FULLY ENGAGED
Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, 12 saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Meditation: What can work and wages, wefare and the unemployed tell us about the kingdom of God? In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard we see the extraordinary generosity and compassion of God. There is great tragedy in unemployment. In Jesus’ times hired laborers had to wait each day in the marketplace until someone hired them for a day’s job. No work that day usually meant no food on the family table. The laborers who worked all day and received their payment complain that the master pays the late afternoon laborers the same wage. The master, undoubtably, hired them in the late afternoon so they wouldn’t go home payless and hungry. God is generous in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have labored a life-time for him and those who come at the last hour. While the reward is the same, the motive for one’s labor can make all the difference. Some work only for reward. They will only put as much effort in as they think they will get out. Others labor out of love and joy for the opportunity to work. The Lord calls his disciples to serve God and neighbor with generosity and joy. Do you find joy in giving freely to others?
“Lord, may I serve you and my neighbor with a glad and generous heart, not looking for how much I can get but rather looking for how much I can give.”
by Don Schwager
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 06:14:41 -0400
Okay here\’s the big news. Many of you may remember a
few years ago I was going to do a TV show. I was very
surprised to find out that in TV when you go the
traditional route you really have no control over your
show.
They tell you what to say how to say it, and when to
say it. God forbid you try to say Jesus. This didn\’t
sit right with me at all. When it comes to me and us,
I feel like I know what we want to see so if it
doesn\’t feel right
to me I have no problems walking away no matter how
much money. I was not about to go on TV and have you
all talking about me saying this show is
terrible…what was TP thinking. It wouldn\’t have
been because I didn\’t
give my ideas, but because they shot it down and I was
out of there on the next thing smoking.
With all of that said and because of your investment
in me I was able to write produce and finance 10
episodes of my first sitcom called \”House Of Payne.\”
Allen Payne (Jason\’s Lyric, New Jack city) plays a
fireman named CJ whose wife has a drug problem and
burns down their house to cover their mounting debt.
So, they have to move in with his
parents Cassie Davis, and Lavan Davis form \”Madea Goes
to jail.\” CJ has two kids and he and the grinds have
very different ideas about raising these kids.
I wanted this show to be what my movies are, funny
but serious with life lessons in them. Like my plays,
but for TV. Do you remember those shows like \”All in
the Family\”, \”Good Times\”, \”Rosanne\”, and \”Cosby\”.
The shows
that everybody wanted to watch because they not only
made you laugh, but they had some heart. Well, this is
one of those shows with heart.
This was a huge gamble, but if I know anything I know
my faith. And I know my folks, And that\’s why I did
it. If you
give it a chance I know you\’re going to love it. This
has never been done before, not like this, but I know
it will work. I\’m always asking ya\’ll to do
something, buy this
book, pay to see my movie, buy a ticket to the play,
buy the DVD. Well, now I can say this wont cost you
anything, just a little of your time.
Now, these ten episodes will run only in ten selected
cities. If I had my choice it would have been all over
the
country. I\’m working with a company that needs to know
that people will watch it if it goes to the rest of
the country.
So it airs in New York and Houston on May eighth, and
eight
other cities soon to follow. Here is the schedule
as I know it. As we get closer to the release date of
your city, I\’ll send you some reminders. I hope I
don\’t work on your nervous by then. (smile)
If you are not in these cities and you know people in
them, please call them and ask them to watch.
New York – CHANNEL 9
MONDAY MAY 8TH AT 9PM THEN AGAIN AT 10PM THEN MONDAY
THRU FRIDAY FOR TWO WEEKS AT 11PM
Houston CHANNEL 20
MONDAY MAY 8TH AT 9PM THEN AGAIN AT 10PM THEN MONDAY
THRU FRIDAY FOR TWO WEEKS AT 11PM
More information on the following cities to come:
CHICAGO JUNE 19 THRU 26TH CHANNEL 20TH
PHILLY CH 17 TH
JUNE 17 THR 24 TH
WASH DC CH 50 TH
JUNE 17 THRU 24 TH
ATLANTA TBS CH 17 TH
JUNE 7TH WVER WEDNESDAY 9 AND 9:30
DATES FOR THESE CITIES WILL BE IN JUNE STILL TO COME.
