Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge Inspirational

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

                       
            Before you were a Christian, when something sad or bad happened to you, you cried until you had no more tears left. Your heart simply broke into pieces, and you felt trapped, depressed and totally defeated.
  
             But after having become a Christian, when something bad happens to you, you may still cry, but you feel comforted inside. You are sad outwardly, but your heart isn’t heavy. You don’t understand why, but deep down inside you, there is something lifting you up. That something buoyant, which is rising from the inside of you, is the life of Christ in you!

          You cannot be completely distressed because Christ in you is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) who says to you, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
            
           Yes, it may be a bad situation and you are in a tight spot, but Christ in you is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), and He says to you, “It will all be all right. I will provide a way out for you.”

           You know you are not defeated because Christ in you is your victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) and He says to you, “You are not fighting for victory, but fighting from victory because you already have the victory in Me.”

             Before you knew Christ, when you were down, you were out. But now, when you are down, you are not out because Christ in you is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) “Hope” in the Bible means a definite, positive expectation of good.

             The Christ in you is the definite, positive expectation of our glorious Savior! Christ in you is the definite, positive expectation of a glorious family! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of glorious health! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious life!

            And the Christ in you is the definite, positive expectation of all the glories of God revealed to you. No bad circumstance that you are in can or will ever cause you to be destroyed or forsaken by God!

    2 Corinthians 4:8–9
                                                                    We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed… 
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Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Jesus Is Your Qualification For God’s Blessings 

                       
            God loves to bless you. He has even declared that “blessings shall come upon you and overtake you”. This means that you can’t run fast enough to escape them! When you turn one corner, there is a blessing waiting for you. When you turn another corner, you run smack into another blessing!


         Now, you may think that you don’t qualify for God’s blessings because of the preceding verse which says that these blessings will come to pass only if you diligently obey God’s voice and keep all of His commandments.

        You know that no matter how hard you try, you just cannot keep all of God’s commandments. In fact, the Bible says that if you fail to keep just one commandment, you fail to keep all. (James 2:10)


         Now listen up, I have good news for you: Jesus is the one who qualifies us for every single blessing because He has kept all of God’s commandments.

        When He died for us on the cross, He not only fulfilled all of God’s commandments, He also redeemed us from the curse of the law. (Galatians 3:13) Note that He did not redeem us from the blessings of the law, so the blessings are still ours today!

      As you read the list of blessings in Deuteronomy 28, starting with “Blessed shall you be in the city…in the country…the fruit of your body…your basket…when you come in…when you go out…”

         (Deuteronomy 28:3–13), I believe that Jesus is saying to you, “Like the blessings? Then take them by faith!”


        You may say, “But I don’t deserve them.”   thats right, you don’t deserve them, but you still get them because of Jesus. That is God’s grace! The law says, “You must deserve the blessings.” But the law is no longer here. Grace is here. So take the blessings by grace through faith. Believe God for the blessings.

             Today, it is no longer a question of how much or how well you have kept God’s commandments. It is a question of how much you can believe God for His blessings. All the promises of God in Christ are “Yes”, and because you are in Christ, you can say “Amen!” to His blessings! (2 Corinthians 1:20)

    Deuteronomy 28:2
And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

The Sure Symbol Of God’s Love

                       
             Imagine this scenario: Your car tire blows and you are late for work. At the office, you find out that someone else got the promotion you had been hoping for. Then, you receive a call from home informing you that your kitchen pipes are leaking again. Before long, you hear a voice telling you, “If God loves you so much, how come all these things are happening to you?”

       Perhaps you are asking the same question today and wondering if God really loves you. Well, I want you to know that you must never judge God’s love for you based on your circumstances. No, look at the cross instead! The cross is the sure symbol of God’s love for you. It is at the cross that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.

          For example,  A teenager learnt that the cross indeed spoke of how much God loves her. At one point in her life, she was contemplating suicide as the only way out of her loveless, messed-up life. She had intended to take some pills with a lethal dose of alcohol. 
        She was all ready to die when she started clicking aimlessly on some MP3 songs on the Internet. And of all the songs that were on her screen, she picked a beautiful song written by musicians from the church she used to go too.

         The lyrics of the song, sung by one of the church vocalists, spoke of being held by God’s love and being treasured in His sight.

