Heavenly Worldliness

Midweek Meeting October 7 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 21:33:19 +0000

It was good to be at the midweek meeting of Emmanuel Baptist, Cardiff, tonight. About 35 of us were there and the pastor, Paul Whitely, led. First, a short Bible study from Psalm 116 on prayer, then a song and a brief time gathering information before the time of prayer. About 8 or 9 prayed, all men. It was a privilege to be there.

10 ways the early Christians were tortured

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:17:51 +0000

Public Domain via Wikipedia

In the beginning, the emperor threatened them with bonds and imprisonment. But a while later, when he began to work the matter in good earnest, he devised innumerable sorts of torments and punishments, such as

whippings and scourgings,
rackings,
horrible scrapings,
sword,
and fire.
A great number were put in boats, which were then sunk; they drowned in the bottom of the sea.
Also, hanging them on crosses, binding them to the bodies of dead trees with their heads downward;
hanging them by their middles on gallows till they died of hunger;
throwing them alive to wild beasts which would devour them, such as lions, bears, leopards, and wild bulls.
Pricking and thrusting them with daggers and the talons of beasts till they were almost dead;

(also, pricking and thrusting them with daggers and the talons of beasts till they were almost dead; lifting them up on high with their heads downward. There were other sorts of punishments, most tragic - or rather, tyrannical and pitiful to describe: such as first binding them to trees and their boughs, then pulling and tearing apart their members and joints; mangling them with axes; choking them with smoke by small fires; severing their hands, ears, feet and other joints)

10 verses in the Bible that tell us God is Good

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:50:16 +0000

Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalm 100:5: For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 107:1: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 145:9: The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Lamentations 3:25: The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him
Nahum 1:7: The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him
James 1:17: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

He is omnibenevolent

10 verses in the Bible that tell us God is Great

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:58:00 +0000

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.
Job 36:26 How great is God - beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.
Psalm 48:1 Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
Psalm 86:10 For you are great and do marvellous deeds; you alone are God.
Psalm 95:3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. (Also 96:4)
Psalm 135:5 I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.
Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
1 Chronicles 16:25 For great is the LoHrd and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
Jeremiah 32:19 ... great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.
Titus 2:13 ... while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ ....

He is omnipotent

Ezekiel 39:3 A surprisingly encouraging verse

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:25:50 +0000

Scythian archer
(British Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand.

These words are addressed by God to God, King of Meshek and Tubal, the enemy of God's people.

1. The Identity of the Invader

The target of the prophecy is Gog, pointing to the nomadic tribes of the Eurasian steppes - Scythians and others. These northern armies were famous and feared because of their mastery of mounted horse-archery. Their entire military strategy and reputation relied on the bow and arrow.

By specifically targeting their archery, the text shows God attacking the enemy in the very place where their confidence and pride lay. He doesn't just defeat them, he completely dismantles their identity as a dominant military force.

2. The Ergonomics of Ancient Archery

To understand the imagery you have to look at how an ancient archer fought. In his left hand (if he was right handed) was his bow. A right-handed archer holds the bow grip firmly with his left hand. The left arm acts as the steady anchor and aiming platform.

In his right hand was his arrows. The right hand draws the string, places the arrow and releases the shot.

By striking the bow from the left hand and the arrows from the right, God is described as interrupting the exact physical mechanics required to fight. It is an image of simultaneous and total disarming - in one swift motion, both the weapon and ammunition are rendered useless.

3. Total Helplessness and Vulnerability

In the ancient world, if a swordsman lost his sword, he might still have a shield to defend himself but an archer stripped of both bow and arrows is left entirely defenceless. The verb used for the arrows ("dash down", "cause to fall") implies the weapons will drop uselessly to the ground before a single shot can be fired.

It highlights the idea of the enemy being completely paralysed. They are caught in the middle of an offensive stance but are frozen and disarmed by a superior, divine power before they can even engage in battle.

4. A Shift in Sovereign Control

Symbolically, the hands represent human strength, action and agency. Holding weapons in both hands signifies an army fully operational and in control of its own destiny. When God strikes the weapons out of both hands, it serves as a stark theological message. Human power is completely empty when it opposes God. Ultimate control in the battle is violently shifted from the hands of the invaders to God himself.

This is how God deals with his enemies. How encouraging.

