JUNE THEME – SET Free To LIVE Free – Embracing Liberty Through Christ
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
“UNMASKING HIDDEN SIN WITH COURAGEOUS TRUTH”
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” — James 1:22
We often become skilled at managing appearances while ignoring the slow erosion of integrity inside our hearts. Hidden sins—those we minimize, rename, or tolerate—don’t remain hidden forever. They leak. They infect. They grow roots beneath the surface until one day, what was “private” becomes painfully public.
We justify. We excuse. We compartmentalize. But Scripture makes it clear—self-deception is the first step toward spiritual paralysis. The longer we “hear” without obeying, the more calloused our hearts become to conviction.
Jesus didn’t die for appearances—He died to redeem what’s real. The gospel is not for the mask we wear, but for the broken soul beneath it.
Unconfessed pride… hidden bitterness… a secret addiction… envy masked as ambition… flirtation camouflaged as friendliness… even overindulgence in entertainment, social media, or comfort. All of these can become footholds the enemy uses to keep us bound.
But there is hope. The cross is not a place of shame—it’s a place of shattering chains. And it begins with radical honesty.
King David is proof that even the most anointed men can fall—but also that even the most fallen men can be restored. When Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba, David didn’t shift blame. He didn’t hide behind a title or justify his actions.
He wept. He confessed. And in Psalm 51, he wrote:
“I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.”
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
David’s restoration did not come from outward offerings, but from brokenness before God. His public failure became a public testimony of God’s grace because he refused to wear the mask any longer.
Had David resisted the confrontation—had he defended his position instead of repenting—his legacy might have ended in disgrace. But because he humbled himself, his life became a warning and a witness for all generations.
Choose a quiet place today—free from distraction—and pray through Psalm 139:23–24:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Don’t just pray it with your lips—pray it with permission. Give the Holy Spirit access to the places you’ve kept off-limits.
- Is there anger I’ve suppressed?
- Is there jealousy hidden behind fake smiles?
- Is there a hidden habit draining my spiritual strength?
Open a journal or note and write each one down as the Spirit reveals them. Be specific. Don’t sanitize your confession—God can handle the raw truth. For each sin, respond with Psalm 51:1:
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”
Don’t rush this moment. Don’t run from conviction. Sit under it. Let the sorrow lead to repentance—and let repentance bring refreshing (Acts 3:19).
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You not with excuses, but with truth. I lay down every mask, every defense, and every compromise. Shine Your light into the corners I’ve hidden. Expose what I’ve tried to manage or ignore. I confess these sins—not to feel better, but to be made clean. Wash me with Your blood. Purify my thoughts. Renew my heart. And give me courage to walk in integrity—even when it costs. In Your name I pray, Amen.
Challenge: Find a trusted brother or sister in Christ today and share one specific area you’ve confessed to the Lord. Let them pray with you and commit to checking in. Vulnerability shatters shame. What stays hidden stays powerful—but what’s brought into the light loses its grip.
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another…” – 1 John 1:7
WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Ann Stanley
Doug Stephens
Mary Williams – Rehab
Paula Ferus
Sadie Almand & Unborn Baby
Scotty Nix
Jill Haines
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner
Jessica Headrick
Jodi Bateman
John McClain’s Mother
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kathryn Raines
Kim McClain’s Mother
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda
Lee Cronan
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williams
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Marynell Ford
Mike, Gwen, Michael Rice Family – Friends of Blount’s – Car Accident
Mrs. Franklin
Nora Allison
Pastor Driskell
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Roy Loyd
Scarlett – Marynell’s Granddaughter
Scott Lanier
Steve Michaels
Theresa Bain’s Granddaughter
Tom Witcher