knowledge

The Christmas Truth: The WORD of Truth! (Sermon Audio)
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The Christmas Truth: The WORD of Truth! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the December 25, 2022 sermon, “The Christmas Truth: The WORD of Truth!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  John 1:1-15

Today concluded our Christmas FEAST series as we looked at Jesus coming to earth as the Word of Truth.  Generally, how  you feel about truth depends at least partially on the context in which truth is being requested.  When you are cruising down the interstate thinking about everything except your speed, you are probably not such a big fan of truth when the flashing lights behind you turn out to be an officer who clocked you at 100 mph.  However, if that same officer shows up to investigate an accident in which your vehicle was hit in a manner that was entirely someone else’s fault, you are likely very interested in truth.  When it comes to our relationship with Jesus, we don’t get to choose whether the truth of who He is is convenient or not . . . we simply must decide if we accept Him as the Word of Truth that He claims to be.  Our encounter with Jesus should lead us to know Him as the . . .

  • Wonder of Truth.  John 1:1-5
    • The truth of Jesus ought to fill us with great wonder as we consider His hand in creating all that exists . . . including us.  It was the Word speaking forth that called everything into existence that is.  To imagine the power of that Word to call light into being and by that same Word established an ecosystem that sustains life.  All that we see and experience ought to fill us with a great sense of wonder at this Jesus who is the WORD of Truth.
  • Object of Truth.  John 1:6-11
    • It seems like nearly everything of great value and significance in this world draws people that want to imitate the appearance while substituting something far inferior.  Sometimes when we are the messengers of Christ that He calls us to be, it can be tempting to put our self in the position that is reserved for Him.  John wanted to make it very clear that while he was preparing the way for the One to come, that was the extent of who he was.  He consistently made it clear that he was not the real object the people were looking for, but rather Jesus was the genuine thing when it came to truth..
  • Result of Truth.  John 1:12-13
    • Perhaps most importantly to us, there is a result of truth residing in our life.  When the Word of Truth shows up in our life, we find that by believing in that truth we gain the right to be children of God.  It is the truth of God’s Word that instructs us and calls us to repentance.  It is through an obedient belief in the Word of Truth that we have a place of belonging in the family of God.
  • Deity of Truth.  John 1:14-15
    • All of this discussion of Jesus as the Word of Truth only makes sense when you accept the deity of Jesus as being the One who was with God and the One who is God.  When the  WORD of Truth include the element of deity, then the Christmas story is more than just a neat tale of a baby being born in the midst of difficult circumstances.  In fact, it is the deity of truth that leads to the calling of Jesus, Immanuel, meaning God with us.  The Christmas story then becomes a story of God taking on flesh and dwelling among us so that He could offer Himself as the perfect and spotless sacrifice to take away the sin of the world.

Today, how will you live with Jesus being the WORD of truth in your life?

Encouragement and Prayer: Submit to God! (12/23/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Submit to God! (12/23/22)

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This is the audio from the December 23, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.”
Luke 1:38 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on living submissively as the Lord’s servant.  I suspect that many of us struggle with the idea of submission because it can be difficult to put the needs of others ahead of our own.  I believe it is often even difficult to submit to God because we tend to like the idea of being completely in charge of our self . . . and even of others.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7 (NIV)

As you pray this week, consider what it will look like in every situation to say yes to God.  Pray that you would submit to God in all things so that the devil has no foothold in your life.  Pray for a growing desire to submit to God even when doing so seems difficult.  Pray that your submission to God would help you to stand firm in resisting the attacks of the enemy.

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: Submit to Leaders! (12/22/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Submit to Leaders! (12/22/22)

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This is the audio from the December 22, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.”
Luke 1:38 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on living submissively as the Lord’s servant.  I suspect that many of us struggle with the idea of submission because it can be difficult to put the needs of others ahead of our own.  I believe it is often even difficult to submit to God because we tend to like the idea of being completely in charge of our self . . . and even of others.

“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 this week, consider what it will look like in every situation to say yes to God.  Pray that your submission to leaders would make their work a joy.  Pray for leaders who take their responsibility seriously.  Pray for a heart which seeks to understand those who lead, even as they seek to understand 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: Submit to Discipline! (12/21/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Submit to Discipline! (12/21/22)

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This is the audio from the December 21, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.”
Luke 1:38 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on living submissively as the Lord’s servant.  I suspect that many of us struggle with the idea of submission because it can be difficult to put the needs of others ahead of our own.  I believe it is often even difficult to submit to God because we tend to like the idea of being completely in charge of our self . . . and even of others.

“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!”
Hebrews 12:9 (NIV)

As you pray this week, consider what it will look like in every situation to say yes to God.  Pray that you would accept God’s discipline as the life-giving correction it is meant to be.  Pray that you would learn to practice godly discipline through your experience of God’s discipline.

