Go ahead! Say it! I’ve lost my mind. My much learning has made me mad. Well that’s what they said about Paul when they tried to understand spiritual things with an unregenerate mind. But I hear you. When the Holy Spirit gave me this title, I said "what!? Scripture please." Well He shot right back.
“Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow You,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.”
Mark 10:28-30 NLT
Well shut my mouth 🤭! There is a scripture for everything. The fear of losing everything has got most Americans holding on to things more than God. They will move heaven and earth to protect what they believe is theirs. And my friends, that’s when we lose it. We lose sleep, peace of mind, joy, happiness, contentment, family, friends, marriages, jobs, money and ourselves. Holding on to temporal things brings little gain. Holding on to the One who owns it all, releases us to let go.
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 NLT
Peter had a valid observation, they had in a sense left everything. They’d given up a fishing business, and were away from their families often, but they had lacked for nothing. They had let go to hold on to that which was priceless and eternal. They had discovered true contentment and wealth beyond worldly acquisition. But in doing so, Jesus promised not one house but houses, not just their immediate family, but a worldwide family. Read it. He promised a hundred times more. Such a deal! With persecution 😩cheer up it's not the persecution you’re thinking of,😊 but rather the tongues of jealous people, spreading rumors about how you came into the blessings of God. People who want you investigated because there’s no way you could amass all this hundred fold return on a bungalow, and a unpredictable fishing business.
When God begins to bless those of us who are willing to let go, we will be persecuted, especially if the only explanation we have, is “isn’t God so good! Look what He’s done for me!" When God blessed me with my first house, there were people who wanted to know how I could afford it, implying that I had to be doing something illegal since I did payroll. I’m being serious. What are they going to say when they see the house He has picked out for me now?! They’re going to have a heart attack. The hundred fold comes with persecution. Jesus said so.
Think I’m lying? Look at what they’re doing to the Copeland’s, the Duplantis’, the Seville’s, the Dollar’s and the Osteen’s. Don’t know who they are? Look them up. You’ll read some of the nastiest remarks, from people who’ve never even met them. Persecuted for doing things God’s way. Choosing to believe God’s Word and acting on it. Mary’s boy shouldn’t be performing miracles, who does He think He is. He’s from that little backwards town called Nazareth. Nothing good ever comes from there! Persecution. Haters will hate. But let go to hold on. The reward is coming.
I say to the Lord very often that Should I lose everything, make sure He’s not part of it. I can start over, build again. But my fellowship with Him cannot be replaced. Do you know that some of the best houses are rebuilt after a devastating or catastrophic event? A shack becomes a mansion. Some people never envisioned something better for themselves until what they thought they couldn’t live without was taken away. Most people would never have started a business if they hadn’t lost their jobs. Wouldn’t have considered going back to school to be retrained, hadn’t they been passed over for the promotion a dozen times. Never would’ve taken care of their health until they had almost died. Never would’ve trusted Jesus if their backs weren't against the wall. We are creatures of habit. We like comfort. Jesus showed Peter that he could catch as many fish as he wanted by toiling, or he could come follow Him and never toil another day.
Whenever you’re doing what you’re meant to do, it’s no longer work, it’s a passion. That’s when you’ve learned to let go to hold on. Holding on to His ideals brings the contentment with great gain, Paul was speaking of. If you’re toiling as a Christian, it’s time to reevaluate your life. What are you holding to? Lose it for His sake. I’ve heard people say, " I can’t afford to tithe," well you can’t afford not to! Little becomes much when it’s placed in the right hands. Ask me how I know. It’s called treasures in heaven.
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”Matthew 6:19-20 NLT
When you need a withdrawal, guess what? It’s there. Jesus said NOW in this life. Whatever you have released to Him will never be lost. Whatever you hold to, you’ll never have. The world has lied to us, you don’t keep more of what you hoard, you keep more of what you give away. That’s what Jesus called a hundred times more. Hallelujah! Which is better? He said this, speaking of Jesus, who always has increase and abundance in mind;
“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.”
John 12:24-25 NLT
He was speaking of course of His death bringing a multitude of new believers into the kingdom, but the principles apply to seeds sown. One kernel of corn doesn’t produce a kernel, it produces an ear with more kernels. As long as it remains a kernel, it’s not living up to its full potential, it has within itself increase, but only if it’s sown. What Jesus is offering us has a higher yield than the best investment banking system in the world. Nothing you invest in is yielding a hundred times more. Have you checked your interest rate lately? The banks are making billions and giving us a pittance. But we still make a deposit faithfully🤦♀️ they encourage us to save for their benefit. And penalize you if you withdraw too much too soon. Why? It affects their bottom line. Jesus asks us for ten percent and we go nuts. His rate hasn’t changed in over three thousand plus years, maybe more. Our taxes go up and we can’t tell them not to take it from us. Jesus has never taken or commanded, He asks and leaves the choice of obeying or disobeying to us.
You obey, you receive what He’s promised, you hoard, it’s corrupted. In this Covid season, don’t change what you’ve been doing in your giving. Hold to His Word so you can let go of anxiety and fear. He’s got you in the palm of His hands. Everything that grows, was first released. A baby can only remain in the womb for nine months, any time after that they say it’s overdue. No matter how fearful we are at the thought of labor, in order for that baby to fulfill its potential it must be born. There’s more life in that child. Remaining in the womb will cause harm. Holding on to Gods promises releases new life and experiences beyond our greatest imagination. Letting go to hold on may sound crazy. But that’s the message of faith that Jesus teaches. No one has ever failed doing what He’s asked. No one!
Have you discovered the rewards of letting go to hold on? To hold to all He has promised? Every person we read about in the Bible, and even admire, had to let go in order hold on. Their testimonies were born out of their willingness to choose God’s way, but as far as I have read, I haven’t found one who would disagree that it wasn’t the best choice they’d ever made. The List in Hebrews 11 is long, but you can hear the voices of champions cheering us on. Shouting over the balcony of heaven. Letting go of this life to hold on to His, is worth it!
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
March 16, 2021