God

Serving God: Strength With Grace
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Serving God: Strength With Grace

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 third 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:
Strength With Grace

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.“
2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

Do you deserve everything that you have?  What would you have left if you were to return to others, and to God, everything that you don’t deserve?  How thankful are you for God’s grace?  Why do you think that grace seems to be so desired, yet so difficult for us to give to others?  Are there people you have a hard time serving because you don’t think they deserve it?  How does being strong in grace help you serve?

Years ago I had a brand new truck.  Not a “new to me” truck, but an actual brand new truck!  Soon after I got this truck, I came home one day to find my sister very apologetic  because while she was mowing the mower had thrown a rock and dented the beautiful chrome trim panel on the truck’s tailgate.  I had a decision to make that after the fact sounds easier than what it was.  Do I extend grace or condemnation to my sister?  Grace was my choice, not because I’m that good but because God is that good.

As you pray, ask God to fill you with a greater understanding and appreciation for His grace extended to you.  Pray that you would extend that level of grace to those you serve.

In prayer,

Tom

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Encouragement and Prayer: Strength In the Lord (01/28/21)

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This is the audio from the January 28, 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: Strength In the Lord
by

Serving God: Strength In the Lord

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 third 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:
Strength In the Lord

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.“
Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

What are some things that people say are your strengths?  Do you always agree that you have the strengths others see in you?  Why?  Where do your strengths come from?  How strong would you feel if you had a team of experts in every area of life that you could call on at a moments notice?  How often do you call on God when you lack strength?  Would deliberately serving in the strength of the Lord change what you do today?  How?

While public speaking is an area of my life that is a weakness that God uses, writing is one that has always been a strength.  Yet it was not until I saw my strength in writing as being a gift from God, that He began to use it to His glory.  As you serve, recognize God’s ability and desire to use both the things you feel weak in and the thing you feel strong in to minister to others.  Recognize that with God’s Spirit in you, you have the ability to serve in the strength and power of the Lord.

As you pray, ask God to help you see and use your strengths as gifts from Him.  Pray that God would fill you with a humility that allows Him to be seen as you serve others in His strength.

In prayer,

Tom

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Encouragement and Prayer: Strength Through Weakness (01/27/21)

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This is the audio from the January 27, 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: Strength Through Weakness
by

Serving God: Strength Through Weakness

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 third 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:
Strength Through Weakness

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

What is your greatest weakness?  Is your answer the same as what others would say is your weakness?  Do you tend to serve through that aspect of your life or do you try to avoid it and concentrate on the things you feel you are good at?  Who do you think receives the most credit when you serve out of your strength?  How about when you serve out of  your weakness?

I’m afraid of people.  To say I am shy would be a huge understatement.  Some people seem to gain energy when surrounded by people, I become filled with fear.  Yet it is out of this weakness that I find God doing great work as I serve obediently in a preaching and teaching ministry.  Because I have no confidence in my ability to speak in a public gathering, I must rely on the power and strength of God’s Spirit to use my weakness for the benefit of the kingdom.  Yes, God can use your strengths — He’s the one who gave them to you.  But He also seems to excel in using what you perceive as a weakness in order to reveal His strength through you.

As you pray, ask God to use your weaknesses to reveal His strength to those you serve.  Pray that He is seen in all you do.

In prayer,

Tom

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Encouragement and Prayer: Strength To the End (01/26/21)

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This is the audio from the January 26, 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: Strength To the End
by

Serving God: Strength To the End

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 four in the third 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:
Strength To the End

“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.“
1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (NIV)

Are you good at finishing what you start?  Are you more excited about starting something or finishing it?  Do you ever get tired of serving?  What gives you the strength to keep going?  Have you ever quit something only to find out later that completing it would not have been as difficult as you had imagined?  Has anyone ever given up on you?  Have you given up on someone that you should be serving?  How do you know when your task of serving is over?

I love to hike but sometimes my eagerness to see some great natural beauty causes me to head out on a trail without fully comprehending just how long it is.  There have been times when I became so weary that I turned around before reaching my intended destination.  There have been other times when I would be telling my  hiking companions, “Let’s keep going.  It can’t be much farther now!”  For me there is something special about reaching that intended destination after pressing on when quitting seemed easier.

As you pray, ask God to help you keep the intended finish in mind as you serve.  Pray that you would see your service to others in perspective of God’s bigger picture.

In prayer,

Tom

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Encouragement and Prayer: Strength Through Hope (01/25/21)

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This is the audio from the January 25, 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