Punished by God for Disobedience
Why God Punished Me
Some say God no longer punishes. I experienced first hand the truth.
In 1996, I owned three businesses in Philadelphia. My cash flow was almost a million dollars for all three. I had almost two dozen employees. One day, the Holy Spirit said He wanted me to go downtown and stand on the concrete blocks (Where the self-titled black Jews preached!) and deliver all the dreams of the destruction of America He had shown me. I refused.
After seven days, I came down with poison ivy. It covered me. It lasted for four months during the humid Philly summer. It was painful. I could barely sleep. Every time I opened the Bible, it opened to Jonah and the whale. Jonah, Jonah, Jonah. I used other people's Bibles (mine must be "stuck" there), I used new Bibles at Border's. I used a Torah- Still opened to Jonah!
Every time I opened there, I read the full book. In the Jewish version, the whale is named- "Sheol".
Finally, I decided to use a book which would certainly not have Jonah. I opened a copy of the Farmer's Almanac in the CVS. It opened right up to a full page dedicated to poison ivy. Poison ivy is a chemical reaction, the article explained. The oil from the plant is called "urushiol". Uru- Sheol.
Nevertheless, one of my partners began stealing. The other joined him and they attempted to frame me for it. Eventually, I lost two of the businesses without a cent in compensation.
God even told me, “I will send you out of this city. You will arrive in California with nothing and without a penny.” I believed it. So, I paid off my student loans with the money I had. I asked to remain for another year after the December, 1998 betrayal in the business. I didn’t want anyone to say I ran scared.
In December, 1999, I left Philadelphia and went to visit California. My car engine froze just over the peak of the Altamont Pass in California. I paid my very last $500 for a tow to Modesto. I did not return to Philadelphia.
Only in 2006 did the Holy Spirit tell me, “Before, I punished you. Now, I will bless you again.” About a week later, I was engaged to my wife. She is a blessing and I feel blessed every day!
