling, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing'" (Luke 4:14-21).
I love this passage. Lord Jesus, You're still healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free in the power of Your Spirit (Isaiah 61:1 fulfilled in Luke 4:18). You're still fulfilling the scroll of Scripture, the Word of God, confirming Your identity and living out Your destiny.
Just as the Father sent You in the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit, so You send us, saying "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you" (John 20:21). As we abide in You and You abide in us, Your Spirit flows through us in the power of Your love and grace everywhere You send us (John 15:5).
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today (Ephesians 5:18). "Here am I; send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). Send me with the character of Your nature in my heart and the authority of Your name in my words, as You make me more like You each day (Romans 8:29). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you stand in prayer and declare the Spirit of the Lord God will be upon you today and every day, as the Lord sends you to minister His love and grace with nature of Jesus in your heart and authority of His name through your words, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
I really would love to hear your reflections, and I believe they would encourage others. So please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Worship Gathering This Friday February 24th
In my reflections on the Asbury Revival I have been saying that revival begins at home, and each of us needs to be catalysts for revival in our churches and communities. So I need to practice what I preach! This Friday February 24th at 6:30pm I am going to host a worship gathering in my backyard. I am setting up a couple tangents and a small PA in my backyard, putting out some chairs, and going to give the night to worshipping Jesus. It is going to outdoors, simple, raw and I do not know if 2 or 20 people will show up, however I need to be obedient. I you are a worship leader and would like to come join in or lead a set that night contact me at garyl@onedirection.community.com. We will see how God uses this night. My address is 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758. We will worship outside so drees for the weather conditions and bring a lawn chair if you like.
Here is The link to the Facebook Event page for A Night Of Worship:
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling things there, saying to them, “It is written, ʻMy house will be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of robbers!”
Jesus was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate him, but they could not find a way to do it, for all the people hung on his words.” (Luke 19:45-48)
Jesus, as I read this I see that revivals begin at home. Your revival and awakening against sin, religious corruption, and materialism began in “Your house.” If I were to read through your Old Testament I would see throughout it, whenever God wants to initiate a revival and a radical return to Him in Israel’s midst, he begins at home, he begins with their worship practices. He did so with Josiah as He used him for revolt and reform.
“The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel. He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem--those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts. He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the Lord to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. (2 Kings 23:4-6)
When God is going to make a move he begins by restoring the core of worship. That is what God was doing at Asbury University. It was a revival of worship. A revival and awakening of true worship of the one true God. And people from around the world came to experience simple, stopped down, yet Holy Spirit filled, life changing worship. Jesus was not part of the religious church of His day. He was not a Pharisee, Scribe, Priest, Elder or a religious leader. but He goes straight to their center, their worship, and where they encounter God, The Temple. And His goal is revival, and awakening, to turn everything around.
"It is written, "he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
The Temple was supposed to be a place where the poor and the oppressed found refuge. Instead, they found themselves overlooked and pushed to margins of the society. The religious insiders had turned it into a place of privilege that looked at worldly status, wealth and privilege. The exact opposite of what God intended had happened.
Jesus, your story in Luke is also relevant today. The church has been a place of beautiful steeples where power, privilege and wealth collect. Where people hang out with others of the same social views, political views, who drink coffee and listen to Casting Crowns. Where church revolves around serving its members instead of serving Jesus. No wonder we speak so much of “going to church.” And the poor and the oppressed find themselves pushed out to the margins of society and blamed for their own condition.
