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

SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY

God has been faithful behind you, He is fighting for you today, and He is already ahead of you in every battle. That’s why worship isn’t optional—it’s the only response that makes sense. In 2 Chronicles 20, God placed the worshipers in front because praise shifts the atmosphere before it ever shifts the outcome. Thanksgiving isn’t politeness; it’s warfare. It pulls Heaven into places where human strength can’t reach. This week, you’re not simply going to a holiday—you are being sent as a carrier of God’s presence. Some rooms will hold tension, old memories, or quiet hurt. But gratitude breaks what stress builds. A thankful heart can shift the room the moment you walk in. Thanksgiving does its greatest work in imperfect places—whispered when emotions rise, breathed when conversations tighten, spoken in faith while healing is still unfolding. That’s when you become a thanksgiver… an atmosphere shifter. You’re not entering as a fixer, but as a vessel of God’s peace. Bless someone. Pray quietly. Let worship steady the atmosphere. These are seeds God will water long after the day is over. Anyone can attend a holiday. God is raising worship warriors who change rooms simply by being in them.

You carry peace.
You carry gratitude.
You carry the atmosphere of Heaven.

Where others bring stress—you bring Jesus.
And wherever a thanksgiver stands, the battle begins to turn.

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

Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

Carrying Heaven to the Table —

“Let your light so shine before men…” — Matthew 5:16

Family tables can be emotional battlegrounds—old patterns, unspoken hurts, or complicated dynamics can make simple gatherings feel overwhelming. But God does not call you to merely attend the table; He calls you to carry Heaven into it. You are not walking in as a fixer but as a light-bearer—a carrier of the peace, presence, and gentleness of Jesus.

You don’t have to repair every relationship or settle every old dispute. Your calling is simpler and stronger: show up filled with God’s peace. Speak blessings. Refuse negativity. Listen with tenderness. Pray silently when the atmosphere tightens. Light does its best work in dark corners, and peace works its greatest miracles in uncomfortable moments.

Light Carries What Words Cannot

Sometimes the greatest healing you bring into a family gathering is not what you say—but who you are. People may not remember your exact words, but they will remember the peace you carried. Your calm becomes a shelter. Your kindness becomes a soft landing. Your gentle spirit becomes a quiet invitation to breathe again. When Jesus said, “Let your light so shine,” He wasn’t commanding you to perform—He was calling you to simply be what He has placed within you. Your presence is ministry.

God Uses Ordinary Moments to Break Extraordinary Cycles

A smile where bitterness used to sit… A soft answer where harshness once lived…A prayer whispered under your breath…A blessing spoken over someone who expected criticism…

These small, Spirit-led acts begin to break generational patterns. You may not see visible change immediately, but you are sowing something holy into soil that has been hardened for years. Heaven often enters homes quietly—through one person who decides to carry peace instead of pressure.

Peace Is Your Supernatural Assignment

Anyone can match the room’s energy; a child of God is called to lift it. Peace doesn’t mean pretending everything is perfect—it means bringing Jesus into what isn’t. Your assignment is not to win arguments, prove points, or revisit old wounds. Your assignment is to carry the presence of Christ like a healing fragrance into every conversation, every silence, every moment. When the light of Christ is in you, darkness has no choice but to retreat.

Before walking into any family setting this week, pray: “Lord, help me carry Your light to this table.”

Prayer: Father, let Your peace rest upon me as I step into moments that may feel heavy or complicated. Help me reflect Your love, Your grace, and Your patience. Make me a vessel of Heaven in my home. Let my presence lift what is low, soften what is tense, and illuminate what feels dark. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Challenge: Bless one person at your table today—either with encouragement, a gentle prayer, or a simple word that speaks life.

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

George Alexander’s Family

Gloria Young

Jake Jenkins

Lousie Jackson – Richard’s sister – Open Heart Surgery

Richard Blount – Home and doing well

Jean Partee’s Sister

Deon Lotter

Doris Loyd

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’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda 

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 Shellnutts

Steve Michaels

Tom Witcher