Today’s Devotional – June 30th (The Weapons of Our Warfare!)

By admin On June 29th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 30th

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THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

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“Then said He (Jesus) unto them…he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one…And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And He said unto them, It is enough.” Luke 22:36-38

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This passage has been the chief Bible passage used by gun advocates within the church community.

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Jesus plainly exhorted His Disciples to armor up for the coming conflict just before them.

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And Jesus exhorts them to “buy a sword”.

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Peter Smites Off the Ear of Malchus – www.joyfulheart.com

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TWO SWORDS? REALLY?

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But was Jesus really speaking literally or was He speaking metaphorically? Obviously, Jesus was speaking metaphorically. This too, like the Old Testament stories, was presenting a spiritual concept.

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In the first place, Jesus knew that two swords were not nearly enough to withstand that angry mob who were coming for Him!

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**Secondly, the Bible is the “sword of the Spirit”. This had to be the sword which Jesus was referring to.**

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But why “two” swords?

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Actually, those two swords most likely represented the Old and New Testament (the New had not yet been written, of course), which would be used from thenceforth as the sword-of-the-Spirit by all Christians to combat evil.

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Peter Smites Off the Ear of Malchus – www.joyfulheart.com

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BIBLE IS THE SWORD

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Had the Disciples been prayerfully and carefully studying the Scriptures, they would not have been in such despair and darkness, concerning the events just now taking place.

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It was the “Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” that these 11 men truly needed. And it is only a careful and prayerful daily study of God’s Word which will prepare us to stand through the great crisis just before us. This is the sword we will need for the time before us: God’s Word!

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Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic..

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“HE THAT LIVES BY THE SWORD SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD”

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**But perhaps the most telling statement came when Peter cut off the ear of Malchus. Did Jesus say, “Good going Peter”? No, Jesus gently restored the ear of Malchus, and rebuked Peter.**

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Just listen…“And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:51-53

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This above passage lets us know that Jesus had no intention of fighting. But Jesus went beyond, and actually used this occasion to present to us a principle: that God does not wish for Christians, nor for non-Christians to be physically warring.

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James Tissot – The Healing of Malchus’ Ear – www.joyfulheart.com

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A FEARFUL WARNING!

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Listen again… “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Peter was merely defending Jesus and the disciples! And yet, Jesus warned Peter that Peter’s violent defense was “living by the sword”. And Jesus warns each and every one of us, that…“all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

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**QUESTION: “Are those who are ready to use guns in order to defend themselves, prepared to ‘perish with the sword’?**

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Peter attacks with sword – The capture of Christ – 1674 – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution

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A VERY SAD NEWS STORY

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A few years back, there was a news report; perhaps one of the saddest reports to ever come across the wires!

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A man and his wife had just returned home from an evening out. They heard a noise coming from the closet. Was this an intruder? The man went to get his rifle. He returned and shot through the door of the closet.

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The noise stopped.

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He opened the door, only to discover that his little girl had come home early, and was in the closet, waiting to surprise him and her mother. Well as he held her in his arms, her last words were, “I love you Daddy”, and then she died. Those who decide to “fight it out” themselves, instead of trust in the Lord, eventually are much more prone to experience personal tragedy from their weapons stored.

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Wall Closet – wikimedia – public domain

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LET’S THINK THIS THING THROUGH

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Okay, so let’s just say that you are intent on having weapons to defend yourself.

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Then logically, you should begin to practice shooting; this is because you may have to use your guns on an intruder someday. And what if he is a better marksman than you? Or what if the Devil helps him to aim straight? Or what if you’re outnumbered? Or what if your gun jams? Or what if…etc….

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After all, you are assuming that God or His angels are going to help you in such a showdown.

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Did they help Peter? NO! Peter was no doubt attempting to kill Malchus. Peter no doubt slipped and missed his mark in all the excitement and struggle.

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Firearms Mentorship Program – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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DID PETER LEARN HIS LESSON?

