ISBN: 9781483511276

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to every saint as well as sinner around the world. I dedicate this book to my loving wife “Lady” Kesha E. Best and children; Brennan Gross, Devon Best, Onyx Best, Elijah Best and Zion Best. You patiently pushed me even when your desire for quality and family time was being overtaken by another one of my Kingdom assignments. I love you dearly and thanks for all your patience’s! I also dedicate these writings to the Women who prayed me through for many of years. She’s been one of my “Greatest” supporters in every thing that I’ve done. I truly don’t think that I would be half the Man that I am without her encouragement, phone calls and criticism; my Mother “Elder” Agatha Best! Love you mama! You truly birthed a lot into me! Finally with tears in my eyes; to the one Man who spoke over my life from an adolescent stage that formed me into my present. I really miss you “Pops!” To the late Pastor & Prophet Robert M. Best Sr.; a “True Mouthpiece of God!” There’s not a year that goes by that I don’t run into someone; somewhere who still to this day is reaping the manifestations of Prophecy spoken from your MOUTH! If I had any regrets of my past; it would only be that I wasted precious time; and you never got to see your son become everything that God used you to speak over my life. It’s because of the Christ that dwelled in you; that I’m able to achieve great things in the KINGDOM to this day! “I will always Love and Miss you “Pops!” Rest well until that great day that were all caught up to meet our Savior!”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

SOMEONE CHANGED THE SERMON!

NO ORDER; BUT CHURCH IS IN SESSION!

HAS THE CHURCH BECOME A CLUB?

“HELL” IN THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT

JEALOUSY AT ITS FINEST

I’M FED UP; AND ABOUT TO QUIT!

THE PUPPET MASTERS

THE BOLDNESS OF HOMOSEXUALITY

FREE AGENT CHURCH FOLK

LOVABLE LEECHES WASTING YOUR TIME

THE LAZY DOCTRINE OF PROSPERITY

RECOVERY OF THE CHURCH

FOREWORD

IT HAS BEEN SPECULATED THAT THE CHURCH NO LONGER HAS ITS POWER. MANY HAVE LOST FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD DUE TO THE BADLY STAINED IMAGE OF THE CHURCH. IN ORDER TO GET TO THE REASON ON HOW THE CHURCH GOT THIS WAY? ALL OF US HAVE TO BE HONEST ENOUGH, TO SHARE THE BLAME FOR OUR PART IN THIS MATTER. RATHER DONE IGNORANTLY OR ARROGANTLY? THE CHURCH IS IN BAD CONDITION, AND WE AS SAINTS OF GOD ARE NOW OBLIGATED TO REPAIR THE BREACH.

IT’S TIME OUT FOR ANALYZING EVERYBODY ELSE’S HAND IN THIS MATTER, BUT WE MUST BEGAN TO LOOK DEEP WITHIN OUR OWN LIVES TO FIND OUT WHAT WE DID OR DIDN’T DO TO PREVENT SATAN FROM ENTERING OUR HOUSE OF WORSHIP? I’M PRAYING THAT EVERY PERSON WHO JOINS ME ON THIS JOURNEY WILL ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TEACH, HEAL, CONVICT, PROPHETICALLY LEAD, GUIDE, INSTRUCT AND CORRECT YOU WITH PROPER WISDOM ON HOW TO REBUILD THE PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH.

INTRODUCTION
BY ROBERT M.BEST JR.

I TRULY THANK GOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPROACH SUCH AN IMPORTANT MATTER AS THIS. WE’VE ALL BEEN IN CONVERSATION AT ONE POINT IN TIME DURING OUR DAY CONCERNING THE STATE OF THE CHURCH. MANY QUESTION ITS LEGITIMACY TO EVEN EXIST IN THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.

THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE ALL CONFRONT DAILY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF WITNESSING. IT’S VERY HARD TO DEFEND YOUR ESTABLISHMENT OF WORSHIP WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY CHURCHES THAT OPERATE OUT OF ORDER. WE ALL KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE JUDGE THE MESSY SIDE OF MINISTRY, BUT MOST PEOPLE APPLY IT TO EVERY CHURCH WORLDWIDE!

FROM CNN, TO NBC, WE’VE HAD OUR SHARE OF BAD PUBLICITY, AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WASN’T YOUR LEADER OR BRO OR SIS IN CHRIST WERE ALL INCLUDED WHEN IT COMES TO THE CARNAL MIND! WITH SO MANY PEOPLE NEEDING ANSWERS CONCERNING THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE DEVIL HAS STRICKEN THE CHARACTER OF THE CHURCH TO DISCREDIT ITS POWER TO CHANGE LIVES. THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS LEAD ME TO DEAL WITH A FEW SURFACED AS WELL AS HIDDEN ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE CONFRONTED OPENLY TO REGAIN THE VALIDITY AND STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!

Someone Changed the Sermon

The enemy has always attacked the commands of God since the beginning of time. God set limits and boundaries for man at the creation of Eden, and immediately Satan challenged his word. Gen 2:8-17 explains how God created a wonderful environment for Adam and called it Eden. It had everything Adam could ever need, but there was always that one thing he couldn’t touch-the tree of Knowledge of good and evil. Could it be that God intended for us to live as children, never having a care in the world, and not being able to commit sin, based upon humankind having no knowledge of good or evil since that had not been introduced to them as of yet?

It’s a fact that we were taught everything we know either by someone or something. No one came into this world pre-programed except Christ. The question is who or what has been programming you? Since the beginning, Satan has interfered with the communication of God and man. (Gen 3:4-5) First by using Eve- a gift given to Adam to help him, support him and comfort him; but she only ends up causing mankind to take a major fall. This is so ironic because there are so many things we want to possess whether it is people or material things, and though the original intent was to use what we possess to better our lives, we now find ourselves in a compromising position or at a crossroad. The bad thing is you can’t even remember how you got there. Satan uses that “thing” to get to the man/woman to break trust between God and man.

The enemy is cunning, tricky and very convincing. Gen 3:1-6 says he uses “the serpent who was more subtle than any beast of the field.” (Subtle: meaning delicate, sharp or nice.) Satan chooses something to get Eve’s attention, something that would captivate her long enough to first, seduce then secondly to convince her. Satan uses the same strategy to this day! He comes to us as the picture of perfection that you have been praying for yet, you find out later that you were duped by your own fleshly, lustful desires.

What if I were to say that it was in Eve all along to taste of the forbidden fruit, and Satan only played off of her inward desire, never forcing her to sin, but only tempting or encouraging her to do so. Know that in everything that we do a choice is prevented before a call to action. Can we say that no one can make you do what’s not already in you? Make no mistake about it! Eve was not tricked by the devil! Satan used his power of persuasion against her to manipulate the instructions passed down to her through Adam. The reason we can’t say that Eve was duped or tricked is because Gen 3:2-3 tells us “she told Satan/the serpent what trees they were able to eat from.” This leads me to believe that somewhere not written in the Bible, Adam gave Eve a tour of her new home, and told her the do’s and don’ts! Remember that Satan is always on the prowl for the weakest link. Peter 5:8 say’s “he roams this earth seeking prey or weak minded subjects in whom he may use, and then devour.” Now some thousands of years later he has the same attack with a slightly different strategy, and his target is the ultimate garden that we call the Church.

God has given us the gift of the church, a place where we can come together and pray. Heb. 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and all the more as you see the day approaching”. There are many who say I don’t need to belong to a church. Some have many reasons for not wanting to attend church. Most of the reasons I’ve heard are only weak excuses for not making any type of commitment, whether physically or financially to a church. I could say that some reasons are legitimate, but at the end of the day a person can find fault in many different establishments, but the only one they boycott for half their lives is the church.

Many have had bad experiences in restaurants, malls, clubs etc., and they go back the very next week. I think that I can say with confidence that some go back the very next day! The problem with most churches is that they are to programmed. This wouldn’t be such a problem if our programs actually included the anointing instead of professional entertainment. I just heard something in my Spirit say, “Don’t mistake the spirit of arrogance for the spirit of excellence!” We say that church should have a certain format but (Is 55:8) tells us “that his thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are his ways our ways.” But I say how can you format what some of us don’t even understand, and most of us could never figure out unless the Spirit revealed it to us. I love the study of the depths of God’s word, but remember all these studies and doctrines and some church rules come from a man. Theology is great, but what if the greatest theologians have been inspired by their own thoughts, and the “Holy Ghost” never had anything to do with some of these teachings? This was just a question to provoke you to think. (Remember the Pharisees and the Sadducees!) It seems as if we have many different events in our churches, but Matt 21:13 tells us “His house (God’s house, belonging to God) is to be called a house of prayer!” Question-- if the church is supposed to be God’s house why do we have large chairs for our leaders, and segregated places for praise? It’s as if we’ve crowned ourselves kings and queens, but God doesn’t even have an elegant or segregated place dedicated as His abode.

