Additional Information

The Lord pressed it upon my heart in October of 2019 to go out and feed the homeless regularly.  I was obedient and have been doing that ever since.  

Each month we choose an area of Los Angeles and we pass out  bags of hope that include food, biblical tract written by  yours truly and sometimes other biblical literature.  The people are truly grateful for the food.  It warms my heart to know that I am making someone's day just a little bit better.

The name, Hope of the 5000, is symbolic of when Jesus fed the 5000.  

If you would like to donate, you may do so by paypal: hopeofthe5000@gmail.com

or cashapp:

$hopeofthe5000

I spent many years at the crossroads of life, not knowing whether to serve the Lord or the world. Then I had this dream that really changed me:

I was in the lobby of a building on Wilshire Boulevard here in Los Angeles one evening facing the entrance door while standing in front of the receptionist desk. The only light in the lobby came from the table positioned against the wall. While standing there waiting, the devil walked in. I instantly knew it was him in my spirit. He was in the form of a man, average height, thin, but the skin on his face was grotesque and a color I had never seen before. It looked to be a mixture of gray, green, cobalt blue mixed together. His pants were a faded swamp green. He stood in front of the door. There was about 15 feet between us. I remember wondering in those few moments why he seemed weak to me. He asked in a gentle voice, “Can I have your soul?” I shook my head no. He stepped forward hesitantly and paused as if he was waiting for me to give him permission to come any further. I did not. He asked again in a gentle voice, “Can I have your soul?” I shook my head no again and then immediately two angels descended down, one on each side of me, and we ascended up through the ceiling into the sky. As we were ascending, I felt my body lying in my bed on my back breathing rapidly as if I were on a roller coaster. I felt as if I were in two places at once. We finally got to the last cloud, and I saw a city. It was the most beautiful city I had ever seen. There was this gigantic building that was made of crystals. It was so large that if I stood next to it, you would probably not be able to make me out, but what was so extraordinary about this city was the light. It was far superior to any light here on earth. It was pure and holy and that was the light that lit the city. I saw this city in what seemed like two seconds, and then I woke up.

I immediately knew that dream was from the Lord. I told a Reverend about this dream, and he said that God was letting me know that He wants my soul but so does the devil. I spent the next few years on edge until I finally surrendered and gave the Lord my life. It was the best decision I had ever made. 

Our lives here on earth are so short compared to eternity. We get on average about 75 years to make a decision that will affect us for all eternity. God loved us so much that he sacrificed his only Son so that we can be reconciled back to him because sin had separated us from him. How awesome is that! Through the simple act of a verbal confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the repentance of sins, we get our names written in the Book of Life.

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the day third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord for saving me and living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email me at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, but it has become very commercialized with emphasis and focus being put on Santa Claus, decorations, Christmas trees, stockings, and secular holiday music. I remember growing up as a kid excited to open my gifts of toys and clothes. Those are great memories, but we must remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. 

Jesus was God’s gift to the world. That if we repent and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior then we would be saved from our sins and be reconciled back to God. Sin had separated mankind from God. Because God loved us so much, He sent Jesus to bear our sins on the cross. How awesome is that?!! 

How can we celebrate Christmas without acknowledging Jesus Christ? For the root word in CHRISTMAS is CHRIST. We give gifts during the season because the wise men brought gifts. Christmas songs such as: Away in a Manger, O Come All Ye Faithful, and Go Tell It on a Mountain are songs about the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Secular Christmas songs such as Frosty the Snowman and Jingle Bells may be fun songs to sing-along to because they can get you into the holiday spirit of joy and laughter, yet they have nothing to do with Jesus Christ, who is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. 

Christmas is a time where family members who haven’t seen each other all year come together to celebrate the holiday. Maybe you don’t have family to go home to? Maybe you are in a situation where you cannot get home to family for the holiday. Remember that Jesus is a friend in times of loneliness. He is a comfort in times of distress. He can bring joy in times of sadness. Our only HOPE is Jesus Christ. That’s why God gave him as the ultimate sacrifice.  No other name under the heavens can save us. Only the name of JESUS.

John 19:30 states: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 

Jesus completed the work that God, the Father, sent him to do. There is nothing else to be done regarding this great salvation, except for the lost to receive salvation by repenting and for the saved to share the gospel.

