Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your sheep hear Your voice, so I call on Your name and listen for Your leading.
"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress; He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and He brought them to their desired haven" (Psalm 107:28-30).
I watched the news this morning of hurricane Milton to hit Florida yesterday. Though the hurricane has passed, the rains remains, the rivers are rising in what they're catastrophic flooding and there is major damage. Thousands are stranded and wait for rescue. A million people were without power. Thousands more now wonder how they will rebuild and move on. While I'm thankful that we were not impacted in our community, I'm moved with compassion and stirred to intercession for all who were and for all who long for this nightmare to be over.
So I join with every heart crying out to You, calling on Your name, and seeking Your help. Lord, dry up the rains, push back the clouds, clear up the skies, and send forth Your word. Bring provision and protection for all who are in need. Send out Your angels and send out Your servants to be Your hands and Your heart.
You've stilled the storm and hushed the waves, now be our Rescue and our Refuge for all who are crying out in distress. We need You now in our hour of need. And we thank You now for every way we will see You come through and bring each soul "to their desired haven.
We set aside our pride and humble our hearts to be desperately dependent upon You alone. You are our Rock and our Refuge. Be our Strong Tower, our Mighty God, as we call on Your name. "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in You my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by" (Psalm 57:1). May our prayers of urgency become prayers of consistency, as we continue to keep our hearts humble and our faith strong before the One who is our only true and lasting Hope, come hell or high water. In Jesus’ name I pray.
My family, I pray you'll be rescued and comforted if you're in distress and that you'll be moved to intercession for all who are. Please join me in prayer for all who are suffering in the wake of this hurricane. May the presence of God in His mercy and love and through His people be evident in the midst of it all. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and prayers in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Give A Gift!
I could use your gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank YouI!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead my heart, renew my mind, and guide my steps in the way, the truth, and the life of Christ today.
"I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.... Do not, O Lord, withhold Your mercy from me; let Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness keep me safe forever.... Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me.... As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!" (Psalm 40:1-17)
O Lord, our God, hear our cry. Hear the cry of every soul whose patience is running thin and whose faith is growing weary. Reach down into their pit of despair and lift them out of the miry bog of confusion and disillusionment. Set their feet on the solid ground of the assurance of Your presence, Your protection, and Your provision. Bring order out of their chaos and hope to their hearts.
O God, hear! O God, act! O God, come in Your power and love in both Your supernatural miracles and in Your Spirit-led people, reaching out to the hurting and taking hold of the helpless, to weather this storm and rebuild their lives in You. We need Your hope! We need Your help! "You are (our) Help and (our) Deliverer; do not delay, O (our) God! (v. 17) In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray in agreement with you and all who are led to join us in prayer by the Holy Spirit over those affected by Hurricane Helene and those who now find themselves in the path of Hurricane Milton in Florid.. Many of us have vacationed along these beautiful coasts and have family memories that were made on their beaches. Let’s together pray for all who are suffering in the wake of these storms that they would experience the protection and provision of our God, in Jesus' name! May the presence of God in His mercy and love and through His people be evident in the midst of it all. And may these terrible storms be turned into a great harvest. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and prayers in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Give A Gift!
I could use your gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank YouI!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the way of life in You today. ...
Last week as I sat on the shore of the ocean one morning, with the vastness of God and His presence everywhere and anywhere on earth came into my mind. Sitting on the beach, with it’s billions of grains of sand, I am in a way like one of the billions of grains of people on this planet. And even though You God have a world view of salvation, “God So loved the World” you also desire a deep personal connection with me.
The truth is: "O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your Presence! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I god down to the grave, You are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there You hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night -- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.... And when I wake up, You are still with me!" (Psalm 139:18 NLT)"I bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your Presence the pleasures of living with You forever!" (Psalm 16:7-11)
You are "right beside me." ...
What if I were to live my life believing that was true? ...
What if I were to live this day believing that was true? ...
If I truly believed You were right beside me, would I make different choices throughout the moment of my day. Would I be more secure and confident? Would I be more careful and diligent? Would I be more honest and faithful? Would I be afraid in the fear of the Lord or would I be fearless in the certainty of my Savior?
The truth is You are right beside me. Always (Matthew 28:20). You never leave me (Hebrews 13:5). In fact, You are within me by the indwelling of Your very Spirit (Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 3:16). You always know every thought in my mind and every desire in my heart. I couldn't hide from You if I tried. They don't make fig leaves that big anymore!
So no matter how it makes me feel or act, You are "right beside me" regardless. And in the light of that eternal truth, give me grace to live my life each day with a deeper awareness of that truth and Your Presence. It's a good thing. No, it's a great thing. In fact, it's a grace thing that I could never earn and never deserve, but only receive as the great gift of God that it is -- the gift of the ever-abiding Presence of my God who loves me and likes being with me!
Thank You, Lord! Help me learn to appreciate You and Your Presence more. Thank You for being "right beside me" every moment of my life forever. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you live this day and every day in the growing awareness of the ever-abiding Presence of God who loves you and likes being with you, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Give A Gift!
