2026 THEME — “SEEING LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”                                                      

MARCH THEME: SEEING SCRIPTURE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE

For My Word to be the final authority in your life means you allow Me—not your feelings, opinions, or changing circumstances—to determine what is true and how you live. I am the Word who knows all things, sees all things, and stands above all things, and when you stop measuring Me by your understanding and begin submitting to Me, you begin to see life clearly. I reveal the character and lordship of Christ, and when you allow My voice to rule your heart, I steady you when life shakes, correct you when your thinking drifts, and shape you day by day until the life of Jesus is seen in you.

SUNDAY’S SERVICE SUMMARY

For most of my life, if I am honest, I tried to stay in control of everything. I thought if I planned enough, worked hard enough, and kept things organized enough, I could hold life together. But over the years I learned something the hard way—control is a heavy burden to carry. This past Sunday, as the Word of God was opened and we sang those songs about Christ being our anchor—“The Anchor Holds,” “Jesus Is All the World to Me,” “In Christ Alone,” “Without Him,” and “Word of God Speak”—something finally settled deep in my heart. The Scriptures were no longer just words I had read for years; they became the voice of God calling me to lay down the weight I had been carrying. Instead of opening the Bible looking for answers about my problems, I began asking, “What does this show me about Christ? What does this reveal about God’s character?” And when I stopped trying to control everything and surrendered to the authority of His Word, a peace flooded my soul that I cannot fully explain. It felt like my heart finally rested. I realized the Bible was never mainly about managing my life—it was about revealing Jesus. When Christ is pushed to the side and self takes the center, life becomes confusing. But when Christ is placed back where He belongs, everything becomes clear again. The purpose of Scripture is not just to give us information but to change us, to help Christ increase while our striving decreases. And for the first time in a long time, I felt the joy of simply trusting the One who has been in control all along.

Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

What Storms Reveal

Matthew 7:25, “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”

Most people think storms are meant to destroy things, but Jesus taught that storms actually reveal something deeper—they reveal the foundation. When the weather is calm, almost any house can appear strong. The walls may look straight and the structure may seem secure. But when the rain falls, the floods rise, and the winds begin to beat against the house, the true strength of the foundation becomes clear. Jesus used this picture to explain our spiritual lives. There are seasons when life feels calm and steady, and during those times it can seem as though our faith is strong. But when pressure comes—when sickness appears, finances tighten, relationships struggle, or unexpected loss enters our lives—we quickly discover what our hope is truly built upon. Storms do not create our foundation; they reveal it.

Calm Seasons Can Hide Weak Foundations

When life is going well, many things can appear strong enough to build our confidence on. Health feels reliable, finances seem secure, relationships appear stable, and our routines can give us a sense of control. But none of these things were ever meant to carry the weight of our ultimate hope. Calm seasons can sometimes hide weak foundations because a person may believe their faith is strong simply because it has not been tested yet. Jesus did not say storms might come—He said the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew. Storms are not unusual in life; they are certain. When they arrive, they reveal whether our confidence rests in temporary circumstances or in the unchanging truth of God.

The Word of God Becomes an Anchor in the Storm

For the believer whose life is rooted in God’s Word, storms feel different. It is not because the wind is weaker or the waves are smaller, but because the foundation is stronger. When fear rises, Scripture speaks peace. When confusion spreads, God’s promises bring clarity. When circumstances begin to shake us, the truth of God steadies our hearts. Verses that once seemed like simple words suddenly become lifelines. Passages we may have memorized during quiet seasons become strength in difficult ones. The Bible stops being something we casually read and becomes something we cling to. Psalm 119:50 reminds us, “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.” In the storm, the Word of God becomes the voice that reminds us that God has not moved, even when everything else feels unstable.

Storms Can Deepen Faith Instead of Destroying It

Storms often expose shallow faith. When hope is built only on circumstances, difficulty quickly leads to panic. But storms can also deepen faith. When believers run to God’s promises instead of away from them, hardship becomes a place where trust grows stronger. Fear becomes an invitation to depend on Christ. Weakness becomes a reminder that our strength comes from Him. Storms push superficial faith toward fear, but they push surrendered faith deeper into the promises of God. The storm does not determine the outcome—the foundation does. And when that foundation is Christ and His Word, the house stands firm.

Imagine a ship caught in a violent storm in the middle of the ocean. The wind is fierce, the waves crash against the vessel, and the ship rocks back and forth. But deep beneath the surface of the water, the anchor holds firmly to the ocean floor. The storm may shake the ship, but it cannot move the anchor. The Christian life works the same way. Storms may shake our emotions, our plans, and our expectations, but when our hearts are anchored in Christ and in His Word, the foundation beneath us does not move. The anchor holds not because the storm disappears, but because Christ remains steady beneath it.

Storms reveal what calm seasons often hide. They show whether our hope rests in circumstances or in Christ. They reveal whether our confidence is built on temporary things or on the unchanging Word of God. Jesus said the house built on the rock did not fall—not because it avoided the storm, but because its foundation could not be moved. When storms come into your life, they will reveal what you trust most. And the believer whose heart is anchored in God’s Word will discover something powerful: the storm may shake you, but it cannot destroy what is built on Christ.

Warfare Prayer

Father, in the name of Jesus, anchor my heart deeply in Your Word. Tear down every false foundation I have trusted, whether it is fear, pride, control, or dependence on circumstances. Break every stronghold that tries to convince me that my security rests anywhere other than in You. When storms come, remind me of Your promises. When fear rises, silence it with Your truth. Strengthen my faith so that pressure drives me closer to You instead of away from You. Let Your Word become the anchor of my soul, steady and unmovable no matter what winds may blow. I declare that my life is built upon Christ, the solid rock. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Challenge

Choose one promise from Scripture today and write it down or memorize it. Whenever fear or anxiety rises, repeat that promise and remind yourself that your life is built on the unchanging Word of God.

WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Ann Stanley  

Bobbi Jackson

Britany Smith ~ Breast Cancer

Mateen – Kim Mcclain’s Sister

Amy Garner’s Dad

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Angela Bryan’s Sisters

Annette Ford

Bentley Smith – Broken Leg

Brando Echarte

Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers

Christopher Kelley

Danny Jarrard  

Darlene Kelley – Cancer Treatment

Darlene Wiggins

Debbie Foskey 

Deon Lotter

Don And Carol Franklin – Mae’s Cousins

Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David

Doris Loyd

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards

Ed Franklin’s Son In Law – Heart Surgery

Eric Magnusson’s Mother

Eric Ward

Friend of Linda Hodge

Gayle Sparks

Gloria Young

Jake Jenkins

James Burnette

Jean Partee

Jean Partee’s Sister

Jessica Headrick  

John McClain’s Mother

Joni Oberhage

June Cronan

June Cronan’s Sister

June Davis

Kailey Bateman

Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda & Mateen

Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom

Linda Mays

Lonzo Christian 

Lori Blount’s Mother

Mary Williams

Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom

Mrs. Franklin 

Nancy Brown

Nora Allison

Paul Bateman

Phillip Roach – Linda & Luther’s Son – Cancer

Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman

Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA

Roy Roach

Sandra Mitchell

Scott Lanier 

Scotty Nix

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Steve Michaels

Tammy Shelnutt

Tom Witcher