Growing Together! (Sermon Audio)
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Growing Together! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the July 27, 2025 sermon, “Growing Together!”, shared by David Honeycutt and Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 1 Corinthians 3

 

“The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 
1 Corinthians 3:8-9 (NIV)

 

This message was team preached by David Honeycutt and Tom Lemler for the celebration of the 27th anniversary of the Deer Run Church of Christ and to recognize David’s years of service to Deer Run and the Michiana community as he moves from this area. 

Part One:
Planting the Seed

David Honeycutt

Good morning!  Welcome HOME!  It is so good to be here, worshiping together, praising together, One in Christ as we were created to be.  But sometimes . . . the church, as great as she is, forgets WHO she is.  It’s happened many times throughout history — including even here at times — AND even back in the very early days of the church as is described in our text, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. 

  • Corinth was experiencing an identity crisis — they forgot who they were.  Unfortunately, there were times in our history we forgot who we were.
  • Ah . . . but God!  Which was Paul’s point . . God!  As His children we do what He assigns us to do, but in reality, He’s the one who gives it life!  Anything good from Deer Run is not due to human efforts alone.  No matter how hard any of us work, no one can take credit for what God has done . . . for what ONLY God can do! 
  • Christians, whether as individuals or as an entire church — we grow only by the power of God through His Holy Spirit, Who acts like a seed accomplishing far more than we could ever ask or imagine.  And frankly, far more than we could ever see or measure!

  • Working in you and through you, He can accomplish things beyond imagination.  And even things you deem small, like a seed, can produce without limit!  You just need to trust Him!  All God asks from any of us to be faithful. And remember, the seed of all faithfulness . . . is faith!  Simple faith!

Part Two:
Prepared to GROW!

Tom Lemler

When we take the seed provided by God and are faithful in doing our part in planting and watering, we find ourselves prepared to . . .

  • Give:  1 Corinthians 3:8-10

    • When the seed of faith is planted in us by God’s Spirit and nurtured by the faithful work of God’s servants, we grow in the way we give of our self.  Many times when we think of giving in the context of church teaching and practice, we focus on money.  God is more concerned about us giving our self fully to Him, and then all aspects of our life follow.  We learn to give in faith when we understand we are all working for the same Master and for the same purpose. 

  • Refine:  1 Corinthians 3:11-13

    • As the seed of faith grows in our life, we quickly learn that we need to refine our thoughts and actions.  As we submit to Christ, we discover an ongoing process of refinement which purifies us from the inside out.  It is in the process of refining that the weeds of this world are pulled . . . and we keep pulling the weeds and discarding them so the seed can both grow and produce a bountiful harvest.

  • Obey:  1 Corinthians 3:14-15

    • It is within this harvest of righteousness that we learn the value of obedience.  Even when our works are destroyed because they are not pure, it is our faith in Jesus which saves us.  Often times we learn obedience through an understanding of the consequences of disobedience,  yet as God prepares us to grow we learn to obey out of love.

  • Worship:  1 Corinthians 3:16-17

    • When we draw near to God and find Him preparing us to give, refine, and obey, we discover a place of worship is always available because we have become the very temple of God.  With the seed of faith empowered by God’s Spirit within us, we are being prepared as both a people of worship and a place of worship.  It is our life which is offered to God in worship which prepares us for an eternity of worshiping God and becomes a witness to the world.

Today, how will you GROW?

Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Sorrow! (7/25/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Sorrow! (7/25/25)

This is the audio from the July 25, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
Matthew 24:3 (NIV)

This week our prayer focus will be on our need to pay attention to the happenings of life from the view of an eternal perspective.  We often see in Scripture that Jesus noticed things which were different from what others paid attention to.  When we become distracted by the things of this world, Jesus desires to turn our attention to the things we ought to watch out for.  The goal is not to frighten us, but to challenge us with the need to be ready for eternity as we notice the signs of a failing world.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus would fill you with His presence in a way that gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage to always be watchful.  Pray that your desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection would be greater than any other desire you have.  Pray that seeing the signs would encourage you rather than frighten you.