Jesus, it is time for some reform and revival at home again. Cut through the ritualistic ruts of the religious tracks in our churches, We invite You to come in and turn over some tables and drive out what should not be there. And where is your temple, your home where You reside today? It is in your people. It is in me! You and I are the living temples where the presence of God through His Holy Spirit resides. If I am seeking a revival and an awakening of God in my life and the life of The Churches, I can’t “go” to a place or building to experience it unless I first personally embrace and experience it. So Lord Jesus, I ask you to come turn over tables in me! Reveal in my heart and mind, areas in my body, your Temple, that I have corrupted and made a “Den of Thieves.” Areas where I have placed obeying and identifying with religion, denomination, and church practices and traditions over obeying and identifying with You. Areas of my faith and worship that serve me instead of serve Jesus. Remind me that I don’t work for a church or denomination, I work for You. If I don not serve only you I will either burn out or sell out. Cleanse your Temple, cleanse me today! Cleanses the stable of my heart where Immanuel, the babe of Christmas resides. Start a revival in me so I can then start a revival in my community! Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
My family, I pray today that you in prayer and the Holy Spirit you invite Jesus into your heart and life to turn over the tables of areas of corruption, outward sin, and religious idolatry, I pray you ask Him to have mercy on you, cleanse you, and in this time of Holy Week begin a radical revival of love and grace at home, which is you. I pray as we enter the season of Lent tomorrow you embrace this season revive and awaken your worship of Jesus, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me! God bless you my friends!
I really would love to hear your reflections, and I believe they would encourage others. So please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.
Worship Gathering This Friday February 24th
In my reflections on revival I have been saying that revival begins at home, and each of us needs to be catalysts for revival in our churches and communities. So I need to practice what I preach! This Friday February 24th at 6:30pm I am going to host a worship gathering in my backyard. I am setting up a couple tangents and a small PA in my backyard, putting out some chairs, and going to give the night to worshipping Jesus. It is going to outdoors, simple, raw and I do not know if 2 or 20 people will show up, however I need to be obedient. I you are a worship leader and would like to come join in or lead a set that night contact me at garyl@onedirection.community.com. We will see how God uses this night. My address is 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758. We will worship outside so drees for the weather conditions and bring a lawn chair if you like.
What: Night of Worship
When: Friday Feb. 24th 6:30pm-?
Contact for more info: Gary Liederbach, garyl@onedirection.community
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Worship Gathering This
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Be King of my heart and Lord of my life in every moment of my day.
"'Present these offerings to the Lord because the Lord will appear to you today.' ... So the people presented all these things at the entrance of the Tabernacle, just as Moses had commanded. Then the whole community came forward and stood before the Lord. And Moses said, 'This is what the Lord has commanded you to do so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.' ... After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community. Fire blazed forth from the Lord's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground" (Leviticus 9:4-24 NLT).
Lord, send the fire of Your presence! Let the glory of the Lord appear to us today! Fill our hearts with Your Spirit to shout with joy, even as we humble ourselves to fall face down before You!
As Psalm 51:16-17 tells us you no longer desire the offerings and sacrifices of bulls and lambs. “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” So this morning we come before you God acknowledging our brokenness and offering you our hearts and all its desires. The sacrifices of the Old Covenant speak to us of Your Sacrifice of the New Covenant. You are our Sacrifice (John 1:29). You are our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1). And You are the Consuming Fire of the Presence of the Lord (Hebrews 12:29). And when we offer to You the sacrifice of our hearts through the trusting surrender of our lives, Your Holy Fire consumes us and the Spirit of Your Joy fills us.
Some of you may have the opportunity this weekend to drive to Wilmore. Ky like I did to enter into the revival there. However, ALL OF YOU have the opportunity this weekend to enter into your neighborhoods and pray over them. All of you can call friends to gather in your home and live stream the revival and pray and worship together. All of you can spend a day fasting and praying for revival.
Come, Holy Spirit! Light Your revival fire in my heart and in the heart of my "whole community." May we see the glory of Your presence "today!" Let "today" be "the day of salvation" -- the day of Your visitation and forever the day of Your habitation -- here in our hearts, here in our community, here in our land! (2 Corinthians 6:2) May we be a people who bow before You in our hearts in humility, that we may rise up in our spirits with joy, as Your Fire blazes forth from Your presence to consume the sacrifice of our trusting surrender! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray the blazing Fire from the presence of the Lord consumes you today and that this weekend you actively pursue revival by prayer walking your neighborhood, gathering people in your homes and churches to cry out for a fresh revival of His glory today, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and comments in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” (1John:1:9).
