Pastor Kevin’s Blog

Be encourage with biblical encouragement and inspiration from Pastor Kevin Berry. Receive leadership tips to succeed in your work or daily life, follow along with daily devotionals, and receive practical steps to walk out your Christian life.

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Prayers of Power

A few weeks ago, the Lord put a word in my heart that has everything to do with you! It was all about how your prayers are the link to somebody’s miracle! If you missed that message, please check it out at www.mounthopechurch.org/messages. 

“The greatest thing anyone can do for God and for man is to pray. It is not the only thing; but it is the chief thing.” — S.D. Gordon

Peter was set free from prison and an impending death because somebody prayed (Acts 12:5). At the sound of God’s people praying, an angel suddenly appeared, chains fell off his wrists, gates opened wide, and Peter was free!

God could have set Peter free by Himself, but He has chosen to work through His children to release miracles on the earth. What if those believers who committed to praying for Peter never made that choice? What if they were just too distracted or just too busy? I guess God would go looking elsewhere and find a group of people who would say “yes” to become the link to Peter’s miracle.  

We Can Pray!

We will not take the call to prayer seriously until our hearts begin to feel the prison and impending death sentence that people are facing right now. Sin and the effects of it are destroying people’s lives, locking them in prison, and throwing away the key. But we can pray! We can become the link to the miracle they desperately need and that the Lord deeply desires to bring their way. 

There is no way around this fact: The earth is in a state of war, a spiritual conflict in which we have a part to play! 

On the Sunday I shared this message, the church responded. It looked like 100% of the church said, “Yes, Pastor Kev, I will commit to praying and becoming the link to somebody’s miracle.” That’s amazing! THANK YOU! I know God is putting in people’s hearts to pray for certain people and specific places, until there is a breakthrough from Heaven. For every ditch you dig through prayer, God will fill it! 

I see spontaneous prayer groups popping up all over the community. Some will meet to strategically pray in the Prayer Center. Others will gather in homes, workplaces, and schools, all as the Lord orchestrates. We need to give Him our “YES.” 

So, what now?

If you feel called to gather with other Christians to pray, GO FOR IT! Please take a moment and fill out the form here. You may use the Prayer Center or decide to use the place you work or go to school. While I love the big prayer gatherings and see the day stadiums are filled for prayer and worship, I never have lost sight of the power of a few hungry hearts praying together! A few people committed to praying have always changed the face of the world. 

From my heart, thank you! I can’t wait to see what happens in our community and the nations because of your prayers!  

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

 


Guidelines for your personal prayer meetings

  • Open with a song or verse.
  • Share the target you want your prayers to hit.
  • Invite people to pray and get out of the way.
  • Individuals should pray no more than two times in a meeting so as not to dominate the group.
  • Keep your prayers biblical, not controversial. This is not the place to air your opinions.
  • Encourage the prayer team that you have hit the target! God has heard your prayers, so now we wait with expectation!
  • Close with prayer and song.

Can you See Hope For America?

“In God We Trust” are the words I have seen all over Washington, DC. I saw those words over the Supreme Court building. Everywhere I looked, I could see signs of faith in America’s history.

“A nation which does not know what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do.” – President Woodrow Wilson

  • America was never perfect. But what was America “yesterday?”
  • America was hungry for the Word of God. Bibles were printed for use in our public schools. The American Bible Society began with the signers of the Constitution; they wanted every American to have a Bible.
  • America had praying leaders. You can see prayers from our past presidents on statues throughout Washington, DC.
  • America had the ugliness of slavery, which led to the civil war. I remember looking over battlefields where so many lives were lost in that battle for freedom.
  • America was ripe for revival, and the same is true today!

I’m filled with hope for America!

I see an ever-increasing hunger for the Word of God and the Presence of God in America again! Across this nation, I hear a praying Church asking for another outpouring of the Holy Spirit over this land. I see Christians representing Jesus and the Kingdom well by caring for the poor, orphans, and widows. We are becoming famous for our love. I keep hearing about miracles at Mount Hope, and these testimonies are contagious, igniting faith and hope in others.

The undeniable division in America and the sin that is running rampant tell me that America is ripe for another Great Awakening! Can you see the hope of where America can be? Can you see the day that prayer meetings start to pop up around the country and God answers the prayers of His people? We will see entire cities and counties come into a life-giving relationship with Jesus. It’s time for another Jesus Revolution!

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

Choosing What Looms Over Your Life

I was talking to a dear friend and prayer partner on the phone recently. She told me that on a Sunday morning at Mount Hope Church, she remembers hearing a guest minister say, “Something big will loom over your life—your circumstances or the Word of God—and you get to decide.” It was so good, I wrote it down as she spoke. 

Something big will loom over your life—your circumstances or the Word of God—and you get to decide.  

