About Mount Hope Church

We Are Family. Mount Hope Church is a community of people who love God and others—and that includes YOU! As a church family, it’s exciting to grow alongside others of all ages and backgrounds, coming together to experience the hope that is found only in Jesus. It is our desire that as you encounter God’s love and amazing grace at Mount Hope Church, you will truly feel a part of the family as we say, “Welcome Home!”

Close Fellowship With God

January 3 – Bible reading for today from the One Year Bible:

When God created human beings, he made them to be like himself. Genesis 5:1

This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Genesis 6:9

I love those words: “close fellowship!” That’s how God describes the potential of your relationship with Him. As we enter into a new year, why not determine you are going after the experience of God’s best—close fellowship?

A few years ago Renee and I were at a restaurant and I was blown away with how big the menu was… it was huge! It was like reading a novel, but inside that menu was everything that was available to me. I want to encourage you that close fellowship with God is on the menu for you. Enoch walked in close fellowship with God. Noah walked in close fellowship with God, and you can, too!

When you walk in close fellowship with God, you get the inside scoop on what He is up to. Before something bursts on the scene, God tells you about it. God told Noah about His plans to judge the earth and rescue mankind and invited him to be in the middle of what He was doing. When you walk in close fellowship with God, you catch His heart. Today in our Bible reading, we see Jesus walking in close fellowship with the Father when He heard Him say:

“This is my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy!” Matthew 3:17

When you walk close to God, you are able to hear His heart for you, His thoughts about you, His plans for you – and that, my friend, is life-changing! I pray that one of the results of this season of prayer and fasting will be that you begin to walk in close fellowship with God – a closer, more intimate relationship with the One True Living God!

Happy Fasting,

Pastor Kevin

Sin: It Wants to Have You

January 2 – Bible reading for today from the One Year Bible:

Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master. Genesis 4:7

These are the first recorded words that God had to say about sin and its ugly nature. Sin is a control freak. Sin is always eager to control you – your thoughts, words, actions, and ultimately, your destiny. Your response to sin is never supposed to be passive. God said to subdue sin; instead of letting it become your master, you must become its master!

The question is how in the world do you pull that off? Is there a sin in your life that you want to be free from? That’s where Jesus steps into the picture! Just a few days ago we celebrated Christmas – the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Do you remember why Jesus came as a little baby? Why He stepped out of Heaven to move into your neighborhood? The angel Gabriel declared to Joseph these words:

“And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Here’s the Good Part

Jesus came to save you from your sins! And here’s the thing about sin… everybody has the sin problem. Everybody is in need of a savior! While we were still sinners, unable to save ourselves from the sin that so eagerly wants to have us, Jesus stepped in and did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Bob Sorge in his book, Secrets of the Secret Place, said that the presence of God will be like radiation therapy that kills the sin cancer on the inside of us! The effect of radiation from the sun is not felt at first; you don’t notice until later that you have a sunburn. So the presence of God has a powerful effect on sin in your life! As you spend time with Jesus during this season of prayer and fasting, I want to encourage you that every time you meet with Jesus, He’s working in you. The Holy Spirit is transforming you more and more into His image and likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). He’s doing something on the inside of you that you could not do for yourself!

Love you and happy fasting,

Pastor Kevin

There’s Power in His Voice

January 1 – Bible reading for today from the One Year Bible:

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3

In the beginning of the Bible you read these words over and over again: “Then God said.” There is such power in God’s voice that when He speaks, things happen! Something is created, something shifts, and there is activity where there was inactivity. I want to encourage you at the beginning of the year—God is still speaking! There is power in His voice. Have you heard from the Lord lately? Has He spoken a word to your heart? What promise has He spoken to you? You can be sure that when He speaks… things will happen!

Probably one of the most important words in the Bible is “listen.” Oh, that we would determine to listen more to the Lord this year. I want to live out this year in such a way that I’m “ever listening” for His voice. At the birth of Jesus that we read about today in Matthew, we see Joseph listening to the angel and then obeying. What’s your secret to thrive in 2017? Here it is: Listen and Obey!

There are some things that God wants to speak to you about this year—over your life, your family, and your future. There are some action steps He has for you to take. The secret to your abundance this year will not be found in your overwork but in your overflow. It’s the overflow of your relationship with Jesus. It’s hearing His voice and then acting on it!

I pray for you, my friend, that during the next 21 days of fasting and prayer you will become increasingly sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. 2017 is your year to stress less and listen more! It’s your listening and the obedience that follows that will bring about extraordinary fruitfulness—as you will see!

Have a GREAT day!
Pastor Kevin

 

Check out these resources so you can experience the physical and spiritual benefits that fasting has to offer:

  • The Miracle Results of Fasting Class: Tuesdays, January 3 & 10 at Gilead Healing Center, 7:00-8:30pm. Discover different types of fasts that can transform your life and relationship with God to the next level.
  • Nutritional Cleanse and Detox packages are available at Gilead Healing Center. Call (517) 319-5818 for more information about how you can jump start your health in 2017!

Gold, Frankincense, and Me

By Pastor Chilly Chilton

In the story of Christmas, we discover a group of men that many refer to simply as “The Wise Men.” Churches for centuries have recognized their visit to see the Christ child and have even set aside a day to remember their pilgrimage. On January 6th, what is known as Epiphany, Theophany, or even Three Kings Day, is celebrated throughout the world.

Have you ever asked: What made these guys so wise? Who were these ‘wise guys’? Magi? Three Kings?

They were astronomers, scientists, philosophers, wise and learned people from the East. These ‘wise guys’ were seekers of understanding and respecters of mystery. They were ancients looking for understanding in a vast and unknown universe, who noticed a change in the night sky—a star they could not explain—and so followed where it led.

