MATTHEW
CHAPTER
10
1. Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 1)
Instead of sending the apostles to graduate school or university in philosophy and theology, Jesus gave his apostles all the tools that they needed in order to proclaim Your message of love and repentance and a radical change in our lifestyle based on Your Word. According to Mr Pawar the author of this chapter, on calling Your disciples You gave them the authority to help others. As Christians we are also bound by the moral obligation to be of help and service to others. Apart from helping others or empower others to seek medical help, we are in a never ending war against the forces of evil that have the capacity of even inflicting physical harm and illness and even psychological disorders on us.
2. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, also known as Peter; and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3. Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; 4. Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 2 to 4)
On reflecting You chose twelve men with different personalities and characteristics, of which some were extroverts having an outgoing personality as in the case of Peter who later on became the leader, while others such as his brother Andrew the somewhat introvert type who chose to follow under the protection of his brother. On the other hand there was James who formed part of Your inner circle who was nicknamed as being one of the 'Sons of thunder". John who was the other 'Son of thunder' is said to have a fiery temperament, while Philip is described as being a very practical and task oriented person who on being assigned the task of spreading the 'Word of God' set his heart and soul on fulfilling the task to the point of giving himself up as a martyr. On the other hand there were those such as Nathanael or Bartholomew who was rather cautious and sceptical in his first encounter with you oh Jesus. In this group of personality types we also find Thomas who did not believe that You rose from the dead before he was presented with the evidence. There also apostles such as James the less and Simon the Zealot who were sort of less popular when compared with Peter and Matthew the dishonest tax collector who although having such a shrewd character was still chosen to be an apostle.
Among the twelve apostles there are you and me who are praying on this scripture. We are the extended Church of today. As in the case of the twelve we also have the task of spreading the 'good news' of our salvation based on the 'Word of God'. As in the mentioned selection personality types everyone has a place in the body of Christ. God is welcoming new members and is still calling us even today. We are all sinners and therefore we are all in need of salvation even if we are fervent Christians, protestants, homosexuals, bishops or cardinals among others. God is God of all or none of all. Even if you are a member of a terrorist group and are not yet aware of God as your God He is still your God and is patiently waiting for You in heaven to welcome You in His arms. God is our creator, He knows human nature and is aware why some people become abusers, murderers, ninjas, thrill seekers, explorers while others become Popes, Cardinals, leaders of Protestant groups or Churches. God has all under control and loves us for whom and what we are. So if You ever feel that You are not part of the body of Christ, if you ever feel that you are an outcast refer to the twelve apostles and consider yourself as being one of the group.
5. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 5)
According to Mr. Pawar the apostles were so obedient to You oh Jesus that they were ready to venture to foreign lands where nobody knew them, like wise we must also be ready to venture beyond our safety zones in order to proclaim the good news of God. Even today we are called and requested to obey in proclaiming the good news. As the great master mind God is aware of the great benefit that will benefited by all who receive and accept to live according to the way of life that You planned for us.
Oh Jesus in Your infinite wisdom You were aware that there would be people and nations who would not accept the apostles and their message and therefore You gave them strict instructions not to go to such places. You love us so much that You do not want us to endure unnecessary hardship in any thing we undertake especially in the proclamation of Your good news. You do not want us to take unnecessary risks.
6. but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 6)
Jesus seems to be telling his apostles that He wanted to give priority to Hebrews who for some reason had left Jerusalem. Oh Jesus those people who form part of Your inner circle seem to be precious to You. As Christians may we all form part of this inner circle! May we always be candidates to receive the graces of the good news. Even though Malta is a small island in the middle of nowhere You still wanted us to receive the 'good news' of the Gospel marking our salvation.
According to Mr. Pawar with whom I totally agree We are all lost sheep in our life. At times we also go astray especially when we are determined to go our way instead of following yours. As humans we may not have any particular motive in life but You oh Jesus are always there as master of the cattle in order to keep us united as one herd under one shepherd even those sheep that are in different churches and religions that are not yet part of the Roman Catholic church..
7. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near. 8.Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 7 to 8)
According to verses 7 to 8 it is a fact that there will always be people who are in need of help, therefore as followers of Jesus, we are bound to give a helping hand according to our abilities. Moreover as stated by Mr Devain Ajit Pawar the author of this chapter, if we all contributed positively to the needs of others society would be a paradise.
Moreover when sending Your apostles You did not give them a pastoral dogmatic decree or theology. We already had the ten commandments as a point of reference. What was lacking was the awareness of the need of repentance, the going against the sinful ways of the world and the beginning of a new life, based on the love of God and our neighbours. You gave Your apostles the authority to banish Satan everywhere they went and to cure disease. Although our priests and pastors as far as I know have not been given the faculty of performing such miracles, the healing of sins as in the case of priests, gives a new boost of energy and a strong will to live that is able to cure any disease if it is according to the will of God.
9. Take no gold or silver, or copper in your belts, 10. no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for laborers deserve their food.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 9 to 10)
Oh Jesus You wanted your apostles to travel really light on their first mission. Their primary concern was that of spreading the 'Good News' and not of filling their stomachs or making material gain from their service to the people. Jesus did not want them to make provisions for themselves, because He would be making provisions for them Himself. You told them that the labourers, deserved their food and therefore those labouring in Your fields such as missions or other projects are all catered for by Your divine providence both spiritually and even physically. In some way either directly or by means of the generosity of others You provide your labourer's with the much needed resources.
As referred to by the author of this chapter God caters for our needs and is always ready to listen to our prayers that is when our requests are not a source of harm instead of good. Therefore we are to be great full for having such a caring and loving father.
11. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12. As you enter the house, greet it. 13. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 11 to 13)
Jesus instructed his apostles that on finding a person who is worthy of welcoming them and the presence of God in them, they were to dwell in that household during the time of their ministry. As a thanksgiving token they were to bless the house and all who dwell in it, however if on the contrary they were not accepted they were to move on and take back their blessings so that it would not be wasted among those who would not accept it. Oh Jesus may we all found worthy of receiving Your blessings in our dwelling places. May we always be ready to welcome You in our homes and in our hearts. May we never be denied of Your presence. During these times the evil one is causing divisions in our families by creating barriers between husbands and wives and even children to parents. We are living in a state of chaos because we are not accepting You as a member of our family. We are even changing the original model of a family that consisted of one man for one woman to a model consisting of two men or two women! Please oh Jesus Son of God do not hold this great sin against us for we know not what we are doing! Forgive us as You forgave us at the time of Your passion for we are greatly sinning by implementing laws such as divorce that all go against Your will. Please have mercy and forgiveness even though we do not deserve it as sinners, but only as Your loving children.
14. 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. 15. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 14 to 15)
Oh Jesus time is so precious! It is best to invest time in the spreading of Your Word to holding petty arguments in relation to social issues or dilemmas that often have no possibility of a solution. When giving the apostles these instructions You told them to avoid arguments with those who did not welcome Your 'Good News' and simply to move away permitting such people to fall under Your judgement instead of ours. You love us so much that You do not want our souls to be stimulated to a state of confusion or emotional involvement which in turn leads to to commit one sin after another. In our relations with others You wish us to show respect to others and not be harsh and irritable.
16. "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 16)
During our times oh Jesus we are still surrounded by serpents, people who are ready to twist the truth in order to try and persuade others that You and Your Word are not the truth, are old fashioned during these sinful times. There are those who are making use of social medias on line and even offline in order to spread negative messages that go directly against Your will and values. Give me the Spirit of Truth oh Jesus so that in such circumstances my testimony about You will be true and valid. Please help me not to get involved in petty arguments but testify with both words and moreover by means of positive actions. As Christians we are at risk and exposed to hazards concerning both the body and the soul. Even today our brothers and sisters are being beheaded and thrown into open sea left to die because they believe in You oh Jesus.
17. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18. and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19. 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; 20. for it is not you who speak; but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 17 to 20)
According to Mr.Pawar during the times of Jesus superstition and corrupt practises were applied and whoever opposed this corrupt system would be strictly punished. Jesus was fully aware of this situation and of the persecutions that they would experience when proclaiming His Word, however oh Jesus You always encourage us and empower us by reassuring us that You will speak up for us and therefore we are not to be troubled or over concerned when enduring such situations.
