Life Lessons

Watch Your Mouth: Choose Solemn Words
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Watch Your Mouth: Choose Solemn Words

Every day you and I give people an impression of who Jesus is by the words we use.  Are they hearing, or reading, words from you which would draw them to Christ or push them away?  Are you using words which draw you into greater relationship with God or words which create distance?  Over the next 11 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Watch Your Mouth”, with the prayer that it helps you discover some of what God has to say about choosing words which honor Him.

Here is day twenty-one with an important reminder that watching your mouth should lead you to use solemn words.

Choose Solemn Words

“When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, ‘Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law.  They are not just idle words for you — they are your life.  By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.’”
Deuteronomy 32:45-47 (NIV)

What types of events do you think of as being solemn occasions?  As you think about what makes them so, how would those traits carry over into the idea of solemn words?  Have you ever had someone tell you something that you took completely serious only to have them add later, “Just kidding!”?  How did you feel?  Do people know you as one who can be serious when you need to be or do they tend to laugh you off when you try to be serious?  Why?

If you have ever had someone not follow through with something you had asked only to be told they didn’t think you were serious, you can probably understand the reason God describes the final instruction from Moses to the Israelites as being “solemnly declared”.  There are things we often joke about and probably shouldn’t take too seriously, but there are also things of great importance that require us to use solemn words.  As you pray, ask God to help you speak in ways that people will take the important things you say seriously.  Pray that you would be filled with loving words that also express the seriousness of having a relationship with Jesus.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement and Prayer (10/1/20)

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This is the audio from the October 1, 2020 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

Watch Your Mouth: Choose Satisfying Words
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Watch Your Mouth: Choose Satisfying Words

Every day you and I give people an impression of who Jesus is by the words we use.  Are they hearing, or reading, words from you which would draw them to Christ or push them away?  Are you using words which draw you into greater relationship with God or words which create distance?  Over the next 12 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Watch Your Mouth”, with the prayer that it helps you discover some of what God has to say about choosing words which honor Him.

Here is day twenty with an important reminder that watching your mouth should lead you to use words which are satisfying.

Choose Satisfying Words

“From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 18:20-21 (NIV)

What has been the most satisfying meal you have ever eaten?  What made it so?  How would those reasons apply to words that are satisfying?  What is the most satisfying thing someone has said to you?  What made it so?  Have you ever had words which left “a sour taste in your mouth”?  What about them was so unpleasant?  Do you think the people around you would say the words you use are satisfying to you?  To the hearer?

Most people want to find satisfaction not only in the things they do, but also in the things they hear and say.  Many times when we are frustrated by the words we hear coming toward us, it is because we have ignored God’s principle that we will reap what we sow.  Choosing satisfying words will not only benefit those who hear them, but they are seeds that will return a harvest of satisfaction in our own life.  As you pray, ask God to help you consider the words you use.  Pray that you would use the words spoken to you as a tool in examining how satisfying the words you speak to others might be.  Pray that you would chose the Words of Life which satisfy completely.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement and Prayer (9/30/20)

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This is the audio from the September 30, 2020 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

Watch Your Mouth: Choose Restrained Words
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Watch Your Mouth: Choose Restrained Words

Every day you and I give people an impression of who Jesus is by the words we use.  Are they hearing, or reading, words from you which would draw them to Christ or push them away?  Are you using words which draw you into greater relationship with God or words which create distance?  Over the next 13 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Watch Your Mouth”, with the prayer that it helps you discover some of what God has to say about choosing words which honor Him.

Here is day nineteen with an important reminder that watching your mouth should lead you to use words with restraint.

Choose Restrained Words

“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.  Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”
Proverbs 17:27-28 (NIV)

How often do you find yourself “biting your tongue”?  Do you view that practice as a good thing or bad?  Why?  How does being filled with godly knowledge help a person have restraint with their words?  Have you ever been injured by words spoken rashly?  Have your unrestrained words ever injured someone?  What did you do about it?  What should you?  Why does it seem so difficult for most people to choose restrained words?

