Life Lessons

Encouragement and Prayer: Patient As You Cry Out To God! (8/26/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Patient As You Cry Out To God! (8/26/24)

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This is the audio from the August 26, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Romans 8:24-25 (NIV)

You’ve likely been warned about praying for patience but I want to remind you that living with patience is not only instructed by God but it is also part of His gift to us.  This week we will be praying about some qualities that God wants to grow within us as we live with patience.  We will also spend time praying about how God has equipped us to live with patience.  Part of the beauty that is present in all of God’s instructions, including living with patience, is that the ability to follow His instructions comes from Him.  While commanding us to be patient may seem like an impossible instruction to obey, He gives us everything we need to walk in complete obedience.  Pray that you would allow the gifting of His Spirit to work within your life to produce a patience that doesn’t come naturally.  Pray that you would live with patience in such a way that others can imitate your obedience to God.

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.”
Psalm 40:1 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the value of waiting patiently on Him each day.  Pray that  you would be confident of God listening to your cries even as you wait for His answer.  Pray that you would not become weary in the waiting as you cry out to God.  Pray that your life would be an example to others as they learn to wait while they cry out to God.

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

In prayer,
Tom

Chosen To Be . . . Patient: Learning to WAIT! (Sermon Audio)
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Chosen To Be . . . Patient: Learning to WAIT! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the August 25, 2024 sermon, “Chosen To Be Patient: Learning To WAIT!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 2 Peter 3

Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31 (NKJV)

This morning’s message continued a series through 1 & 2 Peter with a theme of “Chosen To Be . . . “.  As God works the miracle of revival in our life, we discover He does so as the God who chooses us!  This is an important message to all who feel distant from God for whatever reason.  To those believers who are scattered around the known world, God communicates a message that they are known by Him, loved by Him, and chosen by Him.  As we gaze into God’s Word and examine what it means to be chosen by God, we find that we have been chosen to be patient, so we learn to . . .

  • Worship:  2 Peter 3:1-2

    • As those chosen by God to be patient, we must learn to worship God in the waiting.  As we reflect on the mighty works of God recorded in scripture and experienced in our own life, we find a God deserving of our worship.

  • Act:  2 Peter 3:11-13

    • As those chosen by God to be patient, we find that God wants us to learn to act as those who are His children.  While waiting can often feel very passive, God has work for us to do as we long for His coming.  

  • Inspect:  2 Peter 3:14-16

    • As those chosen by God to be patient, we use our time of waiting to inspect our life in comparison to the standard set in God’s Word.  While our tendency is to try and shape God’s Word to fit our choices, His command is that we shape our choices to fit His Word.

  • Trust:  2 Peter 3:17-18

    • As those chosen by God to be patient, we learn to trust that God knows not only what He is doing, but also knows the proper time to accomplish it.  Waiting can be difficult, but when we trust what is coming is worth the wait, we find a reward of peace.

Today, how will you live as one chosen to learn to WAIT?

Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Thoughts! (8/23/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Thoughts! (8/23/24)

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This is the audio from the August 23, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:11 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer emphasis on the subject of living with pure and right conduct.  While it seems that most conversations and teaching about purity center around the topic of sexual purity, I believe the Bible teaches that it is often the impurities in other aspects of our life that leads to sexual impurity.  The door of impure action is often opened by having an impure heart, attitude, thought, or speech.  Pure conduct doesn’t just happen on its own, so this week we will be praying about transforming some areas of our life in order to produce conduct which is pure and right.  Pray that you would be known by your actions as a follower and pursuer of Christ.  Pray for the courage to walk each day by the Spirit’s leading and conviction.  Pray that your representation of Jesus would reflect His purity.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

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

As you pray each day this week, pray for a greater desire for, and practice of,  the purity that God desires for you to have.  Pray that your thoughts would only be of things that are pleasing to  God.  Pray that the people around you would understand how important their thought life is and that nothing you do would cause them to have impure thoughts.  Pray that your actions would reflect a thought life which is pure.

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: Pure Speech! (8/22/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Speech! (8/22/24)

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This is the audio from the August 22, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:11 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer emphasis on the subject of living with pure and right conduct.  While it seems that most conversations and teaching about purity center around the topic of sexual purity, I believe the Bible teaches that it is often the impurities in other aspects of our life that leads to sexual impurity.  The door of impure action is often opened by having an impure heart, attitude, thought, or speech.  Pure conduct doesn’t just happen on its own, so this week we will be praying about transforming some areas of our life in order to produce conduct which is pure and right.  Pray that you would be known by your actions as a follower and pursuer of Christ.  Pray for the courage to walk each day by the Spirit’s leading and conviction.  Pray that your representation of Jesus would reflect His purity.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Psalm 141:3 (NIV)

As you pray each day this week, pray for a greater desire for, and practice of,  the purity that God desires for you to have.  Pray that God’s guard over your mouth would keep your speech pure in all situations.  Pray that the people around you would hear a consistent message of your faith as you ask God to watch what comes from your lips.  Pray that the purity of your speech would  be reflected in the things you do.