10 Things found in a drawer (9, 10)

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:46:48 +0000

Two final contrasting items. First, my dad's Boy's Brigade handbook. My dad enjoyed his time in the youth movement. He played the bugle. Founded in 1884 it was one of several uniformed organisations for young people that flourished in more jingoistic times and still survivie to this day. The other item is an oddity. It is a signed publicity postcard for Roger de Courcey. De Courcey was a ventriloquist best known best known for performing with Nookie Bear. He was the winner of the 1976 New Faces tv talent competition grand final. My parents would have sene him somewhere locally. He has lattelry become an agent for musician Rick Wakeman.

10 Things found in a drawer (7, 8)

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:29:03 +0000

On the right is a Bibel that belonged to my dad oresented to him when he was 11. My grandfather was a Roman Catholic but my grandmother was something of a Baptist and so my dad was sent to the nearby Sunday School. This was the first Bible I used when I was converted at the age of 12 in mys own nearby Baptist Church. On the left is an abandoned box containing various cards that I have used in the past in order to try to memorise Scripture.

Lord's Day October 4 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:21:38 +0000

So the beginning of my new life churchwise yesterday. I have preached every Sunday since the beginning oof May so I appreiated a day off. It was more than that, however, as the futre pattern (when I'm not preaching siomewhere) will be to be in the congregation in Emmanuel Baptist, Gabalfa in Cardiff. There were things I could quibble about but it was a good day.

The morning was a bit different - the pastor Paul Whitely preached on Noah, All aboard! (Three points - God's judgement on sin, God's grace to the world, Invitation to be saved) but we also had a helpful testimony from Gareth Swann plus a big children's talk from Aneurin Britton on upheld (part of an A-Z). About eighty in the morning and not many fewer in the evening. I know lots of people but more know me than I know myself. Spoke to several people including Richard Myerscough and his wife Anna whose daughter is in the church. He has also recently retired but the future for them is a little less clear than for us. Bit of a baby boom in the church. It's going to take a while to fit in and get used to it all.

One of the elders, Gareth Davies, preached in the evening on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Again quite evangelistic and three points - the necessity, the cost and the reality of reconciliation. So a good day and hopefully we will soon adjust to being in a much larger church than we are used to.

God is Good, God is Great

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 06:33:23 +0000

I was reading Psalm 86 recently and I noticed how it underlines that God is both good (verse 5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you) and great (verse 10 For you are great and do marvellous deeds; you alone are God). The theme is found elsewhere especially in Psalm 145 (verses 3 and 7-9, also see Psalms 135, 136). There is an old children's table grace that goes

"God is great, and God is good, and we thank him for our food.

By his hand we all are fed; give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen."

To adapt Keats (Ode on a Grecian urn)

Our God is great, he's good - that is all

We know on earth, and all we need to know.

10 Things found in a drawer (5, 6)

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:41:10 +0000

Next we have a couple of matching ornaments that were my mother's. She loved glass things and had a Swarowski collection. Perhaps these were designed as paperweights. The second item is a clothes brush. If the story is correct, when I was in my early teens my friend, Stephen Price, found an ad offering a mystery parcel for £1. We put in 50p each and received a parcel of plastic fruit, etc, which we then needed to divide between us. I later added a Jesus sticker to this item in my early enthusiasm for Christ.

10 Things found in a drawer (3, 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 06:13:51 +0000

On the left we have a pair of scissors, which were apparently my great grandfather's. William Burke Hazelton (1883-1965) was a barber and had a shop at 454 Corporation Road in Newport until at least 1946 (see here). It is currently a beauty salon, it seems. The other item is an 1824 edition of A Key to Lennie's Grammar. It is an answer book to a popular text book of the time by a Scotsman called William Lennie (1779-1852). Not sure where it came from but it has hung about the house a while. Such books can fetcch up to £60 but this one is not in great condition.

10 Things found in a drawer (1, 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 17:50:48 +0000

Sorting through a drawer I found a number of things that may be of interest. I may have shown the "I like Ringo" badge here before. It came in a lucky bag or Jamboree bag (3d a shot). I just saw one on sale in ebay for £16. The other item is an unused blazer badge that belonged to my dad. The choir has since amalhgamated with the Cwmbran to form the Torfaen Male Choir.

Cynydd

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 17:31:24 +0000

As the weekend approaches we feel we have made good progress (as may be you can see).

Wales beat Norway

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:46:23 +0000

Neco Williams
(Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>
via Wikimedia Commons)

Good to know that Wales beat Norway 2-1 tonight in the football, their first win in nearly a year. Still bottom of Group D in the nations league but it's progress. Williams and James the scorers.

