Prayer

Living Free: Free By a New Covenant
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Living Free: Free By a New Covenant

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 16 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day seventeen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, have been set free by a new covenant.

Free By a New Covenant

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
Hebrews 9:15 (NIV)

Have you ever signed an agreement that seemed like a great idea at the time, but later felt like it had trapped you into something you couldn’t get out of?  How does living under such an agreement make you feel?  What would it feel like for the other party to “buy out” what you could not pay and rewrite the contract in your favor?  How would being released from the burden free you to live under the new agreement?  How would living with freedom help you accept the terms of the new agreement.

The covenant of the law was written to provide a framework of living a holy life which is acceptable to God.  The Bible teaches that the law was useful as a teacher to help us see we could never make it to heaven on our own.  In Jesus, the penalty we owed under the covenant of the law was paid so that we can be set free to live under a new covenant.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with an appreciation for the price He paid to free you from the penalty of the law.  Pray that you would use your freedom to live with joy under the new covenant that has been written with the blood of Jesus.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (7/20/20)

 

This is the audio from the July 20, 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

Living Free: Free To Live In Holiness
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Living Free: Free To Live In Holiness

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 17 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day sixteen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free in holiness.

Free To Live In Holiness

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
Romans 6:22 (NIV)

What comes to mind when you think of someone being holy?  Is holiness something that you consider attainable in your own life?  Why?  What specific things need to take place in your life for you to be holy?  Who can do those things in your life?  Is there a part of holiness that is up to you in addition to the work God does in your life?  How does a daily reminder that you’ve been set free from sin help you to pursue holiness?  Why is holiness such a necessary and noble pursuit?

Holiness has to do with belonging to God or being set apart for God’s exclusive use.  When God gave instructions regarding the tabernacle, and eventually the temple, part of those instructions involved purifying both things and people so that they would be holy — set apart for God’s exclusive and special use.  Our holiness is only possible as we are purified through the blood of Jesus, but that holiness is maintained as we daily surrender to living a life exclusive to God.  As you pray, ask God to purify you from all unrighteousness.  Pray for a heart that seeks purity in all you do.  Pray that you would be free to live exclusively for God.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (7/19/20)

 

This is the audio from the July 19, 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

Living Free: Free To Live By the Spirit
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Living Free: Free To Live By the Spirit

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 18 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day fifteen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free to lend justly.

Free To Lend Justly

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)

Who do you listen to?  Why?  How well to you take instruction from others?  Would they say your answer is accurate?  How aware are you of God’s presence in your life?  Do you live like God’s Spirit is a daily partner, an occasional visitor, or an uninvolved stranger in your daily routines?  Are you comfortable talking about the presence of God’s Spirit in your life?  How does gazing into God’s perfect law set you free to live by the Spirit?  Does living by the Spirit mean God’s Word is unimportant?  Why not?

Jesus taught that God is spirit and true worshipers will worship Him in spirit and in truth.  Unfortunately, there are times when people try to dissect God and try to choose either spirit or truth and actually end up with nothing of substance.  We are told to test the spirits because not every spirit is from God.  It is when we know God through His Word that we can be free to live by the Spirit because we have learned what the Spirit sounds like.  As you pray, ask God to help you know Him in both spirit and in truth.  Pray that you would live by the Spirit as you examine the nature of God through His Word.  Pray that your freedom would exemplify God’s presence.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (7/18/20)

 

This is the audio from the July 18, 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

Living Free: Free To Lend Justly
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Living Free: Free To Lend Justly

Freedom.  It seems everyone wants to be free yet we often struggle to even admit when we are not.  When Jesus stated that holding to His teachings would lead people to know the truth that would set them free, the religious leaders bristled at even the hint that they had ever been slaves to anyone or anything.  Over the next 19 days I will be sharing the daily devotions from the book, “Living Free”, that I wrote several years ago to help you discover a life of freedom found through a consistent gazing into, and practice of, the perfect law of God’s Word.

Here is day fourteen with an important reminder that living free in Christ means that you, and those around you, can live free to lend justly.

Free To Lend Justly

“Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.”
Psalm 112:5 (NIV)

How often do you borrow things?  How willing are you to loan what you have to others?  Have you ever loaned, or borrowed, something and not been treated fairly in the process?  How did it make you feel?  How do those experiences influence you in being free to lend justly?  What factors make it difficult to let others use what you have?  What are some things that make it easier to lend freely?  How does God’s Word equip you to act with justice in your lending, and borrowing, practices?

In a culture filled with predatory lenders and constant news of unjust lending practices passing as business as usual, being set free to lend with justice is a breath of fresh air.  While there are times we are called to give freely to those in need, other times He entrusts us with resources that He expects us to lend to others without taking advantage of them.  In a like manner, He also wants us to be fair to those we borrow from.  As you pray, ask God to help you live differently from the world as you learn His way of lending that is beneficial to all.  Pray that you would treat everyone fairly as you share use of God’s resources.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (7/17/20)

 

This is the audio from the July 17, 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