June 2020 Signs of the Times Newsletter!

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June 2020 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. ***************************      “Christianity is most inconsistent”, said one man to another in a crowd which waited near the door of a large hall where a revival service was being conducted. “Your Bible speaks of a man being in Christ, and then talks of Christ being in man. How can that be?”      A Christian blacksmith, who overheard the question, replied: “That is not so difficult to explain. Every day I witness something which answers that question. I put a piece of cold, black iron into the fire, and not long after I can truly say, The iron is in the fire and fire is in the iron”.      It were well for us if we would spend an hour each day in quiet meditation of the Saviour’s life so that we can be in Him, and He in us. In this fast, proud, selfish age how few there are who imitate the divine pattern! The world drifts fast, farther and farther away.      Yet only as we become like Him shall we enjoy heaven. Up there Jesus is everything. Character is the only thing which is fireproof, and to have a perfect character is to be like Jesus. His life satisfies. A thoughtful hour spent daily in contemplation of His matchless life cannot fail to inspire in our hearts a desire to be like Him.—By Sherman A. Nagel, Signs of the Times, July 10, 1923. Quote: “This is the tragedy of the book of Jonah that a book which is made the means of one of the most sublime revelations of truth in the Old Testament should be known to most only for its connection with a whale.”—By Sir George Adam Smith, Signs of the Times, January 18, 1949. *************************** Don't miss the July issue of Signs of the Times: To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or CLICK HERE to order online. ***************************      “Are you going to tell us a story this morning?" Johnny asked as he and grandmother greeted their pastor.      "I surely am."      "I am so glad! Aren't you glad, too, Grandmother?" asked Johnny. "I think the grandmothers and grandfathers and fathers and mothers like to hear our pastor's stories as well as the boys and girls," continued Johnny.      Grandmother and Johnny went to the seats where they had sat ever since the time Johnny was very little.      Their pastor opened his Bible and said, " 'Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. . . . He only is my rock and my salvation.' When I read those verses this morning, I thought of something that happened to some missionaries a number of years ago. Some Indians in another country wanted to know more about Jesus. The missionaries could not get into their car because this was before there were cars. They could not have used a car if they had one, for there were no good roads. They hitched the horses to wagons. They traveled fourteen miles over the rough, bumpy road. But they were happy because those poor Indians were so glad to hear about Jesus.      "They started to another place where more Indians wanted to hear about Jesus, too.      " 'Oh, look at the black clouds!' one of them said.      "Sure enough! The sky was soon covered with big black clouds. A very bad storm was coming toward them. 'What shall we do?' they wanted to know.      " 'There is a great rock, larger than many, many houses, ahead of us. If we can get to it, the rain and storm cannot harm us,' said the man who was driving the horses.      "He made the horses hurry faster and faster over the rough road. The missionaries held on tightly to the wagon seat as the wagon went over the bumps.      "They looked at the clouds. The rain was almost upon them. But just then they reached the great rock. Right in front of them was a big open place in the rock. They rode into the open place. The rain poured down, and the wind blew very hard, but they were safe in the rock.      "You know, when I read that story, I thought that the rock was just like Jesus. He is our safe rock. When we feel cross and we say things we should not, when we are tempted to do bad things, we may run to Jesus. He will hide us safely. He will keep us happy. He will keep us from doing things that are wrong.      "Now I would like you to learn Psalm 62:2 for your verse today. Please say it with me. 'He only is my rock and my salvation.' "      "I shall remember that verse when I feel cross and don't want to pull weeds in the garden," said Johnny as he and grandmother went home.—By Inez Brasier, These Times, September 1951. Quote: “If we are to be like Jesus, we must behold Him and dwell in His presence. We look too much at others instead of looking at Jesus. We are too much occupied with ourselves instead of being occupied with Christ. ‘But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ Let us behold Jesus!”—The King’s Business, Signs of the Times, June 30, 1936. *************************** NEW from Pacific Press—Pray Big: God Can Do So Much More, by Cindy Mercer. This powerful testimony of answered prayer will move you to tears. Expect great things from God as you discover what praying big looks like and see His great plans for your life. He has so much more in store for you than you could ever think or imagine! Praise will flow from your heart as you watch the wellspring of life gush into your soul and transform you eternally. Order online or from your local Adventist Book Center—1-800-765-6955. Also available as an eBook: CLICK HERE! ***************************      One would think the good old gospel song, "Jesus Paid It All," is being interpreted literally, judging from the distress calls that are constantly coming from the churches. In spite of all the Lord has done and is doing for us, it still is necessary for the churches to have "hard cash" to pay their bills, and the question of where the money is coming from is a live one in most congregations. It may come in answer to prayer, but it always comes through the pockets of the worshipers.—By Herbert M. Kelley, The Watchman Magazine, January 1928. Quote: “A wise man profits by his own experience. A wiser man profits just as much by the experience of others.”—Unknown, These Times, November 1965. *************************** Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: Want to connect with your neighbor? Maybe a loved one far away? Each monthly issue of Signs of the Times® offers a compelling presentation of the full gospel message. The result is changed lives! Send a subscription today. Order from your Adventist Book Center. To order call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at: https://adventistbookcenter.com/signs-of-the-times-magazine.html ***************************      A young man who was converted during special evangelistic meetings held in a mining village, desirous of doing something for God, bought some tracts. He was distributing these books one day when he met some of his old companions, who derided him as he spoke to them of Jesus.      “Here”, said one the old companions, “can you tell me where hell is?”      After a moment’s hesitation, the young man looked up and said, “Yes; it’s at the end of a Christless life”.—Selected, Signs of the Times, June 7, 1899. Quote: “We may feel like censuring a friend who makes failures, but, if we knew the severe struggle he is making to prevent more and greater failures, we would be more sparing of criticism and more prodigal of praise.—From Presbyterian Witness, Signs of the Times, March 5, 1929 *************************** Signs of the Times has prepared a special issue regarding COVID 19. Read it FREE online, and share with your friends:  English Spanish Portuguese ***************************      "What is conscience?" said a Sabbath-school teacher one day to the little flock that gathered around to learn the words of life.      Several of the children answered—one saying one thing, and another another—until a little timid child spoke out:      "It is Jesus whispering in our hearts."—Unknown, The Youth’s Instructor, June 1, 1871. Quote: “The word ‘discouragement’ is not found in the dictionary of the kingdom of heaven.”—By Melinda Rankin, The Youth’s Instructor, November 23, 1909. *************************** CLICK HERE to find the largest selection of Adventist eBooks available. ***************************      It is a mistake to think that faith or trust is a kind of theological virtue that is heard about only in a church. It is a quality without which the work of the world would soon come to a full stop. We are saved by faith in all ways. Without it there would be no education of children, no commercial dealings between man and man, no inventions and discoveries, no enterprise of any kind.      You are in a vessel that has struck upon a rock in foggy or stormy weather, and the night is black. The vessel makes signs of distress, and she is answered by a rocket fired from shore, which brings with it the end of a rope. This is fastened to the ship, and along the rope a kind of large basket is seen to approach. Will you have faith enough to get into the basket in the dark, when the waves are dashing mountain high, and you can see by the flashes of lightning how very severe is the storm and how great is the danger? If you trust the arms and hearts of men on shore, you will get into the basket, and will once more touch with your feet the good, solid earth.      It is the very same principle that enables us to take Jesus Christ as our guide over life’s troubled sea, and to believe that He will bring us one day into the heaven of everlasting peace and happiness. Faith is not credulity, and should never be contrasted with reason. The true antithesis of faith is sight. It is the great and willing adventure of a soul that believes where it cannot see.—By Ernest Lloyd, Signs of the Times, March 12, 1929. Quote: “I would that I had a thousand lives and a thousand bodies, that I might devote them all to no other employment than preaching the gospel to those who have never heard the joyful sound.”—By Robert Moffat. The Youth’s Instructor, November 23, 1909. *************************** POCKET SIGNS—carry a selection with you at all times. CLICK HERE to see the large assortment of tracts! ***************************      Ethan Allen, a New England infidel, was called to his dying daughter’s side. “Papa”, she said, “I am going to die. Mamma says there is a Christ and a hereafter—if I trust Him. You say there is nothing beyond the grave. I am dying, papa, and I must make my last decision now. Whom shall I believe? Shall I accept mamma’s Christ, or your infidelity?”      The great soldier’s frame shook with emotion. He had just completed his famous book called Reason, the Only Oracle of Man. But, turning from that, he said, “My darling, you would better die in your mother’s faith, and not in my unbelief”.      A sweet peace settled over the girl as she made her decision. A smile lighted up her face. She was now secure in the knowledge that death was but a short sleep. And after that would come the eternal morning with Jesus. Who would not have joy in a security like this?—By Donald A. Webster, Signs of the Times, March 16, 1954. Quote: “It is the whole business of the whole church to warn the whole world.”—By Charles G. Bellah, Signs of the Times, May 7, 1929. *************************** CLICK HERE for a large selection of Bible studies for all ages. ***************************      A father and his little daughter while strolling through the woods came to a swiftly flowing stream. On its well-watered banks were many lovely flowers which caught the eye of the little girl.      At a bend in the river she saw some unusual blooms out on a sharp, jutting point. As she ventured near the bank, her father called to her to come back. She had been taught to obey, so she stopped in her tracks and returned to her daddy. There was disappointment in her face and the tone of her voice as she asked, "Why, daddy, can't I pick those pretty flowers?"      Taking her small hand in his, he led her up past the bend in the river so she could look back on the spot where those particular flowers were. From this spot it was easy to see that the river had undermined the bank at that point, and only a thin crust of earth held up the earth and the flowers.      Had the child stopped there to pick the blossoms, the bank would have given way, and she would have fallen into the swollen river.      Then she asked, "Daddy, where can I pick some flowers?"      "My dear," he answered, "you may pick flowers anywhere as long as you hold to my hand." He knew she would be safe as long as he had her chubby hand in his.     Many dangers beset the Christian as he journeys life's way. There are pitfalls here and there. The ground on which we tread may often be uncertain and unsafe. But we may go any place with confidence as long as we hold His hand.      If we must let go our hold of the Master in order to go someplace, it would be much better not to go. There are many pleasures we cannot enjoy with safety, for we cannot take Him with us. We should ever keep hold of His hand.—By Charles L. Paddock, Our Times, May 1947. Quote: Speaking of the Bible—“There is a Book worth all other books which were ever printed.”—By Patrick Henry, Signs of the Times, February 1, 1938. *************************** Compiled by Dale Galusha. Please pass this newsletter on to others.