This is the audio from the July 26, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” Psalm 139:1-4(NIV)
This week’s prayer emphasis brings back a previous prayer guide about God’s presence being everywhere — even in those places we go to try to hide from Him. While God promises to be “an ever-present help in time of need”, there are times we either try to run from God or feel we have somehow escaped His notice and are no longer able to be helped.
“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Psalm 139:9-10 (NIV)
As you pray this week, ask God to help you live with a greater awareness of His presence — both in the times you want to be in His presence and in the times you think you are hidden. Pray that you would know the presence of God in every place that you go. Pray about how God would have you to share in His presence everywhere you go. Pray that you would be guided by God’s presence.
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 July 25, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” Psalm 139:1-4(NIV)
This week’s prayer emphasis brings back a previous prayer guide about God’s presence being everywhere — even in those places we go to try to hide from Him. While God promises to be “an ever-present help in time of need”, there are times we either try to run from God or feel we have somehow escaped His notice and are no longer able to be helped.
“If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”
Psalm 139:8 (NIV)
As you pray this week, ask God to help you live with a greater awareness of His presence — both in the times you want to be in His presence and in the times you think you are hidden. Pray that you would seek God and know His presence in all the high points of your life. Pray that you would find comfort and encouragement in God’s presence even in the deepest woes of life. Pray that you would share God’s presence with others wherever they are.
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 July 24, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” Psalm 139:1-4(NIV)
This week’s prayer emphasis brings back a previous prayer guide about God’s presence being everywhere — even in those places we go to try to hide from Him. While God promises to be “an ever-present help in time of need”, there are times we either try to run from God or feel we have somehow escaped His notice and are no longer able to be helped. As you pray this week, ask God to help you live with a greater awareness of His presence — both in the times you want to be in His presence and in the times you think you are hidden. Pray that you would learn to pay attention to God’s presence and find comfort in it. Pray for greater courage to live life in obedience to God as you acknowledge His presence. Pray about how you can more effectively represent God’s presence to others.
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”
Psalm 139:7 (NIV)
Pray that you would live with a greater awareness of God’s Spirit dwelling within you. Pray for the courage to live by the Spirit in ways that help others to know God is ever-present. Pray that you would experience God’s presence even in the times you attempt to hide from Him.
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 July 23, 2023 sermon, “Called By God: No Place To Hide”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.
Text: Amos 8:3-7
“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” Psalm 139:1-4(NIV)
Today I continued a sermon series which is based from the Old Testament book of Amos. If you’re wondering how applicable the message from this book of the Bible can be today, consider the following description of the world in the days of Amos. See if this sounds familiar at all to the world we currently live in.
“A spirit of self-sufficiency and smug complacency thrived on material prosperity. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. Idolatry, hypocrisy, moral corruption, and social injustices were everywhere. The nation was truly on the brink of disaster.” (Irving Jensen)
While there are many times people try to completely hide from God, such as Jonah did, perhaps more common is the thought that we can hide certain actions from God and He won’t notice. The people in the days of Amos would observe the Sabbath and worship times set by God, yet in the midst of those times which should have been sacred they were concerned about getting back to the business of mistreating and cheating people. When we live as those called by God, as His people, the way we treat others says a lot about our relationship with God. Even when we struggle with differences within the body of Christ, God wants us to treat one another in a way that promotes honor and respect. Doing so every day that we live shows that the family of God really is no place to . . .
Humiliate: (Matthew 18:15)
The people in the days of Amos appear to have made it a habit to lift themselves and put down others. Often times our mistreatment of others begins by making them out to be less of a person than we are. Even in the midst of conflict, God says His family is no place to humiliate one another. In fact, He gives us instructions on how to handle situations when we sin against one another. Rather than point that out to anyone else, our first step is to protect the reputation of others and go to them privately to work out the issue. As those called by God, we must be very careful that our dealings with others are always done with the utmost care so that the family of God is no place to humiliate anyone.
Injure: — (Ephesians 4:29)
The people in the days of Amos not only had not problem humiliating others, they would extend that into the way they actually treated the people they looked down on. While the old playground phrase, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me”, was often repeated, it was far from the truth. God says that when we don’t guard our words that sin abounds. What we allow to grow in our heart will eventually come out through our words and then make its way into our actions. Living as the family of God calls for us to protect others from injury by only speaking what is useful and builds them up according to their need. As those called by God, there is no place within God’s family to injure anyone.
Destroy: — (Galatians 5:14-15)
The hearts of the people in the days of Amos seem to be set on destruction. I suspect that it didn’t begin that way, but once we allow the seeds of humiliating and injuring others to slip into our lives the path to destruction becomes the natural flow. It is by holding fast to God’s command to love our neighbor as our self, we are transformed into seeing people the way God sees them. God warns us that a life spent “biting and devouring” one another will lead to destruction. Living as the family of God calls for us to care about others and to love them with the same love that God has shown to us. As those called by God, there is no place within God’s family to destroy anyone.
Enslave: — (Colossians 2:8)
The ultimate digression of mistreating people is to enslave them in one way or another. The people in the days of Amos had devalued others to the point that they were simply another commodity in the process of lifting themselves. While it is unlikely that any Christian reading this would consider enslaving someone else in the traditional sense of the word, our methods of doing so typically revolve around forcing others to live by our standards and preferences rather than letting Christ be the head of the body. In fact, God warns us about the dangers of being taken captive, or taking others captive, through the tools of human tradition and worldly principles. Living as the family of God calls for us to be submissive to one another and allow for differences that don’t violate the Word of God. As those called by God, there is no place within God’s family to enslave anyone.
Today, how will you live in God’s presence so there is no need or desire to HIDE?
This is the audio from the July 21, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)
Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents. We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it. We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit. This week we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”
“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ. Pray that you would obey the leaders that God has placed in positions of authority over you. Pray for a life which makes the work of leaders less difficult.
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 July 20, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)
Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents. We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it. We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit. This week we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
Colossians 3:20 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ. Pray that you would be faithful in honoring and obeying your parents — regardless of your age or theirs. Pray that the people around you would understand how much it pleases God for them to be obedient to their parents. Pray for a godly life that helps obedience to be easier.
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 July 19, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)
Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents. We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it. We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit. This week we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”
“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 5:32 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ. Pray that you would recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life through your obedience to God. Pray that God’s Spirit would help you be a witness to the things of God. Pray that the people around you would know God’s presence in them through their obedience.
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 July 18, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.
“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)
Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents. We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it. We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit. This week we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”
“He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”
Luke 11:28 (NIV)
As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ. Pray that you would always listen to the word of God with a desire to obey what He says. Pray for the courage to obey God as He reveals Himself through His Word. Pray that you would be a blessing to others because of your obedience to the word of God.
You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.
Tom's Treasure 