i'm overjoyed at recieving this review but i must admit i'm a little nervous in posting it here on SI because of the heat my "novel" draws, but then again if i've walked in this by faith thus far now is not the time to be withering under heat ... So i'm trusting in Jesus for His "fire-proofing" ...

As my grand-mom used to say, "God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform" ... As an American i would have never thought in a million years that THE CALLED's first magazine review would be done in the UK ... You can read it here;

SOTERIA MAGAZINE
http://www.soteriamag.co.uk/Reviews/Books/RRcalled.htm


For those who don't know what THE CALLED is, you can search thru the "novel" here;
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1597814644/103-1033858-9810200?v=glance&n=283155&_encoding=UTF8&v=glance

And read the first 3 chapters here at the beginning of this thread ...


As i've stated to a few of my detractors "if THE CALLED is truly of our Lord He will flourish it, if it's not then He wont" ... The success of the majority of self published works are pretty dismal, so as far as i'm concerned only God can make this grow ...

So far since 10/05 till present (4/4/06) 50 copies have been ordered;

USA - 34
UK - 8
CA - 1
GER - 4
FR - 3

If THE CALLED grows anywhere near my faith vision i will concider it a "miracle", anything past that i will concider a "mandate" ...

His will be done!

Bro R



[b]MY REBUTTAL LETTER TO SOTERIA'S REVIEW ...ReplyEdit this post[/b]


3/4/06


Dear bro. Rob,

i thank God for Soteria's review of THE CALLED, and look forward in great anticipation as to how He will apply Rom. 8:28 to said review.

Yes THE CALLED is controversial, i had no idea how much so until of recent. It's funny, thus far it seems learned men and Bible scholars would like to tar and feather me for its penning, while more simple folk as myself seem to be inspired by it. In fact i just recently had a sister lavish praise on me because it's reading has rekindled in her lukewarm Christian husband a renewed interest in searching Scripture, as well as a renewed reminder of the majesty, sovereignty and awesomeness of our God. i had to quickly let her know that i wasn't deserving of any such praise, but that every good and perfect gift comes strictly from above.

You are so correct in your statement that i consider THE CALLED divinely inspired. The receiving of this book brings chills to me every time i think about the experience, and yes i too believe that our Lord showed me the cover which i explained to Xulon Press's Art Department.

For the record "the purpose of THE CALLED is as a more un-intimidating introduction to the story/plan of God, and that via its reading He’ll subsequently draw especially the un-saved into actual Bible study and salvation in Christ." Yes and while no one should add or subtract from Scripture this warning that is quoted in your review is in specific to The Revelation itself. i was very relieved at your line "However, Reuben does not in any obvious way contradict anything in the Bible and is keen to use Bible references to back up his writings.". Contradicting the Bible or our God is the very last thing i'd ever want to do, that's why THE CALLED is presented as a "compliment to the first 32 chapters of Genesis". Also THE CALLED is not "a direct attempt to rationalise the events as described in Genesis", but more so a composite of info regarding these subjects derived from Dead Sea Scroll material such as The Book of Enoch, The Book of the Secrets of Enoch, Jubilees and Adam and Eve, fleshed out over the skeleton of canon Scripture. THE CALLED is a work woven from what has already been written, the inspiration i speak of is that i believe Holy Spirit used this foolish and unlearned vessel to do this work. Yes i had the desire for the unsaved' sake to do such a work, but when i go back and read through the work itself it becomes most obvious to me that i could not have done this on my own. i pray our Lord Jesus Christ that no reader would ever begin to listen to me, or put their trust in me in any way, above God. The very thought of such a possibility fills me with fear, and because of your review if it's God's intent to flourish THE CALLED i will make a point to address this issue every time!

i have but this rebuttal to the final part of your review'

Quote;
"Alternatively Reuben may have good intentions, but nothing more. At worst he could be perceived as a wolf in sheep’s clothing seeking to distract and lead people away from God toward himself for his own ends. We must remember that we are commanded in the Bible to put our trust in God first, gain a head knowledge of Biblical principles, and stay clear of those who would seek to deceive us (unwittingly or knowingly)."

The Word says that "whatsoever is not of faith is a sin". Everything that i've done in the area of THE CALLED, as with other aspects of my Christian walk with Christ these past 27 years has been done out of total faith. When i was a very young saint in our Lord my pastor used to always admonish us to seek God for His ultimate purpose for our earthly lives. i took that admonishment very seriously. In that quest i've heard our Lord say two things to me in my spirit ... #1 - I will make you a spokesman first to my Church, and then to the nations ... #2 - When your ministry takes off it will take a multitude with it.

i believe that THE CALLED is His introduction for the ministry He has for me to do, His ultimate purpose for my life. i only have inklings of what this ministry entails, and used to really fret about the details but have been brought by Him into a place of rest knowing that He knows - and that's all i need!