        They words touched this teenager. Sensing that an awesome God with His amazing love was reaching out to her, she abandoned her plan to kill herself. Not long after that, she stated back going to chruch and she found that church member and met the person who had sung the song. She eventually came to know how much God loves her and how He has demonstrated His love for her through the cross.

        So, when you look at your life and find yourself wondering if God really loves you, look to the cross and see God’s outstretched arms. It will remind and reassure you of how much He loves you!

    Romans 5:8               But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

GOD BLESSES WHAT YOU TOUCH
                       
            Do you remember the story of King Midas and his golden touch? He made a wish that everything he touched would turn into gold, and his wish came to pass. He touched his food, the trees in his garden and his palace, and they all turned into gold! Then, he hugged his daughter whom he loved very much and she immediately turned into a gold statue!

               God’s way is better and it has no side effects. He wants to bless everything you touch. The Bible says, “The Lord will command the blessing on you…and in all to which you set your hand…" This means that whatever you touch, whatever you set your hands to, God will command the blessing upon it, be it a person, thing or business.

         So if you touch your child, he is blessed. If you touch your guitar, anointed music flows forth. If you touch your business, it prospers. When you touch a sick person, he gets healed. When you touch someone who is facing lack, his needs are met.

          In the Bible, everything that Jesus touched prospered. He touched the eyes of two blind men and their eyes were opened. (Matthew 9:28–30) He touched the open coffin of a widow’s son, and the young man sat up and began to speak. (Luke 7:12–15) He touched the leper and the leprosy departed. (Mark 1:40–42) Under the old covenant laws, no one was supposed to touch a leper as lepers were considered unclean.

              If you touched the unclean, you became unclean. But Jesus touched the leper and the unclean became clean!

        Everyone whom Jesus touched received a blessing. And because Jesus lives in you by His Spirit, what you touch will be blessed too. He paid the price for you to have this blessing. His loving hands which imparted blessings to so many were nailed to the cross so that today, God can command His blessing on all to which you set your hands!

    Deuteronomy 28:8
                                              “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

THE REASON FOR THE RESURRECTION 

                       
            The Bible tells us that Christ was delivered up for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. You may already know why Jesus died for our sins, but do you know the significance of God raising Him from the dead?

         Let me give you an illustration to help you understand the significance of Jesus’ resurrection.

        Let’s say that you are living in a foreign country. One day, you happen to break a major rule of the land. You appeal to the king for mercy. 

      He says, “A rule is a rule. I cannot bend the rule for you. What will others say about my integrity? However, if you can find a substitute to take your punishment three months in jail I will allow it.”

          By God’s grace, you find a willing substitute. He goes to prison on your behalf and you don’t see him for some time. Days, weeks and months pass by.

Now, how or when will you know that your crime has been fully paid for? When will you be able to rest easy regarding your crime? 

        It is when you see your substitute walking free again! When you see him out of prison, you will know that the sentence has been fully served. You will know that you are now justified and no one can bring a charge against you for your old crime.

     No longer will you be afraid of the king or his guards coming after you because you know that the one who was punished in your place is now walking free.

         Jesus, your substitute, paid the debt you could not pay. On the cross, He bore the sins of your entire life. God put it all on Jesus and then He punished Jesus for every single one of those sins until He was fully satisfied. And because He was so pleased with what Jesus had done, He raised Him from the dead.

Today, Jesus’ tomb remains empty. He is not there for He has risen! His resurrection and empty tomb will forever be our assurance that we have been fully justified. You no longer have to be afraid of God judging you for your sins. His justice is on your side today!

    Romans 4:25   He "Jesus" who  was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

IT IS FINISHED!

                       
              Imagine looking at Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa painting in the Louvre museum. Would you think of adding more brush strokes to it? Of course not! It was done by a master, so what could you possibly add to the painting to improve it?

         In the same way, that is how we are to look at Jesus’ work on the cross. He cried out, “It is finished!” You cannot complete a completed work. You cannot finish a finished work. Our salvation is won. Our sins are all forgiven. 

        We are made forever righteous by His blood. Christ paid completely and perfectly for our total forgiveness, righteousness and every blessing! In fact, these three words, “It is finished”, come from one Greek word teleo. In the days of Jesus, a servant would use it when reporting to his master: “I have completed the work assigned to me.” (John 17:4) The word means, “It is finished, it stands finished and it will always be finished!” Perhaps the most significant meaning of teleo is how it is used by merchants: “The debt is paid in full!” When Jesus gave Himself on the cross, He met fully the righteous demands of the law. He paid our debts in full!

