The Lord’s Prayer begins with an invocation: “Our Father in heaven.” Then Jesus teaches seven petitions to the heavenly Father. The first three petitions are God-centered: “Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The remaining petitions address our personal needs. In a real sense, the first three petitions are synonymous. They are three different ways of asking for the same thing. God’s name is hallowed when God’s kingdom comes. God’s kingdom comes when God’s will is done. This third petition is transitional. God’s name, kingdom, and will are heavenly...

If this was your last night, how would you spend it? That dark scenario is the occasion of the text. It was late Thursday night. The evening was spent in the Upper Room, observing the Passover. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and broke the news about what would soon occur.  One of them would betray him.  Another one would deny him.  All of them would desert him.  The disciples could not process these unbelievable predictions. They would not have long to try. The predicted events were imminent. Within hours, what Jesus said to and about them would come to pass. Under these circumstances, Jesus led the disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He would not leave a free man. Judas led...

In Ruthless Trust, Brennan Manning wrote: “Let’s say I interviewed ten people, asking each the same question – “Do you trust God?” And each answered, “Yes, I trust God,” but nine of the ten actually did not trust him. How would I find out which one of the ragamuffins was telling the truth? I would videotape each of the ten lives for a month and then, after watching the videos, pass judgment using this criterion: the person with an abiding spirit of gratitude is the one who trusts God.”  Manning concludes: “The foremost quality of a trusting disciple is gratefulness.” That’s a big claim! The double miracle in Luke 17:11-19 backs...

The first line of The Lord’s Prayer teaches us how to approach God in prayer: “Our Father in heaven.” The remainder of the prayer petitions the heavenly Father. The first petition is, “Hallowed be your name.” Sincere prayer is God-centered. Prayer is about what God wants from us before what we want from God. To say that God wants something from us does not mean God needs anything from us. God is self-existence. He does not need our faith. God is holy. He does not need our moral support. God is sovereign. He does not need our permission. God owns...

I often say that I was the last to know that the Lord was sending me to Jacksonville. On my first visit, I was assured that I was only filling the pulpit as a guest speaker. On my second visit, I felt I was on assignment to preach a message to the Shiloh Church and never see them again. On my third visit, after the church had called me to be its new pastor, I came to tell the church why I was not coming. The Lord had other plans.  I had spent my life in one city and one...

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Old Testament references to the throne of God declare the holiness, glory, and sovereignty of God. In Christ, the throne of God is a fountain of grace and mercy. Yet it remains a throne. It is a seat of divine authority. It is the place from which God reigns over heaven and earth. Jesus says: Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.”  In...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you to preach faithfully, clearly, and better.  In this episode, H.B. discusses ten ways to conclude a sermon. An effective sermon conclusion is brief, singular, and persuasive.  What are the ten ways to conclude a sermon effectively?  Summary Climax Application  Challenge  Solution  Vision-Casting  Testimony  Illustration  Celebration  Invitation  HBC2 RESOURCES:  On Preaching by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Pastoring by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Worship by H.B. Charles Jr.  It Happens After Prayer by H.B. Charles Jr.  The Difference Jesus Makes by H.B. Charles Jr.

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better.  In this episode, H.B. discusses the pitfalls of sermon preparation.  Having no sermon plan. Busyness.  Ministerial sloth.  Not eliminating distractions.  Starting too late.  Neglecting the biblical text.  Not allowing the text to speak to you personally.  Consulting too many resources.  Failing to strive for clarity.  Sloppy sermon structure.  Prayerlessness.  HBC2 RESOURCES:  On Preaching by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Pastoring by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Worship by H.B. Charles Jr.  It Happens After Prayer by H.B. Charles Jr.  The Difference Jesus Makes by H.B. Charles Jr.

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you to preach faithfully, clearly, and better.  In this episode, H.B. discusses collecting study tools for biblical preaching.  Build your library strategically. Start with the basics.  Ask the help.  Get the best works.  Make friends with authors.  Date before you marry.  Buy individual commentaries.  Find used copies.  Decide between physical and electronic.  Cover the bases.  Good preaching is impossible without study, and study is impossible without good books. - John R.W. Stott HBC2 RESOURCES:  On Preaching by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Pastoring by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Worship by H.B. Charles Jr. ...

On August 26, at the age of 86, John A. Reed Jr. quietly fell asleep in Jesus’s arms. His passing didn’t register on most people’s radar. But the news of his death had wide and strong aftershocks for many in Oklahoma City and around the country who knew and loved “Pops” or “Pop Reed.” The nicknames say a lot about the man and his ministry. Those like me who knew Reed viewed him as a father figure. Lifetime Legacy Reed was born in the home of a pastor. He was a U.S. Army veteran, a graduate of Langston University, and,...

The disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus answered, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom.”  Childlikeness is the way to kingdom greatness. It is also the way to kingdom citizenship. You must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven. To be accepted into the kingdom is to be adopted by the King. Citizens of the kingdom are children of the King. Jesus affirms this in the invocation of The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven.” The...

Psalm 119 is a long, complex, and beautiful poem that celebrates the sufficiency of Scripture to meet every need of the human soul. It begins with a declaration of blessing for those who live according to God’s word. Psalm 119:1-3 declares, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!” The one who lives with confidence in God’s word is blessed. However, this blessing must be defined as divine approval...