Hot Topic #4
HOT TOPIC PT 4 – The Receipt of The Sale
This is the exact same lesson that Jesus spoke to the disciples of John as to why it was that His disciples didn’t fast like John’s disciples did or like the Pharisees did. Jesus said that the friends of the Bridegroom do not mourn while the bridegroom is with them, but when He is taken from them then they will mourn.
Read Matthew 9:15
Jesus reminded his disciples of how they lacked nothing when He sent them out. But things were getting ready to change. They didn’t understand that. Jesus was getting ready to be taken away. We are not talking about the rapture. Jesus was getting ready to die and they didn’t understand fully that Death could not hold him down. They didn’t understand, even though Jesus demonstrated his power over death more than once. They didn’t understand these things, even though Jesus told them that in three days He would get back up.
So Jesus was teaching them that when you are not walking with Him or even sent by Him, then your attitude is one in which you will feel the need to protect and provide for yourself.
Take your money bags and purse with you. Why? When Jesus sent them they didn’t need a money purse. They didn’t lack anything.
Sell your cloak and buy a sword. Why?
Why do we now need to defend ourselves when there is a whole legion of Holy angels assigned to protect us?
Is, all of a sudden, God not able?
God’s Word says that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can think or ask. God shut the mouth of the lions so that Daniel would not be killed and then opened the mouth of the lions again to discipline those who came against Daniel.
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Right? We need to not just quote these scriptures but believe them. God’s Word says that without faith it is impossible to please God well. We must believe that God is and that God is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
That is wherein the problem lies. Many believe God is. But it’s that part about God being the Rewarder.
- Rewarder means protector.
- Rewarder means healer.
- Rewarder means deliverer.
- Rewarder means provider.
- Rewarder means way maker.
- Rewarder means whatever you need God to be for the circumstance you find yourself in, GOD IS
Listen to this reminder that
GOD IS from Rev James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir
So once again what we are seeing is an issue of faith. It’s the same problem that Jesus had with his disciples while he was on earth. None of them got offended when He addressed their issue of lacking faith. But today, the same issue exists and when it is addressed, there arises offense. A lack of faith doesn’t mean one does not believe in God. But it definitely raises the issue of whether one trusts God.
Do we trust that God can protect us?
Do we trust that God can cover us and shield us from harm?
Do we trust when God says no weapon formed against us shall prosper?
Do we understand that he did not say the weapon will not form, but that it will not prosper?
We somehow miss all of that when we subscribe to the thought that we must now protect ourselves. Jesus said to Peter, put up your sword. He who lives by the sword will perish by it. So now here is the next additional proof that Jesus was not telling his followers to now bear arms. Earlier I asked the question: Does the Word of God contradict itself? We all know that God’s Word does not contradict itself.
Three times Jesus made it clear that He did not operate on His own but that He did what He saw the Father doing and He spoke what the Father told him to say. (John 5:18-20; John 12:49; John 16:12-15)
Jesus’ work was to do the will of the Father. Well catch this, John 3:16 and 2 Peter 3:9 let us know that it is not the will of the Father that anyone “perishes”. So, Jesus says to Peter, “put up your sword. He who lives by the sword will “perish” by the sword. HMMM…
So, then, just like the leaven represented teachings, it is then to our advantage to understand not only what the sword is, but also what the cloak is.
While the sword is defined for us in Ephesians 6, the cloak is revealed to us in Isaiah 59:17. It is the 7th garment in the armor of God, which is seen being worn as a garment of vengeance. This 7th piece is what makes up the complete (7 is the number of completion) armor of God.
I pray that my additional comment encourages those who believe that Jesus subscribed to our bearing arms to dig deeper as did the disciples of Christ when they realized that they didn’t understand what He spoke.
With that being said I would like to provide a link here to all of the scriptures that reference murder/murderers in the Bible. It is important that one know what God’s Word says regarding this if their free will choice is to bear arms. The reason why is that in the bearing of arms, you never know if you will have to use the weapon you carry. If such usage results in the death of another, you need to know the consequences laid out in the word of God of such an action.
Click the highlighted link below to see what the Bible says about murder.
What does the bible say about Murder?
Let God be found true, and every man a liar.
Sanctify them by means of truth, Your Word is truth.
Sell your cloak and buy a Sword.
Sell your zeal and get understanding.
Please proceed to Bonus Module 10.
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