Matthew 10:29  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Submit to God in the midst of all trials for comfort and confidence for He is fully aware of your situation, even more so than you are.

Taken by the Master

You have taken great care with a certain number of roses; you have trained them up, and there they are, blooming in their beauty.  You pride yourself upon them. You come one morning into the garden, and you find that the best rose has been taken away.  You are angry: you go to your fellow-servants, and charge them with having taken the rose.  They all declare that they had nothing at all to do with it: and one says. “I saw the master walking here this morning; I think he took it.” Is the gardener angry then?  No, at once he says. “I am happy that my rose should have been so fair as to attract the attention of the master.  It is his own: he hath taken it; let him do what seemeth him good.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Matthew 10:30  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

God, the God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob loves me, even me.  Truly nothing is more astonishing than realizing the care and concern God has for His followers.  Jesus is giving His followers arguments against being fearful.  He is my God; He is my avenger: He will safely conduct me home in His time.  In the meantime He desires to show Himself to the world through those who are most Christ-like; therefore we followers of The Christ ought to be a bold race of people declaring who He is for we are truly the children of light.

Matthew 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Do we not hold those things precious which we have bought at a great price. Count we not those things among our treasures, for which we make the most careful provision. Are not those things reckoned the most valuable things upon earth, which receive and give out again to our eyes the beams of light, the rays of the sun, as gold and silver, jewels and precious stones? Will not men venture everything, life and all, for them? And shall not, therefore, Almighty God reckon for precious, them, whom His only begotten Son hath redeemed with His most precious blood? Shall He not hold in exceeding value those for whom He has reserved mansions in His heavenly house, where they may abide forever?  Shall they not be to Him as pearls of great price, as jewels to be numbered up with joyful care, who, being conformed to the image of His Son, who is their light and their righteousness, shine in their works, and glorify their Father. (W. Evans, B. D.)

Matthew 10:32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

10:33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

The followers of Jesus must not expect ease and comfort.  The PMA people want their followers to believe that followers of The Christ will not suffer setbacks or persecution but Jesus Himself warned otherwise.  They must put loyalty to Jesus before all other loyalties, and this may result in conflict and division, even within their own families.  They must be prepared for hardship, persecution and possibly death but in the end they will not be the losers.  In sacrificing the life of self-pleasing in order to please their Lord, they will find life in its truest sense (34-39).

All who welcome Jesus’ messengers into their homes are really welcoming Jesus who sent them, and God the Father who sent Him.  Help given to Jesus’ messengers will be rewarded as if given to Jesus Himself.

–Pastor Ward Clinton