Children’s Story

Children’s Story – A Courageous Visitor

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Samuel Levick rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yes, surely he was not mistaken—a thin wisp of smoke rose from among the trees that nestled in a hollow between two wide rolling fields. Somewhere hidden behind him was the home of his friend Gardner whom he was visiting. He had walked far, for his legs longed for exercise, while his brain was tired with the continual strain of carrying spiritual comfort wherever he went on his journey throughout western New York.

The sight of smoke, when he supposed he was far from a hearth, roused Samuel from his thoughts. He walked rapidly down the hill and peered in among the trees. In the deep, damp shade he could make out a hut of rough, unpainted boards. A rusty piece of stovepipe, sticking out at one end, served as a chimney from which the smoke poured. Openings that might once have had glass for windows were now stuffed with old sacking. Samuel walked nearer, picking his way between rotting branches and piles of brush. Still no sound. He stepped to the door and knocked loudly. Almost before he could withdraw his hand, the door was jerked open with a creaking of hinges. Nothing was visible within, but a coarse voice, startlingly loud and close, cried, “Who’s that?”

Samuel was entirely undisturbed.

“May I ask who lives here?” he inquired politely.

“Nobody but me,” and the door slammed shut.

At this point, most men would have been glad to leave. Not so Samuel Levick, who was quite used to talking with people whose unhappiness made them gruff and rude. He lifted the door-latch and without hesitation stepped inside. Before his eyes could adjust themselves to the dim light, he felt a man push past him, and the door was closed on the outside. He groped for the door, stumbled over a broken chair, and stepped outside. A little distance away stood a tall man, so thin and gaunt that the little clothing he wore seemed to hang on him as on a scarecrow. His face and head were covered with scraggly black hair; his eyes were horribly bright and piercing. A great wave of pity surged into Samuel’s heart. Here, evidently, was a hermit who had tried to put himself beyond the help of men and yet who, above all others, needed the hand of a brother.

The man stooped and picked up the axe that lay at his feet. Samuel only stepped closer.

“I have come to see you. Let us sit down on this log and talk together,” he said.

For reply the hermit, still grasping the axe, darted to the door and slammed it behind him. Samuel sat alone for a few minutes upon the fallen tree trunk; then he leisurely arose, knocked courteously again upon the door, and, receiving no answer whatever, again stepped inside. This time the hermit turned toward him with a gesture of despair. The axe was gone, but a flicker from the open stove gleamed on the barrel of a rifle leaning against the wall.

Samuel placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. He shuddered slightly and dropped his burning eyes, but stood still; then he pushed a stool forward, and by a gesture invited Samuel to be seated. The hermit himself dropped on a box in the shadow, his eyes fixed with eager longing on the placid, kindly face of his guest.

Two hours later, Samuel Levick walked into the study where his friend Gardner sat and described his visit to the hermit. Gardner was astounded. He told Samuel that this man was considered one of the most dangerous characters in that part of the country. No violence was supposed to be too desperate for him to undertake against anyone who approached or disturbed him.

“All, whether they are rich or poor, high or low, dependent or independent, need kindness, sympathy, and love.” Counsels on Health, 399.

Children’s Story – The Lord Will Provide, Part I

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It was the last week of the month. As I was getting ready to prepare our Sabbath meal, I stood in front of my pantry, looking at the empty shelves. I wondered what I could do. The small ration that the Communist government of Cuba allowed per family per month was gone. Only two cups of rice and a small bit of oil and part of a loaf of bread were left. From my summer garden I had a green plantain (a banana that you cook), two tomatoes, and a small head of lettuce. That was all the food I had to feed my family for Friday night, Sabbath, and Sunday. The first day of the next month was on Monday, and I could not go to the store to buy more food until then. For my family of three—my husband, Hugo, our daughter, Lena, and me—there was not enough food. We usually had visitors come to our home for Sabbath dinner, but not on this Sabbath!

I put the rice to cook in a little pot. With one of the tomatoes, I made a little salsa, and I cooked six small “meatballs” made out of the single plantain. There it was—all of our food for two days! When Hugo arrived home that afternoon, I explained our food situation to him.

“Please do not invite anyone home for dinner tomorrow,” I implored. He understood.

When I heard our doorbell ring a little later, I went to see who was at the door. It was a young man who had come from a distant city. We knew he was interested in one of the young ladies in our church, so we had told him that whenever he wanted to visit our church, he was welcome to stay in our home. But why today? He was here, however, and I knew that we would have to share what little food we had with him.

While the young man showered, I quickly prepared a glass of water with sugar and a slice of bread for each member of my family. That was our supper. When our visitor came out of the bathroom, I served him a little rice, two of the plantain balls, and one leaf of lettuce made into a salad. “We have already had our supper, because we have to go to the church for a meeting,” I explained to him.

When we arrived at the church that evening, I learned that the girl our friend had come to visit was out of town. “Oh, no!” I thought. “Now we will have to feed him lunch tomorrow!”

