God

Stories of the Heart: Disaster Response PPE! (12/28/21)
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Stories of the Heart: Disaster Response PPE! (12/28/21)

Disaster PPE

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As one who has responded to several disasters, I often get asked by people how they can help when disaster strikes. To answer that, I have repurposed an acronym that we often associate with safety — PPE.
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PRAY!
First, and foremost, Pray! Prayer isn’t simply something that we ought to do. Together with God’s Word and His Spirit, prayer ought to direct everything we do. When disaster strikes near or far, talk to God and seek His perspective and direction for how to respond.  It is in prayer that we begin to gain God’s heart of compassion for the hurting and broken people of this world.  Prayer leads us to seek God’s will to be done rather than us pushing our agenda.  Prayer is talking, it is asking, it is listening, and it is responding.  Prayer is conversation with God and when we pray about disaster situations, we find ourselves better able to understand how God would have us respond.
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PREPARE!
Secondly, our prayer time ought to lead us to Prepare. Find out what the actual needs are in disaster areas in general and in the current disaster specifically.  It does very little good, and at times is very counterproductive, to show up in a disaster area with things that no one needs or with things that are needed but are already over-supplied.  In the current disaster response in Kentucky, many relief distribution centers are turning away donations of goods and clothing because the supply is simply outpacing the need.  Do an inventory of what God has put into your life for you to share.  Connect with a reputable organization or local church in the disaster area to see how your inventory of skills and abilities match up with what is needed.  Prepare your heart and mind to stay focused on the needs of others and learn how you can help even if it requires you to step well outside of your comfort zone.
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EQUIP!
Thirdly, our prayer and preparation should lead us to a time when we will Equip those who can help. The equipping can involve giving of money, of goods, and/or our time. Each of these donations should always be given in light of what is actually needed rather than based on what we want.  Learn to give generously and freely of your time and possessions in ways that glorify God rather than yourself.  God has designed us to work together and serve together in a way that when we join in partnership with others, we find that He is able to accomplish much more through us than ever could have been done by the individual efforts alone.  When you pray and prepare, I believe that God will not only equip you to serve, but that He will use you to equip others who may be able to serve in ways that are not your calling, or that you simply can’t do.
When it comes to equipping those who help, whether with your finances or your time and abilities, I highly recommend partnering with International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES).

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Remember the Works of God! (12/28/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Remember the Works of God! (12/28/21)

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This is the audio from the December 28, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.”
Psalm 77:11 (NIV)

As we prepare to finish another year it is a good time to pause and remember some things that God would have us never forget.  While we each have events take place which seem like they will be forever etched in our mind, experience says that without a consistent reminder we will likely forget most of those memorable events.  For this reason, God is constantly calling us to remember as He gives us reminders and memorials to help us do so.

As you pray this week, ask God to help you understand your own weaknesses and seek His help in remembering the things that are of utmost importance.  Pray that you would not forget the mighty works of God from days of long ago, nor from your own days.  Pray that your remembrance of God’s work would help you grow in faith.  Pray that the people around you would hear of the mighty works of God from you.

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

In prayer,
Tom

Emmanuel: God With US (Sermon Audio)
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Emmanuel: God With US (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the December 26, 2021 sermon, “Emmanuel: God With US”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  Matthew 1:23, John 1:14,16

Jesus came to be God with us and then calls us to represent Him as we allow God to interact with others through us.

God Through US
John 14:11-12, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

When we consider what it looks like for Jesus to live on earth as God with us, we should get a glimpse of how we should represent Him as His ambassador to those who need to not only see God with us, but they need to know God with them.  We do that most effectively when we put into practice the characteristics of Jesus as God with . . .

