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!