10 Accusations made againt Christians during the early persecutions

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 20:49:03 +0000

Unidentified painter, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons

Foxe says that according to Eusebius in about the year of our Lord 205 the crimes and false accusations objected against the Christians included

sedition and rebellion against the emperor
sacrilege
murdering of infants
incestuous pollution
eating raw flesh
libidinous commixture whereof certain indeed, called then Gnostici were infamed (ie defamed)
It was objected against them for worshipping the head of an ass which whereof it should rise I find no certain cause except it were perhaps by the Jews
Also worshipping the sun for that peradventure before the sun did rise they convented together singing their morning hymns unto the Lord or else because they prayed toward the east but specially for that they would not with them worship their idolatrous gods and were counted as enemies to all men.
(Christians were also often accused of cannibalism, misinterpreting what goes on at the Lord's Table
And they were accused of causing public calamities, being scapegoated for natural disasters, plagues and fires)

Can't have rainbows without rain

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:55:22 +0000

I have long reconciled myself to the fact that moving to South Wales will mean a lot more rain. What I hadn't thought of is that there may well be more rainbows too. I'm no Charismatic butyou'd jhave to be an atheist to miss what God is saying to me this morning when I look up my new street. How encouoraging.

10 Life Lessons Simply The Best

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:49:00 +0000

One of the interesting facts mentioned following the death of Bonnie Tyler a little while ago was how she had recorded the song "Simply the Best" and got nowhere with it. It wa s hit, however, for Tina Turner, also no longer with us. There are varuous reasons why Tina was more successful (voice, key change, a middle eight she commissioned, sax solo, etc).

AI agreed with me that the story offers insights into creativity, resilience and personal growth. I asked for a list of ten life lessons and it suggested something like this.

1. Rejection Is Just a Detour

The lesson: A "no" from one person does not define your worth or potential.

The story: This refers to the fact that the song was first offered to Paul Young who passed on it. If the writers had given up after that initial rejection, one of the greatest anthems in music history would not exist.

2. Recognise Hidden Potential

The lesson: Great ideas often arrive in rough, unfinished shapes.

The story: Bonnie Tyler heard the demo and saw a good song, but Tina Turner heard the demo and saw a masterpiece. Train yourself to look past a flawed first draft - whether a project, a career path or a relationship - and see what it could become with the right care.

3. Collaboration Elevates Talent

The lesson: You do not have to do everything alone; the right partner can unlock your best work.

The story: Holly Knight and Mike Chapman were brilliant writers, but it took Tina Turner’s fresh perspective to identify what was missing. True magic happens when you combine your strengths with the unique insights of others.

4. Don't Be Afraid to Demand Changes

The lesson: Speaking up for what you need is the only way to achieve excellence.

The story: Turner did not just accept the song as it was. She proactively called the songwriter and demanded a new bridge and a key change. Be bold enough to advocate for the adjustments needed to make your work - or your life - truly resonate.

5. Timing and Rebranding Matter

The lesson: Failure in one context does not mean permanent failure.

The story: Released in 1988 by Tyler, the song flopped at number 95. Released in 1989 by Turner with the right energy and adjustments, it became a global phenomenon. If your first attempt at something fails, change your approach, tweak the formula and try again when the timing is right.

6. Details Dictate the Climax

The lesson: Small, intentional adjustments at the end of a project create the biggest impact.

The story: Turner added a late-stage key change and a saxophone solo right at the finish line. (Done by Edgar Winter). In your own goals, do not rush the final stretch; refining the closing details is what elevates a standard project into something memorable.

7. Own Your Narrative Completely

The lesson: To make something truly yours, you must infuse it with your unique identity.

The story: Tyler sang the track but Turner became the track by injecting her signature grit and stage presence. Whatever role or task you take on, do not just copy how it was done before - stamp it with your personal style so it becomes unmistakably yours.

8. Give Your Ideas Room to Breathe

The lesson: Emotional breakthroughs require a pause not just continuous rushing.

The story: The original demo rushed straight from the chorus back to the verse, creating a repetitive loop. Turner demanded a bridge to let listeners pause, reflect and build tension. In life, constantly rushing prevents breakthroughs; you need intentional space to transition effectively.

9. True Greatness Outlasts Initial Failure

The lesson: Your low points do not cancel out your ultimate destination.

The story: The song spent its first year in obscurity, sitting at the bottom of the charts as a certified flop. One year later, it was a multi-platinum global anthem. Trust that a slow or disappointing start is not proof that your idea or effort is a failure.

