|
Posted: 01/21/2015 at 3:19pm
|
IP Logged
|
|
|
I have been hearing floodgates over and over and I asked the LORD what ..what...and this is ........well I will share
Daily Devotion
Open the Floodgates
By
Byron Bohnert
Guest Columnist
CBN.com
--Those of us who live in central Texas have the privilege of
being surrounded by several manmade lakes. These lakes are great places
for enjoying water sports, fishing, and other activities. However, there
is a different side we tend to forget about — flooding.
In 2002, Canyon Lake experienced this natural
occurrence in a big way. We had a tremendous amount of rain in July that
year, which caused the Guadalupe River that leads into the lake to be
flooded faster than normal. The rushing waters were too much for the
lake to hold all at once. As a result the engineers began to release
water through the lake's floodgates. To put the rainfall totals in
perspective, I had 40 inches of rain at my house in a week's time.
Also, in the Texas Hill Country (where I live), the
Guadalupe River runs nearby. One day after watching the unbelievable
events unfold on TV, I was deep in prayer when the Lord gave me a
picture of huge steel floodgates in my mind. Immediately, I knew that
the floodgates were in heaven. God spoke to my heart and reminded me of
how the lake's floodgates are forced to open when there is a lot of
rain. In the same manner, those gates are forced to open with continuous
rainfall; the floodgates of Heaven are forced to open with our
continuous prayers.
"The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]." James 5:15b AMP
Oftentimes diligence is required when you pray because
the Bible says God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Once
our prayers are heard, He stands ready in heaven to release forth His
power in our lives. Our requests are constantly being processed in His
mind over and over again.
Psalm 92:5-6 says, "You do great things, LORD. Your thoughts are too deep for an ignorant fool to know or understand."
He's always on time with His response to each petition made. However, He is not ruled by our human timetable.
Hannah was barren before being blessed with the birth
of her son Samuel. We are told that the Lord closed her womb without any
explanation from scripture. One thing we do know is that as a result of
being barren she was taunted profusely by Elkanah's other wife
Peninnah, who had several children of her own. This brought forth so
much anguish for Hannah it caused her to weep and not eat.
Think for a moment about what this woman went through.
Maybe like me, you can relate to feeling very desperate; as she did. You
haven't bothered anyone with your current adversity and yet there is
someone antagonizing you with their successes in life.
Why does God allow us to go through something like
that? Could it be He's allowed the barrenness and criticism of others to
bring you to your knees?
In Hannah's case she didn't just sit back and hope the
tide would turn in her favor. She did not remain downtrodden. No, she
brought her problem to the Lord with much weeping and prayer for a son
along with a special vow. Her plead with Him went a little like this: "O
Father God, don't You see what Your servant is struggling with? Please
in Your remembrance of me make my request for a son a reality in my
life. If You do, I'll give Him back to You as a servant in the house of
the Lord." The story doesn't end there because she became pregnant
shortly after crying out to God. Then, in due time, she bore a son named
Samuel, meaning heard of God (See 1 Samuel 1-2:11).
In the New Testament Jesus was teaching to a crowd and
His disciples. He taught them the principle on what would happen if they
asked, searched or knocked upon the Father's door. Listen to His words
and apply them to your life. If you do, He will open up the floodgates
of heaven to shower upon you the rain of His blessings.
“Ask and you will receive. Search and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will
receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened
for everyone who knocks. Would any of you give your hungry child a
stone, if the child asked for some bread? Would you give your child a
snake if the child asked for a fish? As bad as you are, you still know
how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is
even more ready to give good things to people who ask." Matthew 7:7-11
Can God change your life?
God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life.
Discover how you can find peace with God.
You can also send us your prayer requests
or chat online with the CBN Prayer Team
Edited by Rose Cowen on 01/21/2015 at 3:20pm
|
Topic: floodgates
