Teaching Podcasts

Encouragement and Prayer: I Am In Heaven and On Earth! (7/7/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: I Am In Heaven and On Earth! (7/7/25)

This is the audio from the July 7, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’  When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.”
Matthew 22:21-22 (NIV)

Who’s in charge?  How much authority has Jesus been given by His Father?  What does it mean to know Jesus as the “I AM”?  What do you and I do about the authority of Jesus?  How does it apply to us?  This week  in our Lifestyle of Prayer emphasis we will look at some scriptures about the authority of Jesus.  Pray that your obedience would grow in a way that represents Jesus well to all you meet.  Pray for a greater understanding of the eternal nature of God’s authority and how that authority has been revealed in Jesus.  Pray that your response to the invitation and mandate of Jesus would reflect a godly response to His authority.  Pray that you would know God as revealed to us through His Son, Jesus.  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.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’”
Matthew 28:18  (NIV)

As  you pray this week, ask God to help you be submissive to the authority of Christ in all things.   Pray that you would open every aspect of your life to the authority of Jesus.  Pray that your life would be lived under the authority of Jesus.  Pray for a submissive spirit that finds contentment and joy in your obedience to Christ.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Following Jesus – Knowing the Great I AM! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Knowing the Great I AM! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the July 6, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Knowing the Great I AM!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 22

 

“Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’  When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.”
Matthew 22:21-22 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  As we look at the teaching, instruction, and life of Jesus we come to know Him as the great . . .

  • Invitation:  Matthew 22:1-14

    • Jesus tells several parable which compare the kingdom of heaven to a banquet of some variety.  In Matthew 22, He talks about a wedding feast in which the invited guests have no interest in attending.  When the invited guests not only refuse the invitation to the wedding of the King’s son, but they also mistreat and kill those extending the invitation, the King sends servants out to invite everyone they could find . . . both good and bad.  While the invitation is extended to all, not everyone comes dressed for the wedding and the king deals with that.  When we know Jesus as the Great I AM, we both experience and extend His great invitation for all who are weary to find rest, for all who are thirsty to be satisfied, for all who are hungry to be filled.  It is through our obedient response to the great invitation that we are clothed with Christ and found ready for the great wedding feast of the Lamb. 

 

  • Authority:  Matthew 22:15-33

    • As we read the gospels, we find Jesus constantly being tested by the various groups of religious leaders . . . sometimes they seem to be working together and sometimes they appear to be taking turns.  In today’s text, both the Pharisees and Sadducees come up with their own tests in attempts to trap Jesus.  The Pharisees raise a question about paying taxes and the Sadducees raise a question about the nature of the resurrection of people from the dead.  The answers Jesus gives each of them avoid falling into their traps and give Jesus the opportunity to declare authority and understanding of scripture which exceeds that of the religious leaders.  When Jesus tells the Pharisees to “give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s”, He subtly reminds those who are the teachers of the Law that mankind was created in the image of God and thus we must give to Him that which bears His image.  When we know Jesus as the Great I AM, we discover Him to be the great authority over life and death.  We belong to Him now, and we belong to Him throughout eternity.

  • Mandate:  Matthew 22:34-46

    • When the first two traps of Matthew 22 didn’t work, the Pharisees thought they would give it another chance by asking Jesus about what commandment was greatest.  In doing so, Jesus defines the mandate by which we must live in order to please Him.  This mandate is a command to love like Jesus loves.  While on the surface, the command to love does not appear to be new, Jesus makes it new by defining the love we must have for Him and for one another to be expressed in the way that He loves us.  When we know Jesus as the Great I AM, we find a great mandate to love God and love people.  In so doing, we discover a way of life which fulfills all the commands God has for us.

Today, how will you know the Great I AM?

Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience To the Truth! (7/4/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience To the Truth! (7/4/25)

This is the audio from the July 4, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
Matthew 21:28 (NIV)

Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents.  We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it.  We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”  Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit.  This week, as we pray about what we ought to do, we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”  As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ.  Pray that your decisions would be godly so that your obedience would follow.  Pray that you would value the choice of obedience in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that the results of your obedience would help the people around you see Jesus more clearly.

