2026 THEME “SEEING LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE” JANUARY – Prayer from God’s Perspective
You cannot afford to miss this Sunday—the first Sunday of 2026—because God is calling us to relearn prayer from His perspective at the very beginning of the year. This is not a call to pray harder or louder out of habit, pressure, or fear, but an invitation to see prayer as God designed it. Prayer was never meant to manage life or persuade God to act; it is the sacred place where He restores vision, quiets striving, and realigns our hearts with His will. Before this year moves forward, God is inviting us to lift our eyes above anxiety and reaction and learn to live—and pray—from Heaven’s viewpoint. January begins with Prayer from God’s Perspective, because prayer is where clarity returns and direction is formed. What God desires to do among us will require surrendered hearts, clear spiritual sight, and a willingness to let Him reshape our thinking before we ask Him to change our circumstances.
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
Good morning, church. As we gathered for the final service of 2025—a year of victories and challenges—we paused to thank God for the deep growth He produced among us. As we prepared to step into 2026, the Lord called us to surrender our perspective and embrace His, reminding us that success is measured not by what we accomplish, but by how we see through the lens of His truth. We were reminded that two people can walk through the same valley and arrive at different places, not because of the circumstance, but because of perspective. Many of us were not lost, but stuck—repeating patterns, reacting instead of responding, busy yet unproductive. That moment became a holy realignment as we learned to consider the lilies, lay down worry and control, and rest in the Father’s care. We closed the year in prayer and stepped into 2026 anchored in God’s promises, supplied with new grace, and ready to walk forward in trust, surrender, and confidence in a God who cannot lie.
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
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Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Consider the Lilies: Release What You Can’t Control
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life…” — Matthew 6:25
The Weight You Were Never Meant to Carry
Anxiety often disguises itself as responsibility. We tell ourselves we are being careful, thoughtful, or prepared—when in reality, we are carrying weights God never placed on our shoulders. Jesus knew this about the human heart. That is why, when He addressed worry, He did not scold anxious people or overwhelm them with instruction. He invited them to look—to slow down long enough to see something simple, living, and quietly faithful. “Consider the lilies.” In those few words, Jesus called weary souls to release control and rediscover trust.
Jesus Teaches Trust Through What We Overlook
When Jesus pointed to the lilies, He revealed something profound: God’s care is already at work in places untouched by human effort. Lilies do not plan for tomorrow. They do not strive for security. They simply grow where they are planted—fully dependent on the Father’s provision. And yet, Jesus declared they were clothed more beautifully than Solomon in all his glory. That is the gospel written across the field: God’s care is not earned by strain; it is received by trust. When we consider the lilies, we are reminded that God’s faithfulness does not rise or fall based on our performance.
Worry Turns Responsibilities Into Burdens
God gives responsibilities, but worry quietly adds burdens. What begins as faithful stewardship can slowly become exhausting pressure when we assume outcomes depend on us. Over time, we grip finances, relationships, health, and the future as though we are the final authority. But worry is misplaced ownership—it is the attempt to control what God never asked us to manage. Jesus’ words, “Take no thought,” are not an invitation to carelessness, but a call to right order. Peace returns when we give God back what belongs to Him.
Prayer Is the Transfer of Ownership
Prayer is how we open our hands. “Casting all your care upon him” means releasing, not rehearsing. Some pray faithfully and remain weary because they never truly let go. Prayer, from God’s perspective, is the transfer of ownership: “Father, this is Yours—my family, my future, my fears.” When control is released, peace is received. Rest does not come from escaping responsibility, but from trusting the One who carries what we cannot. The moment you release what you cannot control, you make room for the peace you cannot produce.
From Striving to Stillness
When we learn to see life through God’s perspective, worry loses its authority. The lilies remind us that the Father is already at work—providing, sustaining, and caring in ways we cannot see. As you release what you cannot control, allow trust to take its place. This is not resignation; it is worship. This is where striving ends and stillness begins. And in that stillness, God proves Himself faithful once again.
Heart Check: What outcome am I gripping so tightly that it’s stealing my peace?
Prayer: Father, I lay down the need to control. I trust Your timing, Your wisdom, and Your care. Teach me to rest without surrendering obedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Daily Breakout Challenge (Do One Thing): Choose one worry loop you repeat (money, health, family, future). Each time it rises today, say out loud: “I release this to God.” Then replace it with one verse: Matthew 6:30, Proverbs 3:5, or 1 Peter 5:7.
WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Greg Payne
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Mandy Martin
Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers
Luther Roach
Cheryl Knight’s Brother Passed on Tuesday
Marsha Layfield
Amy Garner’s Dad
Brando Echarte
Debbie Foskey
Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David
Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards
Gloria Young
Jake Jenkins
June Cronan
Jean Partee’s Sister
Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda
Deon Lotter
Doris Loyd
Nancy Brown
Annette Ford
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sisters
Ann Stanley
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
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher