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I found this on the Sacred Sandwich site, and thought it was a good reminder!: Here is..." a stark reminder of the vileness of sin in the life of every man. Too often, especially among unbelievers, we become complacent with our sinfulness because we see no evidence of negative repercussions. Because of God’s great patience and benevolence, our lives seem unaffected by our rebellious actions. In fact, in some cases, life seems even better than before. Prosperity abounds and our consciences are easily seared to the point of seeing no harm in our “inconsequential” sin. Let us not forget, therefore, the reality of the vileness of all sin, even those so-called “lesser” sins of omission, those failures of duty and those shortcomings in spirit that even beset the believer. As the Scriptures tell us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all ...

Well, as part of the Olive Tree Ministries UK team, I was at the Lakes Gospel Choir concert last night and it was a really good evening. They sang some lovely songs, with some lovely voices, all praising our lovely Lord! (I keep remembering(at the moment!) that chorus: "He's the altogether lovely to my soul!"(probably because we sang it at Barn Camp!)) This is one of my favourites: by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. They sang this one last night too. :)

http://www.4thought.tv/themes/should-creationism-be-taught-in-schools/randall-hardy What do you think to this then???

In acceptance lieth peace, O my heart be still; Let thy restless worries cease And accept His will. Though this test be not thy choice, It is His—therefore rejoice. In His plan there cannot be Aught to make thee sad: If this is His choice for thee, Take it and be glad. Make from it some lovely thing To the glory of thy King. Cease from sighs and murmuring, Sing His loving grace, This thing means thy furthering To a wealthy place. From thy fears He’ll give release, In acceptance lieth peace. —Hannah Hurnard This poem keeps encouraging and challenging me. I hope it does so for you too!

Take comfort in Christ. Are there any among you who have tasted of this blessed change—who have put off the old man which is corrupt, and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness—who mourn over your own daily shortcomings, and sigh after more holiness, more self-denial, more mortification of the flesh with all its lusts? We bid you take comfort, and remember that Christ is still the same: He called you and gave you the witness of the Spirit, and He will not forsake you. You may waver and tremble: go forward in faith, and He will still support you. ~ J.C. Ryle The right manner of growth is to grow less in one's own eyes. - Thomas Watson "Only after all the noise has spent itself do we begin to hear in the silence of our hearts, the voice of God." AW Tozer  Let my candle go out, if the Sun of Righteousness may but shine. -Thomas Watson It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. - Spurgeon   "When sin is...

It ties in very nicely with some of the themes at Barn Camp so I thought I'd share it with you. Conscious of their own natural defencelessness, the conies resort to burrows in the rocks, and are secure from their enemies. My heart, be willing to gather a lesson from these feeble folk. Thou art as weak and as exposed to peril as the timid cony, be as wise to seek a shelter. My best security is within the munitions of an immutable Jehovah, where his unalterable promises stand like giant walls of rock. It will be well with thee, my heart, if thou canst always hide thyself in the bulwarks of his glorious attributes, all of which are guarantees of safety for those who put their trust in him. Blessed be the name of the Lord, I have so done, and have found myself like David in Adullam, safe from the cruelty of my enemy; I have not now to find out the blessedness of the man who puts his trust in the Lord, for long ago, when Satan and my sins pursued me, I fled to the cleft of the rock Chri...

Well, I was reminded at Barn Camp that we can and should rejoice all the time and there are so many reasons to rejoice about! Look at Psalm 103 for some of them! God is so good. God never promised us an easy road (I know we wish He had sometimes, but He didn't!) but, what He did promise is so much better: He will be with us every step of the way, strengthening us when we're too weak. This verse, found in Isaiah 41:10, says, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." If that isn't something to rejoice about, please tell me something that is! 

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3 I look not back--God knows the fruitless effort, The wasted hours, the sinning and regrets; I leave them all with Him that blots the record And graciously forgives and then forgets. I look not forward, God sees all the future, The road that short or long, will lead me home; And He will face with me its every trial, And bear for me the burden that may come. I look not around me-- then would fears assail me, So wild the tumult of life's restless sea; So dark the world, so filled with war and evil, So vain the hope of comfort and of ease. I look not inward, that would make me wretched, For I have naught on which to stay my trust; Nothing I see but failures and shortcomings, And weak endeavours crumbling into dust. But I look up-- up into the face of Jesus! For there my heart can rest, my fears are stilled; And there is joy, and love and light for darkness, And perfec...

So, I'm really looking forward to Barn Camp, it's only a week away!:) It's always really encouraging and challenging and I'm definitely ready for a time of refreshing!! and, here's another great quote : "Wherever we turn in the church of God, there is Jesus. He is the beginning, middle and end of everything to us. There is nothing good, nothing holy, nothing beautiful, nothing joyous which He is not to a His servants. No one need be poor, because, if he chooses, he can have Jesus for his own property and possession. No one need be downcast, for Jesus is the joy of heaven, and it is His joy to en ter into sorrowful hearts. We can exaggerate about many things; but we can never exaggerate our obligation to Jesus, or the compassionate abundance of the love of Jesus to us. All our lives long we might talk of Jesus, and yet we should never come to an end of the sweet things that might be said of Him. Eternity will not be long enough to learn all He is, or to praise ...

“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.” - John_21:12 In these words the believer is invited to a holy nearness to Jesus. “Come and dine,” implies the same table, the same meat; aye, and sometimes it means to sit side by side, and lean our head upon the Saviour’s bosom. It is being brought into the banqueting-house, where waves the banner of redeeming love. “Come and dine,” gives us a vision of union with Jesus, because the only food that we can feast upon when we dine with Jesus is himself. Oh, what union is this! It is a depth which reason cannot fathom, that we thus feed upon Jesus. “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the saints. Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite; and if we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread and one cup. As the ...