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

This Sunday is the day we celebrate that Christ came to be with us—not distant, not removed, but present in our broken world and in our everyday lives. As you prepare your heart, prayerfully consider inviting your family, neighbors, coworkers, and those you walk alongside all year long. This may be the greatest gift you ever give them—the opportunity to encounter Jesus. Please begin preparing now for a sacred and unforgettable Christmas Sunday at 10:30 AM. With no Sunday School that morning, we will come unrushed—allowing our spirits to breathe, our minds to quiet, and our hearts to make room for Him. Together, we will gather at the Lord’s Table, remembering with holy reverence that the Baby laid in a manger is the Lamb who bore our sin on the cross. Our choir will lift the name of Jesus in glorious Christmas worship, drawing our attention away from the noise of the season and back to the Savior who came near in grace and truth. This will be a morning of wonder—where Christ’s presence feels close enough to touch, where worship opens the door to peace, and where weary hearts find rest. Arrive a little early. Invite someone who needs hope. Step into the sanctuary with anticipation. Christmas Sunday is almost here, and we cannot wait to celebrate the majesty of our Savior with you.

SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY

The Cross in the Cradle reveals that Christmas and Calvary were never two chapters of the story, but one eternal design written before time began. The manger already carried the weight of redemption—the rough wood, the swaddling cloths, Mary’s trembling joy, Joseph’s quiet strength, and the shepherds’ awe all whispered of a Lamb born to be offered. Before Mary ever held Him in her arms, the Father held the cross in His heart, for Jesus came not to avoid suffering, but to enter it fully and heal it from the inside out. From Eden’s first promise to Abraham’s altar, from the blood on the doorposts at Passover to Isaiah’s suffering Servant, Scripture has always carried one steady refrain: The Lamb is coming… and He has come. Christmas was not sentimental—it was strategic. It was heaven’s declaration of war against sin, death, and darkness, and hell trembled because nothing could stop God’s redemptive plan. The same God who did not spare His Son the cradle or the cross will not spare His people the comfort, victory, and freedom those holy moments secured. The cradle teaches us that God steps into the low places, the hidden places, and the places we fear are beyond hope. We cannot gaze into the manger or hear Simeon’s prophecy without being summoned to respond. The Savior who entered a stable still steps into our battles today. The cradle says, Come. The cross says, Come. The Spirit says, Come. And at the altar, victory waits for every heart willing to come surrendered, trusting, hopeful, and ready to be changed forever.

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

Friends, would you help me pray about giving a gift that won’t be forgotten by February, but could strengthen a marriage for a lifetime? Even strong, healthy marriages grow best by choice—through intentional moments that renew tenderness, deepen communication, and keep Christ at the center. If the Lord brings a couple to your mind, consider sharing 31-Day Reset for Struggling Marriages by Pastor—a gift that doesn’t fade with the season, but helps guard and grow what God has built.

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Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart

Choose One Act of Hidden Obedience

Matthew 6:4, “That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”

Bethlehem teaches us that God often does His greatest work quietly. The night Jesus was born, there were no headlines, no royal announcements, no public applause—yet heaven knew the weight of what was happening. God chose a stable, a manger, and a moment most of the world would miss to introduce salvation. In the same way, our walk with Christ is not primarily shaped by what is seen, but by what is surrendered in secret. Hidden obedience is where faith is refined, motives are purified, and strength is quietly formed.

God Moves Powerfully in Hidden Places
Bethlehem reminds us that God does not reserve His greatest works for the spotlight. The Savior of the world arrived quietly, unnoticed by kings and crowds, wrapped in humility rather than recognition. Heaven chose a stable, not a stage. In the same way, God often does His deepest work in us when no one else is watching. Hidden obedience trains our hearts to seek God’s approval above human applause and aligns us with the quiet faithfulness of Christ.

Hidden Obedience Purifies the Motives of the Heart
When obedience is unseen, it strips away pride and self-promotion. There is no recognition to chase, no credit to collect—only surrender. A prayer whispered, a gift given without a name, a harsh word withheld, or an offense forgiven in silence mirrors the heart of Jesus, who served faithfully long before the world ever noticed Him. These unseen acts become sacred offerings that shape our character more than any public display.

Heaven Responds to What Earth Overlooks
What is overlooked on earth is never overlooked in heaven. God sees the quiet faithfulness, the unseen sacrifice, and the secret surrender. Hidden obedience invites divine strength because it teaches us to trust God with outcomes instead of controlling them ourselves. Just as Bethlehem’s hidden night changed the world, your quiet obedience can carry eternal weight far beyond what you can see.

The world may never notice your quiet acts of obedience, but heaven never misses a single one. What feels small and unseen to you may be shaping eternity in ways you cannot yet see. Bethlehem reminds us that faithfulness in hidden places carries eternal weight. As you choose obedience without recognition, you align your heart with the humility of Christ Himself. Serve faithfully, love quietly, forgive freely, and trust that the God who sees in secret will sustain you with His strength and reward you in His perfect time.

Prayer: Father, You chose humility and hiddenness when You sent Your Son. Teach me to obey You without needing recognition. Let my service be shaped by love, not applause. Strengthen my heart to serve faithfully, even when no one sees. I offer You my obedience as worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Challenge: Today, choose one act of obedience that only God will see—a prayer whispered for someone, a quiet gift, a forgiven offense, or a gentle word withheld. As you do, let your heart say:
“Father, because You sent Your Son in secret, I will serve You in secret.”

Hidden obedience invites heavenly strength—and lasting reward.

TUESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Tammy Parker

Betty Hammock

Brando Echarte

Cheryl Knight’s Brother

Debbie Foskey 

Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David

Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards

Gloria Young

Jake Jenkins

June Cronan

Louise Jackson – Richard’s Sister – Home

Jean Partee’s Sister

Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda

Deon Lotter

Doris Loyd

Nancy Brown

Amy Garner’s Dad

Annette Ford

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Angela Bryan’s Sisters

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

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Steve Michaels

Tom Witcher