Day 259 – Provision

Proverbs 28:8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

• God’s names:
• YAHWEH/JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal
• El – Strength, Mighty, Almighty, Almighty God
• Shadday – Almighty
• Elohiym – Supreme God
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus
• Soter – Savior
• Kurios – Supreme Authority
• Huios of Anthropos – Son of Man

• God’s character:
• Provider
• Mercy
• Teacher
• Wisdom
• Knowledge
• Joy

You know them as loan sharks or con artists — people who take advantage of your need for their gain. Everyone knows they exist and everyone wants them off their streets and out of their lives.

A description in Adam Clark’s commentary showed what should be done to people like that: O that the names of all those unfeeling, hard-hearted, consummate villains in the nation, who thus take advantage of their neighbor’s necessities to enrich themselves, were published at every market cross; and then the delinquents all sent to their brother savages in New Zealand. It would be a happy riddance to the country.

New Zealand would not look kindly on that solution. We have laws against extortion. Our prisons hold many of them, but not all of them. It would be a great service to get them off our streets.

Solomon had nothing but contempt for people who used others for their dishonest gain. He knew that those who trusted YAHWEH, knew He would protect His people and bring justice to their lives. Instead of being used by them, His people would benefit when they were brought to justice.

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 For Elohiym gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before Elohiym. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Pharisees had nothing but contempt for tax collectors. They saw them as extortioners. They were known for their wealth. They sat at the city gates collecting taxes for Rome.

When Yeshuwa encountered a tax collector, ate with them, bringing judgment against Him from the Pharisees, the tax collectors had a change of heart.

Matthew 9:10 Now it happened, as Iesous sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Iesous heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Luke 19:1 Then Iesous entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Iesous was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Iesous came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to Kurios, “Look, Kurios, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Iesous said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Huios of Anthropos has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

As a Christian, you cannot have an encounter with Yeshuwa without change. Everyone who encountered Yeshuwa changed their lives. Change is immediate, but it also takes place over time. Your encounter with Yeshuwa shook the gates of Hell. Satan went to war with you the moment you accepted Yeshuwa as Soter and Kurios. His temptation will focus on how you used people and bring your past into focus with authorities.

Christianity isn’t an easy road to follow, but it is rewarding when you don’t let Satan crush you under your old lifestyle.

Job was a man who came under testing. He stood his ground when his friends wanted him to admit his sin.

Job 27:13 “This is the portion of a wicked man with El, and the heritage of oppressors, received from the Shadday: 14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring will not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those who survive him will be buried in death, and their widows will not weep, 16 though he heaps up silver like dust, and piles up clothing like clay — 17 he may pile it up, but the just will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver. 18 He builds his house like a moth, like a booth which a watchman makes. 19 The rich man will lie down but not be gathered up; he opens his eyes, and he is no more. 20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest steals him away in the night. 21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. 22 It hurls against him and does not spare; he flees desperately from its power. 23 Men will clap their hands at him and will hiss him out of his place.

What threat do you face today? Has Satan tried to bring accusations against you when you turned your life over to Yeshuwa?

What change do you need to make today? Do you need to encounter Yeshuwa as Soter and Kurios? You will not see change in your life without and encounter with Him.

Are you sitting in prison right now because of extortion? You can experience change in your life also. Or are you sitting in the prison of your mind because of your lifestyle? It’s not too late to encounter Yeshuwa and see the change that glorifies Him.

Let’s pray: Father, help me bring honor and glory to You by my actions. Change my heart. Cleanse me and make me clean, so that I praise You with honor, glory, and blessing. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 5 October 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux

May God bless your generosity and give you peace in your life.

Faithful Journey Publishing