A Signal That Jesus Return is Near

A Signal That Jesus’ Return Is Near

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him.

—  2 Thessalonians 2:1

When Paul wrote his second letter to the church of Thessalonica, he was exceedingly excited at the thought of Jesus’ soon return. In fact, he was so thrilled about the prospect of Jesus’ coming again that he devoted the entire second chapter of Second Thessalonians to the events that would occur in the last days. As Paul wrote this famous chapter about the events of the last days, he began by declaring, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him.”

Notice that Paul uses the word “beseech” in this verse. Normally the word “beseech” would be the Greek word parakaleo, but in this verse, Paul uses the word erotao rather than the word parakaleo. The word erotao means to ask or to make a strong request. This word calls upon the listener to cautiously listen to what is being said and to respond in a fitting manner to what has been heard. Because Paul is speaking of the coming of the Lord and uses the word erotao to appeal to his listeners, he clearly means for them to take his words seriously and to let these words make a strong impact in their lives.

When we think about the coming of the Lord, it should make a strong impact in our lives. It should affect the way we live, the way we think, the way we carry on in our relationships, and the way we invest our money into the Kingdom of God. It is simply a fact that Jesus is coming for His Church, and we should constantly live in the light of His coming. When we live with the awareness that Jesus is coming again, it changes our conduct and behavior. By using the word erotao (“beseech”), Paul is communicating to his readers that they have a responsibility to respond to his message about Jesus’ soon return. They are to live in a godly, upright, and holy manner as they wait for “the coming of our Lord.”

Then he begins to speak to them about the “coming of our Lord.” The word “coming” is from the Greek word parousia. This word always places special emphasis on the Presence of the Lord — especially the Presence of God that can be tangibly felt among His people. Here it is used to describe the strong Presence of God that will be felt when Jesus returns to gather His people to Himself. The word implies that the Church will feel a phenomenal divine Presence when it is time for Jesus to gather His people to Himself at the end of the age.

This means that as we come closer to the return of Jesus, the parousia — the strong Presence of the Lord — will be strongly sensed among believers. In fact, the ever-growing, strong Presence of the Lord in the midst of the Church will be one of the signals that Jesus’ return is close at hand. As His Presence gets stronger and stronger, we will know it is time for Him to return to “gather” us to Himself.

When Paul speaks about “our gathering together unto Him,” the phrase “gathering together” comes from the Greek word episunagoge. This word is used perfectly in the apocryphal book of Second Maccabees 2:7, where it refers to that moment in the future when God will finally gather His people together to Himself. This is exactly how Paul uses it in Second Thessalonians 2:1 as he talks about that moment when God will finally gather His people together to Himself at the coming of Jesus.

In Second Thessalonians 2:1, Paul uses the word episunagoge (“gathering together”) to describe that future moment when the Lord will quickly gather or collect His people together to Himself at the end of the age. At that divine moment, all of God’s people will be quickly gathered together and collected in a common assembly to meet the Lord in the air. What a meeting that will be!

Considering the Greek words

that Paul used in Second Thessalonians 2:1,

this verse could be interpreted the following way:

“Brothers, I make this urgent, heartfelt request to you today, earnestly and sincerely pleading with you from the bottom of my heart to hear what I’m telling you and to do exactly as I say. The appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. In fact, it is so close that we can almost feel His Presence as if He were already here among us. The moment we have all longed for and waited for is almost upon us! I’m talking about that moment when Jesus will finally gather us together to Himself.”

The apostle Peter warned us that at the end of the age, many scoffers would mock at the promise of Jesus’ return, asserting that if Jesus was going to come, surely He would have already come. Peter wrote, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?…” (2 Peter 3:3,4).

The word “scoffers” is from the Greek word empaidzo, and it described one who makes fun of another through mockery. It conveyed the idea of disdain, scorn, derision, and ridicule. The Greek word empaidzo also meant to play a game. It was often used for playing a game with children or for amusing a crowd by impersonating someone in a silly and exaggerated way. For instance, this word might be used in a game of charades when someone intends to comically portray someone or even make fun of someone.

We find this word used in Luke 22:63, where the Bible tells us, “And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.” The Greek word empaidzo categorically lets us know that these men turned a few minutes of that nightmarish night before Jesus’ crucifixion into a stage of comedy at His expense. They put on quite a show, hamming it up as they almost certainly pretended to be Jesus and the people He ministered to. Perhaps they laid hands on each other as if they were healing the sick; or lay on the floor and quivered, as if they were being liberated from devils; or wobbled around, acting as if they had been blind but now could suddenly see. Whatever these leaders did to mock Jesus, it was a game of charades to mimic and make fun of Him.

Now Peter uses this same word to depict mockers in the last days who would make fun of those who believe in Jesus’ coming. I can almost hear them saying, “Come on, if Jesus was going to come, don’t you think He would have been here by now? Quit hanging on to this false hope, you dreamers!”

But the grammar used in Second Peter 3:3,4 tells us that this mocking is the characteristic behavior of these scoffers. It could be more accurately translated, “Mockers will come mocking.” In other words, they don’t only mock on occasion; they are mockers by habit. They find great delight in regularly mocking and making fun of those who believe that Jesus is coming to gather His Church to Himself.

But regardless of what doubt-filled believers or antagonistic unbelievers say as they mock us, the truth is that Jesus is coming again soon! Second Thessalonians 2:1 gives us one of the signs that will occur to let us know His arrival is upon us: We will suddenly be aware of the supernatural Presence of Jesus in the Church like never before. The closer we come to the time of His return, the more strongly this phenomenal Presence of God will be felt in our midst. In fact, it will seem as if His coming is already upon us! That strong Presence of God will signal to us that it is just about time for Jesus to quickly gather us and collect us to Himself!

So in the days to come, close your ears to the mockers who make fun of you for believing in Jesus’ soon return. Then open your heart to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to make you sensitive to His voice inside your spirit. As you are faithful to do this, you will recognize that moment when the Presence of God becomes much stronger in the Church, and you’ll know that moment for what it is — one of the greatest indications that Jesus’ return is upon us!--By Rick Renner

Investing In Your Eternity

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
—  1 Timothy 6:19

When Russian Czar Peter the Great died, his daughter Elizabeta Petrovna came to the throne and became the Empress of Russia. She was perhaps the most flamboyant ruler ever to reign over Russia. The extravagance of her lifestyle was legendary. She owned more palaces than she could use, and the Cinderella-type carriages she owned were hand-carved and gold-leafed. In addition, the carriage doors and spikes of the wheels of each carriage were studded with dazzling diamonds to match the solid gold crowns that were laden with emeralds and rubies and affixed to the top.

The Empress Elizabeta also had an abnormal love of clothes. She completely changed her attire three times a day and never once wore the same article of clothing twice. This was no problem for her, given the fact that she owned 15,000 regal gowns, many of which were spun from pure silver and gold and encrusted with precious gems.

This ruler of Russia came to be known as the “party queen” because she threw hundreds of parties in her massive gold-gilded palaces. To make sure no royal woman ever wore the same gown to such an event twice, she established a new rule: Servants were to be stationed at all the doors; then as each woman left the palace parties, the servants were to stamp the back of these fabulous gowns with a huge black ink stamp. The ink stamp declared that the dress had already been worn to one party and could never be worn to another one. That stamp literally ruined the dress, ensuring that no one would ever dare attend one of the empress’s celebrations in an already-used garment.

During the rule of Empress Elizabeta, she ordered the hundreds of massive columns and statues that adorned all her palaces to be covered with pure gold. However, when Catherine the Great came to power and became the Empress of Russia, she considered that much gold on the exterior of a palace to be garish and unfitting (although Catherine’s lifestyle was actually no less ostentatious than Elizabeta’s). Therefore, Catherine ordered her servants to scrape all the gold off the columns and statues and to throw it away, replacing it with white paint.

When the news of this disposal of gold reached the ears of the wealthy class in Saint Petersburg, a successful merchant came to Catherine the Great and asked if he could purchase the gold she was throwing away. Catherine sternly replied to him, “Excuse me, but who do you think I am? Do you think that I, the Empress of Russia, am so poor that I need to sell my rubbish?” With that, she ordered all the old, scraped-off gold to be thrown away.

Once when I was visiting Saint Petersburg and touring some of these vast historical palaces, I pondered the way these wealthy rulers spent such massive fortunes on themselves. I thought, Today we visit the palaces of people who once lived luxuriously but whose bones now lie in their graves. Although these people lived in opulence during their lifetimes, what good does their wealth do for them now? Did they spend it all on themselves, only to spend an eternity in spiritual impoverishment? What is the eternal condition of these people?

If we are to live wisely, we must invest not only in temporary moments of pleasure, but also in the eternity that lies before all of us. Moments of pleasure in this life are enjoyable but fleeting; however, what we invest in eternity never fades. This is why Paul told the rich in Timothy’s church that they were to be “laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:19). The same message applies to us today.

The words “laying up” are from the Greek word apothesauridzo. This Greek word is a compound of the word apo, which means away, and the word thesaurus, which is the Greek word for a treasure. The two words compounded together mean to store away treasure or to amass a fortune. The new word depicts people putting their investments in a safe place where they cannot be stolen, ruined, or diminished.

Most affluent and prosperous people work very hard to see that their money is invested in safe, profitable, money-making investments. This is why they put their money into stocks and bonds, property, art, or other investments that will eventually reap healthy dividends. They want to see their fortune grow. And if they are wise, they will not invest in ventures that are too risky because they don’t want to see their fortunes stolen, ruined, or diminished.

Likewise, God expects you to be wise with the finances He has entrusted to you. This is made clear in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, where Jesus commends the servants who caused their resources to grow and rebuked the servant who did nothing to increase his financial capacity.

Based on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25, we know that each of us should do everything possible to increase the size of our wealth. However, this financial increase isn’t to be gained so we can hoard it or spend it on ourselves! Paul says that if we’ve been blessed with wealth, we need to also think very seriously about how to “lay it up” where it will never be diminished. In fact, he goes on to say that we should use our money to amass “…a good foundation against the time to come….”

The word “good” in the phrase “a good foundation” is the word kalos. As noted in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, the word kalos pictures something that is sound, healthy, fine, or excellent. The word “foundation” is the Greek word themelios. This word is most likely an early combination of the Greek word lithos, which means stone, and the word tithimi, which means to place. It depicts that which is set in stone; a foundation that cannot be easily moved or shaken; or something so solid that it will endure the test of time. This is the reason it later came to be translated as the word foundation.

The words “time to come” are taken from the Greek word mello and describe events that are coming in the future. Later in the verse, Paul proceeds to talk about eternity, leaving no doubt that he is referring to eternity when he speaks of a “time to come.” He wants to urge people to invest not only in the present, but also in the eternity that lies in all their futures.

You see, the money you spend on your own pleasures right now is gone once it is spent. As noted earlier (see November 23), it is normal for you to enjoy the finances you have worked so hard to attain. You should enjoy them. But to spend all of it on yourself here and invest none of it into your eternal future is simply stupidity. What you spend on yourself right now in this life is gone once you have died. On the other hand, what you sow into the Gospel reaches into the next life as an investment that keeps growing for all of eternity — an investment that amasses for yourself an enduring, never-ending reward in the life to come!

If you are a wise investor, you are already aware that you must think long-term when you make your investments. Likewise, as you sow your seed into the Gospel and into those who take it to the ends of the earth, you must remember that you may not see the tangible fruit of your investment in this life. But one day when you get to Heaven, you will at last see the phenomenal reward of your giving. Then you will reap the dividends of the finances you sowed into the Kingdom of God!

So don’t spend all your money on your earthly existence and forget to lay up a good foundation for the eternity that lies in your future. Give now, and by faith prepare for yourself a wealthy existence in the eternity that lies before you!--By Rick Renner (Sparkling Gems)