  • Understanding.  Luke 2:47, James 3:13, Hebrews 4:15-16
    • Not only did Jesus have an understanding of scripture that was unrivaled, He displayed an understanding of people through His willingness to be with them.  In fact, the Bible tells us that we have a high priest in Jesus that understands fully all of our struggles and temptations and comes to us in mercy and grace.  We live as those whom God is with when we pursue a life of understanding and display that understanding through humble interactions with others.  Our willingness to listen to others with an attitude of grace and mercy will help show others that God is with us . . . and that He desires to be with them.
  • Service.  Matthew 20:27-28, 1 Peter 4:10
    • Not only did Jesus come to be with us in understanding, He came to serve.  His entire life of ministry and serving led to the ultimate act of service in going to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin.  We live as those whom God is with when we learn to serve others according to their need.  God’s understanding of the sinful nature of people did not lead Him to distance Himself in condemnation.  Rather, through Jesus, He humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant in order to become servant to all.  Our willingness to serve others, regardless of how much we think they do or don’t deserve it, will help show people that God is with us . . . and that He desires to be with them.

Since God is with us, how is He being seen through us?

Christmas Poem: There’s a Reason For It All! (12/24/21)
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Christmas Poem: There’s a Reason For It All! (12/24/21)

Here is a poem I wrote today for our Christmas Eve service at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

There’s a Reason For It All

The day had been long and our journey not done.
We had traveled so far in the hot blazing sun.
We talked on the way of the hardship this brought.
To obey the governor and do what we ought.
It has to get better, we each said out loud.
But we never expected the size of the crowd.
We went house to house, and knocked door to door.
Yet no one had space, not even a floor.
The constant rejection made us want to bawl.
Yet a small, quiet voice said, “There’s a reason for it all.”

We checked every guest room throughout the whole town.
Thinking, since God is in us He won’t let us down.
Yet our positive nature began to wear thin.
When all that we heard was no room in the inn.
We turned to each other and then turned to God.
And said all this rejection does surely seem odd.
We’ve listened intently and done what is right.
So why are we finding no place for the night?
In the midst of our turmoil, we heard a still call.
Keep on believing, there’s a reason for it all.

With our options exhausted there was nothing to do.
But to bed down in a stable that smelled like a zoo.
At least it was something that would do for the night.
Until we could find better when the day brought its light.
Before that could happen, the time did soon come.
We delivered a baby, a beautiful son.
He must be kept warm and protected from danger.
So he was wrapped up in cloths and placed in a manger.
We had wanted much better, but were so much in awe.
We again heard that voice, “There’s a reason for it all.”

Before the night finished, some visitors dropped by.
With a story of angels they had seen in the sky.
While watching their sheep on a hillside at night.
They had been quite startled by a heavenly light.
An angel appeared with a message to them.
A savior was born right there in Bethlehem.
And each little detail of their story that day.
Were things we had wanted to be different some way.
As they left our presence, we stood straight and tall.
Knowing in everything, there’s a reason for it all!

I suspect that you’ve been there, perhaps on this day.
The plans that you wanted, haven’t all gone your way.
From one roadblock to another, frustration does grow.
Disappointment and sorrow seem to be all that you know.
In all of those moments, there’s just one thing to do.
Remember God is in charge, definitely not you.
He sees everything clearly, from His view above.
And works it together from the heart of His love.
So, when you are tired and think you will fall.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, the reason for it all!

As I reflected on the birth of Jesus and the hardships that were experienced by Mary and Joseph in the nativity narrative, I wondered if they ever questioned why the details seemed to not line up in perfect fashion from a human point of view.  It is relatively easy for us to look back through time and see there was a reason for it all — that each of the unconventional details of the birth of Jesus came about as a fulfillment of scripture.  Many times in our life narrative, we struggle with knowing and understanding God’s purposes for us and the things we go through.  My prayer is that we would realize that God doesn’t waste our experiences and that when we trust Him we can know there really is a reason for it all — even if we never fully understand that reason.