I reflected yesterday on my trip Monday to Wilmore, Ky to join in the awakening/revival that God has begun at Asbury University. The revival began at the weekly Wednesday noon prayer service on the campus for its students. During my time there throughout the day they had times of testimonies where those attending could come up to the mics up front and share how the encountered God while at the revival.
A male student named Josh came up to the mic to share his testimony. He said he was at the Wednesday prayer service that started the revival. He said the speakers message in the service that day was on repentance. The speaker emphasized our need to repentance and forgiveness to allow God to work in our lives. The speaker said to take a moment and reflect on if there is anyone you need to forgive. Josh shared as he lowered his head and closed his eyes another student at the campus came to his mind. Josh is a sophomore student. He said during his first week of student orientation they had some outdoor games. Josh said he is not very athletic and this student pointed him out, made comments, and laughed at him in front of others. Josh said for two years he has been carrying anger and hate towards that student. Josh said when he looked up and opened his eyes, that student was sitting right in front of him two rows up. He got up and went to the student and shared with him his hate and anger and asked him to forgive him. The other student asked for forgiveness from Josh. They embraced and went to the altar and started praying together.
The time for the noon prayer was over, and students were supposed to return to class however they did notl eave, but remained in Hughes Auditorium. Students at the gathering briefly left and went to their classes they were supposed to attend next and asked Their professors permission to miss class and return to pray. The professors said absolutely if God is calling you to remain. Other students in these classes hearing this, were convicted and left their classrooms and went to Hughes. These students also openly confessed and repented. They left and found the person they needed to forgive and came back with them to pray. The spirit of repentance, forgiveness and turning back to God moved on the campus. More students were drawn in and the Holy Spirit anointed their honest repentance, fell on their gathering, and the revival began.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)
People are asking me to carry the revival I experienced and bring it to their community. People aare crying out for and an awakening and revival in their churches and communities. If you want to personally experience an awakening; if you earnestly desire for your church and community to enter into and experience awakening and revival, you must first earnestly and honestly enter into deep repentance, individually and publicly as a community, and humbly return to Him. Our pride is the lock on our hearts and churches that keeps them closed and shuts out an awakening to the presence of God.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)
My family, Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance. I pray today you will read it out loud. I pray you will gather others together to read it out loud and then publicly repent, release, return and cry out to God, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and comments in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“Awake, O sleeper!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you!” (Ephesians 5:15)
My family and I spent 4 years at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore. Ky. 7 days ago at Asbury University in Hughes Auditorium the school had its weekly noontime Wednesday service for its students. At noon today that service will be going on for 9 days, 192 hours straight. Like happened in 1970, again God in his holy Spirit has decided to descend and rest on that campus and an awakening, a revival is taking place. A friend of mine John and I got up early this past Monday morning and drove the almost 5 hour trip from Madison to Wilmore, Ky to enter into the revival. We got to Asbury around 12:40pm and walked into Hughes Auditorium and into the presence of the Holy Spirit. A tangible sensing of the Holy presence of God enveloped us and we were caught up in the ongoing worship and prayer. I was “wrecked” by the presence and brought to tears at times. So beautiful to witness the hundreds of college-age young adults worshipping, hearing the testimonies shared and witnessing lives being changed. Listening to testimonies shared from people who like us were drawn to Asbury from Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, and numerous other states. The awakening is spreading.
Leaving Asbury around 9:00pm after an amazing 8+ hours of prayer and worship. John and I wish we could stay longer but we had the 5 hour drive back to Madison. When we left Hughes auditorium was filled to capacity. So they then also live streamed the gathering into Estes Chapel which is across the street at the seminary. That filled to capacity so they also live steamed it to McKenna Chapel. That filled to capacity so 150-200 people gathered on the steps outside and in the lawn. Around 2,000 people had be drawn to tine Wilmore by the Holy Spirit. TV news crews were setting up.
