This is the audio from the May 3, 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
While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”! Over the next 32 days I will be sharing the devotions from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.
Here is day one with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called to belong to Jesus.
“And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.“
Romans 1:6 (NIV)
Where do you belong? Who do you belong to? Which of those questions are you most comfortable with? Why? Have others ever made you believe you didn’t belong in a particular group or situation that you wanted to be a part of? In what way? How did you feel? What does it take to make you feel you fit in or belong in a place or situation? Is an invitation enough? Why? How involved are you in helping others feel they belong in groups you are a part of? How has God backed up His invitation of belonging with substance that makes you know you belong?
Most of us have a desire to feel useful and needed — to know we belong wherever we are. We’ve also accepted invitations to places where we’ve felt out of place as the invitation alone was not enough to give us a sense of belonging. When God calls us to belong, it is not an invitation to join a group or club; rather it is calling us to belong to Jesus. It is Christ who gives us a place to belong when He is the One we belong to. Belonging to Christ means we belong wherever He is and wherever He sends us. It also means others who belong to Christ deserve our acceptance as well.
As you pray about where you belong, begin with a recognition of who you belong to. Pray that you would grow in your understanding of what it means each day to belong to Christ. Pray that you would have the courage to accept God’s calling in your life — both in belonging to Him and in belonging wherever He has work for you to do. Pray about how you make others feel when they are around you. Pray for a sense of community and belonging with all who are in Christ.
In prayer,
Tom
This is the audio from the May 2, 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
Praying for children has been heavy on my heart during this current season of school and church buildings being closed with the need for social distancing, self isolation, and stay at home orders. I pray often that families will be able to shield children to some extent from the negative emotions that cling to this COVID-19 pandemic. This is the final day of the devotions from my “The Heart of a Child” book to help each of us pray for a child of any age, including our age. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you understand, and live, some important traits of living and praying with the heart of a child.
Here is day thirty-two with an important reminder to let God’s Word teach you to pray as a way of life.
“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’“
Luke 11:1 (NIV)
How do you view prayer? How much is prayer a part of your life? Are there things that you don’t pray about? Why? Does prayer feel as natural to you as breathing? If not, why not? Do you ever feel that the prayers of someone else are more effective than yours? Why? In a healthy relationship, what do little children tend to talk about? Would becoming “like a little child” before God change the way you pray? In what ways? Who could you learn from about prayer? Who could you teach about a lifestyle of prayer?
If children trust you, they will often volunteer information that you may not even want to know. Their honesty and transparency comes from a pure heart that hasn’t been taught there are some things you just don’t talk about. It is that heart that I go to when I want to learn, and teach, about prayer. Somewhere along the line, many of us have been taught proper discretion in our conversations with others and somehow we have applied that to the things we will talk to God about. A lifestyle of prayer recognizes that nothing is hidden from God and frees us to be in communication with Him about everything.
As you pray for a child of any age, ask God to help them know His understanding of whatever is on their mind. Pray that He would help you to examine yourself for anything you’ve been afraid to talk with Him about. Pray that He would increase your desire to build your relationship with Him through the conversation we call prayer. Pray that God would surround you with people that you can learn from, and that you can instruct, in a lifestyle of prayer.
In prayer,
Tom
This is the audio from the May 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
Praying for children has been heavy on my heart during this current season of school and church buildings being closed with the need for social distancing, self isolation, and stay at home orders. I pray often that families will be able to shield children to some extent from the negative emotions that cling to this COVID-19 pandemic. This is day thirty-one of the devotions from my “The Heart of a Child” book to help each of us pray for a child of any age, including our age. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you understand, and live, some important traits of living and praying with the heart of a child.
Here is day thirty-one with an important reminder to let God’s truth be your guide for every aspect of life.
“It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.“
3 John 1:3-4 (NIV)
How do you determine what is true? Is there a difference between knowing what is true and walking in the truth? Explain. How truthful are you? Would the people who know you the best agree? Would God agree? Why? How much effort do you put into pursuing truth? Does your pursuit of truth inspire others to seek God’s truth? How do you feel when those you have instructed no longer live in the way they were taught? Why? Does your life bring joy to the people who shared the truth of God with you?
In a culture that seems to thrive on half-truths, deceptions, and straight out lies, choosing to walk in the truth can be a very lonely path. As children of God, His desire is that we would not only know His truth, but that we would apply it and live it in everything we do. Our adherence to the truth of God’s Word sets an example that those being born into Christ will take notice of. Just as we want people to accept the instruction we give them, we rob God of joy when we choose to not walk in the truth that He has given. Our greatest joy can be had when we see people walking in truth because of our example.
As you pray for a child of any age, ask God to help you examine how diligently you pursue His truth. Pray for the courage to proclaim Jesus as “the way, the truth, and the life” in a world that rejects absolute truth. Pray that your obedience to the truth would bring joy to those you have learned from. Pray that the children around you would learn of God’s truth from both your words and your actions. Pray that you would be filled with joy as you see children walking in the truth.
In prayer,
Tom
This is the audio from the April 30, 2020 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
In prayer,
Tom
Praying for children has been heavy on my heart during this current season of school and church buildings being closed with the need for social distancing, self isolation, and stay at home orders. I pray often that families will be able to shield children to some extent from the negative emotions that cling to this COVID-19 pandemic. This is day thirty of the devotions from my “The Heart of a Child” book to help each of us pray for a child of any age, including our age. Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you understand, and live, some important traits of living and praying with the heart of a child.
Here is day thirty with an important reminder to know the greatness of God and then live according to His definition of greatness.
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.“
1 John 4:4 (NIV)
What makes a person great in the eyes of the world? In your eyes? In God’s eyes? What ways are those responses similar or different? Why? Do you believe greatness comes from a person’s physical body or from something inside them? Explain. Has your view of what makes a person great changed from when you were a child? In what ways? Have others ever considered you greater than you view yourself? What do they see that you don’t? How will knowing God’s greatness, and seeing it in His children, change the way you live?
Ask most people what makes a person great and you will likely receive as many answers as the number of people you ask. Some view greatness based on physical, mental, or even social ability. Others see it as a product of the influence you have on people. God actually defines His view of greatness when He says, “Whoever would be greatest of all must become servant of all.” When God’s Spirit lives within us, not only should we recognize the greatness of God but we ought to be exhibiting that greatness as we serve others. When we view God from the eyes of His child, we find the greatness that we need.
As you pray for a child of any age, ask God to help you recognize His greatness dwelling within people. Pray for the courage to understand greatness from God’s perspective. Pray that you would be an example to the children around you as you live in God’s greatness by serving others. Pray for the humility to serve God, and serve people, when the world wants to convince you that you ought to be served by others. Pray for a child-like heart that can see the greatness of God.
In prayer,
Tom
Tom's Treasure 