Encouragement and Prayer: A Home of God’s Light! (11/3/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: A Home of God’s Light! (11/3/25)

This is the audio from the November 3, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete.”
1 John 1:3-4 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will be about walking together in community with one another as we grow in our walk with God.  When we consider the divisive nature of this world it should be clear that we need more than this world can offer if we want to walk together with anyone.  As we walk in fellowship with God, we find a place that is home.  As the home of God’s Spirit, we join in community with others as we say, “Welcome Home!”  Pray for a greater fellowship with others through a common sharing of the things God has done.  Pray for a growing joy as you walk through life together with God and with one another.  Pray for wisdom in representing Jesus to others through the way you live life each day.  Pray for a growing circle of those you walk together with.   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.

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
1 John 1:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in your walk with Him.  Pray that God and His Word would always be the light of your home.  Pray that your words and your life would consistently declare the light of God to the people you find yourself walking together with in this life.

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

Knowing the BASICS – Knowing the Community: A Place To Be HOME! (Sermon Audio)

Knowing the BASICS – Knowing the Community: A Place To Be HOME! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 2, 2025 sermon, “Knowing the Community: A Place To Be HOME!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 1 John 1

 

“I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.  Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”
1 Corinthians 10:15-16 (NIV)

Today we continued a sermon series about Knowing the BASICS!  This will be a six-part series looking at the basics of what we believe as the Deer Run Church of Christ, which corresponds with what I believe as a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus.  Foundational to our beliefs about God is a belief that the Bible is the true and accurate Word of God filled with the content He desires for us to know and follow.  Because the Bible is God’s Word, we believe and know God to be the authority over all things.  With God as the authority, we find through Jesus the example of knowing the submission we ought to live with.  As we submit to God, we discover a great invitation from Him to all people.  As we respond to the invitation of God, we discover a community of believers called to a unity through a communion with God and with one another.  It is in this community that we find not only find a place to call home, we find in Him a place to be . . .

  • Humble1 John 1:1

    • Our communion within the community of God is a place to be humble as we recognize Jesus as the One who call us to consider the needs of others to be more important than our own.  Humility ought to be a character trait that every Christian desires to see grow in their own life as it is an identifying characteristic of Jesus.  When the world teaches us to lift our self, God identifies the church as a place to be humble. 
  • Observant:  1 John 1:2-4

    • Our communion within the community of God is a place to be observant as we open both our eyes and our mind.  We “observe” the Lord’s Supper and the community it brings when we choose to not only see the elements, but to experience the meaning of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in our life.  When the world teaches us to look our for our self, God identifies the church as a place to be observant.
  • More: 1 John 1:5-7

    • Our communion within the community of God is a place to be more because our being becomes reflective of who God is rather than being limited by who we are.  It is the enemy who wishes to limit what God can do in us and through us, and sometimes we are willing participants in believing God would never be able to use us for something beyond what we can imagine.  When the world teaches us to know our limit, God identifies the church as a place to be more.
  • Enough:  1 John 1:8-10

    • Our communion within the community of God is a place to be enough as we put our faith and complete trust in the work God accomplished through Jesus.  Even as we understand God’s ability to do more then we can think or imagine, we also must learn the contentment of simply being enough when God’s work in us isn’t as big as we would like.  When the world teaches us to pursue greatness by its standards, God identifies the church as a place to be enough.

Today, how will you, and the community of believers you are part of, be HOME?

Encouragement and Prayer: Junior and Senior High Students and Families! (10/31/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: Junior and Senior High Students and Families! (10/31/25)

This is the audio from the October 31, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on praying about the education of our children.  Education in math, science, language, and other school subjects are important but not nearly as important as our teaching the things of God to the next generations.  Each of them have an important part in preparing young people for the work God has created in advance for them to do. Pray for the delivery methods of that education whether it be through homeschooling, private Christian schools, or public schools.  Pray that you would do your part in investing in the lives of young people.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.  Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”
Colossians 3:20-21 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you pray for the various levels of education our children receive.  Pray that teen and pre-teen students would know the value of obedience.  Pray that the families would work together in a manner that values each person.  Pray for wisdom in making schooling choices and choices regarding each student’s future beyond high school.

