As a fellow youth minister and having served many years on staff I now how hectic and crazy the summer can become. There are the summer camps, mission trips, family vacations, etc and getting a lesson together or finding someone to fill in for you while you are gone can become a challenge. Let me help you out. I would love to discuss the possibility of me helping you out during these times. Feel free to contact me for more references or info. Thank you for any and all consideration.

liberating - tending to set freeliberate - To release from restraint or bondage; to set at liberty; to free; to manumit; to disengage; as, to liberate a slave or prisoner

I love Christ being referred to as “The Liberating King”. He came to liberate us; to release us from the restraint and bondage of sin, to set us at liberty, to free us. We were slaves and prisoners and he liberated us and set us free. What a beautiful picture.

A woman came to draw water from Jacob’s well. She was in bondage by her past, her present situation, and by her reputation. She had to go alone to the well and draw because of who she was and what she had done. Along comes Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi, The Liberating King and he set her free.

A woman caught in adultery was humiliated and dragged before this same Jewish Rabbi; Jesus, The Liberating King. “What shall we do with her?” the accusers asked. “Moses’ law says to kill those caught in this act. Should we stone her?” Jesus bends down and draws in the dirt then says, “Let him who is without sin, him who is completely innocent of their own wrong doing, throw the first stone.” He draws a little more then looks up only to find the woman. “Where are your accusers?” he asks. “I don’t guess I have any, they all left.” she replies. “Then neither do I condemn you. Go on your way and sin no more.” He liberated her. Set her free. Gave her new life.

So many people look at following Jesus as being so restrictive when in all reality it is the most liberating thing one can do…become a follower of Jesus, The Liberating King.

“THE NEED IS THE CALL.” -Steven Bush

Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.
Matthew 25:40

• The GDP (Gross Domestic Product: the value of all final goods and services produced within a year) of the poorest 48 nations is less than the wealth of the world’s three richest people combined.
• 1.3 billion people live on less than 1 dollar a day.
• ½ of the world, nearly 3 billion people, live on less than 2 dollars a day.
• 20% of the developed nations consume 86% of the world’s goods.
• 30,000 children each day; 210,000 each week; just under 11 million each year die due to poverty.
• Over 1.3 billion people in the world today have no access to clean water.
• 3 billion people in the world today have no access to sanitation.
• Over 2 million people, mostly children, die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses.
• 1.8 million children die each year as a result of diarrhea.
• 2 billion people in the world today have no access to electricity.

Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Isaiah 1:17

Yesterday we sat amongst a beautiful people worshiping a wonderful God and Savior. During this time of worship we were led in a song that really made me think. I wish I remembered all of the words to share with you but I don’t. I remember singing the words as I really begin to ponder the meaning of them. It spoke of having a heart for others and loving others, and how we all come before God equal. One of the lines went something like, “Our mouths are full but our spirit is empty…”.

As I began to really think about those words and how there are so many people in the world in need while we sit so pretty in the land of plenty. We sit back in the comfort of our “fullness” thinking we’re okay or that we’re pretty good, or worse, we’re better than… The words of Christ spoken through John the Revelator in Revelation 3:14-20 came to mind. Within these words came this message to the church of the Laodiceans…”Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked…”

How these words also can be “to the church of the Americans…”

Lord may we fall out of love with ourselves and truly fall in love with You and with people. May we buy from You gold refined in the fire that we may be rich; and white garments that we may be clothed and the shame of our nakedness may not be revealed; and may our eyes be anointed with eye salve, that we may truly see. May our eyes be opened to and may we be moved with compassion by the “least of these” in our world.

First of all, for all of my readers (that would be you, Debra) I will soon be taking a journey over to wordpress. Don’t fret though, I will let you know when the official “switch” has been thrown.

Now for my thoughts…

I am tired of “Christians”! There are probably some of you out there, especially those of you who are not Christians, who would agree. I know that mainstream TV and the majority of our society is.

The conversation came up as we were watching TV the other night and they showed a group of “Christian” teens who were a part of an abstinence group as being these wacko kids who ended up killing a classmate who was known to be a little “friendly” but was seeking to change her ways. All because they were all hypocrites hiding “sins” of their own that they didn’t want to get out or do away with.

The question was asked, “Why do they always make Christians look bad or crazy on TV?” The answer came from my bride, “Because they honestly see us that way, at least most people do.” I agree. I believe that “Christians” have been the reason society looks at Christianity, Jesus, and the church the way they do.

As Christians we are to be “little Christs” if you will; we are to portray and share Christ to those around us. We have done a poor job of this. “Christianity” has become nothing more than another world religion and the Christ being displayed isn’t the Christ I find in the Bible.

This would bring us to a question that I have been toying around with in my mind for a little while now…

Who is Jesus really? Or should I say, who is the real Jesus?

I think this is important…no, vital that we know this as we are to be Christ to those around us.

I want to just point out a few things as we could go on for a while looking at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

When we find Jesus we don’t find Him saying one thing a doing another. He was true through and through. Even when He was alone and being tempted He remained true. (Matthew 4:1-11)

When we find Jesus He isn’t condemning others for their sins, He was forgiving and restoring them. (John 8:1-11)

When we find Jesus He isn’t turned off or annoyed by the hungry, nor did He turn them away. We find Him feeding them and having compassion on them. (Mark 8:1-8)

We don’t find Jesus hiding within the walls of the synagogue or only hanging out with his “Holy Huddle”. We find Him eating and fellowshipping with sinners, meeting them where they are, and ministering to them. (Luke 19:1-10)

He wasn’t hating others and shunning them for who they were or what they have done. He sought those out to show them love and help them. (John 4:4-26)

Anyway, I could go on and on. We only have scratched the surface of who Jesus was and what He was really like. I also only gave you 1 example from Scripture on each point I made and there are in fact numerous examples for each.

My intent wasn’t to tell you what to do or to give you an in depth study on the real person of Jesus Christ. My intent was to challenge you to look at who the real Jesus was, look at His teachings, and look at the examples of His life (I encourage you to do your own in depth study of the real Jesus) and then take a hard look at your own life and see if the Jesus you are portraying is truly the real Jesus…

Luke 9:56, “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

Mark 12:29-31, “Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

There is a story about Alexander the Great that tells of how cruel he could be. He had his brother and several leaders in his army killed on the grounds of treason. If you were fighting for Alexander the Great and happened to flee in the middle of battle you were considered guilty of treason and brought before ATG and executed. One day there was a young soldier who in the middle of battle was filled with fear and fled the battlefield. He was caught and brought before ATG to be executed. Before they executed him ATG asked him to step forward. “What is your name son?” ATG asked. With fear and a quiver in his voice the boy answered, “Alexander, sir.”
There was silence and eventually ATG spoke up and did something he never had done before…”Alexander? Well today I am going to let you go but on 1 condition…you either change your name or live up to it!”

Think about it CHRISTian…