God’s promises

A TOUCH of Faith (Sermon Audio)
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A TOUCH of Faith (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio and outline from the November 7, 2021 sermon, “A TOUCH of Faith”, shared by Tom Lemler at the North Wayne Mennonite Church.

Text:  Mark 5:21-43

In scripture, the size of a person’s faith never seems to make as much difference as the object of one’s faith.  Imagine what God can do in your life with just a . . .

  • Thought of Faith.  Mark 5:27-28
    • Our actions nearly always begin with our thoughts, and an active faith is no exception.  The individuals approaching Jesus in our text thought that Jesus could do something to help them.  That thought showed itself to be faith when they choose to take action of their own — one asking Jesus to come with him and the other reaching out to touch the garment of Jesus.  We live with a touch of faith when we choose to think about what Jesus can bring to our life and then reach out to encounter Him wherever we are.
  • Observation of Faith.  Mark 5:31-32
    • Because as James writes, “Faith without deeds is dead”, our thought of faith needs to lead us to a faith that is observable.  Whether it is our faith or the faith of others, being able to see it in action helps us to grow in an even greater awareness and practice of faith.  We live with a touch of faith when we take not of all that God is doing in, through, and around us.
  • Understanding of Faith.  Mark 5:33-34
    • Because the thoughts and ways of God are so much higher and purer than our thoughts and ways, gaining an understanding of the ways of God can only be accomplished through faith.  Jesus makes it clear that it was not the touching of His garment in and of itself that brought healing to the woman, instead it was her faith that did so.  We live with a touch of faith when we learn to understand the process of faith is in the person of Jesus rather than in the substance of this world.
  • Challenge of Faith.  Mark 5:35-36
    • Perhaps the most difficult part of a life of faith is the challenge that inevitably comes.  Our request isn’t answered in the way we wanted.  Our loved one remains sick or even dies.  The layoffs at work leave the family struggling to make ends meet.  The cares and trouble of this world can challenge our faith at every level of our life.  We live with a touch of faith when we look to God and trust Him to work in the midst of all these challenges in ways that are ultimately for our benefit.
  • Hope of Faith.  Mark 5:41-43
    • When we consider living with the hope of faith, I believe it is important to remember that there is no evidence that any of the people healed by Jesus are still alive on earth today.  Our hope of faith needs to be greater than simply a hope for a better or longer life on earth.  In fact, the Bible teaches that if our hope is only for this life then we are to be pitied above all others.  We live with a touch of faith when we endure all things with a growing awareness of the eternal home that is the ultimate fulfillment of our hope and faith.

Today, how will you live with a TOUCH of Faith?

Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For the Work God Gives! (11/05/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For the Work God Gives! (11/05/21)

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This is the audio from the November 5, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

As we approach the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday later this month, our prayer focus for the next few weeks will take another look at some of our previous prayer guides on giving thanks.  As with all of these prayer guides, this is not something that we should pray about for a week or so and then dismiss.  God’s desire is that we give thanks in all circumstances at all times.  Giving thanks shows our appreciation not only for what God has done, but for what He is doing and what He will do.  This week we will focus each day on something different the Bible says God’s people should give thanks for.

As you pray, examine your typical level of thankfulness and ask God to help you grow in gratitude.  Pray that you would recognize God’s hand in providing with the opportunities for all you do.  Pray that you would be thankful for every word and deed that God allows you to do through Jesus.

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: Thankful For a Kingdom Inheritance! (11/04/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For a Kingdom Inheritance! (11/04/21)

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This is the audio from the November 4, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
Colossians 1:12 (NIV)

As we approach the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday later this month, our prayer focus for the next few weeks will take another look at some of our previous prayer guides on giving thanks.  As with all of these prayer guides, this is not something that we should pray about for a week or so and then dismiss.  God’s desire is that we give thanks in all circumstances at all times.  Giving thanks shows our appreciation not only for what God has done, but for what He is doing and what He will do.  This week we will focus each day on something different the Bible says God’s people should give thanks for.