All the great edifices that have and are being built—I wonder, was God sought for the sanctuary layout, or was an unsaved philistine/architect allowed to draw up a spiritually illegal plan for God’s house to suit the accommodation of man and the needs of a controlling people instead of waiting on the instructions for the formatting of GOD house? (I know...that one hurt. I just repented too. I felt conviction!) Prov. 3:6 says “In all thy ways acknowledge him, (GOD) and he shall direct thy path.” This principle goes for your own personal decisions as well, but back to the matter at hand. Many churches build exclusive stages to hold choirs, preachers, musicians and even stage plays, but no ALTARS! I had to pause for a moment for this almost brought me to tears...What if Satan is attempting to do what he did in the public schools, and silently he’s removing PRAYER from the CHURCHES! You say NEVER, but how many churches have you been to that don’t have a place to kneel and pray? Have you been where they dance longer than they stay on the altar, or maybe prayer is always a corporate thing because nobody feels like or is capable of doing altar work anymore? I guess when God finally shows up he has to sit on the step or maybe watch the show being called His Move, and He is not even in it.

I’m going to probably lose a few preaching engagements behind this next statement, but its ok, because most of our problems have been due to engagements and not Spiritual assignments! So what has Satan done some thousands of years later? Eccl. 1:9 tell us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” It is my personal opinion that we, the body, have lost control as well as the real focus of the church. We have created a different environment based upon the opinion of the body. Understand that God gave instructions to Moses-- a chosen leader. In Ex. Chap. 40, God gives precise instructions all the way down to the last detail on setting up the very first church! Everyone couldn’t be involved in the construction or works of Moses’ assignment. The original format of the church had nothing to do with choirs, ushers, praise and worship teams, jumping, dancing or even preaching. The first church was simply a place where chosen leaders were able to commune and offer sacrifices to God on the behalf of God’s people. Then some decades later after the consistent sins and disappointment in mankind, Christ is now sent to be the ultimate sacrifice for the atonement of sins. This gave us all direct access, not to God, but to Christ. Matt. 27:51 says, “And, behold the veil of the temple was rent (torn) in twain (half) from top to bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” At the point of completion of the crucifixion of Christ, which no priest, previous prophet or any leader that God had chosen upon this earth could accomplish; God then shows his disappointment with the church/priest by ripping the veil thereby disconnecting communication between man and Himself. Christ states this clearly! In John 14:6 He says, “I (Jesus) am the way, and the truth, and the life; NO ONE comes to the Father, but through me.”

If we, the Church, are the bride and Christ is the Bridegroom (Matt 25:5); and numerous passages throughout the synoptic gospels refer to Christ, as being so, then why isn’t the focus of our churches on preparing for the great wedding with Christ? Most Sunday morning messages are written to inspire or encourage the body to believe in a God that is able to rescue them from having no money or taking care of their bills, or bringing about a (false) never ending peace to a relationship or a home they shouldn’t be a part of in the first place! In Matt. 21:12 Jesus cleans up the temple! Now, we have become the same church that He flipped over tables and beat the moneychangers out of in the beginning!

We can find many churches on many corners and just about all of them are classified under one of the churches spoken to in Rev. Chap. 2. Whether we condone the selling of cds, dvds, raffle tickets, pies, clothes, towels, suits, dresses, dinners, clicks, favorites, secret relationships, etc., -- if it’s in God’s house, we are all guilty as charged! The focus to restore God’s house is twisted. Many are screaming there’s no order in the house of God! This is a very true and accurate statement, but I also have an issue with this. I want to know whose order we are speaking of. It seems as if we’re in the era of “Church people looking important”. Some want the look of order meaning everyone in uniforms, robes, collars, clergy attire etc., but why put spiritual garments on saints if they are not even seeking deliverance! The problem with this type of order is that some churches aren’t using it to set “Godly order”, but it was only set up in some churches to establish governmental positions over the body. For some it’s all about money and looking important! If we really were to be honest, throughout our workweeks we are treated poorly. Some of us are underpaid or talked down to on a regular basis, while some of us can’t fit in anywhere. We try to find a place in society that will make us feel needed or appreciated, but to no avail. We find ourselves frustrated with the lack of attention received outside of church. I feel that the only place some of us can feel like ANYTHING is in the CHURCH BUILDING! I also feel that we are creating many senseless positions and titles just to accommodate people. These people are only in search of a platform that they can’t have anywhere else but the church.

