AUGUST THEME – “Experiencing God: From Knowing About Him to Walking With Him”

SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY  

Biblical healing isn’t a spectacle or a quick transaction. It’s the living, restoring touch of Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever, flowing straight from His presence into every part of who we are—body, mind, and spirit. The Word painted healing as wholeness: sometimes it comes instantly, other times it unfolds through a journey of surrender, quiet trust, and walking close to Him day by day.  I shared my COVID testimony. My  symptoms didn’t vanish overnight, yet God was doing a deeper work—rebuilding his spirit, strengthening my faith, and reshaping my identity from the inside out. In Scripture, Jesus so often forgave sins before He healed bodies, and He bound up broken hearts before He restored strength to weary limbs. The message to my own heart was unmistakable: run after the Healer Himself, let go of bitterness, accept His forgiveness, and trust His perfect timing.  We lifted our eyes beyond the present and fixed them on the promise of eternity—where pain, sickness, and sorrow will never touch us again. And in that moment, whatever our need—whether for a body that aches, a mind in turmoil, a fractured relationship, or a wounded spirit—we were drawn to the altar, invited to lay it down. Why carry what Jesus has already purchased with His blood? The Healer is here.

GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.

Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

This Is Not the End of Your Story

“He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” — Psalm 62:6

Sometimes life knocks the breath out of you. A marriage falls apart. A child walks away. A diagnosis shakes your world. And in those moments, it’s easy to believe the story is over. The enemy whispers that there’s nothing left worth fighting for, and your own heart wonders if God has quietly walked away. But Sunday reminded us—God is not finished. What you see as a dead end, God sees as a construction site for something new. His refuge isn’t just about hiding you from harm—it’s about holding you steady while He rebuilds you from the ground up.

David understood this when he wrote Psalm 62. He had been betrayed, hunted, and falsely accused, but he declared that God alone was his Rock, his salvation, and his defense. The ground beneath him may have shaken, but his faith in God’s unchanging character would not be moved. That same God is with you now. He is your stability when your emotions swing wildly. He is your shelter when words wound deeper than swords. He is your deliverance when you feel trapped by the weight of your own mistakes.

Don’t measure God’s plan by what’s broken—measure it by His power to restore. He doesn’t just tape the pieces back together; He makes them new. No matter how far things have fallen apart, He still has the final word. This is not your ending—it’s your becoming. Let the Rock of your salvation steady you for what’s next.

The enemy is a master at making your “chapter” feel like your “conclusion.” Elijah thought his ministry was over when he hid under the juniper tree (1 Kings 19), but God wasn’t done—He still had prophets to anoint and kings to confront. Joseph’s dreams seemed buried in a prison cell (Genesis 39–41), yet God was setting the stage for him to save a nation. Even the disciples thought the story ended at the cross—until the stone rolled away.

In every case, the trial wasn’t the ending; it was the turning point. And the same is true for you. The tears you’ve cried are watering the ground where new life will grow. The prayers you’ve prayed are building an altar where you will one day give thanks. The pain you feel is not proof of God’s absence—it’s proof that you are still in the middle of the story.

When you anchor your hope in Christ, the wind can blow and the waves can crash, but you won’t be moved from your place in His plan. Your circumstances may shift, but your foundation is unshakable. And one day, you will look back on this season and realize it was the place where God showed you His power in a way you’d never have seen otherwise.

Prayer:  Father, I’ve believed the lie that it’s over. I’ve let fear write my headlines and pain dictate my decisions. But today, I choose to believe You are still writing my story. Be my rock. Be my defense. Be the voice that says, “This is just the beginning.” Lift my eyes from what’s been lost and fix them on what You’re building. I trust You to rebuild what’s been broken, and I surrender every shattered piece into Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Challenge:  Write down one area in your life that feels too broken to redeem. Then read Psalm 62:6 out loud over it—and speak it again tomorrow… and the next day… until faith rises. As you do, thank God—not just for what He’s going to restore, but for the fact that He’s holding you steady until the restoration comes.

FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Ann Stanley – Surgery Soon

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shellnutts

Angela Bryan’s Sister

Debbie Foskey – Home

Jessica Headrick – Pray As She Recovers From Surgery

Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda  

Linda Mays – Rehab – Going Home Friday   

Sheila Simmons

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

Jason Parker  

John McClain’s Mother

John Parillo

June Cronan’s Sister

June Davis

Kailey Bateman

Kathryn Raines

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

Mrs. Franklin 

Nora Allison

Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA

Sadie Almand 

Scott Lanier 

Scotty Nix

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shellnutts

Steve Michaels

Tom Witcher