Join Us on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 10:30 AM
As we welcome the new year, I warmly invite you to begin 2025 in the presence of God. By attending church after the clock strikes midnight and the calendar turns, you are affirming that the Lord is at the center of your life and your plans for the year ahead. Each service offers uplifting fellowship, providing a supportive community where you can connect with others and grow together in faith. Consistent attendance fosters spiritual growth, accountability, and a more Christ-centered outlook, helping you navigate the year with strength and purpose. Starting 2025 at church also cultivates gratitude and joy, shifting our focus from life’s challenges to recognizing and celebrating God’s abundant blessings. This simple yet powerful commitment to trust in His guidance can lead to a year filled with deeper faith, stronger relationships, and renewed devotion to the One who holds our future. Let’s embark on this new year together in God’s house, surrounded by His people, as we study His Word and seek His presence. Join us on Sunday, January 5 at 10:30 AM, and make the decision to center your year around God’s love and wisdom. May this new year bring you closer to God, enrich your relationships, and inspire a renewed passion for His purpose in your life.
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
“TRADING A BIRTHRIGHT FOR STEW”
“And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” (Genesis 25:32)
Esau’s moment of weakness in Genesis 25:32 illustrates the peril of exchanging something eternally valuable for temporary gratification.
Faced with extreme hunger and impatience, he sold his birthright—a sacred inheritance—for a mere bowl of stew, demonstrating how easily we can compromise our spiritual blessings for immediate desires such as social acceptance, fleeting pleasure, or material gain.
This act serves as a stark reminder that momentary satisfaction can come at a steep spiritual cost, causing us to forget the priceless inheritance we have in Christ.
Esau’s impulsive decision exemplifies how quickly we can forsake our spiritual commitments for instant gratification, revealing the ease with which we might sacrifice our long-term spiritual well-being for immediate comfort or acceptance.
Whether it’s seeking validation from peers, indulging in momentary pleasures, or chasing after material wealth, Esau’s story warns us of the subtle ways in which our spiritual blessings can be undermined by our pursuit of short-lived satisfactions.
It calls us to reflect on our own lives and consider whether we are allowing similar compromises to erode our spiritual foundations.
Even the simplest indulgences can dull our spiritual senses, making us overlook the deeper fulfillment only God can provide.
A single impulsive decision can result in consequences that last a lifetime, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing eternal values over short-term comforts.
By valuing immediate gratification over our eternal inheritance in Christ, we risk diminishing our awareness of the profound and lasting blessings that come from a deep relationship with Him.
It underscores the critical importance of consistently prioritizing eternal values and divine principles over the allure of short-term comforts and conveniences.
Identify any “bowls of stew” in your own life—areas where you’re tempted to compromise eternal blessings for short-term comfort.
Seek God’s help to value eternal things above immediate desires, ensuring that your choices reflect His priorities and lead to lasting spiritual growth.
PRAYER: “Lord, keep my focus on what truly matters—Your presence and promises. Help me resist the temptation to trade my future blessings for momentary pleasures. Thank You for guiding me in wisdom, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
ASSIGNMENT: Spend 10 minutes in prayer or reading Scripture, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal any area where you might be sacrificing long-term good for short-term relief. Write down one Scripture verse to memorize that encourages you to keep an eternal perspective (e.g., Mat 6:33).
TUESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Greg Schriener
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Ben Bruce
Brody Fuller – Jackson Byrd’s Roommate at College
Carol Angel in passing of her husband, Don
Carol Lawhead
Daisy Almand
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
David Newby
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donna Plunkett’s Brother-in-law
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
Jessica Headrick
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
Kim McClain’s Sister
Krista Hilscher
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Linda Lanier
Liz Knight
Lonzo Christian
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
Mike Bryan
Nora Allison
Pastor Driskell
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Sandra Roach Mitchell
Sarah Parker
Scott Lanier
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher