Treasure Store
...Weekly insights into scriptures by Olumide Ayodele
The Third Hour...
GOD'S VINEYARD SERIES - 3
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. [Matthew 20:3-4]
The vineyard is so great, it can contain a vast number of more people. Even though the householder had quite a number of labourers working already, yet, he still went out, to capture the idle ones, to engage the indolent, not because he didn't have sufficient, but because he wanted to engage as many as possible. The Lord is still going out, He is not just looking for parasites in His kingdom, who are going to be sleeping and eating without giving themselves to Him, He is looking for labourers. Many today have come in, but they are parasites, looking for what to get or gain, but they are not after the vineyard of The Lord.
"...the third hour"
Three (3) ho...
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A PENNY A DAY
GOD'S VINEYARD SERIES - No.2
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [Matthew 20:2]
"...a penny a day..."
The reward for any labourer who comes into the vineyard of the Lord is "a penny", and that comes at the end of the day. I have often noticed that for anyone who agrees to enter into any employment - be it for the government, for a private business owner, in a factory, shop or any business setup, there is a general consensus that nobody questions, and that is the fact that the reward, pay, wage or salary (as the case may be), actually comes at the end of the day (or week, or month), after the work is done. You are only paid for what you laboured for, and as every labourer begins to engage himself in the task at hand, no matter how cumbersome or tiring the work may be, his consolation always is that "at least, I will get my pay at the end of the ...
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Divine Ownership
GOD'S VINEYARD SERIES
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [Matthew 20:1-2]
"...householder, which went out..."
A householder!, probably the owner of the house, this house was a very great one because it had a great vineyard that could contain several labourers working on different things simultaneously. This man must be a great man, a very rich man, having workers and very respected, but the Bible says he went out... The rich men of this world don't go out, they just relax and allow their money and servants to go out on their behalf, but Our God is not sleeping in the house, He is busy going out, He is not sending servants to get His work done, He is right at the top of His work, busy labouring to get m...
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Suffering for Christ
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. [1Peter 4:12-13]
"...fiery trial...strange thing..."
A fiery trial is NOT a strange thing. For those who belong to Christ, who have tasted the beauty of Christ, the heat of the fiery trial is so insignificant compared to the heat of their love for God. What the world experiences and they cringe and succumb, is a little thing before those who have experienced Jesus.
"But rejoice..."
Isn't this unheard of? How can a man possibly rejoice when he is undergoing the fiercest of fiery trial, when he is being denied of rights for Christ's sake? It takes a definite experience of Jesus to be able to take wrongs, persecutions, calamities...
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Partaking of Christ's Sufferings...
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: [1Peter 2:21-23]
"...even hereunto were ye called...suffer..."
There is a lot of mix-ups today in Christianity. I think the real joy of Christianity, the depth of joy that is richly spiritual has been misplaced and substituted with the superficial joys of the world that never lasts. When we first became Christians, it was very clear unto us that the joy of The Lord is purely spiritual, it is bound in the fact that the believer has a hope of heaven to go, there is a passion, a desire in the hearts of the new believer that 'heaven is my home, I am only a pilgrim, a sojourner here', and his joy is bou...
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A Fresh Start...
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? [Isaiah 51:9]
Sometimes when your oil is drying up,
The old habits which were once crucified
on the Cross of Jesus Christ,
Begin to ensue and resurface again
The body of sin that had been put to death,
And the selfish desires that were then buried,
All of a sudden, without prior information,
Resume their former offices and duties,
O yes, it is a sign of DEPLETED GRACE,
The full oil has all been used up, Now,
There is the need for a REFILLING...
Sometimes when your lamp is burning low,
The light that was once shining,
Giving direction and discretion to all and sundry,
Lightening up the soul in perfect holiness,
Become so dim that caution must now be taken,
before a single step is lifted forward,
"Lest I hit my...
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Glorious Reward of Sharing in Christ's Sufferings
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: [1Peter 5:1]
Only those who partake of Christ's sufferings now in this world, will be partakers of His glory when He shall appear. This same revelation is corroborated in 1Peter 4:13-14
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. [1Peter 4:13-14]
There is an unbreakable connection between suffering and glory, the two are opposites to each other, but one is a link to the other. The ONLY means to glory is actually through suffering, and those who ...
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Greater Things...
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. [John 1:50-51]
Here, at the beginning of Jesus' ministry on earth, He was talking to Nathaniel. Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to Him and said "Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile". Nathaniel was so thrilled about Jesus knowing lots of things about him, he said: "...Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel." [Verse 49]. This spiritual depth in Nathaniel got Jesus excited. Jesus replied, 'because I gave you a tip of divine things, you already believe? because I released a little treasure unto you as I saw you under the fig tree, you are already overwhelmed?...', it moved Jesus to want to release som...
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Spiritual Adornment!
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. [1 Peter 3:3-4 KJV]
Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes or hair arrangement. Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God. [1 Peter 3:3-4 TLB]
These two verses actually talk about adornment, or simply put, 'dressing'. Many people in the Christian circle misapply these verses by attributing it to the body and emphasizing on physical attire or clothes, but I checked these verses very closely, and I discovered that it is not talking about the adornment of the body, rather, it ...
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The Christian at the Door!!!
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [Revelation 3:15-16]
Something serious baffles me in these two angry verses. First of all, it is clear that Jesus Christ is the One pouring these heart probing allegations out of His disappointed heart. Also, the people unto whom these rebukes are directed are actually people who belong to Him, I don't think these people are outcasts or half-hearted people, who have never met Him. The question is that did these people commit some terrible sins?, I checked closely but found that there is nowhere around these verses (from verse 14-22) that suggests that these offenders were outright sinners. They were not idolaters, fornicators, blasphemers or murderers, even Jesus confessed that He will spue them OUT OF HIS MOUTH. This reveals clearly that they...
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