GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
HELP! I AM A SEX SLAVE!
I am just a child, yet the weight of the world is on my small shoulders. Every day I wake up in a place where hope feels so far away. I was taken from everything I knew, sold like I was nothing, and trapped in a life I never asked for. My days are filled with fear, my nights with sorrow, and my heart with the overwhelming ache of loneliness. I don’t have a voice here. I am told what to do, where to go, and who I am. But none of it is real. The person they say I am is not me. I am still a child, longing to be free, to play, to laugh, to be held by someone who loves me. But instead, I am trapped, used, and discarded by people who see me as less than human. My cries for help are silenced, my pain is ignored, and I am left wondering if anyone even knows I exist. But you know. You have the power to change this, to stop what’s happening to me and others like me. You can be my voice in a world that refuses to hear. You can speak out, stand up, and say, “No more.” You can push for laws that protect children, for leaders who care about ending this darkness. I need you. My future depends on people like you who are willing to fight for what is right, to bring light into the darkness I am living in. You can make a difference by standing against those who exploit children, by voting for those who will take a stand, and by raising awareness so that no more children are stolen and forgotten. You can be my hero. You can save lives like mine. Please, don’t let me fade into the shadows. Let your voice be the one that brings us hope, that ends this suffering. You can be the reason children like me find freedom. I am waiting for someone to care. Will it be you? Please Vote with me and my circumstances in mind. There are thousands more like me that cry themselves to sleep when our abusers are through using us. Help!
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
The story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-39 is a powerful demonstration of how God offers assurance to those who believe.
The eunuch, a man of great authority, was reading the scriptures, seeking understanding and truth.
God sent Philip to explain the gospel to him, revealing the good news of Jesus Christ.
Immediately, the eunuch believed and was baptized in the water he found along the way.
The Holy Spirit gave him assurance that he was now a child of God, and he rejoiced in his new relationship with Christ.
One of the most remarkable fruits of his salvation was his instant obedience to God’s prompting.
When he understood the truth of the gospel, he didn’t delay.
He acted immediately, requesting to be baptized right away.
This obedience is a clear sign of the transformation that took place in his heart, and his joy was unmistakable as he continued his journey, now fully assured of his salvation.
Do you ever question whether you truly belong to Christ?
Even strong believers can have moments of doubt, but the beauty of our salvation is that it is not fragile, nor is it dependent on our own ability to hold on to God.
Jesus Himself promises that those who follow Him are securely held in His hand, and no one can ever snatch them away.
The assurance of your salvation is based on what Christ has done for you on the cross.
It is His finished work that guarantees your eternal life, not your own works or feelings.
When doubts arise, turn to His promises, and rest in the truth that you are His, forever.
Just like the Ethiopian eunuch, let instant obedience to the Lord’s promptings in your life be a sign of the joy and assurance you have in Him.
Think of a small child, trusting their parent completely as they walk hand-in-hand across a busy street.
The child is not concerned about slipping away or getting lost because they have absolute trust in their parent’s strong grip.
In the same way, you can have confidence that God’s grip on you is even stronger.
He is holding you through every challenge, every doubt, every storm, and no force on earth or in the spiritual realm can pry you from His hand.
Your security is found in Him, not in your ability to hold on.
He is faithful and unchanging, and you can rest in His unfailing love.
PRAYER
“Father, I thank You for the assurance You have given me through Your Word and through the work of Jesus on the cross. Thank You for holding me securely in Your hand, where I know I will never be lost. When doubts or fears come, help me to trust in Your promises. Remind me daily that my salvation is secure, not because of my efforts, but because of Your grace. Help me to follow Your promptings with instant obedience, just as the Ethiopian eunuch did, and let me walk confidently in the knowledge that I am Yours forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
ASSIGNMENT
Take time today to reflect on the assurance of your salvation. Write down three scriptures that reinforce your confidence in Christ’s saving work, such as:
Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
2 Timothy 1:12 – “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
Meditate on these truths throughout the day, and remind yourself that you are secure in Christ’s hands.
Let instant obedience to His leading be a wonderful fruit of the assurance you have in Him.
WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Freddie May In Passing Of His Mother
Danny Jarrard – SURGERY WENT WELL
David Newby
Amy Garner’s Mom
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Ben Bruce
Carol Lawhead
Daniel Cooper’s Mother
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donna Plunkett’s Brother in law
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Ed Mays
Ellen Boyd
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Faith Burnette
Freddie May’s Mom
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gail Sparks
George & Linda Alexander
George Calhoon
James Burnette
James Parker
James Parker
Joanie/Jeanie Mom
Jodi Bateman
John McClain’s Mother
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kathryn Raines
Kim McClain
Kim McClain’s Mother
Krista Hilscher
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary William’s Granddaughter
Mary Williams
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Marynell Ford
Matt Barron’s Mother
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Nora Allison
Pastor Driskell
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Sandra Graham’s Family
Sarah Parker
Scott Lanier
Steve Michaels
Tom Graham (Sandra’s Husband)
Tom Witcher