God’s Word

Encouragement and Prayer: King of Teaching! (2/27/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: King of Teaching! (2/27/24)

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This is the audio from the February 27, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:14 (NIV)

Who’s in charge?  How much authority has Jesus been given by His Father?  What do you and I do about the authority of Jesus?  How does it apply to us?  This week  in our Lifestyle of Prayer emphasis we will look at some scriptures about the authority of Jesus.  When Jesus is proclaimed as King of Kings, God is stating He has authority over all other authorities.  Pray that your obedience would grow in a way that represents Jesus well to all you meet.  Pray for a greater understanding of the eternal nature of God’s authority and how that authority has been revealed in Jesus.  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.

“The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.”
Mark 1:22 (NIV)

As  you pray, ask God to help you be submissive to the authority of Christ in all things.  Pray that you would accept the teachings of Jesus as having authority in your life.  Pray that you would let God’s authority be present when you share scripture.  Pray that you would greatly value the teachings of Jesus as you recognize Him as King over all things.

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: King of Heaven and Earth! (2/26/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: King of Heaven and Earth! (2/26/24)

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

“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:14 (NIV)

Who’s in charge?  How much authority has Jesus been given by His Father?  What do you and I do about the authority of Jesus?  How does it apply to us?  This week  in our Lifestyle of Prayer emphasis we will look at some scriptures about the authority of Jesus.  When Jesus is proclaimed as King of Kings, God is stating He has authority over all other authorities.  As  you pray, ask God to help you be submissive to the authority of Christ in all things.  Pray that your obedience would grow in a way that represents Jesus well to all you meet.  Pray for a greater understanding of the eternal nature of God’s authority and how that authority has been revealed in Jesus.  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.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’”
Matthew 28:18 (NIV)

Pray that you would open every aspect of your life to the authority of Jesus.  Pray that your life would be lived with Jesus as King.  Pray for a submissive spirit that finds contentment and joy in your obedience to Christ.

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: The King of KINGS! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: The King of KINGS! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 25, 2024 sermon, “Good News: The King of KINGS!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 19:28-48

“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:14 (NIV)

This morning’s message returned to our Good News series from the gospel of Luke.  In this section of the series we will lead up to Resurrection Sunday as we gaze into the life of Jesus during His final week leading up to, and through, His resurrection.  In today’s message we considered the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as the crowds hailed Him as king.  While they were looking for a different kind of king, everything Jesus did during that procession into Jerusalem showed Him to be the true King of . . .

  • Knowledge: — Luke 19:28-30

    • As Jesus prepared to send His disciples to accomplish a task, there was an absolute knowledge of what they would find.  The good news of Jesus in our life is that He knows things that no one else can know.  He knows us more fully than we even know ourselves.  Because Jesus is the King of knowledge, we can trust Him to know what’s best for us in all circumstances.

  • Instruction: — Luke 19:31-33

    • Not only did Jesus know His disciples and the circumstances they would encounter, He gave instructions which were expected to be followed.  The things which were soon to take place could only happen as the instructions of Jesus were believed and followed.  As we come to a knowledge of who Jesus is, we must learn to heed His instructions in all things.  Because Jesus is the King of instruction, we can know that what He calls us to do is for our best.

  • Nature: — Luke 19:40

    • While the majority of the crowd was excited about Jesus coming into Jerusalem, not everyone shared in that joy.  In fact, the religious leaders demanded that Jesus tell the people to be quiet as they loudly proclaimed Him as king.  In response, Jesus declared that if the people were to be quiet then the rocks themselves would cry out in praise.  The authority of Jesus extends to all things such that nature itself exists in submission to Him.  Because Jesus is the King of nature, He has authority over our nature as the creator of all things.

  • Goodness: — Luke 19:41

    • Even in the midst of continued rejection, Jesus could look out over the city of Jerusalem and weep.  His goodness was often displayed throughout His life on earth as He interacted with great compassion for all who were lost and harassed.  His longing was great for those who would soon yell, “Crucify Him!”.  His desire is that we would learn that level of goodness, not because we are so good but because He is good to us and through us.  Because Jesus is the King of goodness, we can experience and share His compassion which is far beyond what any of us deserve.

  • Service: — Luke 19:45-47

    • Jesus made it clear throughout His ministry that He came not to be served, but to serve.  His reaction to those in the temple courts who should have been serving the people, but were instead cheating them, gives us insight into how He wants us to interact with all people.  Even knowing what was about to happen, Jesus continued teaching in public every day.  His desire to serve was based on what would benefit His hearers rather than Himself.  Because Jesus is the King of service, we are not only served by Him we also learn how to serve Him as we serve others.

Today, how will you lift up Jesus as the King of KINGS?

Encouragement and Prayer: Scripture For Training! (2/23/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Scripture For Training! (2/23/24)

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This is the audio from the February 23, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is about the usefulness of God’s Word in our life.  As we pray about experiencing immeasurably more scripture, it isn’t about finding additional scripture that has not yet been revealed rather it is about growing daily in our application of God’s Word to everyday life.  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we have a list of some of the things that God says Scripture is useful for if we were to value it and apply it to everything we do.  Sadly, many have come to view Scripture as more inspirational than transformational.  In reality, it is only truly inspirational if it inspires us to draw near to God and be transformed.  Pray that your love for God’s Word would grow as your understanding of its usefulness grows.  Pray that your life would be guided in every way by the truth of God’s Word.  Pray that the usefulness of God’s Word in your life would cause you to share it at every opportunity.

