As many of you already know, I will be teaching a Bible Study this Fall called See Through the Scriptures by Crossways. I felt led to teach this class for many reasons. The major reason I was compelled to teach this class is my firm belief we need to be a church that is in the Word of God. When you go to our church website and look at what we believe, the very first statement in that section is “we believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.

That is nice we have this statement written on our website, but do we truly believe this? And do we live it?

Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt has an enrollment of 21,000 students. Maybe what is so fascinating about this school is every applicant seeking admission must be able to recite the Muslim Koran from memory. It is about 2/3 the length of the Old Testament and takes three days to recite it.

What a contrast this is to so many Christians who have enough trouble reading the Bible let alone memorize it. If we are to take serious the call to follow Jesus, it is important we be students of the Word. It is a task that is never complete. Jesus will always be the teacher. We will always be the students.

The goal for the See Through the Scriptures Bible Study is to get us back to the basics of the Word. There are many “book” studies available to teach you what the Bible says. But they are no substitute for the Word itself. Some might say the Bible is too difficult to understand. That is why this study is so necessary. Rather than relying on someone else to open and interpret the pages of Scriptures for us. Crossways enables us to open the pages ourselves and gives us understanding. The goal is to root us deeper in the Word that our faith is not based on a few shallow cliches and slogans.

Crossways is designed with the belief we need to read our Bibles. It is designed with the belief we can understand the message of the Scripture with training. And that we will then in turn be able to explain that message to others. To do so we need to know the story line, the themes that are woven through the story line, and how all this points to Jesus and is brought to culmination through him.

In the words of Dr. Harry Wendt, the author of the course, “We pray that See Through the Scriptures will whet many people’s appetites to become biblical bloodhounds – people who will saturate themselves in the Scriptures and ask constantly “What does this mean? What is it saying to me and God’s people?”

I hope you will consider joining me on this journey. The classes will start on September 15 and 16 and will be offered at three different times in three different locations. 6:30pm in the youth room in the lower level of the church. 6:45am at Papa G’s restaurant in Elburn. And 9:30am in the large conference room in the church offices upstairs. We already have a large number of people signed up, but there is plenty of room for more. Cost for the materials will be $20. That will cover you student guide and work book along with other teaching aides that will be used for the course.

If you are interested in participating. Let me know. You can simply reply to this email or call me at the church office 630-513-5325 ext 39. Thanks for you time and your prayerful consideration of participating.

Have a great week.

It is a feeling of frustration that comes over you. As I drove home close to 11pm last night, I found myself angry and upset knowing that I would not get a good nights sleep. There would be babies to feed and I would need to be up early for my 6:45am Bible Study. I was finding the joy zapped right out of me. Arriving in the office this morning, I spent much of the time answering the phone. Frustrated again, I threw my game plan for the day out the window. I was drowning.

Do you want to know what the problem was in all this? It was nothing I described in the above. The problem is what was missing. Where was God in all this? Had I taken the time to ask what he had to say about all that was going on? The answer is no!

When life gets hard, it means the harder you need to listen to God. At lunch today, I made sure to spend some time with HIM. Did it make everything better? The answer is no. But the time with him sure changed my attitude about the things that were happening. I rediscovered the joy that only Jesus could give. If you are feeling overwhelmed, as yourself if you have allowed God to give you his input.

Just a reminder we are just over a week away from the ONE service at Lord of Life. On Labor Day weekend, Sunday, September 5 we will not be divided between 8:30 and 10am people. One worship at 9:15am. I am sure the house will rock.

Also, Awana and Morph are just around the corner. They will start on September 8. To find out more information or to register your kids for Awana, visit the LOL homepage at lolchurch.net.

Finally, I will be teaching a new Bible Class called See Through the Scriptures starting on September 15 and 16. There are three opportunities to participate in this class. Classes will be at 6:30pm on Wednesday in the Youth Room downstairs, 6:45am on Thursdays at Papa G’s Restuarant in Elburn, and at 9:30am on Thursday in the large conference room in the church offices. Over the course of several weeks we will look at the story of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. The goal will be that at the end of the class you will have a good understanding of what the Bible is all about. Whether you are opening the Bible for the first time or you have read it many times through, there will be something for you in this class. The cost of the class is $20. If you would like more info or would like to sign up, just email me at pressler@lolchurch.net.

Have a great week.

We appreciate all your prayers. There has been an incredible outpouring of love and support. We have had more offers for help than we could ever possibly take advantage of. We are so blessed by all of you.

