ULTIMATE CARE DEVOTIONAL. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2023🍎💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦THEME:👉 THE CITY OF REFUGE“That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood”TEXT: JOSHUA 20:3MESSAGE📕We have a place of safety that we can go when things seem to go wrong in our lives. This place is called A City of Refuge. Jesus is my Rock of refuge for me and as long as I am following Him, I will be sheltered from storms that I have to go through.God has spoken to Joshua, He told him to appoint out for you cities of refuge, which was spoken by the hand of Moses.Joshua 20:3 says, “That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.”These cities of refuge were set up not for murderers; they were set up for those who had killed someone accidently.These cities were set up to protect them from family members of the family of the person who had lost a loved one in this way.The family members of the victims might not have seen the way the situation took place very clearly, so they might have wanted revenge on the person who had killed an individual accidently.Joshua 20:4;4 “And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them”The people would have to declare their cause to the elders of these cities as they were standing in the entrance.These people were looking for a place of refuge and safety.Joshua 20:5;5 “And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not before time”.These people were caught in a situation and they were running for their lives.Have you ever messed up and you felt that the enemy was pursuing you?Have you ever messed up and Satan has been on your heals?Has he been trying to tell you that you have messed up and that there is no forgiveness for what you have done? That is the devil for you.It is said that in the land of Canaan, cities of refuge were so arranged, that any man might reach one of them within half a day at the utmost. Even so the word of our salvation is near to us; Jesus is a present Saviour, and the way to him is short; it is but a simple renunciation of our own merit, and a laying hold of Jesus, to be our all in all. With regard to the roads to the city of refuge, we are told that they were strictly preserved, every river was bridged, and every obstruction removed, so that the man who fled might find an easy passage to the city. Once a year the elders went along the roads and saw to their order, so that nothing might impede the flight of any one, and cause him, through delay, to be overtaken and slain. How graciously do the promises of the gospel remove stumbling blocks from the way! Wherever there were by-roads and turnings, there were fixed up hand-posts, with the inscription upon them—“To the city of refuge!” This is a picture of the road to Christ Jesus. It is no roundabout road of the law; it is no obeying this, that, and the other; it is a straight road: “Believe, and live.” It is a road so hard, that no self-righteous man can ever tread it, but so easy, that every sinner, who knows himself to be a sinner may by it find his way to heaven. No sooner did the man-slayer reach the outworks of the city than he was safe; it was not necessary for him to pass far within the walls, but the suburbs themselves were sufficient protection. Learn hence, that if you do but touch the hem of Christ’s garment, you shall be made whole; if you do but lay hold upon him with “faith as a grain of mustard seed,” you are safe.“A little genuine grace ensures. The death of all our sins.”Only waste no time, loiter not by the way, for the avenger of blood is swift of foot; and it maybe he is at your heels at this still hour of eventide.PRAYERS🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Heavenly Father, I thank you for your love and victory over my life. I appreciate you Lord for your mercy towards me. Thank you, Father. I pray for your love in my heart and peace of God in my life.Father, I subdue all forces of darkness today and turn them to hell. Satanic powers from the evil foundation of my father’s household and my mother’s household, I silence you in the grave by the power of the Holy Ghost. I decree that the shadow of the Almighty God overshadows every form of evil around me and consume them all by the fire of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus mighty name, Amen.FURTHER BIBLE READINGJOFSHUA 20BIBLE READING PLAN FOR THE YEARMORNING: 2 CORINTHIANS 6EVENING: 2 CORINTHIANS 7💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦🍎 Author: Pastor NseAbasi Harry💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦HAMMER WORD BIBLE CHURCH, ABAK, NIGERIA CARES ⛪💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