What big thing are you allowing to loom over your life today? Is it the bigness of a situation you are currently facing? Or is it the bigness of the Word of God? 

You may have heard of the time that Jesus told His disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake. But the journey to the other side of the lake came with a fierce storm that had the disciples saying something like, “Jesus, Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” What happened? Looking at their circumstances—the giant waves and the boat filling with water—they forgot the words of Jesus: “We are going to the other side” (Mark 4:35-38). 

I encourage you to stay in your Bible! Don’t just read your Bible; let your Bible read you. Let the Word of God drive you to your knees in fervent prayer. May the Word of God lift you when you are down. May the Word of God that is active and alive carry you through to the other side. May the Word of God hover over your life today. Remember, one Word from God can change everything for you!

Here are a few of my favorite power Words that have spoken to my life deeply. 

  • Tell the godly that all will be well for them (Is. 3:10). 
  • I’m teaching you today—yes you—so that you will trust in the Lord (Prov. 22:19).
  • The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom (Is. 28:29).
  • The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives (Ps. 37:23). 
  • What do you mean, “If I can?” Jesus asked, “Anything is possible if a person believes” (Mark 9:23).
  • Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace (Phil. 4:6-7). 

I invite you to join me as we continue reading through the Bible in One Year, and let’s read, talk, and encounter the power of God’s Word together! 

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

What Do You Do When Tragedy Happens?

Dear Friend, 

We have experienced the horrible sting of evil in our community. It has been beyond heartbreaking to hear the stories, see the tears, and feel the pain in the hearts of so many. 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

May the Lord be close to every hurting heart. May the Lord be close to MSU. May the Lord be close to those in our surrounding communities. May the Lord be close to YOU! Know this my friend, as the Lord draws close to you, He does so with one purpose in mind: to save you! To rescue you, to deliver you from distress, to come to your aid. He comes to be present with you, to help you! 

When tragedy happens, if you are like me, you want to do something. But what can you do?

Pray.

God hears the cries of our hearts, and He is famous for responding! It’s time for daring prayers. When our prayers cease to be daring, when they become tamed down, they are lacking. Here are prayer times you can participate during the week; 6:00am, 12:00pm, and 6:00pm in the Prayer Center and the Wednesday Night Prayer Gathering at 7:00pm.

Go.

Go to hurting people. God is close to the broken-
hearted, so we should be too. Be present—love, listen, and hug somebody. Join the teams bringing food to MSU dorm rooms and be close to those God is close to. 

Thank God.

We must always give Him thanks, in the best of times and the worst of times. He is always worthy. Thanking God is a secret to experiencing His peace over your heart.

Love.

Love those nearest to you, check in on them. Even when you don’t know what to say, your presence speaks volumes.

Hope.

Mostly, point people to Jesus. He is our only hope. He is our healer. 

Your friend and Pastor, 

Kevin

My eyes are fixed on Jesus.

We are on the cusp of another great outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will result in a massive harvest such as the world has never seen. My eyes are fixed on Jesus and His soon return. But, as long as I’m still on this earth, I must be found busy about the Lord’s work. What is that? Part of the Lord’s work has always been caring for orphans, those who cannot defend themselves. This leads me to the current situations we face in America regarding abortion and the family.

Protect Life.

Major victory was won for all who support life as the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade sends the issue back to the states. It’s important that we understand what abortion is, what God’s Word has to say, and our response as representatives of God’s family on the earth.

Abortion is being described as women’s healthcare, a woman’s reproductive right. Recently, I was approached by a man with a clipboard who asked me, “Do you believe in a woman’s reproductive rights?” I know where he was going with the question, and of course I believe in a woman’s right to reproduce, but that is vastly different than a right to kill a child. What is abortion? Abortion is the willful decision to terminate a pregnancy that results in a dead baby. 

According to Alan Guttmacher Institute which is the research arm for Planned Parenthood, most abortions performed have nothing to do with a woman’s healthcare. Seventy-four percent of women said the child would interfere with their lives. Seventy-three percent said they could not afford a child. One percent were victims of incest or rape.

As a nation, we rejected the value of life, murdering 55-60 million babies in the pursuit of a more convenient life. 

For years, those in favor of abortion have denied that life begins at conception and have attempted to dehumanize the baby. However, both the Bible and science say just the opposite. Dr. Jerome Lejeune, Professor of Fundamental Genetics, who is not a Christian, writes: 

At two months of age, the human being is less than one thumb-length from head to rump. He would fit at ease in a nutshell, but everything is there, hands, feet, head, organs, brain. In the fourth week there is consciousness. All are in place. His heart has been beating for a month by the second month. His fingerprints can be detected, his heart is beating at 150 to 170 beats a minute. To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place, a new human being has come into being, is no longer a matter of opinion. 

