Today's Scripture [1-31-13]

   And the LORD appeared unto him [Abraham]
in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door
in the heat of the day;
   And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo,
three men stood by him: and when he saw them,
he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bow-
ed himself toward the ground, . . .
   And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy
wife? and he said, Behold, in the tent.
   And He said, I will certainly return unto thee
according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy
wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the
tent door, which was behind him.
   Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well
stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah
after the manner of women.
   Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, say-
ing, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure,
my lord being old also?
   And the LORD said unto Abraham, Where-
fore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety
bear a child, which am old?
   Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the
time appointed I will return unto thee, according
to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
   Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for
she was afraid. And He said, Nay; but thou didst
laugh.

                   ~ Genesis 18:1,2, 9-15 KJV

Summer Heart

There's frost upon the windowpanes,
The trees are grey and bare,
And icy winds play hide-and-seek
With winter everywhere.
Crisp brown leaves move restlessly,
In ever-changing heaps,
But safe and warm within my heart,
The summer gently sleeps.
And so it is within our lives,
Whose years are like the seasons,
Sometimes sunny . . . sometimes bleak,
The dear Lord has His reasons.
But if we learn to set aside
A little seed or two,
Of happiness, then it will bloom
Long after summer's through.
And if we gather to ourselves
What time cannot destroy,
Every single day we live,
Will hold a bit of joy.
Not in getting, but in giving,
Lies the secret of it all,
Not in wishing or in wanting
What is far beyond recall.
But in using to the fullest,
Every grace that God bestows,
And in trusting to His judgment,
. . . Turns a thorn into a rose.
So no matter what the season,
Or whatever skies above,
It's always summer in the heart,
With room enough for love.
           
                 ~ Grace E. Easley

Today's Scripture [1-30-13]

   And when Abram was ninety years old and
nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said
unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before
me, and be thou perfect.
   And I will make my covenant between me and
thee, and will  multiply thee exceedingly.
   And Abram fell on his face: and God talked
with him, saying,
   As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee,
and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
   Neither shall thy name any more be called
Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a
father of many nations have I made thee.
   And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and
I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come
out of thee.
   And I will establish my covenant between me
and thee and thy seed after thee in their genera-
tions for an everlasting covenant, to be a God
unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
   And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after
thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the
land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession;
and I will be their God.
   And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep
my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after
thee in their generations.
   This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, be-
tween me and you and thy seed after thee; Every
man child among you shall be circumcised. . .
   And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy
wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but
Sarah shall her name be.
   And I will bless her, and give thee a son also
of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a
mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
   Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed,
and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto
him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah,
that is ninety years old, bear?
   And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael
might live before thee!
   And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a
son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac:
and I will establish my covenant with him for an
everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
   And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold,
I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful,
and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes
shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
   But my covenant will I establish with Isaac,
which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time
in the next year.

                   ~ Genesis 17:1-10, 15-21 KJV
  

Barter

Life has loveliness to sell,
    All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
    Soaring fire that sways and sings
And children's faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
    Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
    Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
    Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
    Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.

                    ~ Sara Teasdale

Today's Scripture [1-29-13]

   Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no child-
ren: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian,
whose name was Hagar.
   And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the
LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray
thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may
obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened
to the voice of Sarai.
   And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her
maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten
years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her
husband Abram to be his wife.
   And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived:
and when she saw that she had conceived, her
mistress was despised in her eyes.
   And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be up-
on thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom;
and when she saw that she had conceived, I was
despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between
me and thee.
   But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid
is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And
when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from
her face.
   And the angel of the LORD found her by a
fountain of water in the wilderness, . . .
   And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence
camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And
she said, I flee from the face of my mistress
Sarai.
   And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Re-
turn to thy mistress, and submit thyself under
her hands.
   And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I
will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall
not be numbered for multitude.
   And the angel of the LORD said unto her,
Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a
son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because
the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
   And he will be a wild man; his hand will be
against every man, and every man's hand a-
gainst him; and he shall dwell in the presence
of all his brethren. . .
   And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram
called his son's name, which Hagar bare,
Ishmael.
   And Abram was fourscore and six years old,
when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
  
              ~ Genesis 16:1-12, 15,16 KJV
  
  

Friendship

Friendship is a mighty ship
That weathers many gales,
And leaves a blessing to the world
In every place it sails.

It helps the dreary, cheers the sad,
And drives dark clouds away.
It gives a helping hand to those
Who've fallen by the way.

Friendship is a blessed ship
That's full of peace and love,
And carries sunshine everywhere,
From God's own home above.

It makes the world a better place,
Even more like heaven sweet--
And helps to smooth the pathways out,
For weary pilgrims' feet.

                 ~ Karen Mutsch

Today's Scripture [1-28-13]

   After these things the word of the LORD came
unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram:
I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
   And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt Thou
give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward
of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
   And Abram said, Behold, to me Thou hast giv-
en no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine
heir.
   And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto
him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he
that shall come forth out of thine own bowels
shall be thine heir.
   And He brought him forth abroad, and said,
Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if
thou be able to number them: and He said unto
him, So shall thy seed be.
   And he believed in the LORD; and He counted
it to him for righteousness.
   And He said unto him, I am the LORD that
brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give
thee this land to inherit it...
   And when the sun was going down, a deep
sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great
darkness fell upon him.
   And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety
that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is
not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall
afflict them four hundred years;
   And also that nation, whom they shall serve,
will I judge: and afterward shall they come out
with great substance.
   And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou
shalt be buried in a good old age...
   In the same day the LORD made a covenant
with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given
this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great
river, the river Euphrates: . . .

         ~ Genesis 15:1-7, 12-15, 18 KJV