Entries by Robert Shaw

Confession & Declaration 12

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, Thus far we have covered 5 aspects of how the Blood of Jesus empowers us to overcome the accuser of the brothers. Those 5 […]

Confession & Declaration 11

1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing [of wine at the Lord’s Supper] upon which we ask [God’s] blessing, does it not mean [that in drinking it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)? The bread which we break, does it not mean [that in eating it] we participate in and share […]

Confession & Declaration 10

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, The Greek word for redemption means a liberation or release from imprisonment that has been affected by payment of a ransom; […]

Confession and Declaration 9

Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were […]

Confession and Declaration 8

Romans 3:25 Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment. […]

Confession and Declaration 7

Yesterday you were challenged to clear your spiritual vision, and break up the fallow ground of your heart through asking, “Who’s your one?” In addition, the confessions and declarations you’ve been participating in should be renewing, and transforming your mind by the Truth of God’s Word. Revelation 12: 11 states that “they overcame him by […]

Confession and Declaration 6

Revelation 12:9 And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him. Up till this present declaration […]

Confession and Declaration 5

Revelation 12:7-9 Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels went forth to battle with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought. 8 But they were defeated, and there was no room found for them in heaven any longer. 9 And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the […]

Confession and Declaration 4

Revelation 12:9 And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him. It’s interesting when you study the Bible topically. For in […]

Rise Up!

Revelation 12:9-11 And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him.10 Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, […]

Confession and Declaration – Day Two

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!” This famous quote is spoken by, who else, Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin in The Princess Bride (directed by Rob Reiner, 1987). It’s also a line from the original book by William Goldman. It may seem inconceivable, but this wordy, not particularly zippy quote is one of […]

Confession and Declaration – Day One

One of the keys to restoring spiritual vision is through the transformation that comes through declaration. Revelation 19:11 states that the “Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of all prophecy.” When we make declaration we are “prophesying” to ourselves. What is prophecy? Prophecy in its essence is the spoken words of God made manifest in […]

Merry Christmas!

All of the staff here at Bethany: John David and Charlotte, Teresa, Deanna, Jerry, Mary, Alma and Jackie and myself want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May this Christmas be a blessing for you and your loved ones. I also wanted to let you know that we […]

Aqui’ Alli’ Alla’

Read the following carefully: “GODISNOWHERE.” What did you see first: “God Is No Where” or “God Is Now Here?” If I were to arrange it in the following way what do you see: “NOwhere” or “NOWhere?” In Spanish there are three words to distinguish proximity: aqui (pronounced a-kee) = “here;” alli’ (pronounced a-yee)= “over there;” […]

They’re Just a Number

Eerily barren, the tiny uninhabited island of Hart Island sits in the shadows of Manhattan’s looming skyscrapers – a short distance but a far cry from the bright lights of New York City.   Initially named after the human heart by British cartographers because of its shape, the 131-acre island, only a mile long and 0.25 miles […]

Lottie Moon Foreign Missions Christmas Offering Goal: $1000

This morning I was praying asking the Lord what our goal should be for our Christmas offering to missions. The number I came up with was $1000. An hour or so later I received an email from Sherlyn Medlin, who is our church’s representative for this offering. She stated that after praying she felt that […]

I’m Only Human

In my last blog I asked, “What does it mean to be human?” We typically excuse our mistakes with a shrug of the shoulders and the statement, “I’m only human.” Songs have been sung attempting to rectify mistakes, or remove ourselves from taking responsibility for our actions. Yet what I’m discovering as I meditate on this question is that our answer […]

Prayers for John David

This morning I received a phone call from Charlotte regarding John David needing our prayers. Recently he was diagnosed with having malaria and is receiving medical care as we speak. Please keep him, Charlotte, the girls, Linda and James (who is traveling with John David) in your prayers. The symptoms of malaria include: Pain in […]

What Does It Mean to Be Human?

There was a time in my life when I was embittered, angry, and unforgiving towards another when the Lord revealed to me that I should release them from the expectations that I had placed upon them. When I did this it empowered me to see them as another human being. This paved the way to […]

Pray for John David and Uganda

This morning I woke up around 2 A.M. to brush my teeth, get dressed and make the drive over to Waxhaw to pick up John David, and his friend James. They are flying to Uganda for a short term mission trip to save lives – physically and eternally. After dropping them off at the airport […]

Veteran’s Day Thank You!

English writer, Christian Philosopher, and Apologist, G.K. Chesteron wrote: “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live, taking the form of a readiness to die.” “No holiday says “America” the way Veterans Day does. On this day we celebrate not just our freedom, our independence, our democracy, but the […]

Prime the Pump

One day, a man was lost in a desert without water, but he saw an old makeshift structure. He knew he couldn’t make it much longer, so he got to the covering as fast as his worn-out legs could carry him. To his surprise, inside he found a jar of pure looking water. This jar […]

Great Turkey Countdown

I’ve just gotten signed up for delivering four thanksgiving meals on Saturday, November 23. I’ve noticed that only four of us are on the list. They still have plenty of time slots available but they are filling up fast. Would you please consider going online and signing up to deliver a Thanksgiving meal? Consider that […]

Suddenly?!

Yesterday’s service was a reminder of all the many blessings that God gives us usually when we least expect them. They come upon us suddenly. In Psalm 40:1 David writes, “I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 23 has David walking through the Valley of the […]

Thursday, October 31, 2019 Would you respond to an invitation to meet Jesus and get to know Him? Are invitations limited to only special people or have millions been sent out already? How close have you come and didn’t even realize it? Is it even possible to get to know Jesus?  In the book of […]

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Dear church family thank you so much for all the cards, gifts, and blessings. Jackie and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You make it a joy and a pleasure to be your pastors and care for you. You are all such a precious gifts to us. We love you. May we […]

The Last Battle

Friday, October 25, 2019 What’s a Christian fanatic? Can a person survive after being set on fire? Is it possible to be on fire but not consumed? When I was a younger man I couldn’t stand fanatics. That is until I became one and realized that a fanatic was simply someone who loved Jesus more […]

An Ark of His Covenant

Thursday, October 24, 2019 What connection is there between the Ark of the Covenant and the Throne of God? How does Jesus fit into this powerful symbol for God? What connection is there between our worship and His Ark? Are you an ark of His Covenant? Exodus 25:17-22 And you shall make a mercy seat […]

Are You A Fan?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 Whom do you love, and whom do you hate? In your walk with Christ, does your soul – mind, will, emotions and personality – (the older brother Esau) serve the younger Spirit Man (the younger brother Jacob) or does your Spirit Man serve your Soul Man? Do your affections align with […]