Good News: A Not So Ordinary LIFE! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: A Not So Ordinary LIFE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 12, 2023 sermon, “Good News: A Not So Ordinary LIFE”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 17

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  As Jesus walked this earth, much of what we know about His activities took place in the ordinary circumstances of life.  Ordinary people going about the ordinary tasks of life, at least until they met Jesus.  Whether you think your life is ordinary, extraordinary, or less than ordinary, God’s desire is that you would have a not so ordinary . . .

  • Love: — (Luke 17:1-4)

    • The ordinary love of this world tends to focus on self more than sacrifice.  As Jesus teaches in the context of temptation and sin, He points us to the importance of forgiveness.  With sin being inevitable, His desire is that we not be the cause of the sin others find themselves involved in.  The Bible teaches us that love covers a multitude of sin and we experience that when we find God’s forgiveness of our sin and then reflect that same nature in the way we forgive others.  When we live with a not so ordinary love, we learn and practice forgiveness not based on what is deserved but based on what is needed.

  • Involvement: — (Luke 17:5-10)

    • The ordinary involvement of this world generally revolves around us doing what we want to do.  Even when we do what is required, we do so with a constant awareness of how we benefit.  Sometimes our involvement in the work of God reflects more of what we want than what He wants.  Jesus taught that we must always keep in mind the difference between God and us in relationship to responsibility and authority.  When we live with a not so ordinary involvement, our service to God is based on Him being in charge and us being His servant.

  • Faith: — (Luke 17:11-19)

    • The ordinary faith of this world isn’t really faith at all but rather a human attempt to believe in what we create in our own mind.  When Jesus heals ten men who had leprosy, He says it is their faith that made them well.  We often focus, with good reason, on the one who returned to give thanks, but it appears that all of them were healed as they went off in obedience to the command of Jesus.  As lepers, their actions of going to show themselves to the priest would be completely unacceptable if they had arrived with visible signs of leprosy.  When we live with a not so ordinary faith, we take God at his Word in more than a mental acknowledgement but in a life of obedient action.

  • Example: — (Luke 17:20-37)

    • The ordinary examples of this world are often people who accomplish great things and claim to do so on their own.  As Jesus taught about the coming of God’s kingdom, He did so with examples of faithful obedience in the midst of a disbelieving culture.  The Bible then tells us that all of the events recorded for us in God’s Word are there as examples for us in either how to live or how not to live.  When we live with a not so ordinary example, our life becomes a shining light of Jesus that we choose to make visible everywhere we go.

Today, how will you live a not so ordinary LIFE?

Encouragement and Prayer: Act Prepared! (11/10/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Act Prepared! (11/10/23)

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This is the audio from the November 10, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will have us praying about how God would have us to act.  While it can be relatively easy to claim devotion to God, our actions reveal who we really serve.  Proverbs tells us that “even a child is known by their actions”.  As God’s child, our actions ought to reflect His nature more than our own flesh.

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you accurately evaluate your actions.  Pray that you would be mentally prepared to act in ways that represent Jesus well.  Pray for a spirit of self-control to guide you in all your preparations of life.  Pray for a steadfast hope that is based on the grace of God.

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: Act Faithfully! (11/09/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Act Faithfully! (11/09/23)

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This is the audio from the November 9, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will have us praying about how God would have us to act.  While it can be relatively easy to claim devotion to God, our actions reveal who we really serve.  Proverbs tells us that “even a child is known by their actions”.  As God’s child, our actions ought to reflect His nature more than our own flesh.

“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”
James 2:22 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you accurately evaluate your actions.  Pray for actions that would be produced by your faith in God.  Pray that the profession of your faith with your words would be backed up by the way you live.  Pray that you would grow in a faith that is made complete by what you do in response to what Jesus has done.

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: Act Wisely! (11/08/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Act Wisely! (11/08/23)

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This is the audio from the November 8, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will have us praying about how God would have us to act.  While it can be relatively easy to claim devotion to God, our actions reveal who we really serve.  Proverbs tells us that “even a child is known by their actions”.  As God’s child, our actions ought to reflect His nature more than our own flesh.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”
Colossians 4:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you accurately evaluate your actions.  Pray for a humility that requests wisdom from God so that you would know how to act among unbelievers.  Pray that you would not miss the opportunities which exist to represent Jesus.  Pray that the people around you would see the wisdom of  God in the way you live.

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: Act Justly! (11/07/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Act Justly! (11/07/23)

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This is the audio from the November 7, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will have us praying about how God would have us to act.  While it can be relatively easy to claim devotion to God, our actions reveal who we really serve.  Proverbs tells us that “even a child is known by their actions”.  As God’s child, our actions ought to reflect His nature more than our own flesh.