As you pray, examine your typical level of thankfulness and ask God to help you grow in gratitude.  Pray that you would be filled with gratitude as you consider how God has qualified you for an eternal inheritance.  Pray that you would be thankful for all those who will share in this inheritance.  Pray that others would be thankful that it is God who qualifies them for His kingdom.

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: Thankful For God’s Goodness! (11/03/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For God’s Goodness! (11/03/21)

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This is the audio from the November 3, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 118:1 (NIV)

As we approach the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday later this month, our prayer focus for the next few weeks will take another look at some of our previous prayer guides on giving thanks.  As with all of these prayer guides, this is not something that we should pray about for a week or so and then dismiss.  God’s desire is that we give thanks in all circumstances at all times.  Giving thanks shows our appreciation not only for what God has done, but for what He is doing and what He will do.  This week we will focus each day on something different the Bible says God’s people should give thanks for.

As you pray, examine your typical level of thankfulness and ask God to help you grow in gratitude.  Pray that you would both receive and acknowledge God’s goodness in your life.  Pray that thankfulness would always be your response to God’s goodness and love.  Pray that your life would help others to see and know the goodness of God that endures forever.

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: Thankful For God’s Presence! (11/02/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For God’s Presence! (11/02/21)

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This is the audio from the November 2, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.”
Psalm 75:1 (NIV)

As we approach the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday later this month, our prayer focus for the next few weeks will take another look at some of our previous prayer guides on giving thanks.  As with all of these prayer guides, this is not something that we should pray about for a week or so and then dismiss.  God’s desire is that we give thanks in all circumstances at all times.  Giving thanks shows our appreciation not only for what God has done, but for what He is doing and what He will do.  This week we will focus each day on something different the Bible says God’s people should give thanks for.

As you pray, examine your typical level of thankfulness and ask God to help you grow in gratitude.  Pray that you would live with an awareness of God’s presence at all times.  Pray that the work of God in your life would make you thankful for His presence.  Pray that the people around you would be thankful for the presence of God they see 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

Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For God’s Righteousness! (11/01/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Thankful For God’s Righteousness! (11/01/21)

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This is the audio from the November 1, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

As we approach the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday later this month, our prayer focus for the next few weeks will take another look at some of our previous prayer guides on giving thanks.  As with all of these prayer guides, this is not something that we should pray about for a week or so and then dismiss.  God’s desire is that we give thanks in all circumstances at all times.  Giving thanks shows our appreciation not only for what God has done, but for what He is doing and what He will do.  This week we will focus each day on something different the Bible says God’s people should give thanks for.

As you pray, examine your typical level of thankfulness and ask God to help you grow in gratitude.  Pray that you would grow in a godly reputation of being a thankful person.  Pray that you would be diligent about looking for things to be thankful for in all circumstances.  Pray that the life you live would be reason for others to be thankful.

Give Thanks For God’s Righteousness

“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 you would be thankful because of the righteous work of God in Jesus.  Pray that God’s righteousness would fill you with a gratitude that leads to praise.  Pray that others would thank God for His righteousness.

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

In prayer,
Tom

What Does God Want: WALK Humbly (Sermon Audio)
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What Does God Want: WALK Humbly (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio and outline from the October 31, 2021 sermon, “What Does God Want: WALK Humbly”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Goshen Christian Church.

Text:  Micah 6:8, Matthew 23:23, Psalm 25:9
James 4:6-10

I suspect we have all had our share of conversations and questions about what God wants and how to know His will.  Many of those discussions I have been involved with have often included an element of a person wanting to justify their own actions by either claiming they are doing what God wants or by saying what He wants is so elusive that it doesn’t matter.  Many times we try to get so specific about the details of life that we miss the big picture that God has stated clearly in His Word.  In fact, God said through the prophet Micah three things the Lord requires that ought to form the basis for our understanding of His will.  Today we look at the third, and final, one of those three things, that we would walk humbly.