My prayer: Thank you Jesus for defeating death at the cross. You are a wonderful savior. I bless your name. I praise your holy name. For without you, I can do nothing. You are the reason I have eternal life. Thank you for that most precious gift. 

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the day third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email me at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

The New Year can bring new beginnings, new ideas, new thoughts, and new things, but Jesus Christ brings new life. Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

When you accept Christ as your Savior, you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. The blood of Jesus washes away your sins, and therefore God does not remember the sins you committed in your old man once you put on your new man. That murder you committed when you were in your sins, that abortion you had when you were in college, those drugs you used to take, the fornication you engaged in regularly, the robbing and stealing from stores and from people; all those sins you were guilty of? The blood of Jesus has freed you from the charges. Jesus dropped the charges. 

Some people are so ashamed of the things that they’ve done that they think Jesus will not forgive them. Why wouldn’t he? What was the purpose of him dying on the cross if he won’t forgive you? 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Satan is a master deceiver, and he has tricked these people into thinking that there is no point in asking God for forgiveness. And there is a point. The point is Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16

God loved you so much that He sacrificed His only Son to free you from sin and death. How awesome is that? To have a God to do that for us! Won’t you accept this great salvation???? To start off the New Year as a new man or a new woman in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

Happy New Year, and I pray God’s blessing upon your life. 

Who the Son sets free is free indeed!

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email me at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

February is the month where we celebrate our love for our significant other, but there is no greater love than the love that God, the Father, has for each and every one of us. John 3:16 states, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That’s just how much God loved us!

Love is an action; it’s not just warm, fuzzy feelings even though that may be part of it. God proved his love through action. The action part was sacrificing his Son. God does not have to do anymore to prove his love to us even though he continues to prove himself every day. He has given us the greatest gift already: eternal life through his Son, Jesus. God’s great love for us is the reason why we have hope. Without Jesus, there is no hope. When Jesus came into the world, he brought new life, new hope and new joy; all because of God’s love for us. 

We love God because he first loved us.  We are not capable of loving God the way he loves us because his love for us is unmatched, but we can prove our love to God through obedience and obeying his commandments. Our love for God, the Father and Jesus should be greater than the love we have for our own family. Matthew 10:37, He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Salvation is personal, and the love you have for your family should not trump the love that you must have for Christ for it was Christ that sacrificed his life for us, so that we may have eternal life. Your mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, aunt, uncle and cousins did not die on any cross for the sins of the world. Only Jesus did, who was sent by God, the Father. Therefore, our love for God and Jesus should be more than the love we have for our family no matter how difficult that may sound.

The two greatest commandments given by Jesus are, 

1.  Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. 

2. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Matthew 22: 37-39

God is love. Because God loved us, we must love one another, and show that love by doing no ill toward one another. 

Who the Son sets free is free indeed!

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email me at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Some people are under the impression that the good that they do will get them into heaven. People who think this way clearly are relying on their own self-righteousness. In Mark 10:17-18, it reads as follows: And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. Even Jesus in all his perfection did not refer to himself as good. Then it that case, how can we, who are full of imperfections refer to ourselves as good? In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Apostle Paul wrote, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

There is no goodness in us which is why we needed a Savior. We couldn’t keep the law, but faith in Jesus Christ fulfills the righteousness of the law. We are not saved because we are good. We are saved because God, who is good, sent his only begotten Son to die for our sins because He loved us so much. There is no good in us. 

Our definition of good differs from God’s definition of good. By nature, we are sinful due to the fall of Adam and Eve. And because God sets the standard, he has the final say. His standard is Jesus Christ. We don’t set the criteria on how to get to heaven. God sets the criteria. His criteria are accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, living holy, and obeying his word. It doesn’t matter how many homeless people you feed, how much money you give to the poor, how many good works you do, nor how many people can give a glowing testimony of your character.  If you reject Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you will not meet the criteria to get into heaven. It’s as simple as that. God is righteous and holy, and because He is holy, He must judge sin. 

