God’s Word

Encouragement and Prayer: Rich Toward God! (10/10/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Rich Toward God! (10/10/23)

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

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)

What kind of things, or riches, do you find yourself running after each day?  Are they “kingdom of God” things or are they things of the world?  Because we live in the world, there are things that we need but even in our need God wants us to pay close attention to what kind of riches we are seeking.  If we allow Him, God has a way of transforming us through a renewing of our mind so that the things we seek are the things of His kingdom and righteousness.

“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:21 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to  help you examine the value you place on the riches of this world compared to the value you place on the things of God.  Pray that God would help you to examine your attitude regarding how much you are storing up for yourself versus how rich you are toward God.  Pray that being rich toward God would lead you to go through life with a loose grasp on the things of this world.

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: Rich In Love! (10/09/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Rich In Love! (10/09/23)

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

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)

What kind of things, or riches, do you find yourself running after each day?  Are they “kingdom of God” things or are they things of the world?  Because we live in the world, there are things that we need but even in our need God wants us to pay close attention to what kind of riches we are seeking.  If we allow Him, God has a way of transforming us through a renewing of our mind so that the things we seek are the things of His kingdom and righteousness.  As you pray this week, ask God to  help you examine the value you place on the riches of this world compared to the value you place on the things of God.  Pray for greater contentment with godly riches as you trust God to supply  your needs for now and for eternity.  Pray that your recognition of the riches God has supplied would lead you to share those types of riches with others.  Pray that your acceptance of godly riches would help you to keep worldly riches in their proper perspective.

“The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.”
Psalm 145:8 (NIV)

Pray that you would know the abundance of God’s love as you experience His compassion and graciousness.  Pray that the richness of God’s love would help you to be slow to anger.  Pray that you would be rich in love as you share the goodness of God with 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 RICH Life! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: A RICH Life! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the October 8, 2023 sermon, “Good News: A RICH Life”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 12

“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:21 (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, He is interrupted by a guy that wants Jesus to solve a family financial dispute.  Jesus seems to see through the heart of the matter and addresses the issue of greed by telling a story of a man whose crops produced an abundant harvest.  The man thought he had it made and could take life easy but God proclaims the man is a food because he only stored up for himself and was not rich toward God.  As we look at the surrounding context of this story, we discover what it looks like from God’s perspective for us to live a life that is . . .

  • Righteous: — (Luke 12:1-3)

    • Jesus begins this chapter of Luke with a warning regarding the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  In fact, He will state elsewhere that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees you will never enter the kingdom of God.  Being rich toward God requires that we live a righteous life, not by our own power, might, or ability but by the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus.

  • Instructed: — (Luke 12:22-31)

    • After telling the parable of the rich fool, Jesus goes on to instruct His disciples about why storing up for ourselves without being rich toward God is a foolish thing.  The instruction that we need when it comes to using wisely all that God has entrusted us with centers around Him as the source of all good things.  Being rich toward God requires that we live an instructed life so that we know and do what pleases Him.

  • Compassionate: — (Luke 12:32-34)

    • As Jesus continued instructing His disciples, and us, He made the application of our contentment leading to a compassionate sharing with those in need.  When we learn to value people more than we value the stuff of this world, we learn to seek that which benefits others even at our own expense.  Being rich toward God requires that we live a compassionate life that makes all that we have available for God’s use.

  • Humble: — (Luke 12:35-40)

    • Jesus fully understands the humility required to serve others, especially if we think we ought to be in charge.  In fact, Jesus showed us the full extent of His love, and His humility, when He loosened His grasp on heaven to come to earth as the sacrifice for our sin.  His life was lived as a servant of all even to the extent of washing the feet of His disciples.  His expectation for us is that we would humble ourselves to become a faithful servant that is watching for the return of our Master.  Being rich toward God requires that we live a humble life so the He is the One who lifts us up to be seated with Him in the heavenlies.

Today, how will you live a RICH life?

Encouragement and Prayer: Talk Truthfully To God! (10/06/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Talk Truthfully To God! (10/06/23)

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

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’”
Luke 11:1 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on the teaching of Jesus about how we ought to pray.  I believe the disciples had noticed something different about the prayer life of Jesus, something that went beyond the teaching John had done about prayer.  Jesus was consistently making time to talk with His Father in a way that gave that conversation priority.  When you need someone to talk to, who do you go to first?  Why?  Is it easy or difficult for you to think about talking first to God about everything?  Why?  Our prayer emphasis this week will have us praying about the application points from Jesus teaching His disciples to pray.