Humility in its truest form has to do with viewing our self accurately in relationship to God and one another.  Learning to walk humbly with our God requires that we see Him as God in all aspects of our life.  While the number of Christians who would claim to know more than God is probably rather small, the number that act like we know more than God is likely much greater.  We grow in learning and doing what God wants when we  . . .

  • Worship Humbly.  James 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:28
    • Worship is about attributing worth to something or someone.  We read in scripture of an account of a woman who wanted to know who was right when it came to worshipping God.  It seems we tend to have that same discussion in many church gatherings today.  When we learn to worship humbly, we find that only God is right and our arguments about place, style, volume, or anything else simply reveal our own lack of humility.  The answer Jesus gave in regard to worship was that a time was coming, and had indeed now arrived, when true worship was done in spirit and truth regardless of location or any other details.  Learning to walk humbly with our God should lead us to continually grow in our worship of God that becomes completely about Him and not about us.
  • Act Humbly.  James 4:8-9, James 3:13
    • Perhaps the most easily recognizable trait of walking humbly, or not walking humbly, is found in the way we act.  Our actions are what is visible to others most readily.  When Jesus tells us that unless we change and become like little children we will never enter the kingdom of heaven, the need to humble our self ought to be very apparent.  When we learn to act humbly, we find that the needs of others become more important than our own.  Our words about Jesus are either strengthened by the humility in which we serve others or weakened by the pride which looks out for our own interests above that of others.  Learning to walk humbly with our God should lead us to constantly evaluate our attitudes and motives behind the way we act.
  • Love Humbly.  James 4:10, Ephesians 4:2
    • In case you haven’t noticed, the world is pretty good at messing things up.  Much of what is passed off as love in our society has no humility to it whatsoever and therefore isn’t really love at all.  Godly love will always look for how we can lift up the object of our love, both in the way we lift up God and in the way we lift up the ones we love.  Jesus made it clear that there is no greater love than the willingness for someone to lay down their life for someone else.  We love humbly when we are not only willing to lay down our life, but we lay down our pride and selfish desires so that others can be encouraged and built up in faith.  Learning to walk humbly with our God should lead us to continually live with an attitude of surrendering our will in order to show true love.
  • Know Humbly.  James 4:6, 1 Corinthians 8:1-3
    • As tough as it might be to worship, act, and love humbly, I believe learning to know humbly may be the greatest challenge faced by many of us in our efforts to walk humbly with our God.  Very few people, if any, gain satisfaction from being wrong so we do everything in our power to believe we are right and to convince others we are right.  God tells us that knowledge has a tendency to puff us up.  In fact, without humility, the more knowledge we obtain, the more prideful we tend to become.  God’s desire is that we would use whatever elements of knowledge that we have in ways that build up people without causing division and becoming a stumbling block to others.  As knowledgeable as any of us might think we are, no one other than God has complete knowledge and learning to know humbly will help to keep our pride in check.  Learning to walk humbly with our God should lead us to be always mindful that we do not know it all and that others have knowledge and information that can be useful to us when we filter all of it through the truth of God’s Word.

How will you WALK humbly today?

When it comes to humility, what do you need to change about the way you Worship, Act, Love, and/or Know?

Encouragement and Prayer: Compassion for the Lost and/or Missing! (10/29/21)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Compassion for the Lost and/or Missing! (10/29/21)

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This is the audio from the October 29, 2021 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“So he got up and went to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Luke 15:20 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis returns to a focus on compassion as we take another look at God through the book of Jonah.  Sometimes we are like Jonah who seemed to be okay with God’s compassion toward him but wasn’t too fond of God having compassion toward his enemies.  God’s desire is that we would grow in compassion not just toward those “on our side”, but toward all people everywhere.

As you pray this week, ask God to help  you grow in your understanding and appreciation for His compassion.  Pray that you would be filled with a tender compassion for the people you know who are lost and/or missing from the fellowship of believers.

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

In prayer,
Tom