My husband gave me the solution the next morning. “Let’s tell him that we are fasting today, so you can then give the food to him and Lena.” I agreed.

While sitting in church that Sabbath morning, I noticed a man from a neighboring church attending with his young son. He had brought his older son to a nearby hospital and had decided to stay at our church for the church service. My thought was, “Two more for lunch today!”

Later in the morning, Hugo whispered to me, “There is a couple visiting from Havana. When I was in the seminary, I was assigned to the church where they are members. Many times they had me to their house for Sabbath dinner. We have to take them home.”

My immediate reaction was desperation, but in a flash, Bible stories passed through my mind—the manna in the wilderness, the widow’s oil and flour, the little boy’s lunch that the Lord used to feed thousands. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8), I remembered. Trusting only the Lord, my Provider, I answered my husband with a confident, “Sure, invite them home. The Lord will provide.”

To be continued . . .

Children’s Story – The Lord Will Provide, Part II

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The Story to Now: A family of three living in Communist Cuba had only a small amount of food rations remaining to eat during the weekend. Accustomed to opening their home to guests on Sabbath, they vowed to not invite anyone for lunch on this Sabbath, but the Lord sent them five visitors!

When we arrived home after church, the visiting lady graciously offered her help in the kitchen. “You are on vacation,” I said. “It is time for you to rest. I will take care of everything in no time!”

Going into my kitchen, I knelt in front of the stove on which sat those two little pots with almost no food in them. I told my Lord and Provider, “Lord, here are my fishes and my loaves. It is all I have, and You have asked me to feed these people as You asked your disciples to do that day long ago. I give you what I have. You do the rest.”

While the rice and the plantain balls were warming on the stove, I went to my china cabinet to get a bowl for the small head of lettuce and one tomato. I reached in to take out a small salad bowl, but it was as if the Lord was talking to me. “Where is your faith? Have you not asked Me to multiply your food? You need a larger bowl—enough for all the people and some left over.”

“Forgive me, Lord,” I said, taking out the largest salad bowl I had. As I took off leaves of lettuce, washed them, and cut them into my salad bowl, I did not see the leaves multiplying, but it seemed that the head of lettuce was always the same size; more and more leaves were coming off it. When I finally got to the last leaf, the bowl was completely full. Then I began to cut the tomato, and it remained the same size until I had enough to combine with the lettuce into a nice tossed salad.

The same thing happened with the small piece of bread! Always I was able to cut another slice until I had filled a basket. By now my faith was very strong, so I took out a big serving dish for the rice. I had to laugh when I saw that big dish beside the small pot, but I knew what the Lord was doing. I began scooping the rice into the serving dish, and always the same amount was left in the pot until the dish was completely full. And there was still the same amount of rice left in the pot! “Lord,” I said, “You are providing not only for these people today, but You are providing also for us tomorrow!”

Then came the plantain balls. When I turned on the stove to warm the food, I saw that there were only four plantain balls left. Now, I had a big bowl in my hand, and I smiled, in spite of myself. When I took the pot lid off, the pot was full of plantain balls! I filled the big bowl full, and there were still enough balls left in the pot for the next day!

When lunch was ready, I went into the living room. To my husband, I said, “Honey, I know you were planning to fast today, but since we have these beloved brethren with us, why not join us for dinner? You can fast at any other time, if you want.” Hugo looked at me as if to say, “Are you out of your mind?”

As our visitors went into the bathroom to wash their hands, I led my husband to the dining room table. He could not believe his eyes, and two big tears rolled down his cheeks while he whispered, “Thank you, Lord!”

That Sabbath dinner was the best dinner of our lives. Though a very simple meal, it was provided directly by the Lord. Yes, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.

Children’s Story – The Secret of Happiness

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The old man shuffled slowly into the restaurant. With head tilted and shoulders bent forward, he leaned on his trusty cane with each unhurried step.

His tattered cloth jacket, patched trousers, worn-out shoes, and warm personality made him stand out from the usual Sunday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds, large rosy cheeks, and thin lips held in a tight, steady smile.

He stopped, turned with his whole body, and winked at a little girl seated by the door. She flashed a big grin right back at him. A young waitress named Mary watched him shuffle toward a table by the window.

Mary ran over to him, and said, “Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair.”

Without saying a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table. Steadying him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair and get comfortably seated. Then she scooted the table up close to him, and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it.

In a soft, clear voice he said, “Thank you, Miss. And bless you for your kind gestures.”

“You are welcome, Sir,” she replied. “My name is Mary. I will be back in a moment, but if you need anything at all in the meantime, just wave at me!”

After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes and hot lemon tea, Mary brought him the change from his ticket. He left it lay. She helped him up from his chair, and out from behind the table. She handed him his cane, and walked with him to the front door.

Holding the door open for him, she said, “Come back and see us, Sir!”

He turned with his whole body, winked a smile, and nodded a thank you. “You are very kind,” he said softly.

When Mary went to clean his table, she almost fainted. Under his plate, she found a business card and a note scribbled on a napkin. Under the napkin was a one hundred dollar bill.

The note on the napkin read: “Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself too. It shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you.”

The man on whom she had so lovingly waited was the owner of the restaurant where she worked! This was the first time that she or any of his employees had ever seen him in person.

“Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy [is] he.” Proverbs 16:20. “If we educated our souls to have more faith, more love, greater patience, a more perfect trust in our heavenly Father, we would have more peace and happiness as we pass through the conflicts of this life. The Lord is not pleased to have us fret and worry ourselves out of the arms of Jesus. He is the only source of every grace, the fulfillment of every promise, the realization of every blessing. . . . Our pilgrimage would indeed be lonely were it not for Jesus. ‘I will not leave you comfortless,’ (John 14:18) He says to us. Let us cherish His words, believe His promises, repeat them by day and meditate upon them in the night season, and be happy.” Our High Calling, 120.

Children’s Story – Playing for the King

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“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10.

The story is told of a young British soldier who was blinded in battle. He was an accomplished musician and spent much of his time in the hospital playing the piano for the other wounded soldiers. He always put his heart into his playing, hoping the music would encourage the men. One day when he finished a number, someone clapped energetically. The soldier called out, “Who are you?” He was astonished when a man replied, “I am your king!” The king had come to visit and encourage those who had been wounded for their country. Without realizing it, this young man had been using his talent to entertain the king.

Peter says, “each has received a gift.” It may not seem like much when compared with what others may possess, but utilize it “in serving one another.” When it is used, we may be sure there is always an audience of at least one—our Lord and King. Do what you can. You may not get much attention. You may not win an award. You may not be mentioned in the newspaper, but God will notice it.

When Jesus was teaching in the temple, He went and sat opposite of the treasury and watched the people as they contributed their money. (Mark 12:41–44.) There was one who caught the eye of Jesus, but she was not noticed by anyone else. The reason, her gift was too small; but in the eyes of Jesus, it was bigger than all the others.

When you use your gift faithfully—whether it is an encouraging word, a pat on the back, visiting the lonely, generously giving money, making a phone call, providing transportation—whatever it may be, remember, you are playing for the King.

