Good morning, Lord Jesus. I surrender to Your name and Your nature. Come have Your way in me this day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves to sin have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:15-18).
I'm no longer a slave to sin. You've broken those chains and opened those bars to set me free. "If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). It's not that I no longer sin anymore -- sadly, I still may miss the mark -- but it's that I no longer have to be in bondage to it, enslaved by it, bound up, locked up and left for dead in the dark of it. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set (me) free from the law of sin and death!" (Romans 8:2)
The word “odeience” is found 3 times in the passage above. That is because my freedom comes out of my obedience to Jesus and His teachings, those that are found in our Bibles. James 1:22 tell’s us, ‘But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves..” So Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, set me free to be obedient to You "from the heart" because You've changed my heart. It' not "from my head" or "from my will-power" or "from my trying so hard with all my might not to do the things I really wish I could do and get away with it if You weren't always with me." No, it's "from the heart." You've created in me a clean heart and renewed a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). And every day I keep opening my heart to You, You keep creating in me a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within me (Philippians 1:6).
Now every day, I'm free to live in obedience for righteousness instead of sinfulness -- not because You're making me do it but because I want to do it -- "from the heart." Your Spirit at work within me is giving me Your right desires to live in the might of Your power "from the heart" You've given me.
Jesus You know my heart. I know I have a long way to go. But I know I'm on the journey, as You keep changing my heart and my desires. As it turns out, the freedom You've given me to join with You on this journey of obedience is a very joyful journey. As You said long ago: "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete" (John 15:10-11). This is my joyful journey of obedience in You "from the heart" You've given me and keep giving me every step along the way. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, as you walk out your door and begin the journey of another day and head into the weekend, I pray you're filled with joy on your journey of obedience with Jesus, living from the clean heart and right spirit the Lord has created I you and is renewing in you every step along the way, 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
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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. Release the authority of Your name on my lips and grow the authenticity of Your character in my heart. Make me more like You today.
"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.... We know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.... So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God" (Romans 5:1-11).
I'm made right in Your sight! I'm set free to be more like You! I'm a friend of the God who's a friend of sinners like me! I'm filled with the Spirit of the God who fills me with His love! I'm privileged to stand in the place of underserved privilege that I could never earn and that can never be taken away. And every day, I'm joyfully looking forward to embracing all You have for me because of all You are to me and all You've done for me.
My family, I pray you wil take a few minutes and spend time to reflecting on, fully embrace, and then live into the fullness of your inheritance as a child of God. Joyfully embracing all the Lord has planned for you in your life and become deeply confident of the truth that you've been made right in God's sight, 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
Givs 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 Jesus, I begin my day resting in my faith of the hope and grace you have in place for me today.
“In hope against hope he believed… with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:18-25)
Scriptures tell us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrew 11:1). Faith in God and in our salvation from God through Jesus Christ is in itself a gift of God to us by His grace that flows from the throne room of God and covers us in the blood of Jesus. The righteousness, justification, sanctification and salvation made available to us when we received Christ initially into our lives and every day of our life since then including today', is a complete gift from God we receive through faith in Jesus Christ.
So stop worrying yourself to DEATH if you are following or doing the right religious things, following the right church laws, customs, preferences or traditions made by man. Stop KILLING yourself by trying to “be good enough”, jump through the right “hoops”, gain or prove your salvation or righteousness through striving and working to earn these yourself. In Jesus, The Death, the Killing, the dying has already been done! “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:8-10)
By faith I know Jesus, God’s Son, was made flesh and He lived, and died for our salvation, rose again, ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of the Father. By faith I know that the Holy Spirit is the giver of all spiritual life; of righteousness, peace, and joy to all of us. And in the Holy Spirit we receive holiness and happiness, by being restored into the image of God in which we are created. And for all of these things, faith is the evidence, the sole evidence to all the children of God.
If our salvation and entering into eternal life with God was based on doing the most simplest work, like lifting the lightest feather of a hummingbird over your head. Or If our righteousness before God was decided on being able to complete the simplest task like adding zero plus zero successfully, that would mean some of people would not be saved. Praise God that salvation is by faith, so that the child next door here in Huntsville Alabama, and the child in the middle of the devastation in the Ukraine are on equal ground before God, and when they fall their knees and call out the name of Jesus, they will be saved.
My family, I pray today you will simply sit quietly and as a child affirm your faith in Jesus as your Lord, and rest like a child in the arms of your Father, and receive as a child the love and joy of the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul wrote this chapter and what he would want you to do, In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections of Romans chapter 3 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
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You!!
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Good morning Lord Jesus, I set aside this time this morning to listen to the plans you set for me today.
“For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.…Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith! For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Romans 3: 22,23,27)
When Paul states that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” what does he mean? Wait for it…Wait for it…..he means ALL, every last human being on earth that ever existed, exists now, or will ever exist, including you and I! None of us in our flesh apart from the faith we receive from and in Christ is “higher up” or “better” than anyone else. We all have sinned and fallen. Those who call themselves Christians and live a “good” life in themselves are no better than an addict, prostitute, gang member, Craigs List scammer, child or wife abuser or fill the the blank with any other term we have for sinner.
There are 365 days in a year. Say you are a “good” person who for this sake of argument only sins the almost impossible small amount of 2-3 times a day. ( I say almost impossible as sin, is disobeying God, or missing the mark. Missing the mark by active sin; doing something you know you are not to do; or the omission sin; not doing what you know you should do. Like knowing a co-worker needs Jesus and you should share Jesus with them but you walk by him in the office and remain silent. You missed the mark.) By only sinning 2-3 time a day that would add up to approximately 1,000 times a year. Say then you live to be 80 years and you die. Standing before Jesus and all the saints are you going to raise your hands and being proudful shout “80,000 Baby! That’s right! In your face! I only sinned 80,000 times! What do you think about that Jesus! No, you would fall on your knees before Him and boast only in Him and for his grace and mercy in your salvation. Whether your number of sins is 80K, 500K, or a million or more, all have fallen short and have no place to boast.
