knowledge

Encouragement and Prayer: Sorrow Over Blindness! (2/28/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Sorrow Over Blindness! (2/28/23)

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This is the audio from the February 28, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.”
Luke 19:41 (NIV)

This week’s prayer guide begins a series that will look at snapshots from the week leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  As we consider the path of Jesus to the cross and beyond, we will examine how we are called to walk with Him.  While the week leading to the cross began with great excitement and celebration by the crowd, the response of Jesus was one of great sorrow.  We learn much about being like Jesus when our own road to resurrection through the blood of Jesus begins on a road of sorrow.

“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
Luke 19:42 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you understand the reasons Jesus wept. Pray that your eyes would be opened to the things of God which bring peace.  Pray that a sorrow over the times of spiritual blindness would lead you to open your eyes fully to the things of God.  Pray that your life would help others to see the things that bring peace.

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

In prayer,
Tom

A Road of Sorrow! (Sermon Audio)
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A Road of Sorrow! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the February 26, 2023 sermon, “A Road of Sorrow: A Time to WEEP!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 19:39-46

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.”
Luke 19:41 (NIV)

Today began a sermon series with a focus on The Road to Resurrection.  Each week of this series will consider a different glimpse of the life of Jesus during His final week leading up to His death, burial, and resurrection.  The series opens with a look at an event that is often overshadowed by the more joyful events of the triumphal entry.  On a day that was filled with much promise and celebration, we find Jesus looking out over Jerusalem and weeping.  As we walk the road to resurrection with Christ, we find that this road of sorrow often brings us face to face with a time to . . .

  • Worship.  Luke 19:39-40
    • I suspect that the attempts of the religious leaders to silence the crowd’s worship of Jesus contributed to the sorrow He felt as Jesus looked out over Jerusalem.  Yet, on our road of sorrow, worship is a powerful way to help us endure the difficulties of life.  Jesus knew who He was and the worship that he deserved . . . and knew that His Father would see to it that appropriate worship would be expressed even if it required the rocks to cry out.  When our road of sorrow produces genuine worship of God, we find ourselves being lifted by the One we cry out to.
  • Envision.  Luke 19:41-42
    • Sorrow has a way of obscuring our vision and even blinding us to the reality of both our situation and our hope.  As Jesus wept, He longed for the people of His day to see what could be theirs if only they would open their eyes and turn to Him.  When we see our road of sorrow as part of the road to resurrection, we allow God’s Spirit to help us to see beyond the temporary to that which is eternal.
  • Escape.  Luke 19:43-44
    • Godly sorrow is designed by God to produce repentance and when we turn to God in repentance, we find a way of escape exists not so much from our circumstances, but from the despair the enemy wants to bring upon us because of those circumstances.  As Jesus wept over Jerusalem, He offered Himself as the way of escape from the judgment to come.  When our road of sorrow fills us with great discouragement, God want to use that season of life to draw us even nearer to Himself so that we would take refuge in Him.
  • Pray.  Luke 19:45-46
    • It appears to me that the road of sorrow traveled by Jesus was amplified by the way people had become disconnected from God.  Even the place that had been designated for prayer and the worship of God had been turned into something ordinary with a focus on self rather than God.  As you consider the response of Jesus to those who had turned the temple into something profane, it is important to note that in Christ the temple of the living God is no longer made with bricks and stone, but with the people who belong to Him.  When the road of sorrow tempts us to treat our self and others in inappropriate ways, God calls us to make His house a house of prayer.

Today, what will you do when your road of sorrow creates a time to WEEP?

Encouragement and Prayer: Sorrow Over Silence! (2/27/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Sorrow Over Silence! (2/27/23)

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This is the audio from the February 27, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.”
Luke 19:41 (NIV)

This week’s prayer guide begins a series that will look at snapshots from the week leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  As we consider the path of Jesus to the cross and beyond, we will examine how we are called to walk with Him.  While the week leading to the cross began with great excitement and celebration by the crowd, the response of Jesus was one of great sorrow.  We learn much about being like Jesus when our own road to resurrection through the blood of Jesus begins on a road of sorrow.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you understand the reasons Jesus wept.  Pray that you would know the godly sorrow in your own life that would lead to your repentance.  Pray that your times of sorrow would not only reflect the sorrow of Jesus, but would know and express the comfort of Jesus also.  Pray that God would move you to a place of weeping over the lost and confused in your community.

“‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’”
Luke 19:40 (NIV)

Pray that your life would express a praise of God that is appropriate and fitting.  Pray that a sorrow over the times of your own silence would lead to a purer representation of Jesus as your life cries out His name.  Pray that the people around you would learn to replace sorrow with praise as they draw near to 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: Love that Honors Others! (2/24/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Love that Honors Others! (2/24/23)

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This is the audio from the February 24, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

As we continue a focus on being made new in Christ, I bring back a prayer focus I first shared a few years ago — a new way to love.  This week we will spend some time praying about the love God has expressed toward us and about how we can live in such a way that we share it with others.  God has always instructed His people to love, so it must have been a little confusing to the disciples when Jesus told them He was giving them a new command — a command to love one another.  I believe the new part of the command, new because it had not been seen in such a clear way ever before, was to love as Jesus loved.

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Romans 12:9-10 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you evaluate how you love.  Pray that your love for others would be sincere as you look for the things that benefit them.  Pray that the way you honor others would reject evil and seek what is good.  Pray for the humility to honor others above yourself.

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: Love that Leads to Obedience! (2/23/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Love that Leads to Obedience! (2/23/23)

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This is the audio from the February 23, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

As we continue a focus on being made new in Christ, I bring back a prayer focus I first shared a few years ago — a new way to love.  This week we will spend some time praying about the love God has expressed toward us and about how we can live in such a way that we share it with others.  God has always instructed His people to love, so it must have been a little confusing to the disciples when Jesus told them He was giving them a new command — a command to love one another.  I believe the new part of the command, new because it had not been seen in such a clear way ever before, was to love as Jesus loved.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
John 14:15 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you evaluate how you love.  Pray that you would be filled with a love that seeks to do the things that you know please God.  Pray that you would live with an obedient spirit that desires to obey the commands of God as an expression of your love.  Pray that your love for God would be seen by others as you live according to His Word.

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: Love Your Enemies! (2/22/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Love Your Enemies! (2/22/23)

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This is the audio from the February 22, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

As we continue a focus on being made new in Christ, I bring back a prayer focus I first shared a few years ago — a new way to love.  This week we will spend some time praying about the love God has expressed toward us and about how we can live in such a way that we share it with others.  God has always instructed His people to love, so it must have been a little confusing to the disciples when Jesus told them He was giving them a new command — a command to love one another.  I believe the new part of the command, new because it had not been seen in such a clear way ever before, was to love as Jesus loved.

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you evaluate how you love.  Pray that the love of God within you would extend to those you disagree with — even with those who would be considered enemies.  Pray that the love God expressed toward you while you were an enemy would be expressed by you to those who may treat  you poorly.

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: Love Your Neighbor! (2/21/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Love Your Neighbor! (2/21/23)

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This is the audio from the February 21, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

As we continue a focus on being made new in Christ, I bring back a prayer focus I first shared a few years ago — a new way to love.  This week we will spend some time praying about the love God has expressed toward us and about how we can live in such a way that we share it with others.  God has always instructed His people to love, so it must have been a little confusing to the disciples when Jesus told them He was giving them a new command — a command to love one another.  I believe the new part of the command, new because it had not been seen in such a clear way ever before, was to love as Jesus loved.

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:31 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you evaluate how you love.  Pray that you would focus more on loving your neighbor as God would want than on trying to define who that neighbor is — or isn’t.  Pray that  you would be the neighbor that shows love to all those in need.  Pray for the courage to love others in a way that values them.

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: Love God! (2/20/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Love God! (2/20/23)

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This is the audio from the February 20, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

As we continue a focus on being made new in Christ, I bring back a prayer focus I first shared a few years ago — a new way to love.  This week we will spend some time praying about the love God has expressed toward us and about how we can live in such a way that we share it with others.  God has always instructed His people to love, so it must have been a little confusing to the disciples when Jesus told them He was giving them a new command — a command to love one another.  I believe the new part of the command, new because it had not been seen in such a clear way ever before, was to love as Jesus loved.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you evaluate how you love.  Pray that you would be so filled with God’s love that loving like Jesus would become more natural each day.  Please continue to pray for one another in the midst of these confusing and changing times.  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.

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)

Pray that your love of God would always be the top priority of all the love you have.  Pray that God’s love for you would be the standard for the love you have for Him.  Pray that your love for God would grow each day.

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

In prayer,
Tom