Posts with the tag “follow”
Stop Blaming and Start Trusting
by Delman Coates on February 3rd, 2025
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14 When life feels heavy, it’s easy to start pointing fingers. You blame the people who hurt you, the circumstances that held you back, or even God f... Read More
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Don't Major in the Minors
by Delman Coates on September 3rd, 2024
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."- Matthew 23:23 Â Â Â Jesus had a powerful way of cutting through the noise to reveal what truly matters. In Matthew 23:23, He confronts the religious leaders of His ... Read More
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A Way Out
by Delman Coates on August 22nd, 2024
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 Do you feel like you are stuck in a situation, unable to see a way out? Perhaps it's a habit you can't break, a relationship that's causing mor... Read More
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Aligning Our Desires with God's Will
by Delman Coates on May 29th, 2024
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:23-24 As we journey through life, we often find ourselves yearning for certain things—dreams, ambitions, relationships, or possessions—that may not align with God's perfect will for us. In those moments, it's essential to pause and re... Read More
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Follow the Light
by Delman Coates on December 20th, 2023
"...and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'" - Matthew 2:2 Have you ever found yourself in a dark and unfamiliar place, unsure of which way to turn? It's in these moments that we often yearn for even the faintest glimmer of light to guide us to safety. Just like the story of two young girls who got lost in the f... Read More
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Turning Setbacks into Strength
by Delman Coates on September 6th, 2023
“There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, 'It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.'” - Acts 14:22 Paul's journey was marked by remarkable perseverance and undeterred faith. Yet, there's a significant reason he chose to revisit places where he faced persecution, to provide disconfirming experiences for ... Read More
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The Church of Hope, Healing, and Reconciliation
by Delman Coates on June 17th, 2023
"Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." - John 8:7 As Christians, it is easy to become judgmental of others and forget that we too are sinners in need of God's grace. The story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8 reminds us of this truth. The Pharisees were ready to stone her, but Jesus challenged them to examine their own hearts and remember their own... Read More
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No Competition
by Delman Coates on May 26th, 2023
“The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still.” - Psalm 76:5-6 Have you ever worried about whether God’s plans would work for you? Maybe God gave you clarity about what He wants you to do. He revealed Himself to you and gave you such clarity about your purpose. And at first that g... Read More
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Imitators of Christ
by Delman Coates on May 12th, 2023
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” - Ephesians 5:1-2 I once heard a fable about a man who was born with a facial deformity. He grew up isolated and lonely. When he became an adult, he decided to move to a new town and start over. On his journey, he ... Read More
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Just Start
by Ministry Support on January 3rd, 2023
“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.” - Ecclesiastes 11:4 Over the last couple of days, we have talked about the disease of perfectionism. When we chase a life with no flaws, we are searching in vain for something that does not exist. God has a mission for our lives. And we should not let perfectionism be the reason we do not pursue His... Read More
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It’s All About Attitude
by Ministry Support on December 30th, 2022
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Have you ever heard the phrase, “Your attitude determines your altitude?” It is a powerful phrase, but it is an important one. Your perspective determines not only how you view the world, but how you respond to it. Sir Christopher Wren, an Engli... Read More
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Chief of Happiness
by Ministry Support on December 29th, 2022
“You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”- 16:11 Did you know that many companies are hiring Chief Happiness Officers (CHO) to fulfill the role of ensuring employees’ emotional well-being in the workplace. Their goal is to maintain high worker retention rates and morale, as well as build trust in the organizatio... Read More
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The Light
by Ministry Support on December 28th, 2022
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’” - John 8:12 I read a story once about two young girls who decided to take a stroll into a nearby dense forest after school one day. As they walked through the woods, things got dark as the sun began to set. The win... Read More
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Praying In the Right Spirit
by Ministry Support on December 24th, 2022
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” - Luke 6:27 God calls us to pray for others. But we must make sure that we are praying in the right spirit. Why? Because it is easy to feel the need to retaliate when we feel attacked or insulted. We want to repay and eye for an eye or at least l... Read More
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A Transactional Relationship
by Ministry Support on November 14th, 2022
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” - James 1:2-4 Is your relationship with God dependent on your circumstances? Does your faith r... Read More
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Valley Lows
by Ministry Support on November 8th, 2022
“Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?’” - John 11:25-26 How do you handle seasons of disappointment, discouragement, doubt, and depression? Sadness and grief occur for many reasons, such as: the loss of a loved one, not receiving a jo... Read More
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Brightening The Path
by Ministry Support on October 31st, 2022
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’” - John 8:12 When Jesus said in John 8, “I am the light of the world,” He was also saying that He brightens the path along which we must walk. When a light shines, it illuminates; it brightens dim and dark places ma... Read More
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I Can See Clearly Now
by Ministry Support on October 19th, 2021
“Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He asked. ‘Lord, we want our sight,’ they answered. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. - Matthew 20:32-34 A couple years ago, something in my life changed that caught me off guard. I noticed that every time I went to a restaurant, I had difficulty reading ... Read More
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Be A Disciple First
by No Limits on September 9th, 2021
“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” – John 12:26 What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower of Christ who studies the Word of God and seeks to live righteously. John 12:26 is articulating that in order to be a leader to others, you must first be a follower to Christ; because you cannot lead others to Him if you ... Read More
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Actively Partnering With Jesus
by Ministry Support on January 30th, 2021
“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel 22:30-31) Today’s key passage in Ezekiel highlights the conseque... Read More
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Stop Demonizing The Other Side
by Ministry Support on January 3rd, 2021
“When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’ say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’ (Ezekiel 37:18-19) Social group identity theory ... Read More
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Seek God First
by Ministry Support on December 1st, 2020
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple…And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:1, 5) As people of faith, we are summoned from time to time to wrestle with the times in which we ... Read More
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Hearing The Voice Of God
by Ministry Support on November 18th, 2020
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. – Genesis 12:2 We all want to know what God’s will is for our lives. But in order for you to get confirmation of God’s will, you must have the ability to hear the voice of God. This entire scene in Genesis 12 centers around what the Lord says to Abram, and Abram obeying. God speaks ... Read More
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Going Without Knowing
by Ministry Support on November 12th, 2020
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. – Hebrews 11:8 In our text, Abram received God’s call to go into a land of purpose and promise ordained by God. The Lord directs him to leave his country, his kindred and his father’s house and to travel to a land of fulfillment that the Lord w... Read More
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Looks Aren’t Everything
by Ministry Support on August 8th, 2020
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) I remember when I left Richmond and went to college, I was enamored by all of the appearance of affluence that I saw in the lives of some who came to school... Read More
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2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
March
A Solid FoundationPositioned for BlessingMarked by LoveTrust God's JudgmentRest in God's DeliveranceLet Go of ControlWhat You Want MostWhy Church Still MattersFaith in the Midst of DisappointmentJoy for the JourneyA Place of SafetyStrength in CommunityPeace in the ChaosThe Purpose of the ValleySeasons ChangeUnshaken in the StormHold OnThe Power of ResilienceNever AloneGod Is Closer Than You ThinkLet Go of WorryLet Go of WorryBelieve Before You SeeResilient FaithHow to Be a Success God's WayTrue Success Starts with the SoulSuccess Through SurrenderCharacter That Speaks for ItselfThe Power of Being RealKeep GrowingSuccess in the Face of Opposition