All of us have sin tainting us. Say you were making two pans of brownies. You have on your counter two bowls of brownies batter for the two pans of brownies. You walk outside along your side walk and find an average piece of dog crap and you put it in one of the bowls of batter and blend it in. You then go back outside again, walk along the side walk and find a larger pile of fresh, warm dog crap. You bring it into the house, put it in the second bowl of batter and blend it in. You then pour the batters into the two pans and bake them. When the brownies are done, do you eat, share and enjoy the first pan because it only has an average amount of dog crap in it? No! Dog crap tainted brownies is dog crap tainted brownies no matter the size, texture, or freshness of the dog crap you put in them. All have fallen short.
And also whether you made $20k, $50k, $100k, $250k or more a year; the title of your job; the size and number of houses you own; cars you drive; the toys, cloths and other items you own will mean absolutely nothing and be worthless to boast about when you stand before Jesus. He will simply ask how generous were you with whatever wealth you had. (Read Mark 12:41-44). All have fallen short.
This also means that all are on level ground before the cross and all have equal access to the love and grace of Jesus. The house wife in Madison, Al and a prostitute in New York city; or the child raised in a “good” Christian home in Huntsville Al and the child born to a mother in ISIS in Damascus, Syria, when they fall on their knees and cry out for Jesus they will be received equally and with the same amount of rejoicing in heaven.
My family, I pray today you will reflect on the fact that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, including you. I pray that you will reflect with extreme gratitude on the undeserved gift of grace, mercy, and forgiveness you have received through the cross. I pray then you walk out your door into today that is also a gift with complete gratitude in your heart and be generous and share with other this gift you have received, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections of Romans chapter 3 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
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You!!
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Good morning Jesus, Lord I need you, I simply and complete need you.
“on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 2:16)
The most important first step in trying to improve, grow, and move forward in the future is an accurate assessment of the present. Romans 2 is a tool to use to help you accurately assess you walk as a Christian and obedience as a disciple of Jesus. It opens a mirror to the actual level of your faith and obedience, that you know to be true and God knows to be true as well.
Read through Romans Chapter 2.. Then read through it again slowly internalizing every word. From verse 17 unit the end of the chapter replace the word “Jew” with the word “Christian” as you read it. Read it through as many times as needed.
My family, I pray today’s reading will lead you to honest assessment of you walk with Christ; where you are being honest and where you are being fake; where you are being true-full to your self and others and where you are outright lying to yourself and others. Then in the Holy Spirit and before God openly and honestly confess where you are being fake and lying, and ask for real forgiveness and grace from our God who never lies. I pray you will ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to ask for forgiveness of others where needed, and the strength to turn from things you are doing that others do not see yet you know are not right in the sight of God and begin walking in honest obedience with Jesus, 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 Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You!!
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Good morning Lord Jesus, speak to me in the silence of my morning.
“because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:19-22)
Paul declares that the general revelation of God through creation has been made available to all people. How many people? All, including you and me.
What Paul says is the reality of God is evident in every country, city, town, and neighborhood in the world. The reality of God and the power of God have been made evident to all. The problem is not people have not heard the gospel, it is what they have done with what they do know about God. Here is how Paul puts it. That though they knew about God, they exchanged the truth about God for a lie. You can’t exchange X for Y unless you have X. There is no person born who does not have some knowledge of God. The problem is they do not have knowledge of God but acknowledge God. They Exchanged the truth for a lie. They did not change true religion for no religion, but for Idolatry. We are living in a country full of idolaters. They are not secular people, they are idolaters. The truth may have dawned on them in small measures, but they do not like it. They have exchanged truth for a lie. The reason missions and evangelism is necessary is because the world has truly chosen darkness over light. John 1 says it. The light shines in the darkness, but the cockroaches in the basement preferred that darkness. They know about the light, to run from it.
What I would say about people in remote places who have not heard or heard little of the Gospel? Or on the other side those of us here in the USA who’s currency says on it “In God we trust”, have churches on almost every corner, have been born into Christian families, attended church all our lives or for years, have publically accepted Christ, attended Bible studies and been mentored in our faith? Each person will be judged according to the light they have received and what they have done with that light. They are judged on what they have received ”To whom much has been given much is required”….and judged on what they have done in their life with the light they have received.
Have they acknowledged it and accepted it with joy? Have they begged God for more light and prioritized prayer and Bible reading in their life. Have they consistently shared the light of the Gospel with others? Have they with urgency sought out those in their communities in darkness and witnessed to the light and lead people to Christ? Have they mentored, discipled, and given people access to their lives and light to learn about it? Have they served and loved their neighbors as themselves? All people will one day stand in the throne room before Christ and their life opened up and examined. Each person will be judged according to the light they have received and what they have done with that light. Those of us who have frequently and consistently heard and received light will be judged more than those in a remote region on the earth who little light has be revealed to them. To those much has been given much is required.
My family, This world in this season of greater darkness we find ourselves in today is desperate for the light you have received. I pray this morning you will reflect on the light you have received, what you have done that light and more importantly, what you are doing with that light, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
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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Good morning Jesus, I need you to place in me a need to reach out to others….
Two passages Spoke to me in my prayer time this morning reading and reflecting over Acts chapter 28.
First was Paul quoting from Isaiah 6:9-10;
"Go to this people and say,
“You will keep on hearing, but will never understand,
and you will keep on looking, but will never perceive.
For the heart of this people has become dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have closed their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them". v 26-27
I prayed repentance over my life and our church where ours hearts have become "dull" and complacent. Any ways my ears have been hardened and I fail to take time to hear you in prayer. Where I have become lax in seeking your voice in areas over my life. How I have isolated myself from hearing the voice of my spouse, those in my church, and others who care about my character and faith. Days I neglect to open my Bible and hear your words of truth. I prayed for areas I have closed my eyes and put blinders on to areas of sin, complacency, apathy, and laziness in my life. How I have closed my eyes to the suffering of people and those victims of injustice. Closed my eyes to those around me without Christ in their lives. I prayed for a rekindling of zeal, passion and love in my heart. I prayed for a heart that yearns and seeks after God and understands that you are worthy of everything. I prayed for a heart that falls deeper and more madly in love with God.
