Saturday, April 2, 2011

Short encouraging Christian devotionals or writings or sermons for encouragements

Believer Encouragements

Taken from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 3 April, Evening

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” - Isaiah 53:6

Here a confession of sin common to all the elect people of God. They have all fallen, and therefore, in common chorus, they all say, from the first who entered heaven to the last who shall enter there, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” The confession, while thus unanimous, is also special and particular: “We have turned every one to his own way.” There is a peculiar sinfulness about every one of the individuals; all are sinful, but each one with some special aggravation not found in his fellow. It is the mark of genuine repentance that while it naturally associates itself with other penitents, it also takes up a position of loneliness. “We have turned every one to his own way,” is a confession that each man had sinned against light peculiar to himself, or sinned with an aggravation which he could not perceive in others. This confession is unreserved; there is not a word to detract from its force, nor a syllable by way of excuse. The confession is a giving up of all pleas of self-righteousness. It is the declaration of men who are consciously guilty-guilty with aggravations, guilty without excuse: they stand with their weapons of rebellion broken in pieces, and cry, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” Yet we hear no dolorous wailings attending this confession of sin; for the next sentence makes it almost a song. “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” It is the most grievous sentence of the three, but it overflows with comfort. Strange is it that where misery was concentrated mercy reigned; where sorrow reached her climax weary souls find rest. The Saviour bruised is the healing of bruised hearts. See how the lowliest penitence gives place to assured confidence through simply gazing at Christ on the cross!

Taken from Charles H Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 3 April, Evening

On this site you can also find: Encouragements for Christian / Christian encouragements / Encouragements Quotes / Poem encouraging believers / Christian encouragement quotes / simple Christian sermons on encouragement / christian encouragements / biblical sermon on encouragement / Christian bookmark templates / 2010 Christian calendar template / Free printable Bible quotes / Free encouraging sermons / Biblical verse of encouragement for the believers and sermons / Free Christian encouraging images / Free christian encouraging pictures / Christian encouragements phrases

Short encouraging Christian devotionals or writings or sermons for encouragements

Believer Encouragements

Taken from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 3 April, Morning

“They took Jesus, and led him away.” - John 19:16

He had been all night in agony, he had spent the early morning at the hall of Caiaphas, he had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; he had, therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted him. They were eager for his blood, and therefore led him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well may Salem’s daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also.

What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce him guilty; God himself imputes our sins to him, “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all;” “He was made sin for us;” and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon his shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that he carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon his shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether he carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon his head, confessed your sin, and trusted in him? Then your sin lies not on you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and he bears it on his shoulder as a load heavier than the cross.

Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid.

Taken from Charles H Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 3 April, Morning

On this site you can also find: Encouragements for Christian / Christian encouragements / Encouragements Quotes / Poem encouraging believers / Christian encouragement quotes / simple Christian sermons on encouragement / christian encouragements / biblical sermon on encouragement / Christian bookmark templates / 2010 Christian calendar template / Free printable Bible quotes / Free encouraging sermons / Biblical verse of encouragement for the believers and sermons / Free Christian encouraging images / Free christian encouraging pictures / Christian encouragements phrases

Shipwreck threatens penguin colony on South Atlantic island

A wrecked ship is threatening to cause an environmental disaster on an island which is home to endangered penguins, conservationists warn.

The vessel has grounded on Nightingale Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic, causing an oil slick around the island which is home to nearly half the world's population

of northern rockhopper penguins.

Some 1,500 tons of heavy crude oil from the MS Olivia, which was shipping soya beans between Rio de Janeiro and Singapore, is leaking into the sea.

According to the RSPB, oil now surrounds Nightingale Island and extends into a slick eight miles offshore, threatening the endangered penguins and the economically important rock lobster fishery.

Hundreds of penguins have already been seen coming ashore covered in oil, the wildlife charity said.

The shipwreck could also lead to any rats onboard colonising the island and posing a huge risk to the native seabird populations - whose chicks and eggs could be eaten by the invasive

rodents.