Thanks again for being His vessel of the first review of THE CALLED! ... Blessings to you and Soteria in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

IHS,

Bro. Rahman

THE CALLED is now available on line in about 5 countries ...

US - CA - UK - GER - FR ...

PS - Here's a web-site to search for the cheapest prices and shipping;
http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=1597814644&mode=direct

i would really like to talk to Tim LaHaye to find out if he too encountered such questionings of his motives at the onset of his LEFT BEHIND series, as i seem to be drawing with THE CALLED ... i just wonder? ... :-?

A few of my friends after reading Soteria's review of THE CALLED couldn't quite figure out why i was so excited about it... They pointed out that it didn't seem exactly "glowing" ...

i admit this also, but in light of Rom: 8: 28 & 31 i choose to be more optimistic and think like whoever it was that said, "There's no such thing as bad publicity "... But here's why i'm undone ...

In doing some further messing around on Soteria's website i found that they also review video games, DVD's and CD's, and not just Christian ones ... i went over to the CD reviews and lo and behold i find a review for Prince's new 3121 (which honors God in no way) ...
http://www.soteriamag.co.uk/Reviews/Music/P3121.htm

i was not only shocked to find it in a Christian Magazine review in the first place, but even moreso when i read such a "positive recommendation" for it as opposed to their "guarded recommendation" of THE CALLED (which i believe is all about honoring God) ...

Apparently Soteria is a magazine geared toward younger British Christians, and i surely don't want to appear ungrateful for it at least taking an interest in THE CALLED ... But at the risk of going off on a tangent and coming across as some legalisticaly, extremist Christian, worshiping at the idol of revival, to me something just seems very wrong with this picture ...

As far as i'm concerned the Body of Christ in America (and Britain) are suffering serious spiritual constipation with all of the demonic worldly junk we've taken in and assimilated, and are in dire need of a spiritual purging (revival) of our blockage ... And before any one of us attempts to dismiss ourselves from this need by reasoning that it's "them" and not "me" please understand that if one member of the Body is sick then "we all" have a problem ...

Does anyone think that in the sad shape Christianity is portrayed in today that we'll ever become a glorious Church without spot or blemish without Revival? ... And i'll go on to be so bold as to say if anyone thinks everything in Christ Body (particularly in the US, UK and lets not forget Canada) is ok as it is and in need of nothing, then you're as spiritually blind as a Laodicean!

A key phrase in sis D's post over on the: "Balance, Not Tangents" thread that struck me is "When people don’t rest in Christ, God’s plumb line" ... Our Lord has me right now in probably the most peculiar place i've been in thus far in the 27 years i've been saved ... i call it "The Waiting Room" ... It's sorta like a "wilderness" experience in that it's only Him and me, but unlike a wilderness experience it's neither lonely in the sense of my feeling all by myself, or gritty and dirty in the sense of His exposing and expunging some obvious sins in me that need be demolished, or revelatory in the sense of believing the recieving and commisioning of a special outward mission as was my case in the past ... On the contrary this "Waiting Room" is spacious, pure-clean and white, with ample provision of all kinds of spiritual food, has in the midst of it a most plush-big-comfortable chair which faces a door before it that's locked, and a door behind it that i can still open, with but only one instruction i'm hearing from our Lord, "Rest in Me", and i know that the door in front of me will not be opened until i've learned to rest in Him ...

i keep hearing our Lord tell me to rest in Him, and i know why He's saying this to me ... In my own little part of the world, in my own little assignment, i've been on a long mission toward sounding the alarm for our need of repentance, revival, and that things in the Body of Christ are totally out of wack in some serious areas, and then early last year i heard our Lord say, "Cease, I will handle it from here" ... Well to be honest i've had trouble ceasing, which means i'm having trouble in resting in Him ... Why? ... It's not because i don't believe our Lord can and will fix us, it's more of when, which says i have a problem with thinking God is slow ... Bless Him that this is something He cannot tolerate in His servants, and so therefore the best remedy to this unfaithfulness is having to learn to wait/rest in Him until it becomes as natural as breathing ... It also means that now i'm in danger of operating out of perspiration (my own power) instead of His power (unction) and that's something that i don't want to do, plus it's dangerous ...

i thank Him that He's been ministering to me as of late via sister Diane's post (the pendulum or the plumb line) over on the: "Balance, Not Tangents" thread:
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=10071&forum=35&start=40&viewmode=flat&order=0

... and in particular from this scripture sister D posted;

"Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise - why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool -
why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes." Ecc. 7: 16 - 18


Then sister D also posted;
"It’s about the pendulum vs the plumb line. The plumb line is God’s perfect standard in all things. A plumb line doesn’t swing, but a pendulum does.

