GBM Annual Meetings 2021

It was a great joy to be at the Grace Baptist Mission meetings today to hear the various missionaries and the preaching of James Muldoon at All Nations Christian College, Ware. I always enjoy the GBM meetings as it gets you looking outward. I think I particularly enjoyed it this time for several reasons - the fact there was not an in person one last year; the presence of Reuben and Cathy Saywell, new missionaries to The Philippines, the remoter setting; the smaller numbers (about 260); the fact one needed to make less choices on who to listen to; the excellent sermon on Revelation 7 from James Muldoon. Lovely day.

Midweek Meeting October 27 2021

We had a special last night on zoom. We got to know Reuben and Cathey Saywell when Reuben was a student in London Seminary and we have been pleased to know of their intention to work for the Lord in The Philippines under the umbrella of GBM. It was an opportunity last night for a Bible study and a report from Reuben. We started a little late due to a technical hitch but we had a good number present and it was a good evening.

VR04 Leamington Spa

 

While I was in Leamington Spa recently I saw a statue of Queen Victoria

and it reminded me of a long forgotten attempt to record such statues where I come across them.

For others click the Queen Victoria tag.

10 Old Testament Deaths where Conventional Weapons were not used

1. The Israelites bring down the walls of Jericho with trumpets and a loud shout (Joshua 6:20)
2. Shamgar uses an ox goad to strike down Philistines (Judges 3:31)
3. Jael uses a tent peg to kill Sisera (Judges 4:21)
4. Gideon's army defeats the Midianites equipped with jars, torches, and trumpets (Judges 7:20)
5. A woman uses a millstone to kill Abimelek (Judges 9:53; see also 2 Samuel 11:18-20)
6. Samson uses a donkey's jawbone to strike down a thousand men (Judges 15:15)
7. Samson brings down the Temple of Dagon on himself and kills thousands of Philistines (Judges 16)
8. The High Priest topples off a bench and breaks his neck (1 Samuel 4)
9. David kills Goliath with a stone (1 Samuel 17:40 and 48-51)
10. Absalom dies by having his head caught in a tree and then speared (2 Samuel 18) This one is disqualified but 1 Kings 8 has been suggested, where we learn that Hazael took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over Ben Hadad's face so that he died.

John Wycliffe The Morning Star

We had another excellent lunch time lecture last Monday on Zoom for the Evangelical Library. The lecturer was Rob Childs the new minister at Droylesden Independent near Manchester. Some give the impression that Wycliffe could have signed the FIEC doctrinal basis, while others are keen to deny Wycliffe's evangelicalism. This paper seemed to hit just the right note, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses. A recording of the lecture can be had from the Library. Our third and final lecture of the year will be from Dr Robert Oliver on Christopher Blackwood on November 22, again on zoom at 1-2 pm. Details for logging on from the Library. 

Lord's Day October 24 2021

Generally speaking, if people can leave London at half term they do. Numbers were quite low last Lord's Day then - twenty five in the morning and only six in the evening (plus some zoomers for oth services). In the morning I looked at the next commandment in the series - You shall not commit adultery. In the evening I dipped into the Andrew Wilson book I so enjoyed and spoke on honey. A good day but difficult with the numbers so low. Nicely diverse congregation including a new couple from Zimbabwe in the morning.

Bojoura - Everybody s Day

Some great music in the sixties without doubt. Thijs van Leer on flute, of course.

10 Beatles Tracks not recorded in Abbey Road

The Beatles famously recorded most of their material at Abbey Road Studios. However, several tracks were recorded elsewhere. Here are ten examples 

1. January 29 1964 Pathe Marconi Studios, Paris: Can't Buy Me Love
2. February 9 1967 Regent Sound Studio, London: Fixing A Hole
3. May 11 1967 Olympic Sound Studios, Barnes, London: Baby You're A Rich Man
4. May 25/26, June 2 1967 De Lane Lea Music Recording Studios, London: It's All Too Much
5. August 22/23 1967 Chappell Recording Studios, London: Your Mother Should Know
6. July 31, August 1/2 1968 Trident Studios, London: Hey Jude
7. August 28-30 1968 Trident Studios, London: Dear Prudence
8. January 28 1969 Apple Studios, London: Get Back
9. January 30 1969 Apple Studios Roof, London: One After 909
10. January 31 1969 Apple Studios, London: Two Of Us

Lord's Day October 17 2021

Somehow I almost forgot this bit. I decided for the mornings to back to an incomplete series on the Ten Commandments that I started back in February 2020 but dropped with the advent of the pandemic. In the evening I looked at another psalm, Psalm 30. We had communion before the evening service. A few newcomers have returned but plenty missing.