ANOTHER

ATTENTION

BACK

COUNTRY

ENCOURAGE

ENTERTAIN

EYE

GIFT

GIVING

GRACE

HOSPITAL

KING

LONELY

MAN

MINISTER

MONEY

MUSIC

MUSICIAN

NEWSPAPER

PAT

PEOPLE

PHONE

PIANO

PLAYING

POSSESS

RECEIVED

SMALL

SOLDIER

STEWARDS

TALENT

TRANSPORTATION

TREASURY

VISIT

WOUNDED

Z P O X A N E K X E Q C A J J E D E Z M E T N M K E R B A W T Y C U A

J E O S I L P I P O S W M T B O P C Z E G A R U O C N E W S P A P E R

U C I L H A I L S Y K U B X R D A M U S I C I A N K T T I S I V K G T

A D O T W N U D P U D A K F L K O C T S B S C K N D O R E D H R I S M

N S D X O C P M X A K W V J D J I Z D M E B L I V S E R E R L E E Y K

X E X Y L V B L L K Q Z I S F W U A H W B L E N O H P V P A T O O X O

V S N Q Y O O Y Z R Y X W A G F N P A N A Y P G T F M O I W S A S L Q

K P L Y T C N B K D R E W V T O X H U M C J L O N E L Y R E T U I Z V

F J P J N Z G D H S G C S C E F L E S Z K L N X E M A N F T C L R N P

I W S V R V Z U R M I W F Y B N V I C I P A I C L P I M E S A E K Y P

K I Q Q C B F X P A H Y C B T C G W V A I T P L A Y I N G T V T R R Z

O S J D Z H L V F T R E F D U L Z D E P R M H I T N T F I G W T I H M

Y V S W K J L Q K R A V F I Y B M S W E U G N I V I G P B S N F M O A

C R W B T Y Y Q D U P G O Q Q L E O Z J Z Q K J O O S Q T U T S N N N

U F S R D W V D S Q H S I E X R J H W U D E D N U O W P O S S E S S Q

J J P G R V D A I I M Q V V E L D C A C Z L Q S H V C C L F Y S R K S

X Q B X F A O W M R W F X L A T O C O Y T G Z K Q F Q C Z E Z V Z U K

L W L R E L U Y T O X K A X O L F V P A Q J U L R O T J T A I W X Y Z

A F W S N Y H X R L C T P S L P R X U W F K G A M S E T V C A Q F A I

U V E D Y D N N P Z U L S D B V J Y O W U G A P Q S V U M E V Y P H F

R A R P G Q Z I L A H J P W Z Z A E O X L N X V Y N T Y Y Q H X Q E G

X M L Z B C O A D H V T K K D I R W X V Y B U X R K L F Z P L R S J N

K S D I H P C V S P R S L Q A I W X W I M G N O N G H W Y J C K R E D

J Z C C K F J L Z V B C H L N Z E L Z L M P N J L Y C U Q E D U S Y W

M C R N L X K F E K Z N B I S D I U V M K G O F P T I L S L E F K K N

U G O A J M D W U U V D Z I Z Q Z D H R A R F N V Q N N K A W D Z O Z

Q V E A M Z U S Q V Q P K U F P G S F Q E B E Z Y T N Z Y W A F E V J

P G Z T B D Y I O S G F E Q I N R Z Y X G M A I F I G M T F K Q O I V

O Q Q F N M Y E J B F K M J R H L Y R M S V B C M X Z Y K D B T E S G

S X X M S G A V Y Y Z E K I Q W N N Y W C F P W Q K W V R U Q W M T V

E C N W H M N O O A A C C D A P N G J K N D H D D F V Q O G V J I L D

Y I N X Z N F F F Q Y C R D V N N O V V R A G N W W L X E X R J K M L

V Z C W G C B J P W S S X C M C W B M T F L I M T X Z S N K H R D F G

X J X X V F U I V W H V K C Z Q O C O L S D F P K V B H Q N H C G X V

S S V C Y C Q G D C J D K Q N J T Q W S T S Q P A R W W P T B B Y M E

Children’s Story – Small Corners

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Georgia Willis, who helped in the kitchen, was rubbing [sharpening] the knives. Somebody had been careless and let one get rusty, but Georgia rubbed with all her might, rubbed, and sang softly a little song:

“In this world is darkness,
“So we must shine,
“You in your small corner,
“And I in mine.”

“Why do you rub at the knives forever?” asked Mary. Mary was the cook.

“Because they are in my corner,” Georgia said, brightly. “ ‘You in your small corner,’ you know, ‘and I in mine.’ I will do the best I can; that is all I can do.”

“I would not waste my strength,” muttered Mary. “I know that no one will notice.”

“Jesus will,” said Georgia; and then she sang again, “You in your small corner, And I in mine.”

“Cooking the dinner is in my ‘corner,’ I suppose,” said Mary to herself. “If that child must do what she can, I suppose I must. If Jesus knows about knives, it is likely that He knows about dinners.” And she took particular pains.

“Mary, the dinner was very nicely cooked today,” Miss Emma said.

“That is all due to Georgia,” said Mary, with a pleased face. Then she told about the knives.

Miss Emma was ironing ruffles; she was tired and warm. “Helen will not care whether they are fluted or not,” she thought. “I will hurry them over.” But then she remembered about the knives, and she did her best.

“How beautifully my dress is done!” Helen exclaimed. Emma, laughing, answered, “That is owing to Georgia.” Then she told about the knives.

“I believe I will not go for a walk,” mused Helen, hesitatingly. “I will finish that dress of mother’s; I suppose I can if I think so.”

“Why, child, are you here sewing?” her surprised mother queried. “I thought you had gone for a walk.”

“No, mother; this dress seemed to be in my ‘corner,’ so I thought I would finish it.”

“In your ‘corner’?” her mother repeated in surprise, and then Helen told about the knives. The doorbell rang, and her mother went thoughtfully to answer it and found her pastor there. “I suppose I could give more,” she said to herself, as she slowly took out the $10 that she had laid aside for missions. “If that poor child in the kitchen is trying to do what she can, I wonder if I am. I will make it $25.”

And I seemed to hear Georgia’s guardian angel say to another angel, “Georgia Willis gave $25 to missions today.”

“$25!” exclaimed the other angel. “Why, I thought she was poor.”

“O, well, she thinks she is, but her Father in heaven is not, you know! She did what she could, and He did the rest.”

But Georgia knew nothing about all this, and the next morning she brightened her knives and sang cheerily:

“In this world is darkness,
“So, we must shine,
“You in your small corner,
“And I in mine.”

Children’s Story – The Surprise Package Company

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There once was a group of children who were friends and who played together. While on vacation from school one day, they were wondering just what to do.

“I know,” Johnny said, “let’s ride our bikes.”

“Oh, we rode bikes yesterday,” said Sally.

Then Janice spoke up, “Let’s see if we could play a trick on mean old Mr. Brown.”

“Oh, no, that wouldn’t be right!” said Johnny. “My mom said that he only seems mean because he has a lot of pain in his lame leg. It would be cruel to play tricks on him.”

The children were quiet for a long while thinking. Suddenly Janice jumped up, “I know! What if we play good tricks?”

“What do you mean good tricks?” the others asked.

“Well, we could do something nice and nobody would know who did it.” Janice continued.

“Hey, yes!” Judy exclaimed. “It could be like a mystery, and we could leave a little note with a surprise message!”

“It could be like a club. What will we call it?” Sally asked.

“How about ‘The Surprise Package Company’?” Peter joined in.

“Hey, way cool!” the others agreed.