In prayer,
Tom

Stories of the Heart: Rule #39 – There Is No Such Thing As a Coincidence! (12/24/21)
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Stories of the Heart: Rule #39 – There Is No Such Thing As a Coincidence! (12/24/21)

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I arrived home late last night but the computer I do live broadcasts from is still not working so I will continue with the “Jesus In the Midst of Disaster” stories.  If you’re a NCIS fan, you may recognize the title of this post as one of Gibb’s rules.  If you’re a Christian, you should recognize the title as one of God’s rules.

There Is No Such Thing As a Coincidence

Part of the work of Impact Prayer Ministry is a section I call Wee Care Relief Ministry.  Through this, I collect diapers and funds for diapers and take them to disaster areas to be given to people in need.  Fortunately, I had restocked my supply following Hurricane Ida a few months ago and had a pickup truck load of diapers to take with me to Kentucky.  Sometimes when I volunteer with IDES for disaster response, the church they partner with is distributing supplies to people in need and other times they see others taking care of that need and focus primarily on the cleanup and recovery from the property damage.  On this trip, our focus was on tree and debris cleanup initially and the church had given me names of a few places I could take the diapers to. 

With so much damage and destruction needing my attention, the diapers stayed in my truck parked at the church for a full seven days while I was waiting for a time I could break away from the cleanup work to take them to a distribution site.  Finally, after seven days of being parked, some logistical issues required that I use my truck to get to the homes where we were working and to drive around the area scouting out further needs that we could help with.  As I’m doing so, I drive past a church with a sign out front stating they are doing a drive-thru distribution of supplies that day to people in need due to the tornado.  I soon found a safe place to turn around and got in the line waiting to talk to someone.  The first person greeting people in their vehicles was friendly when I pulled up to him, and he asked if I needed supplies.  My response was, “Actually, no, I have diapers.”  I think he heard me to say I needed diapers because he told me they were out of diapers.  When I clarified that I had a pickup load of diapers they could have if needed, he immediately called out to the volunteer ahead of him.  This volunteer confirmed what I had and then headed toward the front of the line telling the volunteers there to stop the car that was leaving — it was a family needing diapers.  I was quickly directed around the line so I could unload the diapers and baby wipes I had with me.  We first found the size needed by the person who had almost left empty-handed, then unloaded the rest of the truck.  I watched as each car in line while I was there pulled up and I saw diapers being handed to every one of them.  Wow!  What a coincidence that I drove by on the day they were distributing supplies, saw the sign, and arrived just at the time when what I had was what they needed!  A coincidence?  Absolutely not!  God kept those diapers in my truck for a time and place of His choosing so that they could bless both people in need and those helping meet that need.

And the story doesn’t end there.  Once the truck was unloaded and I was ready to leave, I found myself still in the line of cars driving through and was stopped behind one of them at another area of the church lot where they were giving out toys for Christmas.  That volunteer came and asked the number and ages of people in my family.  I explained why I was there and that I wasn’t in line to pick up toys so he went to help the next guest behind me.  As I continued to wait in line so I could get through and go on my way, a lady came out of the area where they were sorting toys and asked if she could pray with me.  She said there was a sense of God’s power and presence surrounding the truck and felt she should come and pray in that place.  We had a great time praying for those in need and for each other.  As we finished praying, the car in front of me was receiving what they needed and began to move so I could also go on my way and return to finding even more people in need who needed help.  Jesus was present in the midst of details that only He could orchestrate in just the right way at just the right time.

In prayer,
Tom

Stories of the Heart: Memories In the Rubble! (12/23/21)
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Stories of the Heart: Memories In the Rubble! (12/23/21)

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As expected, internet connection has not allowed the live video broadcasts while I am in Kentucky helping with disaster relief and cleanup and now my laptop computer has died so even posting stories is a bit more difficult.  Nonetheless, I will try posting some “Jesus in the midst of disaster” stories as I get the opportunity.

