TOPIC: NO MORE LABOURING I
MEMORIZE:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
READ: Luke 5:1-7
1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
MESSAGE
In 1963, while I was a teacher at Ondo Boys' High School in South-West Nigeria, I was teaching 35 lesson periods every week. Another tutor, who had more experience and qualifications than me, was teaching just 21 lesson periods every week. He was earning four times more than I was earning and was still grumbling about the workload. I went to him and said, "Sir, you are teaching 21 lesson periods while I am teaching 35, yet you are earning four times what I am earning, and you are complaining." He drew me close, patted me, and said, "My boy, you don't understand. I'm being paid for what I have already done. I'm being paid for what is in my brain." While I was laboring and earning peanuts, the other teacher wasn't working as hard, yet he was earning more.
There is a difference between working diligently and laboring. A manual laborer has to work very hard to get little pay. You can't call a manager a laborer; both of them go to their workplaces in the morning, but one goes to work, and the other goes to labor. Even though a manager arrives at the office very early every day and works hard, he or she gets paid something worthwhile for his or her efforts. In Genesis 2:15, God gave Adam a garden to tend. Some Bible scholars have described the Garden of Eden to be as big as Lagos, Nigeria. To ask one man to keep a garden of that size requires a lot of work. However, Adam was working, not laboring. After he fell into sin, he began to labor (Genesis 3:17-19), such that when he worked, he sweated- it wasn't recorded that he sweated before this time. Additionally, after laboring and sweating, the ground yielded thorns and thistles.
In Luke 5:5, Peter toiled all night and caught nothing -that is laboring. Even though he worked hard all night, he had nothing to show for it. However, Peter's laboring days ended when Jesus came into his life. If you have been laboring and you want your laboring days to come to an end, rebuild your connection with God, and He will put an end to fruitless labors in your life forever.
Beloved, if for whatever reason, you are experiencing fruitless labor even though you have surrendered your life to Christ and are living according to His will, I decree that the Lord will step into your situation today and put an end to laboring in your life, in Jesus' name.
KEY POINT
An active connection with God will ensure that you do not experience fruitless labor.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 1-2
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 27: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
3. Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
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