Jesus Empowers You

By the norms of the day, Christ’s actions throughout Scripture were scandalous! But He went about uninhibited. He healed and helped, forgave and lifted up, loved and blessed women. He even empowered them for a life of ministry. While society placed women among the lowest of the low and Jewish leaders often believed women to be incapable and unworthy of a religious education, Jesus intentionally included women in His Kingdom work. Reaching out to society’s outcasts made a most profound statement: Jesus freely brings personal significance to each of us, and offers eternal life for all.
As He traveled from place to place sharing the Good News, guess who joined Him and His twelve disciples? Yes, women (Luke 8:1-3). He valued their company and partnership in ministry. This was radical! Remember, women were not used to having a public presence. Their lives were lived primarily at home. Now Christ was including them in ministry partnership alongside men. He assigned both genders responsibility and influence as His partners in sharing the Good News.
He also empowered women as His witnesses. Just as the Samaritan woman ran to town shouting and testifying about Him (John 4:28-29), so too did the women tell others when they discovered He had risen from the dead. Women were the first to discover His empty tomb (Luke 24:1-12), and the resurrected Christ “appeared first to Mary Magdalene” (Mark 16:9). He wanted women to spread the greatest news in the history of time! It goes to show what a radical concept this was when we see that none of the men believed what they said (Mark 16:11, Luke 24:11). Men were accustomed to dismissing a woman’s testimony. But if Christ had agreed, He never would have entrusted women with this task.
Time and time again, as Jesus walked the earth teaching and loving, interacting with and ministering to people, He never failed to communicate significance to women. His intentions and character are consistent. While people look at the exterior, He looks at the heart. While the world may shame you for being a woman, He elevates you. While people love conditionally, He loves unconditionally. When men, women, and the whole of society degrade you, He reminds you of your priceless value.
Believe it! Own it! Act on it! Jesus loves you, values you and has come to give you life to the full (John 10:10).

This blog is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of the book “Who Do You Think You Are.” Order your copy today >>Purchase book

Hope Floats

A Sandra Bullock movie was released more than ten years ago called “Hope Floats.” Whether or not you’ve seen it, don’t you think just the title itself is compelling? You don’t need to know the storyline to resonate with the joyful buoyancy of hope.

Hope is a chest and chin lifter. It is a burst of fresh air when you’ve been trapped in a dark and stale basement. It is a lifesaver when you are floundering in the deep ocean sea.

Hope is simple … it’s not showy, it’s not dramatic. But it floats. And when you are about to be pulled under the water’s surface, it’s all you need to keep from drowning.

The Bible has much to say about hope. One passage I’ve always found interesting is 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Because I am such a fan of hope, I used to be discouraged that it wasn’t “the greatest of these.” But then I realized that perhaps love is greatest because it is the only one that will be present with us through eternity in heaven (“for if you already have something, you don’t need to hope for it” (Romans 8:24, NLT)).

In heaven, where believers in Jesus Christ will spend eternity, faith and hope will not be present. Faith will not be necessary because we will be living in the presence of the One in whom faith is currently required. And hope will not be there because we will lack nothing; we will have no reason to grasp for the buoyancy of hope … we ourselves will be buoyant!

But for now, while we are here on earth, I love what 1 Peter 1: 3-5 has to say about our living hope, and what we have to look forward to in heaven: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Are you downtrodden today? Take a firm grip on hope in Jesus Christ! This is hope that floats.

Pressures, Process and Promotion

In His priestly prayer toward the end of His mission on earth, Jesus speaks to the Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” John 17:4.

Likewise, as disciples of Jesus following His example, we glorify God by completing the work He’s given us to do. God told us in His word that we are His workmanship created to walk in the good works, which He prepared in advance. The question remains for some of us, how do we discover this ultimate purpose, which He prepared in advance for us personally? Or better yet, how do we get there?

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to a powerful, dynamic teacher, Dr. Lance Wallnau, who has completed a lifetime of research on organizational and personal transformation. He desires to encourage others to find their purpose and fulfill that one thing God has called them to do. Since this relates to what we teach here at Greater Reach Ministries through our Who Do You Think You Are? Class, I’d like to share some highlights of his insightful and articulate teaching.
First, He mentioned a study from Fuller Seminary graduates. The study concluded that 80% of Fuller Seminary graduates, at the peak of their career, had not reached their ultimate purpose. He then defined convergence to be the place where your passion, divine gifting, and divine timing meet. It’s the place where you are at your affinity, your calling and your ultimate purpose for the Kingdom. In convergence, you will experience divine favor. This means that people will be drawn to you because of a quality of God in you. People who are given divine favor are usually those who have “an extraordinary dialogue with heaven”.

So, how do we reach this place of divine favor and maximizing our gifts and passions? According to Dr. Wallnau, it will be appointed to you by God at the right time. God is the one who puts you into the future. It’s not something you achieve, but it’s something that He does in you and for you. Dr. Wallnau feels that everyone is in a season of “process” until they reach their destiny, where they also may experience many pressures of preparation.
Are you currently in a difficult season, and anxious to arrive at your convergence? He encouraged and exhorted us by reminding us that God shakes our circumstances to refine our gifts for our purpose. You’re also defining your passion. Jesus’ passion was the sheep. He laid down His life for His sheep. In order to lay down your life, there has to be something you love more than your own life. You’re also developing your skills now, and if you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.

Dr. Wallnau feels that anyone can be happy in their current circumstance if they make a connection between what they are going through now and their ultimate destiny. He shared that most people quit because they don’t understand the process. God is using your current pressures for your own promotion. He can relieve the pressure, and release you from your potential, or he can leave it and see if you crack. He feels that this process involves a stretching of who you are to give you greater identity. Dr. Wallnau provided the example of Joseph’s challenging process, which led Him to His promotion.

Obviously waiting is active, so, what can we do in our walk with God during the process to help us prepare? If, like Joseph, God has given you a vision for the future, during your season of “process”, you can look to that next level. Ask yourself what are the characteristics of those currently at the next level? Who will I have to become that I’ve never been before? You can also ask yourself, who will God have to be for me that He’s never been before once I get there? This is the character you can begin to develop with the Lord during your process. Remember, you are God’s workmanship, and He is working in you to develop you for this next level. It’s in His timing, not our own, that you will arrive. Feel like quitting? Of course, God gives grace and will love you just the same, but you will be missing out on the satisfaction of living a purposeful life for His glory!

--By Alyssa Spitale