Here is one from this week:

Memories In the Rubble

As I was out looking for people who needed help, I was given an address to check out and was told the homeowner would meet me there as the house was currently not livable. I arrived in an area that appeared to have been a nice old neighborhood with tree lined streets and shade filled back yards prior to the tornado coming through. Now it was still a tree lined street, only the trees were in piles along both sides of the roadway. The primary work she needed help with at this time was the removal of a pile of debris from the backyard . . . a pile which had once been a storage shed until a large tree landed on it.

One of the first things noticeable to me was the end of an old snow sled sticking out of the rubble. I gently uncovered it and, to the thrill of the homeowner, found it to be completely undamaged. I commented on how it looked just like the steel runnered wooden sled I grew up with years ago. It ended up that her daughter is my age and the sled had been purchased when the daughter was a child. As the IDES volunteers arrived to help clean up the mess, we gently went through the debris and found a variety of items which had survived. As I walked with this sweet 80 year old lady around the end of her home, I noticed a teddy bear on top of a small pile of debris. We talked a little about the bear, who had been living in her attic for years until the tornado lifted the corner of her roof and sucked a few belongings out with a portion of the end of her home. What a joy to spend time sharing together about the hope we have in Jesus through the midst of any chaos of life.

In prayer,
Tom

Stories of the Heart: Representing Jesus While Waiting On FEMA! (12/20/21)
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Stories of the Heart: Representing Jesus While Waiting On FEMA! (12/20/21)

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As expected, internet connection has not allowed the live video broadcasts while I am in Kentucky helping with disaster relief and cleanup and now my laptop computer has died so even posting stories is a bit more difficult.  Nonetheless, I will try posting some “Jesus in the midst of disaster” stories as I get the opportunity.

Here is one from last week:

Representing Jesus While Waiting On FEMA

As I walked from the truck to where we were picking up debris, I noticed a person looking through one of the large piles of debris along the road.  As I introduced myself, I asked if this had been their home.  It had been and she was just waiting for a person from FEMA that was to meet her there.  I asked about her story from the night of the tornado and since, then listened as she spoke of gratitude for her protection but sorrow for the loss which surrounded her.  We talked about the mess of this world and the love of God that was greater than any of the messes we experience or create.  We prayed together and prayed specifically that God would grant her favor in the eyes of the FEMA person she would soon be meeting with.  We prayed through tears, with her destroyed house in the background, that God would lead her to housing that was affordable and suitable for her and her family.  As I prayed God’s blessings to be upon her soon to happen meeting, the FEMA representative walked up and waited for our prayer time to finish before introducing herself and beginning the process she was there for.  I went on my way knowing the Jesus had been present as we waited on FEMA.

In prayer,
Tom

Stories of the Heart: Jesus and Spoiled Food! (12/19/21)
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Stories of the Heart: Jesus and Spoiled Food! (12/19/21)

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As expected, internet connection has not allowed the live video broadcasts while I am in Kentucky helping with disaster relief and cleanup and I’ve not been able to upload recorded video at this time.  It is looking like I will be here through Christmas Eve, so I will try posting some “Jesus in the midst of disaster” stories as I get the opportunity.

Here is one from this past week:

Spoiled Food and Jesus

Walking through one of the hardest hit areas of Bowling Green, I encountered many people who weren’t sure what they needed but definitely needed someone to listen to their story.  The typical initial response is often that they don’t need anything.  After receiving that response at one home, I asked about their experience and after listening to their story I again asked if there was anything at all we could help with.  With a hint of embarrassment, I learned they had been trying to clean out the refrigerator that had been without power for 6 days and the process was overwhelming to them.  The relief that was expressed when I said we could do that was great.  After hauling out the spoiled food, the offer was again made to provide additional help and I soon found that the spoiled food encounter had opened up the opportunity to not only do more for this family, but to share with them the good news of why we were doing it – that God’s love for them is great and our compassion toward them was because of God’s great love for us.  When our work was done, we prayed for the family and went on our way knowing that seeds had been planted and Jesus had been present in the disposal of spoiled food.

In prayer,
Tom