God’s presence is still moving, active, and alive today and falls on those who earnestly cry out to Him. All of us who are in Christ have the DNA of revival in each of us. A forest fire can burn through and ravage and destroy a whole forest. However the singe seed of a tree, that survived and is sprouting beneath the ashes, contains the DNA to re-grow a forest. In each of us is the DNA to revive and awaken our community.
This world, The Church, needs and awakening and movement of God. At 8:35pm Monday evening while I was raising my hands in prayer and worship witnessing the Holy movement of the Holy Spirit move through that campus and bless the students; at the same time on the campus of Michigan State a man was raised his hands with a gun in them and was killing college students and that campus was experiencing a movement of fear and evil. The Church needs to repent and awaken from its slumber and reclaim it’s cities for God! Darkness flees when lights come on. The presence of prayer and the goodness and love of God in His people drives out fear and evil, in Jesus’ name.
My family, I pray this morning each of you claims you have the DNA of a revival, an awakening, a movement of God in you! I claim YOU personally will cry out to God and begin a gathering of prayer in you home, your church, your community and lay the tracks of prayer for the Spirit of God to roll into. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my Friends!
Below I have attached some photos I took of the awakening in Wilmore. I have more photos and videos posted on my Facebook page and you can Youtube “Asbury Revival 2023 live steam” as well.
Please share your reflections on this reflection.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
HELP VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY AND SYRIA!
My friend in the picture above is Bayram Erdma. Byram is a missionary in Malatya, Turkey trying to reach the Muslim's in his country with the Gospel. He pastor's a church there and is about to launch a second church. Malatya was near the epicenter on the earth quake. Bayram came to the United States last Tues. to attend a missions conference and flies back Sunday. I was with him at a prayer gathering Sunday evening when He began receiving texts through WhatsApp from church members in Turkey telling him about the earthquake. He received texts from friends trapped in fallen buildings asking him for help. His heart is broken for his people.
When Bayram files back Sunday, he and his church will be involved in boots-on-the ground, first-hand rescue and relief efforts as he tries to reach out with the love of Christ to his Muslim neighbors.
I will spend time with Byram one more time tomorrow before he flies back oyu can help the victims of the earthquake with your financial donations by giving to Bayram's ministry. He is a amazing man who will personally be in the affected area overseeing the use of your gifts.
You can donate through ODC's on line giving link to get a tax deduction at https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/odcgiving
I will then forward all donations received to Bayram.
Or you can mail a check made out to Better Together Community. Inc. (BTC is the name of Bayram's 501C3 ministry organization) to
ODC
PO Box 1293
Madison, Al 35758
I am on the board of BTC and wil put checks in his account.
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek You and need You. So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I entrust this day and my life to You.
"Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?" (Psalm 10:1)
It seems we are in the midst of all the tragedies in our land that are coming wave after wave, one after another – hurricanes,, fires, floods, racial violence, mass shootings. the war in Ukraine, now the earthquake in Turkey. I watch the images of the disaster: the area of the site of England, 21,000 dead and rising, the total devastation; and my heart breaks for the people effected. I pray daily for them and the rescuers. And we're tempted to ask "Why?" We want to know "Are we under attack or under judgment?" We wonder, "What have we done and what can be undone? What can we do now or is there anything we can do?" We take our questions go to Facebook, Youtube, and other online sites with so called “prophets” looking for answers. And in the midst of our questions, we find ourselves directing our questions to You God. "Why, God? Why do you allow this to happen? Why God? Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why, God? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? Where, God? Where we You when we needed You? Where are You now?"