Two Days Off Week 42 2021

Sticking with this policy of taking two days off a month, I did that at the beginning of this last week. The way it worked out my wife had to be in Leamington Spa for the day so I joined her for the journey there and back and while she was in her Go Teach committee I wandered the streets of a town I have never visited before. It's a bit like Cheltenham, which was also a spa town. The museum was closed sadly and so, once it started raining, I hit the coffee shops. I did a lot of Bible reading and planning and read from a book I picked up recently on the year 1603 by Christopher Lee. Back here we watched some TV. I also took the next day off, again reading and walking but also watching an excellent docudrama from Denmark The Investigation. So whether this is a good idea or not I am not sure. When you are as lazy as I am, it is hard to assess. (Oh yeah, I forgot, I organised our evening meal for once on Tuesday night. Nothing special. I bought a pie).

Review of Pastoral for Pastors in the Current ET

It was good to see the very positive review by Jeff Haskins of my latest book in this month's ET

Every pastor should get a copy of this book. You will not be disappointed. However other people such as seminary students may also benefit from it; or perhaps someone reading through Paul’s pastoral letters could get this book and read it alongside the Bible.

The book suggests following its reading plan for 30 days and then starting over again. By doing this you would read through the pastoral letters twelve times a year.

Gary Brady writes with clarity and simplicity. I particularly like the way the biblical text is explained with lists and numbering. It means that his thoughts are easy to follow, and it also allows the reader to appreciate the biblical text. The book probably falls into the category of ‘devotional commentary’ but there is much more to glean.

Brady has incorporated many years of pastoral experience into the notes. There are stories to learn from, which preachers could also use as illustrations. The application of the text is very challenging and should stir the reader to take up that challenge. Other notes help shed light on biblical terms and phrases, even those we have become accustomed to.

People might be disappointed that the Bible passage is not included in the sections, but it is woven into the commentary. But perhaps it is better that way, so that the reader has their Bible next to them when reading the book.

Jeffrey Haskins

Lancaster

(This is from my blog here)

Midweek Meeting October 6, 13 and 20 2021

Somehow I have let three midweek meetings go by unremarked. We have been pursuing this theme of special, looking at the Lord's Day, the fact that when we come together as believers we do so to worship and the whole matter of revival. These are the last three in the series of eight. There are one or two other topics we could add but that will be enough for this series. We have continued to meet via zoom with all its advantages and disadvantages. As far as I recall attendance has been good and the prayer times fine. We have a visitor next tome so it's good to be up to date.

10 Alternative Titles for A Hard Day's Night

1. Quatre garçons dans le vent (French Four boys in the wind)
2. Vier jongens op rondreis (Flemish Four boys on a tour)
3. Perný den (Czech Busy day)
4. Erfiður dagur (Icelandic Tough day)
5. Yeah! Yeah! Här kommer vi (Swedish Yeah! Yeah! Here we come)
6. Yeah Yeah Yeah (German)
7. Tutti per uno (Italian All for one)
8. Os quatro Cabeleiras do Após-Calipso (Portuguese The four hairyheads of the Apocalypso)
9. Gençlerin sevgilisi (Turkish Lover of young people)
10. Os Reis do Ié-Ié-Ié (Brazil Portuguese The Kings of Yeah yeah yeah)

Day Off Week 41 2021

This week's day off was slightly disjointed. I read most of Mike Mellor's book on pathos in preaching Preaching the heart of God. Challenging and helpful. I also finished the book on the Beatles that I bought last week, listening to the Beatles. In the evening we went up to the seminary to hear Rico Tice give the Lloyd-Jones lecture. I'll try to report on that some other time.

Lord's Day October 10 2021

Last Lord's Day was a bit different in that I preached three times rather than two. In addition to my usual morning and evening preaching in the Childs Hill church I also preached for the Korean church that meets in our building in the afternoon. It was very kind of them to ask me and I was grateful for the warm welcome. I preached on Psalm 28 and someone had kindly chosen three appropriate hymns including a Fanny Crosby one that I didn't know,

A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord, a wonderful Saviour to me.

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, where rivers of pleasure I see.

The words were up in English as well as Korean. There must have been about 70 present.

In the morning for my own people I preached on the final section of Luke 8 (Jairus's daughter and the woman with the issue of blood) and in the evening on Psalm 29, the thunderstorm psalm. We reached double figures on the evening and were a decent number in the morning though there were several missing. Our one Korean couple were there though I didn't get chance to speak to them. There was a lady from Mongolia present, which is a first for us. She was there with a man who gave me his name. I thought it meant death but he told me it means mortality. There's name to live with. We also had a visitor who normally goes to St Martin's in the Fields. She said our service was different. I don't think she had realised it could be done the way we do it.

Day Off Week 40 2021

This week's day off included a trip to Swiss Cottage on the bus where I picked up some bargains in a charity shop and The Works. I started reading the Jack Charlton autobiography and made a big dent. I have the Snow Goose and will pass it on. I enjoyed listening to one or two Beatles albums and reading along with the Beatles book.

Lord's Day October 3 2021

A new month so we began with communion. We then sang some harvest hymns and I preached from Psalm 104.Visitirs included a lady from Hong Kong and a man in need en route from Aylesbury to Folkestone. In the evening I took a text, Proverbs 28:13. It is a humdinger. We were a small number again in the evening but we had one visitor.