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”
1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you accurately evaluate how much time you spend reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God.  Pray that you would reject the myths of the world and seek to be trained by God’s Word.  Pray that you would cling to God’s Word as the true source of training in godliness.  Pray for wisdom in using God’s Word to train others in godly ways.

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: Scripture For Correcting! (2/22/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Scripture For Correcting! (2/22/24)

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This is the audio from the February 22, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is about the usefulness of God’s Word in our life.  As we pray about experiencing immeasurably more scripture, it isn’t about finding additional scripture that has not yet been revealed rather it is about growing daily in our application of God’s Word to everyday life.  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we have a list of some of the things that God says Scripture is useful for if we were to value it and apply it to everything we do.  Sadly, many have come to view Scripture as more inspirational than transformational.  In reality, it is only truly inspirational if it inspires us to draw near to God and be transformed.  Pray that your love for God’s Word would grow as your understanding of its usefulness grows.  Pray that your life would be guided in every way by the truth of God’s Word.  Pray that the usefulness of God’s Word in your life would cause you to share it at every opportunity.

“Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”
Job 5:17 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you accurately evaluate how much time you spend reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God.  Pray that you would heed the correction that God desires to give you through His Word.  Pray that God’s Word would be the basis for any correction of others that you do.

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: Scripture For Rebuking! (2/21/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Scripture For Rebuking! (2/21/24)

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This is the audio from the February 21, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is about the usefulness of God’s Word in our life.  As we pray about experiencing immeasurably more scripture, it isn’t about finding additional scripture that has not yet been revealed rather it is about growing daily in our application of God’s Word to everyday life.  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we have a list of some of the things that God says Scripture is useful for if we were to value it and apply it to everything we do.  Sadly, many have come to view Scripture as more inspirational than transformational.  In reality, it is only truly inspirational if it inspires us to draw near to God and be transformed.  Pray that your love for God’s Word would grow as your understanding of its usefulness grows.  Pray that your life would be guided in every way by the truth of God’s Word.  Pray that the usefulness of God’s Word in your life would cause you to share it at every opportunity.

“It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.”
Ecclesiastes 7:5 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you accurately evaluate how much time you spend reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God.  Pray that you would listen to the wise rebuke of God’s Word in your life.  Pray that you would use God’s Word in wisely rebuking others with great care and love when it is necessary.

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: Scripture For Teaching! (2/20/24)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Scripture For Teaching! (2/20/24)

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This is the audio from the February 20, 2024 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is about the usefulness of God’s Word in our life.  As we pray about experiencing immeasurably more scripture, it isn’t about finding additional scripture that has not yet been revealed rather it is about growing daily in our application of God’s Word to everyday life.  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we have a list of some of the things that God says Scripture is useful for if we were to value it and apply it to everything we do.  Sadly, many have come to view Scripture as more inspirational than transformational.  In reality, it is only truly inspirational if it inspires us to draw near to God and be transformed.  Pray that your love for God’s Word would grow as your understanding of its usefulness grows.  Pray that your life would be guided in every way by the truth of God’s Word.  Pray that the usefulness of God’s Word in your life would cause you to share it at every opportunity.

“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.”
Ezra 7:10 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you accurately evaluate how much time you spend reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God.  Pray that you would hold fast to God’s Word as useful in teaching you how to live a life pleasing to God.  Pray that your devotion to the Word of God would prepare you to teach others.

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 Scripture: The WORD of Truth! (Sermon Audio)
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Immeasurably More Scripture: The WORD of Truth! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 18, 2024 sermon, “Immeasurably More Scripture: The WORD of Truth!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

This morning’s message concluded 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.  So far we have looked at the immeasurably more that God wants to do in our prayer life, in the way we love, in our serving, in our giving, in compassion, and in our gratitude.  Today we gazed into God’s Word to consider the immeasurably more Scripture that ought to be active in our life because of Jesus.  While the quantity of Scripture which we have remains constant, the immeasurably more aspect of it has to do with our response to God’s Word and our allowance for it to direct every aspect of life.  It is through the acceptance and application of God’s Word that we discover the . . .

  • Wisdom of Truth: — 2 Timothy 3:14-15

    • Paul instructed Timothy to continue in what he had learned because there was great wisdom in the things of God which had been taught to him throughout his life.  Having already addressed a form of godliness which left out Christ and therefor had no power, Paul makes it clear that the wisdom which comes from God will lead us to the way of salvation.  When we encounter the Word of truth, we discover a wisdom that reveals the nature of God to us through Jesus.

  • Origin of Truth: — 2 Timothy 3:16

    • After having warned Timothy about false teachings and those who would spread such, he wants Timothy to consider the source of all information and find God as the origin of all Scripture.  Understanding and accepting that all Scripture is God-breathed should convey the urgency in our acceptance and practice of what it says.  When we encounter the Word of truth, we come face to face with an origin that is without fault.

  • Restraint of Truth: — 2 Timothy 3:16

    • Few people like to be told what to do or to have any restrictions placed upon them by someone else.  At least not until those restrictions are shown to be for our protection and good.  Paul makes it clear that all Scripture is useful in providing the boundaries we need in life through using it for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.  When we encounter the Word of truth, we benefit greatly by the restraint it brings to our life.

  • Doing of Truth: — 2 Timothy 3:17

    • Scripture was never meant to simply be a body of information to be studied, memorized, and dissected.  In fact, Paul makes it clear that the wisdom, origin, and restraint of Scripture was all designed to equip us for the doing of it.  God’s Word tells us that we should not simply be hearers of what it says, but that we should do what it says!  When we encounter the Word of truth, we are compelled and equipped to do every good work God would call us to.

Today, how will you apply the WORD of truth in your life?