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.
As the disciples were crossing a lake at night, a great storm began to toss their boat and they were terrified. Jesus saw them in trouble and came to them. How? He was walking on the water! Thinking Jesus was a ghost, they were even more afraid. But as Jesus tried to calm them, Peter needed to know if He was real:
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. – Matthew 14:28-29
What was Peter thinking? He stopped thinking there was a ghost, and he began to think differently. All of a sudden, while his eyes were on Jesus instead of the storm, he thought, HOW ABOUT I WALK ON THE WATER, TOO?
Your biggest help is not always having the Lord yank you out of what you see – the storm around you. Rather, help may come by simply hearing what the Lord says when you are in the middle of it.
I was up before sunrise, crying out for help, hoping for a word from you! – Psalm 119:146 MSG
Then remember: Every word from God comes with the power to make that word happen. All Peter had to do to walk on water was hear the words, “Yes, come” (Matt. 14:29). Those simple words came with the power to make it happen, but Peter’s own thinking then got in the way. What he saw around him became bigger than what he had just heard.
But when he saw the strong winds and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. – Matthew 14:30
Sometimes we make the same mistake! We look at the circumstances in the storms around us and if we are not careful, we will allow what we see to become bigger than what we hear.
Peter was on a journey of transformation, and we are, too. There has been a series of storms in 2020 that we’ve seen across the nation and the world. From the Covid storm, to fear, to political, racial, and economic storms, to division and deception, we need to be reminded that the Lord gave us a specific word:
Believe God and you will be established. Believe his prophets and you will succeed. – 2 Chronicles 20:20
This was not just a word for us last year, but for this season. The entire year of 2020 had the word “unusual” all around it. However, if you would do the unusual, God would do the extraordinary. And you did!
This transformation must be a complete and thorough change. A small change will not do; a slight move will not do for this season. There must be a radical shift, a dramatic change. It’s coming, I can feel it in my bones.
At the core of Christianity there is transformation. Being a Christian is not about changing your belief system, it’s about God changing your life. The same powerful Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside every believer. What is He doing? Transforming you!
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Cor. 5:17
The Lord is after this goal of dramatic change in you, in us! While the world gets darker before the return of Christ, the Church will get brighter.
Before you know it, the Spirit of God will come on you and you’ll be prophesying right along with them. And you’ll be transformed. You’ll be a new person! – 1 Samuel 10:6 MSG
And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image from one degree of glory to another; this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12:2
It’s important to note the word, “let.” God will do it if we will lean into the transformation He has for us. Jesus is walking among the churches and calling us, and as part of the process, He is calling us to holiness.
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1
In this process, recognizing these components of transformation will help you learn and grow:
For Peter, first came the storm, then came the walking on water. Don’t you think after Peter walked on water that his faith grew, and he trusted God deeper than ever before?
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. – 1 Peter 1:6-9
Good people will go through fire, but they will come out of it! Remember the account of the three friends who refused to worship a false idol? They were bound and forced into a fiery furnace, but their story didn’t end there.
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. – Daniel 3:26
Don’t you think when they stepped out of the fire they were transformed? Not only did they survive; they became unstoppable! They had no doubt that God would rescue them from anything from that day forward.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. – Daniel 3:30
The only thing the fire burned was the ropes that bound them, and they came out stronger. There are some things in 2021 that the Lord wants to burn off of you. Going through fire does something to you: You can either be fried or forged. You get to choose! In the forging, the Lord will shape you and show you things that must go. Ask the Lord to show you what may be holding you back and ask Him to burn those things away.
Expect some more fire in 2021, some more storms in 2021. The storms of last year are not over; they will likely intensify. But the fire can position you for progress and promotion… just trust Him!
A big part of your personal transformation this year, and our corporate transformation, has everything to do with the word: progress! Jesus is coming. This is your year to grow your spiritual roots down deep! If they are not strong, you will be swept away in the dramas of the last days.
But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. – Philippians 3:16 NLT
Progress is expected at school, work, home, on the field. More importantly, it’s expected to be made on your spiritual journey. Ask yourself: Am I making progress? How do I know I’m making progress?
Jesus is walking among the churches right now and looking for progress. He is looking for His bride that is spotless and without fault, and we have a part to play!
“Test yourself to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourself regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. – 2 Corinthians 13:5 MSG
Progress doesn’t just happen; you have to work at it. Our goal is clear – to be like Christ and to experience Christ fully developed in our lives.
