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
Peace Beyond Understanding
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7
There was a time when my mind never rested. I replayed conversations, imagined worst-case scenarios, and carried fears about tomorrow before today was even finished. Anxiety was like a thief, robbing me of sleep and joy. But something shifted when I realized that prayer is not just asking God for things—it’s handing Him my worries. Victory began when I prayed instead of panicked.
When I truly surrendered every anxious thought to the Lord, His peace became like a fortress around my heart. It was not that the problems disappeared—the bills still came, the trials still pressed, the future was still uncertain. But God’s peace stood at the door of my mind like a guard, refusing entry to worry and fear. Whenever anxiety knocked, peace answered back: “Not today—this heart belongs to Christ.”
Now I’ve learned that peace isn’t tied to the absence of storms but to the presence of Jesus in the storm. The miracle is not that life gets easier but that my heart remains steady when everything around me shakes. His peace is like a deep river, calm and constant, even when surface waters rage. This is the victory of the believer: circumstances no longer dictate the state of my soul—Christ does.
Paul and Silas sang hymns while chained in a Philippian prison (Acts 16). Their peace wasn’t tied to their release—it was anchored in the presence of Jesus who never left their side.
Peace is like a thermostat, not a thermometer. A thermometer only reflects the heat of the room, but a thermostat sets the temperature. God’s peace doesn’t mirror the chaos around you—it sets the climate of your heart, keeping your mind steady no matter what storms swirl outside.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for guarding my heart and mind with Your peace. Teach me to pray instead of panic, to trust instead of fear, and to rest in Your presence no matter what comes. Amen.
Challenge: Every time stress rises today, pause and pray. Don’t end the prayer with worry—end it with thanksgiving. Speak these words: “Thank You, Lord, for Your peace that keeps me.”
THURSDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
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