The Hundredfold Return

Remember how everyday, God offers us the challenge of a lifetime: Follow Jesus – Deal or No deal? Well, today God reminds us of the reward of following Jesus – the hundredfold return.

Gospel, Mark 10:28-30

Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” 

So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

The Hundredfold Return

Do you want to see a hundredfold return on every investment you make in your lifetime?

Follow Jesus and live for Him and the sake of the Gospel.

Jesus promised a hundredfold return for those who give all for Him and the work of the Gospel.

Follow Jesus

Does following Jesus mean loving my family less? Does it really mean I have to leave them?

Some people are certainly called to leave family behind for the sake of Jesus and the gospel.

Priests, religious nuns, missionaries.

But for the majority of us, the call of God does not require such drastic measures but it requires much of us, nonetheless.

It requires of us everything, no less. Our time, our talents, our treasures.

Following Jesus means seeking God first above all.

When we put God first, all else will fall in line.

That’s a beautiful line that really struck me in the priest’s homily.

God First with our Time

How do we seek God first?

I think foremost is in our time.

Time is more valuable than money since we can never replace time spent.

God gives us 24 hours, He only asks for us to spend time with him even for 15 mins in prayer.

God gives us a whole week, He only asks us for at least a day to honor Him, the Sabbath day. Sunday for us Christians.

To be renewed and refreshed as we spend time to rest and honor Him by going to church and not working on this day.

Sure, you may have to work on a Sunday, because that’s just the nature of your work, you can choose to dedicate a Sabbath day of rest within your week, a day to honor God and rest from the hustle.

The rewards of seeking God first with our Time

Before, I would work throughout the whole week.

Because my work is flexible and I could choose my own time, being paid by the hour, I would choose to work everyday without taking a day off to honor God.

Oh, I’d go to mass on Sunday but that’s it.

I now find that when I detach from work or business to rest and just spend time with God while spending time with my loved ones for just a day, especially on the sabbath, I feel refreshed and eager to face another work week, not dread it.

God first with our talents 

I came into my online work, transitioning from a hospital nursing job because I sought God first with my gifts and talents. 

After 20 yrs as a nurse, I found that nursing sick people is not my strength. It stresses me out. I want to help people prevent diseases and live a long blessed life not care for them after they get sick.

I wish I knew this when I was young and deciding on my future career in college. All I focused on at that time was how can I go abroad so I can earn much like many others.

When I started realizing that I love writing and reading and that there are opportunities that I could earn from doing these, I started praying to God to lead me and sure enough, He did.

Recently, I’ve embarked on online entrepreneurship on the side with my Printables shop, YouTube channel, and this blog because I sense that’s what God is leading me to. 

My desire has always been to start and build something of my own that will give me residual, recurring profits that will give me time and financial freedom and so I asked God for it.

He combined my desire for business and my passion for inspiring and encouraging others in Christ into this online digital content business that I’m just starting right now.

Rewards for seeking God first with our talents

When I work on my business, it doesn’t feel like work at all.

Of course, I still have to work on my two online jobs because I had to pay the bills but I’m looking forward to God’s reward later on. 

Total time and financial freedom where my residual profits are greater than my needs and even wants so I don’t have to depend on my job, while still blessing others by inspiring them with the Word of God which is what I’m passionate about.

God first with our Treasures 

When I started seeking God first with my talents, God has blessed me so much by increasing my income 5x more than what I had before. 

But when I started getting much, I began having a hard time tithing because it seemed to me I was giving so much more.

Then my sister’s husband lost his job because of the pandemic and I needed to provide more for my family so I stopped tithing all together.

But no matter how much I worked, and how much I earned it still didn’t seem enough for our needs and wants. We’re still living paycheck to paycheck.

It became worse when I decided to start my online business. I had to cut hours from my online jobs to work on my business so I’m receiving less income. 

Then all my savings got spent on the monthly overhead of maintaining an online shop of my own while not earning from the business at all.

It was at this time that I stumbled on testimonial videos from the 700 club on YouTube of people giving their tithes first to their church and then on top of that giving to ministries like CBN, and how these people got out of their financial difficulties victoriously.

These inspired me to tithe again, give 10% of my income back to God through my local church.

Good thing I found out CBN also has an outreach in the Philippines, CBN 700 club Asia. I decided to give to this ministry also. 

Actually, I’ve been praying for a ministry to give to. I was thinking at first of ABS-CBN’s Sagip-Kapamilya but I wanted to give to a ministry that helps people while leading them to God. 

When I found out about 700 club Asia, I felt the Lord leading me to give there. 

So right now, in my 46th year, I’ve committed to giving 18%-20 of my income and profits. I pray that I’ll be able to increase my giving every year until by the time I get to be 50 years old, I’ll be giving away 90% to causes God cares about.

Rewards of seeking God first with our Treasures

I started tithing again 2 weeks ago and immediately I felt again that sense of trust in God that whatever happens now, God has my back. 

No matter how small my income gets, even when it seems it’s not enough for our needs, I’m 100% sure now and confident that God will see us through and provide for us.

I have at least 55k in bills I need to immediately pay and I’m trusting God for it.

I want to pay off my 975K in debts, which includes my condo mortgage ( which I’m supposed to pay off when I’m about 70 yrs old) and I’m believing God to pay it off by my 50th birthday, just 4 years from now 

I’m claiming my 50th birthday as my Jubilee year where God will set me free giving me time and financial freedom.

This is where I’ve paid off All my debts and I have recurring residual profits from multiple Passive income streams that are more than my own and family’s needs and even wants and I have more than enough for every good work. 

I believe God will make all these happen. It’s only a matter of when, not if.

Now your turn

Do you want to see a hundredfold return on every investment you make in your lifetime?

Invest in Jesus and the work of the Gospel.

Follow Jesus. Seek God first in your time, talent, and treasure. 

Sow your time, talent, and treasure for the sake of the Gospel as you follow Jesus and you will definitely see a hundredfold return, more than anything you can ask or imagine.

Claim this truth, as Gloria Copeland taught in this curated video I stumbled upon when I looked for videos regarding the hundredfold return to supplement this blog post: 

“The hundredfold return is working for me all the time.” 

Gloria Copeland

 

• Decide to follow Jesus and live for Him
• Seek God first with your time, talent, and treasure
• Receive the hundredfold reward God has prepared for those who follow Jesus and live for Him

 

Dear Lord,

Help me to follow You and seek You first with my time, talent, and treasure. Even now, the hundredfold return is working for me as I live for You and for the sake of the Gospel. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

   

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This is it for now. Till next time.

To our health, wealth, and victory – GODSPEED!