People are hungry and ready to receive the gospel, and you get to be part of giving it! When you multiply your life into other people, it’s also transformational for you, too. Can you remember the first time you had the privilege of leading somebody to Jesus? WOW… what a transformational moment for both of you! What an honor—not only to witness—but to bring people into relationship with Christ.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. – 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NLT
Will you be one of the people that will pick up that task this year? Christians are going to refuse to sit on the sidelines and hope somebody else points people to Jesus. You were born for such a time as this! You are going to have specific opportunities that are unique this year, for you to lead people to Christ.
Let’s do this! We need healing, we need revival in this nation. We care about this world, but remember we are only passing through it. Let’s go out and be the answer, not the problem. Let’s be transformed and then take hope and transformation everywhere we go!
Song – Spirit Move (We are fixed on this one thing) by Bethel Music
Let’s dive in deeper to Pastor Kevin’s message!
Want to grow more? Here are a couple great books to go through at the beginning of this year:
Peace on Earth: As the angels sang these words, they announced God’s intentions for the earth – that with the coming of Jesus, Peace had come. Peace was what Jesus purchased for you when He was nailed to the cross. After rising from the dead, Jesus took the general declaration of peace and made it personal when He looked at His disciples and said, “Peace be to you.” Peace: This is who God is. He is the Prince of Peace.
The peace that Jesus purchased for us and imparts to us is not based on feelings that come and go. It’s God’s peace on the inside of you. Peace allows you to sleep through storms or sing when you have been beaten down. Peace allows you to go through the worst yet keep hoping for the best. Internal peace is seen when there are outward circumstances that press a person. Peace and pressure go together; if there is not external pressure you don’t need inward peace.
We are learning that peace isn’t something you get, it’s someone you know – the Lord Himself. This was the revelation, the experience, that Gideon had in Judges 6. May it also be the experience you have today.
But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not Fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord is Peace. – Judges 6:23-24 ESV
“Peace be to you. Fear not.” His terror started turning into his joy. This divine message and impartation spoke into Gideon’s and our deepest need. He drank in those words like the dry ground drinks water in the summertime. In a moment of spontaneous worship, he built an altar to the Lord, a memorial, and called it “The Lord is Peace.”
Knowing that God called him to war, it seems like he would have named the altar “The Lord Our Warrior.” But no… it is the peace of God that most prepares us for conflict. This was not about making Gideon feel better. The peace of God was giving Gideon more than peace of mind; it was preparing him for battle. As Christ-followers, our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; that is what makes us ready for the most violent of demonic attacks. We are in the last of the last days, difficult times, with epic spiritual battles going on all around us—days that require us to grow in our experience with peace.
While the Lord comes to speak peace on the inside of our lives, the enemy is always coming to steal that peace. People, social media, your job, or everyday stresses may try to steal your peace at times. But the truth is – the number one peace thief in your life is… you.
It’s who you choose to listen to:
Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. – Isaiah 48:18 NLT
It’s what you choose to think about:
You keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! – Isaiah 26:3 NLT
…and it’s what you choose tolerate: the pride you allow, the lust you flirt with, the idols you have made out of people, issues, and how much you think you know. It’s slander you allow out of your mouth. It’s the sin you tolerate that will rob you of peace.
For God to continue taking Gideon on this journey of knowing the Lord Who is Peace, He needed to get Gideon to confront what he had been tolerating:
That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” – Judges 6:25-26 NLT
Ancient Israel worshiped Baal because he was thought to be the god of weather, and they relied on the weather for prosperity. In the hard economic times due to Midianite oppression, people worshiped Baal all the more, not understanding that they only made things worse by not turning to God. This reminds us that God must be number one.
If you want to experience breakthrough like Gideon did, here are steps you must take to walk in peace:
You cannot walk in sin and peace at the same time. Sin will always bring chaos, and it is said that you deserve what you tolerate. If you tolerate sin and disobedience in your life, then you deserve the chaos it will bring.
Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. – Hebrews 12:1 NLT
The sin that is most addressed in the New Testament is the sin we commit against each other:
By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. – James 3:6 MSG
Relationships, even marriages, often end because of things that have been said or not said. By their words, people lose their jobs or reputation, and start arguments or even wars! Harsh, unjust words have destructive power, but we are called to live in harmony and humility:
Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. – Romans 12:16 AMPC
We each have to learn to adapt to others and must quit waiting for them to adapt to us. This opens the door to harmony, and where there is harmony, the Lord commands His blessing!
Gideon was told to tear down the altar of Baal that his father built; this was God’s way of telling Gideon to get his own house in order. God was pointing to the real problem in Israel. More serious than the oppression of the Midianites was their bondage to the spiritual forces of the land. Their biggest threat was not the enemy from outside their land, but the enemy they tolerated within. Today, people fear sickness and possible death from a wicked virus, but the real danger is the wickedness of sin that we must turn away from.
