I haven't really sat down and watched TV for a good 2-3 years now, but when I did I remember show after show of corrupt televangelists just begging the viewer for money. I don't remember ever hearing any of them preach the Gospel (1 Cor 15 - The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus). I remember numerous times some of them would walk the viewer through a prayer, but no times of even remembering any of them actually teach about the crucifixion of our Lord or how that takes away sin.

 I was reading the Word today and came across this verse - Col 2:9, "For you remember brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God."

If anyone ever questioned Paul's motives for preaching the Gospel I bet he'd have a couple dozen hundred eye witnesses to tell them that Paul is completely down to earth - he worked to fund his own ministry, he was completely sincere in his preaching and worked so hard as a tent-maker just to prove that his preaching was without trying to reward himself with personal gain. Not so with today's modern TV-'preachers.' Yes, its okay for ministers to live off of the Gospel that they preach (which Paul said in another epistle that he had the right to do but freely gave up that right to make it even more clear that the Gospel was being preached in sincerity and that the power of it was being supplied by God), but they don't really preach the Gospel! Oh sure they may mention the cross in passing, but never had I in the past heard any of them expound upon and exposite the things of salvation and the death on the cross.

The most precious message that should be the cornerstone and foundation of every preacher's preaching - whereas every message that they preach touches on this all-important life-and-soul-saving message, is, very sadly, being neglected. They place in its place in importance the value of living an 'abundant' lifestyle filled with blessings. (Wasn't the cross a blessing?! our sins are taken away and we can turn to God!!!) Prosperity in the here and now takes the prominent place in their preaching in place of the cross, which is not only for here and now but eternity forevermore. Never had I heard any of the meat of the teaching of scripture being exposited. One prominent television 'preacher' never talks about hell. Jesus talks about hell extensively. Peter talks about it. Paul talks about it. But, this preacher, unlike those of the Bible, will not. Scripture says in Romans 1 that 'There is none good, there is none who seeks after God.' If these people are to be seeker-friendly and try not to offend anyone, why not be friendly to the only seeker - God? He seeks men. He leaves the 99 to find that 1 lost sheep. There is none that seek after God - who are they being friendly to? Why not preach the Gospel in its full and entirety and step on a few toes? Someone might just actually get saved.

 Last week I had someone who was collecting donations on the street wave to me to give. At that point, my bank account was overdrawn by 400 dollars or so and the 75 cents, which I was unaware I had, would have been the only thing I'd have (I quit my job to work on school). So, not knowing I had pocket change, I didn't bother to stop and donate (I didn't think I had anything to donate). So, the guy comes up to my window, and I roll it down, and he says with a cold, serious face, 'Give. I should call the police on you.' As if it was a crime not to give. They got angry with the Lord in Luke because Jesus pointed out that God's grace was extended to Naaman the Syrian and to the Sidonian widow through Elijah, who were gentiles, when there were other lepers and other widows. God gives grace if God saved everyone without holding them accountable to their sins, what debt would their be to show the ones forgiven of the sensation that they have been pardon of anything? Grace wouldn't be grace. I HAD to know that I was going to hell - that the punishment was so vast and my crimes so evil - before I saw the need for a Savior, and before I could thank God for His grace towards me - which has exceeding value to me now.

Yes, I discovered the 75 cents or so in my pocket and freely gave it, even though the guy said something so offensive. I asked him which church he was supporting to see if it was a cult. Then he told me that God will bless me for giving. I told him that my salvation comes by grace through faith, not of my works, and that God will bless me whether I give or not. He thought about it for a second, then he told me, 'I don't know who told you that, Jesus said that you'll be blessed if you give.' He then walked away. Why can't my salvation be enough? I'm so thankful that I'm saved! Yes, I'm thankful that God's grace is even to my material needs and that I have food, clothes, tuition, and a place to stay - but the greatest thing I've seen the grace of God do is to pay for my sins through His own crucifixion - He died in my place and took the wrath of God on my behalf, He washed me clean of my sins, making me righteous, and gave me new life! THAT is a blessing! If that 'prosperity' were to be preached, in the same venues as the ones these TV-preachers have right now, our world wouldn't be the same.