One thing is for certain – there are some big changes ahead for the Ressler household. We have some new challenges ahead of us. But we trust in God’s promises and know he holds the future in his hands. There is no reason to worry. Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount that worrying does us no good. We can’t add a single hour to our lIfe by doing so. God tells us to let him take care of the worrying. Although we know God doesn’t worry.

I recently learned a new word. This word is catharsis. Actually it is not a new word for me but maybe the first time I have pondered this word. Catharsis is defined as the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

We have all had such moments. These moments are a spark. Something changes. We see the world and the people around us in a new way. We have a renewed sense of urgency for the mission of God in this world.

When life pushes in from all corners God uses it as a way of refining us to use us in an even greater way. I have often talked with people who have gone through a difficult time of struggle, but during that time of stubble they pressed in on the Lord in prayer like never before. As a result they connected with God in a way like never before and grew a deeper intimacy with him that could never be taken away.

The challenge for us is to see the obstacles before us as God sees them. We may see them as obstacles, but God sees them as opportunities. What challenges are you facing that are actually opportunities for God to mold you into an incredible testimony of his grace?

The biggest hurdle we have to overcome is to recognize our need to forgive another. We live in denial. On the surface we convince others and even ourselves that everything is ok. But deep down the bitterness is there. Eventually, that bitterness comes out and it affects not only our relationship with that one person, but with others as well.

Here is what I would encourage you to do. Right now! Don’t wait. I know if you put it off now, you will not get around to it later. Take out a pen and paper. On that paper write down the name of every person who owes you anything. Then write down what they owe you.

You have a person who gossiped about you and ruined your reputation. They owe your reputation. Write there name down. Then write it down they owe you your reputation.

A drunk driver killed someone you loved. They owe you back the life of your loved one. Write it down.

A parent who was always over-demanding, whose expectations you could never live up to, owes you a word of approval. Write it down.

When you do this, there are probably a couple of things you will recognize. The people who owe you these debts may not even recognize what they owe you. And even if they recognize what it is they owe you, they may very likely not be able to pay you back. Does that sound familiar? The debt of our sin was a debt we could not repay. So God took it upon himself to pay it.

Consider what good it will do to hold a debt against someone that they cannot pay. It will only cost you angst. Forgive the debt! Take a red pen or marker and now cross out the debts you wrote on the paper. Then write paid in full. If that is not enough, take the paper and burn it or bury it in the back yard. Whatever you do, do what you need to do to erase the debt and let the tremendous load you have been carrying come off.

As I said last week, forgiveness is not an option. It is necessary for a right relationship with God and with others. It is not an easy thing to do, but the alternative is even less desirable. Live a life of forgiveness and find the joy God is waiting for you to discover.

Recognize it will cost you to forgive someone else. You will never have that debt repaid back to you. When you forgive you are letting go of your right for retribution. But that is ok, because we have received from Jesus so much more than any other person could ever give us. I have all things in Christ Jesus and I don’t need to hold on anymore to having made right what was wrong, because Jesus has made all things right.

What was the tough thing he had to do? Asa was to remove the idols from the land. In other words he was to purge. There is no doubt these idols were popular. To go about removing these idols would not be a popular decision. Many would respond disapprovingly.

Many times we connect obedience with what we do. But it’s not only about what we do, it is also about what we don’t do. Obedience is often not about adding one more thing to our already busy lives, but purging competing priorities so that we keep the main thing, the main thing.

King Asa and the land of Judah had lost sight of the main thing. It was time to return and get back to the basics. In the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses the Church in Ephesus. He warns them they have forsaken their first love. He urges them to repent and to come back (Revelation 2:4-5).

Jesus doesn’t want to be our first love, he wants to be our only love. Imagine if you told your wife that she was your first love. But that you also loved Sally, Betsy, and Susan. That wouldn’t work very well. She wants to be your only love. In the same way Jesus wants to be your only love. Not to be first in your life, but to be your everything.

I am talking about the disease of bitterness and the cure of forgiveness. Too many Christians are walking around with bitter hearts unable to forgive those whom they have been hurt by. As a people we too often undervalue the power of forgiveness and its ability to make a difference in our lives.

Although we may deny it, too many of us are holding on to hurts and offenses that have come our way. We deny the bitterness that we hold deep within, but we know it is there. A great way to expose the bitterness is to ask yourself if you had the opportunity to get even or get back at someone for the offense they caused you, would you take advantage of it?