God does not want us to carefully take down our hidden idols of sin; rather He commands that we tear them down. Tear down what is offensive to Him. He is not asking politely that you deal with your pride, He wants you to smash it to pieces. When the Lord shows you an idol, He doesn’t want you to just walk away from it, He wants you to destroy it so there will be no intention of ever going back. It is the raw, bold call to repentance. Every time we submit to these strongholds of bitterness, lust, or pride, we are bowing to the rulers of darkness. Each of these idols must be smashed and obliterated from the landscape of our hearts.
If your life is in need of some renovation, and you know there are some things out of order, there is good news for you! Jesus is drawn to people that know they are out of order, those that are broken in in need of restoration. He says, Come to me and I will give you peace! Peace be to you.
Jesus came for the sick, not the healthy. The church is meant to be filled with a bunch of messed up people that are getting better. The sooner you can humble yourself and admit what a mess you are apart from Jesus, the sooner you can begin to get the help you need. It is taking that step to demolish your idols and leave your old ways behind.
We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. – Ephesians 2:21NLT
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT
Beware of fake Christianity that says you can treat somebody like the devil and walk intimately with God at the same time. Holiness is not an optional extra. It is not just for saints and special Christians; it is something we all must aspire to in this life. Some people are eager to do something for God as long as they don’t have to change something for God, but holiness comes before power.
God promises to empower that which He first makes holy.
Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms. – Judges 6:33-34
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. Under the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit came upon specific people usually for divinely empowered leadership. Under the New Covenant, a broad and generous outpouring of the Holy Spirit is promised upon all flesh (see Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18)—making this power available to you and me today. This power emboldens and helps us to live in peace and draws us toward holiness.
“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” – Hebrews 12:14-15 NLT
Work at living a holy life! Holiness is developed in secret but seen in public. A life in Christ comes with the call to work at living in peace with EVERYONE. You must forgive repeatedly, overlook faults, see the good, refuse to be critical, bring solutions, be a servant, try to understand more than be understood, and most importantly, you must love.
Holiness involves effort. As Mother Teresa said, “Our progress in holiness depends on God and ourselves – on God’s grace and on our will to be holy.” You can decide to let Jesus make you holy. It’s the difference between those who are merely seeking to be saved and those that are seeking to be more like Jesus. Holiness is seen best in the context of how we treat each other. Hence… make every effort to live at peace with everyone.
“For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” – Hebrews 10:14 NLT
Beloved, God’s peace is available to you. It is found by knowing the One who is Peace. This holy invitation calls to you today!
God’s love comes running after you, even when you’ve been running the wrong way. Just as God pursued Gideon, He is pursuing you today—this is who He is and what He does! How will you respond? Ask yourself these questions… talk to God about them and write them down.
In whatever battle you are facing right now, hear this: PEACE BE TO YOU!
Peace has a sound to it, and a lack of peace has a sound to it. Are you familiar with those sounds? Lack of peace sounds like, “I can’t believe we are on lockdown again. What is going to happen to my business? I can’t believe they aren’t wearing a mask!” It’s the sound of doubt, fear, and frustration that surrounds us.
Before peace comes and settles down over a person’s heart, there is a sound that must be heard. Heaven is filled with this sound; it has poured strength into people’s lives for centuries. It’s a sound that gives you a reason to hope when it looks like all hope is gone. The sounds of peace have been known to shake the earth, move the heart of God, and open doors to miracles. It is vital that we identify these sounds that still lead us to peace today.
We find in the book of Judges the story of Gideon. The people of Israel were facing an enemy takeover by the Midianites. In a time of national crisis and lockdown, a series of sounds were made that led to peace.
So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. – Judges 6:6
In the midst of all the bickering, complaining, deception, and fighting, the sound that really mattered was the sound of crying out to the Lord for help. This is true for us today, and it’s the first sound that leads to peace.
Why did the Israelites wait seven years? Why is it so hard for us to ask for help? Sometimes we refuse to ask for help until the pain of it all is just too hard to bear. One of the biggest challenges in this season has been that far too many people have been crying out for the government and the medical community to fix what we need God to fix.
Israel was in a mess because of their own sins and did not yet cry out in repentance. They just cried out for help, and look what happened next. We discover the second sound that leads to peace:
Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” – Judges 6:11-12
“Mighty Hero,” the Lord said to Gideon. Today, the Lord speaks in the midst of your fears and anxiety, when things are at their worst. It’s the authority, power, and weight of His words. He speaks to who you are: Mighty Warrior! He comes to you today and says there is greatness in you! You are more than you thought you were. You thought your life was in a holding pattern, you thought you were stuck. No, you are the Beloved. You are an overcomer. In Him, you are powerful, a force to be reckoned with. You are the kind of person that makes hell nervous. When you hear the Lord speak to who you are, something in you rises up. Fear starts to vanish as faith takes its place, making you strong and bold.