Some would say we should never ask "Why?" Some would say that's dishonoring and disrespectful, allowing our thoughts and our hearts to be filled with doubt that could lead to disbelief or hopeless despair. But that's not my theology. That's not my experience in my journey of faith with You, God.
I've found that You're a God who calls us to come with our questions, to open up our hearts with our need for guidance and our desire for answers. You're a God who listens, who cares, who comes alongside us in our confusion and concern, who sees us in our suffering and in our frustrations and fears. Who sees those trapped in the rubble, those waiting for news of family members, and embraces them. And You're a God who reminds us that You're always with us through whatever we endure on our journey of faith through this broken and fallen world, though the things that break our hearts and Yours.
So I bring You my questions and listen for Your answers. We don't turn our own children away when they come to us with their questions. And neither do You. A loving father or mother doesn't tell their children "Be silent. Don't question. Just learn to take it. Just shut-up and get over it." And neither do You. We allow them to ask "Why?" And so do You.
"Why?" is an expression of one of the deepest yearnings You've placed in our hearts to draw us nearer to You. As we ask our questions, seeking to know and understand, to sort out the confusion and the chaos of all our tragedies and trials, seeking to learn the principles and solve the problems, to learn from our mistakes as we learn to love in the midst of it all, our questions of "Why?" ultimately lead us to the question of "Who?"
As our "Whys?" turn to "Who?" our questions may begin with "Who did this?" or "Who allowed this?" but sooner or later, they will lead us to the questions of "Who will be with me through this? Who will give me the grace and the wisdom and the power to overcome this and help others overcome it.?" Then, in the fullness of time -- after the journey of shock and denial, anger and pain, forgiveness and healing -- our questions will even become, "Who will use this in my life and in the lives of others? Who will even cause good to come out of these tragedies, and bring triumph out of this tragedy that You never intended and You will not ignore?"
Though you do not cause the suffering, You never waste a moment of our suffering or miss an opportunity to draw us nearer. In the power of Your grace and the sovereignty of Your love, You will always have the last word as we turn our questions and our hearts to You. And Your word for us is always good for Your nature is always good (Exodus 33:19, Mark 10:18). In Your time and in Your way, You cause it all to work together for good because You love us and You're for us, because You're always with us to always bring us through it all (Romans 8:28).
As You promised Your children in their times of questions long ago and still promise us in our times of questions today, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I Am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.... You are precious in My sight, and honored, and I love you.... Do not fear, for I Am with you" (Isaiah 43:1-5).
Through countless experiences of Your constant Presence, I have come to find peace in the One who always allows me to wrestle through my questions and always walks with me along my journey. Thank You for giving me permission to ask the questions of "Why?" And thank You that in one of the most profound examples of our freedom to ask "Why?" You asked that very question of our Father as You hung upon the cross in Your unfailing love for every one of us: "And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' "(Matthew 27:46). There, You bore upon Yourself for each one of us all "our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4,). Then You entrusted Your spirit and Your questions into the hands and the heart of our loving and faithful Father (Luke 23:46).
There at the cross, for You and for us, the question of "Why?" led to the Answer of "Who" -- to the One who sees the end from the beginning and causes all things to work together for good -- even the things that break our hearts and Yours. Lord, keep giving me grace to keep asking my questions and giving me faith to keep finding my Answer in the One who's always so faithful to me. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
My family, may you always be free to ask God "Why?" as He uses your questions to bring you closer to Him in the sovereignty and faithfulness of His unfailing love for you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. I continue today to join with you in prayer for all who are suffering by the earthquake in Turkey and Stria. Together we call upon the name of the Lord who hears us when we call to answer us and lead us to His salvation and peace. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
One Direction Community (ODC)
Please share your reflections and prayer s in the comment box below.
A group of us from ODC will be attending the Reunion 2017 event this weekend. Reunion 2017 is a spiritual retreat of worship, teaching, prayer, and relaxation held on a farm in Bon Aqua, Tenn. We will be camping without electricity so I will be off “grid” and will not post a blog again until Monday at the earliest.
