THE KINGDOM LABOURER
"In all labour there is profit, but idle chatter leads to poverty." - Prov 14:23
To that person who continually labour in evangelism, prayers, studying and teaching the Word, it looks as if you don't have a career, and that you are frustrated; and that is why you have chosen to do God's work full time - the Lord recognises your service. In fact, your labour is without glamour and it looks as if you have made a mistake. Dearly beloved; in all labour there is profit!
A labourer for the harvest is what the Lord demanded for, He asked us to pray that you agree to the work. The work of the kingdom is not a 'white-collar' job so to speak. It is a combination of white-collar and also the manual all in one. The man who seats in the office for administration and counselling must be ready to hit the street, jump and join the bus with the gospel of the Lord. That labourer of the kingdom must be ready to suffer hunger to complete his work.
Can God's work really be a career? Who in his right sense would agree to church work full-time? Is that all you have earned a degree for? Family will fear and if this labourer isn't that sure of his or her calling - such a person may become 'worthless' in their eyes, and of course it doesn't in anyway help the labourer.
But when Jesus asked us to pray for labourers, it wasn't because He couldn't pay the cooperate guys, in fact, silver and gold are His, it isn't because He's looking for unskilled and cheap labour - No! The Lord is actually asking for skilled and unskilled to become labourers for the Harvest. The professor is a labourer, the carpenter can be - He can afford to pay us all.
It is possible that you are labouring and that you have been ridiculed, you have made sacrifices and burnt bridges behind you - and it's looking like you made a mistake enlisting in this labour force. Be assured that God does not owe, be conscious that He has the resources to pay. He has a welfare package for even your generations to come.
Dear labourer, it pays to serve Jesus and there is dignity in this labour!
I HAVE BEEN LABOURING!
"So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.'" - Luke 15:29
"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.'" - Luke 15:31
You see, it is possible that you are angry with God already and you feel He has not rewarded according to your labour, you know that you should labour, but you are thinking that at least, God should make sure you and your family aren't suffering - and you are complaining, 'all these modern pastors are only concerned with principles, they are not even doing mission' and there you are angry. No aircraft, no duplex and all other things like that.
As it was the case for that older brother, who didn't know that he had it all, yet ignorance made him to think he was just a mere labourer. He was working for himself as a partner but he thought he was just a labourer. A man in honour without understanding is indeed like a beast that perishes (Psalm 49:20).
Listen, the kingdom of heaven does not see you as mere labourer, in fact you are a General, other babes may 'merry', but you must not not undermine your value in the kingdom - the Master values your worth, He knows about your labour. You didn't know that you are already a shareholder - who must continue to labour so that the empire keeps growing. If you understand this, temporal merry making will not be your priority, but continuous labour; because you can command the wealth at any time!
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." - 1Cor 15:10
It is grace that made the fishermen to become fishers of men, it is grace at work in you that has made you a labourer more than many others - if you had not laboured this much, the grace would have been in vain. Stop complaining and see your self as one who is blessed with grace.
Merry making is meant for babes, you are a staff of the kingdom and you have earned a job, grace got you you the job. The angels celebrate the restoration of a lost sheep and by extension you make the heavens celebrate, when you are an instrument of finding the lost sheep. You are a top shot in the kingdom not a mere labourer.
Another matter here is the matter of works, we depend too much on works, and do not embrace the place of grace. When a man in too focused on works, he underpays himself. The older brother of the prodigal son, was counting his works to the father. Grace has made him a joint-heir but he was more concerned about his works and neglecting the grace. We are saved by grace but not without works and this we must know, but when a labourer does not allow grace to play out - he will be short-changed. Let your work be dependent on grace.
WHAT'S THE PAY CHEQUE?
"Then Peter answered and said to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?'" - Matt 19:27
Peter asking what his pay cheque would be, was a legitimate question, but one would wonder, whether it is after you a person has started working that he should negotiate his pay cheque. Why didn't Peter ask Him about pay when Jesus said 'Follow me', why is it now that he suddenly saw the need to ask.
This is exactly how the kingdom works, we must trust that the Lord would not treat us badly, we must obey first and show our willingness to service before we talk about pay cheque. You're really not going to do anything to God if He doesn't pay you, but we know God cannot do that. He knows that a labourer is worthy of his wages.
