Expert: Dr Eddy Cheong - 11/24/2010

Question
Hi Dr. Cheong

From: NKJV In Luke 9:3 And HE said unto them, Take nothing
for your journey, neither bread, neither staves,nor scrip, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

In Luke 10:4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes:

My question(s) Dr. Cheong, Why would JESUS send these man without the bear essential into the wilderness. Nothing to eat or be able to buy food or having no clothing to wear on their journey.
I believe in my heart that JESUS allways has a reason for what HE does. It's just that I'm unable to see why HE does and says things like the above passages.

I await your answer as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Thank You
GOD BLESS YOU

Answer
If you read Mark 6:5-11 below carefully, you would find the answers to your question, viz,
a) The disciples were at a very infantile stage of their ministry
b) Verse 5  says  “...He was amazed at their lack of faith”
Mark 6:5-11
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

8 These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."
NIV
This was the first time the LORD sent them out on their own and He wants to teach them to trust Him for all their needs. If you read verse 10 above carefully it says “Whenever you enter a house, stay there...” meaning that God will move the hearts of some to welcome the Disciples and also to provide for their needs.  This is evident in Luke 22:35 below...
Luke 22:35

35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?"

"Nothing," they answered.  
NIV
Continue reading on and you will come to verses 36 and 37...
Luke 22:36-37

36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
NIV

Here Jesus is coming to the end of His Ministry and He would no longer with them PHYSICALLY in a short time. The disciples are to take their purses and their bags. The sword is for self defence and not for aggressive use (as when Peter used it to cut the ear of the high priest’s servant in Mark 14:47)

In short, there are times when in the course of our Ministry, God wants us to completely trust Him for all our needs (and He provides in more than one way). There are other times (probably most times) when we have to also provide for our own needs and bring along our purses so to speak.
AMEN