And so “The Surprise Package Company” was born. The children began to think about things that they could do to be helpful and kind. “You know little Georgie has been in the house sick with the mumps. Let’s make up a little gift for him, put a “The Surprise Package Company” card on it, and leave it at his door. We’ll knock and run away, and his mom will find it.” So they each went home to search for some little toy or book to give to little Georgie. Soon they were back. One had a box of nearly new crayons. One had a coloring book. Sally had some stickers. They put the things into a little box and wrapped it with a piece of left over birthday wrap. Janice made the card as she could print real neat. Then they delivered the box and watched from behind a bush as Georgie’s mom picked it up and, smiling, took it inside the house.

The next afternoon they pulled the weeds out of a neighbor’s garden, and they left a “The Surprise Package Company” card right where the neighbor would see it.

The more they did good tricks, the more projects they thought of. They were having so much fun making other people happy! They took flowers from their gardens to an elderly lady and left them where she would find them. They put some money together and bought a few cookies to take to mean old Mr. Brown, and saw him smile as he read the card.

One day, they got a surprise! Someone had been watching them as they went about doing their good tricks, and one day they each received an invitation to a lovely picnic. The invitations were addressed to: “The Surprise Package Company”!

When we help others, we make ourselves happy! That is how God’s universe was set up, so everyone would help others, and no one ever would be selfish. I invite you to try doing some good tricks!

Children’s Story – 26 Guards of the Lord

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Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone, but then just put it on a list, thinking that you would pray for him or her later? Or has anyone ever called you and said, “I need you to pray for me; I have this need”? Do not put off prayer for anyone. Pray when you get the call or receive the urge.

The following is a true story, told by a missionary on furlough at his home church in Michigan.

While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for hospital supplies. This was a two-day journey and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from the bank to purchase medicine and provisions for the field hospital and then begin my two-day journey back with the supplies.

Upon my arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting. One of them had been seriously injured. I treated this injured man and, at the same time, talked with him about the Lord. I then completed my errands and returned to the field hospital, camping overnight at the halfway point, and arriving at home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey again. Upon entering the city, I was approached by the young man whom I had previously treated because of the fight. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicine on my return trip. He said, “Some of my friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and to take the money and medicine. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.”

At this, I laughed and assured him that I certainly was all alone in the jungle at my camp site. I told him that I had no armed bodyguards that I knew of.

The young man pressed the point, however, and said, “No, sir, I was not the only one to see your guards. All of my friends also saw them; we even counted them. It was because of those 26 armed guards that we were afraid and left you alone.”

At this point in the missionary’s testimony, one of the men jumped to his feet and interrupted. He asked if the missionary could give him the exact date this incident happened. When given the date, the man who had interrupted explained to the missionary and to those in the congregation:

“On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here in Michigan. I was playing golf and was preparing to putt when I felt a strong urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging from the Lord was so strong that I called men of this church to meet me here in this sanctuary to pray for you. Would all those men who met with me on that day please stand?”

The men who had joined in prayer on that day stood. The missionary was not concerned with who the men were. He was counting how many men he saw standing.

Twenty-six men had responded to the call to pray on that morning. Twenty-six men had put on the armor of God for the missionary. (Ephesians 6:10–13.)

Learning to Walk With God, Part I

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In this age of increased crime, infidelity, and disaster, many people are bombarded with trials and hardships. In the face of these challenges of life some feel that they are alone and need help in addressing their different tests, fears, guilt, sorrows, griefs, disappointments, and cares. Unfortunately, in most cases they know not what to do. Many desire to be true to God and to their high and holy calling, but fall short of victory because they fail to learn how to walk with God.

Enoch Walked With God

Thus, in this day of great peril, Christians lack the experience that Enoch had anciently. Of him it is recorded: “And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24.

The time has come for Christians who are preparing for translation in these last days to take the time to study and appreciate the life of Enoch. The Word of God reveals that this servant of the Most High walked with God for 365 years. Yes, this mere human being like ourselves remained faithful and true to his high and holy calling for nearly four centuries. Yet we as professed Christians today struggle to remain upright during our short lifetimes (usually less than one century). Surely, Enoch knew something that we need to know; he knew exactly how to walk with God.

Communion With God

“In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. He continued to exclude himself at certain periods from all society. After remaining for a time among the people, laboring to benefit them by instruction and example, he would withdraw, to spend a season in solitude, hungering and thirsting for that divine knowledge which God alone can impart.

“Communing thus with God, Enoch came more and more to reflect the divine image. His face was radiant with a holy light, even the light that shineth in the face of Jesus. As he came forth from these divine communings, even the ungodly beheld with awe the impress of heaven upon his countenance.

“His faith waxed stronger, his love became more ardent, with the lapse of centuries. To him prayer was as the breath of the soul. He lived in the atmosphere of heaven.” Gospel Workers, 52.

You Can Choose

The busy rounds of life’s daily activities did not deter Enoch from keeping in tune with God. Yet today, so many are quick to make excuses for neglecting to think of, talk to, or even trust our loving Father. If it is not because they have too much to do and they just cannot find the time, it is because they see themselves too unworthy due to their sins. One excuse always seems to follow another. But these individuals need to realize that their failure to abide in the Lord’s presence and trust in Him as they should are the main reasons they sometimes find themselves failing, worrying, and unstable.

Therefore, the longer they continue to listen or respond to the enemy’s distractions (which are geared to keep them from the safety of abiding in God’s holy presence and doing His divine will), the longer it will take before they can get back to the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal. Unfortunately, these persons often continue to tread on this dangerous ground until it is too late.

Our lives, however, do not have to remain in such peril. If we would only behold the Lord in His beauty and continually abide in His lovely presence, we would then seek more of His grace to obey His will. Then our service and relationship with God would greatly improve, and the grip of sin and Satan on our lives would be broken. The Spirit of Prophecy sheds light on how this relationship was attained by Enoch:

“Enoch continued to grow more heavenly while communing with God. His face was radiant with a holy light which would remain upon his countenance while instructing those who would hear his words of wisdom. His heavenly and dignified appearance struck the people with awe. The Lord loved Enoch because he steadfastly followed Him and abhorred iniquity and earnestly sought heavenly knowledge, that he might do His will perfectly. He yearned to unite himself still more closely to God, whom he feared, reverenced, and adored. God would not permit Enoch to die as other men, but sent His angels to take him to heaven without seeing death. In the presence of the righteous and the wicked, Enoch was removed from them. Those who loved him thought that God might have left him in some of his places of retirement, but after seeking him diligently, and being unable to find him, reported that he was not, for God took him.” The Story of Redemption, 59.

Like Enoch, we too can walk with God, if we will follow his example.

Impact of Fear

“True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed.” Prophets and Kings, 48.

What we keep in our mind’s eye and whom we constantly commune with affects our actions. If we go to a place filled with dangers and we believe we are alone, the chance of our running out of that place because of fear is quite great due to our thoughts. For example, if you go to visit a friend and there is an aggressive dog, such as a pit bull, in the yard, you will most likely find yourself hastening out of the yard or picking up a stick or stone to protect yourself. Most likely you will do everything necessary to ensure that nothing bad hap­pens to you. This is man’s normal reaction when he faces such danger alone. But, on the other hand, if someone else is with you, you will most probably pretend to be much braver than you really are. This is human nature.

Sometimes we think that fear is our worst enemy. But, in reality, God sometimes uses fear to make sure that man does not always live on the platform of pride. Man needs support; and if he feels that he can make it all alone, he will do away with God. Therefore, fear, griefs, trials, and disappointments are permitted by God in order to save us from our­selves. He permits such, even though He does not really want them to exist. He wants us to real­ize that we need Him, and therefore sometimes He allows circumstances to arise whereby we are forced to seek some kind of support and help. But the help that God wants us to seek is His own. He does not want us to depend upon ourselves or oth­ers who cannot do much for us; neither does He want us to depend upon physical props, drugs, or weapons as our source of protection or comfort. Yet God’s children have not yet learned to believe that God is truly there for them and wants to always be with them and bless them.

It is important for us as God’s people today to believe with all our hearts that we are not alone when we constantly commune with and trust in God. If this concept can be deeply imbedded within us, we will be con­querors on this earth. Nothing that comes in our way will be able to defeat us, not even the so-called problems and difficulties of life, much less the enemies of truth. Nothing will defeat us because nothing can withstand or overthrow a child of prayer and faith.

“A man whose heart is stayed upon God is just the same in the hour of his most afflicting trials and most discouraging surroundings as when he was in prosperity, when the light and favor of God seemed to be upon him. His words, his motives, his actions, may be misrepresented and falsified, but he does not mind it, because he has greater interests at stake. Like Moses, he endures as ‘seeing Him who is invisible’ (Hebrews 11:27); looking ‘not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen’ (11 Corinthians 4:18).” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 32.

If we keep the Lord in our daily lives, talk often with Him, and keep a sense of His holy presence ever before us, nothing will cause us to lose our hold on the truth and eternal life. Then it can be said of our personal Christian experience and relationship with God: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.

Now, and in future articles, we will consider a few historical records of individuals who, like faithful Enoch, learned the value of walking with God through constant prayer and believing that they were not alone. This lesson the adults have to learn before it is too late, and it is their responsibility to pass it on to the younger ones. Parents and teachers can achieve much good by inspiring the minds of the children and young people with these examples of the importance of constantly praying and trusting in God. All must learn to rest in the assurance that the Lord is willing and able to be with us and help us under any and all circumstances. This is the outlook or mindset of all true champions involved in the Christian warfare.

Elijah Knew He Was Not Alone

Many incidents and experiences recorded in God’s Word show that holy men of God understood the concept of constantly praying, trusting, and keeping a sense of God’s presence ever before them. Take for example the prophet Elijah. During his experience on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal, he manifested the greatest amount of confidence that he was not alone. While the priests of Baal were jumping around, shouting, screaming, and clamoring for their gods to bring down fire upon their altar of sacrifice, Elijah stood a distance away and watched them and even mocked them, telling them to shout a little louder because their gods may be sleeping.