It is totally left to the employer of labour - God, to determine your wages. He pays in cash and also in kind, depending on how He deems it fit based on His manifold wisdom. Some, their children experience open doors, some their reward is in sound health even unto generations, while some are in financial prosperity, some will be paid with crowns of glory. It is a prerogative of the employer - God!
"They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'" - Matt 20:7
Whatever is right the Lord will pay, if you insist on knowing the pay cheque before moving for work, you are not worthy to be a labourer, don't get trapped into all the bandwagon of survival - here is destiny knocking, accept the appointment - God has integrity and what is right He will pay when you have done the work.
God does not underpay, and we cannot really work for our pay - it will be too much work. There's no one who receives a pay cheque from God who can boast that it is by their effort, and this is the very reason why we must quickly, amd always, embrace the call to labour in His vineyard - we shouldn't take it lightly.
God is not unjust to forget your labour of love, be sure to make the motive of your labour love, be sure that you are diligent in the service - don't start forming boss for God. Let love rule your service. If you are not faithful in that which is another man's, no one will give you your own. It is a kingdom principle.
RESOURCES FOR LABOUR
"Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road." - Luke 10:4
The Lord does not permit that His labourer depend on themselves for tools to carry out the work. Many ministers would not answer the call until they have a very stable and insured bank account, it is too much of risk for them just to go out and do the work. They would fear and ask, 'what will my children eat?' Some would go ahead lobbying around senior ministers - but the Lord said greet no man on the road.
It is indeed a risk, but it is a well insured work that the Lord ask from us - He doesn't want any man to be the boss of the job. If you cannot depend on the employer for your tools then the employer has not gotten it all right. He said even if you have such money, leave it go. What the Lord is sounding out loud, is that - don't depend on your wealth. The journey is beyond that - He wants to show you supply. While there was a famine, the Lord faithfully fed Elijah by the raven - Don't depend on yourself.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit upon a man can also be enough equipping for the labour. The gifts are not physically visible but cannot be denied when it manifests, the gift of a man will make way for him. Don't get worked out about your 'backup'. In fact, sometimes, the Lord stripes some of His servant of their wealth so as to teach them total dependency on Him.
"Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?" - 1Cor 9:7
You cannot labour for God at your own expense, you may become short-sighted and even become corrupt by your own wealth. The Lord may not even need you to carry all the wealth around. Jesus was going and they stopped Him for tax - a miracle happened by the mouth of the fish. What a wonderful way to witness about the God of sufficiency.
I know your kids are small, I know your salary is small, but at times, the only insurance we have when the Lord calls to duty is the voice we heard. It cannot be even validated by another person - what you heard should be convincing enough to make you know that, God will provide the resources for the ministry.
PAY DAY
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." - 2Tim 4:6
Everyone loves pay day - those who consistently worked and kept to terms of engagement are usually very assured of their pay. They know that the sleep of the labourer is sweet (Ecc 5:12). There is always a pay day and it is always of eternal value. It is not a pay that is easily exhausted. If the Lord pays you for service, you can know that it is irrevocable.
Paul's testimony was that of confidence in display, he had given it all up on the field, his works clearly speaks for him, but he takes delight more in the grace available to be enlisted in that workforce. How the master will come to settle us, those who have done their best will love His appearing, the wages for our labour is not just for earth but has eternal value.
The man who has not laboured risk being sanctioned by the master, God also does not pay ghost workers, He takes note of the times you reported to duty, He is concerned about your level of productivity, He know how efficient and effective you have been - then He sees your dependency on grace.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." - Ecc 9:10
No one gets the opportunity to work after here, we only receive rewards after we have passed away from this earth. There is no work or wisdom in the grave - no one will hire you because there is no work to be done after now. As there comes a day for payment, there is also a place of payment as regards eternal rewards; if you didn't do anything here, nothing will be given to you. You may just be paid the wages of the unprofitable servant - and that is a casting away.
The day when we are rewarded should always be a motivator to how we labour here - we know ourselves if we are worthy of wages or not, we can tell if we have given our best to our job or not. You need to totally give all your might as labour has to do with strength.
He said behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to given unto everyone according to their works - when He comes, what would be your reward? As there are painful rewards of wickedness and slothfulness, it is right here while we are still alive that we can work. The night indeed comes, when no man can work.
CONCLUSION:
It pays to serve Jesus!
God bless you and I love you.