With reference to persecution during our times please click on the following link:_
The experience of persecution
21. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22. and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 21 to 22)
We are living in world where sin has taken over our brains so much that we are living in a typical state of nature, where our egoistic self is getting the better of us. During situations where we are asked to make important decisions our focus is becoming simply on ourselves or according to what we feel more than what is right according to Your Word.
This has been reflected by the introduction of atrocious laws such as that of abortion and other laws such as divorce in Malta and recently that of spring hunting. We are approving death over life, so much that we are approving and supporting a legal framework that encourages and approves of such sinful acts. As You said anybody who stands up in favour of Your Word by proclaiming Your good news verbally or even on line is subject to ridicule and opposition. Oh Jesus I pray that you give me and others to continue and never be dissuaded by the negative power of those who do not approve of You and Your values.
23. 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 chapter 10 verse 23)
Oh Jesus today many Christians are being forced to flee from their hometown and nation in persecution. Many have already accepted to be beheaded instead of rejecting their faith in You. In a spirit of solidarity with our brothers and sisters whose life and death are a living testimony of what it means to be a true and totally convinced Christian I offer this prayer for their souls. I invite you to join in the following prayer by clicking on the following link:-
Prayer for 21 Coptic Christian Martyrs
Coptic Priest offers prayers for victims and even the killers
24. "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25. 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 chapter 10 verses 24 to 25)
Oh Jesus You set us a good example by which to follow in your ways and be like You. As in the case of the mentioned 21 Coptic Christian martyrs and many more to come, we are to forsake our lives and not renounce our faith even at the point of death. As You said if You were called slanderous names and You forgave such people, we are also not to retaliate but pray for such people who trespass against us. During such an early stage of the formation of Your Church, you already envisaged persecution for those who believe, live and proclaim Your word. Therefore all is Your control. You know what is going on and when it is Your will You are able to bring these negative events to an end. You are our the whole truth and are the only person who is able to inflict justice on this situation that seems to be far away but can without warning be close to home. I pray oh Jesus that like the martyrs mentioned we are found ready to face such persecution for Your name.
26. "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 chapter 10 verse 26)
By means of the Holy Spirit the apostles would be given knowledge beyond knowledge that would outsmart and be able to silence that of their oppressors, therefore the apostles had no reason to fear the opposition. When in a tight corner, especially when speaking in the name of the truth and are confronted or opposed by non-believers, refer to the Holy Spirit of God instead of solely on logic and the Holy Spirit of God will enlighten you with the much needed details in your testimony.
27. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered proclaim from the housetops. 28. 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.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 27 to 28)
According to Mr. Pawar the author of this chapter during these times we are more afraid of natural and materialistic things than they are of those evil elements that can harm more the soul than the body. Today we are not realising that our real enemy is the Devil and not material sources such as illness and suffering, or capitalism.The sinful world that we live us causes us to worry about the future and installs in us a spirit of depression and fatality with the consequences that our focus shifts from God on to ourselves. The devil makes our world and our crisis appear more desperate and our lives more meaningless to the point of persuading us not to live this world and attempt suicide so that he can take our souls and deprive us of the chance of becoming aware of the love of God and turn to Him in a spirit of love, hope and repentance. When we give up to the snares of the devil our lives become more difficult and meaningless more than they were before because our hope is to be found only in You oh Jesus because it is only in You that our soul can ever experience true love peace and tranquillity.
29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. 30. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31. So do not be afraid; you are more of value than many sparrows.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 29 to 31)
According to the author of this chapter with whom I totally agree Jesus is assuring us that we are worth more than sparrows even though we might be people of low self-esteem, however as sons and daughters of God our esteem in His eyes is abundant, so much that even if we give up on ourselves and on life, You oh God will never give up on us.