Don’t let Satan, the adversary, fool you into thinking that you just need to be a good person and do good things for other people to people to get eternal life. If that was the case, then we wouldn’t need a Savior. Satan will use people closest to you to try to keep you from experiencing the goodness of God through his Son, such as parents, a spouse, siblings or close friends. On judgment day when you stand before God, they will matter very little, if at all, because you will only care about your soul and your eternal destination. There are only two destinations: heaven or hell!

Choose today who you will serve!

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email me at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Just like Christmas, Easter is a holiday that has been very commercialized with egg hunts, jellybean candy, chocolate candy, Easter baskets, and the Easter bunny. These have absolutely nothing to do with why we as Christians celebrate Easter. We celebrate Easter because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After Jesus was crucified, he spent three days in the grave and then he rose again. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Christ died and rose again so that we may live and have eternal life. If it wasn’t for Christ dying and rising again, we would all be doomed. 

The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is what life is all about. We can eat, drink and be merry, but what good is all of that without Christ. This earth that we live on is temporary. Our lives are temporary. The average person lives about 75 years. Can you compare 75 years to that of eternity? Seventy-five years is nothing compared to eternity. Eternity is forever. It never ends. Many of us can only see the natural, but the spiritual is more real than the natural. God sent Jesus to keep us from the eternal fate that the devil and his angels are doomed to. John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Salvation is a free gift, the best gift you could ever receive. Thank God for God! 

Look at the times we are living in. Even unbelievers are referring to biblical prophecy to explain the phenomena that’s taking place all over the world, locusts, plagues, earthquakes, floods, rumors of wars. There’s no better time than right now to get right with the Lord. 

As we celebrate Easter, let’s remember that it’s all about Jesus and what he did for us. It’s not about candy, eggs and bunnies. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:17 For those who are in Christ Jesus, I pray your strength in the Lord.

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

During this troubling time that we are living in, Jesus has promised never to leave nor forsake us. We can depend on God to keep us, protect us and provide for us. Now is not the time to turn away from God. This time that we are living in with the coronavirus and the quarantine is a season that will test us to see how strong our faith is in God. Will we look to him to be our help?

We are not to live in fear. Why? Because fear is of the enemy. 2 Timothy 1:7 states, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. If you find yourself afraid, then you must ask yourself: How strong is my faith in God? Psalm 91 is the perfect scripture for a time like this. Meditate on this scripture and look to God to keep you safe from harm.

Psalm 91

1, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2, I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3, Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4, He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5, Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6, Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7, A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8, Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9, Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10, There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11, For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12, They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13, Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14, Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15, He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16, With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. 

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Do you ever hear your peers say that we owe our ancestors because of the sacrifices they have made? Do you ever hear people say that we owe our parents because they took care of us when we were young? Is there someone out there you owe money to? Or is there someone who owes you money? Or if someone provides a service to us and does a good job, we usually have to pay money. The money is what we owe, correct? Well, my question to you is this? What do you owe Jesus?

Jesus endured humiliation and shame at the cross for our sakes. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus in Isaiah 52:14 when he wrote, As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: Jesus was beaten so badly that he was unrecognizable, and it was God’s will for Jesus to endure that kind of pain for our sins. Yet, you will rarely hear anyone speak about what they owe Jesus. Everything Jesus went through was for us. Matthew 27:28-31: And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 

They beat him even before they crucified him! They put nails in his hands; they pierced his side! He endured that kind of pain for me and for you! And he endured it with a humble spirit. How many of you would endure that kind of pain for people who you know will still reject you? He and the Father knew that many still wouldn’t accept, but out of God’s great love for us, he sent his only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins! 

What do you owe Jesus? Your life. That’s what you owe him. He gave his life for you and for me. What we can do is accept him as our personal Savior, live holy and spread the gospel. 

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen 

You do not have forever to sin.  You do not know when your time is up nor when the Son of man cometh.  Jesus stated in Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Therefore be ye ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

I have observed many people saying things such as, "Well, he ain't come yet," or "They have been saying that for years," or "Jesus ain't coming to save you." Things of that nature.  It's interesting that people can say that because those same people who say that would have gotten LEFT BEHIND if Jesus had come back already.  They should be glad he has not come yet because they are not ready to go back with him.  It is amazing how Satan can use pride to deceive us.  Those same people are very prideful, and of course, lack faith.  That is why God is so great, because He is giving mankind chance after chance to repent so that when He does come back, many can go back with him.   He is longsuffering.  Mankind lacks patience and expects God to do things in their time.  God works in his own time, not ours.  

