Mount Hope Church, Author at Mount Hope Church

God’s Unlikely Servants

When I think of God’s servants, I think of great people like Moses, the disciples, pastors, and you! However, the Apostle Paul adds to the list of God’s servants, civil leaders. But Paul doesn’t stop at calling political, governmental leaders God’s servants. He also calls believers to honor them, pray for them, and submit to them (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Tim. 2:1-3). That all sounds good when you agree with them, but what about when you don’t? Do we get a pass on this when they aren’t the person we voted for? When their decisions make us uncomfortable?

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. –Romans 13:1-2, 4, 7

How do we respect and honor those who are in authority?

1) Submit to them. I imagine the first readers of Romans saying, “Wait? Submit to Roman authority? But they are ungodly. The emperor thinks he is a god and should be worshipped! Look what these leaders do; they are known for perversion, brutality, and murder!” Paul knew that submitting to Roman authority was not an easy ask and would go against everything a believer’s flesh wanted to do. Side note: Submitting doesn’t imply agreeing as much as obeying.

2) Pray for them (1 Tim. 2:1-2). The command is not to pray for those you agree with or the ones you think are godly leaders. I sometimes wonder what could happen if we would spend more time praying for our leaders instead of talking about them. More can be accomplished in minutes of prayer than years of criticizing. In a culture that is known for speaking out against our leaders, I find it very interesting that as evil as the Roman leaders were known for, Paul didn’t feel the need to point that out. It seems he was more interested in exposing them to the Kingdom than exposing their sins. The call from the Scriptures is clear: Pray for your leaders!

When is civil disobedience ok?

Is there a time when enough is enough, and we are forced to choose to obey God rather than obey man? Sure, of course, there is, when government leaders command what God forbids. When Peter and the apostles were ordered not to teach in the name of Jesus, Peter and the apostles said, “We must obey God rather than any human authority” (Acts 5:29). When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ordered to worship the statue of Nebuchadnezzar or be burned to death, they said, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). Then of course there was the time that the law of the land decreed that no one could pray to anyone except to King Darius. But Daniel did what he always did, and prayed to his God (Daniel 6:10).

While I believe that the gathering of believers is absolutely essential (Hebrews 10:25), the temporary restriction on gatherings, as a result of COVID-19, is just that – temporary. Let there be no doubt, there is a line that can be crossed which biblically requires a response of civil disobedience; that is not the moment we are in right now. We are in a temporary situation, not a permanent condition. I’m eager to resume meeting once again, and we are in the process of prayerfully and strategically planning our comeback. For right now, let me remind you that the Church of Jesus Christ has always been unstoppable. The cause of Christ is simply too great to stop. When the Church was not able to gather because of persecution, they did not take a vacation, they did not pause; instead they went out boldly proclaiming the gospel, leading people to Jesus, healing the sick, and the Church flourished (Acts 8). So instead of slowing down, let’s together ramp up our efforts to saturate this region with the hope we have in Christ. I’m believing God for another Great Awakening in America!

Prior to laying out the call to respect and honor governmental authority, Paul said, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:12, 21). May you rejoice in the hope you have in Jesus! May you have the grace to be patient in trouble. Let’s keep on praying, and let’s overcome evil not by lashing out, not by responding to evil with evil, but with goodness.

Kevin Berry

Season of Nesting

I have had a longing—not just a desire or whim—but an unusual longing to hold a baby over these last few weeks of quarantine. I love babies, sure, but this has been an out-of-the-ordinary and recurring thought.

No, I am not pregnant in the natural, but we are pregnant in the supernatural! This time has reminded me of “nesting.”

What does it mean when a woman is nesting?

This urge to clean and organize is known as nesting. Nesting during pregnancy is the overwhelming desire to get your home ready for your new baby. The nesting instinct is strongest in the later weeks coming upon delivery. It is a traditional tale that once nesting urges begin, labor is about to come on.

What stage of pregnancy do you start nesting?

Nesting usually kicks in at around week 28 of your pregnancy—when you are in the home stretch. This is known as the third trimester, and it’s when your body starts preparing for the arrival of your baby.

When I was pregnant, I was intentional about the preparations for baby’s arrival. There was great thought and prayer in the planning. What do babies need? How do we feed them, clothe them, love them? How is each one unique; would they have needs specific to them?