DALLAS CH 21
MIAMI CH 33
BALTIMORE CH 54
RALEIGH CH 28
P.S. Maybe you can forward this email to other people
in the area. We need every body to watch. I know
you\’re going to love it.
****************************
May Peace And Love Be Yours Abundantly!
Im sitting here thinking about some of the habits I have. Some of the things I say, and some things that you may not know about me. So I’ve decided to share them with you. Share some of the habits and special things that I dont know about you.
Tell all now!
Lacrease
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you”?~~William A. Ward
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
So you see, I had to rebuke that spirit right off rip. Let me say Hey to my creator first. lollllll
Sometimes my mind wonder to seeing Jesus face, kissing him, Sometimes I sit and imagine him looking me right in the eye and for some reason Im not looking away. He knows that I was a sinner, but he also knew my heart and how I really felt about people. Just think no more crying, no more wondering, no more bills, no more jealousy, no more competition, no more envy, no more fighting, no killing, no more lies, and no more debt. All of that has passed away. Revelation 21 (New International Version)4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Im on vacation right now. and Im so happy. I had to take some time off. I work for Walmart, Im a cashier, and people were really getting on my nerves. So I took 10 days off, yep sure did! I have 4 left! My last days I went off on 2 of my supervisors. And the asst. manager was standing there. All I kept hearing God say, Lacrease just be quiet, you are in your last day for 10 days…….dont lose your job. My other manager came over who I love so much, and she said Lacrease whats wrong? What’s wrong? You know how people keep asking what’s wrong and you start to cry? Well, I almost did. I am so happy that I am not there right now. But you know what? That was so out of character for me to go off like that. I am a person who can enter a room and my presence would fill the atmosphere with happiness and peace. When you walk into my house you have to give me a hug and kiss. My nieces and nephews already know what to do when they come over……check them kisses in! Im the same way at work. I love hugs! But Im glad that God got me out of there when he did, cause I dont know what I would have said to the people I see daily and truly love.
And you know whats funny? Yesterday I went up to my job to buy some things. And keep in mind since I left work I went to Church 3 nights in a row, because I can’t go back to work that way I was. I just cant! I cant! I cant! I cant! I Cant! So I went to my Church for revival, and it was the bomb. Do you hear me? The first night Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant was there with singer Lexi. The second night was Pastor Sheryl Brady with Darius Twyman, and on the 3rd day I went there was Bishop Paul Morton. Ahhhhh I left a changed woman. Lord, I had a breakthrough!
Anyway, I went in and my coworkers hugged me and ask me when was I coming back. so as I was leaving one of my other co workers who is about 47 asked me did I hear about another worker being fired. And you know what amazed me? How so turned off I was. See had I been there, I would have known and she’d be in my face asking me what happened. Im cool with the gurl who got fired, but when you are in a break through, you dont want to hear all that mess. Ok she got fired OH WELL……..AND! And Im mad at myself for entertaining that mess! So thats why its about to be a new day at work when I got back. Im 38 years old, I may look 28 but time is expiring from me, and I dont want to hear about Cat, and Kim and Lisa and them. Im about to be on some other stuff……….for real.
and mom was telling me today that I use to be so mean. They said that when I was about 13 up in there, I was sooooooo mean. And I remember that too. She said she loved me so much but I was so mean that it didn’t make no sense. It almost made me cry because I am so not her any more. I love people so much. If I hurt anyone feelings and you tell me, I will cry before you can even tell me how much you cried. Im sensitive like that. But I remember getting in people business, and being so messy. I remember when I was even messing around with married men. Im sharing this, because I know that there are people out there reading this that are living like this. I have a whole book on this to share with yall all later. Sisters be ready, cause Lacrease is going to expose and break this sin wide open! Be Prepared at a later date. Right now in my life, Im single. I am truly waiting on the Lord. As I get older I understand that it may not be in his will for me to have a husband, I accept that. Do I want a husband…………..more that you know.
