“The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”
– Genesis 49:10

In long ago ancient times we see the promise and prophecy of Jacob at the end of Genesis. As he was dying, he prayed and promised that his son Judah, though not the oldest son, would be the ancestor of kings. Through the descendants of Judah would come not only the kings of Israel like David and Solomon but also the King Who would rule over the entire world. In the previous verse, Jacob described the Lion of Judah (verse 9) seen and heard in Revelation — Jesus of Nazareth, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

God’s plan was set from the start but it unfolded in His perfect timing and schedule. He revealed to Jacob which of his twelve sons would bring forth the promised Savior of the world. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was born into this world through the family line of Judah and King David. He demonstrated His power and authority by His words and miraculous actions. He sacrificed Himself on the cross for our sins, died, and rose from the dead. After His resurrection, Jesus declared in Matthew 28:18 that ALL authority had been given to Him over heaven and earth.

He has fulfilled the prophecy and promise of Jacob. Do you regularly give Jesus the tribute of praise and worship He is due? Do you fully obey Him as He deserves? Are you introducing Him to others so that they may enjoy the forgiveness, new life, and freedom we experience when we submit ourselves to Him? #FollowJesus

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5

In whom do you trust when things are confusing and chaotic? When new or unusual situations arise? In whom do you trust when tensions are high and the way forward is hidden? A wise adviser? An author or influencer? The standards of your culture? A philosopher or leader? A spouse or best friend? Your own gut or reasoning?

There are many voices competing for influence in your life and clamoring for your trust. Some may have a great deal of knowledge, experience, and wisdom but it won’t be perfect. There is One Who is worthy of your deepest trust and greatest influence and that is God. The Creator of the Universe knows all things past, present, and future and He invites you to trust Him fully with every tough decision. He knows what’s best because He designed everything. He doesn’t operate out of selfish motives, biased perspectives, or incomplete understanding. Trust Him completely!

When the way forward is complicated and confused, trust God and what He’s revealed in the Bible. Our world tells us to trust ourselves, our instincts, and our feelings. These are easily confused, deceived, and distorted. They easily guide us into the wrong path. Make a habit of studying God’s Word daily and thinking carefully about how to apply it in your life. Seek God’s insight and advice in every situation. When confronted by the daily decisions of life, take time to pray and ask God how to apply His Word to that decision. Don’t let your instincts and understanding lead you onto the paths of sinful disobedience or foolishness that can be avoided by trusting in God first and foremost. #FollowJesus

“Jesus said to them, ‘Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” – Matthew 16:6

Yeast, leaven, is invisible to the naked eye but radically transforms ordinary flour into dough. Even a tiny amount has a profound effect. In baking, this is generally a good thing. In matters of faith, Jesus warns that it isn’t. He warns His followers that even a small dose of the legalistic rules and traditions of the established religious authorities can damage the faith of His followers.

If this sounds harsh, it is. However, the message of Jesus – that we’re saved purely by God’s grace toward us when we believe in Jesus – is radically different from the message of the religious establishment. Jesus came to set us free from the burden of trying to save ourselves by obedience to the Law and the many man-made rules that had been piled on top of it by the Pharisees and Sadducees. What God had originally given Israel as a blessing had become a burden that couldn’t be carried by anyone.

Jesus came to lift that burden. He removed it through His own perfect obedience, perfect sacrifice, death, and resurrection. Jesus made it so we are reconciled to God by grace because God is gracious in Himself. Our right standing with God is based on His love and mercy rather than our rule-following. This glorious truth sets us free to live lives overflowing with grace and gratitude rather than lives of grim, grudging, grinding, self-discipline.

Nonetheless, Jesus knew that people would try to put those burdens back on our newly freed souls. It was true then, it remains true. As amazing as grace is, we struggle with it. We desperately want to add something to it. God’s grace makes us uncomfortable because we can’t control it. So, we want to add legalities and man-made rules back to our worship and joyous following of Jesus. That’s the leaven of the Pharisees and Scribes. That’s the temptation that religion easily falls into. The creation of man-made rules. The enforcement of those rules. The elevation of those rules. It remains a danger to our enjoyment of God’s grace. Obey Jesus, not man-made rules. Live by God’s grace, not by the permission and approval of people. Beware the leaven of modern day Pharisees and Sadducees! #FollowJesus

“And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.” – Matthew 15:37

Jesus miraculously feeding a crowd is such a familiar story that most people forget Jesus did it twice. Why feed a second crowd? The answer can be found a few verses earlier, when Jesus healed many people and the crowd praised, “the God of Israel”. That isn’t how the people of Israel refer to God. That’s how Gentiles (non-Jews) refer to God.

In this section of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus went into a Gentile region and performed all the same Kingdom activities He’d done in Israel. He healed, taught, preached, and cast out demons. He also miraculously fed a crowd in the middle of nowhere. The significance of this repetition is profound. By His actions, Jesus makes clear that His Kingdom and its life, hope, and healing is open to all peoples. Jesus isn’t just a Messiah for Jewish people, He’s the world’s Messiah!

When Moses led a group of Israelites into the desert and God miraculously provided bread, that was an experience just for them. However, when Jesus led crowds into the desert and miraculously provided bread that was for all the nations of the world. We’re included in God’s glorious, eternal plan of salvation. By grace, through faith in Jesus, there’s a place in God’s family for people from every tribe, language, and ethnic group. Praise God for this!!!

We get one final hint of this in the story’s conclusion. When Jesus fed the Jewish crowd, there were 12 baskets of bread left over, symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel. When Jesus fed Gentiles, there were 7 “large baskets” of leftovers. In the Bible, 7 is the number of completion. The number of baskets of leftovers emphasizes the universality and completeness of God’s kingdom. Everyone’s invited and welcomed. If you’re reading this, hopefully, you’ve already accepted God’s gracious invitation into His Kingdom by believing in Jesus Christ. If you haven’t, what holds you back from believing and being welcomed into the Kingdom of God? If you have, who do you know and love that needs to be invited in? Who needs to hear about Jesus and invited to #FollowJesus?

“The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
The Lord tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”
– Psalm 11:4-5

God isn’t a distant or disinterested observer of your life. Though He reigns from Heaven, He’s present everywhere. He sees everything and fully understands what’s going on in each person’s heart and mind. He created everything and everyone and He cares deeply about what happens here in His creation. He cares deeply about what happens in your life.

If you’ve been made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, then let this be a great encouragement to you. No matter your situation or circumstance, God sees it and delights in your righteous thoughts, words, and actions. You will be blessed and rewarded, whether in your earthly life or in your eternal life with the Lord. You may become frustrated by your present situation but God sees the truth and His perfect justice will be done. You may feel alone and unnoticed but you aren’t. God is always with you and honors your desire to think, speak, and act for His glory.

On the other hand, if you’re still in your sins, having failed to believe and submit to Jesus Christ, this should be terrifying. Whatever it is you’re doing, whether in public or in private, God see its and hates it. You may consider yourself clever and believe you’re getting away with whatever your mind has conceived, but God knows the truth and you’ll pay for it forever. Eternity is an unimaginably long time. Don’t condemn yourself for trillions of years to gain some imagined advantage during this brief heartbeat of time on earth. 50, 70, or 100 years on earth is never worth eternal agony. Choose to #FollowJesus