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: Submit to One Another! (12/20/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Submit to One Another! (12/20/22)

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This is the audio from the December 20, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.”
Luke 1:38 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on living submissively as the Lord’s servant.  I suspect that many of us struggle with the idea of submission because it can be difficult to put the needs of others ahead of our own.  I believe it is often even difficult to submit to God because we tend to like the idea of being completely in charge of our self . . . and even of others.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)

As you pray this week, consider what it will look like in every situation to say yes to God.  Pray that your reverence for Christ in all things would help you submit to others.  Pray that God would help you see the value others have to Him so you would treat them with the same respect.  Pray for a greater understanding of the needs of others and wisdom to respond in appropriate 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: Submit to Governing Authority! (12/19/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Submit to Governing Authority! (12/19/22)

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This is the audio from the December 19, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.”
Luke 1:38 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on living submissively as the Lord’s servant.  I suspect that many of us struggle with the idea of submission because it can be difficult to put the needs of others ahead of our own.  I believe it is often even difficult to submit to God because we tend to like the idea of being completely in charge of our self . . . and even of others.  As you pray this week, consider what it will look like in every situation to say yes to God.  Pray that God’s supremacy in all things would help you have a greater understanding of the nature of our submission to Him and to others.  Pray that you would continually learn from the example of Jesus as He lived a life of submission to His Father.  Pray about how God would have you honor Him in the way you responds to His message.

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.”
Romans 13:1 (NIV)

Pray that your submission to governing authorities would come from a recognition of God’s authority over all things.  Pray for humility in how you represent Jesus through your submission.  Pray for wisdom in response to authority that seems ungodly.

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

In prayer,
Tom

The Christmas Surrender: Living As the LORD’S Servant! (Sermon Audio)
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The Christmas Surrender: Living As the LORD’S Servant! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the December 18, 2022 sermon, “The Christmas Surrender: Living As the LORD’S Servant!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text:  Luke 1:26-38

Today continued our Christmas sermon series with a look at the surrender element which is central in the Christmas story.  At the very center of the Christmas story is Jesus who surrendered His position with the Father as something not to be grasped onto, but emptying Himself and becoming a servant of all.  And then there’s Joseph who wanted to both protect Mary and do the right thing from his understanding of the wrong which must have occurred, but surrendered his will and understanding to the message of God through an angel.  And of course, there’s Mary.  At the heart of Mary’s surrender is the statement in Luke 1:39, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be to me as you have said.”  As we gaze into the life of Mary, we discover how to surrender when we choose to live as the . . .

  • Listening Servant.  Luke 1:26-28
    • Our journey to a Christmas surrender begins by choosing to be a listening servant.  The Lord’s servant must realize the relationship between servant and Lord and seek to listen fully to God.  It is through listening that we learn about God, about our self, and about others.  As we share the feast of Christmas with the people around us, we serve them well when we listen to God and listen to them.
  • Observant Servant.  Luke 1:29
    • Our journey to a Christmas surrender continues as we choose to be an observant servant.  One of the great barriers to people gazing deeply into God’s Word and doing what it says is when we are greatly troubled by what we see.  Our honesty with God and His Word needs to carry us to a point of faith even when our initial observation leaves us with a lack of clarity.  God’s message to Mary was troubling to her yet she continued to watch and listen for what God would do and say.  As we share the feast of Christmas with the people around us, we serve them well when we deliberately observe the working of God in His Word, in us, and in others.
  • Respectful Servant.  Luke 1:30-34
    • Our journey to a Christmas surrender also continues as we learn to be a respectful servant.  I suspect this becomes most tested when the request that is made is something we either don’t understand or don’t like.  One of the keys to being a respectful servant of God is to always keep in mind He is God and you are not.  Mary was troubled by the message delivered to her by the angel and I suspect there was great confusion in her mind yet her initial response is a respectful question.  Being a respectful servant doesn’t mean that we have no questions, or that we can’t ask questions, it simply means we honor God with the respect He deserves.
  • Decisive Servant.  Luke 1:35-37
    • Our journey to a Christmas surrender also continues as we learn to be a decisive servant.  Having doubts and questions when it comes to serving God is a very natural thing.  We can express those doubts and ask our questions of God, but being a servant says that we will decide to do what God says no matter what.  There comes a time in our questioning and doubt that we must decide if we believe God and will walk by faith or if we will continue to stumble in the darkness.  Mary took her questions to God and listened to the answers given which led her to a moment of decision.  When we choose in the light to follow God’s Word no matter what, it makes it easier for us to be a decisive servant even in the midst of darkness.
  • Submissive Servant.  Luke 1:38
    • Our journey to a Christmas surrender culminates when we take each of these characteristics we’ve talked about and use them to lead us in being a submissive servant.  In many ways, that is a rather redundant statement as you’re not really a servant if you are not submissive and a submissive spirit will always lead you to serve.  Mary’s response is one that ought to echo from our lips and our hearts each day that we live.  Our willingness to serve God is not measured by our words, but rather by our actions . . . and not just our actions toward God, but also our actions towards others.  When we choose to say each day, “I am the Lord’s servant.”, we find that our life will reflect the level of surrender found throughout the Christmas story.

Today, how will you live as the LORD’S servant?

Encouragement and Prayer: The Awe of Wonder! (12/16/22)
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Encouragement and Prayer: The Awe of Wonder! (12/16/22)

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This is the audio from the December 16, 2022 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.”
Luke 2:9 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on knowing and sharing the awe of Christmas as experienced by the shepherds.  While I have not experienced a personal angelic announcement directing me toward Jesus, I have been drawn by God’s Spirit into relationship with Him.  It’s in the daily encounters with Jesus that we discover an awe that is our responsibility to share.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to fill you with an awe of His presence.  Pray for a heart that treasures the things of God.  Pray that you would not take God’s presence in your life for granted, but would continually consider how loved you are by Him.  Pray for the ability to find the wonder of God present in your life, in the lives of others, and displayed throughout creation.

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

In prayer,
Tom