Is God whipping or empowering believers?

Too busy to give thought to this question, I understand. But for those who enjoy thinking philosophically, I ask, is the God you serve whipping or empowering his church?

I have personally witnessed God's action and inaction on a personal and professional level in my own life. He has blessed me at the right time to receive something I may have not been ready for during times when I was being whipped. You see, I believe he whips and empowers. I know for some teachers and counselors they don't believe that God whips, but only empowers. If that is the case, then I pose these questions, "Why would there be a need for hell in his Bible, why would he take Job through struggles, kill many Israelites who were in route to the Promise Land, and deal with Adam and Eve in the way that he did?" People were getting whipped in the Bible whether they deserved it or not for purposes that we don't completely understand and it still happens to this day!

Sometimes the empowerment comes from the whipping. Let me repeat that, sometimes the empowerment comes from the whipping! Just like children who disobey their parents' wisdom and face punishment, so do we. The cost at times is very high from losing money to losing a life. Even with all the losses, some people never learn from their mistakes or "on purposes" if you know what I mean. They like to cover up the whipping with blame, false stories, hide, fake smiles and so on. But I know better, I see a whipped woman or man of God a mile away. You can say, "You are blessed and highly favored of the Lord" all you want, but when God whips people especially Christians we can all see it. When I got whipped God called me to write a book about it then turned it around for his glory, wonder what he will do with some of you hiding from his word?

I am amazed at the awesome blessings God gives people and how they are quick to raise their hand and say, "I did it!" What did they really do? A situation that seemed impossible suddenly comes through with a phone call or some cash and the nerve of some people to take credit for a situation that only hours maybe even days ago kept one up worried. "Please pray for me..." they say. Sad, how some have faith in God when nothing seems to be going their way then later have faith in self when everything is going their way.

I don't think God likes this attitude either because just as quick as one feels good about self, notice how he or she often comes down just as fast! God really does want to empower us, but are we ready? Do we pay attention to the writing on the wall? He uses people, places, and things to warn us of impending trouble but yet we argue about what we see, feel, hear, and read. "That's not God...God wouldn't do that...I don't believe God would...That's nothing but the devil..." The truth is the devil doesn't have the power to whip us if God isn't giving him the belt.

I think of those that I have talked to about health issues, money problems, relationship drama, and many other challenges that keep some up late at night and I hear the same thing, "I just want...I need for you to pray...why is God doing this..." Sometimes we can stop most whippings if we change our mindset. Rather, look at the wonderful things of God and act like it (Galatians Chapter 5 for starters.) Instead, many people focus on the negative reported on the following:  TV, radio, Internet, books, and lips who tear others down! It's like looking at a painting, you can either see the line and the dots in the middle of a white board and call the painting ugly, or you can see what looks like hills and raindrops and call it beautiful.

Your life is in the eye of the beholder -- in this case yourself and God. If an individual presents him or herself before God, the world and (of course) self, as nothing more than a gossip, a liar, a thief, a cheat, ugly, crazy, loud, or something else, then expect all the drama and whippings that go along with the negative perception.  Chances are some of you know someone like this and they aren't proud of who they are, that is why they are giving you so much grief! They spend an awful lot of time in everyone else's business. But if an individual presents him or her self, as a child of God, with a purpose, positive, productive, loving, and other positive qualities (irregardless of one's age, what he or she looks like, etc.) then that is what the world will see and so will God!


When you feel good about who you are in Christ, you are therefore empowered to go the distance, but when you find yourself weak and can't stand up against the enemy schemes then God doesn't have to whip you; instead you are whipping yourself.  Consider this, Jesus already took many beatings for you and me.  Don't beat yourself up about people, places and things!  Just do better the next time.  Pray, repent and keep it moving! 


The way you choose to see yourself (flaws and all) is up to you.  Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder and the God you serve sees himself in you! 

For those of you struggling with seeing the beauty in you, know that you must labor to love yourself.  I wrote "Laboring to Love Myself," a poetry book that reaffirms this point.

Sowing Seed Brings Original Blessings Not Ones that Are Already Expected!

 

Since the church spends about five to ten minutes talking about my money, I am going to spend about that much time writing about it! Okay, so I sowed some seed as the Lord led me to and that's when I heard this business come up about $500 again this time being explained away by the bishop as if that was going to smooth things over with the congregation the week before.

In case you didn't read my blog from last week about the $500, let me just briefly tell you what happened. There was a guest speaker who was supposed to speak for an hour at a church I visited who ended up going over so that he could ask the congregation (at least 50) people to give $500. Well some people got up and gave this guest speaker, not the shepherd of the church, but a guest speaker that much knowing that there were other projects that the church needed to complete. The next week the bishop used three people to say how God blessed them as a result of their giving. Now the bishop knew what we were thinking and said so, "They was going to get the money anyway..." of course he denounced that argument and said they didn't have to get it. Well these people who had received their blessings were due to get them anyway and their sowing $500 into a guest speaker's ministry had nothing to do with it! One woman was going to college and had received a scholarship that would last the duration of her attendance (she filled out her paperwork before the minister showed up), another received two checks due him (before the minister came to town), and the last woman well she had done some consulting work beforehand and had money due to her (mind you before the minister preached about sowing seed.) All these things were in the works BEFORE the guest speaker showed up asking people to sow seed for $500!

So the situation I just explained brings me to this point, "Do you think that sowing seed for things that God has already worked out in your favor should be attributed to a financial seed whether $500 or $5 after the fact?" Of course these people were unsure at the time of when they were going to get their blessings and probably wondered if they would, but they knew they had already put in for them before anyone asked them to sow any money. I guess the audience got excited because of the timing and assumed well it had to be the seed -- I disagree!

I can tell you from personal experience that the seed you sow is for the return you know nothing about! The surprise, the miracle, the "Oh my..." that is where the blessing is! The Bible will show you plenty of examples of the unexpected. From the manna from heaven to the five loaves of bread and two fish! If I had been sowing seed back then and knew about the blessings that were due to come I wouldn't be thanking a man for asking me to give, I would be thanking God. However, the unexpected blessings...those are the ones that I would have to thank the man for asking me to give, thank God for moving on my spirit to be obedient, and of course thank God himself.

Based on what I witnessed and what I am explaining to you, I can see why people are confused. When it comes to getting money from people, it's okay for ministers to twist the scripture a little, add things to it that have nothing to do with the circumstance, and on and on for the almighty dollar! I think more people should go to church especially those who are unsaved to challenge authority and start holding people accountable to the word that they preach.

I don't just attend church because I like being around believers, but I attend because I want to learn how to be a better person not just amongst church folk but every folk! Taking the word and trying to bend it and twist it when it is convenient for one's pockets or to save face is what I noticed amongst some Christians and we all know that is unacceptable in the eyes of God!