Elijah would not have done that if he did not believe he would do better when his turn came. In other words, you do not take the chance of challenging anyone unless you are sure that you will not face the very same embarrassment when your chance to act arrives. Since Elijah was in constant contact with God, he believed God was with him. Thus he fearlessly acted the way he did.

Elijah was a friend of God; he knew God. He was absolutely certain that when he called on God for help amidst all of backslidden Israel, he would not be disappointed. So when his turn came, Elijah calmly looked up to heaven and called upon God to send fire to light up his sacrifice. Immediately, fire came down from heaven. Not only did it burn up the sacrifice, but it also burned up the stones of the altar and drank up all the water that was in the trough around it. Elijah had the confidence that even though he did not see God with his physical eyes, yet he was not alone.

Total Dependence

This prophet of God, like many other servants of the Most High before and after him, placed his total dependence upon God. By the time this major contest with the false prophets of Baal arrived, Elijah, like Enoch of old, had the sweet experience of walking with God. This he acquired on a day-to-day basis and in the very same way that Enoch obtained his experience.

“Enoch ‘walked with God;’ but how did he gain this sweet intimacy? It was by having thoughts of God continually before him. As he went out and as he came in, his meditations were upon the goodness, the perfection, and the loveliness of the divine character. And as he was thus engaged, he became changed into the glorious image of his Lord; for it is by beholding that we become changed.” The Signs of the Times, August 18, 1887.

“To him [Enoch] prayer was as the breath of the soul. He lived in the atmosphere of heaven.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 330.

Not All Were Consistent

We learn, however, that not all God’s servants were as consistent in their walk with their Maker as they should have been. Not all were as steadfast in this regard as was Enoch. Hence, all did not qualify to escape death. History reveals that this same Elijah, after he had performed such a magnificent feat on Mount Carmel, heard that Queen Jezebel was coming after him, and he quickly lost his hold on God. Note what happened:

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw [that], he [Elijah] arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which [belongeth] to Ju­dah, and left his servant there.” 1 Kings 19:1–3.

In other words, Elijah ran for his life. This same man who shortly before believed that he was not alone against the thousands of people surrounding him on Mount Carmel, is now seen running from danger. In the face of Jezebel’s threat, Elijah lost sight of the fact that he had a divine Companion, a sure Guide and Shepherd. Even this prophet of God forgot to maintain his communion and trust in his Maker, and the result was fear and flight. Such an unholy reaction, of course, can only bring shame and disgrace to God’s cause.

After Elijah stopped fleeing, the Lord came to him, “And he [Elijah] said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left [Me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:14–18.

An Only Target

The Lord revealed to Elijah something that was comforting to him in his great fear. Contrary to his exalted spiritual experience on Mt. Carmel, Elijah was thinking that he was alone; he had let go of his hold on Infinite Strength. He depended upon himself and con­cluded that he was the only one in all of Israel who was serving God. But the Lord made it clear to Elijah that there were 7,000 who had not yet bowed their knees to Baal. Surely, this was comforting and reassuring to Elijah. His faith and confidence in God was again restored, and his spirit regained peace and assurance.

This happens to all of us at times. Sometimes we feel that we are the only ones that the devil is targeting; but we are not, even though the devil himself may make us believe so. When we cut back on our communion and trust in God, the more alone we think we are and the more discouraged we be­come. Then it is easier for us to fall under the control of the enemy. In order to escape this dilemma, we have to go right back to the source. We must not think or believe that we need to face the challenges of life by ourselves. We have to learn to eradicate that thought from our minds. God wants to abide with and in us at all times; hence, we must learn to pray more and believe in God’s love for us more. We can then truly focus on the thought, “We are not alone.” Like the Psalmist David, we too will be able to declare: “I will fear no evil: for Thou [art] with me.” Psalm 23:4.

Elisha and His Servant Secured

The lesson of faith or fear arising from whether or not we view ourselves secured by the mighty presence of God is a very important lesson to learn and understand. This is especially so as we approach the great and dreadful day of the Lord. As we have already seen, Elijah was a mighty man only when he believed that he was not alone—that is, when he believed the Lord was with him and he maintained constant communion and trust in God. But the moment he lost sight of God, he ran for his life.

When Elijah fulfilled his mission on earth, the Lord instructed him to anoint someone to take his place. This was Elisha. He had been Elijah’s servant over a period of time. When Elijah was translated to heaven without seeing death, Elisha was given Elijah’s mantle, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Elisha and anointed him to be God’s prophet to minister unto the people in the place of Elijah.

Faith Tested

Elisha had his faith tested just as Elijah’s faith was tested. Elisha and his servant were staying in a city, and their enemies came and surrounded it. These enemies were many, and any possibility of escape was blocked off. The servant saw this and feared for his life. He went to Elisha to tell him about the great ordeal they were in:

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us are more than they that [be] with them.” 11 Kings 6:15, 16.

