September Theme – The Mind of Christ: Breaking Free From Earthly Thinking to Embrace Christ’s Mind
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
The greatest fight you will ever face is not against people, weapons, or outward enemies—it is against the thoughts that fill your own mind. Painful memories, past rejections, and repeated failures try to shape the way you think, and if those thoughts are not challenged, they harden into chains that hold you captive. The enemy fuels this by planting lies: “You’ll never change. You’ll never be loved. You’ll never be enough.” When those lies take root, they grow into fear, shame, bitterness, and despair. The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). In other words, what rules your mind will eventually rule your life.
But God never leaves us trapped. He sees every hidden thought (Psalm 139:2), and He provides truth strong enough to tear down the enemy’s deception. That’s why Scripture commands us to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). The path to victory is not sheer determination—it is surrendering our thoughts to Jesus and allowing His Spirit to renew our minds. Putting on the mind of Christ is not just positive thinking—it is a holy exchange. Just as He took our sin and gave us His righteousness, He takes our toxic thought patterns and fills us with His wisdom, humility, purity, and peace. With the mind of Christ, fear loses its grip, confusion loses its voice, and despair loses its power to define our future.
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Potential in the Pit
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” — Genesis 50:20
Joseph was betrayed, stripped of his coat, and thrown into a pit by his own brothers. By every human measure, his dreams were over before they began. Yet he refused to let bitterness or despair define him. Instead, he chose to anchor his mind in the promises God had spoken over his life. The pit was not his end—it was the proving ground of his faith.
The Pit Is a Place of Testing
The pit is a place where every excuse rises up. Joseph could have said, “My brothers ruined my future,” or “God must have forgotten me.” But instead of letting his circumstances dictate his faith, he chose to trust the God who never abandons His children. Our pits may come in the form of betrayal, disappointment, or rejection, but they are never outside of God’s sovereign hand. The pit becomes a refining fire, exposing whether our faith is dependent on our comfort or truly rooted in God’s character.
The Pit Is a Place of Preparation
What looks like a dead end is often God’s training ground for destiny. Joseph’s pit was not wasted time—it was preparation for the palace. In that dark place, God stripped away pride and built unshakable trust. The pit is where we learn to lean not on human approval but on God’s promises. What the enemy intends for evil becomes the soil where God plants the seeds of your future testimony. The pit isn’t punishment—it’s preparation for a higher calling.
The Pit Is Not Permanent
Joseph could not see the throne from the pit, but God already had the throne in mind. Our perspective in the pit is always limited, but God’s view spans eternity. What feels final to us is only a chapter in God’s larger story of redemption. When you cannot trace His hand, you must trust His heart. One day, like Joseph, you will look back and declare, “God meant it for good.” Until then, hold on in faith, for the pit is never your permanent address—it is a passageway to purpose.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, When life presses me down and I feel trapped in the pit, remind me that You are still working for my good. Help me to fix my eyes on Your promises rather than my pain. Like Joseph, give me faith that endures betrayal, rejection, and loneliness. Strip away my pride, shape my character, and prepare me for the future You have designed. Teach me to believe that no season is wasted and that even in the darkest moments, You are writing a story of redemption. I declare today that this pit will not be my end—You are faithful, and You still have a plan. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Challenge: Write down one area of your life where you feel “in the pit.” Beneath it, write the words: “This is not my end—God still has a plan.” Each time fear or despair rises today, go back to that declaration and speak it aloud. If possible, share it with a trusted friend or spouse who can pray over it with you.
MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Stewart Black
Annette Ford
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Ann Stanley
Carol Lawhead – Park Place Rehab in Monroe
Danny Jarrard – Knee Surgery Soon
Darlene Wiggins
Debbie Foskey
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
James Parker
Jason Parker
Jessica Headrick
John McClain’s Mother
John Parillo
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kathryn Raines
Kim McClain’s Mother
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda
Lee Cronan
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Mays
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
Sadie Almand
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Sheila Simmons
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shellnutts
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher