DECEMBER THEME — FROM CHRISTMAS TO CALVARY – The Story Love Wrote

SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY

God has been faithful behind us, is fighting for us today, and goes before us in every battle—and our only reasonable response is worship. In 2 Chronicles 20, God told Judah to put the worshipers in front because worship changes the atmosphere before it changes the battle. Thanksgiving is not politeness; it is a spiritual weapon that summons Heaven’s help. And this week, as many step into holiday tables filled with tension, old wounds, unspoken pain, or empty chairs, God is calling His people to do more than eat a meal—He is calling us to carry His presence into every room. When gratitude rises, heaviness breaks. When praise lifts, the enemy’s influence weakens. You may not fix every relationship in one day, but you can shift the atmosphere the moment you enter with a thankful heart. And even when nothing around you seems to change, something inside you will. Your obedience becomes the doorway through which God steps into the moment.

Thanksgiving becomes powerful when it is offered in imperfect places: whispered under your breath when conversations turn sour, prayed quietly when attitudes flare, spoken in faith even before reconciliation or healing comes. You become a THANKSGIVER—an atmosphere shifter—when you thank God before you see the answer and praise Him in the middle of the tension. This week, you don’t walk in as a problem-solver but as a presence-carrier. Pray together, speak blessings, play worship softly, share what God has done, and plant seeds Heaven will water long after the meal is over. Anyone can attend a holiday, but God is raising up worship warriors who shift rooms with praise. You carry peace, gratitude, and the atmosphere of Heaven—because where others bring stress, you bring the presence of Jesus. This is how Heaven enters an ordinary house—and how God begins victories long before they are visible. Where a thanksgiver stands, the battle begins to turn.

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Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

Atmosphere Shifters Begin With Praise

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” — Psalm 34:1

Every atmosphere you enter responds to the spirit you carry. You can walk into a room and feel tension before a word is spoken. You can sense heaviness even when everyone is smiling. Homes carry memories. Rooms carry residue. Conversations carry spiritual weight. But David gives us a secret: praise is how you shift the atmosphere before the atmosphere shifts you.

Praise is not based on emotions; it is rooted in truth. It is not a reaction to how life feels; it is a declaration of who God is. When praise becomes a lifestyle rather than a moment, you no longer walk into environments empty-handed—you carry Heaven’s climate with you. Your praise becomes a thermostat in places where others only read the temperature.

Praise doesn’t deny reality; it declares God’s authority over it. When you choose to bless the Lord at all times, you are announcing that no circumstance has permission to dictate your spirit. Praise breaks heaviness, quiets fear, and interrupts the internal narratives that the enemy uses to agitate, frustrate, or discourage you. The moment you praise, your focus shifts from the problem to the Problem-Solver, from anxiety to assurance, from heaviness to hope.

Praise Repositions Your Heart

Your heart can be pulled in a hundred directions—worry, exhaustion, irritation, memories, disappointments. But praise centers your heart on truth. You cannot complain and praise at the same time. You cannot magnify God and magnify your frustration simultaneously. Praise pushes your emotions out of the driver’s seat and allows the Holy Spirit to take His rightful place, governing your inner life with peace.

Praise Disarms Spiritual Warfare

The enemy operates in low atmospheres—fear, criticism, resentment, agitation. But he loses traction in environments of praise. Praise is not just devotional; it is dominion. It is a weapon that breaks demonic fog and confusion. Praise invites God to rise in your spirit, and when God arises, “let his enemies be scattered.” (Psalm 68:1). You shift the atmosphere because the One who lives inside you steps into the moment with authority.

Praise Invites God Into Every Moment

Praise pulls the presence of God into the ordinary. When you whisper, “Lord, You are good,” something holy fills the room. When you thank Him under your breath, the spiritual atmosphere lifts. When you exalt Him in weakness, His strength flows. Praise makes regular moments sacred and familiar rooms peaceful. Your home, your car, your workplace—even a tense conversation—can become holy ground when you choose praise.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were thrown into a prison cell unjustly. The atmosphere couldn’t have been darker—cold stone, bleeding backs, locked chains, and midnight. But they understood something powerful: you don’t wait for the atmosphere to shift before you praise; praise shifts the atmosphere. They prayed and sang praises unto God, and God shook the whole prison. Chains broke. Doors opened. Hearts were changed. Their praise

Maybe you’ve walked into conversations where tension met you at the door. Perhaps you’ve entered your home after a long day and felt the emotional debris lingering in the air. Mae and I have stood at our doorway many evenings whispering a simple prayer—not because life was bad, but because we wanted God’s peace to rule our home: “Lord, fill this house with Your presence.” And without fail, praise lifted the weight every time. Your home changes when your heart changes. Your atmosphere changes when your spirit yields to God.

Before you walk into any environment today—your home, a workplace, a meeting, or a difficult conversation—pause for 5 seconds and whisper a praise: “Lord, You are good. I welcome Your peace into this moment.” Say it until your heart aligns with it. Say it until the atmosphere responds.

Prayer: Lord, make me a carrier of Your presence. Let praise be my first response and my daily rhythm. Guard my heart from heaviness, frustration, and emotional reactions. Help me shift every atmosphere by lifting You higher. Let Your peace fill my words, Your joy fill my countenance, and Your Spirit fill every room I enter today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Challenge: Speak a short praise before every major conversation or transition today—when you wake up, when you enter a room, when you feel tension, and when you feel overwhelmed.
Watch how quickly the atmosphere shifts when your spirit leads the way.

MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Jake Jenkins

George Alexander’s Family

Richard Blount – Home and doing well

Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards

Gloria Young

Lousie Jackson – Richard’s sister – Open Heart Surgery

Myles Elliott

Debbie Foskey     

Brando Echarte

Betty Hammock

Cheryl Knight’s Brother

Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David

Jean Partee’s Sister

Kathryn Rains 

Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda

Deon Lotter

Doris Loyd

Mike Bryan

Mike Hollinhead

Nancy Brown

Amy Garner’s Dad

Annette Ford

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Angela Bryan’s Sister

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

Sheila Simmons  

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shellnutts

Steve Michaels

Tom Witcher