Prayer

In Christ: I Have Every Spiritual Blessing
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In Christ: I Have Every Spiritual Blessing

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 21 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day twelve with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing.

I Have Every Spiritual Blessing

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.“
Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

What first comes to your mind when you think of blessing?  Are those thoughts different if you consider spiritual blessings?  How often do you think you have every spiritual blessing that you would desire or need?  How would being blessed “in the heavenly realms” be different from what you might normally think of blessings to be?  Are there ways that it would be the same?

Far too often when we hear the word blessings, someone is talking about receiving some type of physical possession.  While it is true that “every good and perfect gift comes from above”, including all material possessions that would fit that category, how often do you consider the greater blessings that exist for those in Christ?  As you pray, ask God to help you see greater value in the spiritual blessings you receive than you do in temporary ones.  Pray that you would make the most of the spiritual blessings that God has poured out in you.  Pray that you would not be distracted from the greater blessings by the allure of the lesser.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (6/14/20)

 

This is the audio from the June 14, 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

In Christ: I Have Been Crucified
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In Christ: I Have Been Crucified

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 22 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day eleven with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, have been crucified with Christ.

I Have Been Crucified

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“
Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

When you think about where you were before you knew Christ, how often do you think about that transition to being in Christ involving your death?  What active part does a dead person usually have in decision-making and life choices?  What does being crucified have to do with living by faith?  How much of your life does God require in order for Christ to live in you?

For most people, death is something that we don’t like to think or talk about.  In death we often see the permanent end to something while failing to see the new beginning of something else.  In Christ, the old must die in order for the new life to begin.  As you pray, ask God to help you surrender to the crucifixion of your old life in order for your new life to begin.  Pray that being crucified with Christ would put Him in the decision-making role in your life.  Pray that the new life you live would be lived fully for Christ.  Pray that the people around you would no longer see the life you lived, but they would see Christ living in you.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (6/13/20)

 

This is the audio from the June 13, 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

In Christ: I Am Declared Righteous
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In Christ: I Am Declared Righteous

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 23 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day ten with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, have been declared righteous.

I Am Declared Righteous

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.“
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

How often are you right?  How often do you think you are right?  Is there a different answer to those two questions?  What does it take for you to admit that you are wrong about something?  How hard is it to take back the wrong you’ve committed against someone?  What if that wrong was done against God?  Is there a way you can make it right?

As much as we would like to be right about everything, the truth is there is no one who is right all the time, no not one!  Because of our sin, all of our good deeds and right living will never be enough to make us right with God.  That is why a very important part of our identity in Christ is that we are declared righteous!  As you pray, acknowledge your sin and wrongdoing while thanking God that Jesus was willing to take on your sin so that you could be declared righteous in Christ.  Pray that your life would reflect the righteousness that God has given you.  Pray that the people around you would see in you a righteousness that far exceeds any trace of goodness you may think you have.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (6/12/20)

 

This is the audio from the June 12, 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

In Christ: I Am a New Creation
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In Christ: I Am a New Creation

It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 24 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day nine with an important reminder that in Christ you, and those around you, have been called to be a new creation.

I Am a New Creation

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!“
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

What do you like the most about new things?  What do you not like about new things?  How easy/hard is it for you to take hold of new things if the old are still available to you?  If there was one area of your life that you could make completely new, what would it be?  What would it take to do so?  Do you believe people can change?  Do you believe you can change?  Why or why not?

Many of us live with an internal tug-of-war where we like new things but are far more comfortable with many of the old things that define who we are.  For example, I tend to buy new shoes but will rarely wear them until I actually throw the old ones out.  As you pray, ask God to help you see any areas of your old life that you tend to cling to instead of claiming the new life that He gives.  Pray that you would have the courage to always put away the old life and live as the new creation you are.  Pray that you would trust God’s ability to make not only you, but those around you, into a new creation when you are in Christ.

In prayer,

Tom  

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Encouragement & Prayer (6/11/20)

 

This is the audio from the June 11, 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