Partner with ODC and support us as we reach out missionaly to those in our community with the love of God.
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. I'm listening now for Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God
"My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it" (Numbers 14:24).
Caleb, along with his companion Joshua, had "a different spirit" than the others who went into the land to see what You had set before them. The others saw the land, but what they saw above all else were the giant enemies that seemed too big and too powerful to overcome (Numbers 14:28-33).
Caleb and Joshua were full of faith, ready for the adventure, and excited for the opportunity to trust in You, to take the land and take hold of the promises of God. They had a spirit of faith, while the others gave in to "a different spirit," to a spirit of fear and all that it brings -- faithlessness, discouragement, hopelessness, and despair. Soon their fears fed their mistrust and rebellion, until they found themselves on the opposite side of the favor of God for not trusting You and Your word. "And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long will this people despise Me? And how long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they" (Numbers 14:11-12). None of those who gave in to fear instead of trusting in faith would ever be able to enter into the Promised Land (14:22-23).
Whatever giant enemies we face in our day -- concern of economic collapse, inflation, health issues, wars in Ukraine and other countries, family issues, and other challenges in life, -- let us be a people of "a different spirit." Let us be a people filled with the Holy Spirit -- full of faith and not fear, trust and not terror, peace and not panic.
Instead of fixing our eyes on the giants, let us turn our eyes to the potential fruit of a great harvest. Yes, this is a crisis and a challenge, but it's also an opportunity and an invitation to arise and shine in the midst of the darkness, to stand firm in the faith in the midst of the fear. Let a world overwhelmed with fear see faith in us and turn to the One in us who gives us "a different Spirit."
This is our time to shine! This is our time to lead the way to the One who's not afraid and who's always in control to bring us through whatever we face. "Arise, shine! For your Light has come, and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your Light and kings to the Brightness of your dawn!" (Isaiah 60:1-3)
That Light that shines before us, that Glory of the Lord that rises upon us, that Brightness of our dawn that draws others to You through us, is "a different Spirit" within us -- the Holy Spirit of the Living God, who gives us courage and faith to live into the fullness of our Promised Land. And who empowers us to see the potential of the harvest and gives us opportunities to lead all who will come into their Promised Land in You as well. There's no enemy we'll ever face between us and our Promised Land that's too big or too powerful for us to overcome when our eyes are fixed on You! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be filled with "a different Spirit" -- with the Holy Spirit of the Living God, to overcome all you face and lead many into their Promised Land in the opportunities before us, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and comments
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/ Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please share your thoughts, reflections, with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good Morning!
Do you want to be closer to God? Do you want to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more clear to guide you in your life? Do you want to encounter Jesus is a more real, powerful way in your life? Do you seek a change and do you desire to experience a miracle in your life? Then here is what you do.
Monday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
Tuesday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
Wednesday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
Thursday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
Friday get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
Saturday, you could sleep in, but get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
Sunday, you could sleep in but get up at 6:00am and spend time in The Word and prayer.
You cove closer to God, hear the voice of the Spirit, encounter Jesus when you establish Christian disciplines into your life. Going to church gatherings is important; attending Christian conferences and concerts re-kindle a fire; these things reinforce your daily walk with Christ, but first you have to have a daily walk with Christ. There is nothing “sexy” about establishing a Christian discipline in your life. However, if you do, I guarantee 60 days from now miracle will happen in your life. You will not be the same person you were 60 days ago. The time is not as important, but the consistency. Remember, there is no short cut way to becoming a disciple of Christ.
In my Discipleship 101 Training I lead, one week for home work I have those in the group spend one day reflecting in self-examination. I use John Wesley’s “quiz” to aid in this. I use it on a monthly basis to gauge my spiritual walk. I encourage you to do it as well.
My family, I pray you spend time this morning reflecting on the question below and honestly looking at your walk with Jesus. I pray you will begin a time of Christian discipline daily in you life. Please pray the same for me. God bless me my friends!