The other passage was;
"Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction." v 31
Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop the growing of the church and spreading of the Gospel, the message goes forth. Despite all attempts of social media, fear, wars, civil and political unrest, “wokeness,”and acts of the enemy to stop the church; the spreading of the Gospel through us must go forth! I prayed that if we honestly seek and remain in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, we will go forth as well boldly proclaiming the Gospel of grace and the gates of hell will not prevail against it! (Matt. 16:18.) I prayed we would all finally see our homes as Paul did. That our homes are a gift from God to be used for the glory of God and not built with doors to keep our neighbors out but to welcome them in. I prayed we would all see our homes as outpost of the kingdom of God in our neighborhoods where God has placed us for a season. Places to welcome people into and proclaim the gospel, read the Bible, and train disciples. That we would see our diner tables as “church”, a simple yet Holy and the preferred place to share our Christian faith as both Jesus and Paul did.
May it be so!!
My family, as we close our time together in Acts today I pray the stories we have read of the birth and growth of the church through the everyday lives of people will encourage you to use your everyday life to reach others with the love and grace of Jesus as well. I pray you will sit down and intentionally plan and put in your calendar how and when you will begin sharing the gospel in the neighborhood God has placed you, in Jesus’ name. Please share you thoughts and reflection not only on Chapter 28, but also on our past 28 days together going through Acts and what it has meant to you and/or what are you major take aways. We read though the Book of Acts, as with any book of the Bible, not simply as something we think we should religiously do, but as something we earnestly desire to become, true followers of Jesus and to apply to our lives and lives of others.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You
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Good morning Lord Jesus, here and now let my deep encounter your deep.
“When it was decided we would sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius.” (Acts 27:1)
The story of Paul’s journey to Rome is told in great detail in this chapter. This literary effect of slowing down the passage of time by narrating with many details serves to add a sense of drama to the events described. The story illustrates the difficulty, dangers and hazards of travel by ship and the journey Paul had to take to follow God’s will for his life. From the perspective of someone reading this story in Palestine in the time this chapter was written, this may well picture a journey to "the end of the earth" quite literally.
This reflects back to Jesus’ words, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”( Acts 1:8) However, this voyage even with all its difficulty serves to show how God protected Paul on his long journey to Rome.
Throughout the story it states how Paul advised the crew and his guards. Though Paul is under arrest and is simply a prisoner, he will be the one to guide them all through the dangers of the storm and shipwreck, showing clearly God's presence and protection of him.
Following God’s call on his life was not an easy journey for Paul. Many times throughout the Book of Acts of the Apostles we are reading, we have read how he endured dangers, trials, arrests, beatings, imprisonment, being stoned, attacked by mobs, insults, abuse, persecution, misunderstandings, hardships, and other difficulties. It would be easy to understand if during any one of these times Paul said to himself, “this is just to hard!” and quit. Following God’s call on our lives today is also not an easy journey. Though we try to surround ourselves with as much comforts as possible, when we step out of these and truly follow God’s leading for our lives today we will also experience challenges, difficulties, misunderstandings, persecution, and insults. John Wesley, our founder of the Methodist movement said that if after preaching the Gospel in a town he was not driven out of it and had produce and other objects thrown at him, he feared he did not share the Gospel clearly and completely enough to them.
My family, I pray this morning you will ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a clear understanding of your calling and the journey your faith in Jesus Christ demands of you. Why are you here? Where is Jesus calling to to go? We all have a journey based on obedience to our radical calling as a disciple of Jesus, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections of Acts 27 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/
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!
Acts 26
“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” vs. 27-29
Agrippa's question was an attempt to sidestep Paul's question to him. The king neatly avoided denying his belief in the prophets and accepting Paul's presentation of them, that Jesus is the Christ. Paul replied that whether it took a short time or long, he did indeed hope to make everyone as he was, a disciple of Christ. Those in attendance could not have failed to have been impressed with the bravery and wit of Paul in engaging a king in such lively conversation!
Aggripa's question and his attempt to avoid denying his belief in the prophets and accepting Christ I believe powerfully illustrates the the totality, depth, and all encompassing truth that comprises faith in Christ. We modern "Genitles" I believe fail to realize and embrace this. The Scriptures that Paul claimed were fulfilled and used to argue that Jesus is Lord and Christ were all Old Testament (OT) Scriptures. There was not yet John 3:16, or a "Roman Road" to use to lead someone to Christ.
The use of the OT to argue that Jesus is the Christ was a powerful argument for Paul because those who he was speaking to had the Torah, if not the whole OT memorized and knew it well. Those we witness to today do not know the OT well, and I believe most people in our pews really do not know and understand the over-all mega narrative and prophesy of the OT as it relates to Christ. This may actually have made it more difficult for Jews to believe in Jesus as the Christ. For if a Jew came to believe in Christ, it would effect everything they knew as a Jew. It affected their laws, culture, religion and understanding of God. The “great I am” would would now have a face and a name. And they would have to surrender and place everything they know and understand of Scriptures in the truth that Jesus is Lord.
And we, those in church today, believers, and those souljourners seeking Christ do not grasp this. The lyrics to the song, "What if God was one of us" states, "If God had a face, what would it look like? And would you want to see it, if seeing meant believing in things like heaven and in hell, and the apostles, and in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets." If God has a face, and you come to believe and see the truth that His face is the face of Jesus, then you must accept all the other truths in all of Scripture: the prophets, saints, apostles, the new earth to come, hell, the patriarchs and the cross.
The Jews who came to belief in Jesus as the Christ were in awe and wonder of him because they understood the depth of who he is: He is the Son of man spoken of in Daniel; He is the suffering servant and the root of David spoken of in Isaiah; he is the desperate soul who cries out in Psalm 22; and the list goes on. Unfortunately, most Christians today are Biblically illiterate of these understandings. Most could not remember when they, or have ever read through the Old Testament to seek and understand the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus they contain. Christians today are grafted into a tree by faith and most have little or no understanding of the tree they are grafted into and its deep roots. In this age of materialistic, entitlement, and prosperity gospel, Christians really do not understand the tree they are grafting themselves into is a tree that is in the shape of a cross.
