Are You in the Kingdom?

In the Parable of the Kingdom in Matthew 20:1-16, we see a Landowner, who is . . .

1. Passionate in His Love for the Vineyard.

Sometimes the simplist truth, the truth that sets me free, is the one hardest to get my mind around. And sometimes, that difficulty hinders my walk and service to the King. At times, we just need to pause and reflect on that simple truth-- God, the creator of the universe and one true and living and holy God, loves you. You are the "apple of His eye", the joy of His heart, the one He sent His Son to die for. Look at how The Message describes His incredible love and grace, that He has lavished on us...

Ephesians 1:3-9; 11-14
3 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. 4 Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. 5 Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) 6 He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. 7 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people - free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! 8 He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, 9 letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, 10 a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth. 11 It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, 12 part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. 13 It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free - signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. 14 This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life. (The Message)

2. Persistent in His Pursuit of Laborers

He pursues Continually
Often there is an intentional process He uses to get us “on frequency” with Him: a circumstance, an event, a maturity level, a colleague or coworker, a difficulty, an observation

He pursues Expectantly. "Why are you standing here idle?" is the question of one who has offered opportunity, and knows there is no reason to not be in the vineyard.

He pursues Knowing our Limitations. Some are limited by time, or age... They get into the vineyard late, but are still able to contribute something, and are given the chance. He knows our limitations, but still wants us active.

3. Powerful in His Presence among the Laborers.
Matt 4:24 shows us what happens when Jesus is reigning in His kingdom. And these things will happen around us as we are living the Kingdom life.

4. Punctual in His Payment of Laborers.
Though the pament is different than some expect, God's grace is abundant as He pays what He has promised, not what is deserved. But He can to trusted to be faithful to His promise. There is a payday coming.

How To Appeal to Your Authority

Daniel gives us a great Biblical illustration of how to deal with and appeal to our authorities.



1. Accept God’s view of authority

When thinking about authority, Christians are fond of saying—God is my authority. And that would be true. God, and His Word are our authorities and guides to whom we submit. However, that’s not the whole of it. We live in a world, and relate to other authorities—how are we to relate to them? Does God have anything to say to us about them, and how we are to live in relation to those other authorities that are in positions over us? A boss, coach, teacher, or parent can be the source of difficulty and frustration, and it helps to know a Biblical way to appeal to them when necessary.

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.” Romans 13:1

“higher powers” = superior authorities, those over and above us in position, who are over us and have the liberty to make decisions and choices; usually has to do with delegated/temporary authority.


4 Sources of Authority in our lives

Family – “Children, obey your parents in all things, fo r this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Colossians 3:20

Work – “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.” Colossians 3:22

Spiritual – “Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as them that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that is unprofitable to you.” Hebrew 13:17

Governmental – “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake; whether it be the king, as supreme,or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” 1 Peter 2:13-14

God establishes authority over us to teach us how to respond to Him. How we respond to our authority many times is how we will respond to God.


2. Have a clear conscience in relation to your authority.
We can't expect to successfully appeal to them if we have issues unresolved-- if you have stolen, are lazy-- and not productive, your appeal will fall on deaf ears. If you are disruptive, antagonistic, uncooperative, foul-mouthed, a gossip, flirtatious or seductive, and you want to appeal to them on a spiritual level, it will not happen.

3. Develop Convictions and Determine Where the Line is you will not cross.

Daniel “purposed in his heart” – 1:8, meaning he decided beforehand. A conviction is a scriptural principle I choose to follow whatever the cost. We will all have convictions.


Your convictions will sooner or later be tested
Your convictions will always be rewarded. 1:17; 3:28;6:26




4. Offer Creative Alternatives



5. Give God time to work


6. Suffer for not doing wrong.


Daniel’s friends conviction of worship was tested – Dan. 3:1-6, 12-18, they stood up for their convictions and were tossed in the fiery furnace.


Daniel’s conviction of prayer was tested – Dan. 6:4-15, Daniel stood on his conviction to pray to his God, and was thrown in the lion's den.



(I am indebted to IBYC and the Basic Seminar for some of the thoughts of this message)

Red White and Kaboom, 2007

Our ministry to the Fairfield community

while they await the annual fireworks display.

Why Was Jesus a Carpenter?

Ever Wonder?

Did you ever wonder why Jesus came as He did?

