In Ephesians 6:10-11, 16 the Apostle Paul writes, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ...Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

Paul was writing to people who were accustomed to seeing Roman soldiers daily. They were very familiar with the military armor the soldiers used for combat and protection. Paul instructs all Christians to, in a spiritual sense, be similarly clothed. We are to put on the whole armor of God.

The most important defensive weapon for a soldier was his shield. It was maneuverable. It was designed to project him from javelins and arrows, sometimes flaming. A typical Rornan shield was about 4 feet high and 2 1/2 feet wide. It was usually made as a curved laminate of three layers of wood strips. They were covered with leather. The edges were bound with rawhide stitched through the wood. Sometimes bronze binding was used.

If a shield had any holes or other damage to it, its owner felt it imperative to fix it. Not doing so could prove fatal. Any conscientious soldier would diligently check and repair his shield before going into battle. Certainly it would be the height of folly to attempt to fix a shield during a military engagement.

Paul urges us to take up the shield of faith "above all" In Hebrews 11:6, he informs us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Of course, people put their faith in a variety of things. Our faith must be in God Himself only. We need to make sure there are no holes in our shield of faith. If our shield needs repairs, we had best see to it before we battle Satan. There is another interesting aspect in the way the Roman soldiers used their shields. When in battle, they often used them in a combination called a tortoise ("testudo") formation. Twenty-seven soldiers would move in precision together. Six would be in front and seven in each of three rows directly behind them.

The soldiers in front would hold their shields in front of themselves. The ones on the outside edges would position their shields on their appropriate side, interlocking them vertically. The inside soldiers would form a roof with theirs. Together, this combination of soldiers was virtually impregnable. They made up a sort of walking tank. In training, to test their skills, chariots would actually be driven over the grouping of shields.

Think about the implications of this for us. In First Corinthians 12:14 and 27, we read: "For the body is not one member, but many. ...Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." You and I, together with our fellow Christians, make up the singular body of Christ. The necessity of working together in unity is detailed in this twelfth chapter.

Each of us is dependent on our fellow Christians. By pooling our talents and gifts, by working together, we strengthen our ability to grow and mature spiritually. We allow God's holy spirit to do its developmental work in us individually and as a group. When combining our shields of faith in precision with each other, we become virtually unbeatable. Together we can withstand any and all of Satan's attacks. We can confidently march forward to claim our victory!

"Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory." 1 John 5:4 (CEV)

Matt. 18:15-17: "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. {16} But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' {17} "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."

Many noted Christian scholars agree that the passage above contains one of the most neglected truths in the entire Bible. It is said that if all Christians would simply obey what Jesus said to do when a brother causes an offense against us, it would solve over half of all problerns that exist in the church.

Why should we resolve differences between our brethren ?

(1) To maintain peace in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-3). Whenever there is friction and turmoil in the body, it hinders people from entering into worship and receiving from God's Word. It hinders people from coming to Christ, creates an uninviting atmosphere for visitors, and can even grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30,32).

(2) So Satan cannot gain advantage over us (2 Cor. 2:10-11). For our own spiritual wellbeing, we must be quick to resolve our differences with brethren and forgive. Satan can hinder our spiritual life, and even deceive us into apostasy, through harbored bitterness or unforgiveness (Matt. 18:35).

(3) To restore a fallen brother (Gal. 6:1). Christians must make every attempt to restore brethren who fall into sin. Especially when the transgression has been committed against you personally, your love for your brother's spiritual well-being demands that you confront the brother so that he might be reconciled to God.

First, go to your brother privately (Matt. 18:15).

If a fellow Christian has sinned or brought an offense against you, Jesus said for you to first go to the offending party, confront them with the offense, and keep the matter private between yourselves. Remember, the objective is to not merely seek justice for a violation against us, but to seek "reconciliation" between our brother, and his restoration to a right relationship with God.

Why is the matter to be first kept private between you two? Because our love for our brother requires it. If we are sincerely committed to love for our brethren as Jesus commands (John 13:34), then even if a brother has sinned against us or has done us wrong, we would not want to hinder his restoration by damaging his reputation within the body. If this person's transgression against you is circulated within the body, but later he repents, many in the body will have already judged this brother and the accusations will have damaged their opinion of him. By spreading our accusation against an offending party, it builds a consensus against them and makes it difficult, if not nearly impossible, to restore that person to the body should they repent and desire to make things right

Also, many alleged trespasses between brethren are a result of "misunderstandings." We need to first investigate the facts and find out for sure whether a trespass has really occurred. This is another reason why you are to first go privately to the brother in question - to confront him with the alleged offense and hear his side of the story. If we disclose the offense to friends in the body, we may later discover that the matter was only a misunderstanding. But by then, their reputation will have been damaged by our allegations.