         Today, it is not our works that will bring us the blessings. It is Christ’s finished work. Christian living is not about doing, but believing in His finished work. Under the law, we must do. Under grace, it is done!

          Maybe you are faced with overwhelming odds today. Jesus promises, “It is finished!” You are not going to be delivered because you have already been delivered. You are not going to be healed because you are already the healed! 

     God healed you 2,000 years ago! Isaiah 53:5 declares, “By His stripes you are healed!” You are already pregnant with healing. Keep resting in His finished work and it will manifest!

     The work is finished. The victory is won. Our blessings have been bought by His blood! Live life knowing that there is nothing for you to do only believe! It is finished!

    John 19:30 
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. 

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Your Next Stop Is A Place Of Abundance!
 
                       
             Are you in a situation where people are stepping all over you and they seem to have the upper hand? You feel as if the challenge you are facing is so big that you are going through fire. 
        
         And you are so overwhelmed by everything that is happening around you that you feel as if you are drowning, My friend, I want you to know that your heavenly Father hears your cry for help and He will rescue you. 
 
        The psalmist says that “we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment”. If you have been through the fire and water, then your next stop is a place of rich fulfillment or abundance!
 
      This place of abundance was indeed the next stop for a certain church member who had suddenly found himself facing allegations involving some money laundering activities within the bank where he was one of the top executives. 
 
        Investigations later exonerated him, but because of the bad vibes caused by the incident, he was asked to resign, he was then aged 52. Friends told him to retire and relax, but retirement was far from his mind. 
 
        This man believed that if God had allowed this to happen, it must be that He was leading him to a better place, one of rich fulfillment. And indeed, soon after this difficult experience, one of the top banks offered him a handsome salary to join them in one of their top positions.
 
       A few years later, at age 56, he was headhunted by one of the biggest public-listed companies to start a new division. He accepted the offer and was paid double what he had been earning. 
 
          Our heavenly Father does not lie when He tells you that He will bring you out to rich fulfillment if you are going through a difficult time. Trust Him and you will find yourself stepping into your place of abundance!
 
    Psalm 66:12   we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment. 
 
Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
 
 
   © 2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

GOD IS YOUR ABBA, FATHER

                       
            Have you ever realized that God was never known as “Father” until Jesus came to earth and revealed Him as such? In His prayer to His Father, Jesus said, “And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.

              What name was Jesus referring to? It was the name “Father”. If there was anything close to  Jesus’ heart, it was to introduce God as “Father” to us.

        In the Bible, Jesus said, “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” 

            Once, He said, “If you then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

           Jesus wants you to always have this image of God in your mind that He is your Abba, Father. Why? Because He wants you to know that there is nothing more important or too insignificant for the Father when it comes to His children.

          Imagine a father playing with his five yea  old son, when he notices a splinter embedded in his little boy’s thumb. The concerned father asks, “When did you get this?” “A few days ago,” the boy answers. “Why didn’t you tell Daddy about it?”

          “I thought you were too busy and that I shouldn’t bother you.” If you were that father, wouldn’t it break your heart to hear your child say this to you? A splinter in one’s thumb may be a small thing, but there is nothing too small when it concerns your child because if it affects him, it affects you too. 

         Now, no matter how old you are today, you are still God’s child, so don’t think that your problem is too small for God. If it is important to you, it is important to your Father too. Beloved, always remember that He is your Abba, Father!

    Galatians 4:6    And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

BEAT THE ODDS WITH THE FAVOR OF GOD

                       
            Do you look at yourself and see only lack in the natural? Do you say, “I don’t have a good education”, “I am poor”, “I am too old” or “I am a dumb cluck”? I have good news for you. As a blood-bought believer and child of God, you have the supernatural favor of God!

       In the Bible, Ruth was a poor Moabite widow who went with her mother-in-law to live in Bethlehem, a Jewish town where the inhabitants considered Moabites outcasts. But she did not wallow in self-pity and moan about being a poor widow of the wrong race in the wrong place. 

