November 2005 Signs of the Times Email Newsletter

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November 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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A young man approached his spiritual adviser.

“Sir,” he said, “I am a lost man.”

“That is fine!” the minister replied.

“But, sir,” the young man persisted in agony of soul, “you do not understand. I am a lost man!”

“That is fine!” the preacher assured him. “Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost.”—By Robert H. Pierson, Signs of the Times, September 28, 1948.

Quote: “There is something better than a revival, and that is a Christian life that doesn’t need to be revived.”—By E. L. Hyde, Signs of the Times, September 4, 1901.

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Don't miss the December 2005 issue of Signs of the Times: “How God Became One of Us”, “The Gift of Peace”, “First Coming, Second Coming”, “Predictions of a Coming Redeemer”, and other important articles. To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com

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The weary medic turned away from his buddy who lay helpless on the army cot in the hospital tent in the jungle. It was no use. Only a transfusion could save his life, and no one could be found with the same rare type of blood. He walked away from the clearing to be alone, but soon he heard groans in the bush. Investigating, he discovered a soldier who was badly wounded. The man retained a few tattered rags of clothing that proclaimed him to be one of the enemy. The medic had been trained to save life. He called for help and had the man taken to camp.

Hours later, resigned to the loss of his pal, the medic reported to the surgeon.

“I suppose my buddy is gone,” he began sadly.

“Why, no. He’s doing fine,” returned the surgeon. “And so is the other fellow you brought in.”

“But you said my buddy could live only an hour or so.”

“I know, son,” smiled the surgeon. “But that ‘enemy’ you brought in had the same type of blood—so they’ll both live.”

“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.” (Proverbs 25:21, 22)—By Edna Atkin Pepper, Our Times, September 1948.

Quote: “So great is the goodness of God in your regard that, when you ask through ignorance for that which is not beneficial, He does not grant your prayer in this matter, but gives you something better instead.”—By St. Bernard, Signs of the Times, August 10, 1948.

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NEW from Pacific Press—The art vault at Pacific Press contains numerous original paintings by gifted artists whose names and work have become familiar through their illustrations of biblical characters and stories. In this special postcard book, “Prince of Peace” beautifully showcases thirty classic portraits of the life of Christ. Each artist has a distinctive style, but taken together, the thirty paintings provide a visual overview of the major events of Jesus’ life on earth. This unique postcard book makes a fine gift, keepsake, or means of personal witness.

Online at http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com Order online or from your local Adventist Book Center--1-800-765-6955.

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One of the most fatal things in the Christian life is discouragement. One of the most helpful is cheerfulness. A very wise man once said that in overcoming temptation, cheerfulness was the first thing, cheerfulness the second, and cheerfulness the third. We must expect to conquer. When our hearts are faint, then temptation has power. Satan knows this well, and he always begins his assaults by discouraging us.

The following allegory very forcibly illustrates this truth—

Satan called together a council of his servants to consult how he might make a good man sin. One evil spirit sprang up and said, “I will make him sin.”

“How will you do it?” asked Satan.

“I will set before him all the pleasures of sin,” was the reply. “I will tell him of its delights and the rich rewards it brings.”

“Ah,” said Satan, “that will not do; he has tried it, and knows better than that.”

“Then another started up and said, “I will make him sin.”

“What will you do?” asked Satan.

“I will tell him of the pains and sorrows of virtue. I will show him that virtue has no delights and brings no rewards.”

“Ah, no!” exclaimed Satan, “that will not do at all; for he has tried it, and knows that wisdom’s ways are pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.”

“Well,” said another imp, starting up, “I will undertake to make him sin.”

“And what will you do?” asked Satan.

“I will discourage his soul!” was the short reply.

“Ah, that will do!” cried Satan. “That will do. We will conquer him now.” And they did.

An old writer says, “All discouragement is from the devil.” We must fly from discouragement as we would from sin.—From Words of Faith, Signs of the Times, June 12, 1901.

Quote: “Trouble and perplexity drive us to prayer, and prayer drives away trouble and perplexity.”—By Melancthon, Signs of the Times, September 4, 1901.