You don't have forever to sin. If you are in sin and are convicted (your heart is pricked), repent.  Satisfying your flesh for a temporary moment of pleasure is not worth spending eternity in the lake of fire.  Sinning for a temporary time on this earth in exchange for an eternity in the lake of fire is a bad deal the devil wants you take.  Living for Christ for a temporary time on this earth for an eternity in heaven is a great deal that the devil does not want you to take.  

Choose today who you will serve.  

If you want to be saved, just say this simple prayer and watch God change your life!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

Beware of false prophets! Second Peter, second chapter, warns us of them:

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not…….

The bible warns us that there will be many who come as wolves in sheep’s clothing, and they will bring in heresies, but God will swiftly judge them. Be careful because false prophets care absolutely nothing about your soul! That is why they are false! The thing about false prophets is that most of their messages are full of the truth. That is why they are able to deceive because if everything they said was false, people would easily be able to know that they are false. They speak flattering truths and that one lie. The best place to hide a lie is between two truths. That is how they get people to swallow the lie, to put it between two truths. Here is an example: if you dislike the taste of mayonnaise alone, you are not going to eat it, but if you put it gently on a slice of bread and add meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and any other ingredient you like, then you are more likely to tolerate it due to all of the other ingredients. You may not even taste it depending on how much is on the bread. Does that mean it is not there? No. It is still there. That is how Satan works. To get you to swallow a lie, he covers it up with truth. 

Ask the Lord for discernment. Your soul is too precious and valuable.

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins.  I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

While it is said, “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” – Hebrews 3:15

The Lord is still saving souls today. It is not His will that any soul should perish. If the Lord is knocking at your heart, then answer the knock. We don’t know when the Lord shall return, and at the same time, our lives are not promised to us. Each day that is lived in unrepentance is a day lived in risk. God is a merciful God, and that is one of the great things about our God. He is full of mercy and grace. Some of us should have been dead, but God’s mercy and grace kept us alive long enough to accept salvation. 

Satan is a deceiver. He blinds the minds of those who are in sin to make them think that their lives will not be as fulfilling if they live for Christ. Satan is the father of lies. Living in sin is living in bondage. Jesus came to free us from the bondage of sin and death. There is freedom in serving Christ. There is a peace in the heart and an assurance of the soul. You no longer live in fear nor on the edge because Jesus Christ gives assurance. How wonderful it is to be a child of the Most High God! Won’t you serve Him? He is wonderful, awesome in power and just marvelous. He is clothed in honor and majesty and He is the Great I Am. Hallelujah! What a wonderful God we serve. Thank God for God. 

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

Are you one of those people constantly worried about what people think of you? If you are, then other people’s opinions of you have become your god. What does the bible say in Exodus 20:3? Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

I was looking at this video online where this woman was expressing her insecurities about what others think of her. As the bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, ……… for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  My answer to that young lady and to all who are overly concerned with what people think of you: Do you think on Judgment Day when you are standing before God that you will care about those people’s opinions of you? If your answer is no, then you should not care about it now. Only God’s thoughts of you count at the end of the day. 

This does not mean you should carry yourself in any kind of way because it is important to make a good first impression, but other people’s opinions of you should not have precedence over thinking on the good things of God, heavenly things. We don’t realize that idolatry is not just bowing down worshipping man-made images; idolatry is also putting your primary affections on anything or anyone that should be reserved solely for God. That is why God brought swift judgment against the Israelites every time they turned to idols because God will not share his glory with another. He is the true, living God, and there is no other.

Jesus was perfect, and he was still criticized and hated. What makes you think that the world will throw roses at your feet? Jesus said that the world hated him first and therefore, for those of us, who are followers of Christ, will hate us too. Stop pining over other people’s approval of you. You should seek validation from God, not man. God will determine who gets into heaven, not man. As a Christ follower, many will not like you anyway. And they should not because friendship with the world is enmity against God (James 4:4). I, for one, would never want to be an enemy of God’s.

If you would like to accept Jesus into your life, pray this prayer.