Prayers:
Reflect on, Who is Jesus to you? Everything written in the OT was fulfilled in Jesus. How deep do your roots and understanding, and awe if him go?
Pray that the Holy Spirit will instill in you a desire to go deeper in you understanding of Jesus.
Pray that the Holy Spirit instills in your church to go deeper in understanding Jesus and how you can help encourage them.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will instill in us a community of faith who claims Jesus as our Lord a desire to go deeper in our understanding of Jesus and the totality of his Lordship.
Please share your reflections of Acts 26 with us in the comment box below.
Holy Spirit help me die to my selfishness and embrace your generosity
“When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.” ( Acts 25:.18)
The Jewish Sanhedrin charged Paul with various charges. He violated the purity of the temple, he went against the law of Moses, and he was inciting the people to riot against Roman authorities. However, as Festus soon realized, their main hatred of Paul and charges against him centered on, “a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.” The real point at issue was the resurrection of Jesus. It always boils down to that.
We saw this earlier in Acts, “While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, angry because they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” v. 4:2. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:23, “…but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.”
The resurrection of Jesus is at the core of all attacks on our faith, because if the resurrection of Jesus, is proved a lie, then Christianity crumbles. As Paul states,
“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty. Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God…For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.” 1 Cor 15:12, 19
Paul says, “My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Phil. 3:10 This needs to be our aim as well if we want to have any hope at all of our individual lives and the life of our church to bear any meaningful fruit. However, as Paul says, to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection in ourselves, we must first completely die to ourselves. To enterter into the resurrection of Jesus, we first must enter into the death of Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come an die.”
The context of his quote is this. “The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death—we give over ourlives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time—death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call. (The Cost of Discipleship)
Take time to read 1Corinthians chapter 15 today. It is a chapter devoted completed to the resurrection of Jesus.
My family, I pray you reflect today, “about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.” (v.18). Do you truly believe this? Then claim this belief again over your life and the life of our church. Claim you are willing to answer Christ’s call to come and die so you can experience the power of his resurrection. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same over me. God bless you my friends!
Say out loud and claim this prayer over your life and your domain:
“Jesus, I also sincerely receive you as my Life, and I receive all the work and triumph in your resurrection, through which you have conquered sin, death, judgment, and the evil one. Death has no power over you, nor does any foul thing. And I have been raised with you to a new life, to live your life—dead to sin and alive to God. I take my place now in your resurrection and in your life, and I give my life to you to live your life. I am saved by your life. I reign in life through your life. I receive your hope, love, faith, joy, your goodness, trueness, wisdom, power, and strength. Apply to me all the work and triumph in your resurrection; I receive it with thanks and I give it total claim to my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind, and will.
I bring the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ over my life today, over my home, my family, my household, my vehicles, finances, over all my kingdom and domain. I bring the resurrection and the empty tomb of Jesus Christ against Satan, against his kingdom, against every foul and unclean spirit, every foul power and black art, against every witch, and against every human being and their spirit, their warfare, and household. I bring the resurrection and the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ to the borders of my kingdom and domain, and I stake it there in Jesus’ name.” (portion of John Eldridge’s “Daily Prayer Of Freedom”)
Please share your reflections with us on the resurrection of Christ 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 Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You!
Jesus, I want my heart to beat in complete rhythm with yours..
"I have a hope in God (a hope that these men themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. This is the reason I do my best to always have a clear conscience toward God and toward people....While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.” (Acts 24:15-16 ,25)
I am not a "hell and damnation" preacher. I don’t pretend to know anything concrete about the referent to that word “hell” so carelessly tossed around by some Christians. But I do know that it has a referent. And there is enough description surrounding it to indicate that whatever hell is, it is a big problem. I also know that I am not God, so how I may handle this problem is irrelevant. God handled it by sending his Son to be killed by and for the world. He only requires the gratitude due, which, if genuine, will produce a commitment to the truth and a commitment to the way. Only to the grateful will the resurrection of life be granted.
I cringe inside when some uses manipulation like, "If you get hit by a bus tonight, do you know where you will go?" Jesus, Paul, never used shame to coerce people into belief. Yet Paul reminds us that when we die, none of us will just be “dead as dirt.” We all, both righteous and unrighteous, will be resurrected to a coming judgement. Jesus said, “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29). Paul knows that everything he does will be revealed to God. He understands that he is an eternal being. He also understands that all people he has contact with throughout his life: his neighbors, co-workers, and friends, are eternal beings. So that all his actions and interactions with people have eternal consequences.
This understanding dictated every decision Paul made in his life.
“While Paul was discussing this as the bases of his daily quest for righteousness, self-control, and a clear conscience before God, The Governor Felix became convicted, frightened, and sent Paul away. “
How often do thoughts of resurrection enter into and mold the the basis of my interaction with people? How often do I remind myself that all people I also contact everyday are eternal beings and that all my actions and interactions with people have eternal consequences? Unfortunately, not often enough . If Paul was having that same discussion he had with Felix on resurrection, righteousness, self-control, and having a clear conscience before God with me, I would probably become uneasy and send him away as well as Felix did. Paul’s reminding me that everything I do, and do not do is known to God, and that some day I will stand before Jesus and everyone I have ever met, and all those I have never met, and how I had shared or failed to share the resurrection of Jesus with those around me in my daily life will be openly revealed to all. This truth would bring me anxiety and I would tell Paul like Felix we will talk about this again when the time is better. When the Holy Spirit starts the same revelation in my heart, I usually do not follow him, or I use rationalization, or comparison of myself to others to justify myself, my not sharing of the Resurrection of Jesus with others, and then go in another direction. Yet I am a person of the Creed. We are a church of the Creed. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. I need to let this sink in and affect the way I live today, not just as a way to hopefully get me out of hell after I die.
Our existence, our church’s existence, all Christianity rests completely on the hope of the resurrection. We need to be living in that hope today and sharing with others that hope today as resurrected people, and the future hope with those who are in Christ Jesus.
Take time in silence to ponder the resurrection of Christ.
Take time to ponder your resurrection in Christ.