Akinsuroju Femi
© The Fundamentals
To that person who continually labour in evangelism, prayers, studying and teaching the Word, it looks as if you don't have a career, and that you are frustrated; and that is why you have chosen to do God's work full time - the Lord recognises your service. In fact, your labour is without glamour and it looks as if you have made a mistake. Dearly beloved; in all labour there is profit!
A labourer for the harvest is what the Lord demanded for, He asked us to pray that you agree to the work. The work of the kingdom is not a 'white-collar' job so to speak. It is a combination of white-collar and also the manual all in one. The man who seats in the office for administration and counselling must be ready to hit the street, jump and join the bus with the gospel of the Lord. That labourer of the kingdom must be ready to suffer hunger to complete his work.
Can God's work really be a career? Who in his right sense would agree to church work full-time? Is that all you have earned a degree for? Family will fear and if this labourer isn't that sure of his or her calling - such a person may become 'worthless' in their eyes, and of course it doesn't in anyway help the labourer.
But when Jesus asked us to pray for labourers, it wasn't because He couldn't pay the cooperate guys, in fact, silver and gold are His, it isn't because He's looking for unskilled and cheap labour - No! The Lord is actually asking for skilled and unskilled to become labourers for the Harvest. The professor is a labourer, the carpenter can be - He can afford to pay us all.
It is possible that you are labouring and that you have been ridiculed, you have made sacrifices and burnt bridges behind you - and it's looking like you made a mistake enlisting in this labour force. Be assured that God does not owe, be conscious that He has the resources to pay. He has a welfare package for even your generations to come.
Dear labourer, it pays to serve Jesus and there is dignity in this labour!
I HAVE BEEN LABOURING!
"So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.'" - Luke 15:29
"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.'" - Luke 15:31
You see, it is possible that you are angry with God already and you feel He has not rewarded according to your labour, you know that you should labour, but you are thinking that at least, God should make sure you and your family aren't suffering - and you are complaining, 'all these modern pastors are only concerned with principles, they are not even doing mission' and there you are angry. No aircraft, no duplex and all other things like that.
As it was the case for that older brother, who didn't know that he had it all, yet ignorance made him to think he was just a mere labourer. He was working for himself as a partner but he thought he was just a labourer. A man in honour without understanding is indeed like a beast that perishes (Psalm 49:20).
Listen, the kingdom of heaven does not see you as mere labourer, in fact you are a General, other babes may 'merry', but you must not not undermine your value in the kingdom - the Master values your worth, He knows about your labour. You didn't know that you are already a shareholder - who must continue to labour so that the empire keeps growing. If you understand this, temporal merry making will not be your priority, but continuous labour; because you can command the wealth at any time!
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." - 1Cor 15:10
It is grace that made the fishermen to become fishers of men, it is grace at work in you that has made you a labourer more than many others - if you had not laboured this much, the grace would have been in vain. Stop complaining and see your self as one who is blessed with grace.
Merry making is meant for babes, you are a staff of the kingdom and you have earned a job, grace got you you the job. The angels celebrate the restoration of a lost sheep and by extension you make the heavens celebrate, when you are an instrument of finding the lost sheep. You are a top shot in the kingdom not a mere labourer.
Another matter here is the matter of works, we depend too much on works, and do not embrace the place of grace. When a man in too focused on works, he underpays himself. The older brother of the prodigal son, was counting his works to the father. Grace has made him a joint-heir but he was more concerned about his works and neglecting the grace. We are saved by grace but not without works and this we must know, but when a labourer does not allow grace to play out - he will be short-changed. Let your work be dependent on grace.
WHAT'S THE PAY CHEQUE?
"Then Peter answered and said to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?'" - Matt 19:27
Peter asking what his pay cheque would be, was a legitimate question, but one would wonder, whether it is after you a person has started working that he should negotiate his pay cheque. Why didn't Peter ask Him about pay when Jesus said 'Follow me', why is it now that he suddenly saw the need to ask.
This is exactly how the kingdom works, we must trust that the Lord would not treat us badly, we must obey first and show our willingness to service before we talk about pay cheque. You're really not going to do anything to God if He doesn't pay you, but we know God cannot do that. He knows that a labourer is worthy of his wages.
