Thurs.’s Devo - Freely Give

Read: Isaiah 10:1-11:16; 2 Corinthians 12:11-21; Psalm 56:1-13; Proverbs 23:6-8
God rebuked Judah for imposing laws that oppressed the poor, the widows and the orphans. What they did to the ones who could not stand up for themselves was about to happen to them. Their day of reckoning was on its way. God would use the Assyrian army to be his rod of correction. The Assyrians thought they were acting of their own accord; they didn’t know that they were being used by God. They would not be able to do anything God didn’t allow them to do.
When God finished with his wrath on Judah, he would turn and punish the Assyrians. God asks several questions to let them know that he is sovereign over the affairs of men. The first one was: “Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it?” He was referring to the Assyrians as the ax and he was the one swinging it. Judah would be the recipients of the ax. After God used the Assyrians, he would send a wasting disease upon the soldiers in the Assyrian army and kill them.
After that God would raise up the remnant of Israel, the ones who survived the Assyrian attack and they would no longer fear the Assyrians. They would return to the Lord and God would raise up a righteous branch…Jesus! The seven spirits of God would rest on him: the spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of power, of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He would not judge according to man’s words or by what he sees, but he would judge the heart and his judgment would be right. His banner would be lifted up and gather his people together and make a highway where there was no way.
Isaiah prophesied about a future place where the wolf would live with the lamb which is both now and in the future. Prophesy is like a circle. It cycles over and over until the totality of it is finished. This prophesy has happened, is happening and will happen.
In Corinthians, Paul gives us the signs that would mark an apostle. He would move in signs, wonders, and miracles. They had had some “super apostles” that had come and deceived them into giving them money for their services and exalted themselves. It reminds me of people who preach and ask you to give into what they are preaching in order to get what they want. It’s like buying favor from God. Is the money going to God or to their ministry??? That is why we have to have discernment. It is our responsibility to fund the kingdom as God directs us to, but to be manipulated into giving is wrong.
Paul made it clear to the Corinthians that he had never asked them for money yet gave them freely everything he had. Their motive was to strengthen them, not pilfer their pockets.
Lord, thank you for giving to us freely this life and our eternity. Help us to give to others as freely as you have given to us.