I could use your gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank YouI!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:26-28)
The divorce rate among marriages of active protestant church attenders is around 28%. I wonder what the “peace” rate is among us in the church. Wednesday night at our house church people requested prayers over health, financial, marital and others issues that were affecting their faith and their peace. Things that “the world” gives them. Through our worship, Scriptures discussion, and prayers we tried to reconnect each other to the Peace not of this world.
God, there's no need for troubled hearts here; here in Your peace, here in Your presence, here in the grip of Your grace. I'm reminded of what David came to know in his life-long journey with You through every hardship and injustice, through every heart-breaking disappointment, whether in himself or the world around him or even in You at times. Through it all, his heart continued to turn to You in trusting faith and the steadfast peace that only You can provide, saying for all to hear throughout all generations, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.... Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:1-4).
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, the One who comes from our Father in the power and the presence of Your name to help us and comfort us and remind us that You're always with us. You never leave us nor forsake us, so we never have to be afraid. You keep filling us with Your peace, and Your perfect love keeps casting out all fear (1 John 4:18).
Lord, through it all, let it be so. Let it be well with my soul. As You keep me close and steady in Your peace. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3 ). There's no need for troubled hearts here. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My Family, I pray your heart is not troubled through whatever valley or struggle you or those you love may be going through, as you keep trusting in the One who is always with you with His peace and comfort and help. !
I'm joining with you in the agreement of prayer for all who are affected by the hurricane Helene. Also those around the world effected by earthquakes, wildfires, along with every storm and every shaking any of us are facing in our lives or in our land. May hope in our God abound, and may His love and grace be evident to all through His people who are there to pray and to help as the heart and hands of Jesus Christ. God bless you my friends!
Please share any reflections from this blog in the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use your gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.G
Father, Son and Spirit, I begin my day in desperate need of complete communion with you. Yesterday morning I had a great converstation at the Waffle House low bar with a couple regular customers. We talked about our faith, church attendance, and then then one of them brought up tithing. How his church struggles to get people to tithe. I shared with them one of my most powerful experiences on tithing.
“When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house, Michal, Saulʼs daughter, came out to meet him. She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servantsʼ slave girls the way a vulgar fool might do!”
David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family and appointed me as leader over the Lordʼs people Israel. I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this! But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!” (2 Samuel 6:20-22)
Several years back I went on a mission trip for a month to Southern Darfur, Sudan. The area has been ravaged by years of civil war as the Muslims of Northern Sudan continue military attacks and raids of kidnapping and rape against the indigenousChristians of Southern Sudan. There are thousands of orphans in Southern Sudan. The Muslins would raid the villages andkidnap the women and carry them off to the north for forced marriages/sex slaves. The men in the village they would either kill or carry off as well for slave laborers. The children of the villages would flee and run off into the bush and hide, and come back out after the Muslim raiders left, now orphans.
These children are poor of the poor. Each child has only one outfit of clothing, and their only possessions are a small plastic bowl and a spoon, which they hold onto for dear life as it is the only way they receive food. If there ever was a group who’s life and childhood experiences could cause them to take on a “victim mentality” it would be there children. However they are not depressed or seeking pity. Instead, every morning they would line up at 8:00am. And they would sing! Out of their hearts in a body of absolute physical poverty would come the most amazing joy filled worship! They would sing of their love for Jesus and thank him for all the blessings they receive from Him.
During my month there, I attended and helped lead the Sunday church gatherings held in a large grass roofed hut. When it came time for the offering, those attending the service had absolutely nothing of any monetary value to offer up, tithe, or put in a passing plate. So they offered up and tithed themselves and put themselves into God’s hands. As the time in the service for the offertory began, the ushers would move down the pews stating in the front and people would leave their pews, walk down the side aisles to the back of the church and line up. Then as the drums beat and the congregation sang, each person would offer them selves up to the Lord in a dance. They would dance down the isle spinning, and leaping in front of God in an offering dance of all they are. When they got to the altar in front they would drop to their knees and bow in complete surrender and then return to their pew. This continued until the whole church did an offering dance. The followings Sundays I was there, I as well joined in and danced down the aisle in offering myself to God.
In the USA churches struggle to get people to tithe 10%. And what ever amount people put in the passing plate they feel justified from their giving. I just sit here and try to imagine how different our churches would be if every member, every Sunday danced down the isle and offered all that they are to God. How different every marriage and family would be if families together led by their parents would dance down the aisle and surrender themselves together as a family to God. How different our communities would be if we un-shamefully danced together in front of the Lord and gave him all we are. How different our governments and nation would be if our leaders would say like David, “I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this!” and dance and surrender their potion of leadership to Jesus.
My family, I pray today during your time of devotion you will get up in you living room, kitchen, go out in your yard or go someplace, and simply but powerfully dance before the Lord and offer all you are up to him. It would be the most fragrant gift pleasing to him you could ever offer. And I pray your dance of offering would continue throughout your day. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share any reflections from this blog in the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.Gary Liederbach-Lead Follower
THANK YOU!
