JULY THEME – “Seeing Ebenezer- “Hitherto Hath The Lord Helped Us” From God’s Perspective”

Join us in prayer and celebration as Belmont Baptist Church begins our Year of Jubilee, marking fifty years of God’s amazing faithfulness and looking forward with grateful hearts to all He has yet to do.

BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART

CHRIST IS MY PEACE

John 14:27 — “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

As we continue discovering the immeasurable riches we possess in Christ, we find that He is not only our Treasure, our Glory, our Life, and our Enough—He is also our Peace. The world spends billions of dollars searching for peace through security, comfort, success, possessions, entertainment, or escape, yet hearts remain restless because lasting peace can never be manufactured by favorable circumstances. Jesus offers something infinitely greater. He gives us His own peace—a peace that remains steady when life is anything but steady. Storms still come, disappointments still hurt, and questions still linger, but the soul that is anchored in Christ remains unshaken because its peace rests in a Person rather than in circumstances. The greatest miracle is often not that Jesus calms the storm around us, but that He calms the storm within us.

Christ Gives What the World Can Never Produce

Jesus deliberately distinguished His peace from every substitute the world offers when He said, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth.” The world’s peace is always conditional. It depends upon healthy bodies, stable finances, harmonious relationships, favorable circumstances, and predictable tomorrows. When those things disappear, worldly peace disappears with them. Christ’s peace is altogether different because it flows from His unchanging presence. Since He never changes, neither does the peace He provides. The mature believer eventually discovers that peace is not found by controlling life but by surrendering life to the One who controls all things. The closer we walk with Christ, the quieter our fears become because His voice begins to speak louder than our circumstances.

Christ Rules Above Every Storm

The storms of life are not evidence that Christ has abandoned us; often they become the very stage upon which He reveals His greatness. When the disciples panicked on the Sea of Galilee, the greatest problem was not the wind or the waves—it was that they temporarily forgot who was in the boat with them. We often exhaust ourselves trying to calm every storm around us while Jesus simply invites us to fix our eyes upon Him. The same voice that spoke the universe into existence still whispers, “Peace, be still.” Sometimes He speaks those words to the raging winds, but many times He speaks them to the anxious heart of His child. Nothing enters the life of a believer without first passing through the loving hands of a sovereign Father. If Christ rules heaven and earth, He certainly rules every detail of your tomorrow. Because He reigns, you can rest.

Christ’s Peace Becomes Our Testimony

One of the most powerful witnesses a Christian can offer is a peace that cannot be explained by human reasoning. The world understands happiness after success and confidence after victory, but it cannot understand a believer who remains peaceful while grieving, hopeful while suffering, content while waiting, and calm while surrounded by uncertainty. Such peace becomes a living sermon. It causes people to ask, “How can you remain so steady?” The answer is never our own strength, wisdom, or resilience. It is always Christ. His peace becomes visible evidence that He truly is alive and sufficient. Long after people forget our words, they often remember the quiet confidence with which we trusted Jesus during life’s darkest moments.

Imagine a young child peacefully sleeping in the back seat of a car while a violent thunderstorm rages outside. Rain pounds against the windshield, lightning flashes across the sky, and the roads become increasingly dangerous. Yet the child sleeps soundly—not because he understands the storm or has control over the situation, but because he completely trusts the one behind the steering wheel. That is the picture of the believer who has learned to rest in Christ. We do not know every turn the road will take, nor can we predict tomorrow’s weather, but we know the One who is guiding our lives. His hands never lose control, and His love never fails.

The greatest peace available to mankind is not the peace of quiet circumstances but the peace of Christ Himself. He is not merely the Giver of peace; He is our Peace. When fear arises, Christ is our peace. When the future seems uncertain, Christ is our peace. When sorrow overwhelms us, Christ is our peace. When the enemy whispers discouragement and despair, Christ remains our peace. The soul that treasures Christ eventually stops searching for peace everywhere else because it has discovered Peace Himself. The closer we draw to Jesus, the more our hearts learn to rest, not because life has become easier, but because Christ has become greater.

Warfare Prayer

Heavenly Father, today I declare by faith that Jesus Christ is my Peace. I renounce every spirit of fear, anxiety, worry, confusion, discouragement, and unrest that seeks to steal my confidence in You. I choose to believe that nothing can enter my life without passing through Your loving and sovereign hands. Quiet every storm within my heart and teach me to trust You when I cannot understand what You are doing. Let the peace of Christ guard my heart and mind, silence every anxious thought, and remind me that You are always in complete control. May my calm confidence become a testimony that points others to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. In His mighty name I pray, Amen.

Daily Challenge

Throughout today, every time anxiety, frustration, or fear begins to rise, stop immediately and quietly pray, “Lord Jesus, You are my peace.” Then surrender that burden to Him, meditate on John 14:27, and intentionally choose to rest in His presence rather than in your ability to control your circumstances.

FRIDAY’S PRAYER NEEDS

David Burnette – Home – Tests

Joanie and Jeannie in the passing of their Mother, Mrs. Franklin

Pastor Curtis Barbery – My Pastor I Served Under For 7 Years In Hospice Care                                    

Mary Williams – Rehab for Broken Hip