As your knees get weak as you try to take in the enormity of it all, be thankful.
Be thankful to the Father who's unbelievable love conceived it.
Be thankful to the Son who's unbelievable love achieved it.
Be thankful to the Holy Spirit who's unbelievable love empowered it.
Pray that you will begin sharing this resurrection through jesus you are so grateful to have received with others.
Pray that you and that your church full of thanksgiving, can be a visible and living testimony to the resurrection hope in Christ to the world.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will remind you and give you an eternal perspective with every person you encounter in your day. In Jesus’ name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and comments on chapter 24 with others and myself in the comments box in this post below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You!
Acts 23
"Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul." v.16
In Acts 23 we read about the son of Paul's sister, or Paul's nephew. His nephew, not named, heard about the plot against his uncle, and ran to his uncle and told him. When we read Acts and the stories about Paul, we may tend to forget that like all of us, he had a family. Brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins, grandparents, and a mom and dad. They were around him, he visited them, and they were part of his day to day life while he was in Jerusalem. They also were not Christians, they were devout Jews. They knew Paul, (their son/brother/uncle) that he was also a devout Jew, passionate for his God, passionately hunting down arresting, throwing in prison, and causing the death of the Christians that were speaking blasphemy about God. He was in the center and leader of this “purification” movement. No, doubt, he had spoken of this to his family and he had encouraged their support in condemning and persecuting The Way.
Imagine their shock and surprise when they heard that Paul, their defender of the Jewish faith and persecutor of Christians, the family member whom they looked up to, was now a Christian himself! And not only that, but he was now a leader of and in the center of the Christian movement he was trying to destroy!! Paul was the talk of the town that everyone was gossiping about. And now those in power, who once were his strong allies, are now plotting to kill him! As devout Jews, did his family members also want to stone him? Did some want to join him? His nephew it appears was a family member who Paul's conversion did not lead to rejection, but an acceptance of him, and perhaps an acceptance of Christ.
I believe for ODC, or any church to press deeper into our calling, grow stronger together and grow our ministries together as a church family in Christ, we must strengthen and grow our personal families in Christ. We are all part of and lead ministries, volunteer and serve, are part houses churches, Bands, and other small groups. However, the most important small group we are part of and are called to lead is our family. Let’s focus our prayers and reflections today on our family.
Reflect for a moment how your faith has affected you family: spouse, sons and daughters, parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins.
Have you shared your faith with your family? Are you sharing your faith with them now? How do you share your faith with your family? Do you pray with them? Do you set aside time to read the Bible with them? Do you serve in your community with them? Pray that you may witness to those in your family more bolder. Pray for the faith of your family. Spend your time at lunch praying over your family. Plan to spend a day fasting in prayer over your family.
Are there family members who want to stone you because of your faith? Pray that peace and reconciliation between you may occur, and the presence and Spirit of Christ may one day be something that bonds you, instead of divides you.
Pray a prayer of thanks over family members, who like Paul's nephew, went out of their way on your behalf, and ministered to you and allowed you to be where you are in Christ today.
Pray for the forming of a sturdy covering of prayer over your family, your home and relationship with them. Pray your home can be encouraging to each of you individually, and your home can be an outpost of the kingdom of God.
Pray that your church will become an even stronger family bound together by prayer that stands up for and supports each other, serves Christ together, and proclaims the gospel together.
Action: Share this message and pray with your family today. Call at least one family member today, share your faith and let them know you are praying over them. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me, God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and comments with your family in Christ below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
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Jesus, lover of my soul, Jesus I will never let you go…
“And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison andbeat those who believed in You. And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.' And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"(Acts 22:19-21)
In Chapter 22 Paul gives his testimony. Paul tells how he came face to face with Jesus and heard his condemnation, ““I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (v 9:5) He also heard Jesus' calling upon his life, to get up and go where I tell you. He then he went to Annais, and he was baptized and confirmed the calling on his life. (9:18) Later he went to church (the Temple) and he was praying to Jesus, and Jesus again called to him. And what was Paul’s response to Jesus’ call? He looked back into his past, and focused on his past, the things he had done in his past, and tried to back out of his calling. Jesus however, looked forward to his future and the things he would do. Paul saw his past. Jesus saw his future. Paul lived in the shame of his past failed, and misguided plans. Jesus lives in the grace of his future great plans for him. Paul remembered and retained. Jesus forgot and forgave. Paul saw himself through eyes of condemnation. Jesus saw Paul through the eyes of grace.
When Paul accepted Jesus' grace and forgiveness. When he surrendered his past to Christ, Jesus anointed his past, covered it with his blood, broke any chains it held on Paul, and sanctified his past as an instrument to be used to His glory and the spreading of the Gospel of grace and forgiveness. Paul accepted Jesus as his Lord and surrendered everything to Christ including his past, and the result was these amazing stories and testimonies of his we are now reading about now in Acts.
Insert your name into these three versus and read them slowly out loud to yourself for a few minutes. And embrace the truth Jesus is speaking over you.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
17Therefore if _________ is in Christ, he/she is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Revelation 21:5
5And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making _________ new "
Romans 8:1-2
Therefore there is now no condemnation for ________ who is in Christ Jesus.
You accepted Jesus as you Lord, and you need to surrendered everything to Christ including your past. The result of your surrender will be an amazing testimony of how Christ used you to spread his gospel of free grace and forgiveness. We are in a time of praying together and reading through The Book Of The Acts Of The Apostlest as a church to be guided by the Holy Spirit into new areas of ministry for us. This is only possible if we step out of the old areas.
Next, insert the names of at least one friend, co worker, family member, or someone you know who needs to hear these words into the verses above and pray these versus out loud over them. If so led call/text and share these versus with them.
My family, I pray today you completely surrender your life to your Lord Jesus Christ, including your past. I pray you will see yourself through Jesus’ eyes of love and grace and allow Him to lead you into new and wonderful areas of ministry He hal planned for you. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
As we begin these last chapters, please share your reflections from this chapter or our time together in Acts, I would love to hear any revelations or calling The Holy Spirit has given you. Post them in the comments box below to encourage others as well.. I would love to hear from you.
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You! Thank You!
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Conform me this morning Jesus to your image….
“They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs…”(Acts 21:.20-21)
In Acts 21 Paul returns to Jerusalem and spends time with James, John, and the council telling them all the great things God has been doing in his ministry. They spend a few moments to praise God for these things, but then they push on through it to the more important issue to them: which was not the divine workings of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, but man made workings of their traditions, sentimental items, and customs.
The Christian church had been established in Jerusalem for many years now and existed in relative peace with the Jews there. Paul however, who is also a Christian, comes to the church in Jerusalem and all the Jews want to beat him and stone him. And the and it is Christians and the Christian church itself in Jerusalem that is bringing up charges up against Paul. Why? Why do the Jews want to stone Paul and yet are ok with and leave alone James, John and the council, and the Christian Church in Jerusalem? All of them were followers of Christ like Paul.
Because the church in Jerusalem still followed the law of Moses. These Jewish Christians remained close to and kept their Jewish practices, customs, traditions, sentimental items, and “way things have always been done” after becoming believers. They may now be Christians and believe differently inwardly, but they “blended in” with non-Christians enough to be ”ok” in their eyes.
Paul however, proclaimed a gospel of the free grace of God and forgiveness to all. He may have been ok if he stuck to proclaiming that Gentiles did not need to follow Jewish customs and traditions in order to become Christians. But he started “meddling” and went farther than that. The big issue and charge was that Paul was also teaching the Jews in the Diaspora (Jews dispersed in other regions and countries outside of Jerusalem) that became Christians that they also may abandon the law of Moses and being bound to its required practices, restrictions, customs, holidays, and traditions. It was not Paul’s “meddling” with God that got him in trouble, it was his meddling in church practices, traditions, “look”, style, and sentimental attachments that riled the Jews up enough to want him dead.
We in the church today get riled up in the same way over things other than the Jesus. When I pastored a local church, one Sunday I moved the altar from behind the altar rail you kneel at to in front of the rail to aid in a sermon I was preaching that morning on the Lord’s Supper. I was practically charged with committing heresy for doing it! One Sunday I read the Scriptures from my cell phone and two people left the church because I did not read it from a leather and paper book. Our house church meets on Wednesday evenings. When I tell people this I do not know how many people reply back to me in shock, “You do not meet on Sunday mornings?!?” When we renovated a sanctuary a church it caused a bitter conflict among the partitioners that centered around replacing the “original pews,” modifying the altar railings, and wall colors.
An all- white church I pastored wanted to reach out and invite the the large population of blacks in their community to attend and join their church family. However, they were not willing to change any of their worship styles, Sunday service, or include them in their leadership team to accomplish this. They invited the black people, however they had worship to Casting Crowns, and conform and worship like white people. There was no flexibility to change.
The church in Jerusalem praised God and praised Paul and wanted him to continue efforts to make disciples that imitate Christ, however that praise stopped when he did not follow their traditions and “way of doing things.” The disciples he was making were trying to imitate Jesus, but since Paul did not also teach them try to imitate the Jews as well so they wanted to stone him and take him out. In most churches today this attitude, if not openly declared, is firmly instilled in the polity and DNA of the church. We want you to make new disciples that conform to the image of Christ, so long as they conform to our polity, practices, customs, church structure, and traditions as well. Or else the church will overtly or covertly make it known to you that you have crossed the line.
To Paul, all these other things he denounced as a departure from the purity of the Gospel: of keeping the priority of Christ Crucified, Christ Risen and the forgiveness of sins. Of Simply Jesus. His purpose and outlook was not looking back and keeping things the same and to imitate the church in the past, but looking forward to what changes needed to be made to grow the church and imitate Jesus. We are not called to imitate a church or denomination, we are called to imitate Christ.
Prayers:
Pray over your personal relationship with Jesus. Are there any religious practices you are clinging to, or more importantly requiring others to cling to was well? Are you steadfast in your obedience to Scripture and Christ, yet flexible enough to allow, accept and even join in with others who’s practices and customs differ from yours. Are you open to change from “the way things have always been done?” Paul was flexible enough to worship with Jewish Christians and gentile Christians, and to change styles and formats to grow God’s church, are you?
Pray over any past or current areas in you faith where you have shown prejudice resisted fellowship with, or been hostile towards other Christians, leaders or churches not over going against Scriptures and Jesus’ Gospel of Grace, But because of a difference of personal practices, customs, or traditions. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections on Chapter 21 with myself and others in the comments box. My purpose for writing the daily reflections is to encourage your own reflections and prayers. I would love to hear what God is revealing to you.
Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You! Thank You!
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, in this quiet time this morning I seek to know you deeply and intimately and feel your embrace of love..
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24
Paul was ready to surrender his freedom and, if needed, his life itself for the sake of Christ and his service. Self-preservation and comfort were not a motive which he sought after. His main concern was to fulfill the course which Christ had marked for him to run, sharing in the Spirit’s power the good news of God’s free grace in Christ. Life or death was not the issue that mattered: what mattered most was, as he told the church gathered, that Christ should be magnified in his body.
As the leaders of the church gathered around Paul, he laid on them a weighty responsibility. The Holy Spirit had entrusted them with the charge of the people of God and the church in Ephesus. They now were charged with the sharing of the gospel to the city and caring for the them as shepherds care for their flock. Their responsibility was great in that the flock which they were commissioned to tend was no other than the church of God which he himself had purchased for himself with nothing less than the life-blood of his beloved Son.
Paul then looks forward to their future and the prospects for the Ephesian church was not completely promising. He tells them the sheep will have to be guarded with unceasing vigilance, for ferocious wolves will try to force their way among them and ravage them. As in the Jesus’ parable of the good shepherd in John chapter 10, here it is the leaders of the church who are called to be the good shepherds of their flock. They are called to protect the church from false teachers, here described as wolves, because of the spiritual death and havoc they cause. Yet it is not only wolves from the outside that will try to intrude the church but that false teachings will come out of their own ranks and arise to try to seduce their followers away from the fold. Later in John’s writings in Revelations the Ephesian church is chastised for abandoning her first love. Foreseeing these happenings, Paul urges the church leaders to be vigilant and follow his example: To maintain their course God has set them to run; to share the good new of God’s free grace; to shepherd and show compassion and concern on new converts; to be ready to surrender freedom and life; as all that mattered was that Christ should be glorified in their body.