In the Old Testament, the plumb line referred to God's immovable, unchangeable standard for Israel. Living by this standard would protect them from harming themselves, and also keep them close to God. God declared, “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line.” Isa 28:17 In other words, God measured the success of his people according to his fixed standards. Sadly, Israel got completely out of plumb. So God said, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.” Amos 7:7 Because they refused to center their lives on God's plumb line, they reaped the consequence and experienced tough times."


This got me to thinking ... Is the Body of Christ today, particularly in the Western first world, toeing God's plumb line, or like ancient Israel are we now completely out of plumb? ... If we believe that God is the same yesterday, today and forever, can we as the Body of Christ expect Him to not fix us if we're not living up to His standards? ... Sis D quoted Amos' warning to Israel, in which book it is also says God will not make a move unless He telegraphs it via His extremist (prophets) first ... This got me to thinking that even today there are men burdened with God inspired "tangents" and God inspired "extremism" in attempts of destroying the satan inspired "tangents" and "extremism" that after awhile most folk immersed in such demonic delusion can't even see it anymore ... God in His infinite love would much rather deal with His people via pro-active repentance who've repented via the word of His earthly spokespeople, than out of "re-active" repentance to our having to pay the wages of gross error, which we tend to call His judgment or correction, when in fact we've brought it upon our own heads ... God help us!

But in the midst of all this i've found a key regarding God inspired extremism that's very important and it's this, "When He says cease ... then cease" ... i praise Him that He's teaching me my most hardest lesson in Him thus far ... to simply "rest in Him" ...

i'll be glad the day He graduates me from "The Waiting Room" ...

Christ blessings!


Bro R

Below is the first review posted on Amazon by someone i don't personally know (and i'm doing a Holy Ghost dance on my insides right now) ... Thank You Jesus!!! ... :-P

*****
WOW! THE GREATEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ
May 10, 2006
Reviewer: K. Cernik "kc"

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been CALLED according to his purpose. For those God forknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he PREDESTINED, he also CALLED; those he called, he also justified, those he justified, he also glorified.Romans 8:28

I have a total of 3 copies that I bought. Im currently passing out to all my friends and family members. Everyone is filled with the Holy spirit when reading this book. It puts things together so amazingly.

Actual review:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1597814644/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/103-9879511-0484629?_encoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books


The reviewer said "Im currently passing out to all my friends and family members. Everyone is filled with the Holy spirit when reading this book." ...

This is exactly why i believe our Lord gave me this book , as a means of in-gathering to His final harvest, and of future material provision to His Church, commision and charity ...

Blessed be the name of the Lord!!!

Very interesting read so far.

I like the visual story that is painted in these first two chapters. Good stuff, but I have a question... I hope you dont mind if I pick out small part that bothers me (I am not being decisive, just want to give my two cents on a topic).

1.

_________________
Steve

Hi bro (Steve) Xtian ...

You wrote;
"Very interesting read so far. I like the visual story that is painted in these first two chapters. Good stuff, but I have a question... I hope you dont mind if I pick out small part that bothers me (I am not being decisive, just want to give my two cents on a topic)."


--- Praise God ... And no i don't mind the questions because the asking of questions, and discussion of God and matters eternal, are why i believe THE CALLED is published in the first place ... i believe thru this Forum our Lord is preparing me ahead of time for the Q&A's i believe forthcoming due to the controversial subject matter of this novel ...

i want to preface my answers by first reiterating the continual faith walk this novel is for me, as i'm still learning about it's subject matter ... THE CALLED is a writing that i don't claim authorship to, tho in publication rules my name appears as such ... It's my belief that God chose me as but a scribe, preparing me from birth (1950) to be schooled in things spiritual i needed initial knowledge of and then to finally lead me (in 1985) to the point of discovery of the books that are fleshed out on the skeleton of Canon Scripture to produce THE CALLED ...

THE CALLED is really a compulation of Genesis chapters 1-32, 1 Enoch, The Book of Adam and Eve, Jubilees, and what i believe to have been divinely inspired visions/imaginings He blessed me with in bridging the gaps ... Much of the joy of recieving THE CALLED were the visions that made me feel like i was there ... Often when i re-read those same visions come back to me ... Anyhow if you read the following books you'll find the same in THE CALLED ...