         Instead, she believed that God would favor her and she declared, “I will find favor in the field that I glean from.”In the natural, Ruth had everything going against her. But because she trusted in the favor of God, she not only became the wife of Bethlehem’s richest man when Boaz married her.

    She also became the greatgrandmother of David and had her name included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ even though she was not a Jewess! 

     That is what God’s supernatural favor did for her. That is the kind of blessing God’s supernatural favor can give you.

         So don't look at what you do not have in the natural and see lack. Trust in the favor of God and you will see blessings which your natural abilities cannot bring!

    Ruth 2:2 
So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Mother's Day Prayer

       God our Creator, we pray:
for new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility ; for expectant mothers, wondering and waiting; for those who are tired, stressed or depressed; for those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family; for those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty; for those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities; for those who have children they do not want; for those who raise children on their own;
for those who have lost a child; for those who care for the children of others; for those whose children have left home;  and for those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled.

            Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and tender, and that they may lead their children to know and do what is good, living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others.
Amen.                 

    Mark 10   29 & 30       “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel  will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

JESUS’ BLOOD SPEAKS BETTER THINGS 

              Today, forensic science tells us that blood has a voice. DNA can be extracted from just one small drop of the murderer’s blood and the results used in court as evidence. So blood in a sense can speak. And when it is the blood of Jesus, it “speaks better things” than that of Abel. 

                Abel’s blood cried out, “Vengeance! Vengeance!” after his brother Cain murdered him. (Genesis 4:8–11) But Jesus’ blood cries out forgiveness for our sins, healing for our bodies, and peace and soundness for our minds. It cries out protection for our coming-ins and going-outs, good success for the works of our hands, the righteousness of Christ as our acceptance before God and much more!

           In the Bible, Jesus’ blood speaking of “better things” is found in the context of the last days when things are being shaken, so that the things which cannot be shaken will remain. (Hebrews 12:27) God wants you to know that you will not be shaken when you put your faith in Jesus’ blood, which speaks better things for you. That is why God wants you to see Jesus’ blood shed for you in every area that causes your heart to tremble and your confidence to be shaken.

          For example, if you are afraid of losing your job, speak the blood of Jesus over your job. His blood cries out, “Favor with his boss!” And in these days when you are shaken by fears that terrorism may strike anyone, anywhere, anytime, plead the blood of Jesus which cries out, “Protection and deliverance!” When fear rises in your heart as the doctor gives you his prognosis, plead the blood of Jesus over your body. His blood cries out, “Healing and wholeness!”

       The eternal blood of Jesus, which speaks better things, will never lose its power. Beloved, see that you do not refuse Him who speaks. (Hebrews 12:25) See that you keep hearing the voice of grace, which speaks salvation, righteousness, protection, deliverance, provision and healing over your life!

       Hebrews 12:24
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. 


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

GOD MAKES ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM

                       
            In this verse, “all things” is literally all things the good, the bad and the ugly! Now, it does not mean that all things are from God. Some things, such as accidents, sicknesses, broken relationships and divorces are not from Him. 

       They are from the devil or just part of the fallen world that we live in. But what this verse does tell us is that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”. That is our inheritance as God’s beloved children.

        Do the people of the world have this inheritance? No. When bad things happen to them, they are what they are bad things. But when bad things happen to the children of God, it does not end there. God can make those bad things work together for good. In other words, the devil may throw lemons at you, but God can take those lemons and make refreshing lemonade for you!
 
        For example, if you have been retrenched, believe that God, who makes all things work together for good, has a better job for you. Indeed, we have received testimonies from church members who have ended up with better jobs and higher salaries after they were retrenched.

         It is important you remember that God is not behind anything bad or ugly. But when those things happen, know that He can make all things work together for good. 
        And don’t let anyone tell you that all things will work together for good only if you love God and are called according to His purpose. These two things are not conditions but descriptions of believers. 

      Believers are those who love God because they know that God first loved them. 

            (1 John 4:19) And they are called according to His purpose for they have been born again and belong to Him.

       My friend, because you have been born again, all things in your life will work together for good. This is your inheritance as a beloved child of God!

  Romans 8:28
                 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 



Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

When You See God’s Grace, He Sees Your Faith

             If you want God’s promises to be sure in your life, you cannot depend on yourself. If you depend on yourself your obedience, goodness, service and even faith you will not be able to receive God’s promises. But when you depend on God’s grace His unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor toward you that is when His promises become sure in your life.