The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. – Proverbs 28:1
Beloved, you are:
Every problem you face is meant to point you to the promise!
The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” 15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” 16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” – Judges 6:12-16
Where is God when you need Him?
There will be times when we find ourselves in a similar position to Gideon, unable to reconcile the spiritual victories we read about in the Bible with the struggles we are going through. We may have agonizing questions to which there will be no answer this side of Heaven. However, Jesus has given us the same promise that God gave to Gideon. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He said:
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. – Matthew 28:20
I’m not sure why very bad things happen to very good people. But you can be sure of this – God is with you! Always. “God with us” is the solution to every problem. “God with us” calms every fear and wins every battle.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you. – Isaiah 43:2
Speak the promises the Lord has made to you today. Out loud, thank Him that: “You are with me. You will never leave me or forsake me!”
Our problem is the same problem Gideon had… it’s hard to believe, so we have questions. “If you are with us, why does it look so bad?” The Lord responds to these doubts and questions by once again saying, “I will be with you.”
The Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not be afraid; you will not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord is Peace. – Judges 6:23-24
An altar and sacrifice were a means of giving thanks, an act of worship. In an act of thanksgiving Gideon had a revelation of who God was… “The Lord is Peace.” We, too, can experience this peace through:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
In the context of knowing God, tell Him what you need and thank Him for all He has done; it’s the sound of thanksgiving. THEN His peace will guard your hearts and minds. A thankful heart will break down walls, unlock doors to miracles, and release the supernatural power of God in your life. In contrast, a bitter heart will build more walls than windows to your life and block a release of supernatural help. When you find yourself in doubt, remember, Peace is not something you get; it’s someone you know – Jesus.
When I am hunting in the woods, if I listen intently, I can tell what is approaching me simply by the sounds the animals make. The last time I was sitting quietly, I prayed: “God, I want to know the sound of Your approaching. You draw near to the humble.” The Lord began to teach me that even before the sound of His approach drawing near to me, there is a sound that must come from me. It’s the sound of me approaching His throne… the sound of thanksgiving.
Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. – Psalms 100:4 MSG
Thankfulness: it’s a sound that is heard in the worst of times. It’s a sound that comes before the victory, equips you for bigger battles in your future, and moves you to another realm. In the middle of a pandemic, how would you like to be caught up into a different realm? It all starts with the sound of: “Thank you!”
When King Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord, not knowing what to do and asking for help, the Lord sent a prophetic word. He sent the sound of a promise:
Believe God and you will be established, believe in his prophets and you will succeed. – 2 Chronicles 20:20
What came next was the sound of thanksgiving. They marched out into battle singing praise to God. At Mount Hope, we started this year with this word, this verse. “Believe God, shout in praise…” and it must be how we finish the year!
They went from being shaken to shouting—and Gideon did the same thing:
Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. – Judges 7:20-21
I’m telling you, Beloved, stand in your position and sing. Stand your ground, do not fear, do not be discouraged. The Lord is for you, He has made promises to you. He is with you. Stand your ground and praise Him!
We see this same example in Acts 16:
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off. – Acts 16:25-26
A thankful heart in the worst of times opened the doors and caused chains to fall off! It is the power of a thankful heart. Your thankful heart can not only bring freedom to you… but all those around you.
God gave Gideon peace, so he might send him to war. There is a battle in front of us, an epic spiritual battle taking place all around us. Hope, Peace, and Love will win every time. How do you defeat evil? With goodness!
Remind yourself of the sounds that lead to peace, and sing your way there:
On your feet now—applaud God! Sing yourselves into his presence. – Psalms 100:1-2 MSG
That’s where peace is, spend a few moments now in His presence and experience the peace that only He can give.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I want you to know that Renee and I are so thankful for you! This year has included unusual challenges, uncertainty, and blessings; of course, this was the case when America began. History records that in 1609, 300 colonists arrived in Jamestown. That winter, 80% died from starvation and disease. Then in 1620, 102 Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower and three months later landed at Plymouth. Within the first year, half of them perished. Yet in 1621, the Pilgrims dedicated three days for a Thanksgiving Feast to give God glory. Amid severe trials, disease, and loss, people gathered to thank God and give Him glory.
