DECEMBER THEME — FROM CHRISTMAS TO CALVARY – The Story Love Wrote
Friends, thank you for the amazing response to the 31-Day Reset for Troubled Marriages.
Your messages, testimonies, and willingness to share it with others remind me how deeply God cares about every home—hurting or healthy.
If your marriage feels heavy, distant, or overwhelmed, this Reset was created as a lifeline, not a lecture. It offers a simple day-by-day journey of Scripture, reflection, prayer, and practical steps to help soften hard places, reopen conversation, heal old wounds, and rebuild the trust and tenderness God intended. You don’t need perfection to start—just willingness. One day, one prayer, one humble step at a time.
And if your marriage is in a good season, this is a wonderful tool for a spiritual check-up—a chance to strengthen what’s already strong and guard what the enemy would love to weaken.
If you or a couple you love could benefit, here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQCQB2KS
Let’s keep reminding every couple—struggling or steady—that there is still hope, still healing, and Jesus still restores what feels impossible.
— Pastor Jackson
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
WAITING IN WORSHIP, NOT WORRY
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” — Titus 2:13
Before His first coming, the heart-cry of God’s people could be summed up: “Come, Thou long-expected Jesus.” Their waiting was not just fear and survival—it was worshipful longing. In our day, it is easy to let news headlines, cultural darkness, or personal burdens turn waiting into worry. But Scripture calls the return of Christ a “blessed hope,” not a fearful threat. When we fix our eyes on Him, our perspective changes. Worry stares at the problem; worship stares at the Promise-Keeper. The more we praise Him, the less power anxiety has over us. The same God who guided history to Bethlehem will guide it to the trumpet and the clouds. Waiting well means training your heart to respond to uncertainty with worship: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” As they waited with songs and prayers for His first coming, we should wait with songs and prayers for His second.
Worry Drains, Worship Sustains
Worry takes your strength before the battle even begins. It imagines the future without God in it. It magnifies the “what ifs” and minimizes the “God said.” But worship does the opposite—it places God back at the center, lifts your eyes above the chaos, and reminds your heart of His unchanging character. When you worship, you are not escaping reality; you are anchoring your soul to a greater reality. Problems may not disappear instantly, but their power over your emotions weakens. Your spirit breathes again. Your faith rises again. Worship doesn’t change God’s nearness; it changes your awareness of His nearness. That alone is enough to silence a thousand fears.
Worship Is a Weapon, Not a Feeling
Worship is not what you do when everything feels right—it’s what you do because God is right. It is spiritual warfare in its purest form. When you lift your voice in praise, you break agreements with fear, doubt, and discouragement. You declare that God is still sovereign, still faithful, still victorious—no matter what you see. The early church worshiped in prison cells, deserts, caves, and persecution because worship reminded them that Christ’s victory was greater than their suffering. When you choose worship in seasons of worry, you are not pretending your problems don’t exist; you are proclaiming that Jesus is Lord over all of them. Worship does not just express faith—it strengthens it.
Worship Aligns Your Heart With Eternity
Worry ties your heart to earth; worship ties your heart to Heaven. When you worship, you rehearse the very thing you will be doing in eternity—adoring the Lamb who was slain and awaits His bride. Worship turns your attention from temporary troubles to eternal truths. It reminds you that the story of this world is not spiraling out of control; it is moving toward a divinely appointed return of the King. Every time you sing, “Even so, come,” your heart shifts from despair to expectation. Worship keeps you awake, alert, and longing for His appearing. It teaches you to stop staring at what is shaking and to start standing on what is unshakable.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my blessed hope. When I look at the world, I am tempted to fear—but when I look at You, my heart finds rest. Teach me to turn worry into worship and anxiety into adoration. Let my songs, my prayers, and my thoughts be shaped more by Your promises than by the news. Help me to live every day as a worshiper who is eagerly looking for Your appearing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Challenge: Set aside five minutes today to do nothing but worship—no requests, no complaints, just praise. Sing a hymn, quote Scripture, or simply thank Him out loud that He is coming again.
FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Betty Hammock
Brando Echarte
Cheryl Knight’s Brother
Debbie Foskey
Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David
Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards
Gloria Young
Jake Jenkins
June Cronan
Louise Jackson – Richard’s Sister – Open Heart Surgery – Today
Jean Partee’s Sister
Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda
Deon Lotter
Doris Loyd
Nancy Brown
Amy Garner’s Dad
Annette Ford
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sisters
Ann Stanley
Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
Linda Alexander
James Burnette
Jessica Headrick
John McClain’s Mother
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kim McClain’s Mother
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda
Lee Cronan
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williams
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Mrs. Franklin
Nora Allison
Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher