Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Grace! (2/2/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Grace! (2/2/23)

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This is the audio from the February 2, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

This week’s lifestyle of prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more giving which God calls us to as a reflection of His nature.  Just as the Bible teaches that we know love because God first loved us, we can learn to give because God first gave to us.  Too often we don’t give — not because the need isn’t present, and not even because we don’t have the resources — but simply because we haven’t learned to give.  God’s desire is that we learn to give with the purpose of blessing others and in so doing we discover we too are blessed.  When we follow the example of Jesus we learn to give what we know, we learn to give what we have, and we learn to give what God provides.  Pray that your practice of giving would be a blessing to you, and to others, as you reflect Christ in your giving habits.  Pray that your recognition of God as the provider of all good things would help you learn to give more freely.

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.”
Proverbs 25:21 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be a learner when it comes to giving.  Pray that you would learn to give grace to others in the measure that God has given it to  you.  Pray that you would understand the power of transformation that comes through the giving and receiving of grace — even to those who are your enemy.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Sound Answers! (2/1/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Sound Answers! (2/1/23)

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This is the audio from the February 1, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

This week’s lifestyle of prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more giving which God calls us to as a reflection of His nature.  Just as the Bible teaches that we know love because God first loved us, we can learn to give because God first gave to us.  Too often we don’t give — not because the need isn’t present, and not even because we don’t have the resources — but simply because we haven’t learned to give.  God’s desire is that we learn to give with the purpose of blessing others and in so doing we discover we too are blessed.  When we follow the example of Jesus we learn to give what we know, we learn to give what we have, and we learn to give what God provides.  Pray that your practice of giving would be a blessing to you, and to others, as you reflect Christ in your giving habits.  Pray that your recognition of God as the provider of all good things would help you learn to give more freely.

“Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?”
Proverbs 22:20-21 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be a learner when it comes to giving.  Pray that you would be a student of God’s Word so you would be able to give sound answers.  Pray that God would help you to discern what is true and reliable as you answer those who seek hope.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Timely! (1/31/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Timely! (1/31/23)

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This is the audio from the January 31, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

This week’s lifestyle of prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more giving which God calls us to as a reflection of His nature.  Just as the Bible teaches that we know love because God first loved us, we can learn to give because God first gave to us.  Too often we don’t give — not because the need isn’t present, and not even because we don’t have the resources — but simply because we haven’t learned to give.  God’s desire is that we learn to give with the purpose of blessing others and in so doing we discover we too are blessed.  When we follow the example of Jesus we learn to give what we know, we learn to give what we have, and we learn to give what God provides.  Pray that your practice of giving would be a blessing to you, and to others, as you reflect Christ in your giving habits.  Pray that your recognition of God as the provider of all good things would help you learn to give more freely.

“Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’– when you now have it with you.”
Proverbs 3:28 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be a learner when it comes to giving.  Pray that you would learn to recognize the moments of opportunity in giving.  Pray that God would help you do an inventory of your life so you know what you can give now.  Pray that God would help you be honest in the timeliness of your giving.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Generously! (1/30/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Generously! (1/30/23)

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This is the audio from the January 30, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

This week’s lifestyle of prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more giving which God calls us to as a reflection of His nature.  Just as the Bible teaches that we know love because God first loved us, we can learn to give because God first gave to us.  Too often we don’t give — not because the need isn’t present, and not even because we don’t have the resources — but simply because we haven’t learned to give.  God’s desire is that we learn to give with the purpose of blessing others and in so doing we discover we too are blessed.  When we follow the example of Jesus we learn to give what we know, we learn to give what we have, and we learn to give what God provides.  Pray that your practice of giving would be a blessing to you, and to others, as you reflect Christ in your giving habits.  Pray that your recognition of God as the provider of all good things would help you learn to give more freely.

“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.”
Psalm 37:21 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you be a learner when it comes to giving.  Pray that you would follow God as you turn from a wickedness of taking to a righteousness of giving generously.  Pray that God would teach you to recognize all that He has put into your life for the purpose of you sharing it with others.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Thanks! (1/29/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Giving More Thanks! (1/29/23)

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This is the audio from the January 29, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

This week’s lifestyle of prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more giving which God calls us to as a reflection of His nature.  Just as the Bible teaches that we know love because God first loved us, we can learn to give because God first gave to us.  Too often we don’t give — not because the need isn’t present, and not even because we don’t have the resources — but simply because we haven’t learned to give.  God’s desire is that we learn to give with the purpose of blessing others and in so doing we discover we too are blessed.  When we follow the example of Jesus we learn to give what we know, we learn to give what we have, and we learn to give what God provides.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you be a learner when it comes to giving.  Pray that your practice of giving would be a blessing to you, and to others, as you reflect Christ in your giving habits.  Pray that your recognition of God as the provider of all good things would help you learn to give more freely.

“I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”
Psalm 7:17 (NIV)

Pray that your awareness of God’s righteousness would teach you to give thanks more freely in all ways possible.  Pray that God’s work in your life would teach you a lifestyle of gratitude; not only for God, but for the people He surrounds you with.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Immeasurably More Giving: A Great GIFT! (Sermon Audio)
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Immeasurably More Giving: A Great GIFT! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the January 28, 2024 sermon, “Immeasurably More Giving: A Great GIFT!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 2 Corinthians 8 & 9

“. . . see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)

This morning’s message continued a sermon series designed to help us look at some of the immeasurably more God desires to do in us, through us, and for us.  Often when we think about immeasurably more, it focuses on what we want to receive.  God, on the other hand, is more concerned about what He will do to make the good news of the kingdom grow.  In the first message of this series we considered what it looks like to experience immeasurably more in our prayer life.  In the second message we addressed the immeasurably more love that God has for us and expects us to share with others.  Last week we talked about serving in immeasurably more ways because of what we experience through our increased prayers and love.  This combination of prayer, love, and serving brings us to today’s message about the great gift of immeasurably more giving.  When we think of immeasurably more giving, it should be evident that God set the standard with the giving of Himself for all mankind.  As we recognize God as the source of every good and perfect gift, we discover His desire that we live with a great . . .

  • Generosity: — 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

    • We often think of generosity as a subject focused on what we do with our extra . . . our extra money, extra time, extra whatever it is that we don’t really need or want.  God, however, looks at our generosity based on what we do with what He has given.  We live with a great generosity when we learn to give beyond what we think is possible.  This is not an over-extending of giving what isn’t real, but rather a giving based on what God provides rather than on what we evaluate as reasonable.

  • Instruction: —  2 Corinthians 8:8-15

    • As Paul sets forth the Macedonians as examples of great generosity, he provides great instruction to the Corinthians on how to also excel in the grace of giving.  The instruction given focuses on giving according to what God has provided rather than based on what anyone else is doing.  We live with a great instruction when we take God at His Word and choose to give in ways that mutually meet the needs of each individual, including yourself.

  • Faith: — 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

    • To excel in the grace of giving requires a faith that the seeds being planted by what we give will bear appropriate fruit in due time.  We choose to give, not because it necessarily produces the immediate results we desire but because it displays a faithfulness in using what God has already given to each of us.  We live with a great faith when we understand the source of every good and perfect gift, and then trust that Source to accomplish His will in us and through us.

  • Testimony: — 2 Corinthians 9:12-15

    • The immeasurably more giving that God does, and calls us to do, is designed to give testimony to who He is.  When the generous nature of God is displayed through us, it results in great thanksgiving by those who recognize His hand at work in their midst.  When we choose to follow God in a way that leads us to excel in the grace of giving, we give testimony to God’s goodness at work in a generous way.  We live with a great testimony when we give to others in the same way God has given to us.

Today, how will you share in this great GIFT?

Encouragement and Prayer: Serving Faithfully! (1/26/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serving Faithfully! (1/26/23)

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This is the audio from the January 26, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more God wants to do through our serving.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your serving to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  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.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve, but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray that you would be faithful in using God’s gifting in your life to serve others.  Pray that your faithfulness in serving would be based on God’s faithfulness to you.  Pray that God would help you to know His grace more fully.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Serving Wholeheartedly! (1/25/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Serving Wholeheartedly! (1/25/23)

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This is the audio from the January 25, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43-44 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on the immeasurably more God wants to do through our serving.  God makes it clear in His Word that we serve Him when we serve people.  While the world often defines greatness based on power and who you have serving you, God says that to be great you must become servant of all.  Pray for a spirit of humility to guide you as you serve people wherever you are.  Pray that God’s love would be seen and felt through you as you serve.  Pray that your commitment to serving would be an example for others.  Pray about how God would use your serving to teach and train others to join in a lifestyle that serves.  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.

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.”
Ephesians 6:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you to not only see opportunities to serve, but to give you the courage to actually serve.  Pray that you would serve others with a whole heart, just as you would if it were Jesus being served.  Pray that you would keep your eyes fixed on Jesus as you serve.  Pray that you would know the joy and contentment that comes from serving wholeheartedly.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom