Encouragement and Prayer: Tested In Sincerity! (1/15/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Tested In Sincerity! (1/15/25)

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This is the audio from the January 15, 2025 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on being ready to face, and overcome, the temptations which come our way.  Temptations, when handled poorly, will often lead us to sin.  When handled correctly, however, those same temptations can serve as a test which illuminates our growth in Christ.  As Jesus was led into the desert to face temptation, He dis so as one prepared for the test through prayer, fasting, and the Word of God.  Pray that you live life preparing yourself to be ready for the temptations which are common to mankind.  Pray that the testing of your faith would always produce a confidence in the faithfulness of God.  Pray that God would fill you with wisdom to know when to stand against temptation and when to follow the way out which God provides..

“I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.”
2 Corinthians 8:8 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be ready for every test you will face.  Pray that your response to the needs of others would reflect the sincerity of your love for people.  Pray for an awareness of how your good works done for God are tested not by a comparison of size, but rather by a comparison of desire.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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: Tested For Obedience! (1/14/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Tested For Obedience! (1/14/25)

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This is the audio from the January 14, 2025 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on being ready to face, and overcome, the temptations which come our way.  Temptations, when handled poorly, will often lead us to sin.  When handled correctly, however, those same temptations can serve as a test which illuminates our growth in Christ.  As Jesus was led into the desert to face temptation, He dis so as one prepared for the test through prayer, fasting, and the Word of God.  Pray that you live life preparing yourself to be ready for the temptations which are common to mankind.  Pray that the testing of your faith would always produce a confidence in the faithfulness of God.  Pray that God would fill you with wisdom to know when to stand against temptation and when to follow the way out which God provides..

“The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.”
2 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be ready for every test you will face.  Pray that you would learn godly obedience when faced with testing of any kind.  Pray that you learn God’s Word for the purpose of knowing how He wants you to live.  Pray that your life of obedience to Christ would be an example to all.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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: Tested By Opposition! (1/13/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Tested By Opposition! (1/13/25)

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This is the audio from the January 13, 2025 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on being ready to face, and overcome, the temptations which come our way.  Temptations, when handled poorly, will often lead us to sin.  When handled correctly, however, those same temptations can serve as a test which illuminates our growth in Christ.  As Jesus was led into the desert to face temptation, He dis so as one prepared for the test through prayer, fasting, and the Word of God.  Pray that you live life preparing yourself to be ready for the temptations which are common to mankind.  Pray that the testing of your faith would always produce a confidence in the faithfulness of God.  Pray that God would fill you with wisdom to know when to stand against temptation and when to follow the way out which God provides..

“I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.”
Acts 20:19 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be ready for every test you will face.  Pray that your response to those who oppose the message of Christ would always be based out of humility.  Pray that you would learn to serve with greater humility even as your faith is tested by those who disagree with you.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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 – Ready For the TEST! (Sermon Audio)
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Following Jesus – Ready For the TEST! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the January 12, 2025 sermon, “Following Jesus: Ready For the TEST!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Matthew 4:1-11

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

As one called by Jesus to “Come, follow me”, Matthew gives us great teaching on what it looks like to live life following Jesus.  As Jesus prepared to begin His public teaching and ministry, He shows us what it looks like to be ready for the . . .

  • Treat:  Matthew 4:1-4

    • As we live as those ready for the test, we learn from Jesus about being ready for what appears to be a treat.  After forty days of prayer and fasting, and tempting, the devil offers Jesus the one thing that would make the most sense — food!  The response of Jesus, as with all of the devil’s temptations, is to apply God’s Word to His current situation.  We must be very careful when we are offered that which caters to the desires of our flesh rather than the desire of the Spirit who lives within us.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for the treats of this world when we set our eyes upon the ultimate reward of life forever with Jesus.  

  • Excuses:  Matthew 4:5-7

    • Being ready for the test comes when we learn from Jesus how to overcome the excuses of the enemy designed to lead to our disobedience.  The devil tried to use scripture as an excuse for Jesus to throw Himself off the high point of the temple.  It is a similar technique he used in twisting God’s Word in asking Adam and Eve if God really said they could not touch the tree in the garden.  We are surrounded by the work of the devil in filling our minds with excuses which attempt to justify sinful behavior.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for the excuses of this world when we fill our minds daily with the truth of God’s Word.

  • Success:  Matthew 4:8-10

    • Being ready for the test requires that we are prepared with a godly response to the allure of success.  The devil offered to give Jesus the kingdoms of this world in exchange for a moment of worship.  The lie woven within this offer of success is that the kingdoms of this world are only temporarily under the rule of the devil . . . Jesus was, is, and will be Lord of all.  We can easily desire success to such an extent that we give in to the temptations of shortcuts and settling for less than God’s best.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for success when we measure true success by our faithfulness to God and His faithfulness to us.

