Ministry

Serving God: Guard Your Heart With Truth
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Serving God: Guard Your Heart With Truth

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 two in the eighth 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:
Guard Your Heart With Truth

“He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.“
Psalm 15:2-3 (NIV)

Have you ever had your heart broken by someone spreading lies about you?  How does your heart change when you begin believing lies about yourself?  How is your serving affected when you start accepting lies about others as truth?  What is the lie about you that the enemy uses with the greatest effectiveness?  What would God’s response to that lie be?  How does a heart saturated in the truth of God’s Word guard you from the attacks of the enemy?

God says that our enemy prowls around like a hungry lion seeking someone to devour.  Many people are eaten alive from the inside out as their heart is first broken, then embittered, by the deceitful words the enemy uses people to hurl at them.  It is only by guarding our hearts with the truth of God’s Word that we can overcome the accusations of failure, loser, rejected, hopeless, unloved, unworthy, and so many more.  It is also by guarding our hearts against such accusations of others, that we are able to serve them wholeheartedly as serving the Lord.

As you pray, ask God to guard your heart with the truth of His Word.  Pray that you would always serve with a guarded heart.

In prayer,

Tom

Prepared For the Storms: Session Three (GROW)
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Prepared For the Storms: Session Three (GROW)

This is the audio of Session Three from the February 27, 2021 “Prepared For the Storms” prayer seminar held at the Buchanan Christian Church.

This session focused on being prepared as we Give, Receive, Obey, and Worship in, through, and beyond the storms.

Prepared For the Storms: Session Two (CALM)
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Prepared For the Storms: Session Two (CALM)

This is the audio of Session Two from the February 27, 2021 “Prepared For the Storms” prayer seminar held at the Buchanan Christian Church.

This session focused on being prepared as we find, and share, the Compassion, Authority, Lessons, and Moments that we experience in Jesus.

Prepared For the Storms: Session One (PLAN)
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Prepared For the Storms: Session One (PLAN)

This is the audio of Session One from the February 27, 2021 “Prepared For the Storms” prayer seminar held at the Buchanan Christian Church.

This session focused on being prepared as we Pray, Learn, Adapt, Notice even before the storms of life come crashing against us.

Prepared For the Storms: Introduction Session (STORMS)
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Prepared For the Storms: Introduction Session (STORMS)

This is the audio of the Introduction session from the February 27, 2021 “Prepared For the Storms” prayer seminar held at the Buchanan Christian Church.

This introduction session looked at some categories of storms we tend to face in life.

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Encouragement and Prayer: Guard Your Heart Against Temptation (02/28/21)

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This is the audio from the February 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: Guard Your Heart Against Temptation
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Serving God: Guard Your Heart Against Temptation

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 one in the eighth 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:
Guard Your Heart Against Temptation

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.“
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

What things tempt you?  Is it easy or difficult for you to talk specifically about temptations you face?  Why?  How do you feel about Jesus equating a lustful look with adultery?  Why is it important to guard your heart as you serve, and not just your actions?  Is it easier to stop a tempting thought or to stop a sinful habit?  Are you a positive or negative influence on the thought-life of those you serve?  Why does this matter?  How does guarding your own heart help others to guard theirs?

We are bombarded on a daily basis with many things that can easily become temptations in our hearts and minds.  I’m afraid that far too often we refuse to acknowledge temptation because doing so would call for a change in our television viewing, our internet practices, and/or our daily conversations.  Until we recognize the serious threat that temptation is, we will likely not guard our heart as we should.  Serving like Christ is messy work.  Doing so with an unguarded heart is simply asking for trouble.

As you pray, talk honestly with God about the temptations that you struggle with.  Pray that you would use regular time spent in God’s Word and prayer to guard your heart each day.

In prayer,

Tom

Serving God: Friendship With God
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Serving God: Friendship With God

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 seventh 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:
Friendship With God

“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.   And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.   You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.“
James 2:22-24 (NIV)

How would you describe your relationship with God?  How do you think God would describe it?  Is it easy or difficult for you to think of yourself as God’s friend?  Why?  What would you need to do for your friendship with God to grow?  Are you doing it?  What would He need to do?  Has He done it?  What role does belief have in your friendship with God?  How does a growing friendship with God help you as you serve? 

Sometimes we know ourselves so well that the idea of friendship with God seems impossible.  Fortunately, God knows us even better than we know our self and He desires that we would be friends with Him.  Our friendship with God forms and grows much like any other.  It involves a belief that He desires such a friendship and a growing trust that He will honor our relationship with Him.  When we have a friendship with God that is pure, we are able to know how to serve through friendship in ways that please God.

As you pray, ask God to remove any doubts you may have about His desire for you to be His friend.  Pray that you would understand God’s perspective on belief, action, and friendship as you apply those attributes in the way you serve.

In prayer,

Tom