My family, I pray as you read this chapter and my reflection, you understand that you are now one of the leaders of the church today. You are now called to be the good shepherd over the flock in your city, the church that God purchased with the blood of his Son. You are now called to keep the wolves out. And together as leaders, we are called to maintain our course God has set us to run; to share the good new of God’s free grace; to shepherd and show compassion and concern on new converts; to be ready to surrender freedom and life; as all that matters is that Christ should be glorified in our bodies, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections on chapter 20 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
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
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Acts 19
Good morning Lord Jesus, Father and Spirit, Silver and gold I do not seek this morning, but the gift of your presence in my life.
The song, "There is power in the name of Jesus, to break every chain..." came to my mind as I read this chapter. There is power in Jesus. In the battlefield of spiritual warfare, claiming the name of Jesus, claiming the power of Jesus, claiming to be in Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit in you is the ultimate weapon. But the Holy Spirit is a consuming fire. He is not a lap dog that you can beckon to come and go, and there is nothing domesticated about Him. So you do not "play" with Him or flippantly throw out the name of Jesus. Like handling a powerful, explosive weapon, there is a sense of awe, respect, and fear involved.
Acts 19:13-16 (NASB)" 13But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded."
When I went to Darfur, Sudan, the region was then and still is now an extremely dangerous and violent region. Some team members requested permission to carry a hand gun. We were told you can bring a hand gun, but once you carry one, in the view of the rebel military forces in the area you are no longer a civilian on a mission trip, you are a soldier on a mission, and the rebels do not play around. You do not carry it for show. If you are going to carry a gun, you better make sure in your inner being that you are prepared and willing to use it, without any hesitation or fear, to shoot and kill another human being because the Islamic military personnel you will face will not even blink an eye at using their weapons to shoot and kill you.
What you need to understand, is that when you accept Christ's call to follow Him, claim to be His disciple, participate in a church and choose to carry a cross, the way you are viewed in the worlds eye is changed. You are no longer a civilian in the world’s economic and political system under Satan, the Ruler of the World, complacent, and selfishly withdrawn and docile. You are viewed as a soldier under the command of Jesus your Lord. When you choose to carry The Cross, you are choosing to carry a weapon. You enter into the battle field of spiritual warfare. And just as real and plain as my Darfur illustration, is the seriousness and the life and death consequences of your decision. Christianity is not something you “play with” or “dabble in. You do not claim to be a Christian, carry a cross and follow Jesus for “show." You don’t stand on Sunday morning and raise your voices and hands and sing “Mighty To Save” without expecting to encounter the enemy you just sang you were saved from later on Sunday afternoon. We are trying to take back territory and communities from the enemy. We are trying to liberate families and individuals from Satan’s rule. We are part of the revolution of Christ. If you are going to carry a cross you need embrace the serious military and warfare implications of Ephesians 6:10-18. Take seriously its call to put on the full armor of God and arm yourself with the sword of the spirit. For there is an enemy who has come to kill, steal and destroy (Jn 21:25) who also will not blink an eye in using all it’s weapons at his disposal on you. He wants nothing more to see good hearted people get hurt and hurt each other. Press into Jesus who's battle it is and who's victory it is. So when the evil spirits look at you, with terrified eyes they will see Jesus, and tremble with fear.
My family, if you were one of the 7 brothers in the story in vs 13-16 and spoke out the name of Jesus, and the evil spirit looked at you, would he recognize you as a true disciple of Christ?
I Pray you meditate on your full understanding of your baptism and your answering the call to carry a cross and follow Christ. Pray on an understanding of the new view as a cross bearer for Christ you now have in the world's eyes.
Acts 19 begins with Paul ministering in Ephesus. So I turned to Paul’s letter to the church in this city. Read Ephesians 6:10-18, pray yourself into the full armor of God. Then close your eyes and visualize the victorious Christ reigning in your family, your neighborhood, and Huntsville and Madison.
Read Ephesians 6:19-20. Pray those two verses over yourself, and each member of your church Pray them also over 5 people you know who are Gospel bearers, in Jesus’ name. Please pray them over me. God bless you my friends!!
Please share your reflections on your time in Acts 19 in the comments box below.
I have included Ephesians 6:10-20 below. I added to it other verses in Scripture that support its message. Read through it and meditate on it as you have time today and over the weekend.
Ephesians 6:10-20 (in italics) with corresponding Scriptures inserted.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” 2Tim 2:1
“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John 2:14
Put on
“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.” Job 29:14
“The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Rom. 13:12
the whole armor of God,
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Cor.10:4
that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Eph 4:14
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” Col. 1:13
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
“When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Luke 22:53
"in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” Eph 2:2
Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” 1 Pe 4:1
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
“making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:16-19
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth,
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Pet. 1:13
“Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Isa. 11:5
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,” Isa 61:10
“He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” Isa 59:17
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation,” Isa 52:7
“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Rom 10:15
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith,
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1Joh 5:4
with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“ Heb 4:12
“He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.” Isa 49:2
praying at all times
"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart" Lk. 18:1
in the Spirit,
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit" Jude 1:20. "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Romans 8:26
with all prayer and supplication.
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak" Col 4:2-4
To that end keep alert with all perseverance,
"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake." Mark 13:32-34
making supplication for all the saints,
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people," 1 Tim 2:1
and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth
"At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—" Col. 4:3. "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you," 2Th. 3:1
boldly to proclaim
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness," Acts 4:29
the mystery of the gospel,
"how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly." Eph. 3:3
for which I am an ambassador
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" 2Cor. 5:20
in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."
"For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” Acts 28:20
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment 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. Thank You! Thank You!
Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day long in my time in your Word and prayer to hear your story and to make it mine as well.