      This was true of the woman with the issue of blood. (Matthew 9:20–22) She didn’t go around saying, “I must have faith…I hope that I have enough faith…I will have faith…I will not lose faith.” No, she was only conscious of the grace of Jesus how He always healed the sick, how powerful He was in raising the dead and how willing He was to use that power for her healing.

        She just saw His grace abounding toward her, so much so that she said, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” And when she came behind Jesus and touched the very hem of His garment, she was healed. At that same moment, Jesus stopped, turned around and said to her, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.”

         When the woman saw His grace, God saw her faith! And so it was by grace, through faith, that God’s promise became sure in her life.

          God wants you to see His grace. And when you see His grace, He sees your faith. God says, “For by grace are you saved through faith.” The Greek word for “saved”, sozo, doesn’t just mean to save from hell, but also to heal, preserve and make whole. So it is by grace that you are made whole, kept healthy, preserved and blessed. It is by grace through faith that God’s promises become sure in your life.

       So don’t worry if you feel that you lack faith. Begin to see God’s grace in your situation and He will see that as faith. And because He sees your faith, you will receive the breakthrough you need!                  

     Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 
Many a time, people ask me, “Pastor Prince, I know that God’s promises are true, but how can I be sure that His promises will come true in my life?”

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

CREATION CAN’T BUT REDEMPTION CAN!


When Adam sinned and fell, everything about creation fell. Yet, people today are still putting their trust in creation. For example, they try to become healthy by eating what is called the “Eden diet” vegetables and no meat. They are acting as if creation did not fall.

They also forget that there are people who eat well and exercise regularly, and still drop dead in the prime of their lives!

Thank God that what creation cannot do, redemption can and did. Jesus demonstrated this when He spat on the ground, made clay with the saliva and put it on a blind man’s eyes. (John 9:6–7) Now, it is certainly unusual to put clay on a blind man’s eyes because he would become doubly blind!

So why did Jesus do that?

He was demonstrating to us that all our body parts come from the ground and that because creation is fallen, the work of creation cannot open a blind man’s eyes. But the work of redemption can!

That is why He sent the blind man to the pool of Siloam. The word “Siloam” means “Sent”, referring to the sent one, Jesus. When the blind man washed his eyes in the pool of the sent one, he received supernatural healing for his eyes.


So when we go to Jesus, the sent one who came to redeem us with the price of His blood, and we rest in His finished work, we will receive the miracle we need. If we believe that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5), we will have greater health than those who trust in creation.

Jesus was sent to redeem us from every curse that came upon creation with the fall of Adam. (Galatians 3:13) He has redeemed us from sickness, pain, sorrow, depression, poverty and even death. The world may know Him as the Creator. But today, we know Him as our Redeemer. Where the work of creation cannot save us, His work of redemption can and has!

John 9:7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.



Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

GODS SUPERBOUND GRACE FOR YOU

                       
              If you were in the same synagogue as the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:6 11,  how would you see him and what do you think you would say to him?

           Jesus was preaching in that synagogue when He saw the man with the withered hand. But He also saw superabounding grace around that hand for healing and wholeness. He sees differently from us. 

          He sees the invisible. He sees that the kingdom of God is here, ever-present in any situation, with superabundant supply. We see only the visible, which is tangible, temporal and which seems so real to us.

        But Jesus saw superabounding grace on that withered hand for healing because you do not tell a man with a withered hand, “Stretch out your hand,” unless you see the supply, the superabundance for wholeness for that hand. 

      Jesus called forth the superabounding grace to envelop that man’s withered hand, and the hand was made whole.

             It is possible for someone who is sick to have superabounding grace on him and yet that superabundance of grace does not heal his body. That is because he keeps acknowledging the lack or the problem he sees. He is more concerned with that which is visible and temporal.

         Instead of calling forth, and acknowledging and confessing the superabundance of God’s grace, he confesses his negative circumstance all the time. So even though the superabounding grace is there, it is there in vain. Isn’t that sad?

         Jesus called forth life, and life sprang into visibility. We must call forth what we want to see. Say, “Father, I thank You that right now, though my health is under attack, there is superabounding grace available for my healing and health. I call it forth and receive it now in Jesus’ name. Amen!”