It is totally left to the employer of labour - God, to determine your wages. He pays in cash and also in kind, depending on how He deems it fit based on His manifold wisdom. Some, their children experience open doors, some their reward is in sound health even unto generations, while some are in financial prosperity, some will be paid with crowns of glory. It is a prerogative of the employer - God!
"They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'" - Matt 20:7
Whatever is right the Lord will pay, if you insist on knowing the pay cheque before moving for work, you are not worthy to be a labourer, don't get trapped into all the bandwagon of survival - here is destiny knocking, accept the appointment - God has integrity and what is right He will pay when you have done the work.
God does not underpay, and we cannot really work for our pay - it will be too much work. There's no one who receives a pay cheque from God who can boast that it is by their effort, and this is the very reason why we must quickly, amd always, embrace the call to labour in His vineyard - we shouldn't take it lightly.
God is not unjust to forget your labour of love, be sure to make the motive of your labour love, be sure that you are diligent in the service - don't start forming boss for God. Let love rule your service. If you are not faithful in that which is another man's, no one will give you your own. It is a kingdom principle.
RESOURCES FOR LABOUR
"Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road." - Luke 10:4
The Lord does not permit that His labourer depend on themselves for tools to carry out the work. Many ministers would not answer the call until they have a very stable and insured bank account, it is too much of risk for them just to go out and do the work. They would fear and ask, 'what will my children eat?' Some would go ahead lobbying around senior ministers - but the Lord said greet no man on the road.
It is indeed a risk, but it is a well insured work that the Lord ask from us - He doesn't want any man to be the boss of the job. If you cannot depend on the employer for your tools then the employer has not gotten it all right. He said even if you have such money, leave it go. What the Lord is sounding out loud, is that - don't depend on your wealth. The journey is beyond that - He wants to show you supply. While there was a famine, the Lord faithfully fed Elijah by the raven - Don't depend on yourself.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit upon a man can also be enough equipping for the labour. The gifts are not physically visible but cannot be denied when it manifests, the gift of a man will make way for him. Don't get worked out about your 'backup'. In fact, sometimes, the Lord stripes some of His servant of their wealth so as to teach them total dependency on Him.
"Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?" - 1Cor 9:7
You cannot labour for God at your own expense, you may become short-sighted and even become corrupt by your own wealth. The Lord may not even need you to carry all the wealth around. Jesus was going and they stopped Him for tax - a miracle happened by the mouth of the fish. What a wonderful way to witness about the God of sufficiency.
I know your kids are small, I know your salary is small, but at times, the only insurance we have when the Lord calls to duty is the voice we heard. It cannot be even validated by another person - what you heard should be convincing enough to make you know that, God will provide the resources for the ministry.
PAY DAY
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." - 2Tim 4:6
Everyone loves pay day - those who consistently worked and kept to terms of engagement are usually very assured of their pay. They know that the sleep of the labourer is sweet (Ecc 5:12). There is always a pay day and it is always of eternal value. It is not a pay that is easily exhausted. If the Lord pays you for service, you can know that it is irrevocable.
Paul's testimony was that of confidence in display, he had given it all up on the field, his works clearly speaks for him, but he takes delight more in the grace available to be enlisted in that workforce. How the master will come to settle us, those who have done their best will love His appearing, the wages for our labour is not just for earth but has eternal value.
The man who has not laboured risk being sanctioned by the master, God also does not pay ghost workers, He takes note of the times you reported to duty, He is concerned about your level of productivity, He know how efficient and effective you have been - then He sees your dependency on grace.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." - Ecc 9:10
No one gets the opportunity to work after here, we only receive rewards after we have passed away from this earth. There is no work or wisdom in the grave - no one will hire you because there is no work to be done after now. As there comes a day for payment, there is also a place of payment as regards eternal rewards; if you didn't do anything here, nothing will be given to you. You may just be paid the wages of the unprofitable servant - and that is a casting away.
The day when we are rewarded should always be a motivator to how we labour here - we know ourselves if we are worthy of wages or not, we can tell if we have given our best to our job or not. You need to totally give all your might as labour has to do with strength.
He said behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to given unto everyone according to their works - when He comes, what would be your reward? As there are painful rewards of wickedness and slothfulness, it is right here while we are still alive that we can work. The night indeed comes, when no man can work.
CONCLUSION:
It pays to serve Jesus!
God bless you and I love you.
Akinsuroju Femi
© The Fundamentals
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