It is hard to believe it has been 7 years since a good friend of mine, a brother in Christ lost his long battle with cancer. His life and death have been the thoughts of my mind and reflection my soul. We met for 2 1/2 years every Friday at the WH where he encouraged, motivated, prayed over me and held me accountable. He was a tangible example of God’s grace to me, an undeserved gift. He was a sound board onto which I would bounce my visions and ministry directions onto and off of for reflection.
A few weeks before he died, I asked Larry and others in ODC to respond to four questions to assist me in gauging how effective my leadership in ODC has been in making disciples and as a church in the eyes of those who are members. Here is Larry’s response to those questions. As you read them, you will understand why I miss my Friday mornings with him.
What has happened at your Church since last year?
The house church is operating effectively and determinedly as one; tested by fire. A discussion of metrics such as membership numbers and finances is probably in order, but I can't help with that. I can say however, that people in the margins, whom Jesus called "the least of these" are hearing the Gospel. They respond to the Good News because it is the power unto the salvation they desperately need, rejecting addictions and personal failures and sorrows. I have observed that a cross dresser or a drug addict will get the same love, spiritual care, and plain spoken truth as a retired Service member, an insurance agent, or a housewife. People from all walks are also responding to Monday night community meals at Terranova's Italian Restaurant, and coming to house churches with stories of how they have been hurt or ignored in traditional churches.
I have fewer insights (or desire to access any that may be available) with regard to specific demographics for growth, dollars, baptisms, etc. than Gary may be able to reveal in pastoral consultation. Instead, I can offer an observation that reflects the words of our Lord, who told us that the world will know us in that we love one another. The following metrics are transparently observable:
* Grace, peace, and forgiveness readily replace obligation, guilt, or religious demands
* Sacrifices are voluntary
* People are submitting to one another in love
* The community is being served in love with evangelism, meals, prayer and developing friendships
* Blessing and care for one another is passionate among the brethren
* Jesus is glorified in every situation; even in our failures and befuddlements
* The equipping of the saints is ongoing. Evangelism, spiritual gifts, and healing, are sought with new zeal and supported with prayer and study of the Word
Where are you now as a member and a church?
As a member, I'm a wide eyed observer who loves the grace and love that we all enjoy. Before God, I must state that my most important role is to be a friend to Gary; to pray for him, speak the truth candidly, support his efforts when he is on track and kick him a little when he is off track or when he's consumed by any anxiety or non-productive emotion. So far, my kicking skills are diminishing from disuse. I have also begun to disciple a few men in the fellowship whom the Lord has pointed out to me; an act of mutual submission and encouragement to good works. Normal Christian stuff.
House church is alive and well. The numbers fluctuate, but they are all but inconsequential for the discipleship training that is central to the work that Gary is doing (discipleship is for the willing, not the gold star earners). Some new converts fall away from fellowship to the allure of their old sins. Many return, some don't - or haven't. Some will come back with new strength; new resolve but under the threat of scolding or shunning. Mature Christians are welcome and valued for their insights. So far, the wolves have been kept at bay. It is a time of peace and personal growth with a focus on our Lord Jesus alone.
Where do you want to be?
I want to see what we are already doing to increase under the influence of the Holy Spirit, continuing to trust less in our plans, preparations and expectations than in what He produces. I believe that this is a season of equipping, but we dare not stop as equipped people to rest in our laurels. Instead, having freely received, we must continue to freely give of our gifts, inner healings, and insights to a hurting community.
What is holding you back from reaching your goals?
The work is not ours, but Christ's, so what would hold us back? Could we fail? Of course we could. All it takes is sin, lies, bitterness, backbiting, wolves with false doctrine creeping in as brothers, or any number of things that the scriptures warn us of.
We could also find ourselves 'held back' by our own anticipations. If our goal is numbers, we will find disappointment at the door often enough. If our goal is to honest, pure time before our Lord Jesus, empowered by His presence where two or more are gathered, we do not fail, but rather participate in and yes, rejoice in low numbers as part of Gods design on any given week. We are the servants that sow, but God forbid that clever speech should bring the increase.
The thing I fear most is trying to act or perform like a "church" instead of HIS church, the body of Christ, made up of those whom He has called out loudly.
On the other hand, the implied question appears to be, "What could be done to help?" Resources are always needed by Gary for his ministry and it hurts me to see his struggle from lack of financial support and other resources. It should flow down in support this GOSPEL INSPIRED, FIRST CENTURY MODEL of ministry that is still as much on the fringes of the American church experience as the desperate people it so often ministers to.
Larry
Again, I will miss our discussions and his encouragement. It was a tangible example of God’s grace. Take time to reflect and prayer over this: To whom are you an encourager and a tangible sign of God’s grace? Many of you reading these blogs do not attend ODC. You all have pastors, priests, mentors, ministry leaders, friends, family who need ‘Larrys” in their life. Who are the people you can fill in the blanks for which you can say, “Before God, I must state that my most important role is to be a friend to ______; to pray for him/her, speak the truth candidly, support his efforts when he is on track and kick him a little when he is off track or when he's consumed by any anxiety or non-productive emotion.”