“And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you accurately evaluate your actions.  Pray that you would know what is just and right.  Pray for a desire to do what God wants.  Pray for an understanding of justice done God’s way.  Pray for wisdom and courage to act justly in a way that reflects God’s nature.

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: Act Generously! (11/06/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Act Generously! (11/06/23)

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This is the audio from the November 6, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will have us praying about how God would have us to act.  While it can be relatively easy to claim devotion to God, our actions reveal who we really serve.  Proverbs tells us that “even a child is known by their actions”.  As God’s child, our actions ought to reflect His nature more than our own flesh.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you accurately evaluate your actions.  Pray that you would learn what pleases God and then do it.  Pray that you would not only have a greater understanding of your actions, but would have purity in the motives behind your actions.  Pray for the courage to live by faith in a way that can be seen through what you do.  Pray that you would make the most of each moment God gives you.

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”
Proverbs 3:27 (NIV)

Pray that your eyes would be opened to the needs of those around you.  Pray for wisdom to understand the good that is necessary in every situation.  Pray for a spirit of generosity to guide your responses to the needs of the people around you.

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

In prayer,
Tom

Good News: A Time To ACT! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: A Time To ACT! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 5, 2023 sermon, “Good News: A Time To ACT”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 16

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV)

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  As Jesus is teaching about the kingdom of God, we find Him telling some stories that may appear to be random.  Stories of a shrewd or unjust manager, of choosing a master, of God’s kingdom, of adultery, and of a beggar and rich man.  I believe a closer look at this chapter reveals a common thread of being ready for when this life ends.  Because we don’t know when our time on earth will be over, now is a time to . . .

  • Accumulate: — (Luke 16:9-12, Matthew 6:19-21)

    • I suspect some people find it a bit strange for me to start a message stating that a time to act is a time to accumulate.  I think it sounds strange because our first thoughts often go to money and stuff when we think about accumulating.  Luke 16 opens with Jesus telling a story that can seem very confusing because it sounds like He is condoning dishonesty when He is actually trying to teach us that we ought to use our Master’s resources to accumulate people who will spend eternity with us in heaven.  Worldly wisdom says to use whatever we can to gain an advantage here on earth but godly wisdom says to use all our resources to accumulate a family of believers.  When we realize that now is the time to act, we begin to understand that now is the time to accumulate treasure in heaven . . . the only treasure we can take with us — people.

  • Change: — (Luke 16:14-17, Matthew 18:3-4)

    • As the religious leaders began to sneer at Jesus because of His teachings regarding money and worldly possessions, He confronts them about the condition of their hearts.  He talks about the work of John in calling people to repentance and then His work in proclaiming the kingdom of God.  Rather than respond to the call to change, the religious leaders became the barrier that many were pushing through in order to enter God’s kingdom.  This change Jesus calls us to is a change of heart, mind, and action such that we become as little children in our in how we live out our trust and faith in Him.  When we realize that now is the time to act, we begin to accept that now is the time to change to become the child of God He calls us to be.

  • Teach: — (Luke 16:27-31, Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

    • In the final illustration of this continuing story being told by Jesus, we find a beggar dying and finding himself carried to the presence of Abraham while a rich man died and was taken to a place of torment.  When it became clear that nothing could be done for the rich man after he had died, he had one request that someone would go back and warn his brothers.  The rich man is told clearly that God’s Word is all that would be given and that it was enough.  Our responsibility today is to teach God’s Word as the message of salvation to all people.  This moment in time is what we have with no guarantee of the next.  When we realize that now is the time to act, we must understand the urgency of today being the day of salvation as we teach the good news of Jesus everywhere we go.

Today, how will you ACT?

Encouragement and Prayer: Find What Pleases the Lord! (11/03/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Find What Pleases the Lord! (11/03/23)

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This is the audio from the November 3, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Now the tax collectors and ‘sinners’ were all gathering around to hear him.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’”
Luke 15:1-2 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will have us praying about finding some things which at times appear lost . . . either lost to us or at least very difficult to find.  Being found in Christ completes us with an ongoing process of growth which helps us not only notice what is lost, but gives us direction in finding it.  When we seek the things of God, we ought to expect to find the things He would want to see in us.    What we find is usually determined in part by what we look for and what we look for is often based on what we want to find.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to direct you in the search for what He would have you find.  Pray that you would find what pleases the Lord, and then do it.  Pray that your life would please the Lord as the Spirit produces His fruit in you.

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

In prayer,
Tom