“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (Matthew 10:28-29).

The world hates the Lord.  It is not necessarily you, but the Lord whose voice they want to still.  The Father knows all of this and even if He allows you to be killed, so what?  You will not add a moment to this life.  Hold fast to the faith that you have been given.  Be guided by the truth of the reality of eternity which has been shown you in faith.  Do not worry about the outcome, for you already know what it will be.

Lord, You have promised to work everything together for good for those who love You.  Let that truth be what leads me, especially when I face those who are trying to kill my faith.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to hold fast to the truth You have revealed.  Lead me in all righteousness to seek You first in all things.  You have given me the words of eternal life.

Lord Jesus, You were led to the slaughter, but it was not them who led You, but You who were marching to the cross.  You are the One who must lead me.  I worry about where things will lead and what will happen.  Guide me to see that only in You do I know my future, a future which is in You.  Let me not be ruled by fear, but by the truth of Your continued presence so that I may live the life You give me to live.  Amen.

“What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops” (Matthew 10:27).

Keep the focus of your mind and thoughts on the things of the Lord.  If your mind is filled with the truth of faith, it will not have room for the wickedness of the world.  Let the truth of Scripture be in your mind so that when you speak, it is of those things that the Holy Spirit brings to remembrance.  You have received from the Lord many things through reading, teaching,  preaching, meditating and inwardly digesting His word.  Let the whispers of what you have received be the voice that comes out of your mouth.

Lord, You have given me the truth in so many ways.  There is more I could use.  Fill my mind with the truth of Your word so that when I speak, Your word is in my speech.  Teach me to be one who proclaims with my life the truth of the salvation You give to all who turn to You.  You have taken me out of the dark and placed me in the light.  May Your light shine through me with all I say and do.

Guide me, dear Lord Jesus, in the way You know I need to go.  You have equipped me to be who I am.  You have called me as Your disciple to go to all the world.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go, and may Your Holy Spirit fill my mouth with the words You would have me speak.  Lead me in living the life of a disciple and guide me in the way You would have me walk today.  Amen.

“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known” (Matthew 10:26).

The Lord reminds us to take on a big-picture view of things.  Amidst the hideousness of the Nazi regime, it was very hard for the faithful to not want to cry out at the horror going on around them.  It was twelve years in which some of the demonic was revealed.  This age will end, and all of the evil will be uncovered.  Live knowing this.  Sometimes it’s hard, but the Lord reminds us to keep our eye on what He is doing and not what the wicked one does.

Lord, Your words are two-edged.  There are things in my past life I would rather not have revealed, but I am seeking You, and not wickedness.  You will make all things known, and I suspect we all shall see how much need we have of Your grace.  Keep me on the narrow path so that I may live knowing that I am forgiven and that Your Holy Spirit is with me.  Guide me to seek nothing but righteousness.

Lord Jesus, You are the judge of the living and the dead.  Uncover the sin in my life so that I may remember, repent and come under Your grace.  Bring me to the place where I stop trying to hide and humbly live in the grace You have given me.  Keep me from the evil games of hide and seek that goes on, knowing that all things are not hidden from You.  Grant me a heart that seeks righteousness.  Amen.

“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!” (Matthew 10:24-24)

Jesus was accused of being a chief of demons.  The wicked demonize.  We are called to love.  Accusations abound in wickedness.  If they accused Jesus, they will accuse you when You follow Jesus.  Do not be surprised.  Love and hatred are opposites.  Seek love and watch grace kill hatred.  We are slaves to the Master.  Yes, follow Jesus and see Him alone as the Master of your life.

Lord, in this hyper-hating culture, there are so many who are accusing others of all kinds of things.  I too feel accused.  Let me walk through the cloud of this hatred without receiving its infection.  I do not know all that will come; but You do Jesus.  You have told us that there is purpose in everything.  Guide me to live into the purpose You have promised so that I may now and always humbly abide in Your goodness and mercy.

Come, Holy Spirit, and guide me to stand firm when the accuser comes.  Let me not be surprised at its coming, even though sad about whom it comes from, so that I may not compromise the simple truth that You are God, and I am, for now, but a slave.  As I walk faithfully this day, lead me to live in the promise of salvation I have by grace.  Amen.

“When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:23).

How far are we to evangelize? We are to go to the ends of the earth. Jacob is the one who contends, and Israel is the one who knows God prevails. All of Israel is not a physical location, but the place, throughout time and place where the sheep of the Lord are found. From every tribe, tongue, folk, and nation, there will come those who will follow the Lord in all His ways.

Lord, You have come to gather the scattered sheep. They are all over the place, but they know in their hearts that You are Lord. Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk with You as You send me into the world with the Good News of salvation. Gather all of us together. Do not let Your sheep be scattered and tossed about by the wicked one. You will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Lord Jesus, the longer I live, the simpler all of this becomes. Guide me to realize that in You, I have hope and a future. May I now and always look to You, no matter what. May I always point to You, no matter the temptation to look at myself. You are the One and You have chosen to work through Your faithful ones. Let me not be bound to a location, but to You alone as You lead me through the wilderness of this life.  Amen.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:21).

Jesus stands in the divide. He does not divide, The divide is already present. Those who follow Jesus are given a new life and cross the divide through Him, separating those who are in rebellion against God from those who love the Lord. Some will choose themselves as their own highest authority, while those who hear the voice of the Master will follow Him. Hatred rules the wicked. But love reigns for those who are in the Lord.

Lord, I have already experienced those close to me who would stifle me if they could. I have experienced that animosity because of my faith. Do not let me compromise the truth that I am in You and You in me. Lead me to know that You are the One through whom all life is given. The wicked one would see me compromised, even threatening death, if possible. Lead me to resolute faith in You, Lord.

Lord Jesus, You were betrayed not just by Judas, but by all of those who have turned against You throughout the ages. Lead me away from the rebellion of sin, no matter the cost, to come into Your everlasting presence to become who You are making me to be. Teach me to return hatred with love. No matter the betrayal, let me work through the rebellion in this world for the glory of the Father. Amen.

“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:19-20).

Dive into the word such that it is in you. When confronted by those who will persecute you, do not worry about what you are going to say. The word will be in you. The Holy Spirit will bring out what is in you to speak what needs to be spoken. Why do you worry so much? The Lord knows all your circumstances and He will make sure you are prepared for whatever faces you. Trust in His leading.

Lord, You know how much I worry and fret. Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to understand that You will allow nothing to happen that is not in Your will. If it be such that I stand before those who persecute You through me, grant me Your peace such that I know Your Holy Spirit in me will guide me through this and every circumstance. May Your Spirit speak through me.

Jesus, You knew what was coming and You marched to Jerusalem anyway. Prepare me, one who does not know what is coming, so that I am a willing servant open to what You will do. Place in my heart a confident strength that even if they kill me, they only slay the body which You will resurrect on the last day. In all things, help me to live according to Your word so that I may grow in this faith that You have given me. Amen.

“Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles” (Matthew 10:17-18).

The wicked are, well, wicked. They think they know what they are doing and if you dare to cross them, they will crucify you. But actually they do not know what they are doing, they just act as if they do. Our Lord has given us invaluable instructions to live in this world without remaining sinners who seek to control. The Lord is in control and all the violence in this world will never overcome the truth that all authority and power belongs to Jesus.

Lord, You have given me fair warning. There are those in this world who hate You and therefore will hate me. Help me to be clear about this so that I do not become surprised when this happens to me. This can happen in a fellowship that calls itself the church as easily as a government or group of rebels. Grant that I would see things as they are, knowing that all things are in Your hands.

Lord Jesus, You send me with Your peace into the world and advise me to beware of those who will not only reject that peace, but become hostile with any mention of You. Grant that I would not back down because of danger, nor compromise because of force. Help me to live into the life You give me with boldness and faithfulness. Prepare me to meet whatever challenge You have placed before me. Amen.

“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

There are wicked people in the world. But to understand them, one must understand the wolf in themselves. The sinner is there. That serpent in you has wisdom of the world. It sees things. Be wise, but, and this is the big part, remain in the innocence of Christ while seeing how the wolf thinks. This easier than you think. It is a matter of living the truth that you are a sinner and a saint.

Lord, You know how the wicked one wants me to play nice and confront no one. Sheep are slaughtered continuously for lack of wisdom. Teach me to be shrewd and wise yet remain innocent in the Father’s eyes. You have given me these instructions, so help me to push through my idea of religion to live in the faith that You give me. Guide me into this kind of faith.

Holy Spirit, You know the inner struggle I have between the sinner and the saint. I do know the ways of the world, but sometimes outwardly pretend that I do not. Guide me, Lord, so that I do use the wisdom You give me. Grant me understanding and remove from me all wickedness. Help me to go out into the world, aware of circumstances, and willing to confront the wolves I meet with the truth. Amen.

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town” (Matthew 10:14-15).

There are many, even in churches, who are hostile to the Gospel. Folks believe they know what they need. None of us truly knows. We need what only Christ can give. If you meet hostility, even in a fellowship that calls itself the church, move on. Those who reject you when you are sharing the love of Jesus are rejecting Jesus. They bring upon themselves their own judgement.

Lord, I am guilty of being one who has been hostile to strangers. I want to be comfortable, but in that desire, sometimes I am led away from You. Guide me to look to You first so that if I am in a hostile situation I will be empowered to move on. Lead me, Lord, so that I humbly walk in the way You desire. Help me to be willing to share who I am with any You cause to cross my path.

Lord, I often make things more difficult than they need to be. You have told me to abide in You knowing that You abide in me. Guide me so that I willingly walk in all Your ways. Open my heart so that I receive those who will come to You. But grant me wisdom to not be used by those who are trying to use You. Lead me always, Lord and make me ready to do the Father’s will. Amen.