The Bible tells us that God is the Creator of every human life. 

Adam slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and had Cain. She said, “I’ve gotten a man, with God’s help.” – Genesis 4:1 MSG

You formed me with your hands; you made me… You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. – Job 10:8, 11

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. – Psalm 139:15-16 

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. – Jeremiah 1:5 

This tells us that when a woman is pregnant, God is at work in her womb creating life! Inside that mama’s belly is not a mass, but a person created and known by God. 

What should Christians do?  

  1. Offer grace to those who have had an abortion. If you have had an abortion, you must know that God is gracious. He is quick to forgive sin and remove it from your life. There is no need for a person to walk around feeling shame for what they have done when Jesus took all our shame on the cross. His love is bigger than our sins. 
  2. Prayerfully determine how God wants you to be part of the solution. Ask the Lord if you should foster or adopt a child. Seek ways that you can be a mentor, a big brother or sister to children. Our responsibility is to stand with God in defense of those who can’t defend themselves. 
  3. Pray for a river of righteousness to fall on this land called America—specifically in Michigan. Pray for the 13,000 in the foster care system in Michigan right now, and the many more that will be coming.
  4. Partner with our ministry, LoveOne, and see how you can play a part. If every church in Michigan would provide just one family to take in a child, every child in the foster care system would have a loving and godly home. 

Protect Family.

Family as God designed it has been brutally attacked. But God’s purpose for the family has not changed. 

This September, we will start a new series on the family. We will look at the biblical roles of grandparents, fathers, mothers, and children, and discover the full potential of family as God designed it. This imperative study from the Word of God can unlock the full potential in every marriage; create healing for every wounded person; and equip every family to walk in a closer bond and love with each other. 

Would you like to have a full, rich, life-giving marriage? Would you like to know how to be the spiritual leader of your home? Would you like your children and grandchildren to walk in their full potential, walking intimately with God? Would you like to discover your God-given role in your family? Then this one you will want to be part of! Mark your calendars now. I know this series on family is close to the heart of God and is one of the main themes of the entire Bible! 

Listen to the First Word

There is a crazy moment in the Scriptures. A prophet is sent by God to give a message to Israel. The Lord commands the prophet, “You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came” (1 Kings 13:9). The man of God spoke the message. He refused to eat food when it was offered. He obeyed completely until an old prophet caught up to the man and gave him a second word. The old prophet said,

“Come home with me and eat some food.” “No, I cannot,” he replied. “I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place.” But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’” But the old man was lying to him. So, they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet’s home.

Then while they were sitting at the table, a command from the Lord came to the old prophet. He cried out to the man of God from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: You have defied the word of the Lord and have disobeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back to this place and ate and drank where he told you not to eat or drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors.” After the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the old prophet saddled his own donkey for him, and the man of God started off again. But as he was traveling along, a lion came out and killed him. His body lay there on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. – 1 Kings 13:15-24

Why would the old prophet lie? I don’t know. Here is what I do know: You must listen to the first word the Lord spoke to you. What has God spoken to you? What word of direction has God given you? I don’t care how impressive or compelling somebody seems to be to you; if their word contradicts the first word from the Lord, ignore them! There will always be a “second word,” another option, and when it presents itself to you, here is the question you want to ask yourself: What is the first word the Lord spoke to me concerning that matter? Stick with the first word. 

The Bible is the infallible, inspired, authoritative Word of God.

You must familiarize yourself with the Word of the Lord, the Bible. The Bible is where we learn to hear the voice of the Lord. The Bible is where we get the truth. The Bible is how our faith grows. The Bible is the very foundation of Christianity. Hear my heart, the Bible is not a prophet’s idea. The Bible is not an apostle’s opinion on a matter. The Bible is the infallible, inspired, authoritative Word of God. 

In a day when the truth is being twisted and pushed to the side as irrelevant, you must know the truth of God’s Word. Join me in reading through the One Year Bible for the rest of this year! I pray you have a wonderful summer as you read God’s Word and encounter the Living God who loves you deeply.

And remember, when it comes to making decisions, stick with the first word God gave you on the matter. 

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

Miracle in the Making

We began this year declaring it a year to BELIEVE BIG, a year that we are expecting More, Miracles, and Multiplication. I see the Lord moving in extraordinary ways among our children. Our children are having life changing God encounters every Sunday. 

Every child is a miracle made by God, and every child is a miracle in the making. God, who made them in their mother’s womb, is relentless at making them look more like Jesus all throughout their lives. Will you join me in believing big for continued miracles in our children’s ministry? 

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

What is at stake?