I love Acts 18 as Acts 18 is a chapter on discipleship. In this chapter we meet Aquila and Priscilla. A couple that took Paul in and were discipled by him for 1 1/2 -2 years in Corinth. And where did he disciple them? At work. “because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade” v.3. Paul discipled them in his workplace. He shared his faith with them as they worked together. The result was that that when Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, it was not Barnabas, Timothy or Silas that accompanied him on his trip, but Aquila and Priscilla.
While Paul was in Ephesus, God led him to witness in his neighborhood. “And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God who’s house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.” v, 7-8. Paul prayer walked his neighborhood and made disciples of his next door neighbors. And Paul took Aquila and Priscilla with him as he walked his neighborhood. They watched him, learnied from him, shared their faith as well and were themselves being deeper discipled by him as he discipled others. The results of this was that after Paul spent time in Ephesus, he left but Aqulai and Pricilla stayed behind, as long term missionaries and they helped plant and birth the church in Ephesus and making disciples.
We then see later in 18, how Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos into their house, and discipled him for a time, then sent him out to Achia to grow the church. “But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” v. 26. Discipleship, changes individual(s) to go out and change the world and to go out and make disciples who make disciples.
The Lord spoke to Paul, ”Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people." vs. 9-10. The Lord said there were many in his city that were “his people”, people who the soil of their hearts was good and ready to receive the seed of the gospel if Paul would just go and sow it in them. The Lord is speaking the same to you and I. Put your name and city in that verse, “Do not be afraid Gary, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in Madison and Huntsville who are my people."
So who are you discipling now? In your workplace? In your neighborhood? Who are your Aquilas and Pricillas that you are pouring into and giving them real access to your lives so they can watch you, learn from you, and become disciples? Real access does not just happen. Real access does not happen and can not happen in a Sunday morning church service or Bible Study, text message, or Facebook post. Real access to your faith requires a personal intentional investment of real time
My family, we are called to grow our churches with discipleship making at the core of what we do. Many of you reading this have invested decades: 10, 20, 30, 40 years or more in your faith going to church services, Bible studies, and praying. You are the ones Jesus is directly speaking to in the Parable of the Talents found beginning in Matthew 25:14. Read it. You are the ones not just given 5, or 3 talents, but hundreds of talents over decades of being a Christian. As the parable declares one day you will stand before Jesus and he will settle up your account. The first question he will ask you is what have you done with the talents I gave you? How many disciples did you make from my investment in you? Are you going to say you you buried them in the ground? Remember Jesus commission to the church in Matthew 28? “Go and make disciples…. “ Discipleship requires investing personal and intimate time with other individuals. This flows out of us individually from investing more personal and intimate time with God. I pray that God will strengthen your resolve to invest time in Him by daily reading our chapter in Acts, fasting one day a week, spending one solid hour a week in prayer, meeting weekly in a Band group for accountability.
I pray that you will today intentionally form a Band Group to allow “Pauls”, “Aquillas” and “Priscillas” to pour into you and you pour into them.
Pray that as your church moves forward and you will invest more in each other, that true discipleship among you will occur. Pray for unity among us.
Pray as we move forward we will invest more in others by inviting them into our houses, inviting them into a Band Group, prayer walking, and other discipling ministries and increased fruits in those you are discipling now. and that God will start sowing seeds into those our church will disciple.
Think of two or three people you know who need discipling in their walk now and pray that God will give you the love to step into their life. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections on chapter 18 with us in the comment box below.
Please allow me to intentionally give you access to my life!
Discipleship Training.
One of my passions is helping churches, organizations, or groups understand the how 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.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
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Good morning Lord Jesus, you are my Lord, my God, my creature, and my life. Use me today for your glory..
“These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too, and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesars decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!” v. 7
“This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” v.3
"Paul had also proclaimed the word of God" v.13
"because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.”v.18
I love Acts 17. It is a chapter of proclamation! It is a chapter on the revolution of Christ! It is a chapter on the spreading of the Gospel and the claiming people and places as part of God’s Kingdom on earth!
We too are called to join in today and proclaim there is another King named Jesus! Paul tell’s us, "For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we too are his offspring."(17:28) If this is true, then our very lives should be proclamations of our King Jesus, and as his subjects, that the Kingdom of God is at hand! “Throughout the world.” v. 6 Notice how some of those present in Thessalonica had knowledge of what had happened elsewhere. Word about Paul and his companions and their message was spreading. The gospel was turning the world upside down! and Paul says, ““He now commands all people everywhere to repent” v.30. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded. This includes all of Huntsville. Madison, Birmingham and your city, your neighbors, your family, and yourself.
John Wesley said, “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God; such alone will shake the gates of hell.” We are called to join in shaking the gates of hell!
We are called to radically join in this revolution! We are called to stir up trouble, up-set the world, and turn the world upside down and declare in the face of all the idolatry in our cities, ”There is another king named Jesus!” v.7. Everywhere Paul preached in Acts 17 he was driven out of town. John Wesley once said that if after sharing the gospel he wasn’t driven out of town he feared he did not share it well enough. The gospel is radical message. C.S Lewis said, “A man who first tried to guess 'what the public wants,' and then preached that as Christianity because the public wants it, would be a pretty mixture of fool and knave”
My family, I pray you will come to understand, "Nothing great happens when you hold back." I Pray that God will remove from you today anything that is "holding you back" from proclaiming Jesus is King. Pray this over yourself.
If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Martin Luther said, “Delay is the sharpest arrow in the enemies quiver.” Pray over your immediate obedience to share the Gospel.
Pray right now that the Holy Spirit will lead and put in your path today the un-avoidable and obvious opportunity to share the gospel with one person today. Pray over this with sincerity and expectancy, and then walk out your door expecting and searching for it to happen.
Pray that your life today will boldly and joyfully proclaim Jesus is the King!
Pray for those you know: friends, family members, co-workers, who as Paul refers to in Athens, that are worshipping an unknown god or gods. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to them the existence of the one true God.
Pray for the cities of Madison, Huntsville, Brimingham, and your neighborhood, that the proclamation that Jesus is Lord will be the chorus heard through out it! In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your thoughts and reflections on Chapter 17 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
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