Make no doubt about it, forgiveness is not cheap. It cost God the life of his beloved Son. It led the famous theologian, Detrich Bonhoeffer to say, “grace is free, but it is not cheap.” To forgive someone else may cost you your pride, your reputation, and your right to get even. But to not forgive that other person will cost you even more. You will go through life bitter and robbed of the joy God wants you to have. It will tear you apart from those you love and cause you to live in isolation. Worse of all it will work to create separation between you and God. When you fail to fully love others there is an negative impact no only on your relationship with others, but also upon your relationship with God.

Forgiveness is not an option. It is not a suggestion. It is a command. God knows there is no other option. When we forgive it is a choice of obedience. When we fail to forgive it is a choice of disobedience. And we should know he is not asking us to do anything he hasn’t already asked us to do.

That doesn’t mean it is not hard to do. There are many times I have not felt like extending forgiveness. It was not something I wanted to do. But how often has the thing God wanted for me and the thing that was best for me been the opposite of what I wanted to do? When I choose forgiveness I am making a sacrifice. I am sacrificing my will for the Father’s will. I am sacrificing my right for revenge and retribution.

Next week I would like to continue this discussion and talk about some practical ways to extend forgiveness to others and ways to experience full healing from bitterness.

What a great prayer this is. This is the prayer of David at the end of 1 Chronicles, when he entrusts Solomon with the building of the temple. At the end of his life, David is giving over his possessions to accomplish this great thing. In this short prayer we have so many of the basic principles of Christian stewardship.

David starts out by affirming or place before God. The thing is God does not need us. He doesn’t need our money. He doesn’t need our possessions.   He doesn’t need our knowledge or wisdom. God is God. There is nothing we can offer him that he doesn’t already have. So David humbly acknowledges our place by saying, “who am I and who are my people that we have anything to offer?”

We have nothing to offer God. Yet, in spite of that he gives us the privilege and the opportunity to do his work. How awesome is that! Think about it for a minute. We get to do the work of God! There is no higher calling in life. There is nothing more important we will ever do than the work of God. We get to participate in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. Wow! How can you not be overwhelmed by this?

The second thing David acknowledges is that nothing we have is ours alone. Everything we have comes from God. God is the creator. God is the owner. There is nothing I can lay claim to. Whatever I possess is simply on loan and I will give an account for it all on the last day.

The problem many of us run into with our possessions is that our possessions take ownership of us. Our possessions start to control our lives and begin to determine how we utilize our time. The more we have, the more time we spend taking care of it and maintaining it. And the less time we have for God’s work.

In verse 15, David acknowledges our time is short. We only have a so many days on this earth. In fact, everything about our life on this earth is limited. We are just passing through. There are two things we can do. We can simply pass through unnoticed or we can pass through and leave a mark behind. Our hope is not to stay here forever as this is not our home. Heaven is our home!

David continues by giving God thanks for the abundance he has provided. Unfortunately, we too often focus on what we don’t have rather than what do have. If you are reading this, God has blessed you in an incredible way. Just the fact that you can read this means that you were given the gift of an education. If you live in America you are rich by the world standards. I once was told that when you pray, focus on God and not your difficulties, because God is so much greater than your difficulties. In the same way there is no comparison between what we have been given versus what we don’t have. We have been given so much more than whatever it is we don’t have.

In verses 17 and 18 David talks about integrity and the joy of giving. When we give to the Lord it is not out of obligation. It is to be done in joy. It is not the amount of our gift that matters to the Lord, but rather intent of our heart. In the New Testament is says that God loves a cheerful giver. Notice what it does not say. It doesn’t say God loves the extravagant gift. He loves the extravagant giver. It is about the condition of our heart. That is what brings God joy and brings us joy as well. Remember, God doesn’t need the gift.

God had certainly blessed David. God has certainly blessed us. He has put many things into our life. Possessions are good things. Money is a good thing. God gives it to us to use to provide for our families and to serve others.

No doubt you have things in your life! David had many things. And like David we need to ask ourselves how we can use these things for God’s purposes, for his glory, and for the sake of his kingdom. God doesn’t give us things to bless ourselves alone, but to bless others. How can you use the things in your life to bless others?

However, I want to ask you a question. You say you follow Jesus, but what is one thing you do differently because you follow Jesus. What is the change that he has affected in regards to the way that you live.

I have been reading the book of Romans in my personal devotions and this question keeps coming back to me, “what does it mean to follow Jesus?” In other words, “does the fact that I am a follower of Jesus impact the decisions I make each day?”

