June 14, 2012 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

MORNING

“And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”
Genesis 21:6

It was far above the power of nature, and even contrary to its laws, that the aged Sarah should be honoured with a son; and even so it is beyond all ordinary rules that I, a poor, helpless, undone sinner, should find grace to bear about in my soul the indwelling Spirit of the Lord Jesus. I, who once despaired, as well I might, for my nature was as dry, and withered, and barren, and accursed as a howling wilderness, even I have been made to bring forth fruit unto holiness. Well may my mouth be filled with joyous laughter, because of the singular, surprising grace which I have received of the Lord, for I have found Jesus, the promised seed, and he is mine forever. This day will I lift up psalms of triumph unto the Lord who has remembered my low estate, for “my heart rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation.”

I would have all those that hear of my great deliverance from hell, and my most blessed visitation from on high, laugh for joy with me. I would surprise my family with my abundant peace; I would delight my friends with my ever-increasing happiness; I would edify the Church with my grateful confessions; and even impress the world with the cheerfulness of my daily conversation. Bunyan tells us that Mercy laughed in her sleep, and no wonder when she dreamed of Jesus; my joy shall not stop short of hers while my Beloved is the theme of my daily thoughts. The Lord Jesus is a deep sea of joy: my soul shall dive therein, shall be swallowed up in the delights of his society. Sarah looked on her Isaac, and laughed with excess of rapture, and all her friends laughed with her; and thou, my soul, look on thy Jesus, and bid heaven and earth unite in thy joy unspeakable.

EVENING

“He openeth, and no man shutteth.”
Revelation 3:7

Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise and before every believing soul he setteth an open door, which no man or devil shall be able to close against it. What joy it will be to find that faith in him is the golden key to the everlasting doors. My soul, dost thou carry this key in thy bosom, or art thou trusting to some deceitful pick-lock, which will fail thee at last? Hear this parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and he has proclaimed to all the world that none shall enter but those who bring with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate by thousands, and they bring each one the flower which he esteems the queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence, and enter not into the festive halls. Some bear in their hand the deadly nightshade of superstition, or the flaunting poppies of Rome, or the hemlock of self- righteousness, but these are not dear to the King, the bearers are shut out of the pearly gates. My soul, hast thou gathered the rose of Sharon? Dost thou wear the lily of the valley in thy bosom constantly? If so, when thou comest up to the gates of heaven thou wilt know its value, for thou hast only to show this choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open: not for a moment will he deny thee admission, for to that rose the Porter openeth ever. Thou shalt find thy way with the rose of Sharon in thy hand up to the throne of God himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and of all the flowers that bloom in paradise there is none that can rival the lily of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into thy hand by faith, by love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it thine all in all, and thou shalt be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus, be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.

via view.lists.biblegateway.com

Updated June 13, 2012, 2:28 pm

On June 14, 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.
Go to article »

On June 14, 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” was born. Following her death on July 1, 1896, her obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1775 The United States Army was founded.

1777 The Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag.

1811 Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” was born in Litchfield, Conn.

1846 A group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.

1922 Warren G. Harding became the first president heard on radio, as Baltimore station WEAR broadcast his speech dedicating the Francis Scott Key memorial at Fort McHenry.

1928 The Republican National Convention nominated Herbert Hoover for president.

1940 The Nazis opened a concentration camp at Auschwitz in German-occupied Poland.

1943 The Supreme Court ruled schoolchildren could not be compelled to salute the flag of the United States if doing so would conflict with their religious beliefs.

1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an order adding the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.

1982 Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.

1985 A 17-day hijack ordeal began when a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized TWA Flight 847 shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.

2002 American Roman Catholic bishops adopted a policy to bar sexually abusive clergy from face-to-face contact with parishioners but keep them in the priesthood.

2007 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared an emergency after the Hamas militant group effectively took control of the Gaza Strip.

2009 Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson broke Red Auerbach’s record by winning his 10th NBA title.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor Kevin McHale (“Glee”) turns 24 years old today.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Tennis Hall of Famer Steffi Graf turns 43 years old today.

