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esus, in 62, was a great city--a a good one.

The greatest library in the world.

Licentioueness not eonspicious

Good conditions forChrittian growth--like today.

Yet Paul wrote as though Ephesus'vae at war
;He tells how to fight that war.
ea
"? r we are not contending against flesh and blood...but against
the spiritual hosts of wickedness.

Th+ worst enemy of the Christian is not flesh and blood.
Paul was in prison--he does not write about tyranny.
.He writes about "evil" that attacks the heart.
' "The devil'---"hosts of wickedness".

Ittis tempting to laugh
Until you think of the evil that overcame the Germans
i Dachau---Buchenwald
'Or times in our own history when peopls-were caught up in evil.
[ Lost Angeles--where riots grew from nothing--sscept hate
J A1ahama--where a respected citizen shot a minister
 Missippi--where men shot a woman and sped on
.Evil forces are loose in the world.

Roisrt Louis Stevenson met the devil in a railway station.
A1

of us have met the devil-~in strange places to find him.
Think of times when temptation leaps out at us
'At a cocktail party, or at church; on a trip, or at home.
' clearance
Th world is full of evil, and all the slum/programs, and all the
church union orograms, won't change that.

So§put on the full armor of God:

lilih eases IOih Truth

The greatest devender against evil

LIt defines the enemy

§It straightens out relations with otPers.
It exposes to ourselves our own sins

iTruth is the belt--the center of our armor.

?.¢Righteousness
 ot se -r g teousness--but doing righteousness
t s

.Doint wha right because it is right
Like attending Church
Like supporting Church tith our tithes and offerings.
Like kbeping good companions

like using good language--and coed manners

1.

 

 
 

A hreastplate, to keep evil powers away.

11

 
 

Witnessin
A C istian can't be monastic
That is to run from the world
That is leaving the battlefield
A Christian must be on the offense
Moving into battle
Church visitation
Testimony of a Christian life
Letting light shine
Christian conduct in business and social life
. March
1 Miesions--domestic and foreign
r Civic participation--so that Christian influence is felt
Paul says put on sandals-~to move forward
4.nFsith
A shield--Roman sheild 29' x 4'--stonped flaming darts.
Feith answers the unanswerable
en, in enite Of all, evil comes, faith defends.

lrll word 0; God.
To us-ths ole b e

o Pau1--the Old Testament

 
 
 

Plus-~ronscience
the still small voice
the sudden inspiration to do right
How man times have you felt a sudden impulse to do good
The 'alms" box en the counter [
The youth who needs time and attention
The impulse to answer evil--to challenge those who

confuse, and lie, and steal in many guises.
These, too, are the words of God

Finally, Frazer

There are so many pressures to conform
Clothes~erow on row
Speech -
Entertainment 3
Standards of living
Standards of morality

Prayer keeps us in touch with eternal standards
It opens our eyes-~no use to lie

It brushes away pride--who can be proud heforeGod
It provides a strategic reserve

The war Paul writes about is a var on the "good life
Not in terms of the 20th dentury
But in terms of eternity

"The world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does
the will or God abides for ever."