Many people foolishly allow themselves to become offended by misinterpreting other's intentions, or listening to rumors and second-hand information that always contain distortions or exaggerations. Many offenses could be immediately resolved by confronting the offending party and hearing their explanation. You'd be surprised how many people are so immature that they don't even bother to investigate the facts or hear the other side of the story. Don't ever forget, "There's always two sides to a story!" Never assume you know the truth of a matter until you've heard both sides!

There would be far fewer misunderstandings in the body of Christ if people would be firmly devoted to love for their brethren. Love for the brethren gives us a desire to believe the best in our brother. Love gives them the "benefit of the doubt," instead of jumping to conclusions and always expecting the worst The Bible says, "If you love someone... you will always believe in him, always expect the best of him" (1 Cor. 13:7—The Living Bible).

If the trespass is proven valid, and they repent for their misdeed, you are to express your forgiveness (Luke 17:34). Let the matter be forever ended, and carry no resentment toward them. Remember, if they repent, but you continue to harbor bitterness, you too become a perpetrator of sin (Matt. 6:1-15, Acts 8:23, Eph. 4:31-32).

Second, take another brother (Matt. 18:16)

If your private attempt fails to resolve the issue, you are then to take one or two other Christians and again, confront the offending party. The presence of another Christian is as a witness to strengthen the serious effect of confrontation, to collaborate the exhortation of scripture, to amplify the Lord's presence in the meeting, and to verify the exchange of testimony.

Third, tell church leadership (Matt. 18:17)

If the first and second attempts fail, Jesus said then to "tell it to the church." This doesn't mean the "entire" church body, as this could cause unrest or damage the faith of young believers. The meaning is that the church pastors or elders are then to become involved in dealing with the offending party.

Finally, only after these three prescribed attempts fail, we are no longer required to treat them with the same courtesies shown to other brethren. According to Jesus, they may be dealt with in the same fashion as we would a heathen or publican.

What to do if you trespass:

If you are aware of sins or trespasses you have committed against your brother, you have a responsibility to go to him and seek his forgiveness. Should you not attempt reconciliation, this will hinder your relationship with God. Your worship, your prayers and service to the Lord will not be acceptable. "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matt. 5:2-24).

Note that the scripture says “if your brother has something against you.” In other words, you might not feel that you have legitimately violated your brother—or you may have done so inadvertently. But if you are aware that "they" harbor an offense against you, you still are obligated to go and try to resolve the issue. Be willing to be humble and submissive to others, even if you don't feel you're at fault. Try to understand their point of view. Don't be so rigid and se]f-righteous that you stand in the way of a brother's reconciliation with you or with God (Rom. 15:1-3). Offer your sincere apology for any offense, whether unintentional or not, and make every effort to reconcile so that your relationship with God will not be hindered. Whether or not they pardon you, you have done your part and released your conscience from blame.

A family is a very important thing. Your parents mold you and teach you right from wrong. You are shaped by what your parents do or do not do as you grow up. As you grow up, the more involved your family is in your life, the better person you will likely become. If your family is less involved during your childhood, the more likely you are to get into trouble. A family is a built-in support group and they are there when you need them.

As you get older and start your own family, there are different things in life that pull you away from your extended family (parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents). These are the people you see at most holidays and family events. The things that pull you away can be good or bad but in the end they still pull you away. This does not mean that you love them any less than you did if you used to see them all the time; it just means that your main priority is no longer each other. They may now also have families of their own with children and new extended families.

When families begin to adjust to growing apart, life is not on hold. Disagreements still occur and people still get sick. I believe God is there to protect you from having to deal with too many problems at one time. He will not give you more than you can handle. As you get older, the older generations in your family begin to pass away. Just because you did not see them as much as when you were younger, does not mean the pain of your loss is less. During all of these times, prayer is especially important. Our Father longs for us to hand our problems over to Him.

I believe that the spiritual family is just as important, if not more than important, than the natural family. I spend more time with my spiritual family from church than I do with any of my natural family, besides my wife and son. I believe that this is very important to the spiritual growth of my marriage and also for my son. There are studies showing that children who go to church on Sundays are less likely to get into drugs. I believe that this is because at church they have friends with similar beliefs that they do not feel they need to impress.

