Power of Hope

God, Country & Lady Liberty

lady liberty

Jesus wept. Why? And…it’s not the shortest verse in the Bible!

Why did Jesus cry at the death of Lazarus? He knew He would raise Lazarus from death. Plus…Jesus Wept is not the shortest verse in the Bible.

Is there a nomad, prodigal or exile in your life?

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus David Kinnaman, in his book You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving the Church and Rethinking Faith labeled the current generation as nomads, prodigals and exiles. Nomads are those who at one time were involved with a...

My greatest enemy is…ME!

Paul speaks very clearly in Galatians 5 about our battle against the enemy within…ourselves. All too often we look…

Hope! What is it good for? Absolutely…

War, huh, yeah. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Remember those lyrics? They’re from the 1969 protest song?

Jesus didn’t take away your brain. Get Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus Get Wisdom: Principles from Proverbs I just returned from three days at The Cove, the Billy Graham Evangelist Association’s training center in Asheville, NC. What a wonderful three days of studying the Bible and learning from...

A Three-way Run

Run From — Run To — Run For Paul speaks clearly about the race we run. It’s a race that is run on a path of sanctification—a path that leads to growing in holiness in Christ (Ephesians 4:15) and being conformed to the image of the Jesus (Romans 8:29). Paul’s passion...

He’s back….and it changed everything!

The second Person of the Trinity came to earth and took on human form. He lived the life we could not live and died the death we should have died. How dark and sad those days must have been for His disciples when He took His last breath. He descended into the heart...

A Walk Through Holy Week with Jesus

We hope you will take the time to reflect on these passages throughout this Holy Week. Read the excerpt from each passage and then read and reflect upon the entire passage. Palm Sunday, Mark 11: 1-11 Mark 11:9-11 Then those who went before and those who followed...

The Wizard of Oz and God

The vast majority of Americans have seen the movie, The Wizard of Oz—and likely many times over. There’s a great lesson in this movie that you might have missed.

Forgetting is the Root of Apostasy

Remembering is the work of the redeemed. Forgetting is the root of apostasy and forgetting always precedes falling….

The devil made me do it!

We are so often quick to say, “the devil made me do it?” But did he really? Should we attribute our sin to his tempting and what about our afflictions or trials? Do those come from spiritual attacks? [Note before proceeding: This article is not discussing...

What is your hedge of protection?

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou….

Lessons from a NYC Taxi Driver

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus I recently read this story on a Facebook page. This story is guaranteed to touch your heart and create in you a desire to share God’s love with others. Now….before you go checking to see if the story is true, I’ll tell you...

A Resolution with Guaranteed Results

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus Did you set New Year’s resolutions? It’s five weeks into the New Year. Have you blown them already? New Year’s resolutions are really nothing more than goals to live a better life. They’re always intended improvements...

Alone, Yet Not Alone by Joni Eareckson Tada

“Alone Yet Not Alone” is a beautiful song of faith and trust in the ever-present help of Jesus.

Remembering those who went to be with the Lord in 2013

Every year Hollywood releases a list of prominent celebrities who have departed this earth. What prominent Christians went to be with the Lord in 2013?

Do you have the “joy of your Lord” now?

His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:21 Are you waiting for your reward in heaven? While it is true that we will receive...

Another reason God came to dwell with man.

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus In our last Got Questions we answered, “How did Jesus become a man?” The question “why did Jesus become a man?” is correctly answered with God’s purpose and plan of redemption. God sent Jesus to accomplish His mission of...

How can you have a white Christmas without snow?

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus White is such a beautiful color. Or is it? Is it really a color, or is it the purity of not being tainted by a color. With paints, if you add just a smidgen of another color to white it takes on the hue of the color added....

Christmas, abortion and Joseph, the forgotten man of Christmas

There’s a consensus among many Bible students that Jesus was not born on, or even around, December 25. It’s believed He was born in the month of….

Remember the Wonder of Christmas

Excerpt from the book, Why the Butterfly? During this hectic holiday time, take a few minutes to pause and reflect on the magnitude of God’s mercy…

Is your heart clean? Psalm 51

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51 is often called “The Repenter’s Psalm.” In this psalm, King David pleads for forgiveness of his sin, knowing that his sin is first...

Is there treasure in your house?

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus Treasure can be thought of as anything that is considered to be precious or to have great value. We all must define what the treasures are in our lives, and how they affect our daily living. The Bible speaks a great deal about...

Where is your glory?

by Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14) The cross was a victory!!! Our sins have been nailed to His cross and...

What makes you cry?

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus Luke 19:41-42 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Do we see “the...

Prepare to Die!

by Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment!" Hebrews 9:27 This is a somber thought. Life moves quickly and none of us know the moment when we will take our last breath and step into eternity....

Three Groans

by Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus Do you feel pain that causes you to groan? No surprise! Creation Groans Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. We Groan Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also...

Do you find contentment in the Lord?

Contentment is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Read this short devotion and be encouraged.

Who do you need to reconcile with today?

The death of Jesus was the atonement that brought reconciliation between God and man. Jesus offered Himself to pay the price for our sins, to satisfy the wrath of God's judgment on sin, and to open the way to forgiveness of sins. No greater picture of love and...