God

Loving Those Who Doubt! (Sermon Audio)
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Loving Those Who Doubt! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the October 2, 2022 sermon, “Loving Those Who Doubt: Offer PROOF!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  John 20:24-29

When we consider our own doubts, it doesn’t seem like it should so difficult to love those who doubt, but it often is.  When we look at how Jesus loved Thomas in the midst of his doubts, we find we can love those who doubt when we offer . . .

  • Peace.  John 20:26
    • Doubt can be a frustrating thing in our own life and when we experience it from others.  Often our reactionary response to doubt expressed by others is a position of defensiveness.  Even knowing the doubts that filled the heart and mind of Thomas, Jesus came to him with an offer and declaration of peace.  When we desire to love those who doubt like Jesus loves them, we interact with them in a way that offers peace.
  • Reality.  John 20:25
    • While Thomas is often the Biblical poster child for doubting, the Bible makes it clear that doubting the resurrection of Jesus was a pretty common trait among His followers.  In fact, the other disciples had witnessed the same reality Thomas was asking to see before they believed.  Jesus understands the substance of what we long for and how a lack of that reality can produce doubt.  When we desire to love those who doubt like Jesus loves them, we offer the reality of what they are looking for.
  • Opportunity.  John 20:27
    • While we will get to the faith part a little bit later, Jesus loved Thomas enough to offer him the opportunity to do exactly what he had declared would be needed before he could believe.  While the Bible doesn’t say whether Thomas actually reached out and touched the hands and side of Jesus.  It is my belief that the opportunity itself was enough to dispel the doubt that had gripped the heart and mind of Thomas.  When we desire to love those who doubt like Jesus loves them, we offer them the opportunity to have their questions answered.
  • Observation.  John 20:28
    • There is something powerful about seeing the evidence, or proof, of Jesus for yourself.  Whether he did reach out and touch Jesus or not, the opportunity to do so led Thomas to observe and declare that the One standing before him was his Lord and his God.  In times of doubt, God continually provides us with opportunities to observe His work and to show His work to others.  When we desire to love those who doubt like Jesus loves them, we offer them the opportunity to observe Jesus at work in us.
  • Faith.  John 20:29
    • While doubt comes from a heart and mind filled with uncertainty, faith is the certainty of things unseen.  Jesus declares that Thomas believed because of what he saw, but those who believe without seeing are blessed.  While believing without seeing the hands and side of Jesus requires faith, it is not a blind faith.  In fact, we have the opportunity to see and produce the evidence of faith each moment that we live in a way that represents Jesus well.  When we desire to love those who doubt like Jesus loves them, we offer the blessing of faith as it produces its fruit in us.

Today, how will you love those who doubt . . . even if the one who doubts is you?

Encouragement and Prayer: Overcoming Doubt With God’s Help! (10/03/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Overcoming Doubt With God’s Help! (10/03/22)

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This is the audio from the October 3, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’”
John 20:27 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on overcoming doubt even as we consider how Jesus loves those who doubt.  It ought to be comforting to everyone to know that Jesus understands the doubts we have and loves us so much that He patiently walks us through our disbelief.  When we take our doubts to Jesus, He presents Himself to us in such a way that we can believe fully in Him.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you be aware of the doubts that enter you life at any time.  Pray that you would know the evidence of Jesus that is strong enough to overcome all doubts.  Pray that you would know the love of God that doesn’t waver because of your doubts and embraces you in a way that removes doubt.  Pray that you would love people who doubt and share with them the good news of a God who can be believed in.

“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’”
Mark 9:24 (NIV)

Pray that you would always turn to God when you have doubts.  Pray that your belief would be strengthened by God as you recognize the tension between belief and unbelief.  Pray that you and the people around you would know God’s love even in moments of doubt.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Guided By Truth! (09/30/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Guided By Truth! (09/30/22)

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This is the audio from the September 30, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on loving with truth as we continue a series about being loved by Jesus so we can love like Jesus.  When we know the truth of God’s Word, we are prepared to speak that truth to others.  Truth is important to God and therefore ought to be important to us as his children.  The way we love people, especially those who may be labeled by society as outcasts, ought to be centered in the truth of God’s love for them.

“Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.”
Psalm 43:3 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow into a fullness of His truth.  Pray that you would seek God’s truth for your source of guidance in all things.  Pray that your love for others would be guided by the truth of God’s love for them.  Pray that God’s love through you would guide others to Him.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Protected By Truth! (09/29/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Protected By Truth! (09/29/22)

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This is the audio from the September 29, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on loving with truth as we continue a series about being loved by Jesus so we can love like Jesus.  When we know the truth of God’s Word, we are prepared to speak that truth to others.  Truth is important to God and therefore ought to be important to us as his children.  The way we love people, especially those who may be labeled by society as outcasts, ought to be centered in the truth of God’s love for them.

“Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.”
Psalm 40:11 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow into a fullness of His truth.  Pray that you would know the protection of having your life centered in the truth of God.  Pray that the truth of God’s mercy would direct the way you love others with mercy.  Pray that God’s protection would be known by those who experience His mercy through you.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Walking In Truth! (09/28/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Walking In Truth! (09/28/22)

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This is the audio from the September 28, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on loving with truth as we continue a series about being loved by Jesus so we can love like Jesus.  When we know the truth of God’s Word, we are prepared to speak that truth to others.  Truth is important to God and therefore ought to be important to us as his children.  The way we love people, especially those who may be labeled by society as outcasts, ought to be centered in the truth of God’s love for them.

“Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”
Psalm 26:2-3 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow into a fullness of His truth.  Pray that you would be known by the people around you as one who walks in truth no matter what.  Pray that a continual awareness of how God views your life would help you to be faithful to Him as ’the Way, the Truth, and the Life”.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Learning Truth! (09/27/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Learning Truth! (09/27/22)

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This is the audio from the September 27, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on loving with truth as we continue a series about being loved by Jesus so we can love like Jesus.  When we know the truth of God’s Word, we are prepared to speak that truth to others.  Truth is important to God and therefore ought to be important to us as his children.  The way we love people, especially those who may be labeled by society as outcasts, ought to be centered in the truth of God’s love for them.

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow into a fullness of His truth.  Pray that you would be a continual student of God’s Word as you learn truth from Him on a daily basis.  Pray that the truth you learn from God’s Word would guide your love for all people.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Speaking Truth! (09/26/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Speaking Truth! (09/26/22)

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This is the audio from the September 26, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on loving with truth as we continue a series about being loved by Jesus so we can love like Jesus.  When we know the truth of God’s Word, we are prepared to speak that truth to others.  Truth is important to God and therefore ought to be important to us as his children.  The way we love people, especially those who may be labeled by society as outcasts, ought to be centered in the truth of God’s love for them.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow into a fullness of His truth.  Pray that the truth of God’s love for you would fully shape the way you love others.  Pray that you would not sacrifice truth to the gods of convenience, expediency, favor, or political correctness.  In living and speaking truth, pray that you would always do so in love.

“LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?  He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.”
Psalm 15:1-2 (NIV)

Pray that your love for God and people would guide the way you speak truth.  Pray that you would be one who always speaks truth because that is what resides within you.  Pray that the people around you would know God’s love through the truth you speak.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Loving the Outcast! (Sermon Audio)
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Loving the Outcast! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the September 25, 2022 sermon, “Loving the Outcast: Share TRUTH!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  John 4:4-42

There are people all around each one of us who have experienced some form of rejection and the accompanying feeling of not belonging.  I suspect that there are people you know who live as an outcast . . . perhaps that person is even you.  The good news is that Jesus loves people, including those who are outcasts of society.  When we examine God’s Word to see how Jesus loves people, we ought to learn how He would have us love people.  Today’s message takes a look at the story of a Samaritan woman who seems to be living as an outcast of her community yet had an encounter with Jesus that changed her life and the lives of many in her town.  When Jesus stepped up to love this outcast, He did so by sharing truth in a way that was gentle and loving.  We love like Jesus when we learn to share . . .

  • Time.  John 4:4-8
    • How often do we use our lack of time or our tiredness as an excuse not to love people like we should?  As Jesus passes through Samaria, we read that He is tired from the journey and sits down by the well.  Instead of ignoring the other person there, Jesus engages this woman in conversation with a simple request that she was capable of meeting.  In the midst of His weariness He shares His time.  When we seek to love the outcast like Jesus does, we must choose to share our time whether we feel like it or not.
  • Respect.  John 4:9-10
    • While a common saying today is that respect is earned not given, Jesus seems to show a pattern of giving respect whether a person has done anything to earn it or not.  This Samaritan woman was a bit confused about why a Jewish man would be asking her for anything, let alone even speaking to her.  I believe Jesus wanted her to know He understood the differences and common practices but had enough respect for her to treat her like a person.  When we seek to love the outcast like Jesus does, we must choose to share a respect that comes from the common ground that exists because of our need for Jesus.
  • Understanding.  John 4:15-18
    • With a foundation of time and respect, Jesus begins to reveal to this woman an understanding that she had likely never experienced before.  He was able to talk with her about her past and her current way of life in a way that did not bring the conversation to an abrupt end.  There was something about the way Jesus offered exactly what she needed, living water, that caused her to not only believe her life was understood by Jesus, but also to understand the offer of Jesus was far greater than anything she had ever experienced.  When we seek to love the outcast like Jesus does, we must choose to “walk a mile in their shoes” and share an understanding that can bring us to unity in Christ.
  • Teaching.  John 4:19-26
    • I suspect many times when we want to share truth we like to jump right to the “teaching” part.  Jesus did get to the teaching, but it was teaching built on a growing relationship of time, respect, and understanding.  There are many who believe that the woman in the text attempted to change the subject because she was uncomfortable with Jesus talking about her personal life.  I tend to think she believed she finally found a person who could answer her deep questions about worship which God finds acceptable.  Jesus takes the time to teach her not only about the rules of worship given by God through the Old Testament law, but also how those rules were really meant to bring people into a lifestyle of worship wherever they were.  When we seek to love the outcast like Jesus does, we must choose to share teaching with gentleness and respect.
  • Humility.  John 4:39-42
    • One of the greatest hindrances to loving people like Jesus does is a lack of humility that keeps us from seeing people like Jesus does.  Even when Jesus identifies Himself as the Messiah this woman is waiting for, He does so with a gentleness that contains no hint of condemnation or condescension.  While the Bible is clear about Jesus being the ultimate example of humility, I also marvel at the humility of this woman who goes back into the village to proclaim she had encountered the Messiah.  To go from outcast to evangelist only takes place from a position of humility.  When we seek to love the outcast like Jesus does, we must choose to share humility in a way that serves others according to their need.

Today, how will you love those who are outcasts?