10 Gareths

1. Gareth Bale, footballer
2. Gareth Edwards, former rugby player
3. Gareth Malone, choirmaster
4. Gareth Thomas, former rugby player
5. Gareth Emery, DJ
6. Gareth Thomas, actor, dec
7. Gareth Jones, TV presenter
8. Gareth Chilcott, former rugby player
9. Gareth Gates, vocalist
10. Gareth Southgate, football manager

Midweek Meeting June 29 2016

We were down to nine last night but it was a good prayer meeting, everyone leading in prayer, if I remember correctly. What needs there are - people with cancer, chronic fatigue, congenital palsy, eye problems, etc. That was quite apart from everything else. I spoke on 2 Timothy 3:10-13 and especially on the warning about persecution.

• If you have never been persecuted then it is a fair question to ask, whether this is because you were never converted.
• Anyone who wants to be a Christian must know that it is going to lead to persecution of some sort or another.
• Of course, if we are persecuted we cannot assume that it is because we are Christians. It may simply be that we have made ourselves obnoxious. There is no comfort in this verse for such people.
• If we are genuinely persecuted, even though it is merely being despised and ignored and overlooked, there is reason to believe that we are true Christians.

 

Wondrous Stories

10 Brexit Observations

1. If you give the public a free choice they may not do what you expect.

2. London is in a bubble and has little clue about the rest of the country. There is even a petition for an independent London.

3. Many people do not understand how democracy works - the SNP being one example. They don't seem to realise that the vote was about the UK leaving the EU.

4. Another example is the people who have signed the petition to re-run the referendum.

5. Many people do not really understand what they are doing when they vote.

6. The best people understand democracy and look statesmanlike when they resign or accept reality. (Even George Osborne has managed to look reasonable for once).

7. Some people hate losing.

8. Not everybody automatically likes winning.

9. People (like the SNP, Sinn Fein, many Labour MPs and the BNP for example) are often quick to take advantage of the situation.

10. People will make any excuse for violence and abuse of others.

European visitor

Adding to the interest of last week's momentous events was having a new German friend. Stefan Beyer pastors a young man we have met when he has been in this country on previous occasions. Stefan came over for the Proclamation Trust's EMA in the Barbican Centre, staying with us either end of that time. It was great to get to know Stefan a little and about his church near Leipzig. I did get to the EMA for one day (the Wednesday) and was a little disappointed. I did enjoy Robin Weekes on contentment. It was a very warm and experiential message. At other times, the conference does seem to find it difficult to integrate doctrine and practice. There seems to be a veering from Hypercalvinism to Arminianism. Good people though and it was great to meet old friends.

England lose to supermarket chain

In a new low for English football, the England team lost 2-1 to Iceland. Their manager has understandably resigned. That leaves Wales to carry the flag for these islands. We'll see.

Lord's Day June 26 2016

We had good congregations morning and evening yesterday, which was encouraging. We were saying goodbye to someone again - to Sihle Xulu who returns to South Africa soon. Meanwhile, I was tackling Nehemiah 2 in the morning and how to begin a good work for the Lord and in the evening Matthew 9:9-13. It was especially encouraging to have unbelievers we are in contact with in to both meetings. The evening service was directly evangelistic but I was keen to  keep in mind unbelievers in the morning too. It was a good day. God is gracious.

LTS Annual Service 2016

It was the LTS Annual Thanksgiving in Finchley last Saturday. A large crowd gathered. It was my privilege to chair and it was good to hear the Principal's report and the testimonies of the leaving students, including my son Rhodri and Sihle Xulu from South Africa who has also been placed with us during his time in LTS. Rhodri is off to Aberystwyth and Sihle to South Africa. Some of the students are staying on for a third year. The preacher was Paul Mallard who preached clearly and helpfully from the letter to Smyrna in Revelation. It was a bit wet during the tea that followed, which is unusual. Some of us were keen to be away for the Wales game anyway.

Wales march on

Too busy over the weekend to record my sheer delight at the Wales win. It was not a great performance but it was enough. It's a shame it was an own goal but if the Irishman had missed it the Welshman next to him would have scored anyway. Bale's cross was brilliant. Belgium next, on Friday. There is no reason for us not to be in the semi-finals.

Chasing a Stork

End of year service at LTS 1983/2016

Gary Brady 1983/Rhodri Brady 2016

Midweek Meeting June 22 2016

Some 13 of us gathered on Wednesday to look at the opening verses of 2 Timothy 3 and to pray. 1 Timothy 3:1-9 talks about the terrible times that will come in these last days. We had a good time of prayer (longer than expected). It wasn't really about the referendum exclusively, although that is one of the things we prayed about. Rather, that combined with the idea of the danger of godliness being a mere form galvanised our praying somewhat. A blessing to be present.

10 forms of speech impediment

1. Stuttering

2. Cluttering [also called tachyphemia or tachyphrasia] (rapid rate making speech difficult to understand, erratic rhythm, poor syntax or grammar, and words or groups of words unrelated to the sentence)

3. Lisp

4. Dropping aitches

5. Hypercorrection (adding aitches)

6. Verbal tic

7. Speech apraxia (an acquired oral motor speech disorder affecting an individual's ability to translate conscious speech plans into motor plans)

8. Mutism

9. Selective mutism

10. Schizophasia (apparently confused usage of words with no apparent meaning or relationship attached to them)

Llyn Alarch (Swan Lake)

Swan in the Brecon Beacons

Magnificent Wales

Wales were amazing. 3-0. Looks like England have only managed a draw too. That makes Wales top! Well deserved.