Please share any reflections from this blog in the comments box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. What happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden? When they ate that apple. What happened? Adam said to God, “I heard you in the garden, and I was naked and I was afraid so I hid.” You know what this is the story of ? The beginning not of just self-awareness but self-centeredness. The beginning of narcissism. The primal sin is not pride, but narcissism. And America is one of the top 5 narcissism counties in all of human history.
It is all about me, myself and I. All about me. Americans believe they are entitled to two chickens in every pot, two cars in every garage, a brick house, granite countertops, a pension plan, retirement account and a week or two vacation a year in paradise. I have news for you, none of us our entitled to any of this. It is all grace.
If narcissism is the most primal of sin, then what is salvation?
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 16:24)
If anyone wished to follow me he must deny HIMSELF. and follow me. Not deny themselves of something, give up something, like we do during lent But deny yourself, your selfish self. Jesus did not come so we could become more self-centered. Jesus did not come so we could focus more on our individual success in life. He did not preach a prosperity, a health and wealth Gospel, He did not come for that, but that will preach well in America. If anyone wants to follow me, they must deny themselves, conform themselves to the image of the Son, Jesus. Salvation is the beginning of your true self.
Paul Says, If anyone comes to Christ, they are a new creature. Behold the old has passed away. This morning I ask, “Do you believe that?” That God has enough power to change you from a self-centered, narcissist person to a selfless, other- directed and other-loving person?
My family, I pray this morning you reflect on and understand that when you were “saved,” you were actually saved from something to something. From being condemned living life as a self-centered, narcissist person; to living a life as your true self was created to be, a selfless, other-directed, other loving person. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
"I lift up my eyes to the hills -- from where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.... The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore" (Psalm 121:1-8).
Yesterday, I reflected on the absolute fact that there is an enemy who hates you, hates your spouse, and hates your children, and the absolute necessity of you reading God’s Word in your Bible to equip yourself with the “Sword of the Spirit, which is The Word of God” to defeat this enemy.
I asked you to read Ephesians 6 and the full armor of God and I am asking you to do so again this morning and this weekend. God supplies you with the armor and the weapons to fight the enemy, but you have to daily pick them up and put them on.
Another weapon that God gives us is Prayer. Prayer is not last recourse of desperation in a struggle or battle after you have tried everything else. Prayer is where all battles must begin as you raise your eye and heart to God and call upon his name to come to your defense.
“With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)
The Psalmist in Psalm 121 cries out in desperation, “I lift up my eyes to the hills -- from where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
“The Hills” when this psalm was written were not a good place. “The Hills” were the wilderness. They were dangerous and contained the paths need to travel where bandits and robbers lurked. And on the top of all the hills, because pagans viewed them as the place closest to the heavens and the Gods, were placed all the altars and places of worship to the many false Gods. Looking up at the hill tops one would see the Asherah poles, altars to Baal, and other Gods.
The psalmist, who is struggling, battling the evil in his day, in desperate need of help looks up at the hills around him with its danger, and looks up at all the Idols and temples of false Gods on the hill tops and declares, where does my help come from? And he declares it is from none of these. “My help comes from the Lord who made the Heavens and the earth.” The God who made the hills the altars are located on.
It is God’s part to deliver me, It is my part is to lift up my eyes above “the hills”, above the false God’s and idols of this world, and focus my eyes on You. I enter inter my baptismal promise to look up to you, while You promise Your part is to look out for me. So this morning remind me to do my part; and remind me that You're always doing Your part. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may always know deep in your heart that Your God is Your help and He will bring you through every battle you face, making you more like Him as you keeping looking up to Him. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” (2 Cor 10:3-5)
My morning reflectio, like many others, flows out of a conversation I had at the Waffle House. I was seated at the low bar talking with a 4 men who are regular customers. One of them brought up the pagers that are exploding in Lebanon and the whole conversation turned to examples of how the world now is a more evil place. One man said he feels like his marriage is under attack, and another how his kids are being misled in school and they are becoming more and more disrespectful at home. I know these men and they all claim to be Christians. So I asked them, what is the Bible telling you in your time in God’s Word. Their tone changed and they became defensive saying they do not read their Bible daily, and my reading the Bible daily does not change the situation of the world. Inside I wanted to explode and push back but I did not, instead I came home and wrote.
You have an enemy who hates you, hates your spouse, hates your children, hates your family. He despises the Christ that is in you and that you also claim over your family, and the enemy will uses any and all resources at his disposal: any weapons, all the demon minions, incantations, to bring down, kill and destroy you. You know you live every day in the midst of a broken, fallen world, where evil is real. Just look around! Look at the news! And that evil you see out there is out to get you.
(1 Peter 5:8) “Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour”
What are you going to fight him with? What are you going to punch him in the face with? What weapons are you going use to not just defend, but push back the literal hell that He wants to bring down on you?
Are you going to Throw money at him? Are you going to try to work harder, get a promotion, better job, better pay, gain more power and prestige, earn more so you can throw more money at him and buy him out? He is the “ruler of this world.” He has more wealth and is richer and has more power than you can ever dream of achieving.
