December 2007 Signs of the Times Newsletter

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The Signs of the Times newsletter is a collection of stories and quotes from past issues of Signs and These Times.

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Harry Winston, a famous diamond broker, was excited. And so was the crowd that had gathered around him. He had just purchased one of the most famous diamonds in the world. And he expected it to be delivered at any moment!

In the crowd were friends and news reporters and curious onlookers, all anxious for the first glimpse of the famous stone. While they waited, Mr. Winston entertained them with stories from the diamond’s past history. The crowd buzzed with excitement.

The people kept watching for the armored car and police escort that would make the delivery. Security was sure to be tight.

At the edge of the crowd a man in a postman’s uniform tried to make his way through, but he was shoved back. The people wanted nothing to distract attention from the arrival of the fabled gem.

The crowd grew. Self-appointed sentinels kept their eyes on the roadway, ready to shout the arrival of the armed escort. Again the postman tried to push through the crowd. In his hand he clutched a brown paper parcel tied with string. He said he had to deliver it to Mr. Winston. Imagine! Who was he? Some crackpot trying to get his name in the paper?

Finally, with more irritation than courtesy, they let the stubborn postman through. Mr. Winston took the parcel, glanced at the return address, and gave a short cry. With trembling hands he tore the paper away from a small box. Then he opened it and tenderly lifted the precious diamond for all to see. He held it up to the sun and let the gem’s reflections play over the amazed crowd.

For a few moments they stood in stunned silence. How could such fabled beauty arrive in such a common wrapping? And then they burst into a loud, spontaneous cheer!

But no one in that crowd ever forgot how they had almost rejected one of the world’s most precious diamonds!

How like what happened nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus came to earth. The people were expecting their Messiah. They were waiting for him, longing for His arrival, but they didn’t think He would come in a brown paper parcel!—By George Vandeman, These Times, May 1979.

Quote: “I do not fear tomorrow, because I have seen yesterday. And I love today.”—Author Unknown, These Times, September 1964.

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Don't miss the January 2008 issue of Signs of the Times: “Teens Managing Money”, “Extravagant Love”, “The TV Trap”, “Delighting in the Sabbath”, “Sensing God’s Presence in Your Life”, “The Mystery of Flying Saucers” and other important articles. To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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The public press tells us of Mr. D. N. Carr, Terminus Road, Eastbourne, England, who completed a true-to-scale, four-feet-long model of the Forth Bridge, using over five thousand match sticks in his long and intricate job. Then one day he went to see a play entitled “The Wasted Years.” When he returned home, he found that his years had indeed been wasted, for his model had been destroyed. A mirror had fallen off the wall and demolished it. Then he said, “I shall not try to remake the model. In any case I doubt if I could get sufficient matches.” He thought the title of the play, “The Wasted Years,” was quite appropriate in connection with his seven years’ labor on the bridge model.—By H.M.S. Richards, These Times, January 1951.

Quote: “The truly illustrious are they who do not court the praise of the world, but perform the actions which deserve it.”—By George Henry Tilton, These Times, July 1965.

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NEW from Pacific Press—“Meeting Jesus in the Book of Revelation” by Mike Tucker. There’s no need to fear the Bible’s scariest book any longer. That’s right—no more nightmares about strange, monster-like multi-headed creatures under the bed! Why? Because, according to pastor and author Mike Tucker, the real subject of Revelation is not strange beasts and symbols, but the lovely Jesus. All those strange symbols and ominous forebodings so often referred to when discussing the Bible’s final book are just a sidebar next to the revelation of a loving Savior who longs to take us home.

Read the first chapter of this book online at http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com Order online or from your local Adventist Book Center--1-800-765-6955.

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“Why did Mister God rest on the seventh day?” she began.

“I suppose He was a bit flaked out after six days hard work,” I answered.

“He didn’t rest ‘cause He was tired, though.”

“Oh, didn’t He? It makes me tired, just to think about it all.”

“Course He didn’t. He wasn’t tired.”

“Wasn’t He?”

“No, He made rest.”—From “Mister God, This Is Anna,” by Flynn, Signs of the Times, August 1992.

Quote: “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God!”—By Abraham Lincoln, These Times, February 1965.

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Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: Would you like to win that friend or neighbor to Jesus? Send a GIFT that will reach out to them all year long. Send a subscription to the NEW Signs of the Times. To order call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at: http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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Tom was not a bad boy; indeed, his teacher had classed him among the pretty good boys. He had his faults, but I am not going to tell them to you. One day he got “all twisted up,” as he called it. Things went wrong, and he disobeyed his teacher. I can not tell tales out of school, so you shall not know just what he did; but it was something very wrong.

The next morning, instead of a pleasant smile and a cheery greeting, Miss Hall, his teacher, saw only a hurried glance and a troubled downward look.

After prayers Tom was sent to a room by himself that he might think and decide what to do. He was not to join in his class work till he had decided. Tom thought; he knew that he had done wrong. He was sorry, for he loved his teacher, and he had seldom been punished; but Miss Hall felt that his offense could not be overlooked. At the recess she went in to see him, and said:

“Well, my boy, what shall we do?”

“I don’t know, teacher,” he replied, “I did very wrong, and I’m sorry.”

“I know you are sorry,” said the teacher, “and I dislike to punish you, but I do not see how I can help it; do you?”

“No, ma’am. I know I ought to be punished.”

“What shall it be, my boy?”

“Just what you say, teacher.”

“Are you willing in some way to tell the boys what you have told me?”

“I am willing,” Tom answered eagerly.

“Will you write it on the board, or say it?”

“I had rather write it, teacher.” So together Tom and his teacher went back to the schoolroom, and on the blackboard, behind the teacher’s table, Tom wrote, and you may be sure the room was very still when Tom was writing. You could hear the clock tick. Tom felt rather flustered by the unusual silence, and could not remember to spell as well as usual. He stopped at one word and, looking up to his teacher, said in a low voice, “How do you spell ‘sorry,’ Miss Hall—with two ‘r’s, or one?” He will never forget how to spell that word, I know.

When he had finished writing, he slipped back into the room, and let the blackboard tell its own story, and they read:

“I disobeyed my teacher yesterday; I am sorry, and I will try to do as she wishes in the future. Thomas Carr.”

Then the teacher said, “I know you will all be generous enough to say nothing of this to the one who has so nobly confessed his wrong.” Then she wrote Res—meaning Reserve—above the words, and there they stood all day. Tom saw them every time he looked up and often when he didn’t, too, and he thought, “O dear, if I had not done wrong; if I could only take it back and rub out those hateful words!”

The next morning Tom dreaded to go to school, thinking of the handwriting on the board, till the bell rang and the teacher said, “I have rubbed out the words that were written here yesterday. Will the scholars get their Bibles and read what is in their place? For in place of Tom’s confession the teacher had written “Isaiah 43:25.”

Every Bible was quickly turned, and the passage silently read, and many a quick, intelligent glance turned towards the desk. “Please, teacher, let us read it together,” said one.

So all read in subdued tones these beautiful words: “I, even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”—Children’s Messenger, Signs of the Times, September 24, 1902.

Quote: “I have never heard anything about the resolutions of the disciples, but a great deal about the acts of the apostles.”—By Horace Mann, Signs of the Times, January 27, 1909.

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NEW from Signs of the Times: Share the gift of “Certainty in an Uncertain World”. With an evangelist's heart, Mark Finley draws the reader into the joy of discovering a loving God. This BRAND NEW SHARING PIECE from Signs of the Times is a special issue that covers the plan of salvation and the main teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. For a FREE sample copy, send your name and mailing address to becbin@pacificpress.com before December 15, 2007.

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A writer tells of a boy who was sunny and brave. He met the ills of life which too many people regard as almost tragedies, with courage. But one day something serious happened. He and a playmate climbed a tree. Just as our little philosopher reached the top, his foot slipped and he fell to the ground. He lay there, but uttered no cry. It was his playmate that screamed. The doctor found the leg badly broken. The boy bore the setting patiently, without a whimper. The mother slipped out of the room to hide her own tears,--she couldn’t stand it as well as her boy did. Outside she heard a faint sound and hurried back, almost hoping to find him crying.

“My boy!” she said, “do you want something? I thought I heard you call.”

“O, no, mother,” he said, “I didn’t call. I just thought I’d try singing a bit.” And he went on with his song.

When you have pain or struggle, or a heavy load, or a great anguish, don’t complain, don’t cry out, don’t sink down in despair, don’t be afraid,--try singing a bit. Trust God and praise.—Sunday School Times, Signs of the Times, January 27, 1909.

Quote: “ ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth.’ Where does your Redeemer live—in heaven only, or in your heart and life as well?”—By M. A. Hollister, Signs of the Times, January 28, 1919.

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Compiled by Dale Galusha. Please pass this newsletter on to others. If this FREE newsletter was forwarded to you by a friend, and you would like to receive it directly on a monthly basis, email: join-signsnews@lyra.pacificpress.com