I Will Be With Thee

Dear Readers,

On this coming Sunday, we will begin a journey through the exciting book of Joshua. The first Chapter itself contains striking repetition of key phrases that cause us as readers to rise to the edge of our seats, but also reinforce the truths the phrases convey. Given that motif of repetition, and the comfort that one derives from the words of Jehovah's promise, I composed this little responsive reading for use in our worship service Sunday. The reading alternates between lines of iambic pentameter and the phrase itself lifted from Joshua 1. It is my prayer that God uses the reading and the truth of His accompanying presence to encourage us whatever we face in our lives. Effort has been made to trace the events of Joshua's story through the reading itself.

Blessings,

Pastor Billy

“I Will Be With Thee”*

A Responsive Reading for Congregational Worship
by Pastor Billy Shaw
(for use in conjunction with Joshua Chapter 1)

When I alone cannot fulfill Thy will
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When I face waters deep I cannot cross
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When I face walls too thick for me to breach
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When I wage war with terrifying foes
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When I repent of all my hidden sin
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When at a loss and desperate for a Guide
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When teaching all my house to serve Your Name
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”

When it is time for me to journey Home
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with Thee”




* The Congregation will read the portions in bold typeface.

Wednesday's Words

Respect for the Word of God

On this past Saturday, one of the men in our Church and I went knocking on doors to invite folks to our Church for Easter. A very gracious Muslim gentleman welcomed us into his wonderful home. We were exploring my statement that Jesus Christ claimed to be more than one of the Four Great Teachers, but that He actually claimed to be God. This leaves us with the dilemma of the ages - either Jesus is God or He is a fraud - there can be no middle ground. We engaged in this discussion gingerly and respectfully. And He brought me four books that he called "holy books." Among them were the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and of course the Koran. He even had the New Testament translated into his mother tongue Swahili. As we browsed these books, I was taken back by the fact that he a) washed his hands before handling any of them b) kept every corner that had torn off of them because it was sacred. His treatment of these books, even those he felt were tainted from their original state, was all based upon the fact that he believed they had come straight from the mouth and hand of God. As a conservative Southern Baptist, I believe that. Do I treat God's Word with the same level of respect as this gentleman treated his four holy books? You talk about a convicting afternoon.

Tuesday's Two-Cents

Dear Readers, :)

How absolutely devastated I was to learn of a viscious terrorist attack in Russia yesterday. As the news was breaking to us in the US, and as the faces of horror were posted online, I could not get these victims' families off my mind. The day must have started like any other - who would've ever thought that they would be victims of a terrorist attack?

How does God want us to respond in the wake of a tragedy like this? Amazingly, some people find it in themselves to blame God for these things and/or to indicate that His judgment is responsible. I have not heard that in connection with the bombings in Russia, but none of us are in a position to make such a claim - ever. There has never been a better time to lift up these victims' families and the citizens of the surrounding area in prayer. Prayer is our most powerful resource in the War against Terror. Psalm 22:27 speaks of a day when, "All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You."

Let us remember why God has so graciously allowed us to stay on this planet: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47) As Christians, we should come together and pray for the nation of Russia as they grieve this cowardly act, and let us also remember our international missionaries as they serve our Savior around the world.

Pastor Billy Shaw, First Baptist Church Stanley