God

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Encouragement and Prayer: Purity Of Actions (04/03/21)

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This is the audio from the April 3, 2021 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

Serving God: Purity Of Actions
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Serving God: Purity Of Actions

It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day seven in the twelfth week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Purity Of Actions

“Differing weights and differing measures — the LORD detests them both.
Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.“
Proverbs 20:10-11 (NIV)

Why do you do what you do?  What motives compel you to serve, or keep you from doing so?  What do you think your actions reveal about you?  What would your closest friends say about your purity based on your actions?  What would strangers say?  Should those answers be the same?  Why?  What standard do you use to determine “good and right” actions?  How will having purity in your actions help you as you serve? 

While our thoughts influence our actions, it is our actions that influence our character — what people think about us.  Whether we like it or not, people are watching and they make judgments about what kind of person we are based on what they see us doing, or not doing.  When those we are serving watch us, they decide rather quickly if we can be trusted as they observe our actions with others and experience our actions toward them.  When our actions honor God, we find ourselves serving others in ways that honor God as well.  As you pray, ask God to help you see how well your actions are reflecting Him to those you serve.  Pray that the people around you will know you as God’s child by the way you live.

In prayer,

Tom

A TIME to Remember (Sermon Audio)
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A TIME to Remember (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the Good Friday, April 2, 2021 sermon, “A TIME to Remember”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  Matthew 27:32-50

Good Friday is a time to remember the great price which Jesus paid to cover the penalty of sin we each owe.  As we look at the events of the crucifixion, I find four things which I believe are important for us to remember.

The message of the cross has a:

  • Truth to remember.  Matthew 27:37
    • The guy who asked Jesus the question, “What is truth”, is responsible for posting the great truth of the cross — “This is Jesus, King of the Jews.”  The message of the cross proclaims the truth of Jesus as King — not necessarily the king we want, but the King we need.
  • Invitation to remember.  Mark 15:29-30
    • Never forget the invitation offered to Jesus by nearly everyone witnessing the crucifixion — “Save yourself.”  It was the same invitation offered by Satan as Jesus was tempted following His forty days in the wilderness.  Jesus chose to stay on the cross and turn down the invitation of the world.
  • Motive to remember.  Luke 23:42-43
    • As Jesus taught those who followed Him, He made it clear that the “Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”  His interaction with the criminal beside Him who asked to be remembered gives us a clear view into the motives which held Him in place.
  • Exclamation to remember.  John 19:30
    • After suffering the horrendous experience of the crucifixion and taking on the weight of sin from all mankind, Jesus exclaims, “It is finished!”  The message of the cross calls us to remember the completed work of God in redeeming us from our slavery to sin.

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Encouragement and Prayer: Purity Of Thoughts (04/02/21)

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This is the audio from the April 2, 2021 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

Serving God: Purity Of Thoughts
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Serving God: Purity Of Thoughts

It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day six in the twelfth week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Purity Of Thoughts

“The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.“
Proverbs 15:26 (NIV)

What do you think about most?  What things would make a thought impure?  Do you think that list is larger or smaller than most people imagine?  Why?  How does your intent, or motives, influence the purity of your thoughts?  How often are your thoughts pleasing to the Lord?  Do you think He agrees with your answer?  What would make a thought pleasing or displeasing to God?  How will having pure thoughts help you serve others more effectively?

As with most aspects of purity, sexual temptation is an area that can quickly overtake a person’s thoughts and wreak havoc in their ability to serve.  Because it is so predominant in our culture, it is easy to be on guard against impure sexual thoughts while completely ignoring the danger of other thoughts that are just as impure.  We have thoughts of selfishness, pride, and envy that can cause us to not serve as we ought if we let them take over our mind.  Any thought that doesn’t please God becomes a gateway for evil to take root.  As you pray, ask God to cleanse your thought life.  Pray that you would take captive every thought and make them obedient to Christ as you serve others.

In prayer,

Tom

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Encouragement and Prayer: Purity Of Your Words (04/01/21)

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This is the audio from the April 1, 2021 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

Serving God: Purity Of Speech
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Serving God: Purity Of Speech

It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day five in the twelfth week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Purity Of Speech

“Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.  Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.“
Psalm 141:3-4 (NIV)

How well do you guard what comes out of your mouth?  How about the words that you post on social media?  Are there conversations that you have in person or online that you would be embarrassed about if your parents or preacher were to hear them?  Do you ever begin a conversation or social media post with the phrase, “pardon the language”?  Why?  What does the words that you are comfortable using and hearing say about you?  What influence does the purity of your speech have on the effectiveness of your service to others?

I believe it is important to have purity of speech both in the content and in the intent of the words we use.  Many people think I’m old-fashioned when I cringe at the language that Christians use freely or when they feel a disclaimer is adequate to allow for foul language.  We like to say they’re just words but Jesus said that it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.  When our speech is impure, it is a sign that our heart needs some cleaning too.  As you pray, ask God to help you examine the words you use in both spoken and written forms.  Pray that you would put a guard over your speech so that you may serve others with complete purity.

In prayer,

Tom

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Encouragement and Prayer: Purity Of Your Walk (03/31/21)

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This is the audio from the March 31, 2021 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