The pilgrims learned in the midst of uncertainty to keep their eyes on God the Father with thankful hearts; may we do the same. We have gone through a very unusual year with COVID-19, lockdowns, job losses, businesses closed, racism, riots, division, deception, and elections, too! I speak to your heart, beloved, “Peace be to you!
The Prince of Peace has a desire for the earth; it was declared by angels at Christ’s birth when they said, “Peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). Peace on earth is more than something we sing around Christmas time. It’s a divine declaration of God’s intention for you. Jesus came to give light to those who sit in darkness and to guide us to the path of peace (Luke 1:79).
I’m committed to doing my part to bring the peace that is only found in Jesus to this world. Will you join me? I sense a strong urgency from the Lord that we must not coast through the end of this year. It’s time to put the pedal to the metal. Let’s stick our faith out there and together give an extra $1,000,000 to missions, lead 1,000 people to Jesus, and raise up 100 people called to be missionaries and pastors before the end of this year! Why? Time is short, and people will go to hell if we don’t lead them to Jesus. I simply refuse to be distracted from our mission. I know that if we do the unusual, God will do the extraordinary! Our nation is hurting, our communities are hurting, and they need Jesus more than they need a president or a vaccine.
Come on, let’s do this and finish this year strong! If each one of us leads one person to Jesus before the end of this year, we will lead well over 1,000 people to Christ! If we pray and obey, we can give an extra $1,000,000 to further the gospel in our neighborhoods and the nations. Your giving will help us finish our Mount Hope Downtown Campus, bring Christmas to local families, and spread the Good News of Christ through 350 missionaries in 122 countries!
Let me encourage you when it comes to moments of faith like this—don’t do the math, do your part. Let’s each do our part in planting seeds into people’s lives. Now, more than ever, I am so thankful for this church family, and that includes you! Together, let’s do the unusual, and God will do the extraordinary.
Your Friend and Pastor,
Kevin Berry
Peace on Earth… it’s what the angels declared at the birth of Jesus. As the birth of Christ was being announced by an angel to a group of shepherds, suddenly the entire sky filled with angels all singing:
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” – Luke 2:14 NLT
Peace on Earth… sounds good doesn’t it? But where is it? Where is the peace the angels sang about?
“Peace on Earth” is more than a line we sing around Christmas time… it is a divine declaration of God’s intention for your life.
This year has been marked by COVID, fear, racism, riots, elections, deception, and division. What seems to be missing is that word PEACE that the angels sang about. But it doesn’t have to be that way! If you look at this year and think this has been the worst year of your life, there is good news for you. Jesus specializes at showing up in the worst of times to give you something that you cannot find apart from Him – PEACE.
The day of Jesus’ crucifixion had to be the worst day of the disciples’ lives. Jesus showed up after His resurrection to declare and impart the benefits of His resurrection – PEACE.
That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! Peace be with you,” he said. – John 20:19
The words Jesus spoke to them are the same words He speaks to us today: Peace be with you.
Outside the locked doors, there was not peace. There was a struggle for power by the religious leaders; there was fear of the Roman government; there were those who were shocked that it appeared Jesus had failed. But Jesus said among them, “Peace be with you.”
When Jesus said those words, He was imparting something in them they needed and would mark them for the rest of their lives. This peace of God, released in their lives, would guide them, guard them, and make them shine as a beacon of hope to hurting humanity.
I DECLARE THIS SAME PEACE over your heart, your home, your family today – peace be to you!
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:15
As followers of Jesus Christ, peace is a God-ordained destination for you!
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT
His Peace…. When? At all times! How can this be? But what about the election… the economy… my job… my kids… my health? People should be blown away at the peace they see in you and me!
History records that a man about to be martyred for his faith said to the executioner, “Put your hand here, (and he directed the man’s hand to his heart) and now put your other hand on your heart, and feel which heart beats the hardest, see which is most troubled.” The executioner leading this man to the stake to be burned alive was struck with awe when he found the Christian man calm, while his own heart was racing – agitated having to perform such a horrible act.
We are living in a day of great opportunity to share our reason for peace: Christ!
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, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
“Don’t worry about anything” is a command, not an option. As it has been said, “Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it gets you nowhere.” No one goes through life without facing problems, battles, and causes for worry, but a life filled with worry can wreck us. The average person spends over 14 hours a week worrying about something. Over a lifetime, that’s over 5 years.
The problem with worry is in what you see!
That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. 18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. – Romans 4:17-19 NLT
Abraham was 100 years old and thought his 100-year-old body was good as dead… but God! So Abraham kept hoping… how could he not! He knew the One who hung the sun and moon and scattered the stars like sand with both hands!
If you are bound by what you see, you are as good as done. To walk in worry or fear means putting more faith in the devil’s ability to bring about evil than in God’s ability to bring about good.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jer. 17:8.