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: Pure Way! (8/21/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Way! (8/21/24)

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This is the audio from the August 21, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:11 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer emphasis on the subject of living with pure and right conduct.  While it seems that most conversations and teaching about purity center around the topic of sexual purity, I believe the Bible teaches that it is often the impurities in other aspects of our life that leads to sexual impurity.  The door of impure action is often opened by having an impure heart, attitude, thought, or speech.  Pure conduct doesn’t just happen on its own, so this week we will be praying about transforming some areas of our life in order to produce conduct which is pure and right.  Pray that you would be known by your actions as a follower and pursuer of Christ.  Pray for the courage to walk each day by the Spirit’s leading and conviction.  Pray that your representation of Jesus would reflect His purity.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to your word.”
Psalm 119:9 (NIV)

As you pray each day this week, pray for a greater desire for, and practice of,  the purity that God desires for you to have.  Pray that you would be a faithful student of God’s Word for the purpose of keeping your way pure.  Pray that the people around you would come to know God’s Word as a protection to keep their life pure.  Pray that purity would be an identifying mark of your conduct 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

Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Heart! (8/20/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Heart! (8/20/24)

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This is the audio from the August 20, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:11 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer emphasis on the subject of living with pure and right conduct.  While it seems that most conversations and teaching about purity center around the topic of sexual purity, I believe the Bible teaches that it is often the impurities in other aspects of our life that leads to sexual impurity.  The door of impure action is often opened by having an impure heart, attitude, thought, or speech.  Pure conduct doesn’t just happen on its own, so this week we will be praying about transforming some areas of our life in order to produce conduct which is pure and right.  Pray that you would be known by your actions as a follower and pursuer of Christ.  Pray for the courage to walk each day by the Spirit’s leading and conviction.  Pray that your representation of Jesus would reflect His purity.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

As you pray each day this week, pray for a greater desire for, and practice of,  the purity that God desires for you to have.  Pray that you would seek and allow God to create a pure heart within you.  Pray that the people around you would see your persistence in allowing God’s Spirit to purify your heart.  Pray that your pure and right conduct would flow from a heart which has been transformed by God.

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: Pure Wisdom! (8/19/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pure Wisdom! (8/19/24)

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This is the audio from the August 19, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:11 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer emphasis on the subject of living with pure and right conduct.  While it seems that most conversations and teaching about purity center around the topic of sexual purity, I believe the Bible teaches that it is often the impurities in other aspects of our life that leads to sexual impurity.  The door of impure action is often opened by having an impure heart, attitude, thought, or speech.  Pure conduct doesn’t just happen on its own, so this week we will be praying about transforming some areas of our life in order to produce conduct which is pure and right.  Pray that you would be known by your actions as a follower and pursuer of Christ.  Pray for the courage to walk each day by the Spirit’s leading and conviction.  Pray that your representation of Jesus would reflect His purity.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
James 3:17 (NIV)

As you pray each day this week, pray for a greater desire for, and practice of,  the purity that God desires for you to have.  Ask God to fill you with a wisdom that comes from above and is far greater than human wisdom.  Pray that your life would show to those around you the conduct which comes from pure wisdom.

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

In prayer,
Tom

Chosen To Be . . . PURE! (Sermon Audio)
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Chosen To Be . . . PURE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the August 18, 2024 sermon, “Chosen To Be PURE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 2 Peter 2

“Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:11 (NIV)

This morning’s message continued a series through 1 & 2 Peter with a theme of “Chosen To Be . . . “.  As God works the miracle of revival in our life, we discover He does so as the God who chooses us!  This is an important message to all who feel distant from God for whatever reason.  To those believers who are scattered around the known world, God communicates a message that they are known by Him, loved by Him, and chosen by Him.  As we gaze into God’s Word and examine what it means to be chosen by God, we find that we have been chosen to be . . .

  • Protected:  2 Peter 2:1-9

    • As those chosen by God to be pure, it is important to know that in the midst of all the evil in the world, God can and will protect those who are His.

  • Understanding:  2 Peter 2:10-12

    • As those chosen by God to be pure, it is important that we grow in our understanding that God is the One who makes us pure through a cleansing by the blood of Jesus.  

  • Repentant:  2 Peter 2:13-16

    • As those chosen by God to be pure, He has an expectation and command that we repent every time we find ourselves caught in sin.

  • Example:  2 Peter 2:17-22

    • As those chosen by God to be pure, we have the privilege of following the example of Jesus so that we can be an example of purity for others.

Today, how will you live as one chosen to be PURE?