Are you going to retreat into your fortress, your castle, the nice home with the crucifix hanging somewhere in it on some wall and then puch your garage door button, close garage door and keep him out?
Are you going to try to use logic or reason with him? Do you really think you can outsmart Satan who has been here deciding and destroying humanity since the beginning of creation?
Do you think if you exercise tolerance, political correctness and be passive he will just leave you and your family alone? It is not going to happen! You have no hope and there is nothing humanly possible to distract or deter you enemy, stop him from hating you, hating your spouse, hating your children and wanting to destroy you.
Nothing humanly possible, however with the weapons of God it is more than possible. The passage of scripture above tells us:
“For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds.”
Read Ephesians 6 and the full armor of God.
God supplies you with the armor and the weapons you need to fight and conquer the enemy, but you have to put them on and pick them up.
You do not put on the armor daily and then you know you are battling an enemy that is armed to the teeth daily and then wonder why and complian to God why you have no peace, anxiety, depression, your family is struggling, your children are struggling, your marriage is struggling, and you have physical health issues, mental health issues
The sword with which you are able to punch Satan in the mouth with, and not just defend your family with, but drive away the enemy is The Word of God contained in that Bible on a desk somewhere or an app on your phone. “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6:17”
Each day you think to yourself, I do not have yo spend time in God’s word, you are basically saying you are going to face your armed enemy who hates you with nothing in your hand. And worse, you are in effect saying, your spouse and children who you probably encouraged to follow Jesus, and continue to encourage them in their faith, you are now leaving them out on their own and are not worth protecting, not worth the time spent that day in your Bible arming yourself with the Sword of the Spirit. And you are setting the disastrous example to them of how to walk into battle unarmed against an enemy who hates them.
My family, I pray today is the day you take seriously that there is an enemy out there, that once you and your family claims to be a follower of Jesus, hates you, hates your spouse and hates your children. And take seriously your absolute necessity to arm yourself with the “powerful weapons of God for tearing down strongholds,” strongholds the enemy continuously tries to raise around your family as if your life depends on it. And if your life does not matter that much to you, at least do it because the lives of your spouse and children require you to daily open your Bible, read God’s Word, and arm yourself with the “Sword of the Spirit” with which you can protect them and punch the enemy in the face, by though and in the name of Jesus. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“You were complacent in your evil deeds; you thought, ʻNo one sees me.ʼ
Your self-professed wisdom and knowledge lead you astray,
when you say, ʻI am unique! No one can compare to me!ʼ
Disaster will overtake you; you will not know how to charm it away.
Destruction will fall on you; you will not be able to appease it. Calamity will strike you suddenly, before you recognize it. “(Isaiah 47:11-13)
.In the previous chapters Isaiah illustrated God’s sovereignty over the gods of Babylon and all nations and the only God able to deliver his people. Isaiah now looks at Babylon. He represents the empire as a beautiful and arrogant woman who is forced to abandon her proud and luxurious living and take the place of a slave. God is not a creation of humanity, he is God. And any nation or human that dares to try to rise over his place will only find themselves caught in an unequal contest, the end of which is never victory, but either ends in surrender or destruction.
The times in my life that have been the most miserable are the times I replaced God with myself as lord of my life. It always ended in some level of destruction to myself or others, and then falling on my knees and repenting and asking forgiveness from God and others. When God is the most complete Lord over me, and I am the most completely his servant, is when my life contains the most joy.
My family, I pray you today re-affirm that Jesus is the Lord over your life, surrender to His Lordship, and enter into His peace and joy that surpasses anything you in yourself can achieve, In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same over me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
In Deuteronomy God reveals through Moses what the Greatest commandment of all is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” And what is the first thing God tells his people to do to obey this commandment? Teach this to your children. God’s first = to his people after placing loving God at the core of their being is not plant churches, cast out demons, heal the sick, or set the captives free, but to teach your children. And that to teach is not just directed to your biological children, but all children. And not just to people with children, but all people.
Today, especially in the USA and Western cultures I believe we do not do a good job of teaching and mentoring our children. Especially by providing them access to those who are “seniors” in our churches and communities. Seniors have attended and graduated life’s “School of Hard Knocks.” They “paid” the full tuition required to graduate this school. They paid the tuition of pain, mistakes, heart break, bad decisions, disappointment, financial loss, struggle, anxiety. They have a wealth of knowledge gained from life’s school of hard knocks they can mentor and share with children and youth so that they do not have to pay the full tuition. Their life’s wisdom and knowledge they can pass on are amazing “Grants” or Scholarships” that if shared with youth can enable them to avoid and not pay all of the required tuition I listed above.
However, in the USA and western culture and western church structure there are very few intentional opportunities for youth to “hang-out” and be mentored by seniors and adults in general. Most children and youth’s opportunities throughout the year to interact with seniors is the half a dozen or so times they see their grandparents at holidays, birthdays, funerals, and special occasions. In our churches efforts to excel growth and numbers of those attending they have launched contemporary services and most churches now have a contemporary service and a traditional service. So the minute people enter the church youth are separated from seniors as youth go to contemporary service, seniors to the traditional service. Youth go to youth groups, seniors go to Bible studies, and the only time the two meet again is in the parking lot headed to cars. I think most churches never look at the theology behind separating youth and seniors in their gathering structures.