AP Photo/Jeff Bottari

1926 Don Newcombe, Baseball player, turns 86

1939 Steny Hoyer, U.S. representative, D-Md., turns 73

1943 Jim Sensenbrenner, U.S. representative, R-Wis., turns 69

1945 Rod Argent, Rock singer (The Zombies), turns 67

1946 Janet Lennon, Singer (The Lennon Sisters), turns 66

1946 Donald Trump, Real estate developer, TV personality, turns 66

1947 Barry Melton, Rock musician (Country Joe and the Fish), turns 65

1952 Eddie Mekka, Actor (“Laverne and Shirley”), turns 60

1952 Pat Summitt, Basketball coach, turns 60

1954 Will Patton, Actor, turns 58

1958 Eric Heiden, Olympic gold-medal speed skater, turns 54

1961 Boy George, Singer (Culture Club), turns 51

1966 Traylor Howard, Actress (“Monk”), turns 46

1968 Yasmine Bleeth, Actress, turns 44

1968 Faizon Love, Actor, turns 44

1978 Diablo Cody, Screenwriter (“Juno”), turns 34

Historic Birthdays

Harriet Beecher Stowe 6/14/1811 – 7/1/1896 American author; wrote “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.Go to obituary »

70 Charles-Augustin de Coulomb 6/14/1736 – 8/23/1806
French physicist

85 John Bartlett 6/14/1820 – 12/3/1905
American editor of “Familiar Quotations”

69 Vasile Alecsandri 6/14/1821 – 8/22/1890
Romanian lyric poet and dramatist

70 Robert La Follette 6/14/1855 – 6/18/1925
American politician; Wisconsin governor (1901-6), U.S. Senator (1906-25)

75 Karl Landsteiner 6/14/1868 – 6/26/1943
Austrian-born immunologist and pathologist

72 Edward Bowes 6/14/1874 – 6/14/1946
American radio personality

61 John McCormack 6/14/1884 – 9/16/1945
Irish tenor

67 Margaret Bourke-White 6/14/1904 – 8/27/1971
American photojournalist

39 Che Guevara 6/14/1928 – 10/9/1967
Argentine communist tactician of guerrilla warfare

57 Jerzy Kosinski 6/14/1933 – 5/3/1991
Polish-born American writer

1775	The United States Army was founded.
1777	The Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag.
1811	Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” was born in Litchfield, Conn.
1846	A group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.
1922	Warren G. Harding became the first president heard on radio, as Baltimore station WEAR broadcast his speech dedicating the Francis Scott Key memorial at Fort McHenry.
1928	The Republican National Convention nominated Herbert Hoover for president.
1940	The Nazis opened a concentration camp at Auschwitz in German-occupied Poland.
1943	The Supreme Court ruled schoolchildren could not be compelled to salute the flag of the United States if doing so would conflict with their religious beliefs.
1954	President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an order adding the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.
1982	Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.
1985	A 17-day hijack ordeal began when a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized TWA Flight 847 shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.
2002	American Roman Catholic bishops adopted a policy to bar sexually abusive clergy from face-to-face contact with parishioners but keep them in the priesthood.
2007	Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared an emergency after the Hamas militant group effectively took control of the Gaza Strip.
2009	Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson broke Red Auerbach’s record by winning his 10th NBA title.

1926	Don Newcombe, Baseball player, turns 86
1939	Steny Hoyer, U.S. representative, D-Md., turns 73
1943	Jim Sensenbrenner, U.S. representative, R-Wis., turns 69
1945	Rod Argent, Rock singer (The Zombies), turns 67
1946	Janet Lennon, Singer (The Lennon Sisters), turns 66
1946	Donald Trump, Real estate developer, TV personality, turns 66
1947	Barry Melton, Rock musician (Country Joe and the Fish), turns 65
1952	Eddie Mekka, Actor (“Laverne and Shirley”), turns 60
1952	Pat Summitt, Basketball coach, turns 60
1954	Will Patton, Actor, turns 58
1958	Eric Heiden, Olympic gold-medal speed skater, turns 54
1961	Boy George, Singer (Culture Club), turns 51
1966	Traylor Howard, Actress (“Monk”), turns 46
1968	Yasmine Bleeth, Actress, turns 44
1968	Faizon Love, Actor, turns 44
1978	Diablo Cody, Screenwriter (“Juno”), turns 34

70	Charles-Augustin de Coulomb 6/14/1736 – 8/23/1806 French physicist
85	John Bartlett 6/14/1820 – 12/3/1905 American editor of “Familiar Quotations”
69	Vasile Alecsandri 6/14/1821 – 8/22/1890 Romanian lyric poet and dramatist
70	Robert La Follette 6/14/1855 – 6/18/1925 American politician; Wisconsin governor (1901-6), U.S. Senator (1906-25)
75	Karl Landsteiner 6/14/1868 – 6/26/1943 Austrian-born immunologist and pathologist
72	Edward Bowes 6/14/1874 – 6/14/1946 American radio personality
61	John McCormack 6/14/1884 – 9/16/1945 Irish tenor
67	Margaret Bourke-White 6/14/1904 – 8/27/1971 American photojournalist
39	Che Guevara 6/14/1928 – 10/9/1967 Argentine communist tactician of guerrilla warfare
57	Jerzy Kosinski 6/14/1933 – 5/3/1991 Polish-born American writer