         So don’t be conscious of what you see lacking or missing. Be conscious of God’s superabounding grace for you and avail yourself of it!

    2 Corinthians 9:8
                                                           And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Jesus’ Authority Has Been Given To Us

       
            When God created man, He gave man authority to have dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when man sinned, he gave this authority to Satan. And when man’s authority was transferred to Satan, Satan brought in diseases, poverty, strife, bitterness, pain, loss and death. He messed up everything on earth for man. 


       “Some people say, why didn’t God just grab the devil by the neck and throw him out of the garden?”

           God did not do that because He is a judicial God. It was a man who gave away his authority to Satan. So it had to be a man who would legally take it back. And God has done this through a Man. His name is Jesus!

         By His death on the cross, Jesus righteously restored all that man had lost. That is why, just before He went back to heaven, He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…”

       Those words tell us that He has transferred His authority to us. The same authority that He had over the storm, evil spirits, sicknesses, diseases and even death is now ours to use.

         So when there are reports of a flu epidemic and of young children falling sick in the media, know that you have dominion over the epidemic. Declare, “By the authority given to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, this flu virus will not come near my children. I plead the blood of Jesus over them.”

         If you have been told that your family has a history of heart disease, take dominion and declare, “By the authority given to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I destroy every form, manifestation and hereditary cause of this disease. By His blood, my family has been redeemed from this and every other curse.”

         The authority which has been restored to us is not just the authority on earth which man had before the fall, but Jesus’ unquestionable and complete authority in heaven and on earth!

    Matthew 28:18–19
                                         And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore…

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Jesus Goes Before You

                       
            Have you ever seen a farmer trying to drive a bunch of geese from one location to another? He goes behind the geese, doesn’t he? Compare this to a shepherd who leads his sheep. He goes before them and the sheep simply follow him.

      Jesus is our shepherd and we are His sheep. He does not drive us, but He leads us. Legalistic people drive others. Jesus leads. He goes in front of us. He is not like the sergeant who says, “Men, cross this river. I’ll cover you from behind,” because he suspects that the river is infested with crocodiles. Jesus is not that kind of leader. He goes in front of us.

     In the Old Testament, Jesus led the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Do you know how Jesus appeared back then? He appeared in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Where was that pillar? It was in front of them. In fact, the pillar of cloud shaded them from the hot desert sun so that they were kept cool during the day. At night, when the desert got very cold, Jesus, the pillar of fire, gave them light as well as warmth. Whether He was the pillar of cloud or fire, He went in front of them.

       As long as they followed Him, the Israelites did not have to worry about anything. Jesus took care of all their needs. He gave them water when they were thirsty, and bread and meat when they were hungry. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. They were kept in good health throughout the 40 years of their wandering in the wilderness.

        Jesus your shepherd wants you to just follow Him. As long as you allow Him to lead you, all your needs will be taken care of. He is your provision, healer, counselor, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification...He is everything you need Him to be!

    John 10:4      And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him...

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

LET GOD LOVE YOU

       "You have to love God more! You must have more passion for God!” You have probably heard this type of preaching and may have even tried your best to love God, only to fail miserably.

      But what is the true definition of love? Let the Bible define it for us: “…this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us…” Yes, it is not about our love for Him, but His love for us!

      “The Bible says that you must love God with all your heart, soul and strength!”
Yes, that is true according to the law (Deuteronomy 6:5), and even Jesus taught that as the great commandment when He walked on earth. (Matthew 22:37) But that was before He died on the cross. 

       At the cross, He became the very fulfillment of this law for us when He loved us with all His heart, soul and strength, by laying down His body and life on the cross for us.

        Today, we are no longer under the law but under grace. And grace tells us that God loves us, not that we love God. Yet, we will love Him when we see how much He loves us. 
        The Bible says that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! (Romans 5:8) That’s how much He loves us!

          God has seen you trying your best to love Him. And because He loves you, He wants you to sit down and be still, and let Him love you instead. He wants to love you with all that He is and all that He has. 
 
         He loves you unconditionally regardless of who you are or what you have done because His love is not dependent on you but on Himself. He will never stop loving you.
So let God love you today. Don’t worry about loving Him. The more of His love you receive, the more you will fall in love with Him!

