BRANDED BY GOD
Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds.
We were working in on a bull elk high in the Sangre De Cristo mountains and we bumped into a a herd of cattle. We didn't want to spook them and take a chance of scaring off the elk in the process, so we waiting patiently for the cattle to move off.
As the cattle mingled around in front of us we noticed that these cattle didn't have any brands on them and no ear tags. This is very strange and rare to find and often means some sort of foul play going on.
Eventually the cattle moved off and we went about our day of hunting. When we got back to the ranch house we began to look to see who might have owned the cattle. Surely someone would want to claim their procession. We never learned who the rightful owner was and never saw those cattle again.
This evening I'm sitting in a camp in Cisco, TX and while I've been here for three days, it's the first time that I have seen 2 branding iron laying in a book case. It reminded me of the hunting trip in Colorado, but it also made me think of how we are branded with the stamp of God on our hearts to show that we are his possession.
1 Corinthians 7:23 tells us, "You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men."
When we've given our lives over to God, we become His possession, we've been, "Bought with a price." The price that bought us out of eternal slavery was the blood that Jesus Christ shed for our souls. He bought us from slavery to set us free. That's the brand that's on us. We might have been bought out of slavery, but it was for our freedom. What an amazing thought?
Think about this... if you have not accepted the gift that Jesus paid for on the cross, consider the place you are in today. You are a slave to your own selfishness. God wants to set you free.
If you've accepted that gift and have been "branded" with the brand of our heavenly father... are you living like you are His possession and free? Or are you still allowing yourself to be in bondage to this sinful world.
Listen to the words of Jesus.
Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,"
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