"The Marks of Jesus"

“The Marks of Jesus”

 

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Galatians 6:14,17

 

In the conclusion of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia, he wrote to them concerning his RELATIONSHIP with our Lord Jesus Christ.  Saying that he NEVER wanted to boast of his own merits, ONLY in the CROSS of our Lord Jesus Christ.  To the Judaizers the CROSS was an object of shame, but to Paul it was a GLORIOUS thing, because of the SACRIFICE that was made upon it, for the SALVATION of MANKIND.   Paul GLORIED in the CROSS, and that was what he would BOAST about.  Because the world was CRUCIFIED to Paul, and Paul to the world, he became a SLAVE to the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  WHO or WHAT are you a SLAVE to?

 

Because of Paul’s RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ, he separated himself from the world and ALL of its allurements, fleshly desires, and religions that were spawned by human efforts.  He was BRANDED for Christ, and bore the MARKS of persecution, which showed that he belonged to Jesus Christ, and they demonstrated that he was a SLAVE of Christ, and NOT just a PEOPLE-PLEASER.   DO YOU BEAR the MARKS of JESUS CHRIST?  HAVE YOU TRULY GIVEN YOUR WHOLE HEART and LIFE to HIM?

 

It is the UTMOST DESIRE of GOD that we give to HIM our ALL, even at the cost of having to bear the MARKS of JESUS, MARKS that show we belong to Him and NOT to ourselves, we are His SLAVES, FREE from our SINS, but SLAVES to His will.   We do His will and NOT our own, because of our RELATIONSHIP with Him. 

Do you have a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ?  Can you BOAST in the CROSS?  Are you WILLING to BEAR the MARKS of PERSECUETION for HIM?  If your answer is NO to ANY or ALL of these questions, then you probably have NOT TRULY GIVEN ALL of your HEART and LIFE to Him, and if that is the case, you are BRANDED with the MARKS of SATAN, and will spend an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, agony, heartache and despair, unless you TURN AWAY from your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your SINS to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making  intercession for YOU, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be able to BOAST in the CROSS of CHRIST, and BEAR the MARKS of JESUS.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!