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2). It amazes me that there are some people who think that heaven and hell are not literal places. What would be the point of living an earthly life if there was nothing afterwards. Why would God create such a world as this if there was nothing after it? The point of God creating the world is to have a man worship and serve him. Before the fall of man, Adam and Eve were going to live forever. That was God’s original purpose, but sin brought about death, a physical death in that God had to limit our years on this physical earth. To reconcile us back to Him, God sent the second Adam, Jesus, to redeem us. The redemption brought about new life, in that those who accept Jesus as their personal life will live forever. God’s original plan was for man to live forever, but without sin! When the saints of God get our new glorified bodies, we will be like the angels. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21). 

Satan has really blinded the minds of people. There is a heaven and there is a hell. If God created such a wonderful place, heaven, for those who truly love Him, can abide, then He most definitely created a hell for those who do not love Him and does not do what He says. 

For those of you who think that you can get into heaven by being a “good person”, even Jesus told the rich man not to call him good because there is no one good but the Father (Mark 10:18). No matter how good you think you are, if you have lied, you are a liar; if you have stolen before, no matter how small or trivial the item, then you are a thief. You may look in the mirror and see a good person, but when God looks at you, he sees a sinner. That’s why He had to send Jesus because our own righteousness could not save us. To get into heaven, Jesus is the standard. There is no other way. 

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2). It amazes me that there are some people who think that heaven and hell are not literal places. What would be the point of living an earthly life if there was nothing afterwards. Why would God create such a world as this if there was nothing after it? The point of God creating the world is to have a man worship and serve him. Before the fall of man, Adam and Eve were going to live forever. That was God’s original purpose, but sin brought about death, a physical death in that God had to limit our years on this physical earth. To reconcile us back to Him, God sent the second Adam, Jesus, to redeem us. The redemption brought about new life, in that those who accept Jesus as their personal life will live forever. God’s original plan was for man to live forever, but without sin! When the saints of God get our new glorified bodies, we will be like the angels. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21). 

Satan has really blinded the minds of people. There is a heaven and there is a hell. If God created such a wonderful place, heaven, for those who truly love Him, can abide, then He most definitely created a hell for those who do not love Him and does not do what He says. 

For those of you who think that you can get into heaven by being a “good person”, even Jesus told the rich man not to call him good because there is no one good but the Father (Mark 10:18). No matter how good you think you are, if you have lied, you are a liar; if you have stolen before, no matter how small or trivial the item, then you are a thief. You may look in the mirror and see a good person, but when God looks at you, he sees a sinner. That’s why He had to send Jesus because our own righteousness could not save us. To get into heaven, Jesus is the standard. There is no other way. 

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

New life, new joy and new hope was brought into the world when Jesus was born! Jesus is the reason for the season! Let’s not forget that as we celebrate this holiday season with our loved ones. This is my favorite time of year! Celebrating the birth of Jesus reminds us of why he was sent into the world. For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). 

God sent his Son to save us, not condemn us. That’s how much He loved us, that He sacrificed his Son. What a great love! Praise the Lord. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ makes life worth living, at least for me. I try to think on my life before I was saved. I can barely conceive it. I do not want to live without Him. Living for Jesus is the best life. It’s a superior life! It’s a wonderful life! Trials, tribulations, persecutions will be present seasonally, but guess what? We have Savior who will fight our battles. He is our insurance that gives us an assurance! 

During this holiday season, as you see all of the secular decorations, propaganda, and hear the songs, remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. Give praise and honor to Him, not Santa Claus! Santa cannot come down your chimney, and he most certainly, cannot save your soul!

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Happy New Year! Blessed be the name of the Lord in the year 2021. How awesome it is to serve the true, living God. Will you put your trust in Jesus this year? He will see you through. He will be a friend when you’re lonely. He will be a provider when you’re wanting. He will be your ever-present help in your time of need. 