    
   1 John 4:10
                                            In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

JESUS’ PRIESTHOOD NEVER CURSES
              
              When Jesus died and rose again, He became our High Priest. But notice that Jesus’ priesthood is “according to the order of Melchizedek”. 

         Why the Melchizedek priesthood?
The Melchizedek priesthood gives to man (whereas the Aaronic priesthood takes from man). 

             We see this when Melchizedek gave bread and wine to refresh a tired Abraham after his battle with the enemy kings. (Genesis 14:14–20) 

       So if Jesus’ priesthood is according to the Melchizedek order, then it is one in which we can come boldly into His presence to receive from Him! (Hebrews 4:16)

             Moreover, the first word from Melchizedek’s mouth was “Blessed”—“Blessed be Abram…” (Genesis 14:19) The Melchizedek order is just that—blessings. In other words, Jesus’ priesthood is one which blesses and never curses us!

        So are we conscious of Jesus our High Priest giving to us every day? Are we alert to all His blessings coming from heaven toward us on earth?

            Now, it is easy for us to believe God for His blessings in creation. For example, we have no difficulty believing that the sun will rise every morning. But while we have no problems believing the work of creation, we have problems believing the work of redemption. 

             We sometimes find it hard to believe God for healing, provision, favor, protection or restoration blessings that Jesus died to give us. 

         We don’t really believe that every day, the Lord will take care of us, keep our bodies healthy and provide for all our needs.

      Yet, creation is fallen. It can be a blessing as well as a curse. Sometimes, a storm arises, and powerful winds and rains destroy thousands of homes and lives. Sometimes, dark clouds hide the sun and make the whole day gloomy.
       
          
          we can’t put our trust in creation, but we can certainly put our trust in redemption. And unlike creation, the blessings of redemption are all good! The work of Jesus is not subject to the weather or anything else. The work of redemption is as sure as Jesus Himself. He died and rose again to be our High Priest who daily showers us with blessings!

     Hebrews 5:9–10
                                          And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Let Your Heart Be Established By Grace

                       
            God does not want your heart full of worries and fears, tossed and turned by every challenge that comes your way. He wants your heart at rest and established by His grace toward you.

   And when you think that the breakthroughs to your challenges depend on your ability to obey God, then your heart will not be at rest. It will be full of worries and anxieties. Why? Because you can never obey God perfectly.

       And when you depend on God’s grace, that is, His undeserved, unmerited favor, the opposite happens—your heart becomes established. When you know that the only thing that qualifies you to receive God’s blessings is faith in the finished work of Christ, your heart becomes established. Then, you will walk without the fear of your troubles swallowing you up. You will walk with full assurance that His blessings will be manifested in your life.

       God wants your heart established, knowing that His righteousness, healing, protection and provision are yours—all paid for by Jesus’ finished work at the cross. God’s blessings are sure in your life because they are not dependent on your ability to keep His laws, but Jesus’ perfect obedience.

     So, under the old covenant, you receive God’s blessings only if you keep all His laws. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2) If you sin and fail to keep even one law, you will be disqualified from receiving His blessings. But today, under the new covenant, your sins no longer disqualify you because God Himself has said, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)

         So let your heart be established by God’s grace. Because of His grace, you have full access to His blessings. You no longer have to worry about whether you are good enough. You can stand firm on the promises made in His Word and enjoy His blessings today because Jesus has paid the price. Your part is only to believe and receive!

    Hebrews 13:9  it is good that the heart be established by grace… 

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

HEIR OF THE WORLD TODAY

                       
            God promised Abraham that he would be the heir of the world. Now, don’t be too quick to say, “Well, that promise was made only to Abraham and not me.” The verse says, “For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” 

         So the promise was not just made to Abraham, but to “his seed” as well, that is, you and I who belong to Christ—“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29)
   
         Notice that God did not say that you would be the heir of the country you are living in, but heir of the world! The Greek word for “world” here is kosmos, which means the universe as well as the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, advantages and pleasures. All these are yours to inherit through the righteousness of faith in Jesus and His finished work at the cross. This righteousness is given to you as a gift from God, so you don’t have to earn it through good works.

         For God to fulfill His promise, He has to prosper you. You can’t be the heir of the world and be in lack or in debt! Not only that, He must keep you healthy because you can’t inherit the world when you are sick and always flat on your back.