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow through your obedience in what you do.  Pray that you would be able to express pure love for others because of your obedience to the truth.  Pray that you would allow God to purify your life by your willingness to obey His truth.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience To Leaders! (7/3/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience To Leaders! (7/3/25)

This is the audio from the July 3, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
Matthew 21:28 (NIV)

Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents.  We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it.  We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”  Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit.  This week, as we pray about what we ought to do, we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”  As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ.  Pray that your decisions would be godly so that your obedience would follow.  Pray that you would value the choice of obedience in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that the results of your obedience would help the people around you see Jesus more clearly.

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow through your obedience in what you do.  Pray that your obedience would be a joy to the leaders who have authority over you.  Pray that you would recognize the advantages that come, both to you and your leaders, when you obey.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience That Is Wholehearted! (7/2/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience That Is Wholehearted! (7/2/25)

This is the audio from the July 2, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
Matthew 21:28 (NIV)

Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents.  We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it.  We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”  Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit.  This week, as we pray about what we ought to do, we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”  As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ.  Pray that your decisions would be godly so that your obedience would follow.  Pray that you would value the choice of obedience in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that the results of your obedience would help the people around you see Jesus more clearly.

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.”
Romans 6:17 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow through your obedience in what you do.  Pray that you would pursue a wholehearted obedience to the teachings of God in order to escape the slavery of sin.  Pray that you would help other know they do not have to remain a slave to sin.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience In Your Thoughts! (7/1/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience In Your Thoughts! (7/1/25)

This is the audio from the July 1, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
Matthew 21:28 (NIV)

Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents.  We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it.  We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”  Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit.  This week, as we pray about what we ought to do, we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”  As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ.  Pray that your decisions would be godly so that your obedience would follow.  Pray that you would value the choice of obedience in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that the results of your obedience would help the people around you see Jesus more clearly.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow through your obedience in what you do.  Pray that God’s Spirit would guard  your mind so that every thought is obedient to Christ.  Pray for the wisdom to see through the arguments and pretension that would lead you away from obedient thoughts.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience That Is Steadfast! (6/30/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Obedience That Is Steadfast! (6/30/25)

This is the audio from the June 30, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
Matthew 21:28 (NIV)

Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents.  We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it.  We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”  Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit.  This week, as we pray about what we ought to do, we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”  As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ.  Pray that your decisions would be godly so that your obedience would follow.  Pray that you would value the choice of obedience in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that the results of your obedience would help the people around you see Jesus more clearly.

“Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!”
Psalm 119:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow through your obedience in what you do.  Pray that God would help you maintain a steadfast obedience to the decrees of God.  Pray that your times of doubt would be replaced by a steadfast commitment to obeying the laws of God.

You can find the live video feeds of previous encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page or subscribe to the audio from the Tom’s Treasure podcast channel.

In prayer,
Tom

Following Jesus – What Will You DO? (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – What Will You DO? (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the June 29, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: What Will You DO?”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 21:18-46

 

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
Matthew 21:28 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live a life which follows Jesus.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we must answer His question of what will you . . .

  • Discuss/Decide:  Matthew 21:18-27

    • When people encountered Jesus there was often a discussion, sometimes out loud and sometimes internally, about who He was and what He was teaching, and how He did the things He did.  It is out of those discussions we have in whatever form, that we eventually decide what we’ll do with Jesus.  Even when the discussions of the day would lead the religious leaders to consider the truth about Jesus, they often led fear lead as they held on to their own beliefs and traditions rather than embracing the person of Jesus being God with them.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we must gaze intently into God’s Word and allow the discussions we have to lead us to a point of decision. 

  • Obey:  Matthew 21:28-46

    • One of the great difficulties of humanity is overcoming the fear which often keeps us from moving off a point of decision and into the action of obedience.  Jesus made it clear in His teaching that if you truly love Him, you will obey His commands.  Real love, especially real godly love, chooses to do what’s best for the one we love even when we don’t feel like it.  Obviously our human desires are not always pure, so there are times when seeking the best for the one we love is different from what they want, but God’s love and desire are pure, and our obedience becomes a reflection of our growing love for Him.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we choose a life of obedience even when our initial reaction is one that says, “I don’t want to!”.

 

Today, what will you DO?