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: Elementary School Teachers and Staff! (10/30/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: Elementary School Teachers and Staff! (10/30/25)

This is the audio from the October 30, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on praying about the education of our children.  Education in math, science, language, and other school subjects are important but not nearly as important as our teaching the things of God to the next generations.  Each of them have an important part in preparing young people for the work God has created in advance for them to do. Pray for the delivery methods of that education whether it be through homeschooling, private Christian schools, or public schools.  Pray that you would do your part in investing in the lives of young people.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.

“We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.  We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you pray for the various levels of education our children receive.  Pray for those who work with elementary students on a regular basis as teachers, school staff, volunteers, and/or parents.  Pray that they would be filled with great patience as they teach and share their life.

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: Elementary School Students and Families! (10/29/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: Elementary School Students and Families! (10/29/25)

This is the audio from the October 29, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on praying about the education of our children.  Education in math, science, language, and other school subjects are important but not nearly as important as our teaching the things of God to the next generations.  Each of them have an important part in preparing young people for the work God has created in advance for them to do. Pray for the delivery methods of that education whether it be through homeschooling, private Christian schools, or public schools.  Pray that you would do your part in investing in the lives of young people.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.

“At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.’”
Matthew 11:25 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you pray for the various levels of education our children receive.  Pray that God would reveal the mystery of life in Christ to these young students.  Pray that their families would have godly wisdom in choosing the schools that best meet the student’s needs.

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: Preschool Teachers and Staff! (10/28/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: Preschool Teachers and Staff! (10/28/25)

This is the audio from the October 28, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on praying about the education of our children.  Education in math, science, language, and other school subjects are important but not nearly as important as our teaching the things of God to the next generations.  Each of them have an important part in preparing young people for the work God has created in advance for them to do. Pray for the delivery methods of that education whether it be through homeschooling, private Christian schools, or public schools.  Pray that you would do your part in investing in the lives of young people.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Mark 9:37 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you pray for the various levels of education our children receive.  Pray for those who work with preschool students.  Pray that they would welcome these little ones in the name of Jesus.  Pray that those working with preschoolers would do so as ones welcoming God.

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: Preschool Students and Families! (10/27/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: Preschool Students and Families! (10/27/25)

This is the audio from the October 27, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on praying about the education of our children.  Education in math, science, language, and other school subjects are important but not nearly as important as our teaching the things of God to the next generations.  Each of them have an important part in preparing young people for the work God has created in advance for them to do. Pray for the delivery methods of that education whether it be through homeschooling, private Christian schools, or public schools.  Pray that you would do your part in investing in the lives of young people.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”
Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you pray for the various levels of education our children receive.  Pray that families of preschool aged children would find the best options possible to provide the foundational elements of education in these young lives.  Pray that these children and their families would experience the welcoming call of Jesus.

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: Come To Repentance! (10/24/25)

Encouragement and Prayer: Come To Repentance! (10/24/25)

This is the audio from the October 24, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  
Matthew 4:19 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on knowing the invitation of Jesus to come, follow Him.  This invitation of Jesus to follow Him is not meant to be a passive following like is often done on social media.  No, it is a call to action as we come to where He is and then we follow His actions in regard to both where He goes and how He lives.  In fact, Jesus says that if we wish to come after Him we must take up our cross daily and follow Him even in our dying to self.  Pray that you would understand the need for an active following of the ways and teachings of God’s Word.  Pray for an eagerness to become more like Jesus in all your ways.  Pray that your response to God would daily be an active movement toward Him.  Pray for wisdom in living a life that invites others to come and follow Jesus.  Pray that your following of Jesus would result in a great catch of people for God’s kingdom.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in your desire to come and follow Jesus.  Pray for a growing understanding of God’s patience, both with you and with those around you, as He calls all people to repentance.  Pray that you would learn patience with those who still need to repent.

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