Life Lessons

All-Sufficient GRACE! (Sermon Audio)
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All-Sufficient GRACE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the May 15, 2022 sermon, “All-Sufficient GRACE”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  2 Corinthians 12:7 – 13:11

God has a way of bringing “thorn in the flesh” situations into our life for our benefit and, like Paul, we have a tendency to want them removed as quickly as possible.  I believe these last two chapters of 2 Corinthians are not only God’s answer to Paul, but they also show Paul’s response to living out the all-sufficient grace of God.  While grace is often defined as an undeserved gift, as I look into the nature of God and the actions of Paul, I see at least five characteristics which represent the grace we need and the grace we ought to share with others.  When the lessons of life seem overwhelming to us and to the people around us, God calls us to lean into, and share, His all-sufficient . . .

  • Goodness.  2 Corinthians 12:14-15, Romans 15:14, 2 Peter 1:3
    • Paul was willing to give of himself because he understood the all-sufficient goodness of God as a good and loving Father.  God’s nature is provide what is best for the good of His children regardless of their level of obedience.  It is a self-sacrificing goodness best demonstrated through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  We carry the all-sufficient goodness of God to others when we help others reach the full potential that can be theirs as a child of God.
  • Restoration.  2 Corinthians 12:19-21, Galatians 6:1, 1 Peter 5:10
    • As one who had lived in total opposition to the gospel of Jesus and to those who believed it, Paul knew first hand the all-sufficient restoration of God.  The power of God at work in a life goes much deeper than a simple surface change — it is a complete restoration to make a new creation in the person sin had destroyed.  Recognizing the tension between what was, what is, and what will be is at the heart of living not only as one who has been restored by God, but as one who carries a message of an all-sufficient restoration to everyone regardless of where they are currently at in the process.
  • Acceptance.  2 Corinthians 13:4-6, Acts 10:34-35, Romans 15:7
    • Paul makes it clear in a number of his writings that he considers himself to be the least worthy of God’s love, yet because of that love he knows the grace of an all-sufficient acceptance.  I suspect that many times we struggle with the word acceptance because there are those that thinks it means nothing needs to change.  God’s acceptance of me, and of you, is always as we are but with His expectation that we will be transformed by His presence in us.  Even when we, or the people around us, are not living fully as we ought, God calls us to accept one another just as He in Christ has accepted us.  Living out that instruction leads us to embrace one another with an all-sufficient acceptance.
  • Compassion.  2 Corinthians 13:9-10, Luke 15:20, 2 Corinthians 1:3
    • As a spiritual parent to the Corinthian church, Paul understood what it meant to share in the pain of others with an all-sufficient compassion.  He understood this is the compassion that God demonstrated toward him even as he lived in opposition to the gospel message.  The picture of the father in the story of the prodigal son is of a dad that has waited for his son to come to his senses and choose to come home.  That home-coming scene is an incredible image of compassion and embrace instead of judgment and condemnation.  We carry that all-sufficient compassion when we welcome home all who have strayed . . . even our self.
  • Encouragement.  2 Corinthians 13:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, Hebrews 3:13
    • Paul knew the value of receiving an all-sufficient encouragement from God and from the people God used for that purpose.  Throughout his letters to the churches, we find that encouraging believers everywhere is a core concern of his.  Even when writing the difficult words of needed correction and rebuke, Paul seems to have always done so in ways meant to offer hope and confidence.  In the midst of what seems to be ever-increasing discouragement among people everywhere, imagine the difference you can make in the lives of people when you carry the message of an all-sufficient encouragement that can be found through the grace of God.

How do you need to experience, and share, the all-sufficient GRACE of God today?

Encouragement and Prayer: Accept Differently! (05/13/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Accept Differently! (05/13/22)

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This is the audio from the May 13, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on living as those who are becoming different.  Different than what we were, different from one another, and  different from the world.  The Bible uses the words unique and peculiar to describe the children of God, yet how often do we seek to blend in rather than become who God wants us to be?

“If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he.”
2 Corinthians 10:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in maturity as you allow Him to transform every aspect of your life.  Pray that you would grow in understanding how fully Christ has accepted you.  Pray that your confidence in belonging to Christ would direct how you accept one another.  Pray that the walls of division would crumble as you learn to accept differently.

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: Obey Differently! (05/12/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Obey Differently! (05/12/22)

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This is the audio from the May 12, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on living as those who are becoming different.  Different than what we were, different from one another, and  different from the world.  The Bible uses the words unique and peculiar to describe the children of God, yet how often do we seek to blend in rather than become who God wants us to be?