We are not oblivious to the evil that is at work around us, but let’s not participate in the things that keep demons occupied – things like fear and worry. We participate in overcoming evil with goodness. We participate in lifting up the name of Jesus.
Jesus said, Stop being perpetually uneasy, anxious and worried out your life. Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? He will certainly care for you. – Matthew 6:25-26,30
There is the real reason people worry – they don’t know how valuable they are to God. They are not convinced that God is going to take care of them, but the Lord is simply looking for those who will trust in Him:
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you. – Isaiah 26:3
We all have things we are concerned about. If we don’t worry about them, what do we do with them?
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need… – Philippians 4:6
We are not told to stop worrying because there is nothing to worry about; we are told to stop worrying so we start to do something that can make a difference. Believing in God doesn’t mean you are not troubled; it means you know Who to go to when you are troubled.
And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth! I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.” – Psalms 116:9-10 NLT)
The worst part of worry is that it paralyzes you with this lie: There is nothing you can do to get free, nothing you can do to change the situation. For so many of us, when dreams die, a little part of our heart dies, because we just can’t see getting beyond where we are. Knowing God is on the throne in uncertain times brings great peace! Our great hope is that God is on the throne, over all the kingdoms of the earth, AND that we have the honor of approaching His throne in prayer. We get to be salt and light in this world! We are not helpless victims just waiting for Jesus to return.
The Church is the only force on the earth that is contesting Satan’s rule in human affairs. While voting is important, the future of our country is not based completely on who wins an election. It is the Church on her knees, and the Church in action, that can birth an awakening that can change the face of our nation and the world. In his sovereignty, God has voluntarily chosen to merge his working with man’s praying. Our country has not fully seen what God can do through people of prayer. Prayer changes the people that are prayed for and the people doing the praying.
America has gone through so much this year, and there is no greater way to change things than to pray. Prayer has stopped wars, changed lives, brought rain, healed the sick, raised the dead, changed the hearts and actions of world leaders, held back demonic forces, and released spiritual awakening on the earth. Your vote matters… but your prayers matter more!
How to pray—with loud cries and tears, pleading, with heart and emotion:
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. – Hebrews 5:7 NLT
What to pray for:
This is what the Lord says: Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, No, that’s not the road we want! – Jeremiah 6:16
The tragedy for God’s people was that while they were invited to ask for the old godly ways—the best pathway for their lives—they wanted nothing to do with it. Will you pray with me and ask God for the old godly ways?
Jesus is still praying for you!
Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. – Hebrews 7:25 NLT
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done… – Philippians 4:6
You can’t be worrying when you are praying and thanking at the same time.
I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings, all the things God has done that need praising. – Isaiah 63:7 MSG
And sing yourself right into God’s presence:
On your feet now—applaud God! Sing yourselves into his presence. – Psalms 100:1-2 MSG
That’s where peace is, and sometimes you have to sing yourself there. This peace from God then guards your heart!
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
Peace on Earth! As believers, this is our time to shine! As Jesus spoke peace into the disciples when they were worried, I speak peace into you now.
You can live in peace by following a few critical steps:
Let’s choose to stop worrying, and start praying and thanking… singing our way into His peace!
From now on… there is a new normal. We’ve heard these words since early on in the COVID crisis. Our normal lives have been interrupted in 2020. What we normally do—the way we shop, travel, dine out, work out, even the way we worshipped together for a season—results in the cry of our day: We just want to be normal.
There is a new normal that should be – things that from now on should be different in our lives and in our church family. Whenever God is about to do something big on the earth, He often starts with interrupting our normal. Let’s look at this example when Simon Peter was fishing. From that moment on, life would not be the same:
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. – Luke 5:1-11
Catch what Jesus said in verse 10: “From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” He was saying to Peter: From now on your life will never be the same. From now on you won’t be catching fish to make them dead, you’ll be catching people and making them come alive. You are more than you thought you were… you thought you were a fisherman… but you are a fisher of man. My plans for you are bigger than what you thought!
How would you like a miracle in your life? How would you like to discover, like Peter did, that you are more than you thought you were?
The Lord has a “From Now On” moment for you, and you have a part to play. Here are some steps to take that will lead you to His new normal for you. FROM NOW ON:
Jesus interrupted what Peter normally did. He fished at night and washed and mended the nets in the daytime. But that day, God stepped into his boat and asked him to push it out further. The Lord was looking to do more than change his location; He was looking to change the heart of Peter so that FROM NOW ON… HE WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME. It all started with simple obedience—push the boat out into the water.