         So Don’t listen to people who tell you that you will only get to enjoy these blessings when you get to heaven one fine day. Why would you need riches in heaven? There, even the streets are made of pure gold. (Revelation 21:21) And why would you need healing in heaven? There is no sickness there. So you need the health and provision in the here and now!

     God wants you to be the heir of the world today. So lay hold of your rich inheritance today. Jesus paid for it with His blood. Don’t push it all to the sweet by and by!

    Romans 4:13
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Getting Filled With All The Fullness Of God

                       
            We would all like to experience more health, abundance and success in our lives. God, being God, has all of these things, won’t you agree? So to be full of God is to be full of health, abundance and success. But how does one become full of God?

           When God made you, He designed you to run at optimal level when you are filled with His love, like a car that runs at its best when it is filled with the right kind of petrol or gasoline. When you realize how much God loves you and you feed on His love for you, you will be supernaturally filled with the fullness of God.

     And to be full of God is to be full of everything God is to you and has for you. To be full of God is to come to a place of life, health, peace, abundance total wellness.

        Also, when you are conscious of how much God loves you and you become filled with the fullness of God, what follows is the next verse—God doing exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think, according to the power that works in you. (Ephesians 3:20) You will experience the tremendous blessings of God exploding in your life! You will become a blessing magnet!

       So as God’s beloved, continue to be nourished by His love for you, and experience more health, abundance and success in your life!

    Ephesians 3:19
19to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 
Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

Let Your Heart Be Established By Grace

                       
            God does not want your heart full of worries and fears, tossed and turned by every challenge that comes your way. He wants your heart at rest and established by His grace toward you.

   And when you think that the breakthroughs to your challenges depend on your ability to obey God, then your heart will not be at rest. It will be full of worries and anxieties. Why? Because you can never obey God perfectly.

       And when you depend on God’s grace, that is, His undeserved, unmerited favor, the opposite happens—your heart becomes established. When you know that the only thing that qualifies you to receive God’s blessings is faith in the finished work of Christ, your heart becomes established. Then, you will walk without the fear of your troubles swallowing you up. You will walk with full assurance that His blessings will be manifested in your life.

       God wants your heart established, knowing that His righteousness, healing, protection and provision are yours—all paid for by Jesus’ finished work at the cross. God’s blessings are sure in your life because they are not dependent on your ability to keep His laws, but Jesus’ perfect obedience.

     So, under the old covenant, you receive God’s blessings only if you keep all His laws. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2) If you sin and fail to keep even one law, you will be disqualified from receiving His blessings. But today, under the new covenant, your sins no longer disqualify you because God Himself has said, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)

         So let your heart be established by God’s grace. Because of His grace, you have full access to His blessings. You no longer have to worry about whether you are good enough. You can stand firm on the promises made in His Word and enjoy His blessings today because Jesus has paid the price. Your part is only to believe and receive!

    Hebrews 13:9        it is good that the heart be established  by grace.


Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge

GOD IS YOUR ABBA, FATHER

                       
         Have you ever realized that God was never known as “Father” until Jesus came to earth and revealed Him as such? In His prayer to His Father, Jesus said, “And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26) What name was Jesus referring to? It was the name “Father”. If there was anything close to Jesus’ heart, it was to introduce God as “Father” to us.

            In the Bible, Jesus said, “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

 (Matthew 6:31–32) Once, He said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

          (Matthew 7:11) Jesus wants you to always have this image of God in your mind—that He is your Abba, Father. Why? Because He wants you to know that there is nothing more important or too insignificant for the Father when it comes to His children.


           Imagine a father playing with his five-year-old son, when he notices a splinter embedded in his little boy’s thumb. The concerned father asks, “When did you get this?”

“A few days ago,” the boy answers.
“Why didn’t you tell Daddy about it?”
“I thought you were too busy and that I shouldn’t bother you.”

        If you were that father, wouldn’t it break your heart to hear your child say this to you?

          A splinter in one’s thumb may be a small thing, but there is nothing too small when it concerns your child because if it affects him, it affects you too. Now, no matter how old you are today, you are still God’s child, so don’t think that your problem is too small for God. If it is important to you, it is important to your Father too. Beloved, always remember that He is your Abba, Father!

    Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

Matthew 18:3-4
And God said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    2018 Mrs. P's Haven of Refuge