There is a stirring, a sense of excitement, as well as a sobering reality of the responsibility that would lie ahead—it’s both exhilarating and scary at the same time!

I believe the Lord is stirring hearts of His Church to use this time for nesting. One of the prophetic words for this year was to expect lots of spiritual babies. We need to plan for them! We are to be readying our hearts, homes, and our Church home to bring these new babies into the family. How are we going to feed them, clothe them, love them? What will their unique needs be, and how are we preparing to meet them?

I want to be ready to nurture these spiritual babies. If I am longing to hold them, how much more does the Father long for them to come home?! God, give all of us this nesting instinct… prepare us now to open our hearts and homes to Your children. As they are adopted into Your family, thank You for entrusting us with their care.

We are expecting!

Trust

By Pastor Kevin

Historically, trust has been a challenge for those who are called to follow God. It was difficult for the nation of Israel when they escaped slavery in Egypt and began the journey to follow God into a new land filled with promise. They believed God could lead them out of Egypt, but they struggled to trust Him for food. The psalmist writes, “They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God himself, saying, ‘God can’t give us food in the wilderness’” (Psalm 78:19).

The Israelites then reinforced their unbelief by saying, “Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he can’t give his people bread and meat” (Psalms 78:20). How can they think that way after all they saw God do?! It was all due to a trust issue. The psalmist concludes, “for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them” (Psalm 78:22).

Maybe you remember the crazy story about how years ago I went tandem sky diving (against my better judgment). What if after I got done sky diving from 10,000 feet, I was then invited to drive back to the airbase, and I responded, “No way! It’s not safe to get in the van!” You’d think I was a lunatic. If the sky diving instructor was capable of keeping me safe in the air, why wouldn’t I trust him to keep me safe on the ground? Likewise, it would be crazy to say, “Lord, I trust You with my eternal soul, but I don’t know if I can trust You with my stuff.”

Many times, our money problems have nothing to do with our financial situation, but everything to do with our heart condition. Determine in your heart that you will take God at His word in every area of your life and watch how the Lord’s blessing follows. Continue to trust Him with tithes and offerings. God is faithful. He has promised to take care of you as you put your trust in Him.

“This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One he has sent.” – Jesus Christ (John 6:29)

What is Tithing?

Tithing is bringing 10% of your income to the Lord through the local church. Tithing isn’t a payment, a way to make Jesus love us more, or because God needs the money—He owns everything. Tithing is an act of faith and showing our trust is in Him, our provider. The bible then teaches us when we’re faithful with the tithe, blessings are opened up over our lives.

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You Must Pass the Money Test

By Pastor Kevin

Tests are all around us. In school, we test in order to go to the next grade level. When we turn 16, we have to take a test to get a driver’s license. There are certain jobs that we can’t do without first passing a test. Did you know that our God is a God who gives tests?

There are many examples of God testing people in the area of their character in order to qualify them for great influence and wealth. For example, Joseph was promoted to governor of Egypt. However, his life was filled with challenges before he saw his promise come true. Psalm 105:19 says, “Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.”

God tested Abraham with Isaac. King Hezekiah was tested, the prophet Daniel was tested, Esther was tested, even Jesus Christ was tested in the wilderness after His baptism! God is a God who tests character to verify faithfulness. Then, after the test comes promotion, blessing, power, etc.

Did you know that sometimes the Lord gives us things, stuff, and a little money just to see what we will do with it? He is looking throughout the earth for hearts that are loyal towards Him—God is evaluating what we do with a little, so He can trust us with much!

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” -Jesus Christ (Luke 16:10-11)

The Lord is essentially saying, if we can’t be obedient and generous with a little money, then we’ve proven we can’t handle increase from Heaven.

If you’ve been tempted to say, “I will tithe when I have more money” or “I will be more generous once I get promoted,” the Lord challenges those thoughts. He reveals that giving is a matter of godly character and not a matter of having enough. It comes down to what you believe. Will you believe that God will honor His Word and bless your obedience? That is where the rubber meets the road and momentum is gained. God wants you to trust Him and have faith in Him as your supply. Money is the testing ground that He uses to teach you that He is more than sufficient to meet all your needs!

So today, determine in your heart that you will pass the money test! Trust God by tithing faithfully and managing money justly. Support missionaries when you have opportunity, and learn the joy of sharing generously with those around you.

View Part 4