10 common ideas on things in the Bible that are not quite right

1. In Exodus it does not say that the Egyptian chariots got stuck in the mud (Eg GOD looked down from the Pillar of Fire and Cloud on the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. He clogged the wheels of their chariots; they were stuck in the mud.) Rather it says (Exodus 14:24, 25)  During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt." 
2. Joshua did not tell people to choose between God and idols. (Eg At the end of his speech Joshua told the people they would have to decide. They could keep the land if they chose to follow God’s leading and worship only Him. But they had to get rid of the idols. Then, every day, they must decide whom they would worship - the true God, or idols.) Rather he says (Joshua 24:15) But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
3. In the Book of Judges Gideon is told to select his final 300 from the 10,000 by watching them drink water. Some give the idea that the 300 were wiser than the rest (Eg It's surprising, but only three hundred men got on their knees and drank from their hands.  All the rest looked silly drinking like dogs!). It would seem, however, that whatever the difference in styles the choice of the 300 was an arbitrary one. See Judges 7:4-6 But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."  So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink."  Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 
4. Also in Judges we have the story of Samson and how the Philistine Delilah discovered his secret and so had his hair cut. It is sometimes said for brevity that she cut his hair (Eg That evening as Samson slept, Delilah cut his hair and called in the Philistines. The Philistine men were able to capture Samson.) but in fact she had a man to do it. See Judges 16:19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. 
5. In I Samuel and the story of David and Goliath we read that David was offered the use of Saul's armour. It is sometimes said that he rejected its use because it was too big for him (Eg To help David out, Saul gave him his own armour to wear. David put the various parts of the armour on and tried walking a few steps. But he could hardly move! Saul was a big man, but David was just a kid. So David took off the armour). In fact the problem was that David was not used to the armour. See I Samuel 17:38, 39 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 
6. In the Gospels there is no reference to Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem on a donkey although that is often assumed (Eg We do not know the name or breed of the donkey that was used to carry Mary, who was pregnant at the time with Jesus. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem could have taken 4-6 days by foot to cover the 120 km or 75 mile journey.) It was as likely to have been made by foot.
7. In Luke 2 the angels appear to the shepherds. It is often said that they sang God's praise (Eg Suddenly, many angels appeared, singing praises to God “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!” ) but in Luke 2:13, 14 it simply says Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests." 
8. In Matthew 2 the wisemen or Magi are spoken of. Often referred to as the three wise men or even three kings, no number is specified. (Eg Far away in the east, three wise kings had seen the beautiful star shining brightly over Bethlehem.) See Matthew 2:1, 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."  They also did not visit Jesus the night he was born but some time later. There is no mention of them riding camels or where exactly they came from and certainly not their names.
9. Did Paul change his name from Saul  after he was converted as some say? (Eg I take it, then, that the assumption of the name of Paul instead of the name of Saul occurred at this point, stood in some relation to his missionary work, and was intended in some sense as a memorial of his first victory in the preaching of the Gospel). In fact Paul or Saul always had two names, a Jewish one and a Roman one. It was his mission to the Gentiles that meant that he was increasingly referred to by his Roman name.
10. In Revelation 2:4 Jesus does not say that the church in Ephesus had lost its first love. (Eg Ephesus had some unique challenges for a Christ-follower in that it was home to the Emperor’s cult and the worship of the Greek goddess Artemis (Acts 19:23-40). Because of these influences, the Ephesian believers had developed great discernment when it came to false teachers and heresy. Christ commended them for this discernment, but He faulted them for having lost their “first love.”) Rather, he says Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.

(Bonuses: In II Kings we read of the passing of Elijah. It is widely held that Elijah ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire (Eg The hill to the east of the River Jordan opposite Jericho – believed to be the site from which Elijah was taken up to heaven on a chariot of fire – is known in Arabic as Tell Mar Elias (‘Elijah’s Hill’). Elijah’s dramatic departure is celebrated in the American gospel song ‘Swing low, sweet chariot’.) To be pedantic we should perhaps say he ascended in a whirlwind. See II Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

In Luke 15:10 Jesus does not say that the angels rejoice over one sinner who is saved. (Eg Angels rejoice when someone gets saved or a sinner repents and the angels rejoice). Rather, it says that In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents which given the wording and the parable there would suggest this is a reference to God rejoicing not just the angels.

Midweek Meeting September 29 2021

 

We had another special last Wednesday, looking this time at the matter of the call to the ministry. That could have probably been done better but we had a good time of prayer. All on zoom. (We had another meeting the next night a members meeting. It was good to have so many there.)

Day Off Week 39 2021

 

So there was the usual walking and coffee. I read a big chunk of Andrew Wilson's very readable God of all things which I really enjoyed. It is well written, slightly quirky (I loved the way he managed to slip in the invention of Bovril for example) and good biblical theology always heading for Christ. There were quite af ew things I'd never really picked up on such as the superiority of tools over weapons in God's economy. I also spent time catching up on notes for my daily Bible readings, which I'v egot rather behind on.