When Jesus stepped into Peter’s boat, He stepped into Peter’s frustration, emptiness, and fatigue. I don’t think Peter understood that when he gave Jesus his yes, one day people would walk through his shadow and be healed. Jesus wants to step into what has not been working for you. Your future is bigger than what you think it is—you just have to say yes to Jesus. He is in your boat waiting for you to push it out.
Give me insight so I can do what you tell me—my whole life one long, obedient response. – Psalms 119:133 MSG
Obedience in the little things will open up the door to miracles. Think of the Lord saying this to you: If you dare to obey me, from now on the rest of your life will be the best of your life. If you dare to obey me, from now on your life will be set on a new trajectory. If you dare to obey me, I’ll take what you thought was empty and a failure and I’ll make you full. If you dare to obey me in the little things, FROM NOW ON, I will take you on an adventure that will exceed your wildest expectations.
The risky action God is calling you to requires faith, not sense. It didn’t make sense for the Lord to tell Simon Peter to go out a little deeper and let the nets down after they had fished all night and caught nothing. Faith isn’t necessary until you face a situation where your experience tells you differently. Peter decided to trust the words of Jesus in spite of his experience—that was his moment of faith—the moment that all believers must come to.
Your faith will prompt you to do something that doesn’t make sense, but can make a miracle. The Lord is calling you into the deep end of obedience. He may ask you to risk your reputation, finances, business… your whole life.
May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. – 2 Thessalonians 1:11 NLT
After that moment, I imagine that Peter would say: From now on I’ll be willing to take a risk. From now on I will respond to your directions without argument. I’m not playing it safe; I refuse to go by only what I can figure out. From now on I’ll go after what looks impossible and live out in the deep where miracles are made. No wonder Peter walked on water when Jesus called to him!
Peter’s journey started when Jesus saw him. Peter saw past the miracle to the Lord behind it. It wasn’t the amount of fish that brought Peter to his knees; it was the amount of love and power he saw in Jesus. We see Peter expressing yet another “From now on” moment—recognizing Jesus as Lord—giving all his allegiance to the Lord’s heart, desires, and Kingdom. He fully submitted everything.
To that end, we should say the same to Jesus: Everything I do on this earth is in submission to you—everything.
As Christ’s ambassadors on the earth, we commit to representing Him. When it comes to voting, we vote not as a Democrat or Republican, but as ambassadors of the Kingdom. As the voice of Heaven on the earth, we represent the King of King’s interests and values, not our own.
When Peter felt like he needed to pull away from the Lord, notice how Jesus did not pull away from Peter! Your sin doesn’t repel God; He came when you were a sinner. Now He waits for you to just acknowledge and turn from the sin He died for.
The same grace that saves you calls you to this mission:
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. – Luke 5:10-11
“From now on” means that Simon’s “now” was forever changed. He was permanently adjusting how he was spending the rest of his life!
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. – 2 Peter 3:9
Jesus began Peter’s journey of discipleship not by calling him away from his profession, but by challenging him to a bolder practice of it! So it is for you. God may not be calling you to leave your business; rather He may be calling you to a bolder practice of it—calling you to be a missionary where you work and pastor the people there. For others, God is calling to you leave where you work because He wants to send you to pastor a community, to make disciples from around the world.
“Fishing for people” is a vivid picture which accurately describes the nature of the Christian faith. We do not merely wait for recruits to volunteer; we go looking for them! Nobody goes fishing and just waits for the fish to jump in the boat… no, you go looking for them! Time is short. We all need to be catching people. We are all called to participate in a massive harvest of people in the last days!
From Now On: We are fishers of people… this is who we are. We are people who walk away from our lives, our plans, our “normal,” and throw ourselves into catching people. There is a great harvest of souls to be gathered in… and He knows where the harvest is. Will you step into His new normal for you today?
We will soon be coming out of the most unusual spring and summer I have ever experienced. However, this fall comes with its own turbulence and division that tends to surround an election season. Deception and division have marked the season we are living through. However, we are called to maintain the unity that the cross of Christ has purchased for us. Let’s make every effort to do what leads to peace (Eph. 4:3).
Beloved, remember what is normal for this world is not typical in the Kingdom. Paul spoke to the deception and division of his day with words that are equally powerful today. He said, “If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?” (Gal. 5:15 MSG).
Throughout this season, I have endeavored to keep us focused on the great mission God has given us: to make disciples of the nations (Matt. 28:19). Under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Peter said that we live out our God-given mission by praying, loving, and serving (1 Pet. 4:7-10). We must stay focused on what God has called us to do.
