This is the audio from the November 2, 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.
“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.”
Acts 16:13 (NIV)
As you pray this week, ask God to direct you in the search for what He would have you find. Ask God to help you seek out places of prayer that allow for intimate conversations with God. Pray that you would make prayer a priority as you find that everywhere can be a place of prayer.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
This is the audio from the November 1, 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.
“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”
John 1:41-42 (NIV)
As you pray this week, ask God to direct you in the search for what He would have you find. Pray that your daily encounters with Christ would lead you to find the people around you who need to know Him. Pray that the people you find would become brothers and sisters in Christ as you lead them to Jesus.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
This is the audio from the October 31, 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.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29 (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 learn from Jesus when you find yourself in need of rest for your soul. Pray that you would know the gentleness and humility that leads to the rest you can find in Jesus. Pray for the courage to help others find rest in Jesus when their soul is weary.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
This is the audio from the October 30, 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. As you pray this week, ask God to direct you in the search for what He would have you find. Pray that you would not only find what you are looking for, but you would know the purpose God has for the things you find. Pray that you would not be content with just finding the things God wants you to have, but that you would be faithful in doing the things you find in Him to do.
“Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”
Proverbs 24:14 (NIV)
Pray that you would know the sweetness that comes from the wisdom found in God. Pray that you would live with hope now, and an eternal hope, through the wisdom you find in Christ. Pray that the people around you would find wisdom in Christ.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
This is the audio from the October 29, 2023 sermon, “Good News: HOPE When We’re LOST”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.
Text: Luke 15
“But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:32 (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 being criticized for because “tax collectors and sinners” were coming to hear Him and He would eat with them. Knowing what the religious leaders were muttering about, Jesus tells three stories of lost things being found with much emphasis on the final story of a lost son, or two. What does it look like to be lost? Many times we use that term, and rightly so, to distinguish between those who are saved and those who are not. But as we look into Luke 15, I believe there are times when those of us who belong to Christ still manage to wander into places of being lost in different ways. Even when we know we belong to Christ, we can feel lost when we feel:
Lonely — Loneliness and isolation can make us feel lost. The lost son found himself all alone as his friends abandoned him.
Objectified — Not being seen as a person can make us feel lost. The lost son felt no value once his money ran out.
Sinful — Sin is the great separator and will make us feel lost. The lost son recognized his sin against God and his father.
or just plain Tired — Our weariness can affect us at every level of our being, bringing about a feeling of being lost. The lost son was weary beyond belief just trying to survive.
While I spent much of the week focused on the above points of what it looks like to be lost, late in the week God shifted my focus to the real point of the message — finding hope when we’re lost. Whether we’re lost in a state separated from God or simply lost in the overwhelming nature of life, It is God’s desire to use His Word, His Spirit, and one another to bring us to a place of . . .
Healing: — (Luke 15:17)
It is often said that the first step in receiving help is our need to admit we need help. For the lost son in our text, the journey of healing began when he “came to his senses”. Regardless of the reason we feel lost, coming to our senses in regard to God’s desire and ability to heal us will set us on a journey of being found. Not in finding our self, but in finding who we are in Christ. We carry a message of hope to the lost around us when we carry a message of healing.
Observation: — (Luke 15:18)
Once the lost son in our text came to his senses, he was able to look around and observe accurately where he had been, where he was, and where he could be. Finding hope when we are lost is possible when we willingly gaze into God’s Word to discover the truth about our self and the truth about God. We take note of what is separating us from Him and we respond in faith to all we see in the life example of Jesus. We carry a message of hope to the lost around us when we carry a message of observation.
Position: — (Luke 15:19)
Our natural tendency is one that seeks to elevate self to a position of importance and/or value. When we are lost, it becomes difficult to think or believe we have value to anyone, let alone to God. It is from that position of humility that we realize with the Psalmist that even being a doorkeeper in the house of God is better than anywhere away from God. After coming to his senses and observing his current condition, the lost son knew that any position with his father was better than the continued separation. We carry a message of hope to the lost around us when we carry a message of a place, or position, for them within God’s kingdom.
Embrace: — (Luke 15:20)
There is nothing like a good and honest embrace to overcome the feelings and experience of being lost. Even as the son returned in humility with a willingness to accept whatever fate awaited him, the father was waiting with open arms to welcome him home. God’s call to everyone of us when we are lost is that we would repent and return home. His desire is to embrace us and keep on embracing us as we find true hope in being cleansed by the blood of Jesus. We carry a message of hope to the lost around us when we carry a message, and action, of embrace.
Today, will you experience and share HOPE when you are LOST?
This is the audio from the October 27, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11(NIV)
This week’s prayer focus in on the humility that God calls us to have as His children. Throughout scripture, God calls us to humble ourselves and to live in humility with one another. When we voluntarily humble ourselves, God promises to lift us up in ways that we could never do on our own. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves than we ought to, but it is thinking of ourselves according to our relationship with God. When we have an accurate view of God and how we relate to Him as His children, we can then have an accurate view of ourselves and of others.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
James 3:13 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help remove from your life all traces of the pride which elevates self. Pray that godly wisdom would lead you to doing good deeds in humility. Pray that others would see godly wisdom in your life by the way you live with humility. Pray that the people around you would be filled with a godly wisdom which produces humility.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
This is the audio from the October 26, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11(NIV)
This week’s prayer focus in on the humility that God calls us to have as His children. Throughout scripture, God calls us to humble ourselves and to live in humility with one another. When we voluntarily humble ourselves, God promises to lift us up in ways that we could never do on our own. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves than we ought to, but it is thinking of ourselves according to our relationship with God. When we have an accurate view of God and how we relate to Him as His children, we can then have an accurate view of ourselves and of others.
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help remove from your life all traces of the pride which elevates self. Pray that you would seek to live with a humility that brings wisdom. Pray that God would fill you with the desire to reject all forms of pride as you live a life of humility. Pray that the disgrace of pride would be kept far from you as you choose to gain wisdom through humility.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
This is the audio from the October 25, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11(NIV)
This week’s prayer focus in on the humility that God calls us to have as His children. Throughout scripture, God calls us to humble ourselves and to live in humility with one another. When we voluntarily humble ourselves, God promises to lift us up in ways that we could never do on our own. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves than we ought to, but it is thinking of ourselves according to our relationship with God. When we have an accurate view of God and how we relate to Him as His children, we can then have an accurate view of ourselves and of others.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
Philippians 2:3 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help remove from your life all traces of the pride which elevates self. Pray that humility would drive selfishness far from you. Pray that your view of others would be positive because of your life of humility. Pray for the ability to see and follow the unselfish example of Jesus as you consider how to view others.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
Tom's Treasure 