It is my experience that there is a greater support base from the spiritual family. Their reaction time is faster. Someone is always able to help in times of need. I have found comfort in talking to them when a relative has passed away or other trials in my life. I have felt extreme sadness when a member of the church has left or passed away.

I love my spiritual family at the Lombard Church as much as I love my natural family. I would do anything for them, just as I would for any member of my natural family. The fact that this love is reciprocated is a large part of what makes our church such a strong place. There are times when there may be disagreements but in the end the love for each other overrules so we can learn and continue to grow as a spiritual family.

Family love is unbreakable in my mind. One of the most important things that we can do as children of God is to love one another. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34 NKJV

I have a passion for worship. I'm not sure when that passion began to burn in my heart. I know there was a time in my life when I didn't even understand what worship was; it was virtually non-existent in my life and I felt spiritually dead inside. I knew something was missing, but had no idea what it was. I cried out to the Lord for help and He is so faithful. He soon revealed to me the wonder of worship. The Bible is filled with His people worshiping him; how had I missed that? I learned that He desires our worship because it changes us. From a heart that is so amazed by the unending love and overflowing grace of God, and the miraculous way He works in our lives, burns a love that refuses to be extinguished. Entering into to true worship has that effect on us; it fills our hearts with passion for Him. To neglect worship means to let the passion die.

The most profound change I have found in my life is that worship makes the pain in my life more than bearable. It actually brings me joy while undergoing a heartbreaking experience. Job experienced that while he had been devastated by the loss of all he held dear; he worshiped God, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord." Paul and Silas knew this also, and after being beaten and thrown in prison, they were heard singing praises to the God they loved. I read the other day the story of a favorite hymn writer of mine, Charles Wesley; that I'd like to share with you.

"The year is 1744. Hymn writer Charles Wesley is in Leeds, England, holding a prayer meeting in an upstairs room. Suddenly, there is a creak in the floorboards, followed by a massive crack, and the whole floor collapses, and all 100 people crash right through the ceiling into the room below. The place is in chaos - some are screaming, some are crying, some just sit in shock. But as the dust settles, Wesley, wounded and lying in a heap, cries out, "Fear not! The LORD is with us, our lives are all safe," and then he breaks out into the Doxology: "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," perhaps a bizarre choice of song, considering what has just happened! But here's the point: while everyone else was still licking their wounds, the heart of this unstoppable worshiper was responding with unshakable praise." --From the Unquenchable Worshiper by Matt Redman

Charles Wesley knew what the Apostle Paul knew, what Silas knew, and what Job knew: that worship changes our hearts and brings us into the presence of our Father, no matter the circumstances.

When Moses went to meet God on Mount Sinai, he came down from the mountaintop reflecting God's glory. Oh, that on each encounter with God in worship I might reflect His glory to others! I cannot live on the mountaintop forever, but I can reflect God's glory and invite others to join me in living a life of worship. We have tasted of the glory of God; it is but a few drops in the Ocean of His splendor. Our thirst for God can never be quenched and that is why worship must fill our lives for all eternity.

God has called me to a life of worship through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for that! More than anything in life, I want to live in God's presence. I want Him to be part of all the affairs of my life. I want Him with me when I am doing the mundane chores that need doing. I want Him with me when I am at work. I want Him with me when I am in the car driving. I want Him with me all the time; to do that I must live a life of worship. I admit I am easily distracted, but worship draws me back to where I belong: with Him. And that's why I have a passion for worship because I know how much I need it. I need to be continually drawn back into His presence, for that is where I long to live.

Mark your calendars! Plan ahead! Our annual Fall Seminar will be held this year on October 23. The topic will be "The Dead Sea Scrolls." It will be taught by Larry Urbaniak.

Background information will be given on exactly what the scrolls consist of, where they were found, and who wrote and/or collected them. We will discuss who the Essenes were, how their community was organized, and where and if they appear in the New Testament. Were John the Baptist and/or Jesus themselves Essenes, or were they influenced by this group? How have the scrolls verified or affected views on the texts of scriptures we already had? How will they affect future translations? We will discuss some specific examples of how the scrolls have helped us interpret and understand both some Old and some New Testament passages.

The seminar will begin at 10:00 a.m. Lunch will be served. We will conclude by sharing dinner at 5:00 p.m. Provision will be made for children. Accommodations will be provided for anyone from out of town who wishes to attend. Just let Melissa Slinn know ahead of time. We look forward to an exciting and informative day. Please pray for the Lord's blessing on our seminar.