“He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 24:51 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be aware of the attempts of the enemy to destroy you.  Pray that you would see, and avoid, the sorrow which will come upon all those who reject the Son.  Pray for a genuine faith in Jesus which obeys Him wholeheartedly so that no seeds of hypocrisy could grow.  Pray that your life would lead others to Jesus so they too can avoid the coming sorrow.

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: Seeing the Night! (7/24/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Night! (7/24/25)

This is the audio from the July 24, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
Matthew 24:3 (NIV)

This week our prayer focus will be on our need to pay attention to the happenings of life from the view of an eternal perspective.  We often see in Scripture that Jesus noticed things which were different from what others paid attention to.  When we become distracted by the things of this world, Jesus desires to turn our attention to the things we ought to watch out for.  The goal is not to frighten us, but to challenge us with the need to be ready for eternity as we notice the signs of a failing world.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus would fill you with His presence in a way that gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage to always be watchful.  Pray that your desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection would be greater than any other desire you have.  Pray that seeing the signs would encourage you rather than frighten you.

“But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.”
Matthew 24:43 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be aware of the attempts of the enemy to destroy you.  Pray that you would realize the darkness of the night in which we live.  Pray that you would keep watch through the night as you long for the day of Christ’s return.

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: Seeing the Gathering! (7/23/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Gathering! (7/23/25)

This is the audio from the July 23, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
Matthew 24:3 (NIV)

This week our prayer focus will be on our need to pay attention to the happenings of life from the view of an eternal perspective.  We often see in Scripture that Jesus noticed things which were different from what others paid attention to.  When we become distracted by the things of this world, Jesus desires to turn our attention to the things we ought to watch out for.  The goal is not to frighten us, but to challenge us with the need to be ready for eternity as we notice the signs of a failing world.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus would fill you with His presence in a way that gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage to always be watchful.  Pray that your desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection would be greater than any other desire you have.  Pray that seeing the signs would encourage you rather than frighten you.

“And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Matthew 24:31 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be aware of the attempts of the enemy to destroy you.  Pray that you would heed the call of God to gather with fellow believers now as you look toward the final gathering.  Pray that you would see the value of being ready for the gathering of all those who belong 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

Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Illusion! (7/22/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Illusion! (7/22/25)

This is the audio from the July 22, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
Matthew 24:3 (NIV)

This week our prayer focus will be on our need to pay attention to the happenings of life from the view of an eternal perspective.  We often see in Scripture that Jesus noticed things which were different from what others paid attention to.  When we become distracted by the things of this world, Jesus desires to turn our attention to the things we ought to watch out for.  The goal is not to frighten us, but to challenge us with the need to be ready for eternity as we notice the signs of a failing world.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus would fill you with His presence in a way that gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage to always be watchful.  Pray that your desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection would be greater than any other desire you have.  Pray that seeing the signs would encourage you rather than frighten you.

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible.”
Matthew 24:24 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be aware of the attempts of the enemy to destroy you.  Pray that your walk with Jesus would be genuine so that the imposters of this world would not deceive you.  Pray that God’s Spirit would help you see through the illusions brought forth by the evil one.

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: Seeing the Suffering! (7/21/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Seeing the Suffering! (7/21/25)

This is the audio from the July 21, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
Matthew 24:3 (NIV)

This week our prayer focus will be on our need to pay attention to the happenings of life from the view of an eternal perspective.  We often see in Scripture that Jesus noticed things which were different from what others paid attention to.  When we become distracted by the things of this world, Jesus desires to turn our attention to the things we ought to watch out for.  The goal is not to frighten us, but to challenge us with the need to be ready for eternity as we notice the signs of a failing world.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus would fill you with His presence in a way that gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage to always be watchful.  Pray that your desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection would be greater than any other desire you have.  Pray that seeing the signs would encourage you rather than frighten you.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.”
Matthew 24:9 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be aware of the attempts of the enemy to destroy you.  Pray that your eyes would be opened to the sufferings people experience because of their faith.  Pray that an awareness of the sufferings of others would lead you to greater compassion as you see the return of Jesus nearing.

