10 expressions of faith found in the Psalms

Gerard van Honthorst, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons

1. 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
2. 25:1, 2 Of David. In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3. 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
4. 31:6 and 14 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD. 14 But I trust in you, LORD; I say, "You are my God."
5. 33:21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
6. 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.
7. 55:23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.
8. 56:3, 4 and 11 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 11 in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?
9. 86:4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.
10. 91:2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

(Also 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.)

10 more unnamed women from the Bible

1. Enoch's wife (Edna)
2. Moses' Cushite wife (Tharbis)
3. The wise woman of Abel (Serah)
4. The wealthy Shunammite woman
5. Naaman's wife
6. And her servant girl
7. The woman with the issue of blood
8. The woman at the well
9. The widow who put two coins in the treasury
10. The mother of Rufus

Midweek Meeting May 27 2026

Just four of us and one online last night as we looked at the final part of Romans. We also spent time in prayer. One burden was churches looking for pastors. We know of several at the moment (Swansea, Bradford on Avon, Wellington, Finchley and ourselves).

Birthday Books 2026

Once again the family have been very kind. These are from my wife and sons. (One son made sure he didn't buy me a book as he doesn't like to be too predictable, so I had other good things from him.)

Eisteddfod Yr Urdd Anglesey

FYI The Urdd Eisteddof for young people is on atm. It's live on S4C.

That's my oldest grandson in shot singing in the choir.

Lord's Day May 24 2026

Several away as it was a bank holiday weekend but plenty of extras in the evening from the UBM Christian Answer weekend based nearby. Nice singing to good old hymns. I am carrying on with sermons from Luke back to back at the moment as my retirement nears. So we finished Chapter 23 in the morning and began on Chapter 22 in the evening. The second looked the least promising set of verses but proved to be fuullof interesting things.

Grace Baptist Assembly 2026 Closing Remarks

Of course, the assembly is a whole lot more than I have written about so far. There were prayer meetings at the start of Day 2 and 3, there was the Assembly business session on the afternoon of Day 2, we ate together and chatted together informally, always good. Having decent coffee available at all hours is a good idea. There are also book stalls and one or two other stands. About 44 churches were represented one way or another and there were at least 12 new people there. We are on the old siide and most of us represent small and uninfluential churches. It is good to come together, however. I was encouraged on the whole. Next one May 18-20, 2027.

Grace Baptist Assembly 2026 Day Three

Our final morning at the conference was taken up with an open forum chaired by DAvid Last where we discussed how to mobilise church members. This led to a discussion of the neglect of the Lord's Day, one reason for some of the problems we have. Finally, Simon Green fro Rattlesden preched an excellent and encouraging sermon from Psalm 126.

Grace Baptist Assembly 2026 Day Two (Evening)

The rest of today was taken up with interesting reports from various UK churches and the second message from Peter Schild, who gave us another seven helpful points, this time from 2 Timothy 2

1. The apostles understood training men as passing on the treasured gospel received

2. The apostles looked for faithful men not necessarily talented men

3. The apostles trained men through fatherly nearness, shared life

4. The apostles entrusted men with real responsibilities, tasks that they were to fulfil

5. The apostles corrected warned and protected the churches through clear criteria

6. The apostles trained men for suffering in the battle

7. The apostles ultimately entrusted men to God and the Word of his grace

Grace Baptist Assembly 2026 Day Two (Morning)

We had two sessions this morning - one from Chola Makunga and one from Robert Strivens. They were both stumulating. Chola looked at the subject of equipping God's people to serve today and Robert took a historical approach looking at the use of catechisms and training for the ministry.

Chola asked a number of questions

1 How do we encourage believers on the fringe to become more involved in church life?

2 How do we motivate and mobilise those who are already members? (Converted Hungry for the Word gospel saturated prayer warrior loving to fellow believers regular sharer of the gospel cares for the holiness of the church accountable to the church)

3 What are the constraints and challenges that we need to overcome?

4 What attitude should we have as we seek to motivate and mobilise? (patience hard work prayer love the gospel)

There were plenty of answers but there will eb more discussion tomorrow.

Robert concluded with these conclusions and challenges

• They took the work of discipling and preparing for ministry very seriously.

