Monday, July 1, 2013

How To Open The Floodgates of Heaven

Insight Into the Scriptures
Numbers was written by Moses, again. It was written around 1450-1410 B.C. The setting for Numbers is the wilderness of the Sinai region. The purpose of Numbers is to prepare the Israelites to enter the promise land.In verses 3:47-51 Moses speaks of redemption money and shekels. The average weight of a shekel was around 11.4 grams. Five shekels would have represented about half a year's wages.

Scripture Leviticus 26:11-17
"I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect."But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it."

Thought for the Day
This weekend I was finishing up Leviticus. God had just given Moses and the Israelites alot of rules and regulations, God does a great job of wrapping it up in chapter 26. This is a really interesting chapter that would be worth your time reading. God basically says, I know that I have laid down alot of rules, but, if you follow them I will be with you and walk among you, life will be good. But, on the flip to side of that, if you choose not to follow my rules, life is going to be tough. Not only will you have "Life" to deal with, you will have my anger. Not a good place to be. But, because I am a God of love and mercy, if you do mess up, just confess to me and I will remember my promises I made with your fore fathers.

As I finished I could not help to think, that has to apply today as well as back then. God lays out 2 pretty simple rules in chapter 26, no idols, and observe my Sabbaths.So how are you doing with these 2 simple rules? In this day and age idols are everywhere, anything that you put before God is a modern day idol. Your car, home, money, hobbies, relationships, Ipods, computers...... the list could go on and on! How about keeping a day for God, or are you running around 24/7 no rest, no time for God? We are told in chapter 26 if the Israelites followed these rules, God would provide for them, the floodgates of heaven would open up. Have your floodgates been flooding or trickling?

One point I would like to make, when ever we hear floodgates opening up, sometimes we think, MONEY, yea God is going to give me money. We have to learn to think beyond money, money is needed and very helpful, but money never means happiness. Your inner soul at peace, being there when God moves, relationships, family...... those are the true floodgates opening up. So, how are your floodgates?

Closing Prayer
My Heavenly Father,It is so hard Father to not be of the world nowadays. Please help me to focus on just You Father, please help me to not surrender to the enemies doubts and tugs on my heart that makes me wander. Father You are so loving, giving and kind, how can I deserve that? But I thank You for always being there for me and I pray that You will help me to stay focused on You, give Glory to You and Lord know that I love You very much.
In Your Name I pray,
Amen