“The scepter shall not depart from Judah…”

            The story of Judah is very interesting to say the least.  He was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (or Israel) and he, along with his brothers, sold Joseph as a slave to the Midianites.

            Later on, Judah separated himself from his family, and was involved in a few incidents, including having a sexual affair with a “prostitute,” which turned out to be his daughter in-law Tamar.

            As you can appreciate, Judah was not a saint in his younger years.  Nevertheless he reappears later on the biblical account, as he and his brothers go down to Egypt searching for food.  This time Judah was a new man, a changed man.

            It was Judah, the one who offered himself to remain as a prisoner, until Benjamin was brought back to Egypt.  It was also Judah, the man who remembered (with sincere sadness and repentance) how they had betrayed Joseph and how much grief they had brought to their father.

            This was perhaps the main reason why the tribe of Judah became so prominent.  God rewarded Judah’s repentance, with the promise of a perpetual kingdom.

            Judah’s story reminds us about our own life.  We were sinners, but one day we repented and Jesus came into our hearts to reign as King.  Jesus was born from the tribe of Judah, and he was the fulfillment of this prophecy. He too was betrayed and sold out by his brothers. He died as king in Jerusalem, and he is our eternal King.                                      

            Glory to the Lion of Judah!

            A. G.

            “…shall be mine…”

            In this declaration, Jacob mirrors the decree and desire of God to choose a people for himself.  God planned since eternity to rescue us from sin and death and make us his own.

            Even before the creation of the universe, God elected those who would be saved.  He saw the wickedness of his creatures and in his heart he decreed the salvation of the elect.  Perhaps he said:

            “They shall be mine.”

            Are you a chosen one?  Do you have Christ in your heart, or better yet, is Christ the Lord of your life?

            Manasseh and Ephraim were born in Egypt, but Jacob adopted them as sons.  As such they enjoyed all the family benefits including the benedictions and the inheritance. In fact, they took the place of Levi and Reuben among the twelve tribes of Israel, even though they were not his sons.

            You and I were born in sin and thus separated from God.  Where would we be, were it not for the incomprehensible love of God?  We deserve the fire of hell, but God in his mercy, chose us to be with Him forever.

            If you are a Christian today, remember that you did not choose God; (John 15:16) he chose you, and he saved you.  One day when we reach the blessed shore of heaven, we shall hear the most beautiful words ever spoken.  Jesus will say to us:

            “Come with me, for you are mine!”  

            A. G. 

             “… and if you know that there are capable men among them…”

            Capable men:  This is what the church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs today.  Our churches are full of devout and faithful women.  These sisters have served the Lord for many years, sometimes in areas where God have called the men to minister.  Praise God for the women in the churches!

            The problem is, that there are not enough Christian men attending church regularly; and of those who attend, only a few, give time and effort (not to mention offerings) to the expansion of God’s kingdom on earth. Where are the men of God today? Who is going to be obedient to God’s call?

            God needs capable men, but capable of doing what?

            The men God is searching for must be capable of being incapable.  In other words, they must be men willing to submit to the supreme authority of the Lord.  These men do not trust in their strength, knowledge or riches, but they trust and depend solely upon the Rock, which is Jesus Christ.

            Are you willing to be incapable in order to be capable?

            Are you ready to humble yourself before your God?

            Tell it to the Lord.  Submit yourself and ask Him to use you for his glory.  He will turn your inability and incapability, into power, wisdom and fruitfulness.  He can make you a capable individual; capable of serving God; capable of loving your family; and capable of living a life that brings honor and glory to Christ.

            Are you a capable Christian?

           A. G.

            “I can die now…”

            There was a barber in an old town that was known by everyone for his joviality, fast service, and great prices.  One day, this barber became a Christian and decided that he would share his newfound faith with everybody.  To that end, he prepared himself as best as he could in the art of evangelism, and for the most part, he had great results.

            One day however, while he was shaving a customer with a long barber knife, he asked that man the following question:  “Tell me my friend, are you prepared to die?”  Until this day no one knows where that customer is.  He escaped that day running for his life, because he did not understand the simple, and well intentioned evangelistic question.

            Are you prepared to die?

            Well, you may say, I have already received Christ as my Lord and Savior.  Isn’t that enough?  Of course it is!  When you are a Christian, you have eternal life; you have passed from death to life.  Now hell is powerless against you because you are a child of the King, and he promised that he will never “drive you away” (John 6:37).

            Many people live under the false assumption that death will never reach them and they “kill” themselves with exercise.  Others think they are prepared for death because they have prepaid funeral expenses, a lot in the local cemetery, and a huge life insurance policy. 

            The best exercise to prepare for death is the sinner’s prayer, and the best life insurance policy is Jesus Christ.  We can be like the barber today.  We can help other people to find salvation in Christ…just put the knife away when you are preaching!

            A. G.

            “…for God sent me…”

            This phrase was used by Joseph at least three times in his conversations with his brothers.  Twenty years had passed since that fateful day when Joseph was sold by them. Twenty years of slavery, hard labor and imprisonment for the most part and now they were coming to him, TO HIM! They came to him asking for help because there was a famine all over the land.

            For any other man, this was the moment that he had been waiting for.  Revenge, sweet revenge at last!  But that was not the case for Joseph.  He was a true man of God, and the Lord was using him to save his family, Egypt and the world from starvation.  God had everything figured out since the beginning!  He knew that the same Joseph that was being sold more than two decades before would be now in a position to help his betrayers.  God, not his brothers, sent Joseph to Egypt.  It was God’s plan all the time.

            Where has God sent you?

            Are you in the center of God’s will?  This is only possible if you are in the place where God has sent you.  If you are in this holy place, then there is no reason to complain because God has placed you there for a special reason.  God will use you (as he did with Joseph) in spite of adverse circumstances, to bring joy and to meet the needs of others.

            Examine your life today and reject sin.  Do not give in to revenge or murmuring, but decide to be like Joseph.  Make sure that you are in the place God wants you to be and serve the Lord.  He will be with you through these hard times and give you the power to go on.  Then one day you will realize that God sent you, and you’ll be glad He did!   

            A. G.