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MAKE NOT MY FATHERS HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE
God V. GodsAristotle referred to happiness as the most we can achieve. Demons and gods were interchangeable in the time of Homer .....
~ Profiteering by Catholics and Evangelicals has reached
unbelievable depths...Jesus, once again, must throw the
modern-day money changers from the Temple!
MAKE NOT MY FATHERS HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE!
(John 2:16b)
By Doug Krieger
MERCHANDISING THE WORD OF GOD JUST GOT WORSE!
Just when you thought that the depths of evangelical ministries
and churches seeking after filthy lucre and the mammon of
unrighteousness could not get any more ostentatiouswere hit
with the recent LA Times articles on the financial excesses of
the Trinity Broadcasting Networkthe worlds largest evangelical
programming network!
Nothing like having the world hang out your dirty underwear
for all to see and scorn. WHY IS IT THAT THE WORLD MUST SIT AS
JUDGE AND JURY TO PRONOUNCE OUR INTENTIONS ARE WRETCHEDLY
DEFILED BY THE GOD OF MAMMON? The Bible declares: For the time
has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it
begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not
obey the gospel of God? (I Peter 4:17)
JOHN REVEALS WHAT GOD IS AFTER TODAY!
Now, you thought that Jesus tossed out the money changers from
the Temple in Jerusalem just prior to His crucifixionand,
actually, youre right. Shortly after His Triumphal Entry into
Jerusalem (Matthew 21), He entered the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13)
and declared while overturning the tables of the money changers,
that they had made it a den of thieves. Then, he visited
Bethany (Matthew 21:17); gave parables and the Olivet
Discourse (Matthew 21:28-25:46); and then the Passover and the
ultimate crucifixionall within a matter of days (Matthew
26:1-27:56)!
So, how is it that in Johns Gospel (at the very beginning of
His three-plus-years ministry), immediately following the
account of His first miracle at the Wedding of Cana of
Galilee, John records: He had made a whip of cords, He drove
them all out of the temple . . . poured out the changers money
and overturned the tables . . . and He said to those who sold
doves, Take these things away! Do not make My Fathers house a
house of merchandise! (John 2:15-16)? Note: This appears out
of chronological order by some three years! But some
commentators allege that Jesus literally accomplished this fete
TWICEat the beginning and at the end of His ministrymaking the
issue all the more significant!
Johns accounting is, however, spiritually-designed to
convey to us Christ as our Life:
And truly Jesus did many other signs (i.e., miracles) in the
presence of His disciples which are not written in this book;
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in
His name.
John presents Christ as the Son of GodOUR LIFE! As our Life, He
pours Himself as the NEW WINE into empty human vessels. He is
our true enjoymentthe One Who fills us; Who changes the water
into wine (the transforming power of His Life) to create,
through His Divine Life, His Ultimate Intention THE BRIDE OF
CHRIST! In Johns first miraculous accounting, performed by the
Son of God, He immediately sets forth why He has come to the
earth as our Lifethe setting is altogether too clear: His Life
will bring forth the Bride of ChristHe is our BridegroomHe
is looking for a Bridewe are that Bride!
BUTJohn immediately brings us to the Temple and the money
changers? Why? Because, although He is desirous for a Bride,
there is a huge problemthe Temple of God (which, again, is a
type of Gods Ultimate Intention and/or a picture of His
Habitation (II Corinthians 6:16)) is abused and has become a
den of thieves IT MUST BE PURGED! For the Son of God, Who
has revealed in Johns Gospel His desire for a Bridemust
cleanse His Temple and make it a house of prayer for all
peoples.
FALSE PROPHETS MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU!
The unsuspecting members of the Jewish Diaspora scattered
throughout the Roman World came to Jerusalem to offer their
sacrifice. They entered the Temple of Jesus time and were
provided a much-needed service in the conversion of their
foreign currency into shekels, in order to purchase their
particular sacrifice (be it a dove, etc.).
Eventually, however, these services evolved into nothing more
than ripping off the people of Goda den of thieves. The
Apostle Peter speaks of these very same thieves in the Church
who afflicted the Church; to wit:
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily
(privately or secretly) shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their
pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be
evil spoken. And through covetousness shall they with feigned
words (Lit., well-turned words i.e., spin) MAKE
MERCHANDISE OF YOU; whose judgment now of a long time lingereth
not, and their damnation slumbereth not (II Peter 2:1-3)
(Emphasis, DWK).
Indeed, how clever are these modern-day Church thieves? In
essence these evangelical money changers, with their
pernicious ways and their modern-day spin of seductive,
well-turned wordsprey as much upon those who have come to offer
their sacrifices within the Temple of God as the thieves of
yesteryear who were driven out of the Temple, had their tables
upturned, and their money bags EMPTIED by the Son of God! MAKE
NOT MY FATHERS HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE!
Please review our chapter in UNSEALING THE END OF DAYS entitled:
Chapter 10, Part 2, Take These Things Away! Do Not Make My
Fathers House a House of Merchandise! (John 2:16).