The reality is that today's youth have very few real, intentional opportunities to to contact and connect with adults and seniors in their day to day, year to year American structure of life. The reality is that we in the USA and western church are not doing well at “ Teach this to your children.” The reality is that we all need to be more intentional, and intentional being the key word, at making opportunities to not just teach in a classroom setting, but to do life with and mentor our children and youth. And remember God commanded all of us, not just those ”gifted with children” to teach our children.
My family, I pray today you meditate on God greatest command to love him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. I pray you meditate on God’s command for you to teach this to children and youth. I pray today you meditate on how you can intentionally do this. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
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http://us13.campaign-archive.com/?u=7ca90509476db4c3737dcfabb&id=bdb542e0bc
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Speak to my heart and lead me in Your ways -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God.
"For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
In these days and the days to come, just knowing the truth will not be enough. "Even the demons believe -- and shudder" (James 2:19). No, we need more. We need to "love the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:10). We need to love the truth, just as a wise person loves correction and discipline (Proverbs 13:1). That's our antidote to the power of deception -- a love for the truth.
"The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, and lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).
Come, Holy Spirit. Give me a love for the truth. You are "the Spirit of truth" who "comes (to) guide (me) into all the truth" and "glorify (Jesus)" (John 16:13).
Loving truth is different from loving what we want to hear, loving what fits our feelings, or loving what we think is right despite what You say is right. And You've already warned us that we will be tempted to give into the pressures of our world to turn from the truth in the times to come:
"The truth" is not simply a statement of faith or mental assent to accurate doctrine. The truth is a Person. You are the Truth. You are "the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (John 15:6). You are the One we need to love. Loving You, loving the One who is Truth, is the Way You've provided to lead us through the confusion, deception, and temptation to compromise to come.
You said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because He abides with you, and He will be in you" (John 14:15-17).
As I grow in my love for You, I grow in my love for Truth. May my love for You, my love for Truth, keep me from being deceived in these days I live in and and the days to come -- even by "the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, and lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you ask the Holy Spirit, The Helper to help you discern and grow in your love of truth so you can embrace by faith the fullness of life our Father has for you, forgiven and free from bondage of lies and sin, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Us Help Them!
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your name's sake today and all the days of my life. I love Psalm 91 back in 2007 I went on a mission trip to Souther Darfur, Sudan for a month. I began everyday morning praying Psalm 91 over my life and the lives of those with me for protection in the war zone we found ourselves. Psalm 91 became a constant prayer my ministry. I read it over my life and my families as we begin a new week. Pick up you Bible and read it over your life this morning.
"You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust" (Psalm 91:1-2).
God, you are my Shelter and my Savior. You're my Covering and my Comforter. Secure in You, I find my safety and peace. Trusting in You, I find my certainty in Your sovereignty and my confidence in Your compassion (v. 3-8).
When I'm in You and You're in me, no mater what goes on around me, it cannot come near me to destroy me or define me. "Because I have made the Lord my refuge, the Most High my dwelling place, no evil shall befall me, no scourge come near my tent. For You will command Your angels concerning me to guard me in all my ways. On their hands they will bear me up, so that I will not dash my foot against a stone. I will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent I will trample under foot" (v. 9-13 personalized).
In Your goodness, You'll cause good to come out of all I endure. In Your mercy, You cause me to become more merciful out of all for which I've been forgiven. And out of Your overcoming power through the victory of Your cross and the glory of Your resurrection, You cause me to overcome every challenge that would seek to overcome me, making me stronger in Your strength and more humble in Your grace.
I've lived long enough to know there will always be battles in this broken and fallen world, but I've also walked long enough with You to know You've already won the victory for me. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Neither darkness nor death, neither demons nor the disappointing or destructive choices of those who don't know any better or willingly choose to do the opposite of what brings life and peace to the world around them, nor anything else in all creation will be able to have the last word or the final say in my life (Romans 8:38-39). "No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:27). Jesus will always have the last word. Jesus will always have the final say. And Jesus’ speaks into my battles and His words over my life are always spirit and life to me and to all who call on His name and trust in His grace (John 6:63). This is the blessing and the heritage of all "who live in the shelter of the Almighty" and "abide in the shadow of the Most High" (Psalm 91:1). Thanks be to God! Hallelujah and Amen! So let it be! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you know in your heart and experience in your life the promises and protection of our God, finding your shelter and security in Him alone, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Give A Gift
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:4-5)
There are many books and trainings out there by various authors on what it means to be a disciple. Mary, the mother of Jesus, gives us her instructions on being a disciple, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” She breaks discipleship down to its simple core, “listening and doing”. We are called to actively listen to Jesus, to seek Him out and hear His voice. “My sheep hear My voice…. and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27). We seek. listen to, and hear his voice when we open our Bibles, when we bend our knees in prayer, and when we become vulnerable in accountability with other believers. And then once we hear what Jesus is telling us, we without delay obey it and do it. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1John 5:2-3)
To call your self a Christian means you are saying you are a follower of Christ. To be a follower of someone you have to actively to listen to them, and then you have to obey what you hear from them. A simple definition of a disciple then is someone who is Listening to what Jesus is telling them to do, and then doing it. How are you daily actively listening to Jesus, seeking to hear his voice and follow Him as a Christian every day? Are you intentionally setting aside time daily to read your Bible, and pray? Are you in a Band group (accountability group) that meets weekly to help you discern, interpret and pray over what you are hearing?