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 – Seeing the SIGNS! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Seeing the SIGNS! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the July 20, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Seeing the SIGNS!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 24

 

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’” 
Matthew 24:3 (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.  Signs are important tools to help guide us in the ways we ought to go.  As we live life, we find value in observing various signs and responding in appropriate ways.  As Christians, we find ourselves waiting for the return of Christ with a desire to be found ready so we often look for the signs pointing to His return.  As Jesus approaches the end of His time on earth, He answers a question from His disciples about seeing the . . .

  • Suffering:  Matthew 24:4-14

    • As Jesus begins to respond to His disciples about the signs they are asking about, He addresses the suffering that will take place.  The suffering of this world is a result of sin.  Some of it is a direct result of sinful acts that we commit or that others commit, while other aspects of suffering are simply a result of living in a world under the curse of sin.  As we draw closer to the return of Jesus with each tick of the clock, we also see an increase in the suffering which is directly related to a persecution of those who put their faith in Jesus.  Even through suffering and persecution, Jesus assures us that He knows those who are His and that salvation comes to those who remain faithful regardless of the circumstances. 

  • Illusions:  Matthew 24:22-26

    • In addition to a growing culture of suffering, Jesus wants us to see the illusions for what they are so that we are not deceived.  Throughout history prior to the time of Jesus being on earth, as well as since that time, people have claimed to be the Christ or have pointed to others as being the Christ.  But the illusions which multiply as the day of Christ’s return approach are not only about Him having returned or being somewhere on earth, they also involve an illusion of truth which misrepresents Jesus as the only way to the Father.  When our eyes and ears are opened to the illusions of this world, we can live with confidence through a faith that is centered in the goodness of God and His promise not to forget those who are His.

  • Gathering:  Matthew 24:27-31

    • Jesus talks in this chapter about a gathering in two very different contexts.  In the first, He talks about a gathering which surrounds death.  It can be easy to draw a crowd if you use the right bait.  When death reigns in our life, the vultures of the evil one gather quickly in an effort to completely destroy and devour us.  This is not the gathering we ought to be paying attention to.  The other gathering is the one He says can’t be missed.  We prepare ourselves for Jesus to come and gather to Himself all who are His when we practice gathering with other believers simply because we want to.

  • Night:  Matthew 24:36-44

    • When we see the darkness of night, we would be wise to be watchful and prepared.  Jesus makes it clear through His teaching here on earth that even He does not know the day or hour of His return.  That information is exclusive to His Father.  Many people go to great lengths to be prepared as much as possible for the thief who likes to work under the cover of the night.  We put up motion detectors, security lights, cameras, and other surveillance items in attempts to be ready at all times.  Because the days we live in are evil and the darkness seems to grow unhindered, Jesus wants us to see the night and be ready at all times for His return.

  • Sorrow:  Matthew 24:45-51

    • As Jesus responds to the questions of His disciples about the signs of the end of the age, He does so not to frighten them but to both encourage and warn them . . . and us.  The great danger of not seeing the signs and being prepared is that the end of the age will be a time of great sorrow for those who have rejected Jesus.  Seeing the sorrow that is to come ought to motivate us to put our faith in Jesus as the only One who can cleanse us of the sin which brings the eternal sorrow of separation from God.

Today, how will you respond to the SIGNS?

Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Concern! (7/18/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Concern! (7/18/25)

This is the audio from the July 18, 2025 social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

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“See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.”
2 Corinthians 7:11 (NIV)

Our “Lifestyle of Prayer” emphasis this week will focus on some of the things produced in our life by the woe we experience.  I suspect that most of us are much more aware of the sorrow we experience than the sorrow we cause.  As I read scripture, it appears that both the woe we experience and the woe we cause can be either godly sorrow or worldly sorrow.  One of the clearest ways to determine the true source of the woe is to examine just what it produces.  Pray that you would be a truthful messenger of God so that any sorrow you produce in others would be of the godly kind.  Pray for a growing desire to endure whatever it takes to bring about a maturity in your thoughts and actions.  Pray that God would use the sorrow you experience in order to help shape you more and more into the image of Christ.  Pray that God would use you to make Jesus known to those who are filled with great woe.

“He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.”
2 Corinthians 7:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see how a godly sorrow produces in you a variety of necessary things.  Pray that your godly sorrow would produce in you a great concern for others.  Pray that you would find ways to express your concern as you serve and care for people.  Pray that your concern for others would bring them great joy.

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