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Signs of the Times for 1975

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Signs of the Times for 1975 Charles Gets miles Everywhere! What kind of magic lies in the life's joys and sorrows, it is patient simple facial expression we call a and serene, mellow with the wis- smile that, even though it goes a dom of years. It contains a mixture long, long way, is often the shortest of all the other kinds of smiles. It distance between two people? is close to the ever-beating heart of It must be connected with the Life itself and possesses a radiance heart, for it comes only from a heart all its own. emotion and is fashioned from some There is a smile that is given in form of happiness. No one can just pure friendship from one man to put on a smile when he wishes to, another. It comes from something as he would a hat, for it will always deep within the chambers of the show false. The eyes have been human heart and holds an aware- called the windows of the soul; the ness of the eternal unity of all men. smile must be a song from the heart. It is immediately recognized by Some people always wear a slight men in every land on earth, regard- smile. They are always cheerful and less of race, creed, or social posi- optimistic; they seem to see some tion. It will open the door of a invisible beauty in life around them house in Norway, Peru, or Russia, and take a constant delight in even for it proclaims a heart that is free ordinary things. It is truly said of from animosity. them that a merry heart goes all the But of all the smiles of mankind, way while a sad one grows tired the most beautiful and unforget- within a mile. table is the smile that is born of a There seems to be a strange force calm, unswerving faith that God within the heart that draws us to still leads and man is His image these people who smile and makes and likeness. This is a smile filled us turn away from those whose with spiritual splendor and divine faces are set in the tight lines of love and carries the power of the pride, avarice, or hate. Eternal. It must have been on the The man with a smile is the self- gentle face of the Man of Galilee confident strong man. He walks in when He spoke of faith in God and tune with his world and in harmony told a group of people gathered with invisible forces that give him around Him, "Let not your heart abilities beyond those of other men. be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Are all smiles, then, of one na- John 14:27. ture? No, there are several kinds Since we have been given this familiar to everyone; let us mention beautiful thing we call a smile— the most important. that is so effortless to form—let us There is the smile of a child. not horde our smiles for our loved Pure, contented, filled with inno- ones and friends; let us pass them cent love, it is given freely to one around to all we meet. We have and all, companion or stranger. been given sufficient for everyone, Smile at a strange child as you and as we give them away, we will walk down a street and see how be given enough in return so that quickly and naturally he returns a our supply will never run low. ❑ smile to you. The smile of the mature person is one of the most lovely of all. Charles Getts is a free-lance writer Filled with an understanding of living in Baja California, Mexico. God Answers Prayer In this issue of SIGNS we answer the question, Are there any grounds for hope in these trying times? We believe there are. In this article James Joiner shows that God still answers prayer, and often does so much better than we ask or think. Does God always answer our This picture of a pursuing God minds to eventual deliverance and prayers? If He does answer, does is the same as that portrayed in restoration. In fact, He had already He give us exactly what we ask Francis Thompson's memorable begun to deliver them. Ellen White for? What was the first example of poem, "The Hound of Heaven." pictures this tremendous truth in answered prayer? In fact, what was Adam and Eve were the first of these words: "As soon as there was the first prayer? God's children to flee from Him. To sin, there was a Saviour. As In the perfect Eden world Adam some degree all of us have followed soon as Adam sinned, the Son of and Eve had the privilege of talk- in fleeing from Him, as the poem God presented Himself as surety ing with God face-to-face. Before describes: for the human race, with just as their sin marred their perfect life "I fled Him, down the nights and much power to avert the doom and home, they could communicate down the days; pronounced upon the guilty as freely and directly with their Maker I fled Him, down the arches of when He died upon the cross of and Master. In this sense they the years." Calvary." didn't need to pray. God knew Adam's heart better And now He had come to tell After the tragedy of sin ruined than he knew it himself. Even them about it. A few verses after the this beautiful situation, Adam and though his outward prayer was, in calling in Genesis 3:9 we read the Eve fled from their best Friend. effect, "Stay away from me; leave first promise of the Redeemer ( in Genesis 3:8 tells about it: "They me alone," surely his deepest de- verse 15 ). Adam and Eve began heard the voice of the Lord God sire was different. Surely the great- to understand the infinite love and walking in the garden in the cool of est longing of his heart was for mercy of God in finding a way out the day: and Adam and his wife something better, for Someone to for them. hid themselves from the presence make things right again and to re- So, did God really answer their of the Lord God amongst the trees store the lost Paradise. And as the prayer? He did not give them ex- of the garden." poem emphasizes, God pursued His actly what they asked for, but did Essentially this was a prayer to straying children in the hope they He give them the deeper desires God; in a sense it is the first prayer would turn and accept His mercy. of their hearts? recorded in the Bible. Adam and In Jeremiah 29:11 God assures us The Lord seems to say it all in Eve were asking God to leave them that His thoughts toward us are Isaiah 65:24: "It shall come to pass, alone. They knew they had sinned, "thoughts of peace, and not of evil." that before they call, I will answer." and they were afraid. They were Instead of answering the prayer of saying to God, "Stay away." Adam and Eve exactly as they The Discouraged Prophet Did God answer this prayer? No. asked, God followed them and A second striking example of how He came looking for them and call- brought them good news, the great- God answers prayer—or doesn't an- ing to them. Verse 9: "The Lord est news ever told, the greatest idea swer—is found in the story of the God called unto Adam, and said ever conceived. prophet Elijah in 1 Kings, chapters unto him, Where art thou?" For the Lord came to lift their 18 and 19. First, though, let us re- SIGNS OF THE TIMES is published monthly by Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View, California 94042. Second-class postage paid at Mountain View, California. Subscription price $7.50 a year. June 1975. James Joiner CAMERA CUE member how Elijah met outstand- and the wood, and the stones, and into the wilderness, thinking an ing success on Mount Carmel in the dust, and licked up the water enemy had found him. But it was the dramatic encounter with the that was in the trench." Verse 38. no enemy; it was a compassionate, 850 idolatrous prophets. He put the Not only was God greatly ex- tender friend, sent by the best issue squarely before the people: alted; Elijah also, as His true Friend of all. "How long halt ye between two prophet, was honored before all After Elijah had eaten, he fell opinions? if the Lord be God, fol- the people. asleep again; he was so tired. Later low him: but if Baal, then follow But Elijah proved to be all too the angel touched him a second him." 1 Kings 18:21. human. He failed to hold his faith time, encouraging him to eat more, All morning long the false proph- in God. As 1 Kings 19 states, when "because the journey is too great ets called for their god to hear and wicked Queen Jezebel retaliated for thee." to accept their sacrifice, but there with a threat to kill him, Elijah fled On Mount Carmel God had an- was no answer. At noon Elijah in terror. He kept going on and on swered every request Elijah had taunted them a bit: "Cry aloud: for and on until he couldn't go a step made. But when did He answer he is a god; either he is talking, or farther.
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