Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.– Job 1:20-22   Job was a rich man and a righteous man (Job 1:1-4). Satan claimed Job was only righteous because he was rich. He accused God of bribing and buying Job off with blessings. He also accused...

LA Focus Article   H.B. Charles Make His Gospel Debut   H.B. Charles, Jr. – the widely respected pastor of 5,000 member strong, Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida – has operated with the title of “preacher” for decades. He can now add the title “recording artist” as his first solo album, Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs, debuted in the Top-10 on the Billboard Gospel Sales chart when it was recently released. The single, “I’ll Fly Away,” is already cracking the Billboard Top-100. A program director in Mobile, Alabama calls the song “traditional Gospel at its best.” Produced by...

  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.– Galatians 6:10   Galatians 6:10 issues a call to do good to others. This command drafts every Christian into service. No Christian can dodge this draft. It is not a suggestion, recommendation, or even an invitation. It is a divine mandate. The word of God commands us to do good for others to the glory of God. The Christian life is about more than what you know, say, or feel. It is about what you do....

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 When you become a Christian, God the Holy Spirit takes us residence in your heart immediately, permanently, and completely. If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you are not a Christian (Romans 8:9b). If you are a Christian, you do not need to receive the Spirit. He is already there! The indwelling Spirit gifts the believer for Christian service (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). These gifts, or gracious enablement for service to others,...

  Racism is an ugly reality of American society. You may debate if things are getting better or worse. But no one can honestly deny the reality of racism in society. It is simply and sadly the way the world is. Racism also rears its ugly head in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This should not be so. Yet, unfortunately, it is true. There is no longer the open racism of slavery or segregation. Yet the spirit of racism is evident in our inability to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15)....

  One day, a man walked the beach after a storm. Strong tides came in and out. As he strolled the shore, he noticed a little boy grabbing starfish from the sand and feverishly throwing them into the water. The man was intrigued. The beach was littered with starfish. What did the boy hope to accomplish? He had to ask what the boy was doing. “I’m saving starfish,” the boy answered, breathlessly, as he continued working. “But, son,” the man replied, “There are starfish everywhere. Do you think what you are doing will really make a difference?” Unfazed, the boy...

  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20   The Great Commission is the mission of the church. Christ commands us to make disciples by proclaiming the gospel and calling the lost to trust the crucified and risen...

  There I am, preparing to speak. Someone introduces me, who does not know me personally. So he reads from my bio. Two things capture the congregation’s attention. First, my name – H.B. Charles Jr. “Just in case you’re wondering,” he says, “H.B. does not stand for anything.” I am going to be asked about that later. Usually, I simply answer, “What can I say? My father did it to me. And I did it to my son.” Then the second, bigger details comes up. “H.B. succeeded his father’s forty-year pastorate at the age of seventeen, a senior at Los...

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. – Ephesians 6:18   January 13-20, 2019 is Prayer Emphasis Week at the Shiloh Church in Jacksonville, where I serve as pastor. As a congregation, we start the year seeking God’s guidance, power, and blessings on our lives and ministry work together. We believe it happens after prayer! There are a lot of things you can do to help the situation, after you have prayed about it. But there really is nothing you can do to...

  Which element of prayer is harder to practice? Confession? Or thanksgiving? This would seem to be an easy question to answer. The confession of sin is obviously more difficult than the offering of thanksgiving, right? Not necessarily. Pride makes our flesh resist both elements. A proud heart cannot admit in confession, “I did it.” A proud heart cannot acknowledge with thanksgiving, “I didn’t do it. God did!” For that matter, pride makes adoration, supplication, intercession difficult to practice, as well. A godly heart is filled with perpetual thanksgiving. It is not merely a national holiday. For the humble spirit that knows...

“So, how did you get from Los Angeles to Jacksonville?” I am regularly asked this question. I give the same answer each time: “The Lord dragged me to Jacksonville kicking and screaming.” This is no dig at Jacksonville or the church I serve. It is an honest statement about how my pastoral transition to Jacksonville took place in 2008. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. In a real sense, I was born and raised in a local church there. My father pastored the congregation for 40 years. More than a year after his death, I was selected to...

  I was a preacher’s kid. My father was the pastor of the church. My mother was the Minister of Music. Both made a tremendous impact on my life, faith, and ministry. My father taught me the scriptures. My mother taught me the songs of the church. I have always had a passion to sing. But I downplayed it most of the years. I was called to preach. And my father spoke negatively against “singing preachers.” He assumed that preachers sing when they don’t have anything to say. But my mother consistently encouraged me to pursue music. Throughout my two...