32. "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 32 to 33)
When we accept You are as our God and Saviour, we are committing ourselves to You. On the other hand You are committing Yourself to our salvation, however if we profess that we deny You publicly or even in private we are like a soldier who is sent to battle without a sword or a shield are subject to be destroyed by the enemy, the evil one for in doing so we have denied the protection of the most high God and decided to wage ware according to our own sinful ways and devices.
34. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36. and one's foes will be members of one's own household.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 to 36)
Oh Jesus I understand what you meant by divisions among us. This is due to the fact that among families, there are those who believe in You and there are others who simply have decided not to accept You as their God both by their words and more by their actions. Therefore this creates stress on the family system and indeed divisions may be created.
37. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38. and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 37 to 39)
Oh Jesus there is nobody but You who can ever love me as much as You do. Not even my mother who in the flesh gave me life. Life would have no meaning if I ever lost your presence and love in my life. Indeed it would not be worth living. Please help me oh Jesus to carry my cross as You did. Please help me to deny my sinful self, by placing other people's needs before that of my own in total humility. This is something I have tried, however my sinful nature at times rebels and gets the better of me. I pray for help in this area of my life.
40. 'Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 40)
On reflecting I can say the same thing. I share these reflections on line that God gives me in a spirit of prayer. Nobody is forced to receive them. Anybody who does not wish to receive these posts can either unsubscribe or send me an email. God does not force Himself on us and neither do I. However those who refuse to accept the Word of God (not my posts ok!) are refusing Him and those who really accept You oh God know whom they are loving and welcoming. Nothing but pure love in its purest form. I Thank You God for loving me so much that You prompted me to share these insights and prayers with others.
41. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 41 to 42)
Oh Jesus, may we never expect a reward from each other for what we do in our daily interactions among each other. However I prefer to receive the reward from You my Father. Among ourselves today we thank each other and tomorrow we argue and may even hate each other. Our thanksgiving is like the wind that is always on the go and unreliable! However Your thanksgiving is true and worthy of praise.
I would like to end this chapter by thanking You for all the support that You have been giving me throughout all these years of my life both online and offline. Thanks for giving me Your Word and the strength to reflect on Your Word even though at times I am tired especially in the mornings. Thanks for all the insights that You share with me. I would also like to thank You for all the people on G+ Facebook and even Twitter who are receiving these posts. They are gifts to me. I thanks both You and them for accepting You, Your Word and even the posts that I share online. Please excuse me all if I ever hurt anybody unintentionally by anything that is included in these posts.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 2 to 4)
On reflecting You chose twelve men with different personalities and characteristics, of which some were extroverts having an outgoing personality as in the case of Peter who later on became the leader, while others such as his brother Andrew the somewhat introvert type who chose to follow under the protection of his brother. On the other hand there was James who formed part of Your inner circle who was nicknamed as being one of the 'Sons of thunder". John who was the other 'Son of thunder' is said to have a fiery temperament, while Philip is described as being a very practical and task oriented person who on being assigned the task of spreading the 'Word of God' set his heart and soul on fulfilling the task to the point of giving himself up as a martyr. On the other hand there were those such as Nathanael or Bartholomew who was rather cautious and sceptical in his first encounter with you oh Jesus. In this group of personality types we also find Thomas who did not believe that You rose from the dead before he was presented with the evidence. There also apostles such as James the less and Simon the Zealot who were sort of less popular when compared with Peter and Matthew the dishonest tax collector who although having such a shrewd character was still chosen to be an apostle.
Among the twelve apostles there are you and me who are praying on this scripture. We are the extended Church of today. As in the case of the twelve we also have the task of spreading the 'good news' of our salvation based on the 'Word of God'. As in the mentioned selection personality types everyone has a place in the body of Christ. God is welcoming new members and is still calling us even today. We are all sinners and therefore we are all in need of salvation even if we are fervent Christians, protestants, homosexuals, bishops or cardinals among others. God is God of all or none of all. Even if you are a member of a terrorist group and are not yet aware of God as your God He is still your God and is patiently waiting for You in heaven to welcome You in His arms. God is our creator, He knows human nature and is aware why some people become abusers, murderers, ninjas, thrill seekers, explorers while others become Popes, Cardinals, leaders of Protestant groups or Churches. God has all under control and loves us for whom and what we are. So if You ever feel that You are not part of the body of Christ, if you ever feel that you are an outcast refer to the twelve apostles and consider yourself as being one of the group.
5. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 5)
According to Mr. Pawar the apostles were so obedient to You oh Jesus that they were ready to venture to foreign lands where nobody knew them, like wise we must also be ready to venture beyond our safety zones in order to proclaim the good news of God. Even today we are called and requested to obey in proclaiming the good news. As the great master mind God is aware of the great benefit that will benefited by all who receive and accept to live according to the way of life that You planned for us.
Oh Jesus in Your infinite wisdom You were aware that there would be people and nations who would not accept the apostles and their message and therefore You gave them strict instructions not to go to such places. You love us so much that You do not want us to endure unnecessary hardship in any thing we undertake especially in the proclamation of Your good news. You do not want us to take unnecessary risks.
6. but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 6)
Jesus seems to be telling his apostles that He wanted to give priority to Hebrews who for some reason had left Jerusalem. Oh Jesus those people who form part of Your inner circle seem to be precious to You. As Christians may we all form part of this inner circle! May we always be candidates to receive the graces of the good news. Even though Malta is a small island in the middle of nowhere You still wanted us to receive the 'good news' of the Gospel marking our salvation.
According to Mr. Pawar with whom I totally agree We are all lost sheep in our life. At times we also go astray especially when we are determined to go our way instead of following yours. As humans we may not have any particular motive in life but You oh Jesus are always there as master of the cattle in order to keep us united as one herd under one shepherd even those sheep that are in different churches and religions that are not yet part of the Roman Catholic church..
7. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near. 8.Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 7 to 8)
According to verses 7 to 8 it is a fact that there will always be people who are in need of help, therefore as followers of Jesus, we are bound to give a helping hand according to our abilities. Moreover as stated by Mr Devain Ajit Pawar the author of this chapter, if we all contributed positively to the needs of others society would be a paradise.
Moreover when sending Your apostles You did not give them a pastoral dogmatic decree or theology. We already had the ten commandments as a point of reference. What was lacking was the awareness of the need of repentance, the going against the sinful ways of the world and the beginning of a new life, based on the love of God and our neighbours. You gave Your apostles the authority to banish Satan everywhere they went and to cure disease. Although our priests and pastors as far as I know have not been given the faculty of performing such miracles, the healing of sins as in the case of priests, gives a new boost of energy and a strong will to live that is able to cure any disease if it is according to the will of God.
9. Take no gold or silver, or copper in your belts, 10. no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for laborers deserve their food.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 9 to 10)
Oh Jesus You wanted your apostles to travel really light on their first mission. Their primary concern was that of spreading the 'Good News' and not of filling their stomachs or making material gain from their service to the people. Jesus did not want them to make provisions for themselves, because He would be making provisions for them Himself. You told them that the labourers, deserved their food and therefore those labouring in Your fields such as missions or other projects are all catered for by Your divine providence both spiritually and even physically. In some way either directly or by means of the generosity of others You provide your labourer's with the much needed resources.
As referred to by the author of this chapter God caters for our needs and is always ready to listen to our prayers that is when our requests are not a source of harm instead of good. Therefore we are to be great full for having such a caring and loving father.
11. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12. As you enter the house, greet it. 13. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 11 to 13)
Jesus instructed his apostles that on finding a person who is worthy of welcoming them and the presence of God in them, they were to dwell in that household during the time of their ministry. As a thanksgiving token they were to bless the house and all who dwell in it, however if on the contrary they were not accepted they were to move on and take back their blessings so that it would not be wasted among those who would not accept it. Oh Jesus may we all found worthy of receiving Your blessings in our dwelling places. May we always be ready to welcome You in our homes and in our hearts. May we never be denied of Your presence. During these times the evil one is causing divisions in our families by creating barriers between husbands and wives and even children to parents. We are living in a state of chaos because we are not accepting You as a member of our family. We are even changing the original model of a family that consisted of one man for one woman to a model consisting of two men or two women! Please oh Jesus Son of God do not hold this great sin against us for we know not what we are doing! Forgive us as You forgave us at the time of Your passion for we are greatly sinning by implementing laws such as divorce that all go against Your will. Please have mercy and forgiveness even though we do not deserve it as sinners, but only as Your loving children.