Politics is not part of our biblical strategy to make disciples. We are citizens of another world, and our loyalty is to the Kingdom of God. Yes, we are called to be salt and light. We are to have a preserving influence on this world. As light changes the atmosphere, so we are called to shine brightly. I’m thankful for leaders like Joseph, Daniel, Cyrus, and Esther, whom the Lord put in government positions. They inspire us to play our part in God’s great redemptive plan, all while keeping our loyalty to the King of Kings. As ambassadors for Christ, we are the embassy of Heaven on the earth, and we serve His interests in all we do.
Pray. The essence of prayer is knowing God. I pray that you will grow as you get to know God better and better. I pray you press into His presence and live your whole life there. I ask that you join me in prayer for our nation. If anybody should know that our answers are not in politicians but in the power of God, it is the church. The solution to the troubles that plague our nation is found in these words, “If my people…”
Love. Let’s throw ourselves into loving the lost, and each other, like Christ. While others may be focused on endless debates on the things that divide society, let’s saturate our communities with the hope that is in Christ. It is the power of the gospel that brings about a change of heart, not the laws that are passed in this world.
Serve. You are called and gifted by God. Let’s use the gifts God has given us to serve others while we still can. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve; let’s do the same. I want to serve you as we approach the voting booths soon. As Christians, we make our decisions in the light of the scriptures, as ambassadors of Christ on the earth.
Justice. The Lord cares deeply for the poor, the marginalized in society. Read through the Word of God, and you’ll quickly discover the Lord’s passion for defending the poor, the widow, and the orphan. The Lord listens to the cry of the oppressed, and we must do the same (Ps. 10:18, 72:12).
Life. It’s astonishing to me that we shut down the nation because a virus was taking lives; yet we continue to take the lives of innocent babies under the guise of reproductive healthcare. All life is sacred and a gift from God— black lives, brown lives, white lives, and unborn lives. From conception through death, all life is to be valued, nurtured, and protected. We must fully engage in foster care and adoption. (Job 10:10; Ps. 139:15).
Marriage and Family. The family was God’s idea, and the enemy has been trying to destroy the family since the beginning. When it comes to marriage, the Bible’s stance is clear and not up for negotiation. God made man to be the husband and a woman to be the wife. This is not a political thing; it is a biblical thing (Gen. 1:27, 2:21-25; Eph. 5:25).
Court Appointments. Judicial interpretations have had a profound impact on the morality of our day. Pray that our leaders will appoint federal and Supreme Court judges who will uphold the Constitution while supporting our society’s moral foundation (Deut. 1:15; Ezra 7:25). The threats to religious freedom are real and upon us. Last month, Justice Gorsuch keenly observed in Calvary Chapel v. Sisolak, “In Nevada, it seems, it is better to be in entertainment than religion.” The troubling case demonstrated that entertainment venues, including casinos, could be exempt from severe restrictions placed on worshippers at religious services.
Let’s live out our dual citizenship at this moment. As citizens of the Kingdom, let’s pray. Prayer really does change things! As citizens of this earth, let’s represent the interest of the King we serve as we take the privilege and responsibility of voting seriously. During political battles, let’s remember to keep our conversations filled with grace as we overcome evil with goodness (Rom. 12:21).
Renee and I love you and are praying for you in this season.
Your Friend and Pastor,
Kevin Berry
As our nation has been filled with fires born out of frustration over delayed and denied justice, I’m reminded of the riots, fires, and frustration that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
A member of our church family recently reminded me of the fires of revival that followed King’s assassination. The Jesus movement began to sweep across the nation. So I pray that following our day of grief and frustration will be the fires of awakening again! I ask again for a Grace Awakening across America and the nations.
In regard to protests and the dream in his heart, Dr. King said,
“We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”
“There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied?’ We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.”
Then quoting from the prophet Amos, he said,
“No, no we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty river.”
– Amos 5:24
In calling for justice and righteousness, King was calling for justice for the past and righteousness for the future. Justice in the moment—without righteousness—would mean that the injustice would continue to resurface over and over again.
I like the way Gerald Brooks said it, “Justice for yesterday and Righteousness for tomorrow.”
Justice for the past, righteousness for the future.
Providing proper justice in a community is the responsibility of civil servants. In the Scriptures, they are called God’s servants.
Providing righteousness in a community is the responsibility of the Church. Righteousness has been provided for by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the Church that has been entrusted by God to display and proclaim the righteousness that is available in Christ.
Father: Grant us—your children—the wisdom to put feet to our prayers! May we PRAY, LOVE, and SERVE in such a way that results in showers of your mercy and showers of your grace! May there be waters of justice flowing like water in our communities, and mighty rivers of righteousness!