We are living in a critical time! The world around us reminds us that there is a war for our children’s souls taking place right now. Satan has always tried to snuff out the children—from Pharoah commanding Hebrew male children be killed, to Herod attempting to kill baby Jesus. Today, there is the abortion crisis and an overall indoctrination by this anti-God culture. 

What must we do?

We must be more intentional than ever in our ministry to children and families. We must utilize every tool in our toolbox to equip our staff, innovate our approach to ministry, and, practically speaking, upgrade the physical space where our children come week in and week out to be shaped and equipped as strong followers of Christ. 

We must be intentional about providing an atmosphere for children to have fun! Where kids may see a slide or game area, we see a space where children are building relationships that will shape their lives. Where some see technology or video equipment, we see creative ways to teach important lessons from the Bible. Some may see new paint and carpet; we see a safe space for small group ministry, learning through play, and a space that is made for miracles to happen in the lives of our children.  

Here’s how you can help!

You will help make miracles happen in the lives of children by giving. Your giving is directly tied to shaping and equipping children to be disciples of Jesus who will grow and make disciples. It’s the miracle of being like Christ! 

You are building the foundation for the next generation of world-changers. You are part of the Great Commission to make disciples. You are coming alongside parents to build strong families.

You are why a preschooler will know the name of Jesus; why a fifth-grader will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God before heading into middle school.

You are inspiring others to give. And you are launching forth thousands of new miracles. Your impact will ripple into the lives of families you know and ones you’ll never meet.

I’m asking you to do two things:

  • Plan to give. Look at your monthly budget and plan to give every month until we complete this project.
  • Pray to give. Ask the Lord what He would like to give through you, then pray in that amount as you exercise your faith.

Together, we will make miracles happen—thank you!

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

The Power of the Blood

The Significance of Communion

Do you need a miracle in some area of your life? I want to encourage you that communion is more than something we do at church once a month. Communion is a weapon that can grant you access to miracles through the blood of Christ. 

I grew up in church receiving communion regularly, but I didn’t get it. It was something that “church people” do. I would eat the little tasteless wafer and wonder, why can’t we get something that has some taste to it, or at least isn’t stale? I would drink from the cup and wonder, why are these cups so tiny? We had a communion table at the front of the church with the words “Do This in Remembrance of Me” engraved on it. What we remember and say makes receiving communion a tool that we can use to access miracles! 

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. As often as you drink it, this do in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Remembrance

Jesus gave a way to remember the cross. We are to remember what He achieved for us—our healing and salvation! We are to remember who He made us—His children—through faith in His sacrifice for our sins. This tool reminds us that the devil is defeated! Jesus wins, and we are on the winning team because of our faith in Christ! 

Let me ask you a question—how often should you remember these things? How valuable would it be for you and your family to remember these things daily? I want to challenge you to start receiving communion with your family every week. Why not every day for a while? How about every time your Life Group meets? Receiving communion could become an essential part of your daily schedule! 

There are countless miracle stories of people who had cancer and received complete healing after they received communion daily for weeks. Then there are the parents whose children fell away from the Lord, yet after receiving communion and applying the saving blood of Jesus over their children, they came back to Jesus. The stories are endless of the miracles released when people practiced communion as a weapon. 

Proclaim His Power

When you receive communion, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. Every time you receive communion, you should announce what the body and blood of Jesus have purchased for you. Proclaim protection through the blood of Jesus. Proclaim life in your body, your family, your business. Life is in the blood! 

There is enough power in the blood of Jesus to cancel any curse, to save us from all of our sins, and to heal every disease that comes against us. As the song I used to sing as a child says, “There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.”

Enjoy a new miracle-releasing practice of regularly receiving communion in your home! 

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

He Died For You!

“He has risen from the dead” is the ultimate declaration of victory! Nothing can conquer Jesus; even death could not hold him down. Through faith, He lives in you! 

Jesus didn’t just die. He died for you, in place of you! God raised Him to life on the third day as the sacrifice for your sins. If you believe that and have chosen to be a Jesus follower, then the One whom death could not destroy lives in you!  

The cross is central to Christianity, central to your life! A divine exchange took place at the cross, planned by the Living God who loves you. Have you had a revelation of what Jesus purchased for you? It is simply this: 

All the evil that was due us, earned by our sinful lives, came on Jesus, so all the good due to Jesus, earned by His sinless obedience, might be available to us.

Join me on Easter Sunday at Mount Hope Church and experience joy from the Holy Spirit as we celebrate the most significant event in history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

A few Wednesday nights ago, we were receiving communion together at our prayer gathering. I spontaneously asked my friend T.L Hart to tell us what the blood of Jesus means to us. His response triggered an eruption of praise. I’ve included his reply for you on the other side. 

As we approach Easter, let’s speak about what the blood of Christ has accomplished for us every day. 

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry

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