14. 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. 15. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 14 to 15)
Oh Jesus time is so precious! It is best to invest time in the spreading of Your Word to holding petty arguments in relation to social issues or dilemmas that often have no possibility of a solution. When giving the apostles these instructions You told them to avoid arguments with those who did not welcome Your 'Good News' and simply to move away permitting such people to fall under Your judgement instead of ours. You love us so much that You do not want our souls to be stimulated to a state of confusion or emotional involvement which in turn leads to to commit one sin after another. In our relations with others You wish us to show respect to others and not be harsh and irritable.
16. "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 16)
During our times oh Jesus we are still surrounded by serpents, people who are ready to twist the truth in order to try and persuade others that You and Your Word are not the truth, are old fashioned during these sinful times. There are those who are making use of social medias on line and even offline in order to spread negative messages that go directly against Your will and values. Give me the Spirit of Truth oh Jesus so that in such circumstances my testimony about You will be true and valid. Please help me not to get involved in petty arguments but testify with both words and moreover by means of positive actions. As Christians we are at risk and exposed to hazards concerning both the body and the soul. Even today our brothers and sisters are being beheaded and thrown into open sea left to die because they believe in You oh Jesus.
17. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18. and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19. 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; 20. for it is not you who speak; but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 17 to 20)
According to Mr.Pawar during the times of Jesus superstition and corrupt practises were applied and whoever opposed this corrupt system would be strictly punished. Jesus was fully aware of this situation and of the persecutions that they would experience when proclaiming His Word, however oh Jesus You always encourage us and empower us by reassuring us that You will speak up for us and therefore we are not to be troubled or over concerned when enduring such situations.
With reference to persecution during our times please click on the following link:_
The experience of persecution
21. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22. and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 21 to 22)
We are living in world where sin has taken over our brains so much that we are living in a typical state of nature, where our egoistic self is getting the better of us. During situations where we are asked to make important decisions our focus is becoming simply on ourselves or according to what we feel more than what is right according to Your Word.
This has been reflected by the introduction of atrocious laws such as that of abortion and other laws such as divorce in Malta and recently that of spring hunting. We are approving death over life, so much that we are approving and supporting a legal framework that encourages and approves of such sinful acts. As You said anybody who stands up in favour of Your Word by proclaiming Your good news verbally or even on line is subject to ridicule and opposition. Oh Jesus I pray that you give me and others to continue and never be dissuaded by the negative power of those who do not approve of You and Your values.
23. 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 chapter 10 verse 23)
Oh Jesus today many Christians are being forced to flee from their hometown and nation in persecution. Many have already accepted to be beheaded instead of rejecting their faith in You. In a spirit of solidarity with our brothers and sisters whose life and death are a living testimony of what it means to be a true and totally convinced Christian I offer this prayer for their souls. I invite you to join in the following prayer by clicking on the following link:-
Prayer for 21 Coptic Christian Martyrs
Coptic Priest offers prayers for victims and even the killers
24. "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25. 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 chapter 10 verses 24 to 25)
Oh Jesus You set us a good example by which to follow in your ways and be like You. As in the case of the mentioned 21 Coptic Christian martyrs and many more to come, we are to forsake our lives and not renounce our faith even at the point of death. As You said if You were called slanderous names and You forgave such people, we are also not to retaliate but pray for such people who trespass against us. During such an early stage of the formation of Your Church, you already envisaged persecution for those who believe, live and proclaim Your word. Therefore all is Your control. You know what is going on and when it is Your will You are able to bring these negative events to an end. You are our the whole truth and are the only person who is able to inflict justice on this situation that seems to be far away but can without warning be close to home. I pray oh Jesus that like the martyrs mentioned we are found ready to face such persecution for Your name.
