Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church

03/14/2026

02/28/2026

Walking Wisely
By Charles Stanley

The Lord wants us to walk wisely so we can enjoy the blessings He longs to give us.
Ephesians 5:15-17

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul is teaching how to develop a lifestyle of righteousness. He gives three instructions about making godly choices. He says to ...

“Be careful how you walk” (Eph. 5:15). Unless we deliberately choose to guard ourselves, we will simply do what comes naturally without thinking through our actions.

“Make the most of your time” (v. 16). God has entrusted each of us with the time and opportunities to participate in His plans for us. But we are tempted to squander our time and energy on other pursuits without considering what our heavenly Father may have in mind for us.

“Understand what the will of the Lord is” (v. 17). In its broadest sense, God’s will for us is that we would each become the person He created us to be and that we’d do the work He has planned specifically for us to carry out (Eph. 2:10). Knowing this, we should evaluate our choices through a spiritual “filter” and ask ourselves if they’ll further our Father’s purposes.

The Lord wants us to walk wisely so we can enjoy all the marvelous benefits that He’s promised in His Word and longs to give us. Let’s commit to make each and every day count for Jesus Christ instead of merely living for ourselves.

02/20/2026

02/20/2026

Working Out Your Salvation
By Charles Stanley

We don't have to work for salvation; rather, we rely on the Holy Spirit to change us from within.
Philippians 2:12-13

In today’s passage, what does it mean to “work out your salvation”? Many people mistakenly think Paul was telling us to work for our salvation. But the apostle was saying something completely different—that your salvation experience isn’t the end of your spiritual journey. It’s the beginning.

Once you have trusted Jesus as Savior, you can start living out what He’s given you—His abundant life. If you’ve given your heart to Him, the Holy Spirit now indwells you forever. It is God’s Spirit working in and through you that provides the power to lean into the fullness of your salvation.

As your faith and relationship with the Lord develop, you’ll begin to notice Him moving in your life. Then, when you share your faith and blessings with others, it will become evident that God is working through you in new ways. Keep following Him, and the seeds He has planted within you will start to flourish (Isa. 55:10-11). So “work out your salvation” means reverently acting on the basis of what God has already given you—and allowing the life of Christ within you to come into full flower.

Your salvation should become an expression of Jesus’ life wherever you are. As you work it out, God’s Spirit will energize you to make a difference and impact others in countless ways.

02/16/2026

How to Have an Abundant Life
By Charles Stanley

True fulfillment comes when we seek God above everything else.
Psalm 16:11

In public, most people seem happy. But beneath the surface, some likely feel empty. In fact, it’s possible to be in a large crowd and yet feel alone.

There’s a reason why this can occur: Man was created with a yearning that only God is able to satisfy. Individuals cannot be fulfilled until they experience His transforming and unconditional love. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). In other words, the Lord wants us to feel complete, which can happen only through a relationship with Him.

However, even a person who is saved can feel empty. At times this results from disobedience: A detour in one’s walk with the Lord can become a way of life, depriving a believer of deep satisfaction. It’s also possible for Christians to live according to God’s Word without fully surrendering to the Father. For example, many believers still try to fill their own void with achievements, wealth, or relationships. When such aspirations are given higher priority than the Lord, they can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction. An abundant life is possible only when we seek God above all else. Pray for His guidance as you search your heart. Confess any sin and ask God to fill your life as only He can do.

02/14/2026

Showing Agape Love
By Charles Stanley

Divine love enables us to forgive, serve generously, and restore those who have fallen.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Yesterday, we saw that agape, or unconditional love, empowers us to respond calmly to difficulties, show patience while waiting, and sacrifice without complaint. We demonstrate agape when we ...

Forgive. Once the prodigal son returned, love made it possible for his father to let go of past hurts and forgive the young man (1 Peter 4:8). We can do the same for people who hurt us, though that doesn’t mean we should allow the harm to continue.

Act generously. The son came home with few expectations. His father greeted him and dressed him in the finest garments. Godly love, which keeps no record of wrongs, made it possible to show such generosity.

Serve joyfully. Upon receiving back what “was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:32), the father hosted a celebration. He expressed his love by letting joy overflow in service to others.

Restore those who fall. The one who both abandoned his father and squandered his inheritance was again given the rights of a son.

When we sin, our heavenly Father patiently waits for us to turn back to Him. He accepts our repentance, rejoices in our return, and restores intimacy with Him. And we’re meant to extend agape to others. With whom could you share this love?

02/12/2026

Doing God’s Work God’s Way
By Charles Stanley

Every part of the believer’s life should be characterized by steady reliance upon the Holy Spirit.
Zechariah 4:1-7

It’s easy to think that life should be divided into two separate parts: the secular, which seems separate from the Lord, and the spiritual. But we are God’s children, so every aspect of life is to be an expression of that divine relationship.

Our culture wants us to believe that we can accomplish much without God. People will point out our human strengths, like education or skills and assure us that we have all that is necessary for success. The implication is that we don’t need God. And Satan relies on this tactic because he always wants to turn us away from reliance upon the Lord.