MAKING MERCHANDISE OF GODS PEOPLE THE CROUCHES
On September 19, 2004 a series of articles appeared in the Los
Angeles Times entitled THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL with a byline:
Pastors Empire Built on Acts of Faith, and Cash . . . The top
Christian broadcasters steady plea for money funds growthand a
life of luxury for Paul Crouch and his wife, by William Lobdell,
Times Staff Writeralso, Times staff writer Scott Martelle
assisted in the Times piece. The Times articles also exposed an
illicit affair allegedly committed by Crouch and the hush money
that went with the cover-up!
Nearly 18 months have passed since I wrote a series of articles
decrying the extravagant methodologies by todays evangelical
charlatans and entrepreneurs who continue to both harass and
fleece the people of Godit is relentless and unabated; frankly,
without precedence since the days of selling Papal Indulgences
by Johann Tetzel, who sold the Grace of God to multitudes of the
faithful in order to build St. Peters Basilica and the splendors
of Vatican City.
What is it about these den of thieves that demand such
ostentatious settings for their views below of the vulnerable
they bilk? The extravagance of the Evangelical Empire of the
Crouches literally, and this is hard to fathom, that of the
Vaticans!
Yes, this makes for some interesting comparisons. According to
the LA Times article, TBNs latest 2002 balance sheet lists
their net assets at $583 million, including $238 million in
Treasury bonds and other government securities and a mere $31
million in cashalong with 400 employees.
Now, the Vatican stats are exceedingly skewed due to their
priceless art treasures which are incalculable; however, a
TIDINGS ON LINE article by John Thavis, the Rome bureau chief
for Catholic News Service on July 16, 2004 wrote an article
entitled: Amid diocesan financial crises, Vatican has own
problemsto wit:
The Vaticans net worth is difficult to gauge, but has been
estimated at close to $1 billion.
Trinity Christian Center International, located in Costa Mesa,
Orange County, California, with its elaborate sets, and adjacent
gated development in which Trinity Broadcasting Network owns 11
homes, along with residences in Texas, Tennessee and Ohioalong
with extravagant homes owned by the Crouches in nearby Newport
Beach (adjacent photo recently on the market for $8 million),
demonstrates, according to the Gospel of Prosperity Gods
blessing upon TBNs ministry.
St. Peters Basilica took nearly 100 years to complete (1626
AD); meanwhile the Vatican Papal Residence (i.e., The Apostolic
Palace) and gardens, along with scores of similar residences,
dwarfs anything the Crouches could envisionbut, given time, who
knows what will suffice them
PLEADING OR PREYING UPON THE PEOPLE OF GOD
The LA Times article revealed an amazing amalgamation of
unprecedented wealth heaped up by the Crouchesthe likes of
which staggers the imagination of, I am sure, even one Donald
Trump. No, its not akin to a Bill Gatesbut given time, look
out!
Paul Crouch peers into the camera and proclaims the need for $8
million in order to spread the Good News throughout the Indian
subcontinent. Viewers were/are encouraged to give $1,000 each as
a pledgeeven if they dont have it to givebut to take a step
of faith* and make the pledge for the Lord would repay them
many times over! (*Note: Quote marks are derived from the LA
Times series.)
The outrageous appeal for such funds for the spread of the
Gospel in India upon some 8,700 television stations was not a
matter of additional funding needs because: TBN was not short
on cash. In fact, it could have paid for the India expansion out
of the interest on its investment portfolio. But at TBN, the
appeals for money never stopnor does the flow of contributions.
Did somebody say success? Well, if you think success can be
compared to the likes of Ted Turner, listen to how the world
compares such success
Much as Ted Turner did for TV news, the Crouches have created a
global infrastructure for religious broadcasting. But that is
just one element in their success. Another is a doctrine called
the prosperity gospel, which promises worshipers that God will
shower them with material blessings if they sacrifice to spread
His Word.
But success has its downside:
The network, little known outside fundamentalist Christian
circles, was buffeted by unwanted publicity last week, when The
Times reported that Crouch had paid a former employee $425,000
to keep silent about an alleged homosexual tryst.
WHEN YOU GIVE TO GOD . . . YOURE SIMPLY LOANING TO THE LORD
AND HE GIVES IT RIGHT ON BACK!
TBN has no advertisingyet it generates more than $170 million a
year in revenuesits viewers contribute two-thirds of that
money! Do you want to know what youre paying for? Take a gander:
Paul, 70, collects a $403,700 salary as TBNs chairman and
president; Jan, 67, is paid $361,000 as vice president and
director of programming. Those are the highest salaries paid by
any of the 12 major religious nonprofits whose finances are
tracked by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
please view rest of article @: www.the-tribulation-network.com)
About the author:
Doug is a team member of the lastdaysnetwork.com . . . an end
times' prophetic ministry to the Church. His articles appear on
numerous evangelical and even "secular" web sites on topics
regarding Religion and Politics. His URL is
www.the-tribulation-network.com
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