If you are reading this, then God has blessed you to live through one of the toughest years of the world’s history, 2020. We have a lot to thank God for. People have a tendency to overlook God thinking all might and power is in their hands, but we cannot do anything unless God allows it. He is our creator, and we are at His mercy. The things we do that we think make us so great, it’s because God allowed it. Yet, many times he doesn’t get the glory and honor. I would be afraid to take credit for something God did. He is a jealous God. If you read the bible, each time God became jealous, disaster fell upon the person or persons who ignited His jealousy. Remember King Herod in the bible? He gave a grand speech, and the people started to worship him as a god. He did not give the praise to the true, living God, and God struck him dead immediately. This year, we should ask God to give us a mind to humble ourselves and to stay humble and not exalt ourselves. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. – Luke 14:11

Putting your trust in Jesus is an act of humility. What we think is our own power and might, is simply God’s grace and mercy. We would be shocked if God exposed to us the many times, the enemy, Satan, tried to take us out with us being totally unaware. But it was his grace and mercy that hindered and stopped Satan’s efforts. 

Will you put your trust in Jesus today?

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Can you comprehend the love that God has for you? John 3:16 tells us that God loved us so much that he gave his only begotten Son what whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. How many of us would sacrifice our son? Almost none of us, I would assume. But God is such a merciful, loving God that he provided a way for us to be reconciled back to him and that is through his Son, Jesus. It is not God’s will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

There are some who claim to have God but deny Jesus. John 3:18 reads, He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. How can you deny Jesus if God sent him? Jesus is the Light that came into the world. Jesus is the new hope, new life and he brings new joy. 1 John 2:22-23, Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. John tells us that anyone who denies Jesus is the antichrist. There are many people today denying Jesus, but claiming to have the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. John calls you the antichrist. If you are the antichrist according to the word of the Lord, how can you claim to have the Father? 

Denying Jesus is the same as denying what was done on the cross. That is why God sent Jesus---so that we can be reconciled back to God, the Father. Jesus is our mediator. He stands between us and the Father. Accepting Jesus as the Son of God and believing on him, makes you eligible to go before the Father. 

If you would like to receive salvation, read the prayer aloud below:

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

The book of Psalms is full of praises for the Lord. It is one of my favorite books of the bible. It is very comforting, and many gospel songs have made from the Psalm verses. Give the Lord all the praise He is due, for He is worthy of all praise, worship, honor and glory. He is clothed in honor and majesty. He is sovereign, holy, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient. He is Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end. 

And do you know what? He loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to be the sacrificial lamb. That is how much He loved us. Will you show your gratitude today by accepting that great gift of salvation? 

Psalm 150 is one of my favorite verses in the book of Psalm.

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

I cannot get enough of praising the Lord and thanking Him. If God were to show you your life, and you saw all the times He has kept you from destruction, hurt, harm or danger, without your knowledge, you would praise Him too! 

He is worthy of your praise!!!!

If you would like to receive salvation, read the prayer aloud below:

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.

Happy Resurrection Day! I thank God for the birth, death, burial, but most of all the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For without his resurrection, we would still be in a lost state. Every year on Resurrection Day is a reminder of the imminent return of Christ. We must remain sober, vigilant and watchful because the enemy would love for us to get left behind. Living for Christ is not a hobby; it is not something you remember to do only on Sundays; it is a lifestyle. And with a lifestyle change comes a different set of priorities. Christ should be first in our lives. One way to logically answer why is because no one else gave his/her life so that we can have eternal life. Only Christ did that. As much as we love our mothers, fathers, children and spouses, they cannot give us eternal life, and therefore, should not take the place of Christ in our hearts. 

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 

Family will betray you; friends will betray you; coworkers will betray you; neighbors will betray you; but Jesus is the best friend anyone could ever have because he and the Almighty God are faithful and true. We all fall short of the glory of God, and therefore, our trust should not be in man anyway, but in God, the Father, who sent his Son, Jesus, to be the propitiation for our sins. 

Happy Resurrection Day and remember without Jesus rising from the dead, we would still be lost! Celebrate this day in thanksgiving and gratitude!

If you would like to receive salvation, read the prayer aloud below:

Dear Lord,

I humbly come to you asking you to forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified, and rose again on the third day. Wash me clean and give me a new life, a new heart, and a new mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for saving me and for living inside of me.

If you have sincerely said this prayer, you are saved. Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

If you would like to reach me to give a testimony to appear in the next tract, email at hopeofthe5000@gmail.com.

-Shalonda Reese

To God be the glory, both now and forever, Amen.