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:12 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you make your conversations with Him a priority in your life.  Pray that you would always be truthful with God about the sin in your life and the debt He has paid to remove it.  Pray that you would be truthful in your forgiveness of others.  Ask God to help you show His love in the way you are truthful with your own debts and the debts of 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: Talk Submissively To God! (10/05/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Talk Submissively To God! (10/05/23)

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This is the audio from the October 5, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’”
Luke 11:1 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on the teaching of Jesus about how we ought to pray.  I believe the disciples had noticed something different about the prayer life of Jesus, something that went beyond the teaching John had done about prayer.  Jesus was consistently making time to talk with His Father in a way that gave that conversation priority.  When you need someone to talk to, who do you go to first?  Why?  Is it easy or difficult for you to think about talking first to God about everything?  Why?  Our prayer emphasis this week will have us praying about the application points from Jesus teaching His disciples to pray.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you make your conversations with Him a priority in your life.  Pray that you would seek God’s will, and submit to it, in all of your requests and petitions.  Pray that you would repent of the pride that keeps you from submitting to God in everything.  Ask God to help the submissiveness in your prayer life reflect His will on earth so that the people around you would seek Him.

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: Talk Respectfully To God! (10/04/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Talk Respectfully To God! (10/04/23)

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This is the audio from the October 4, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’”
Luke 11:1 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on the teaching of Jesus about how we ought to pray.  I believe the disciples had noticed something different about the prayer life of Jesus, something that went beyond the teaching John had done about prayer.  Jesus was consistently making time to talk with His Father in a way that gave that conversation priority.  When you need someone to talk to, who do you go to first?  Why?  Is it easy or difficult for you to think about talking first to God about everything?  Why?  Our prayer emphasis this week will have us praying about the application points from Jesus teaching His disciples to pray.

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’”
Matthew 6:9 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you make your conversations with Him a priority in your life.  Pray that genuine worship of God would always be evident in your conversations with Him.  Pray that you would always view God as holy.  Pray that your reverence of God would be seen by others in a way that helps His name to be honored among believers and unbelievers alike.

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: Talk Intentionally To God! (10/03/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Talk Intentionally To God! (10/03/23)

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

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’”
Luke 11:1 (NIV)

This week our prayer emphasis will focus on the teaching of Jesus about how we ought to pray.  I believe the disciples had noticed something different about the prayer life of Jesus, something that went beyond the teaching John had done about prayer.  Jesus was consistently making time to talk with His Father in a way that gave that conversation priority.  When you need someone to talk to, who do you go to first?  Why?  Is it easy or difficult for you to think about talking first to God about everything?  Why?  Our prayer emphasis this week will have us praying about the application points from Jesus teaching His disciples to pray.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:13 (NIV)

As you pray, ask God to help you make your conversations with Him a priority in your life.  Pray that you would talk to God specifically about the things that tempt you.  Pray that you would be more intentional in seeking God’s help to overcome temptation.  Pray that this intentionality would help others know of God’s help in avoiding temptation and being delivered from the evil one.

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: Talking With HIM! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: Talking With HIM! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the October 1, 2023 sermon, “Good News: Talking With HIM”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 11

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’”
Luke 11:1 (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.  Of all the things Jesus did as He lived on earth, prayer is the one thing the disciples wanted Jesus to teach them.  I believe they had noticed the prayer life of Jesus was dramatically different than that of anyone else and they wanted in on what made it different.  As Jesus responded to their request, He revealed that prayer can simply be a matter of just talking with . . .

  • Humility: (Luke 11:1-4)

    • When it comes to our prayer life, talking with humility is all about acknowledging who God is and who we are in relationship to Him.  In response to being asked to teach how to pray, Jesus instructs us to honor God and His name as holy.  In doing so, we also acknowledge our need in every area of our life as we ask for daily bread, forgiveness, and the strength to overcome temptation.  We not only have this instruction from Jesus, we can see it in the way He talked with His Father in the humility of submission.  As you learn and practice the good news of prayer, be sure to talk with humility.

  • Insight:  (Luke 11:5-8)

    • When teaching about prayer, Jesus gave more than just the model prayer that we find in Matthew and in the beginning of this chapter of Luke.  He goes on to give insight into what prayer looks like if we were to bring it into the realm of human interaction.  I always find it fascinating that in today’s text we often focus on the second man going to the third man at midnight to ask for bread, when in fact there was a first man who showed up seemingly unexpected that caused the need.  One of the things our prayer life ought to do is to talk with an insight that can see beyond the surface and recognize how God uses different people and different circumstances to accomplish His will in meeting the needs of people.

  • Motivation: — (Luke 11:9-13)

    • As Jesus continues teaching, He makes it clear that it is those who ask, seek, and knock who will receive, find, and have doors opened.  God wants our conversations with Him to be motivated by a desire to receive from Him that which is good and helpful.  Jesus makes it clear that God is a Father that far exceeds the goodness of any earthly father and His gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the help we need even in our prayer life.  As we spend time talking with Him, we do so as one motivated by an awareness of His willingness to respond and help.

Today, how will you choose to talk with HIM?