Last night at our house church gathering we had a special guest, Curtis Seargent. He gave an illustration of hearing God comparing it to radio waves and a radio. He said every second of everyday we are bombarded with and surrounded by hundreds of radio waves from any different radio station and sources. Day and not these radio waves are constantly hitting us and around us. However, we cannot hear them or what they are saying. However, if we have a radio receiver, with it, we can tune in, connect to these radio waves and hear what they are playing or saying. Curtis went on to say everyday in the spiritual realm we are surrounded by spiritual “waves” from God and from the enemy. God is always trying to speak to us. And the receiver of his “waves” is our heart and soul. And we have to “tune in” our hearts to hear what He is saying. Whether we “tune in” to receive them in prayer, in a dream, through reading His Word in the Bible, from trusted others in an accountability group, we have to intentionally and actively “tune in” to God, and tune-out” the waves from sources other than Him, to be able to hear what he says to us, and to enable us to be disciples of Christ, persons “Listening to what Jesus is telling them to do, and then doing it.”
Jesus, remind me through your Holy Spirit this morning that the core of your call over my life to be a follower of you is not mainly found in the “Rs” of rituals, religion, and routines. It is found in listening to your voice and obeying what I hear. Let me hear Mary’s words above as if she is speaking only to me, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Mary practiced what she preached, as when she heard what God was asking her to do, and her reply was, “And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Let me have the bold obedience of a Mary, who was just a 16 year old girl.
My family, I pray this morning you take time to actively listen to what Jesus is telling you to do. You may have already heard His voice speaking to you in your heart. And I pray you then intentionally and without delay, obey Him and do what He has told you to do. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Give A Gift
I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen for Your voice, here at the beginning of my day. .
This morning I read and meditated on Psalm 59. Psalm 59 is a psalm of deliverance where David cries out to you to be delivered from his attackers. I see it was a very challenging time of transition in David's life. He had many mixed emotions, surrounded by both friends and foes on his journey into his destiny. But through it all and in spite of it all, he turned his eyes and lifted his spirit to You, as his finished his Psalm with a flourish of heart-felt words of worship from a heart full of faith and trust and praise:
“But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness." (Psalm 59:16-17).”
I like how he begins his final declaration of his trust in Your goodness and grace with the word "But." All that David wrote before that "But" was his reality and the reality of the world he faced in his day. He didn't have his head buried in the sand. He wasn't afraid of reading the news. He wasn't detached from the challenges of local and national politics and the turmoil in his life, nation, and the world of his time. "But" at the same time, he kept his eyes on You with his heart full of songs of praise.
In his songs, You strengthened him. In his prayers, You empowered him. And even to this day in what we now call "The Psalms" we're all encouraged by his heart of faith, despite all he went through -- both by all he brought upon himself and by all that was brought down upon him -- "But" as a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). "When (God) had removed (Saul), He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will" (Acts 13:22).
By the power of Your grace, I want to be a man after Your own heart like that, like David. One who will be found faithful to do all Your will no matter what. Fully aware of all that's going on in my day, in my nation and the world, and not detached from all I've been through -- no matter the source of my struggles, whether my own or otherwise. "But as for me” remind me I am always accountable to you how I live my day as a child of God. May I walk out my door trusting in You with a song in my spirit, full of faith in my heart, In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may be found faithful as one after God's own heart, with your eyes on the Lord and your heart full of praise, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. Thank you for being my friend and joining with me on this journey of faith and prayer! God bless you, my friends!
Please share with us your thoughts and reflections with us this morning in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support for myself, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commit to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
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Thank you!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Take me by the hand and lead me by the heart throughout the moments of my day.
" 'Let the little children come to Me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not received the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.' And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them" (Mark 10:14-16).
Today’s reflection builds upon yesterdays reflection. Yesterday, the Holy Spirit reminded mr I am to simply follow Jesus. This morning the same Spirit reminded me I am to love Jesus with the simplicity of a child.
With the innocent faith of a trusting child in the secure, strong arms of good father, I want to receive a Father's blessing upon my life today. You are my "Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6). And in my faith, I seek to be Your ever-loving child. "For in Christ Jesus (we) are all children of God through faith" (Galatians 3:26).
