Praise the Lord! We’ve been blessed to see someone come to salvation every week for the past six weeks. Yesterday, Natalie Garner came forward to place her trust in Christ as her personal Savior, leaving behind years of relying on a false profession.
As we gathered to worship, we were invited to connect with the One who meets us in our struggles. Life can feel like an unending battle where worldly sources of comfort often leave us emptier. The Bible reminds us that we’re not alone, showing stories like Bartimaeus, a blind beggar who found healing and hope in Jesus despite the darkness around him. Bartimaeus reached out in faith, and Jesus restored him, showing us that victory isn’t achieved alone but through Jesus. He is our ultimate answer, who conquered sin and suffering to give us life and freedom. In Christ, we discover a new identity, freed from past labels, as loved children of God. This transformation invites us to surrender control and let the Holy Spirit lead, bringing peace, love, and patience into our lives as we grow in faith.
Our journey continues with the security of knowing we belong to God. This assurance, rooted in His steadfast love, helps us overcome doubt and embrace our identity as His children. Growing in faith calls us to mature, advancing from spiritual infancy into lives of learning, serving, and guiding others, much like Paul’s growth from persecutor to apostle. This maturity allows us to become blessings to others, pouring out God’s love and wisdom. Moving forward in faith, we press on, leaving burdens behind, and embracing the purpose God has for us. Just as a runner stays focused on the finish line, we keep our gaze on Christ, stepping into a life marked by peace, purpose, and growth. Living as a new creation involves not just changing our actions but embracing a whole new identity, walking by the Spirit, and shining as living examples of God’s love and grace.
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
FROM A CHILD IN SEX TRAFFICKING
I am just a child. I never asked to be here, but I was taken, sold into a dark world where my innocence was stolen from me. I am trapped in a nightmare, used in ways that no child should ever know, and forced to endure horrors no one should face. They call me by many names, but never my own. They treat me as if I am not human. My voice, my cries for help—none of it seems to matter. But you can help. You can be the voice I don’t have, the one who speaks up when I can’t. You can protect others from suffering the way I do. You can vote for leaders who will fight to stop this evil, who will bring justice to those who exploit children like me. They say I am forgotten, but you can show that I am not. Your vote matters—it’s a chance to make sure no more children are taken, that no more lives are shattered like mine. Please, use your voice to help me. Use your vote to protect children like me who have no way to protect themselves. You can be the difference, the one who helps stop this. Please, don’t let my suffering be ignored any longer.
TOMORROW
We are finally at the pivotal moment, and tomorrow will decide the vision and direction for our nation. The weight of this decision cannot be overstated. God raised America up for a purpose, a calling that we have not yet fully fulfilled. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” What we choose now will shape not only the next four years but could impact the rest of our lives, if righteousness does not prevail. Imagine this: it all comes down to one vote—your vote. No other vote matters but yours. In this moment, your vote becomes the most valuable talent God has entrusted to you. Just like in the parable of the talents, you have a responsibility to invest it wisely (Matthew 25:14-30). You will stand accountable for how you use it. Everything depends on it—your future, your children’s future, the future of this nation. Seek the Lord’s wisdom, vote for righteousness, and let your voice be counted. This is not just a civic duty; it’s a spiritual calling. Your vote is your chance to stand for truth, justice, and the purposes of God. Choose wisely, for the stakes have never been higher.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Finding True Freedom In Christ
1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, sat by the dusty roadside in Jericho, enduring a life marked by isolation and helplessness.
Unable to see, he relied entirely on what he could hear and feel, aware of every footstep but unseen by most.
Then one day, he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
This wasn’t just any passerby—Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the “Son of David.”
With desperation and hope intertwined, he cried out from the depths of his soul, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”
His plea was an act of faith, a bold declaration that he believed in Jesus’ power to heal and restore.
Even as others around him tried to silence him, urging him to keep quiet, Bartimaeus refused to be discouraged.
He cried out even louder, undeterred by the crowd’s rebukes.
His persistence was rewarded when Jesus stopped, called him over, and asked him what he desired.
Bartimaeus’s response was clear and simple—he wanted to see.
Jesus, recognizing his faith, replied, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.”
In that instant, Bartimaeus received his sight, his world flooded with light and color for the first time.
Overjoyed and transformed, he didn’t merely go his way; he chose to follow Jesus, leaving behind the darkness and stepping into a new life of purpose.
In our own lives, we often encounter challenges that seem as unmovable as Bartimaeus’s blindness.
These struggles can weigh us down, leaving us feeling defeated, isolated, and hopeless.
But Bartimaeus’s story teaches us that victory doesn’t lie in our ability to overcome on our own but in our willingness to reach out to Jesus.
When we recognize our need for Him and call upon His name, we invite His power and love into our circumstances.
Just as Bartimaeus reached beyond his limitations to connect with Jesus, we too must acknowledge Jesus as the source of our strength and place our faith in Him for deliverance.
Imagine finding yourself lost in a dense forest at night, surrounded by nothing but shadow and silence, with no clear path in sight.
Suddenly, you hear the voice of a rescuer calling out to you—a voice offering to lead you to safety.
Reaching out to that voice, trusting it to guide you through the darkness, mirrors how placing our faith in Christ can pull us out of our struggles and into the light of His peace and victory.
As Bartimaeus experienced, our faith in Jesus can lift us from despair, replacing our darkness with hope and leading us into a life transformed by His grace and power.
PRAYER Lord, grant me the faith to seek victory through You, not through the fleeting promises of the world. I surrender my battles into Your hands, trusting in Your power and grace. Amen.
ASSIGNMENT Reflect on a recent struggle you’ve faced. Spend time in prayer, bringing this issue before Jesus, and trust that He is your victory, even if the outcome isn’t immediately visible.
MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Danny Jarrard – Riverside In Covington
Dale Lake
David Newby
Amy Garner’s Mom
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Ben Bruce
Carol Lawhead
Darlene Wiggins
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donna Plunkett’s Brother in law
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Ellen Boyd
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Faith Burnette
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gail Sparks
George & Linda Alexander
George Calhoon
James Burnette
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
Sarah Parker
Scott Lanier
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher