Fri.’s Devo - God’s Provision

Read: Ezra 7:1-8:20, 1 Co. 4:1-21, Ps. 3-:1-12, Pr. 20:28-30 Ezra must have made a great impression on King Artaxerxes because it says that he granted any request Ezra had. The king gave letters authorizing Ezra to take all the gold and silver they could find in Babylon, plus money from the offerings of the people and buy animals to sacrifice and anything else they would need. He opened his treasury house and sent them away with an abundance of wheat, wine, oil, and salt. He gave all the Levites and those who would minister in the temple tax-exemption and the right to punish all who opposed God’s laws. Ezra, in turn prayed God’s blessing on Artaxerxes. Over one thousand left Babylon with Ezra. When he stopped to take stock in who had come he found that he had no Levites. Who would be able to minister in the Temple when they built it? So he sent for Levites to volunteer and over two hundred Levites met them. There they proclaimed a fast to seek God’s guidance. Our chapter in Corinthians is warning us not to exalt a human being or be jealous of someone God has exalted. We are to hold our leaders accountable because they are figures of God who are to point us to Him. Paul then describes the ministry of an apostle. They are fools, weak, despised, made to suffer hunger and thirst, naked and buffeted. They have no home and have to make a living from hard labor. They bless those who revile them, suffer persecution, are defamed, and treated like dogs. But, they preach the word of God in power, not just words. Lord, when you choose to bless a work like you did for Ezra, you open the earth’s wealth to pay for it. Let us not worry about finances because we know that You always have enough and you can cause kings to give to Your cause. We honor fellow Christians who are right now suffering great tribulation to preach Your name. Keep them safe and move in power through them.