In Your embrace of laughter and joy let me enter into the kingdom of God. And in my faith, let the laughter and joy of the kingdom of God enter into me. "For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within (me)" (Luke 17:21). "The kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
In my Father's blessing, I find my righteousness; I find my peace; and I find my joy. Let no one stop me from entering in to the fullness of my Father's blessing in You. More importantly, don’t let “ME” stop my self from completely, unashamedly and fully loving you. Remove from me any “defenses” to your Spirit I have built in me out of dignity, self-conscience, and conformity and free me to express my love for you like a child. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you may you enter into the fullness of your Father's blessings and love with the laughter and joy of a child. May you tear down your defenses, remove your self-conscience and I pray you undignifiedly be filled with the righteousness, laughter. peace, and joy of the kingdom of God that wants to burst forth within you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers on my blog in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
I could use your financial support as we relationally reac those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “ʻLove the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.ʼ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ʻLove your neighbor as yourself.ʼ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”(Matthew 22:36-40)
I do maintenance a couple days a week at a government assisted apartment complex for “tent making” funds to support my ministry. It also gives me ministry opportunities and access into the lives of the low-income residents who live there. A 19 year old mentally challenged young man moved into an apartment. It was the first time he has lived on his own. He and his mom were homeless. When they moved in they had nothing and they were sleeping in the floor with nothing in the apartment.. So my wife and I began gathering items for them: mattress, box spring, dresser, couch, carm hair, end tables, dining room table and chairs…ect. We had all these items I collected stored in my house and garage. We needed help loading them into my truck so we reached out to a couple of our neighbors and they came and helped load and strap everything down. We were blessed and grateful for their help and they were glad to help. This is because we have intentionally built relationships with our neighbors. The photo above is from a weekly gathering in our home in our neighborhood.
Building relationships and connecting with people and being a presence of Christ in your neighborhood is at the heart of Jesus’ command to Love your neighbor.” (Matt 22:39). Your obedience to this command is not fulfilled by driving out of your neighborhood to a church building, entering it, greeting the people who also drove there, sharing a cup of coffee with them and talking and talking about life. Jesus command to Love your neighbor is not fulfilled by praying with them in a sanctuary and participating in a Bible study in a classroom.
Loving your neighbor, obeying and fulfilling Jesus’ command to love your neighbor is accomplished by , wait for it, I know this is complex, loving your neighbors! It happens when you invite in and share a cup of coffee with your neighbors. It is fulfilled when you prayer walk and pray with your neighbors. It is obeyed when you do not drive from your home and neighbors to study God’s Word, , but open your home to your neighbors to study God’s Word. Loving your neighbor is simple as just takes getting out of your house, walking your neighborhood and doing it. In a few short weeks and the months to come you will have made a presence in your neighborhood.
Jesus’ commands you to love your neighbor. So what presence have you made in your neighborhood? Have you walked, reached out, and prayed with the neighbors in the neighborhood you live in? Jesus did send out people and tell them to go attend services in their synagogues (churches) on the Sabbath, he sent them out into the streets. Jesus is not sending you out telling you to simply attend a church service on Sunday morning, he is primarily sending you out into the streets of your neighborhood as well. You are to be a tangible example of The Church among your neighbors and “Heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (v.9)
My family, I pray this morning you pray into “to whom an I sent?” You are not sent to a church. That is where you receive encouragement and are equipped to be sent out. I pray you listen to who and where the Spirit is leading you, then obey what you hear and go. In Jesus’ name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be at the center of all I am and all I do, as I seek to begin my day grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit. ...
"Then (David) took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew new to the Philistine.... When the Philistine drew nearer to meet with David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David's hand" (1 Samuel 17:40-50).
We are in a time when we need run to the battle and face our giants just as David ran to the battle to confront Goliath.
We are called to run to the battle in prayer over our cities. To pray and seek repentance, in solemn assembly of calling on Your name in worship and praise, in spirit and truth, in humility and unity, together as one blood in one faith in our God and Father of all with our “5 smooth stones.”
These "weapons of (our) warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). These "weapons of our warfare" are not weapons of prejudice and pride, murder and violence, looting and lawlessness, intimidation and fear, chaos and control, isolation and division, rebellion and idolatry. These "weapons of our warfare" are not the physical weapons of this world, but the spiritual weapons we wield in humility and faith, in obedience and repentance, in the sensitivity and submission to Your Word and Your Spirit to pray in Your power and speak with Your voice, as we walk in love in the opposite spirit of the enemies we face. We "overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).
The "five smooth stones" in our "shepherd's bag" that are to be ready to be slung in our "sling" of faith to hit the mark and bring down the giants we face You were showing me that morning are these: The Word of God; faith and trust in God; intimacy with God; security in our identity as children of God; and our confidence in God to fulfill the purposes of God in our lives.
No doubt there are other stones, but these are the ones You're highlighting to me and perhaps for these times and these battles we face together as the Body and the Bride of Christ. These are the stones we're to carry in our bags to the battles we face, in courage and confidence in You, our Shepherd and Warrior and Mighty Giant Slayer. By the power of Your grace at work within us, may we sling the one that hits the mark to bring down the giant we face -- in our lives, in our cities, in our nation, in our world -- all in Your way, all in Your time, all for Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be empowered to overcome every giant you face with the "stones" the Lord has provided for you as you run to the battle in humility and courage and faith, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends”Five!
Please post and share your thoughts, reflections, questions, or prayers with us in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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