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Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: This holiday season, send your friends the gift that shares your faith all year long. Send them Signs of the Times. Order from your Adventist Book Center. To order call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at http://www.AdventistBookCenter.Com

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A little girl had been to a revival and been happily converted. She came home laughing and singing, her little heart so light and full of joy. “O grandpa,” she cried, rushing into the room where the old man sat, “I have got religion! I have got religion!” He took her by the shoulders and set her down hard on a chair. “You don’t know what religion is. People don’t shout and skip when they have religion. Now, sit still.”

The child sat there a while, then crept away, all the joy and gladness gone from her little heart. She went and climbed on the lot fence, where she went each day to feed sugar to an old donkey. The old donkey put his head up, and as she stroked his face she said pityingly: “Poor old donkey! Poor old donkey! You have got religion—I know you have; your face is long, just like grandpa’s.”—Selected, Signs of the Times, May 25, 1904.

Quote: “The love principle is stronger than the force principle.”—By Dr. A. A. Dodge, Signs of the Times, June 8, 1904

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Do you like stories? Arthur Maxwell, affectionately known around the world as “Uncle Arthur”, recorded seven stories for children many years ago. They have just been re-released on a CD entitled Johnny’s Pants and Other Stories, just in time for the children on your holiday list. Order at: http://www.AdventistBookCenter.com ***************************

One day Wesley and a man who was greatly troubled were walking along a country road. The man could not see beyond his worries and troubles. They rose like a wall about him. Just then they passed a cow looking over a stone wall.

“Why does the cow look over the wall?” Wesley asked.

The man did not know.

“It is because she cannot see through,” was the meaningful answer.

The uplook is always light; for “in Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”—By Inez Brasier, The Watchman Magazine, September 1941.

Quote: “When our sins look blackest to our consciences, God’s mercy is nearest to our souls.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, October 13, 1890.

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Read selected articles from Signs of the Times at: http://www.SignsTimes.com

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The famous Thomas Nast, in a public exhibition of his skill, once performed a strange feat with his brushes. Taking a canvas about six feet long by two feet wide, he placed it nearly horizontally upon an easel before his audience, and began to sketch rapidly a landscape. In quick succession appeared green meadows, with cattle, fields of grain, the farmhouse and surrounding buildings, with orchard near, while over all the bright sky, with fleecy clouds, seemed to pour heaven’s benediction upon the scene below.

At length no finishing touch was necessary. Still the artist held his brush, as he stepped aside to receive the hearty plaudits of the admiring audience. When the applause had subsided, Mr. Nast stepped back to the canvas as if he had not quite completed the picture.

Taking darker colors, he applied them most recklessly to the canvas. Out went the bright sky. “Did you ever see a picture like this?” he asked, as he blotted out meadows, fields, orchards, and buildings. Up, down, and across passed the artist’s hand, until the landscape was totally obliterated, and nothing but a daub, such as a child might make, remained.

Then, with a more satisfied look, he stepped aside, laying down his brushes, as if to say, “It is finished.”

But no applause came from the perplexed audience as Nast then ordered the stage attendants to place a gilded frame around the ruined work of art, and to turn it to a vertical position. The mystery was revealed, for before the audience stood a panel picture of a beautiful waterfall, the water plunging over a precipice of dark rock, skirted with trees and verdure. It is needless to say that the audience burst into rounds of applause.

And thus it is that a greater Artist works. We paint our landscapes. How beautiful we make them! All manner of earthly prosperity, with bright skies above. We imagine our sketching perfect, but an unseen Hand finishes more grandly our crude designs.

Houses and lots, farms and merchandise, disappear. Yes, our portrait of loved faces is blotted out. We cry, “Hold, hold!” but the Hand that applies the darker colors moves relentlessly on. We bewail our ruined pictures, because we have not the true angle of vision.

At last God turns the canvas, and there appears a work not for time but for eternity.

While Mr. Nast was spoiling the landscape to produce the falls, he might have said to the mystified audience, “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” What puzzled the audience was plain to him. In each destructive stroke upon the one picture he saw a constructive stroke of the other; and what in the providence of God appears so strange to us, is most clear to Him who would save us from being “conformed to this world,” and would help us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds, that we “may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”—By Ludlow, Signs of the Times, February 7, 1895.

Quote: “The second coming of our Lord is a good window to look through—it is the window of hope.”—Charles Spurgeon, Signs of the Times, July 1952.

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Compiled by Dale Galusha. Please pass this newsletter on to others.