CATEGORY:COMMENTARY ----------------------- By Mr. John Baptiste Inside Grenada correspondent Tuesday January 09,2007 (The following article represents the views of its writer and not necessarily that of Grenadian Connection). FELLOW GRENADIANS, visitors, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Peace, grace and mercy from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has given unto the faithful truth salvation and everlasting life. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the of the scornful. Psalms 1:1. Bllessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Ps. 40:4 Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, from the beginning it was always the Devil's plan to intercept, disrupt, and try to nullify every command; or instruction given by God to man. The "Yea hath God said." (Genesis 3:1) continues today; and men of great influence in the churches continue to accept Satan’s version of the Bible; and this is what we call ‘false doctrine.’ The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, and the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Is. 24:4-5. Our Lord Jesus Christ expressed his concern, as he looked down at the end of the age: Take heed that no man deceives you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Mt. 24: 4 -5). I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed.Ga.1: 6 & 8. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily 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 of. (2 Peter 2:1-2) (Pernicious means: harmful, destructive; or deadly.) Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus: To begin with; a dysfunctional Church is one in which the Holy Ghost is not in charge. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.Jh.14:16-17. Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13) Let us look back at the work done by the Holy Ghost with the early churches.If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, and with just a little understanding of the word of God, we will know that most of the churches today are dysfunctional. Mediocrity is a mild word to describe their performance. A dysfunctional church is one also that did not accept the truth of the gospel; and in most cases is powerless to help it's members, or others around it. And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 1 Co.2: 4. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.1Co. 4:19-20) Brothers and sisters, most dysfunctional churches have not accepted the gifts of the Holy Ghost, as in 1Co.12:1-11. Neither have they accepted the Allocation of Ministries; as given by the Holy Ghost in 1Co.12:28 or Eph. 4:1. The fruit of the Spirit is also a gift of the Holy Ghost, and it is only this Spirit; that the Holy Ghost is prepared to work along with. Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, it is impossible for a dysfunctional church, to fulfill Mark 16:15-18 if the Holy Ghost is not in charge: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mk.16:15-18.Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, I did not qualify or disqualify you; God and word, just did. It is sad to have to say this, but most of the leadership in the churches in Grenada today, are charlatans: the evidence speaks for itself; God and his word is your judge. The comparisons with the early churches, leaves much to be desired. The sick are not healed, those possessed with devils; are walking in and out of our churches, on Saturdays and Sundays and no deliverance is forthcoming. The Most effective portion of scripture used by most of these preachers is taken from Malachi. Ch.3: 8, 9, &10. (1) Will a man rob God? (2) Ye are cursed with a curse: (3) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse. And nothing is wrong with this command, if the tithes are falling into worthy hands. For Jesus himself said: The workman is worthy of his meat. For many pastors, the only place they will preach is behind their pulpit of their church. Repentance is the answer, to all of this; but unfortunately it will come to Grenada with a price, a painful judgment first, and afterwards the disposal of the garbage from the house of God. The shaking is a must because it is a case of the blind leading the blind.