WESLEY’S SELF-EXAMINATION QUIZ
Here is one set of questions similar to what John Wesley gave to members of his groups more than 200 years ago. The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club."
1. Am I creating the impression that I am better than I rea(y am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?
3. Can I be trusted?
4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
6. Did the Bible live in me today?
7. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
8. Am I enjoying prayer?
9. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?
10. Do I pray about the money I spend?
11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
12. Do I disobey God in anything?
13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
16. How do I spend my spare time?
17. Am I proud?
18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the tax collector?
19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? What am I doing about it?
20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
21. Is Christ real to me?
WESLEY’S SELF-EXAMINATION QUIZ
Here is one set of questions similar to what John Wesley gave to members of his groups more than 200 years ago. The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club."
1. Am I creating the impression that I am better than I rea(y am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?
3. Can I be trusted?
4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
6. Did the Bible live in me today?
7. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
8. Am I enjoying prayer?
9. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?
10. Do I pray about the money I spend?
11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
12. Do I disobey God in anything?
13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
16. How do I spend my spare time?
17. Am I proud?
18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the tax collector?
19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? What am I doing about it?
20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
21. Is Christ real to me?
Please share your thoughts and comments
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/ Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please share your thoughts, reflections, with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:13-17
This morning I read Ephesians 6:10-20. I reflected on how many in the church, perhaps many reading this post, the only piece of "the full armor of God" they put on with any consistency is the "Helmet of salvation" and then go about their life and into battle naked from the neck down. I also reflected on how you can only wear one suit of armor. In order to put on the armor of God, we must remove our personal armor of pride, jealousy, self-reliance, materialism, complacent, and others things we attach to us and clothe ourselves with. In order to put on the full armor of God, we must first by faith surrender ourselves to God, and stand before Him naked, and allow Him to then equips us with his armor. As I read over Ephesians again, the word "breastplate" reminded me of of one of my favorite, ancient prayers, St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer. Though recent scholars lean towards the author of this prayer being an anonymous source, I still call it by its traditional name.
My family, I pray you read this prayer over yourself this morning, preferably aloud. I pray you pull it up on your phone and say it again as your prayer at lunch. May it be used by the Holy Spirit to "clothe you in righteousness" at the start an noon of your day, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Please share your thoughts, reflections, with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me into the abundant life You have for me today. ...
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" --Jesus (John 10:10).
There's a "thief" at work in our world. And his work is "to steal and kill and destroy." Right now, we see his "handiwork" everywhere we turn.
“One of his most wicked works is to turn us against one another, to divide us and conquer us. He knows a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” When President Abraham Lincoln said those words in the midst of the horrendous civil war in America, he was not quoting some social philosopher or politically astute sage of his times; he was quoting the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:25).
As we read and hear on the news, online, and from the mouths of people around us the violent and hateful rhetoric of our times that feels like in some ways a civil war being waged before our eyes, we know the "thief" is at work again. But Your Holy Spirit reminds us that our true enemy is not one another. Our true enemy is our enemy. Our true enemy is the thief at work in the weakness of our flesh, in the unhealed wounds of our past, in the strongholds of our selfishness and self-centeredness, in the places where we've made room for the devil and given him a foothold in our hearts and minds, in our words and actions, in our rebellion and pride, in our arrogance and attitudes of insisting on our own ways instead of following Your ways. "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).
There is a fight that is right. There is a cause that is worth fighting for and dying for. But that fight is not against one another and that cause is not to come into agreement and become a part of the wicked purposes and plans of the "thief" who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy."