The wise men were people like us—inquisitive individuals, intrigued by new opportunities to learn, eager to experience new things. Yes, people on a journey, a mission, an expedition. Seeking understanding, valuing the very best in science and technology, but wanting to be connected to that which lies beyond what we can explain in human terms, that which transcends our limits.

They weren’t “Christians” since that term would not be used for a century or two. Yet, when they arrived at the place where Jesus was, they seemed to know what worship was. “They came to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their gifts and gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Anyone who truly encounters Christ walks differently.

Ahh, yes, true worship! These men, without training, protocol, or religious demands, enter the house of the Christ child offering their very best (with treasured gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh) and the best of themselves. What was in their hands was valuable but wasn’t enough to lie at the feet of a King. So, without hesitation they bent their knees and buried their faces in the floor becoming prostrate before the King of Kings. They gave ALL of themselves… EVERYTHING.

Wisdom.

Then, without being prompted or asked, they sealed their commitment by getting involved. Yes, at the risk of losing their own lives, they revealed the plot of Herod, warning Mary and Joseph to seek refuge, thus saving the child. It’s never enough to simply recognize who He is—we must get caught up in what He is doing—joining the mission at all costs.

Matthew tells us that as they left, they returned home by another route. They didn’t walk the same way that they did before meeting Jesus. There’s a lesson here, too, I believe. Anyone who truly encounters Christ walks differently. There’s purpose in the pace, destiny in the direction, and joy in the journey.

Each Christmas season I see signs and cards that read: “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” Are you seeking Him? Or, perhaps the better question is… ARE YOU WISE?

…giving everything I have and everything I am,

Chilly

 

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

By Pastor Kevin

A while ago, Renee and I were in Florida watching the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. At that moment, a thought filled my heart: There is another world, another realm, under that water. I’ve experienced it enough to know there are sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, a variety of fish life—from large to small, safe to dangerous, beautiful to scary. We began to talk about another world, another realm—a realm of the supernatural that is around us, just waiting to be tapped into and experienced!

Some have seen enough to know the supernatural realm is there, but like the depths of the sea they never go in deep enough to discover and enjoy it. Others even deny that the supernatural realm is for us. And the power of the Holy Spirit was for “them,” a different time, but it’s not for us today.

I have good news for you today—the supernatural realm of the Kingdom is for you! The Spirit-filled life is for you! It is critical in these last days that we, as the Body of Christ, are walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Time is short. There will be a final outpouring of God’s Spirit—an outpouring of power. We will need to gather a massive harvest of souls into the Kingdom.

It’s not our “programs” that will transform people’s lives, transform this city and nation… it’s a PERSON! It’s going to be an encounter with the Living God, the God that still heals the sick, that still speaks to His people, and still does miracles.

Join me on a journey as we study God’s Word and find out what He has to say about the Spirit-Filled Life!

Wisdom

Knowing What To Do

We are all called to “get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:5), but the gift of wisdom is when the Holy Spirit gives His people insight to the best choice from God’s perspective. When given multiple options, routes, or choices, wisdom reveals the best decision and application. Joseph displayed the gift of wisdom with how to manage the drought and famine coming to Egypt (Genesis 41).

Knowledge

Knowing Things Supernaturally

God knows about everything. Any time we receive a word from the Holy Spirit that we couldn’t have known on our own, that’s the gift of knowledge. It may be supernaturally knowing someone’s name, family situation, or healing need. Both Paul and Ananias displayed this gift in Acts 9.

Faith

Bold Faith in Action

Each individual has been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3), but there are moments when the Holy Spirit will give an extra surge of faith and confidence in God’s power, presence, and promises. In Matthew 14, Peter displayed this gift when he walked on water.

Healing

Wholeness to the Body

Jesus walked in the gifts of healing on numerous accounts, and invites His disciples to “heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse the lepers” in Matthew 10:8. Peter and John display this gift to the crippled man at the gate Beautiful, and Paul operated in the gifts of healing so much that even his handkerchiefs would heal those who touched them.

Miracles

Heaven on Earth

Dr. David Yonggi Cho defined the gift of miracles as “a remarkable or surprising event that happens by the direct intervention of God, not following the general known laws of nature.” This can manifest in many ways; a floating axe head (2 Kings 6), multiplication of food (1 Kings 17, Matthew 14), parting waters (2 Kings 2, Exodus 14), and walking on water (Matthew 14).

Prophecy

Saying What God Says

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:1 to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. Prophecy is hearing what God says or seeing what God sees and then declaring it for the instruction, edification, and benefit of others. Jesus Christ prophesied His own death and resurrection years before it happened in John 2. Agabus also prophesied to the Apostle Paul that in the future he would be arrested and bound in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-12), but it was for the purpose of preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem and in Rome (Acts 23:11).

Discernment

Knowing the Spirit

Both angels and demons work in supernatural ways, and the gift of discernment sheds light on the motive and spirit someone may be operating from. This isn’t discernment of people but of the spirit behind the person. Jesus showed this when He rebuked Peter (Matthew 16), and Paul showed this when he cast out a spirit from the woman with the spirit of divination (Acts 16).

Tongues

Heaven’s Language

This gift enables the Holy Spirit to speak on your behalf (Romans 8) and for the spiritual edification of oneself (1 Corinthians 14). Paul writes, “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.” This gift is great for when you want to pray but are unsure of what to pray. Many call it the “prayer language.”

Interpretation

Decoding Heaven’s Languages

Interpretation of tongues goes hand in hand with the public gift of tongues. This is when the Holy Spirit opens your ears to interpret what someone says when they are praying in tongues. Since the gift of tongues is directed toward God and not man (Romans 14:2), the interpretation is in the same nature and is exalting and praising God (Acts 2:11; 1 Corinthians 14:16).

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