The Spirit of Pythos

Prophetic Alert October 5, 2013 -

Prophetic Alert The spirit of pythos was taken down, the spirit of divitation was removed from this nation and it is attmepting to come back and suffocate this nation.  I will not allow it says the Lord.  The eagle shall soar again, the eagle shall soar again says the Lord.I say to My spiritual leaders, says the Lord, you look to your President, Congress, the Senate, and you say, "They have let us down."  But I say to you, says the Lord, you - shepherds, prophets – have let them down.  I do not look to the political leaders for faith; I look to My church, to My kingdom, and the watchmen on the wall, that I have placed there. And if they are not watching and praying according to My will, the nation falls. The nation does not fall because of Barak Obama.  The nation does not rise or fall by the Senate, even though they have been placed there.  But My spiritual leaders have been given the power, that same power that I gave to Simon Peter.  What you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; what you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Who have I given the keys to, says the Lord?  Tell Me – who? I gave them to you – My people, washed in My Blood – and yet you smile and you think of the defeat and the fall of this nation.  You wish for it to be punished, and I say to you, where shall they run to?  This nation has been raised up to send My message throughout the earth.  It is a rock that cannot be broken and will not be broken.  Leaders may come and go; economies may rise and fall.  Keep not your eyes on the market and do not sell out of fear, for if you do, you will lose, for this is just a short season of stupidity and noise considering what I am about to do in the Middle East and what I will do this next week.  Keep your eyes open and stop being fooled and deceived by secular voices and media that speak only what they know in their minds but do not know in their spirits.(Kim prays that God will take this nation and His people and raise them up to be a voice again, to live and to breathe life.)There are four demonic strongholds watching on the four corners of this nation; four demonic strongholds that are watching from the north, south, east and west.  They have collaborated together. They have collaborated together and said, "We have in the palm of our hands - we have in the palm of our hands, religious leaders."  And yet my servant, Joel Osteen, would speak as a voice and they hate him - religious leaders that hate the voice of hope.  These four demonic strongholds laugh at you, trying to prove your point, but there are certain ones that they are afraid of.  Be still!  When His word has been spoken, it cannot return void, no matter who commits sins.  I sent My Christ when Rome ruled My nation.  My nation became corrupt because Rome, they said, was to blame.  They blamed Rome for the condition of Israel.  Huh.  And yet Israel had whatever it took; they had the holy place.  It had a priesthood – reluctant – who’d rather do business in My Father’s house.  You blame Rome; you blame the Senate.  God says I blame you.  You have what it takes to turn this nation upside down.What of binding? What of loosing?  And yet Christ came in the midst of corruption within My priesthood and so I looked.  Whom shall I choose?  Go to the sea and find some simple fishermen, a prostitute, a tax collector, and I will turn the world upside down.  Do not go to Caiaphas; do not go to Herod.  Do not go to the leaders; they mean nothing.  Take a few, says the Lord, My Son - fishermen, prostitute, tax collector, and I’ll turn the world upside down.  So it is today again to you America, to the leaders who blame the Senate, the emperor.  They are nothing.  If you would stand together and go into My Holy Place once again.--Kim Clement

Siblings, Slaves & Sons

If you don't want to be treated like a slave then start acting like a son! That's what I would like to say to some people. Especially when they can't get past their feelings of jealously when others are raised up to sit in papas lap for a season. Though they have access, as children of God to the same Father, they cannot handle it when God restores or uses one of their spiritual siblings in the ministry. We call this in the natural realm, sibling rivalry. While at times it is cute to see this play out when children are at a very young and innocent age, it's not so cute if they keep exhibiting this kind of behavior on into their young adolescent lives. In fact its rather appalling to watch grown men or women act like children and fight over things that they see as their territory, or their toys, so to speak. Things get really sad when they start fighting and scraping over their parents affection.

Look at one of the greatest examples of sibling rivalry in history, its the story of Cain and his younger brother Able (Genesis 4:1-15). This tragic story goes even deeper than a botched offering or the chosen profession of these two brothers. It is a classic example of "sibling rivalry" or what the scriptures would deem as a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Like the story of the two brothers in Luke 15, this story involves a Father, two brothers, a house, a field and an internal struggle. But the story in Genesis chapter four ends far worst as the older brother ends up murdering his younger brother in a fit of jealous rage.

While the story In Genesis has a sad ending, the story in Luke has a much happier ending because the younger brother is reunited with his family. But the story doesn't leave us with much hope about the elder brothers future.

The elder brother didn't get tripped up over his brothers new shoes, his royal robe or his fancy new ring. He only complains to his father about the "fatted calf." Isn't that always at the bottom of every wrong motive? If you search long enough, you'll find mad-cow disease at the bottom of almost every carnal jealous sickness in the world!

You see sons serve the house, servants serve their own agendas. The older brother had access to everything that his father owned, but he chose to live as a servant in his own house instead of an heir to his own inheritance.

Stop living as servants and start serving the  fathers house. Dad has everything that you, as a son or daughter needs. Walk in the light of sonship and not as slaves.--Randy Burton

Notes Taken From the Bethel Regional Conference (Westfield IN 11/15/13)

Pastor Joaquin Evans

●God is releasing the pinch me gospel. Our ability to value his coming, changes things.

●Hunger never goes unnoticed in the kingdom.

●Valued not because of who they are but who there called to be.

●Worship without awe is incomplete.

●The presence of the Lord was with Jesus.

●Not to live without expectation, but to live with Kingdom expectation.

●Difference between belief and faith, is that faith has expectancy connected to it.

●God gave us the ability to create a realm of expectation that we don't have to fulfill.

Those Who Minister Out of Their Abundance

Those Who Minister Out of Their Abundance --By Rick Renner (Sparkling Gems)

And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

—  Luke 8:2,3

When our ministry purchased a large facility in the city of Moscow, we had one year to pay off the entire building, or it would revert to the hands of the seller. We had paid a very large deposit, and by faith we were believing to completely pay off the balance on time so we wouldn’t lose our total investment.

The deadline for paying off the balance approached. The Moscow church and our ministry partners had given generously, but we still lacked what we needed to finish retiring the debt on the building.

It was exactly at this time that God spoke to a pastor of a large church in the United States and told him, “You have a lot of money in your church bank account right now, and Rick Renner and his ministry are believing for the finances to pay off their building. What good is your money in this account when they need it in Moscow? If you’ll give what I tell you to give, I’ll multiply it to you more times than you can ever begin to imagine.”

In obedience to the Lord, this pastor met with his board of directors, who unanimously voted to give a gift of $700,000 for the Moscow Good News Church building. They had no idea that this was the exact balance owed on the building. The pastor purchased a plane ticket and was soon on his way to Moscow. The following Sunday, he stood on the platform in our auditorium and said, “The Lord has sent me here to give you a $700,000 check for your new church facility!” Then he handed us the check, not knowing that he was handing the exact amount needed to completely pay off the balance on the building.

What words could ever be sufficient to express how grateful we were to this pastor and his church for this phenomenal act of generosity? And how can we ever appropriately thank all the partners who have sowed their finances for so many years into the work of our ministry?

My wife and I and our team may be the ones who are doing the actual work on the front lines of the ministry, but we can only do that work because of the resources entrusted to us by faithful partners. When we all stand before Jesus to be rewarded for what we have done for Him in this life, our partners will be as richly rewarded as those of us who worked on the front lines, for they financially empowered us to do the job!

You see, even though my wife and our team are anointed to lead this work, there would be no television outreach if we had no partners to pay for it. There would be no church-planting, church-strengthening organization if there was no financial support to underwrite the costs involved in this work. There would be no missions support for pastors and evangelists in these less fortunate nations if there were no people who designated monies for this special purpose. Although we are called and anointed to lead this thrilling work, others must be just as called and anointed to support it with their finances. That is why I say that all of us are truly working together to see God’s purposes for this ministry accomplished.

I could write an entire book about the miraculous provision we have seen God supply for our ministry over the years. But when I stand back and review the times God has come through in miraculous ways to empower us financially, one thing is clear: His supernatural provision has primarily been delivered through the hands of men.

This is the principal way God provides financial support for the work of the ministry. He uses people — those who work very hard at their jobs, who earn a living at their profession, who believe Him for promotions and bonuses, and who love Him so much that they consecrate a certain portion of their income or assets for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

God also used people to supply money for the expenses of Jesus’ ministry, although money to pay taxes was once miraculously provided through the mouth of a fish (see Matthew 17:27). In Luke 8:2 and 3, we find that Jesus had ministry partners who gave of their own substance to support His ministry while He was on the earth. Those verses say, “And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.”

Notice that Luke 8:3 says that these women “…ministered unto him of their substance.” The word “ministered” is the Greek word diakoneo. As noted earlier (see August 21), the word diakoneo comes from the Greek word diakonos, the Greek word for a servant whose primary responsibility is to serve food and wait on tables. It presents a picture of a waiter or waitress who painstakingly attends to the needs, wishes, and desires of his or her client. It was these servants’ supreme task to professionally please clients; therefore, the servants served honorably, pleasurably, and in a fashion that made the people they waited on feel as if they were nobility.

Luke uses this word to picture the attitude of the women who served Jesus by financially giving to Jesus’ ministry. These women believed it was their God-given assignment to painstakingly attend to the needs, wishes, and desires of Jesus. Their supreme task was to provide what He and His disciples needed to fulfill their ministry without hindrance. Furthermore, the tense used in the original Greek indisputably means that these women did this task consistently and regularly; in other words, they habitually donated money to Jesus’ ministry. They were faithful partners on whom Jesus could rely.

The verse goes on to say that these women ministered unto Him of their “substance.” The word “substance” is the Greek word huparchontos, which is the word for goods, possessions, or property. The word huparchontos would only be used to describe individuals of great wealth who possessed large fortunes or enormous assets. This lets us know that these were wealthy women.

The King James Version says these women “…ministered unto him of their substance.” But in Greek, it actually says out of their substance. This implies that these very wealthy women may have donated funds out of the income they earned on properties they owned.

But precisely who were these wealthy women who supported Jesus’ ministry? Let’s look very carefully at Luke 8:2,3 to see what we can find out about these women whom God used to financially support Jesus’ ministry.

1. ‘Certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities’

First, Luke 8:2 tells us about “…certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities.…” This was an unnamed group of women whom Jesus had healed from various sicknesses or delivered from demonic powers. Afterward, these women supported His ministry with their financial substance.

Notice that this verse says these women “…had been healed of evil spirits.…” The word “healed” is the Greek word therapeuo, an old Greek word from which we get the work therapy. This carries the idea of repeated actions, such as a patient who visits a physician over and over until the desired cure is obtained. This seems to suggest that these women had been so severely demonized that although they were helped when they first came to Jesus, they had to keep coming back again and again until, finally, they were completely freed. It may have been Jesus’ constant, tender, compassionate attention that caused them to have such grateful hearts, producing in these women a firm commitment to support His ministry with their finances.

The verse also says that they were healed of “infirmities.” The word “infirmities” is the Greek word astheneia, which emphatically depicts physical frailties, weaknesses, sicknesses, or a state of ill health. The word “healed” (therapeuo) is applied both to the women’s deliverance from demonic spirits and to their freedom from illnesses. Just as the Greek suggests frequent visits were made to Jesus before they were finally and completely delivered from demon powers, it also implies that these women made recurring visits to Jesus before they found total relief from their physical maladies. The use of this word therapeuo lets us know, then, that it can sometimes take time before a healing is completely manifested in a person’s life.

No wonder these women were such avid financial partners with Jesus’ ministry! It was through His compassionate touch that they were set free from demons and restored to full health!

It is simply a fact that the best partners in the world are those whose lives have been changed by one’s ministry. These women are vivid examples of people with grateful hearts who want to do what they can financially so the ministry that helped them can reach out and touch others’ lives as well.

2. ‘Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils’

After mentioning the first unnamed group of female supporters, Luke now gives the first recognizable name in this group of women. He says in verse 2, “…Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.”

Many tales have been told about Mary Magdalene working in the prostitution business before she met Jesus. However, there isn’t a single New Testament source that records Mary Magdalene as a former prostitute. One thing is clear, though: She was possessed with an entire infestation of demons before Jesus touched her life. Both Luke 8:2 and Mark 16:9 affirm that she had been delivered of seven demons.

When Luke tells us of Mary, he identifies her as one “…out of whom went seven devils.” The Greek word for the phrase “out of whom went” is exerchomai, a compound of the word ex, meaning out, as to make an exit, and the word erchomai, meaning to go. But when these are compounded together, forming the word exerchomai, it takes on the meaning to go out, to drive out, or even to escape.

The word exerchomai implies that these demons may have been so entrenched in Mary that Jesus had to literally drive them out of her. It is possible that when these seven spirits left her body, they literally fled in order to escape the fierce pressure Jesus was exercising on them. Once they were gone, Mary was freed.

