This is the audio from the May 5, 2020 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
In prayer,
Tom
While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”! Over the next 30 days I will be sharing the devotions from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.
Here is day three with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called to be a child of God.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.“
1 John 3:1 (NIV)
Who are your parents? What influence have they had on the way you live? Why? What were some expectations of you as a child in your family? Were there responsibilities and privileges as well? In what way? If you have children, what do you expect from them? What benefits do they have as your child? What do you think of when you hear the word child? Does that answer influence how you feel about being called a child? In what way? How does God’s love influence your desire to be called His child?
There is little that makes me more proud than to have my parents refer to me as their son when they are talking to others. It is meaningful because I know the love and pride they convey with that word. When John describes the depth of God’s love, he does so by indicating a Father who lavishes His love upon me to the extent of calling me His child. While the honor of being called a child of God is great, so are the responsibilities and privileges that come with that position. As a child of God I not only inherit that which belongs to the Father, but I also reflect Him to the people that know me as His child.
As you pray about being called a child of God, ask God to help you know the love He pours out upon you. Pray that you would make the most of the honor and privilege that comes from being a child of God. Pray that you would live up to the expectations that God has for you. Pray for God’s help in living a life that honors your Father well and reflects Him to the people around you. Pray that you would always find joy in being known as a child of God.
In prayer,
Tom
This is the audio from the May 4, 2020 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
In prayer,
Tom
While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”! Over the next 31 days I will be sharing the devotions from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.
Here is day two with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called to be a blessing to others.
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.“
1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
Who has been the greatest blessing to you recently? Why? Would your name be someone else’s answer to that question? Why? What does a blessing look like to you? Is that answer different depending on if you are giving or receiving the blessing? Why? Have you ever been intentional about being a blessing to someone? Did it work? How did that effort affect you? Why? Is there someone that comes to mind right now that you could be a blessing to? What will you do about it?
As a Christian, it shouldn’t take long to think of someone that has been a blessing to you — even if (and that’s a big if) the only one on that list is Jesus himself. I think the bigger question for us to wrestle with, is who am I being a blessing to. The way we live life, the way we speak, the way we listen, the way we give, even the way we receive are all ways that our life can be a blessing to someone else. While blessing those who bless us should be an easy thing to do, God calls us to also be a blessing to those who do not treat us, or Him, as they should. In blessing others, we find God’s blessing grows in our life.
As you pray about the blessings you receive, ask God to help you be a blessing to the people around you. Pray for the wisdom to know how to be a blessing to people regardless of how they treat you. Pray that you would know the greater blessing which comes from giving of yourself to help others. Pray that your response to God would assure you of an inherited blessing as you treat others as He would have you do. Pray that you would be mindful of the opportunities God gives you to bless others.
In prayer,
Tom
This is the audio from the May 3, 2020 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
In prayer,
Tom
While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”! Over the next 32 days I will be sharing the devotions from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.
Here is day one with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called to belong to Jesus.
“And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.“
Romans 1:6 (NIV)
Where do you belong? Who do you belong to? Which of those questions are you most comfortable with? Why? Have others ever made you believe you didn’t belong in a particular group or situation that you wanted to be a part of? In what way? How did you feel? What does it take to make you feel you fit in or belong in a place or situation? Is an invitation enough? Why? How involved are you in helping others feel they belong in groups you are a part of? How has God backed up His invitation of belonging with substance that makes you know you belong?
Most of us have a desire to feel useful and needed — to know we belong wherever we are. We’ve also accepted invitations to places where we’ve felt out of place as the invitation alone was not enough to give us a sense of belonging. When God calls us to belong, it is not an invitation to join a group or club; rather it is calling us to belong to Jesus. It is Christ who gives us a place to belong when He is the One we belong to. Belonging to Christ means we belong wherever He is and wherever He sends us. It also means others who belong to Christ deserve our acceptance as well.
As you pray about where you belong, begin with a recognition of who you belong to. Pray that you would grow in your understanding of what it means each day to belong to Christ. Pray that you would have the courage to accept God’s calling in your life — both in belonging to Him and in belonging wherever He has work for you to do. Pray about how you make others feel when they are around you. Pray for a sense of community and belonging with all who are in Christ.
In prayer,
Tom
This is the audio from the May 2, 2020 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
In prayer,
Tom
Praying for children has been heavy on my heart during this current season of school and church buildings being closed with the need for social distancing, self isolation, and stay at home orders. I pray often that families will be able to shield children to some extent from the negative emotions that cling to this COVID-19 pandemic. This is the final day of the devotions from my “The Heart of a Child” book to help each of us pray for a child of any age, including our age. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you understand, and live, some important traits of living and praying with the heart of a child.
Here is day thirty-two with an important reminder to let God’s Word teach you to pray as a way of life.
“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’“
Luke 11:1 (NIV)
How do you view prayer? How much is prayer a part of your life? Are there things that you don’t pray about? Why? Does prayer feel as natural to you as breathing? If not, why not? Do you ever feel that the prayers of someone else are more effective than yours? Why? In a healthy relationship, what do little children tend to talk about? Would becoming “like a little child” before God change the way you pray? In what ways? Who could you learn from about prayer? Who could you teach about a lifestyle of prayer?
If children trust you, they will often volunteer information that you may not even want to know. Their honesty and transparency comes from a pure heart that hasn’t been taught there are some things you just don’t talk about. It is that heart that I go to when I want to learn, and teach, about prayer. Somewhere along the line, many of us have been taught proper discretion in our conversations with others and somehow we have applied that to the things we will talk to God about. A lifestyle of prayer recognizes that nothing is hidden from God and frees us to be in communication with Him about everything.
As you pray for a child of any age, ask God to help them know His understanding of whatever is on their mind. Pray that He would help you to examine yourself for anything you’ve been afraid to talk with Him about. Pray that He would increase your desire to build your relationship with Him through the conversation we call prayer. Pray that God would surround you with people that you can learn from, and that you can instruct, in a lifestyle of prayer.
In prayer,
Tom
Tom's Treasure 