26. "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 chapter 10 verse 26)
By means of the Holy Spirit the apostles would be given knowledge beyond knowledge that would outsmart and be able to silence that of their oppressors, therefore the apostles had no reason to fear the opposition. When in a tight corner, especially when speaking in the name of the truth and are confronted or opposed by non-believers, refer to the Holy Spirit of God instead of solely on logic and the Holy Spirit of God will enlighten you with the much needed details in your testimony.
27. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered proclaim from the housetops. 28. 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.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 27 to 28)
According to Mr. Pawar the author of this chapter during these times we are more afraid of natural and materialistic things than they are of those evil elements that can harm more the soul than the body. Today we are not realising that our real enemy is the Devil and not material sources such as illness and suffering, or capitalism.The sinful world that we live us causes us to worry about the future and installs in us a spirit of depression and fatality with the consequences that our focus shifts from God on to ourselves. The devil makes our world and our crisis appear more desperate and our lives more meaningless to the point of persuading us not to live this world and attempt suicide so that he can take our souls and deprive us of the chance of becoming aware of the love of God and turn to Him in a spirit of love, hope and repentance. When we give up to the snares of the devil our lives become more difficult and meaningless more than they were before because our hope is to be found only in You oh Jesus because it is only in You that our soul can ever experience true love peace and tranquillity.
29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. 30. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31. So do not be afraid; you are more of value than many sparrows.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 29 to 31)
According to the author of this chapter with whom I totally agree Jesus is assuring us that we are worth more than sparrows even though we might be people of low self-esteem, however as sons and daughters of God our esteem in His eyes is abundant, so much that even if we give up on ourselves and on life, You oh God will never give up on us.
32. "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 32 to 33)
When we accept You are as our God and Saviour, we are committing ourselves to You. On the other hand You are committing Yourself to our salvation, however if we profess that we deny You publicly or even in private we are like a soldier who is sent to battle without a sword or a shield are subject to be destroyed by the enemy, the evil one for in doing so we have denied the protection of the most high God and decided to wage ware according to our own sinful ways and devices.
34. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36. and one's foes will be members of one's own household.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 to 36)
Oh Jesus I understand what you meant by divisions among us. This is due to the fact that among families, there are those who believe in You and there are others who simply have decided not to accept You as their God both by their words and more by their actions. Therefore this creates stress on the family system and indeed divisions may be created.
37. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38. and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 37 to 39)
Oh Jesus there is nobody but You who can ever love me as much as You do. Not even my mother who in the flesh gave me life. Life would have no meaning if I ever lost your presence and love in my life. Indeed it would not be worth living. Please help me oh Jesus to carry my cross as You did. Please help me to deny my sinful self, by placing other people's needs before that of my own in total humility. This is something I have tried, however my sinful nature at times rebels and gets the better of me. I pray for help in this area of my life.
40. 'Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
(Matthew chapter 10 verse 40)
On reflecting I can say the same thing. I share these reflections on line that God gives me in a spirit of prayer. Nobody is forced to receive them. Anybody who does not wish to receive these posts can either unsubscribe or send me an email. God does not force Himself on us and neither do I. However those who refuse to accept the Word of God (not my posts ok!) are refusing Him and those who really accept You oh God know whom they are loving and welcoming. Nothing but pure love in its purest form. I Thank You God for loving me so much that You prompted me to share these insights and prayers with others.
41. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."
(Matthew chapter 10 verses 41 to 42)
Oh Jesus, may we never expect a reward from each other for what we do in our daily interactions among each other. However I prefer to receive the reward from You my Father. Among ourselves today we thank each other and tomorrow we argue and may even hate each other. Our thanksgiving is like the wind that is always on the go and unreliable! However Your thanksgiving is true and worthy of praise.
I would like to end this chapter by thanking You for all the support that You have been giving me throughout all these years of my life both online and offline. Thanks for giving me Your Word and the strength to reflect on Your Word even though at times I am tired especially in the mornings. Thanks for all the insights that You share with me. I would also like to thank You for all the people on G+ Facebook and even Twitter who are receiving these posts. They are gifts to me. I thanks both You and them for accepting You, Your Word and even the posts that I share online. Please excuse me all if I ever hurt anybody unintentionally by anything that is included in these posts.
Thank You Jesus
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