Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Longing! (7/17/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Longing! (7/17/25)

This is the audio from the July 17, 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.

“When we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.”
1 Thessalonians 2:17 (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 cause an intense longing to be reconciled with others.  Pray for a growing desire to connect with people that you may not have seen in person for some time.  Pray that your longing for others would help them to know the longing God has for each of us.

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: A Changed Indignation! (7/16/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Indignation! (7/16/25)

This is the audio from the July 16, 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.

“People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.”
Mark 10:13 (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 lead you to an indignation that challenges your incorrect attitudes.  Pray for the courage to stand up for those who are being overlooked, neglected, or even rejected.

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: A Changed Eagerness! (7/15/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Eagerness! (7/15/25)

This is the audio from the July 15, 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.

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Acts 17:11 (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 create an eagerness in your life to know real truth.  Pray that you would be eager to understand the accuracy of God’s Word.

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: A Changed Earnestness! (7/14/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Changed Earnestness! (7/14/25)

This is the audio from the July 14, 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.

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Luke 22:44 (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 an earnestness in your communication with God.  Pray for the humility to be earnest with those who have added to your sorrow and with those whose sorrow has been increased by you.

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 – A Message of WOE! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – A Message of WOE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the July 13, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: A Message of WOE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 23

 

“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)

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 Jesus continues teaching on His way to the cross, He gives a message of . . .

  • Warning:  Matthew 23:1-12

    • As Jesus speaks to the crowd and His disciples, He gives a multi-part message of warning.  The first part of the warning is for all of us to pay attention to the authority of God’s Word and to do what it says.  The second part of the warning is to not be led astray by the actions of those who should know the right thing to do and yet fails in doing so.  Our obedience and allegiance is to God.  It is the responsibility of every believer to not only know and do the will of God, but to live with an integrity which doesn’t lead others astray when they follow our actions.  The message of woe that we hear from Jesus should be a message of warning so that we would not wander from the truth. 

  • Observation:  Matthew 23:13-36

    • Jesus follows up the message of warning with examples from His observation of the religious leaders of His day.  The religious leaders had become very good at creating loopholes for themselves to justify their disobedience to God’s Word.  It is through this message of observation that we learn that Jesus is aware of all our thoughts and all of our action, as well as to the motives behind each.  We may fool others, and we may even fool ourselves, but we will never fool God.  God’s observation of us  is an involved observation that is not done to try and catch us doing something wrong in order to condemn us, but rather it is an observation being made in order to correct us so that we would return to the right path.

  • Embrace:  Matthew 23:37-39

    • The real purpose behind this message of woe is to communicate just how much God longs to embrace every individual.  Even when proclaiming extreme sorrow and distress upon the religious leaders based on the accurate observation of their lives, Jesus makes it clear that it was always His desire that they would draw near to Him and encounter His embrace . . . but they were unwilling.  Whether the woe we experience is of our own doing or has been caused by the sinfulness present in the world we live in, God wants that experience to turn our hearts toward Him in order to receive the embrace He desires to give.

Today, how will you heed the message of WOE?

Encouragement and Prayer: The I Am To Judge! (7/11/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: The I Am To Judge! (7/11/25)

This is the audio from the July 11, 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.

“And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.”
John 5:27 (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 have no reason to fear the authority of Jesus to judge.  Pray that you would leave the eternal judgment of people to the One who has the authority to do so.  Pray that the people around you would understand His authority to judge all things.

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: The I Am Over Evil Spirits! (7/10/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: The I Am Over Evil Spirits! (7/10/25)

This is the audio from the July 10, 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.

“All the people were amazed and said to each other, ‘What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!’”
Luke 4:36 (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 look to Jesus as the One with authority over evil spirits and over the attacks of Satan in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that you would submit to the authority of Jesus in a way that leaves no room for evil of any kind.

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: The I Am Who Forgives Sin! (7/9/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: The I Am Who Forgives Sin! (7/9/25)

This is the audio from the July 9, 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.

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….”
Mark 2:10 (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 live with confidence because of the authority of Jesus to forgive sins.  Pray for a willingness to identify your own sins in order to submit them to the authority of Jesus.  Pray that you would help others to know the authority of Jesus over 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