10. Grace in Defeat is Powerful

The lesson: Humility and celebrating others only lifts you higher.

The story: Bonnie Tyler openly and gracefully admitted that Turner's version was superior. Acknowledging someone else’s success or improvement on your initial idea does not diminish your own value; it shows secure, admirable character.

Wedi Symud

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:38:49 +0000

So on Tuesday of this week three small lorries laden with all our wordly goods reached Caerffili and deposited over a hundred boxes in our new hoouse for us to unpack. We have started to do so but it is going to take a while. Back in Wales after all this time. How strange.

Lord's Day September 27 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 17:17:09 +0000

I may have announced my last sermons in Childs Hill previousy but these really were the last, last Lord's Day. In the morning I preached to a good sized congregation on 1 Timothy 6:6-9 The art of godliness with contentment and then in the evening to about twenty or so on Genesis 4:8-16 Learning about our spiritual state from Cain. Strange day in some ways. The leaving does not yet seem real. Lots of kind owrds and gifts too once again.

Sense and Sensibility

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 16:07:57 +0000

https://www.focusfeatures.com/
sense-and-sensibility

On Friday we went to see the latest Jan Austen adaptation and it was very good. There is a little messing wth the plot perhaps but not much that I noticed. A very good version of a very well written book.

10 Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:40:07 +0000

James Petts from London, England, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Birthday/Christmas cake
Angel cake
Welsh cake
Cheesecake
Eccles cake
Jaffa cake
Pancake
Oatcake
Ricecake
Fish cake

(Also Chocolate cake, Madeira cake, Mooncake, Upside down cake,

etc. I could also have mentioned Pontefract cakes!)

A Faulty Bow

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:08:41 +0000

Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bows and arrows are not as common as they once were, so when in Psalm 78:57 Asaph says of God's people Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow or when in Hosea 7:2a the prophet says of them They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow it may not be immediately clear what is being said. A little investigation, however, reveals that bows in ancient times could prove faulty in a number of ways.

For example, a bow may have an unpredictable aim. A warped bow will fail to respond to the archer as it should and when he shoots an arrow, it may veer off course unpredictably. Or the wood of the bow can lose its tension and elasticity so that arrows shot from it lack the force necessary to reach the target. If the bow is completely wrecked then it will actively frustrate the user because it cannot perform the basic job it was built for.

In a similar way, we can become faulty, not heading in the direction or heading in the right general direction but lacking the power to live as we should because we are not depending on the Lord as we should. Some are so completely out of sorts that there is no way that the Lord can use them.

Several commentators point out that the faulty bow looks fine hanging on the wall. It is when you come to use it that the problems become evident. It is a little like the story of Jesus and the cursing of the fig tree. The fig tree looks fine. It is covered in leaves. But when Jesus goes to look, there is no fruit. Hence its cursing. Israel's history again and again was such that they looked like a magnificent bow or a luxuriant fig tree but then proved to be useless to the Lord, firing erratic or inaccurate shots or producing no fruit.

In Isaiah 29:13 we read The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Earlier in Psalm 78, in verses 35-37, Asaph says of God's people They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.

Even today it is tempting for professing believers to think that lip service is enough. Showing a lack of true loyalty to the Lord and expecting him to use us is like our taking an apparently trusty bow from the wall and trying to use what turns out to be a faulty bow.

Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 18:44:48 +0000

We stayed for two nights in a hotel in Sydney while we were in Australia. one ofthe highlights was seeing the Hyde Park Barracks. This is where the convicts lived in the early days. The story is presented very well.

More here.

Richard Johnson Obelisk

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 16:56:37 +0000

I omitted to mention how we came across the Richard Johnson obelisk in downtown Sydney. It marks the first Christian service on Australian soil February 3, 1788 and the first srmon preached by Johnson on Psalm 116:12 (What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits) and the first church, August 25, 1793.

Midweek Meeting September 23 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Brady) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 16:01:51 +0000

Bondi

It was a delight to be with the folk at the Childs Hill Baptist midweek meeting last Wednesday. We were nine in the room and another five online. I read from Romans 1 and prayed and then gave some feedback on the trip to Australia. I spoke about the three churches attended and some of the lovely Christian people we met. It is encouraging to think that others are labouring as we are but on the other side of the world. We then spent some time in prayer. Good to be there again.

Blue Mountains


Lamington (Australian cake made from squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut.)