The Bible has no concrete record of Mary’s deliverance from these seven demons. However, it does let us know she was so thankful for what Jesus had done for her that she remained committed to Him to the very end of His ministry. Mary was present at the crucifixion (John 19:25). After the crucifixion when Jesus’ body was being prepared for burial, Mary was among those who prepared His body for burial (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55). She was among the first to see the empty tomb (John 20:1), and she was the first to see Jesus after His resurrection (John 20:13-17). Finally, she was the first to preach that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead (John 20:18).

Evidently Mary Magdalene was also a wealthy woman who used her money to financially support Jesus’ ministry, for she is listed in Luke 8:2,3 along with the other well-to-do women who gave out of their assets to support Jesus’ ministry.

3. ‘Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward’

As Luke continues to name the affluent women who financially supported Jesus’ ministry, he tells us next of “…Joanna, the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward…” (v. 3).

Luke gives us very important insight into this Joanna by informing us that she was the wife of Chuza, who was the “steward” of Herod. The word “steward” is the Greek word epitropos. This word signifies a person who has been entrusted with the guardianship or supervision of another person’s belongings. This was no low-level servant; rather, Chuza was a high-level dignitary who had authority to make decisions on behalf of Herod in regard to his personal fortunes. One of the rare uses of this word in the Greek Old Testament Septuagint is where it is used to describe Joseph’s oversight of Potiphar’s household.

The fact that Chuza held such a prominent position in Herod’s household tells us that he was highly educated and was accustomed to managing massive sums of money. As the chief manager of Herod’s personal fortune, Chuza served as the king’s chief adviser regarding his personal financial matters. No doubt, a man in this position had many opportunities to increase his own personal wealth as well, for he lived in the atmosphere of affluence and had many high-ranking political connections as Herod’s steward. Some have speculated that Chuza may have been the nobleman of John 4:46-53 whose son was healed by Jesus.

Chuza’s wife was Joanna — a woman whose life had been dramatically touched, affected, and changed by Jesus. If Chuza was the nobleman of John 4:46-53, as some suggest, it is easy to imagine how grateful Joanna would have been to Jesus for saving her child from death. Certainly a person so impacted would want to use her fortune to make sure others could receive the same touch of God.

The Bible doesn’t tell us how Joanna made her first connection with Jesus, but it apparently changed her life. After that encounter, she saw it as part of her responsibility to give of her personal substance to financially support Jesus’ ministry. Joanna was also with Mary Magdalene and the other women who visited and discovered the empty tomb after Jesus’ resurrection (see Luke 24:10), which lets us know that she was faithful to Jesus to the very end.

4. ‘Susanna, and many others’

This is the only reference to Susanna in the New Testament, and we know nothing more of her, except that she ministered to Jesus out of her substance. This implies that she was another wealthy woman who used her personal resources to support Jesus’ ministry.

Susanna is listed with “many others” who supported the ministry of Jesus. The word “many” is from the Greek word polus, which means very many and speaks of a great quantity. So in addition to these women whom Luke specifically names, there were also many others who supported Jesus faithfully with their personal finances. These were givers who considered it their responsibility, their service, and their assignment to make sure the needs of Jesus’ growing ministry were financially supplied.

We rightly focus on Jesus and the great works He did while on earth. But think of the reward that is laid up in Heaven for Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and all the others who gave of their substance so that those life-changing meetings could take place! Today these individuals are experiencing rich rewards because they gave of their personal income to help advance the ministry of Jesus. They were His ministry partners — and in Heaven, they share in the rewards for the results reaped by Jesus’ ministry.

If your life has been touched and changed by a specific ministry, it is right for you to desire to give to that ministry to show your gratefulness and to make sure others receive the same touch you received. So when God calls you to be a ministry partner, never forget that what you do is vitally important. The gifts you give from your personal income and assets can make an eternal difference in other people’s lives.

Please don’t let it bother you if your name is never put on a building or if people never know that you were a big giver to a ministry. Instead, rejoice that you are among the “many others” who gave to Jesus’ ministry but were not mentioned by name. Most importantly, never forget that Jesus knows who you are and what you have done and that an eternal reward is awaiting you!

The Ways of God

Isaiah 55:6-13 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord , And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.