Unwrapped Gifts: The Gift of LOVE! (Sermon Audio)
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Unwrapped Gifts: The Gift of LOVE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 15, 2026 sermon, “Unwrapped Gifts: The Gift of LOVE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

1 Corinthians 13

 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

When we experience the gift of Jesus, it is imperative that we unwrap the various gifts He gives to us.  As we continue on a journey to unwrap these gifts, we find the most excellent gift of . . .

  • Learning:  1 Corinthians 13:1-3

    • As we unwrap the gift of love, we unwrap a learning of how love is the key element in making all other gifts useful. 

  • Observation:  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

    • As we unwrap the gift of love, we unwrap an observation of what true and godly love looks like.

  • Value:  1 Corinthians 13:8-12

    • As we unwrap the gift of love, we unwrap the value of a gift that endures when all else fails.

  • Eternity:  1 Corinthians 13:13

    • As we unwrap the gift of love, we unwrap the eternal nature of the one gift that is greatest of all.

Today, how will you live with the gift of LOVE?

Encouragement and Prayer: Serve Faithfully! (2/13/26)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serve Faithfully! (2/13/26)

This is the audio from the February 13, 2026 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on learning to serve.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your service to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray that you would be faithful in using God’s gifting in your life to serve others.  Pray that your faithfulness in serving would be based on God’s faithfulness to you.  Pray that God would help you to know His grace more fully.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Serve Wholeheartedly! (2/12/26)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serve Wholeheartedly! (2/12/26)

This is the audio from the February 12, 2026 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on learning to serve.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your service to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.”
Ephesians 6:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray that you would serve others with a whole heart, just as you would if it were Jesus being served.  Pray that you would keep your eyes fixed on Jesus as you serve.  Pray that you would know the joy and contentment that comes from serving wholeheartedly.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Serve One Another! (2/11/26)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serve One Another! (2/11/26)

This is the audio from the February 11, 2026 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on learning to serve.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your service to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray that you would look for opportunities to use you freedom to serve others rather than yourself.  Pray for the compassion needed to serve one another even when you think you are free not to.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Serve With Power! (2/10/26)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serve With Power! (2/10/26)

This is the audio from the February 10, 2026 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on learning to serve.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your service to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.”
2 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray for the courage to serve in God’s power even when you feel weak.  Pray that your eyes would be opened to how God desires show His power through your weaknesses.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Serve In the Spirit! (2/9/26)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serve In the Spirit! (2/9/26)

This is the audio from the February 9, 2026 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on learning to serve.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your service to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”
Romans 7:6 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray that you would know the freedom in Christ that enables you to serve in the way of the Spirit.  Pray that each believer would experience the freedom found by serving in the Spirit.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Unwrapped Serving: Serve NOW! (Sermon Audio)
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Unwrapped Serving: Serve NOW! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 8, 2026 sermon, “Unwrapped Serving: Serve NOW!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Proverbs 3:27-28; Galatians 5:13-18

 

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

When we experience the gift of Jesus, it is imperative that we unwrap the various gifts He gives to us.  As we continue on a journey to unwrap the gifts which have been given, we learn to serve . . .

  • Noticeably:  Galatians 5:13-15

    • Like it or not, people notice how you treat others.  They notice how you treat your family, your coworkers, your neighbors, your friends, and even your enemies.  While there is instruction from God’s Word about giving and helping and serving in secret, we’re also told to let our light shine so that people will see our good deeds and glorify our Father who is in heaven.  The difference, I believe, is our heart and motivation.  Serving noticeably is not the same as serving to be noticed.  Paul makes it clear, just as Jesus did, that the way we treat one another within the body of Christ will get the attention of the lost.  Will you serve noticeably in a way that people see Jesus? 

  • Obediently:  Galatians 5:16-17

    • Serving now will also call us to serve obediently as we seek to honor Christ with our words and our actions.  I’m pretty sure you won’t always feel like serving even those you love, let alone those who are enemies.  We even struggle at times to want to serve God.  Serving now will require us to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ so that we do what He commands rather than what we feel like or want to.  It is serving obediently that drives us to serve according to the needs of others rather than defining our service by what we want, are comfortable with, or desire.  This obedience is first of all an obedience to God as we seek His wisdom in understanding the real needs of others.  Will you serve obediently in a way which honors Jesus?

  • Worshipfully:  Galatians 5:18

    • Because Jesus set the example by humbling Himself and taking on the form of a man, even that of a bond-servant, we will find ourselves worshiping God when we serve Him by serving others.  Jesus declared that true worship is that which is done in Spirit and in truth.  When we acknowledge the presence of God’s Spirit within us, and learn to live in response to His leading, we find our life being true in its worship of God.  When we offer our self as a living sacrifice, it is a willingness to serve others according to their need, we please God and present to Him an offering which is our act of reasonable, or spiritual, worship.  Will you serve worshipfully in a way which exalts God?

Today, how will you serve NOW?

Encouragement and Prayer: Teach Sound Doctrine! (2/6/26)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Teach Sound Doctrine! (2/6/26)

This is the audio from the February 6, 2026 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!”
Hebrews 5:12 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on unwrapping the gift of teaching and on our responsibility to teach.  While some people have special roles of teaching, all of us are teachers of someone who is watching.  So the question isn’t if you teach, but rather what are you teaching?  God’s desire is that we learn and put into practice the truths of His Word so we would move beyond infancy and be able to teach accurately.  Pray that you would live with humility as you learn so that you would teach others the value of putting the things of God into practice.  Pray for those in specific roles of teaching — both those who teach in various school settings (public, private, homeschool, etc) as well as those who teach God’s Word within the church.  Pray that you would be a teacher of the things you learn from God.

“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.”
Titus 2:1 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you realize how, and who, He would have you teach.  Pray that you would pay careful attention to sound doctrine as you teach with both your words and your life.  Pray that you would continually seek God for His help in keeping your life and teaching in line with sound doctrine.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom