June 2011 Signs of the Times Email Newsletter

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June 2011 Signs of the Times Email Newsletter

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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On Saturday, September 4, 1869, Hudson Taylor arrived home at his tiny crowded house in Chinkiang, China, after a missionary itinerary. “It’s been a long hot summer,” he sighed as he gave his wife an extra-big hug. He kissed his children, greeted the Chinese teachers and other missionaries, and, as if driven by some inner searching, went to his study. He wanted some peace—he’d tried so hard, prayed, agonized, fasted, made resolutions, read the Bible more, but still his inner soul seemed in turmoil. He felt himself a great sinner and a failure. Picking up a stack of correspondence that had accumulated during his absence, he idly turned the envelopes. Why couldn’t he get relief?

“John McCarthy,” he read on the envelope. His pulse quickened, and he hastily tore open the envelope. Why, this was the young Irishman he had just left in Hangchow in August! He recalled well John’s quick temper and how he longed to know how to overcome it. He had written at length.

“I see,” wrote McCarthy, “as if the first glimmer of the dawn of a glorious day has arisen upon me. . . . I seem to have sipped only of that which can fully satisfy.”

“What’s he found?” Taylor could hardly read fast enough. His eyes were riveted as he reread the words.

“To let my loving Saviour work in me His will. . . . Abiding, not striving or struggling. . . . Not a striving to have faith, or to increase our faith, but a looking at the faithful One seems all we need.”

“Looking at the faithful One.” Taylor stared long and far out of the windows as he thought of his Saviour, and a wave of peace, joy, and contentment flowed through his whole being. Glorious discovery! Resting in Him!

With new joy in his heart and new light in his eyes he called the household together and read McCarthy’s letter to them, exclaiming, “I am one with Christ; I am part of Him. Each of us is a limb of His body, a branch of the vine.”

Centuries before this, Jesus Christ stated, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5). McCarthy and Taylor now saw that victory comes through abiding rather than through fighting, that obedience comes not through trying harder but through trusting more. For obedience is the fruit of an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.—By Norman R. Gulley, These Times, September 1975.

Quote: “A charitable man is like an apple tree—he gives his fruit and is silent. The philanthropist is like the hen.”—Unknown, These Times, March 1965.

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Don't miss the July 2011 issue of Signs of the Times: “The God of Hell”, “Our Deepest Fear”, “Shown the Grace of God”, “Jesus as Warrior”, “What Should You Do With Guilt?”, “Making Sense of the Millennium” and other important articles. To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at www.pacificpress.com/signs

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Apollo 13 was in trouble. And here was a new kind of peril. Would men, for the first time in history, be flung out into some fatal orbit, missing the earth, with no possibility of rescue?

Everything depended on maintaining the inertial guidance system. The astronauts desperately needed to sight some stars. But the lunar module had now become the lifeboat. And the Aquarius optics were less sophisticated than those in the Odyssey. They had never been intended for use in deep-space navigation and required movement of the entire spacecraft to get a sighting.

Besides, oxygen was venting from the damaged service module, along with the particles of metal and bits of insulation. And these sparkled in the sun, making it almost impossible to tell real stars from artificial ones.

It was absolutely imperative to sight by something dependable. So, with the stars obscured, they sighted by the earth and the moon, and at times by the sun.

It worked. The alternative would have been to bounce off the atmosphere into space again—this time for good.

We, too, are aboard a spacecraft—the planet Earth. And everybody knows the flight is in trouble. This crippled planet needs some aligning. But our vision is obscured by the confusing, misleading, contemporary debris of a damaged culture. It was never more difficult to tell which are the true stars. But sight we must. It is realign—or perish.

How do we get back on course? By sighting on something dependable. Getting back on the beam of eternal truth—By George Vandeman, These Times, June 1972.

Quote: “I will speak ill of no man, and speak all the good I know of everybody.”—By Benjamin Franklin, These Times, June 1971.

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From Pacific Press—God With Us and God For Us by James Gilley. In Greek, the original title of John’s Gospel is “According to John.” John’s Gospel is a first-hand account, from the “beloved” disciple, of what he experienced and observed as he followed his Divine Master. God With Us explores John 1-12, emphasizing that Jesus, the Word, was God, and shedding insight on two key words found in the first 12 chapters, light and life. God For Us explains some of the nuances in John 13-21. You will learn what it means to be a true disciple and you will realize that everything Jesus did, He did for you. In Gilley’s down-to-earth writing style, he handles the timeless truths from John’s Gospel in ways that touch our lives in the twenty-first century.

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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The Lord says, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

One cold day, a poor, ill-clad woman halted before the window of a king’s conservatory, looking at a cluster of grapes, which she longed to have for her little sick daughter.

She went home, and by extra exertion earned a florin, and came and offered it for the cluster of grapes. The gardener ordered her off the premises.