The Tristan da Cunha islands, in particular Nightingale and its neighbor Middle Island, are home to millions of nesting seabirds. There are more than 200,000 northern rockhopper penguins on the island.

RSPB research biologist Richard Cuthbert said: "The consequences of this wreck could be potentially disastrous for wildlife and the fishery-based economy of these remote islands.

"The Tristan da Cunha islands, especially Nightingale and adjacent Middle Island, hold millions of nesting seabirds as well as four out of every 10 of the world population of the globally endangered northern rockhopper penguin."

And he said: "If the vessel happens to be harboring rats and they get ashore, then a twin environmental catastrophe could arise. Nightingale is one of two large islands in the Tristan da Cunha group that are rodent-free. If rats gain a foothold their impact would be devastating."

Trevor Glass, Tristan conservation officer, said: "The scene at Nightingale is dreadful as there is an oil slick encircling the

island. The Tristan conservation team are doing all they can to clean up the penguins that are currently coming ashore. It is a disaster."

Source:
The Guardian,"Shipwreck threatens penguin colony on South Atlantic island",accessed March 31, 2011

Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting

The 18th Annual CNS Meeting is being held in San Francisco April 2-5, 2011. Grueling 11 hr days of posters and talks (plus late night revelry) await the most eager attendees with the greatest stamina. Symposia include panels of Psychological Constructionists, Angular Gyrus Devotees, Fans of Human Consumption, Brainy Bilinguals, and Multimodal Person Perceivers.

The 2011 Program is available for download as a PDF. Wondering about those Psychological Constructionists? I know I was...

Symposium Session 1

Sunday, April 3, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Grand Ballroom A

Ingredients of the Mind: A Psychological Constructionist Approach to Cognitive Neuroscience

Chair: Kristen Lindquist, Harvard University; Massachusetts General Hospital; Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Co-Chair: Lisa Feldman Barrett, Northeastern University; Harvard Medical School; Massachusetts General Hospital; Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Speakers: Kristen Lindquist, Tor Wager, William Cunningham, Alexandra Touroutoglou

Cognitive neuroscience has traditionally sought the distinct neural bases of psychological categories like “thought,” “attention,” “memory” and “emotion.” Yet growing evidence suggests that the mechanisms underlying these psychological categories are not as distinct as once thought. According to a psychological constructionist framework, complex mental categories are phenomena constructed from more basic psychological ingredients that correspond to functional networks in the brain. In this symposium, we will explore how a psychological constructionist approach to the mind can inform cognitive neuroscience. The four talks presented will be empirical examples of a psychological construction approach. Kristen Lindquist will present meta-analytic data demonstrating that emotion experiences and perceptions are comprised of activity in functional groupings associated with affect, categorization, language and executive attention. Next, Tor Wager will present findings demonstrating that the same basic brain system is involved in functions central to the “self,” pain, and negative emotion. William Cunningham will next demonstrate how amygdala activity is dynamically shaped by the goals of a perceiver. Finally, Alexandra Touroutoglou will next present evidence demonstrating that both attention and emotion experience have a common ingredient in the anterior insula.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Short encouraging Christian devotionals or writings or sermons for encouragements

Believer Encouragements

Taken from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 2 April, Morning

“He shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
- Isaiah 53:10

Plead for the speedy fulfilment of this promise, all ye who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when we are grounded and bottomed, as to our desires, upon God’s own promise. How can he that gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable veracity cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless his Son, his covenant binds him to it. That which the Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus, is that which God decrees to give him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day which draweth near, when the Crucified shall receive his coronation in the place where men rejected him. Courage, you that prayerfully work and toil for Christ with success of the very smallest kind, it shall not be so always; better times are before you. Your eyes cannot see the blissful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the glass; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” had first given us this petition, “Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ himself, and then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, “Lord, extend the kingdom of thy dear Son.” Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by labouring to promote the Lord’s glory.