• They did not despise traditional methods, while adapting and innovating where appropriate.

• They were fundamentally theological in their approach.

• Preaching was central to the promotion of Christian growth and discipleship.

Grace Baptist Assembly 2026 Day One

It is good to be here once again in the Kings Centre, Northampton, this time for the Grace Assembly 2026. We had three session on this first day today - Matthew Gray preaching on three wells mentioned in Genesis, then a news session on the Reformed Baptist works in Romania from Mircea Aioanei from Arad and then this evening Peter Schild, a pastor in Frankfurt in Germany.

Peter spoke on the way Christ trained his men, a model for us. He had seven points

1. Christ the Master chose ordinary weak men who were teachable
2. Christ the Master prayed earnestly before he chose his disciples
3. Christ the Master chose men that they shoould be with him
4. Christ the Master instructed his disciples in private
5. Christ the Master patiently bore with the faults of his disciples and taught them in love
6. Christ the Master gave his men tasks and allowed them to grow in responsibility
7. Christ the Master left his men and sent them out withe the Holy Spirit

10 people who died at the age of 67

I like to do this around this time of the year.

1. Hugh Latimer
2. Gladys Aylward
3. Ingrid Bergman*
4. Paul Cezanne
5. Leonardo Da Vinci
6. George Washington
7. Woodrow Wilson
8. Chris Squire
9. David Cassidy
10. Demis Roussos

*Bergman (175 cm) incongruously played Aylward (147 cm) in the 1958 film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

(Also Catherine the Great, Henry I)

Lord's Day May 17 2026

A few visitors, many away. Another typical day in Childs Hill Baptist. Here's an irony. We know a lady who likes to give to the church but rarely sits under the ministry. This Sunday she decides to stay and what am I preaching on? Giving! Perhaps the thing she least needs to hear about. But what do I know?

10 Royal Places

Arnoprepa1, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons

1. Royal Leamington Spa

"Royal" prefix Civil parish with town council 1838, 1974, 2002

Spa town established in late 18th century. The town received the title of "Royal Leamington Spa" in 1838 following a visit by Queen Victoria. Royal Leamington Spa was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1875, and on the borough's abolition in 1974 charter trustees were formed. The charter trustees were themselves abolished when a town council was formed in 2002.

2. Royal Sutton Coldfield

Historic town, now a civil parish within the City of Birmingham. Honour bestowed by Henry VIII 1528 3. Royal Tunbridge Wells

Unparished area 1909, 1974

Spa town, incorporated as a municipal borough in 1888. In 1909 Edward VII allowed the prefix "Royal" in recognition of the town's connections with the royal family since the Stuart dynasty. The Borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells was abolished in April 1974, and charter trustees were briefly appointed to preserve the mayoralty of the town. The trustees, who were themselves abolished in December 1974, obtained letters patent reauthorising the prefix "Royal" to the name of the town.

4. Royal Windsor, also known as New Windsor

Municipal borough council From reign of Henry I in early12th century

5. Royal Wootton Bassett

Civil parish with a town council 2011 - Repatriation of military personnel

6. Royal Port of Barrow

"Royal" prefix Port 2025

Construction of warships and nuclear submarines for the Royal Navy

7. Royal Greenwich

Royal borough. London borough council 2012-  To mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Also birthplace of Henry VIII, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

8. Royal Kensington

Metropolitan borough council 1901 1965. In memory of Queen Victoria, born at Kensington Palace

9. Royal Berkshire, royal county

Location of Windsor Castle

10.Kingston Upon Thames

Municipal borough council in Surrey-Ancient prescriptive right, confirmed in 1927.1965 Coronation place of King Æthelstan in 924–925. Æthelstan described Kingston as royal town in a charter, as did Eadred later in the 10th century. In 1927 the mayor of Kingston upon Thames petitioned George V for the right to use the title of "royal borough". In reply to the petition the king declared that Kingston was entitled to the status, having been described as a royal borough since time immemorial.

Day Off Week 20 2026

There were a few thigs to be done first thing but once they were sorted I could focus on reading. There was time too for a coffee out and a bt of TV but it was mostly reading.