Before Armour

I was sick one Sunday so I had to stay at home. My Dad and my sister and I had our own church service and in my Dad's sermon he taught us about the full armour of God.

He said that we can't only have the armour of God on but we
have to have clothes on as well. The clothes are called: gentleness, kindness, patience, compassion, humility, self-control and LOVE holds it together.

You have to put all these on before you put on your armour or the devil will laugh at you and mock you because you have no pants on.

Eloise Menzies (Age 81/2)

The Word of My Testimony

I looked forward with apprehension to the series of meetings. I was not sure that I could carry through what I thought would be expected of me, and after numerous attacks from the enemy, my self-esteem was at the lowest.

As the day of the Ed Delph "Heal the Land" meetings approached I was nervous, wondering what to expect from God. The first evening came upon me and I was there. The music was playing and the worship wonderful - there was the presence of the Lord upon the place. Ed Delph started to speak, with a joke. No, this was not what I was expecting. I expected a solemn time, a solemn assembly. As he continued to speak on God's purpose for me and for us as a church, a burden lifted and a lightness and joy came upon me. I had never heard anything as freeing as this before.

On Sunday when Ed Delph spoke on the Joseph/Judah ministry, all my struggles about trying to fit into my church fellowship were answered. I had been trying to fit in for many years. My problem was that I was trying to fit a round peg into a square hole in order to please people not God - into an area that I thought I should be in. When the Lord showed me where I was to be I was hesitant at first. What would people think, because this is not the focus of my fellowship. The Lord showed me very clearly that I was to be in Judah-style ministry. This brought me great joy to know where God wants me to be after years of struggling to fit in and please people.

This is truly a new season for me and my church fellowship. We can move ahead and "remember not the former things nor consider the things of old, for behold I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the desert". Is.44:18-19. When we look to the new things and ways of the Lord we will be able to take hold of the passage in Ephesians, "Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think . . .be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations." Eph.3:20f

Judith Martin



World Watch

Tremors in Indonesia

(Pulse 18/7)

President Suharto, the cement for Indonesian politics and society, turned 76 in June and still has no plans for succession. Many observers fear the country could collapse into chaos once he is gone.

The signs are not encouraging. Middle-class anger at the profiteering of a wealthy elite has undermined confidence in the system. Many people outside the cities remain desperately poor, despite overall economic growth.

A former member of parliament said, "If the president is not on duty, or if he passes away, no one can imagine what will happen."


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