She returned home, took the blanket from her bed, pawned it, and went and asked the gardener to sell her the grapes, offering him five shillings. He became furious, and bade her leave the place at once.

The princess heard the rough language, and asked what was wrong. When the story was told her, she said, “My dear woman, you are mistaken in the place. My father is not a merchant, but a king. His business is not to sell, but to give.” So saying, she plucked the cluster of grapes, and dropped them into the woman’s apron.

This illustrates what Jesus has done for us. His business, too, is not to sell, but to give. He does not make merchandise of heaven, but He gives us a welcome entry there. His mission is to give life, and to give it more abundantly. He is standing, bidding all who thirst for water of life to come buy without money and without price.—By George B. Thompson, Signs of the Times, October 6, 1925.

Quote: “It is not marriage that fails, but the people. All marriage does is to show them up.”—By Harry Emerson Fosdick, Signs of the Times, August 5, 1930.

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Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: People all around you are thinking seriously about life and their future. They will love Signs of the Times because it takes on current issues and offers hope in Jesus. Send a subscription today! Order from your Adventist Book Center. To order call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at: www.pacificpress.com/signs

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Charles Bradlaugh, the agnostic, was speaking one evening in a great hall. After he had concluded his attack on the Christian faith, he said: “If there is any Christian here who would like to come to the platform and say a word in defense of the Christian religion, he has the opportunity.”

All the men were motionless, but one old Christian woman walked feebly to the platform, stood beside Charles Bradlaugh, and said: “I am the woman to speak, for I know. Fifty years ago I was left a widow with three children. I had not even a penny in all the world, but I believed in God as my Father and in Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I committed my life to His care. Now I am an old woman, but I have managed by His blessed help to rear all the children and educate them. Today all three are in positions of trust in the world. . . . I know that is what my religion has done for me. What has your agnosticism done for you?”

With the instinct of one who is beaten, Bradlaugh replied: “Well, grandma, we will not discuss that tonight.”

“But,” she insisted, “you wanted to know what Christ Jesus could do, and I have told you that I am one Christian to whom He has come in my need.”—Selected, Signs of the Times, April 10, 1934.

Quote: “Worry is the real kill-joy.”—By Charles G. Bellah, April 15, 1930.

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Looking for great books to lead you closer to Christ—visit http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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Thoughts from years gone by:

Don’t charge your failure to “bad luck,” my boy, says a friend of boys. Learn Mr. Cobden’s proverbs about “Luck and Labor”—

Luck is waiting for something to turn up.

Labor, with keen eyes and strong will, will turn up something.

Luck whines.

Labor whistles.

Luck relies on chances.

Labor, on character.

Luck slips down to indigence.

Labor strides upward to independence.

Luck lies in bed, and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy.

Labor turns out at 6 o’clock, and with busy pen or ringing hammer lays the foundation of a competence.—Unknown, Signs of the Times, February 28, 1900.

Quote: “A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.”—By H. E. S. Hopkins, Signs of the Times, June 13, 1900.

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Read articles from previous issues of Signs of the Times: www.SignsTimes.org

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During the 1929 depression certain financial leaders were called to Washington to study ways of getting the nation back on its feet. A solution seemed impossible. With millions unemployed and many people hungry, something had to be done. But what? Various plans were discussed, but none seemed to have the answer. At last Mr. Eugene Black, district governor of the Federal Reserve System, was asked to give his analysis and suggestions.

Moving slowly to the front, he turned and faced the group. His countenance was grave yet confident. Without comment he began to repeat the words of Scripture: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. That unexpected note from a financial expert was like an electric shock. It turned the tide of discussion.—By R. Allan Anderson, Signs of the Times, June 1957.

Quotes: Without the Bible, the world’s history is incomplete. As Garbett said: “There is a Bible because there is a God; and there is only one Bible, because there is only one God.” What the Bible needs today is not so much to be defended as to be taught. When Joseph Parker was asked for the best reply to attacks upon the Bible, he answered, “Circulation.” Spurgeon had the same thought when he was asked if he could defend the Bible: “Defend it! I would as soon defend a lion. Let it out; it can defend itself.”

How true this has been proved to be! “The printing press from which Voltaire’s infidel works were issued has been used to print the Word of God. Chesterfield’s parlor, once an infidel club room, is now a vestry where Christians meet for prayer and praise. Hume predicted the death of Christianity in twenty years; but the first meeting of the Bible Society in Edinburgh was held in the room where he died. Paine, on landing in New York, predicted that in five years not a Bible would be found in the United States; but there are more Bible societies in America today than in any other country in the world.” We are forced to believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word. Cecil said: “One gem from this ocean is worth all the pebbles from earthly streams.” Shall we not study it more, and obey it?—By George S. Belleau, Signs of the Times, April 25, 1922

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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