The Bible tells us something different. To do God’s work God’s way means we must rely on His Spirit instead of depending on ourselves. When we’re leaning on the Spirit’s strength and wisdom, we will ...

Be fully persuaded we’ll fail without God’s active presence.

Seek to please God alone and not compromise.

Look expectantly for the Holy Spirit to work.

Spend more time thanking and praising Him.

Exhibit joy, a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

The lives of God’s children are to be characterized by steady reliance upon the Holy Spirit, a bond that changes everything.

02/10/2026

The Cost of Running From God
By Charles Stanley

Even when God’s will seems unclear to us, we can choose to trust in His goodness and respond with faith.
Jonah 4:9-11

You would think a life-threatening storm and a few days in a fish’s belly would shake some sense into a person. Yet that wasn’t the case with Jonah. The final paragraphs of his story reveal a prophet who technically obeyed God but allowed his heart to remain on the run.

Jonah paid a high price for running from the Lord—he endured many physical, social, and emotional consequences for trying to ignore God’s instructions. But when those events were long past, Jonah still grappled with the spiritual cost of his flight. He lived with anger and a bitterness so strong that he begged God for the relief that death would bring.

As believers, we cannot disobey the Lord without paying a price. Perhaps you have a habit, a desire, or a current course of action that you know is against God’s will. Have you considered the cost? The Lord is holy and righteous, and tolerating sin is incompatible with who He is. What’s more, the price for following our own will is high, but if we obey the Lord, He will bless us (Deut. 5:33). We can trust in His love for His children, even if we don’t understand exactly what He’s calling us to do—or why.

02/09/2026

God’s Plans Will Prevail
By Charles Stanley

Rebellion against God produces heartache.
Jonah 1:1-17

Jonah fled toward Tarshish to escape God’s plan. Perhaps the prophet thought that ignoring a divine command would cause the Lord to withdraw or change it. Instead, God dramatically intervened in Jonah’s life until he submitted.

Jonah believed he had good reason to be reluctant. The Ninevites were a brutal civilization determined to conquer Israel. So walking across the city while crying, “Nineveh will be overthrown” was a frightening thought. And, as the prophet later revealed, he worried that God would spare the city if the people repented (Jonah 4:2). Jonah wanted them destroyed for what they had done to his people. His reasons for fleeing seemed right in his own eyes. But God was not deterred.

There’s no justification for rebellion. God desires our obedience. He has reasons for asking us to take a specific action, and His purposes are always good.

The Lord doesn’t change His plan to suit our purpose. Rather, He’ll use events, people, circumstances, and the prompting of the Holy Spirit to move us into the center of His will. For your own benefit, go willingly. You may not particularly like the task God assigns, but if He wants it done, then trust that it must be worthwhile.

01/30/2026

Hope: The Anchor of the Soul
By Charles Stanley

Jesus is our sure and steady hope—we can cling to Him through any trial.
Hebrews 6:13-20

An anchor was a popular image in the ancient Mediterranean world. Because that economy depended on shipping, the anchor symbolized safety and steadiness. The writer of Hebrews used the word to remind believers that God has given a hope that holds firm in any storm (6:19).

Hope is a healthy attitude. Anticipating good brings comfort to the mind and heart. In contrast, hopelessness is painful. It’s overwhelming and depressing to think that what you’re facing cannot improve. For the person who has lost all hope, life feels like an endless, dark tunnel.

Included in Proverbs is a verse that describes the result of this oppressive feeling: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Prov. 13:12). But with our eternal and all-powerful God, no situation is hopeless. In Him, we have the promise of the second half of that proverb: “Desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Believers have a hope that anchors their soul. Our relationship with Jesus brings us close to the throne of heaven, where we can cast all our burdens before the Lord. Moreover, we can cling to Him through any trial that comes our way. He lights that darkened tunnel and tenderly guides us through trying situations.

01/29/2026

The Moments That Sustain Us
By Charles Stanley

How can we quiet our distractions long enough to hear God's voice?

Psalm 145:1-5

Do you find that peace comes naturally, or does it feel like a constant struggle to attain? Sometimes it seems as if so many things are actively working against our peace that our spirit may never know a moment’s rest. How can we quiet distractions long enough to hear God’s voice?

The key is found in meditating. Perhaps you’re thinking, Meditation is too self-focused; it serves no purpose in a Christian’s life. But the truth is, meditation is not about listening to yourself; on the contrary, it is about quieting your own mind and listening for the gentle whispers of the Lord (Ps. 119:15).

Think about your prayer life. Whose voice is more prominent—yours or the Father’s? For most people, the vast majority of prayer time is spent talking to God, thanking Him for what He’s done, and asking for help. The Lord does tell us to let our requests be made known to Him (Phil. 4:6). But if you never spend time listening closely for a response, how will you know what He wants to communicate to you?

The time we spend listening to the Lord is a good indication of how much we respect and enjoy our relationship with Him. Consider your own prayer habits, and if you feel things could improve, commit to listen for what God wants to share.