“And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”
2 Corinthians 10:6 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in maturity as you allow Him to transform every aspect of your life.  Pray that you would focus on your own obedience to God rather than becoming distracted by the disobedience of others.  Pray that your obedience to God would be complete and that its source would be love.  Pray for grace and mercy to guide your view of obedience.

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: Think Differently! (05/11/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Think Differently! (05/11/22)

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This is the audio from the May 11, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on living as those who are becoming different.  Different than what we were, different from one another, and  different from the world.  The Bible uses the words unique and peculiar to describe the children of God, yet how often do we seek to blend in rather than become who God wants us to be?

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in maturity as you allow Him to transform every aspect of your life.  Pray for a renewing of your mind that causes you to think differently.  Pray that even your thoughts would be submissive to Christ.  Pray that the knowledge found in God’s Word would be the foundation for a different way of thinking.

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: Fight Differently! (05/10/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Fight Differently! (05/10/22)

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This is the audio from the May 10, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on living as those who are becoming different.  Different than what we were, different from one another, and  different from the world.  The Bible uses the words unique and peculiar to describe the children of God, yet how often to we seek to blend in rather than become who God wants us to be?

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in maturity as you allow Him to transform every aspect of your life.  Pray that you would view your response to conflict differently as you live by the Spirit.  Pray for an awareness of the spiritual battle we are in.  Pray for a growing trust in God’s ability to demolish the strongholds in your 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: Live Differently! (05/09/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Live Differently! (05/09/22)

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This is the audio from the May 9, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on living as those who are becoming different.  Different than what we were, different from one another, and  different from the world.  The Bible uses the words unique and peculiar to describe the children of God, yet how often to we seek to blend in rather than become who God wants us to be?  As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in maturity as you allow Him to transform every aspect of your life.  Pray that you would use God’s Word and the example of His Son as your standard in all things.  Pray that you would not only avoid the trap of comparing yourself to others, but that you would also not use yourself as the standard you measure with.  Pray that by living life differently, you would represent Jesus more effectively.  Pray for wisdom in how you see others and in how you see yourself.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.”
2 Corinthians 10:3 (NIV)

Pray that you would look at all aspects of life differently because of God’s presence in you.  Pray for the courage to live in this world as a visitor.  Pray that the way you interact with others would show a wisdom that comes from above.  Pray that your mind and heart would be protected in this world.

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

In prayer,
Tom

Called To BE Different! (Sermon Audio)
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Called To BE Different! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the May 8, 2022 sermon, “Called To BE Different”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  2 Corinthians 10 & 11, Romans 12:1-2

As I look back through scripture, I find a consistent record of God calling people to Himself in a way that compels them to be different — different from what they were before and different from the people around them.  Today, let us consider a God who calls us to . . .

  • Believe Differently.  2 Corinthians 10:3-6
    • God calls us to be different as we believe differently through a renewing of our mind.  It is critical that we take every thought captive and make each one obedient to Christ.  Our battle is not a flesh and blood battle, in fact it is most often a battle in the heavenly realms and in our mind.  We are on the road to becoming different when we believe differently about ourselves and about others.
  • Express Differently.  2 Corinthians 10:12,18; 11:30
    • God calls us to be different as we express differently because of the work God is doing in our life.  Jesus says that it is out of the overflow of our heart that the mouth speaks.  Our love for people, or lack of love for people, will speak volumes that will either confirm our words or contradict what we say.  While the world teaches us to promote our self, God wants us to be representatives that make Jesus known.

How will you BE different today?

Encouragement and Prayer: Excel In Love For One Another! (05/06/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Excel In Love For One Another! (05/06/22)

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This is the audio from the May 6, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“But just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us — see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on some areas that God says we should excel in.  What are some things that you are good at doing?  Are there things that others say you excel in?  How much work, or effort, is usually required to excel in a given area?  This week’s prayer focus will use a list of things that Paul states the Corinthian Christians excel in, or need to excel in.  Paul’s letter was not only written to the Corinthians, but as scripture it is useful to us for training in all righteousness.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to give you His grace and the courage necessary to excel in the things that matter to Him.  Pray for a growing ability to love others like Jesus loves you.  Pray that you would daily learn from the love that Jesus excelled at.  Pray that you would desire to excel in your love for Christ and for one another.  Pray that you would know the greatness of genuine love.

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

In prayer,
Tom