  • Time:  Matthew 4:11

    • Being ready for the test comes with an understanding to be ready for the time at hand.  As I understand the accounts of this wilderness time in the life of Jesus, He was being tempted by the devil not just these three times at the end, but throughout the forty days of prayer and fasting.  But it didn’t end there.  Luke tells us that after these three specific temptations, the devil left Him for “a more opportune time”.  The forth temptation in this series is the temptation that we have somehow overcome to the extent that there is no more temptation to come.  We must always be on guard and prepared for the many temptations of the evil one at times when we expect it and and times we least expect it.  We prepare ourselves to be ready for time when we daily put on the full armor of God so that we can stand, and after all is done, we stand.

Today, how will you be ready for the TEST?

Encouragement and Prayer: A Path Prepared For Light! (1/10/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Path Prepared For Light! (1/10/25)

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This is the audio from the January 10, 2025 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.'”  
Matthew 3:3 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will be to pray about the prepared path that Jesus walked, and that He calls you to walk as you follow Him.  The Bible makes it clear that there is a way, a path, that leads to life eternal and one that leads to destruction.  The path we choose to travel each day reflects where we are headed and helps others to see the goodness of God as we follow His path.  Pray that you would always look for, and stay on, the path of the righteous.  Pray about how your choices in life reflect the path you are traveling on.  Pray that God would help you avoid the distractions and detours the enemy uses in an attempt to get you off the path that is right.  Pray that the people around you would know of the good path and that they would follow it as they observe your life in Christ.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the path that grows brighter each day.  Pray that you would use God’s Word to illuminate the path you walk each day.  Pray that you would shine the light of God’s Word on the path that those around you walk.  Pray for the wisdom and desire to shine the light of God’s Word upon the path you travel so that your way would be clear.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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 Path Prepared For Freedom! (1/9/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Path Prepared For Freedom! (1/9/25)

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This is the audio from the January 9, 2025 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.'”  
Matthew 3:3 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will be to pray about the prepared path that Jesus walked, and that He calls you to walk as you follow Him.  The Bible makes it clear that there is a way, a path, that leads to life eternal and one that leads to destruction.  The path we choose to travel each day reflects where we are headed and helps others to see the goodness of God as we follow His path.  Pray that you would always look for, and stay on, the path of the righteous.  Pray about how your choices in life reflect the path you are traveling on.  Pray that God would help you avoid the distractions and detours the enemy uses in an attempt to get you off the path that is right.  Pray that the people around you would know of the good path and that they would follow it as they observe your life in Christ.

“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the path that grows brighter each day.  Pray that you would daily experience the freedom of walking in the path of God’s commands.  Pray that the people around you would see a heart set free in Christ.  Pray that you would learn to run free from bondage as you travel in the path of God’s commands.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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 Path Prepared For God’s Way! (1/8/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Path Prepared For God’s Way! (1/8/25)

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This is the audio from the January  8, 2025 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.'”  
Matthew 3:3 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will be to pray about the prepared path that Jesus walked, and that He calls you to walk as you follow Him.  The Bible makes it clear that there is a way, a path, that leads to life eternal and one that leads to destruction.  The path we choose to travel each day reflects where we are headed and helps others to see the goodness of God as we follow His path.  Pray that you would always look for, and stay on, the path of the righteous.  Pray about how your choices in life reflect the path you are traveling on.  Pray that God would help you avoid the distractions and detours the enemy uses in an attempt to get you off the path that is right.  Pray that the people around you would know of the good path and that they would follow it as they observe your life in Christ.

“Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.”
Psalm 27:11 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the path that grows brighter each day.  Pray that you would be a student of God’s way so that your path would not be disrupted by the enemy.  Pray that you would teach others the way of God.  Pray that those who stand against you would actually help you travel in a way that pleases God.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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 Path Prepared For Protection! (1/7/25)
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Encouragement and Prayer: A Path Prepared For Protection! (1/7/25)

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

“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.'”  
Matthew 3:3 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will be to pray about the prepared path that Jesus walked, and that He calls you to walk as you follow Him.  The Bible makes it clear that there is a way, a path, that leads to life eternal and one that leads to destruction.  The path we choose to travel each day reflects where we are headed and helps others to see the goodness of God as we follow His path.  Pray that you would always look for, and stay on, the path of the righteous.  Pray about how your choices in life reflect the path you are traveling on.  Pray that God would help you avoid the distractions and detours the enemy uses in an attempt to get you off the path that is right.  Pray that the people around you would know of the good path and that they would follow it as they observe your life in Christ.

“You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.”
Psalm 18:36 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the path that grows brighter each day.  Pray that you would follow God’s path and trust Him to broaden it beneath your feet so that your walk is steady.  Pray that those around you would not stumble on the path they are choosing to travel.  Pray for God’s protection from both physical and spiritual dangers that exist as you travel through life.

You can find the live video feeds of these 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