Taken from Charles H Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 2 April, Morning

On this site you can also find: Encouragements for Christian / Christian encouragements / Encouragements Quotes / Poem encouraging believers / Christian encouragement quotes / simple Christian sermons on encouragement / christian encouragements / biblical sermon on encouragement / Christian bookmark templates / 2010 Christian calendar template / Free printable Bible quotes / Free encouraging sermons / Biblical verse of encouragement for the believers and sermons / Free Christian encouraging images / Free christian encouraging pictures / Christian encouragements phrases

Short encouraging Christian devotionals or writings or sermons for encouragements

Believer Encouragements

Taken from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 2 April, Morning

“He answered him to never a word.” - Matthew 27:14

He had never been slow of speech when he could bless the sons of men, but he would not say a single word for himself. “Never man spake like this man,” and never man was silent like him. Was this singular silence the index of his perfect self- sacrifice? Did it show that he would not utter a word to stay the slaughter of his sacred person, which he had dedicated as an offering for us? Had he so entirely surrendered himself that he would not interfere in his own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a type of the defencelessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, he who bore its whole weight stood speechless before his judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by his silence, furnished a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. A long defence of himself would have been contrary to Isaiah’s prediction. “He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” By his quiet he conclusively proved himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice of thy love.

India's tiger numbers increase for first time in a decade, says census

The number of tigers in India has risen for the first time in a decade, according to a new official census published in Delhi.

Campaigners and officials have hailed the news as proving that the big cat – which has suffered a 97% population decline in the past century – can still be saved.

The tiger, one of the most magnificent animals in the world, is also one

of the most endangered. A cat of beauty, strength, and majesty, the tiger is master of all and subject to none — except humans. Of the eight original subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct within the last 60 years; and there are less than 50 South China tigers left on this planet — few, and possibly none, survive in the wild.

There are five different kinds or subspecies of tiger alive in the world today. These tigers are called Siberian, South China, Indochinese, Bengal, and Sumatran. Their Latin name is Panthera tigris. Tigers are an endangered species; only about 5,000 to 7,400 tigers are left in the wild. Three tiger subspecies, the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers have become extinct in the past 70 years.

Poachers are continuing to exterminate the world’s remaining Tigers.

New demand across Southeast Asia for the skins, teeth and claws of tigers is endangering much of the great cats, particularly the Sumatran tiger. Currently, the demand for Tiger parts is centered in several parts of Asia where there is a strong market for traditional medicines made from items like tiger bone and body parts. Volumes are sizeable and there has been little enforcement action against poachers and traders.

In India, many tigers continue to be killed by poachers or die as a result

of pressure on their natural habitats from the rapidly growing human population or environmental damaging caused by a lack of governance and the booming economy.

There are around 3,000 wild tigers in the world, of which around half live in India. The census, being published Monday, March 28th, is believed to put the total number of wild tigers in India at around 1,550 – 10% more than in 2008.

However, this may prove controversial because it has included the vast jungle and swamp areas of the Sunderbans (map at left), an estuary zone on the Bay of Bengal that had previously proved to difficult to properly survey.

Conservationists are also uncertain about the accuracy of the latest figures, claiming the methods used allowed the same tiger to be counted several times.

"A 10% increase is good news and very significant – but you can always fudge the figures if you want to, whatever counting method you use," MK Ranjitsinh, the chairman of the Wildlife Trust of India and one of India's best-known tiger campaigners, said.

In the 1970s, the Indian tiger population dropped to near 1,000. A major

effort to establish reserves and increase protection of the animals resulted in numbers trebling by the end of the 1990s.

Indian tigers are a major draw for tourists (left), and attempts are currently being made to repopulate national parks that have seen all their tigers die, many through poaching to supply the growing demand for traditional medicines in China.

But problems remain. Many villages are still either within reserves or close to them, and local people are frequently attacked while collecting wood or walking to their fields.

"The human population continues to grow and that means reduction of prey, threats to the isolation of the tiger habitat and increasing danger of direct human-tiger conflict. We may have won a battle, but you have to win the war," Ranjitsinh (right) said.

Source:
The Guardian,"India's tiger numbers increase for first time in a decade, says census ",accessed March 28, 2011