The servant was fearful, but Elisha was not. This is because the prophet had learned to pray more and trust in God more. Elisha did not have to see with his physical eyes the things of which he spoke unto his servant. Over the years he came to believe in divine help from within the invisible realm. Thus Elisha believed he was not alone. Likewise, although we may not presently see with our physical eyes the Lord and divine beings near us, nevertheless, by faith we too should “see” what is happening in the invisible world and trust in the goodness and presence of the Lord and His holy angels. We too must believe God’s Word which says: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7.

Elisha believed God’s promises with all his heart. Therefore, under such trying circumstances he was able to boldly and fearlessly express unto his servant, “Fear not: for they that [be] with us are more than they that [be] with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 11 Kings 6:16, 17.

Lesson for Us

This is a lesson for us, and a very important one, too. Here were two men with two different outlooks. One believed in the power of prayer combined with faith in God, and the other believed he was alone. The difference between the two is quite evident. When Elisha faced this terrible ordeal, there was no fear, no feeling of defeat; instead there was confidence and boldness because he knew he was not alone. Thus he stood fearlessly in the face of danger. Like Enoch, Elisha walked with God.

“Enoch represents those who shall remain upon the earth and be translated to Heaven without seeing death. He represents that company that are to live amid the perils of the last days, and withstand all the corruption, vileness, sin, and iniquity, and yet be unsullied by it all. We can stand as did Enoch. There has been provision made for us. Help has been laid upon One that is mighty; and we all can take hold upon His mighty strength. Angels of God that excel in strength are sent to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. These angels, when they see that we are doing the very utmost on our part to be overcomers, will do their part, and their light will shine around about us, and sway back the influence of the evil angels that are around us, and will make a fortification around us as a wall of fire. Ample provisions have been made for us when we are burdened, and weary, and cast down, and in distress.” Review and Herald, April 19, 1870.

Eyes Opened

The Bible shows that the reaction of Elisha’s servant to the danger that beset him and his master was opposite to that of God’s prophet. The servant was fearful, scared, hopeless. He thought that this was the end. But the Lord blessed him. Elisha asked the Lord to open the spiritual eyes of his servant, and immediately the servant’s eyes were opened and he was allowed to look within the invisible realm—he saw that he and Elisha were surrounded by heavenly angels in chariots. Surely, Elisha would not have been able to ask God to answer such a prayer unless he, like Enoch, had a true experience with God.

Thus angels of God protected the Prophet Elisha and his servant. As a result of being shown the angelic protection surrounding them, Elisha’s servant became peaceful and calm. Though his faith should have grasped the vision initially, but did not, in God’s mercy and love, Elisha’s servant finally understood and believed what was happening in the spiritual world. This is important to know because we, too, are confronted and will continue to be faced with challenges again and again in our lives.

Whatever may be the circumstance, the attitudes and reactions of people (whether positive or negative) are usually based upon what they believe. Should tragedy befall us and we believe that we are or are not alone, we will react accordingly. It is imperative, therefore, that we, like Enoch, learn to walk with God. Not until we learn to commune more often with our Master, and trust in His love and power, can we rest assured that our experiences will always be positive and within God’s perfect will.

“Prayer and faith are closely allied, and they need to be studied together. In the prayer of faith there is a divine science; it is a science that everyone who would make his lifework a success must understand.” Education, 257.

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Isaiah 32:17.

[All emphasis added.]

To be continued . . .

Pastor Patrick Herbert is the senior pastor of the Tucker-Norcross Adventist Church and Director of the Gilead Institute of America, a medical missionary evangelistic training institution located in Norcross, Georgia. He holds a Doctorate in religion and speaks and writes on a wide range of religious and health topics. He may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.

Children’s Story – A Secret to Tell

by

Do you know what a secret is?

The dictionary says a secret is something that isn’t known by others or something that is known by only a few people.

One day Jesus was moving through a crowd of people. A woman who had been sick for many years touched the hem of His coat. Right away she was healed.

Just think how happy she must have been. But the strange thing about her healing was that she decided to keep it a secret.

She didn’t get to, though. Jesus knew someone had touched His coat. Turning, He asked,

“Who touched Me?”

The woman answered, “I did.”

If you had been this woman, would you have kept Jesus’ healing a secret?

When we tell others what Jesus has done for us we are “witnessing” for Him. Witnessing about Jesus is always wise.

When the woman told Jesus He had healed her, the people in the crowd heard her, too. This was a good thing because they learned Jesus really could heal diseases.

We should never be afraid to tell others that Jesus has healed us of our sins. We should never be ashamed because we are Christians. There have been many times when children told about their love for Christ and others learned to love Him, too.

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to save everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

“Whoever will confess (tell others about) Me before men, him will I confess before My Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).

Dear Jesus, make us good witnesses for You. Help us always to be ready to tell others that we love You. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. In Thy precious Name. Amen.

Happy Moments With God, Margaret Anderson, ©1962, 112.