October 2005 Signs of the Times Email Newsletter

[Stan]

October 2005 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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Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once told about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old boy whose next-door neighbor, an elderly gentleman, had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, September 2000.

Quote: “There are people who claim to be praying for the salvation of the whole world who never go to prayer meeting in rainy weather.”—Ram’s Horn, Signs of the Times, February 7, 1895.

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Don't miss the November 2005 issue of Signs of the Times: “Prophetic Implications of Katrina”, “In Love with the Law”, “Why Should I Be Baptized?”, “How Dead Are the Dead?” and other important articles. To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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Okinawa, May 11, 1945—Some men of the Seventy-seventh Infantry Division are hailing today as their bravest man a conscientious objector who would not carry a lethal weapon of any kind, but who stayed alone on a high, bitterly-disputed escarpment from which his comrades had been driven and got out 75 wounded men who otherwise faced probable death from intense Japanese fire.

He is Pfc. Desmond T. Doss, 26, of Norfolk, VA., a Medical Corps man attached to the 307th Infantry Regiment. He has received special commendation from the divisional commander, Major General Andrew D. Bruce.

Pfc. Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist, demonstrated his great bravery under fire, furthermore, on the Adventist Sabbath, Saturday, a day on which he almost invariably did not perform even medical duties, but stayed in his tent for prayer, meditation, and reading of the Bible.

On this particular day, he agreed to work as medical aide man only because his commanding officer asked his assistance, pointing out that he was the only corpsman available to a company that was assaulting the escarpment.

“Captain,” said Doss, “it is fine with me, but you’ll have to wait a few minutes while I read my Bible here.”

The company waited. When Private Doss had finished his session of prayer the attack was launched. He went forward with the assaulting force, which gained the top of the escarpment near Hill 187 but was driven back, suffering heavy losses under intense and accurate enemy mortar fire.

When the company assembled at the foot of the hill, Pfc. Doss was missing. About 20 minutes later he was seen on the top of the escarpment waving his hands and indicating that he would lower the wounded men. The company commander ordered him down, but he refused until he had removed the last wounded man.”—Courtesy of “The New York Times”, The Watchman Magazine, August 1945.

Desmond Doss was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism. October 2005 is the 60th anniversary of Desmond Doss receiving this award. Pacific Press has just released: “Desmond Doss, Conscientious Objector.” For ordering information go to: http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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NEW from Pacific Press—What do you yearn for more than anything else? Is it peace? Fulfillment? Acceptance? Maybe it’s forgiveness, or perhaps it’s love. Mike Tucker has written a beautiful new book called “Jesus”, followed by the sub-title, “He’s all you’ll ever need.” Filled with contemporary stories of people who have discovered that God is truly approachable, Tucker guides us through the book of Luke to show how God understands your heart’s desire.

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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His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a church, the members of which are well-dressed and very conservative. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to visit that church. He walks in wearing his jeans, T-shirt, wild hair, and no shoes and starts down the center aisle looking for a place to sit. The church is completely packed, and he can’t find a seat. The members look a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes that there are no seats left, he just sits down on the carpet.

By now the members are really uptight; tension fills the air.

Then, from the back of the church, a deacon slowly makes his way toward Bill. Now in his eighties, the deacon has silver-gray hair, a three-piece suit, and a pocket watch. He’s a godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane, and as he heads toward Bill all the members are saying to themselves, “You can’t blame him for what he’s going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and background to understand a college kid on the floor?”

It takes a long time for the old man to get down the aisle. All eyes are focused on him. The church is utterly silent. The minister can’t even begin preaching until the deacon does what he has to do. When he reaches the front, the congregation watches as he, with great difficulty, lowers himself and sits down next to Bill so he won’t be alone.

When the minister gains control of himself, he says, “What I’m about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, November 1999.

Quote: “If you haven’t enough religion to make anyone else happy, it is not surprising that you are not happy yourself.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, June 18, 1896.

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Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: Signs is filled with inspiring stories and articles that will strengthen your faith. Order from your Adventist Book Center. To order call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at: http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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Invited to provide special music in his church, Rocky decided to play “The Holy City” on his trumpet. However, he hadn’t played the trumpet for quite some time, and this particular number requires a great deal of strength in the lip. So Rocky knew he’d have to spend a good bit of time practicing. But the only time he had to practice was early morning before going to work, and he wasn’t sure the neighbors would appreciate the noise at that hour of the day.

Rocky pondered the problem for a day or two and came up with a solution. He was acquainted with an elderly Christian couple who lived on a small farm outside of town, and he decided to go out to their place early in the morning and practice in their old silo. Here he could blow with all the gusto he wished and disturb no one.

All seemed to go well the morning he went out to the farm. He sneaked into the silo and played to his heart’s content for half an hour. When he had finished practicing, he walked out of the silo and found the elderly couple standing in the yard in their nightclothes, yelling “Where is it? Where is it? We hear the trumpets, but we can’t see the cloud!”

The only thing Rocky could think to say was, “It was just me. I’m so sorry.”

Those dear old people believed Jesus had returned! How happy they were, thinking they had lived to see Him come to take them home.

May we have the faith of that dedicated couple.—By Kay Anger, Signs of the Times, March 2002.

Quote: “A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next six months or take sufficient air into his lungs at once to sustain life for a week to come. We must draw upon God’s boundless stores of grace from day to day as we need it.”—By D. L. Moody, Signs of the Times, July 10, 1901.

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FREE—A packet of Pocket Signs and Little Treasures. Send your address to: []becbin@pacificpress.com[/] before October 17 and received this great sharing packet.

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The smooth, damp sand of a beach was littered with thousands of starfish that had washed up there during high tide. They were doomed to die in the warm morning sun.

A young man watched an old man pick up starfish one at a time and toss them back into the ocean. “You know,” he said, “you can save only a few. What you’re doing won’t really make any difference.”

The old man bent down, picked up another starfish, and tossed it into the water. Then he smiled at the young man and said, “It made a difference to that one.” And he walked on, picking up starfish and tossing them back into the sea.—By Richard Bauman, Signs of the Times, January 2003.

Quote: “A Christian living in the world is like a ship sailing on the ocean. It is not the ship being in the water which will sink it, but the water getting into the ship. So the Christian is not ruined by living in the world, which he must needs do whilst he remains in the body, but by the world living in him.”—Christian Retirement, Signs of the Times, January 27, 1890.

[Neil D]

I hope you don't mind, but I am "stealing" one of the quotes for my tagline....perhaps it might make me remember what I am here for....

[Parade Orange]

I love these stories!

Thanku for putting HIM here!