The fight that is right is "the good fight of the faith" as we "take hold of the eternal life to which we were called" (1 Timothy 6:12). The cause that is just is the cause of the Kingdom of God that we would stand up for one another, speak out against what is wrong, and fight for one another with "the weapons of our warfare" of love and truth, of humility and faith, of proclamation and prayer, as a people grounded in God's Word and filled with God's Spirit to be ambassadors of His light in the darkness and His hope in the midst of despair (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). For God "has given us the ministry of reconciliation.... Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us" (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
So by the power of Your grace, I choose life. I renounce death this day. I renounce the "thief" and all his works in my world to "steal and kill and destroy," to divide and conquer. And I choose the One who is Life, the One who laid down His Life that all may live and love and overcome in the authority of His name, the power of His grace, and the mercy of His love to make a difference in our world. "For God so loved the world that He have His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be grounded in God's Word and filled with His Spirit, choosing Life and Love to overcome the evil of this world and the thief of our souls in the Cause worth fighting for, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts, reflections, with us in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
“As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. So now, don’t be afraid.” (Genesis 50:20-21)
Last week I posted a reflection of spiritual warfare. In it I related about a family that a demonic entity had attached to their house. Their 3 year old daughter was the main focus of this entity. Crosses hanging by strings were flipping defying gravity and hanging upside down, furniture was being moved, voices heard, and many other outward manifestations of the presence of the “Black mask with red eyes” that talked to the daughter out of the closet.
I went over their house one night and spent 3 hours interviewing them on all that has happened, then prayed and anointed the house and the family. My wife and I went back two nights later and again prayed over the house, the couple and the family.
Discerning this presence needed the “church” to free it, I arranged for the Tuesday Evening House Church that usually meets in our home to meet in this families home instead. I also contacted people locally to come who God has placed in my life that we have shared deep spiritual warfare in the past, and deep nights of prayer for revival and claiming our city for the kingdom of God. And Tuesday night they came.
And that evening “What Satan planned for evil, God used for Good.” The evil presence that came into the house to bring darkness, led to the Holy presence of the church that brought light. Spiritual brothers and sisters, kindred of Christ, some who I have not worshipped with for over a year gathered, re-connected, re-kindled the flame of the Holy Spirit among us, and through our time of worship, prayer, reading Scriptures, laying hands and anointing, a strong presence of the reign of God fell on that house and on us.
“What the enemy planned for evil, God used for good.”
The night was a beautiful experience of "real Church." I think those attending would agree there was not a moment of fear during the night. We came in the authority of Jesus and His love, and perfect love casts out all fear. Is Spiritual warfare real, absolutely.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12). Are occurrence of evil and demonic activity increasing around us, yes. “Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8) However, when we put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18) we can “stand Firm against evil” and “extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.” “Because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1John 4:4)
We need to separate the "Hollywood" portrayals of confronting evil and heaven's actual 'Kingdom on Earth" reality. God is in control; ” The heavens belong to you, as does the earth. You made the world and all it contains.” ({Psalm 89:11). Jesus is Lord; “ yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.” (1Cor 8:4). And The Church is God's "Plan A" for confronting evil, breaking chains of those oppressed and freedom to those possessed on this earth, and there in no "Plan B" ; “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18)
My family, I pray you will reflect and understand that in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit you in the church together can face down and defeat any evil that comes against yourself of others “Because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your comments and reflections on my post in the comment box below.
Resolve to Help in 2023
I want to ask you to resolve this year in partnering with my wife, myself, and One Direction Community by supporting our ministries! We begin a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this. If you click on the link below you can easily set up a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly auto donations in the amount you desire. . We would be so grateful for your help. You can also give a one-time donation on the same link. Thank you!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
You can mail your donation to One Direction Community P.O. Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
Would you like to receive my morning devotion blog?
Email your name and email address to garyl@onedirection.community and I will add you to my ODC Daily Message distribution list to receive an email of these reflection every weekday morning.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Good morning Lord Jesus, I simply want to thank you this morning for your unconditional love for me.
This morning I am sharing with you a reflection of a friend of mine, Matt Holiday. He shared this reflection, and when I read it this morning it became the focus of my devotion time this morning. I pray it will be something you reflect on today as well.