How about in regards to the way I spend my time?

How about in regards to what I watch and read?

How about in regards to the way I spend my money?

How about in regards to the way you approach your relationships in life?

How about in regards to the raising your children?

How about in regards to the way you drive?

How about in regards to the your physical health?

So often the thing a feel like doing, is not the thing Jesus would have me do. The way I want to go is not the way he would have me go.

In Romans 12:1 it says to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy, pleasing, and acceptable to God. This is your spiritual act of worship.

It makes me wonder what I have set aside as a sacrifice for Jesus. Have I been willing to give up my desires for his?

As we approach the second half of the summer, my weekly emails may not be as weekly as they once were. As many of you know, Barbara and I have some twins on the way. We are busily preparing waiting for the big day to arrive. I am planning on the getting these emails out to you on a regular basis, but there may be a week or two that I miss coming up.

There is much to get ready for when these babies come. We need to make sure we have diapers, clothes, cribs, car seats, and all those other fun things that go along with having babies. We know these babies are coming. There is no doubt about that. I know my wife really hopes they come sooner rather than later.

The thing is that we would be foolish if we didn’t get ready for these babies. We make sure to get everything done in advance, because when the time comes there will not be enough time to get all the things done that will need to get done. So we are doing it now.

The Bible emphasizes preparation. In 1 Peter 3:15 “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Jesus tells us to always be prepared because no one know the day or hour of his return (Matthew 25:13, Mark 13:32).

A wise man once told me that failing to plan is planning to fail. If you don’t plan for success God is not going to give you success. He is not going to burden us with more than we can handle. If you don’t have the capacity to receive a miracle, God is not going to give you the miracle.

If you had a test in school that was coming up, the wise thing to do would be to study for that test. It would seem silly to ask God to give you an “A” on that test if you had not prepared for that test.

What are you asking God for these days? If God granted your request, would you be prepared to receive it? Pastors will often pray for the church to be filled on Sunday morning. But is the church adequately prepared to receive that many guests with the love and hospitality of Jesus? You might ask God to multiply your minutes in the day. But if he multiplied those minutes would you be prepared to use those extra minutes for his glory or would they be wasted away with other things.

Jesus says that to those who are faithful with little, God will provide them more. The question is one of stewardship. Are we being good stewards of what we have been given already? If not, there is no reason for God to give us anymore.

The thing is that God knows us better than we even know ourselves. He knows the breathe of our preparation. Lets pray today, God would help us make ready his coming!

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend. It is the unofficial beginning of summer, but it is more than that. It is an opportunity for us to remember all the brave men and women who have made selfless sacrifices to win, protect, and preserve the freedom we enjoy as a country. What a great way to applaud their bravery and courage!

Remembering is so very important in many ways, but is especially important in our relationship with God. Two often repeated commands in the Bible are “remember” and “forget not. What are we called to remember? Two basic things.

The first thing we are called to remember is God’s past faithfulness. We are to remember the victories he has won for his people of old and for us. Looking back at how God demonstrated his faithfulness in the past gives us courage in the present battles we are engaged in. He came through once before, he will come through again.

We do this when we read the Scriptures. We read stories like David and Goliath and how God enabled David to defeat the mighty giant. But the ultimate story and example of this is remembering the ultimate freedom Jesus won for us by selflessly sacrificing his life on the cross of Calvary.

Beyond the stories of the Scriptures, we have our own testimonies to point to. There are certainly times when God has showed himself to be faithful in your own life. This is a good reason to keep track of prayer requests. We are so forgetful. Our minds play tricks with us. There is something about having a written testimony that speaks courage into our hearts that we will not forget God’s faithfulness.

The second thing to remember is God’s commandments. God instructs us the way to live our lives. But it is not just remembering his commandments, but also remembering the benefits of obeying his commandments. There is blessings for obedience and there are consequences for disobedience. When we forget the realities of blessings and consequences, we are easily led astray. When you are faced with a critical decision you might be tempted to compromise your integrity. You might not be able to see from your perspective any consequences to your actions. But just because you can’t see them, does not mean they are not there. Remember that! And you will do well.

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend. Safe travels to everyone who will be traveling over this holiday weekend. Even if you are traveling out of town, don’t forget to remember the one who gave his life for you. Take some time to worship him. Find a local gathering of believers to celebrate his great faithfulness. There may be no greater way to honor those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom than to exercise our freedom to worship.

Have a great week!