He was the Son of God. He came into a human world in order to seek and save it. He would choose the exact profession to do the most good and be most influential. He could have come as a conquering general, an Alexander the Great or Napolean, and be known for His brilliance in battle and courage in the face of death.

Or He could have come as a King, demanding obeisance and loyal worship of His subjects. The people were accustomed to despots and their corrupt and tyannical reign-- There are always the Caesar's, or the Pharoah's. Another Nebuchednezzar would not be unusual.

But He came as a simple carpenter. Looking at my own life, I have an idea why.

Carpenters are good at taking something old or ruined and making it look brand new again. And carpenters are experts at making something that did not exist before-- they can take scrap pieces of wood, and from a vision in their head, make them into something beautiful.

And that is what Jesus did for me. I was old, empty, useless, and turned me into something new and alive.

"we are His workmanship..."

What a great God! Have you let Him do His work in you?

"Made from scratch daily" and other daily pressures

Does the “dailyness” of life ever make you weary, making you wish you could find the pause button on life’s remote control? Pressures mount, children grow up, expenses increase, debt threatens, minute details and “to do” lists continue to scream for attention… and sometimes we just want to unplug the phone, close our door, sit uninterrupted while we just do nothing…

David experienced those feelings and frustrations. If you look up daily in a concordance, you’ll find listed in Psalms these daily struggles as an eternal reminder to us of how painfully difficult daily life can be:

He described his heart as being filled daily with sorrow, of being reproached daily by those who despised him, of fighting daily with those who sought to destroy him, of facing the pain and conflict of enemies daily.

I can imagine that is why he wrote “Oh that I had the wings of a dove, I would fly away and be at rest…” (Psalm 55:6). Short of Calgon “taking us away”, or our miraculously growing wings like a dove, what are some secrets David discovered that can help us along the way as we face the difficulties and draining drudgery of our “dailyness”?

1.Worship--Ps 72:15—“prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall He be praised…”

2. Prayer-- Ps 86:3 –“Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. “

3. Look to His promised blessings-- Ps 68:19—“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits…”


These secrets cut against our natural tendency when we are lost in the daily grind, but will be the very things God uses to restore us and refresh us in our daily difficulties.

"Touched By The Cross"
John 19:38

Joseph of Arimethea is described as a disciple, but one secretly. He followed Jesus from afar, not wanting anyone to know he was a follower. But something happened that called him out, made him go public. What chracterized his "secret" life, and what brought the change?

4 Characterstics of a Secret Disciple:

A Lack of Courage-- he was afraid of what people might think, or what it might cost him if others found out he was a follower of Jesus.

A Love of Riches-- he was obviously a man of means, and could have made
A Limitation of Service
A Loss of Blessings

4 Changes does the Cross Brings:
A Readiness to Risk— "he gathered up his courage and went to Pilate…"
A Carelessness of Cost-- he was identifyng with a convicted criminal.
A Seriousness in Service-- he was serious about doing something. no more just thinking about it, talking about it...
A Publicness in Practice-- it was visible to others.

New Opportunities for a New Year

Facing a new year is always a time of mixed emotions for me. Ringing out the old, ringing in the new. As December 31 meets January 1 of each year, there is the tension I feel, the sometimes regret at opportunities lost, and experiences missed. And standing at the brink of a new year, with the unknown of it before me-- 8560 hours ahead that will make up this next year. What will it mean? What will happen...?

One of the blessing of a new year, are the New Opportunities that bring needed variety to our lives.

Imagine getting stuck living the same day over and over. Movies have pictured the misery and agony of re-living the same 24 hour period again and again. Bill Murray and others became almost suicidal at the repetition and boredom of such a life. Beautiful changes from one day to the next, one week to the next, one season to the next, one generation to the next all add an incredible variety and beauty to our lives-- cloudy to clear, rainy to windy, green to barren, cold to hot, rain to snow, all invigorate and stimulate us in different ways.

God has built this variety into His universe, and into our daily lives. Without the hope of a new day, full of unlived adventures, untried possibilities, or unexperienced opportunities, how boring and dull this life would be.

The old sage said: "four things come not back: the spoken word, the spent arrow, time past, and the neglected opportunity."

Lord, help us to live each new day this year to experience the opportunities You have for us. Help us to use the time wisely and benefit from all the experiences You will bring our way this next year.

"Be very careful how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity..." Epehsians 5:15-15 NIV