Here in the United States, we pride ourselves on having a freedom of speech that can’t be taken away from us.  Because we often hear about our first amendment rights, we start to believe we must exercise that right at every opportunity.  Many act as if when a thought enters their mind, they must express it as soon as possible.  God calls for us to choose restrained words so that we consider His perspective before we speak.  As you pray, ask God to help you to put a reign on your tongue.  Pray that you would always take the time to hear how something might sound before you actually speak it.  Pray that God would fill you with the wisdom to know when to speak words which have been restrained.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement and Prayer (9/29/20)

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This is the audio from the September 29, 2020 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

Watch Your Mouth: Choose Reliable Words
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Watch Your Mouth: Choose Reliable Words

Every day you and I give people an impression of who Jesus is by the words we use.  Are they hearing, or reading, words from you which would draw them to Christ or push them away?  Are you using words which draw you into greater relationship with God or words which create distance?  Over the next 14 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Watch Your Mouth”, with the prayer that it helps you discover some of what God has to say about choosing words which honor Him.

Here is day eighteen with an important reminder that watching your mouth should lead you to use words which are reliable.

Choose Reliable Words

“Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?”
Proverbs 22:20-21 (NIV)

Do you know anyone with a reputation of “being as good as their word”?  What do you think of when you hear that phrase?  Would the people around you say that you are a person of your word?  What things make the words of some people seem to be more reliable than those of others?  Do you believe the Bible to be the reliable words of God?  How often do you turn to the Word of God to choose reliable words?  How does choosing reliable words help you to give sound answers to those you are accountable to?

When we hear, or use, words that appear to have no intention of being kept, trust is often an early casualty.  Our commitment to choosing reliable words helps other to not only trust us, but to trust the things we say about our relationship with God.  As you pray, ask God to help you weigh your words carefully in considering how reliable they are.  Pray that you would know the reliability of the words of others before you even consider sharing them.  Pray that your word choices would help you to be a reliable witness to others of the power of Christ in you.

In prayer,

Tom  

A Living FAITH! (Sermon Audio)
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A Living FAITH! (Sermon Audio)

This is the audio from the September 27, 2020 sermon, “A Living FAITH”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: James 2:14-26, Matthew 25:34-40

When it comes to faith, there are only two real options:  Faith In Action or Faith Inaction.  A living faith requires that we do something with it.  Today’s message will consider how to grow a faith that is alive and well.

A living faith grows when you have a living:

  • Foundation:
    • Matthew 7:24 — We build our faith on a solid foundation when we both hear and put into practice the Word of God.  Knowing God’s Word is great, but it is in the doing of His Word that our faith has a foundation that can be built upon.  Our foundation is not of stone or sand, but it is the living Son of God, Jesus Christ.
  • Attitude: 
    • Philippians 2:5 — When we built a living faith on the foundation of Jesus, we must take on the very attitude of Christ.  Having an active and living faith will only come about when we humble ourselves and are willing to serve for the good of others.
  • Inclusion:
    • 1 John 3:17 — Having a living faith will require that we have a living and active inclusion of anyone that God calls to Himself — which is everyone!  The activity of our faith can have no exclusions of people when we have the ability and resources to help.  Not only is the living inclusion applied to those our living faith would serve, it is an inclusion that doesn’t leave anyone out when it comes to the responsibility of serving.
  • Trust: 
    • 2 Corinthians 9:10 — Having an active and living faith requires that we have a living trust in the living God.  Putting our faith into action will often test our trust as we begin to question if we have enough of whatever is needed.  Our trust must rise about our ability, bank account, and other resources and rely solely on the One who provides seed to the sower.
  • Help:
    • Psalm 121:1-2 — Growing a living faith that is actively serving others should cause you to look to God as the source of the help which is needed.  You have a living help because it comes from a living God.  The help you give others becomes a “cup of cold water” that blesses both you and the recipient when given in the name of Jesus.

So, what do you have and what are you doing with it?  What will your living  FAITH do today? 

In prayer,
Tom