We are now in a season of creating “mega monsters”. It all started based upon the lack of appreciation and the need to have purpose and feel needed outside of the church. Now, we as Leaders/Pastors prematurely and sympathetically are passing out titles and positions to those who have low self-esteem, anger issues, lust issues, money issues and major sinful issues. We’re thinking that this will help them, but it only causes them to self-destruct after embarrassing failure due to the lack of personal deliverance. In our trying to make the individual members feel like they are important, leaders’ decisions have now become major turn-offs to the world because the representation of Christianity is being handled by people who should have never touched a spiritual garment because God simply never touched them.

We really need to seek God on the proper way to approach the restoration process of the church If it’s even possible anymore! Many feel that we can ignore all the things that are going on around us by simply submerging ourselves in a “consistent reviving experience”. Take it from one of the most “Churching Pastor’s on the Eastern shore”; you can stay in church for 40 days consecutively, and after all that glory, there are still some people that have the same issues! We feel the more functions we have, the harder we dance, the louder we scream and the more revivals we run, that this will somehow show God how much we really love him. The problem is that in all our “Great Moves of God” that we claim to be having, where is the evidence that the “Holy Ghost” was truly there? Where’s the deliverance of the demonically oppressed, the healing of cancer in our saints, healing of AIDS in our saints, healing of heart disease in our saints, blind eyes opening, lame saints walking, dumb saints talking and the salvation from conviction of strong biblical Word being manifested? We are now teaching to reach up and get it without a fight! Name it and Claim It without responsibility! Praise or Tap-Tap your way through it without confronting deliverance! Leading a new generation of saints to believe that the more emotional they become, the more they will connect with a source of never ending blessings.

There’s a false type of churching going on these days and pastors are preaching with fear and reservation. Some are teaching saints from a strange bible; some won’t speak on certain sins because it could cause their perfect band to split up; or the choir could go from sounding great to sounding horrible, but I would rather have a pack of drunk dogs howling in a sanctified alley than to allow homosexuals, lesbians, liars and frauds to represent my GOD! God forbid that pastors upset trustees who can have them removed because they don’t like what was said in a sermon. I’m convinced that 80% of the body of Christ doesn’t even know who God is. They say to trust in God to heal, but they tell you to take your medicine as well. They teach that you must have faith and doubt at the same time! Either we’re going to trust God or we’re not! Mark 5:25-29 says there was a women who gave all her money to doctors until she had no more to give, and then when she was broke (spent all here money) she sought Jesus and received her healing. You may say why did God allow her to carry this affliction for so long? Is. 55:8 says, “God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are his ways our ways.” What if she had sought his power to heal earlier? I know that Christ had just come to his ministry of healing and deliverance for the theologians who have purchased this book just to critique it, but let’s not get it confused. There were qualified prophets in the Old Testament who worked many miracles before Jesus showed up on the scene! (Elijah, Elisha etc.) It’s just a question for I know this will raise many debates concerning the teaching of healing, but it’s a proven fact that some symptoms of what you’re going through weren’t there until someone pronounced that sickness upon you! Try saying this with me. “I don’t receive this report over my LIFE!”

There is a different type of church that is going on now. If you were to compare today’s church to say, church in the 1970’s-1980’s the move of God back then would be said to be the STRONGER. I only say this because there was evidence through testimony that God’s Power had truly manifested itself. I’m not saying that we don’t have any churches that are truly tapped into the true vein of heaven, but I will say that I believe that a lot of churches are having what I call “Safe Church”. This type of church is where the message doesn’t touch on the sins and problems of the congregation because of the need financial support or the servitude abilities of the members; or maybe even not stirring up certain spirits due to the lack of faith to be able to cast them out! So now instead of the original format for preaching, which was laid out for us through John the Baptist, and Christ himself, (Matt 3:2) preaching, “Repent ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”Say this with me “A messenger switched the message!”