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The trouble with all this is, that those who put their trust in weapons, are not putting their trust in the Bible. There are so many precious promises in Scripture, that God will protect His people. Here is a statement from Peter, the very person who fought with a sword, years earlier.

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Just listen… “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” 1st Peter 3:13.

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Do you think that Peter still defended himself with carnal weaponry, at the time of writing this letter? Do you think that Peter fought with a sword at the time of his crucifixion?

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Or do you think that Peter clung to the above precious promise… “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?”

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Crucifixion of Peter – Caravaggio Martirio di San Pietro – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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MANY CHRISTIAN MARTYRS

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There have been many Christians who suffered at the hand of evil governments, such as Corrie Ten-Boom’s family. These people did not resist evil by violence.

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By faith, they hid the hated Jews during the Jewish/Holocaust during the Nazi regime, during WWII, until they were caught, and eventually only Corrie survived to tell this horror story. They considered it an honor to lay down their lives for Christ. Their only armor was faith in God’s Word. Their testimony to the world was powerful, because they showed that they really trusted in God’s sovereign power to protect, or to martyr them. As Christians, they resolved not to shoot, or knife, or club their way out of government oppression.

Now do you suppose they would have made that wonderful movie, “The Hiding Place” about the Ten-Boom family, had they smuggled in carnal weapons to fight their way out of trouble? Do you think that Corrie Ten-Boom would have had any kind of ministry for decades, about faith and trust in God, if she and her family were knife-wielding or gun-toting Christians?

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The Ten-Boom Family – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License

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MARTIN LUTHER, WILLIAM TYNDALE, JOHN HUSS, ETC…

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Jesus gave the supreme example of laying down His life. And He became the Supreme Role-Model for the other disciples, who, for the most part, eventually became martyrs.

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And through the very violent and bloody history of the Church, there were many shining lights; some who were martyred and others, like Martin Luther, did not use carnal weapons to protect themselves against Satan’s armies. Martin Luther was totally invincible. Satan and his minions tried, but could not extinguish the light which Luther had to share. Likewise, John Wycliffe could not be killed, though they tried. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs tells the secular history of the Apostle John, that they actually put him in boiling oil, but could not kill him.

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Martin Luther – 95 Theses – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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GOD’S SWORD IN OUR HEART

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“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. As this verse declares, reading and studying the various stories of the Bible will cause the child of God to grow in wisdom and faith. And if ever there was a time when God’s people need great faith, it is in the days just ahead.

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God will purify His people. We will need the faith to stand on that sea of glass, mingled with fire, as we sing the song of the Lamb. And the only weapon which will be of any use to the child of God, during the soon-coming trial before us, will be the “Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God”, (which we will have previously hidden in our hearts.)

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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…

May 10 (The Weapons of Our Warfare! Part 2: “Fighting Our Own Battles)

We Can Do It! Rosie the Riveter – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me wisdom to know just how I should defend myself and my family. Give me more and more faith to put more and more trust in Thee…

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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ORION THE SOLDIER

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The pagan cultures saw this incredible constellation as a hunter, with a club. Well, they weren’t too far off. Actually, God created it to appear like a soldier. This is because all nature presents aspects of the Gospel. Listen… “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1. And so now we are amazed to discover that beyond the awesome grandeur of the starry night-heavens, God has actually written the Love of God in the heavenly scroll.

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Orionurania – wikipedia – public domain

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7 MAJOR STARS OF ORION…

Orion Constellation can best be seen all winter (but even in August in the pre-dawn hours of morning in eastern skies) traveling east to west through the night, in mid-sky. To find the seven major stars of Orion (one star on each shoulder and one star on each foot, plus the three stars which make his belt), you can locate on just about any clear night regardless of the blackness of the night.

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To find Orion’s other stars, you need more star-visibility…a darker, moonless night, and possibly away from city lights.

Orion – wikimedia – share-alike license

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TOMORROW:

“July 1st (This is Only a Test!)”

EBS Test Screen – Wikimedia – Public domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #179 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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