[b]Wesley Center Online -
1 Enoch[/b]
http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/ot/pseudo/enoch.htm#

[b]The Book of Adam and Eve[/b]
http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/ot/pseudo/adamnev.htm

[b]Jubilees[/b]
http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/ot/pseudo/jubilee.htm


i've caught some grief for believing/stating this novel to be divinely inspired, but if not for the moving of Holy Spirit in it's behalf i see no way that i could have done this myself ... i look at it sometimes and it gives me goose-bumps to even be associated with it ... Before this i'd written nothing, and when He caught me up it sent me on a most amazing mission ... i was 35 when it started, and i won't go into details because that's already spelled out at the beginning of this thread, but the whole experience was like taking dictation ... i felt like a secretary ... i recieved stuff then that i had no idea the controversy it would cause decades later - tho in my peer group my stating that God was talking to me and the subject matter caused fear and concern ... And neither did i get a better understanding of the history of these books and the influence they had on the Jews (prior to and) in Christ time until just recently ... You might want to check this thread out too ...

[b]With No OT Explanations How Did NT Jews Understand NT Descriptions of Hades, Gehenna & Tartarus? ...[/b]
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13837&forum=36&8


i'm about to get to your 1,000 years as a creative day question(s) but i want to point out something else here i find intriguing ... 1 Enoch states that God originally gave him 366 books to pass on to Methusalah and the righteous at that time, but by the time we get to the period of the Maccabees (2nd century before Christ) apparently that number had really dwindled, then in 96 CE the Rabbis banned it, then the Church of Rome in the 4th century, then it disappears save for surving copies in the Ethiopian church, and by the time they pop up again in The Dead Sea Scrolls (20th century) there are only 1 to three fragments ... My research says that most scholars believe 1 Enoch to be the purest and the one from which Jude quotes ... But the thing that i find fascination is that tho banned it pops up again in the 20th century, and what part of it survives? ... The part that speaks of and explains heaven, sheol, Gehenna, tartarus, fallen angels, demons, and the culmination of the age that so identifies with the Revelation ... Coincidence? ... i think not ... Coincidence that it should find it's way to such a non descript, unlearned, nobody vessel like myself, and tho thru much personal anxiety and anguish wind up finally a published work? ... i think not ...

i believe THE CALLED will be very instrumental in the prompting of discussion, dialogue and debate amongst Christians of subjects we have no clear understanding of as apparently did the Jews and early Christians, as i also believe it will serve in renewed warning as the primary pointing to the fiery and awful eternal consequence of being a part of the Revelation's second death ... On this God and time will tell, but i was encouraged that in the first week of 2007 twenty-three copies were bought ... To God be all the glory! ---


[u][i][b]ABOUT THE 1,000 YEAR CREATIVE DAY ...[/b][/i][/u]

Bro Steve you wrote ...
"I dont see that each day of creation was a 1,000 years (its not stated as such). The bible says in genesis it was a single day as seen here ...I know the verse you pulled as a ref for this, 2 Peter 3:8 and it says...
(KJVR) But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Common sense tells me that all the plants created on the third day would die from lack of sunlight (500 years of night) before the forth day came around.



--- Amen ... you're right that 2 Peter was the basis for my initial 1,000 year creative day concept ...This was already in me from being raised a JW ... There was a time when i used to detest all that was of my JW raising, but after i came to realize that God had me exactly where He wanted me in His bringing me to Himself, that and my short stint in Catholicism formed me in order to be able to percieve THE CALLED ... Even at kindergarten age was my concept of angels, satan and demons formed in the catholic tradition, then reinforced in the JW ... All i know is that had i not been raised the way that i was i don't believe i would have been conceptually readied to recieve THE CALLED ...

But it wasn't until i started delving into Jubilees then, and the recent unvieling from a historical perspective now, did i really become aware that the 1,000 year creative day was a Jewish concept which can be traced back to at least the 2 century BC, before Peter was inspired by Holy Spirit to pen it much later ... Jubilees is concerned with chronological history and has all to do with time in measurements ... Here's the passage;

[b]Jubilees 4: 29 - 31 "And at the close of the nineteenth jubilee, in the seventh week in the sixth year thereof, Adam died, and all his sons buried him in the land of his creation, and he was the first to be buried in the earth. And he lacked seventy years of one thousand years; for one thousand years are as one day in the testimony of the heavens and therefore was it written concerning the tree of knowledge: 'On the day that ye eat thereof ye shall die.' For this reason he did not complete the years of this day; for he died during it.[/b]


From research i suspect that such books as 1 Enoch, Jubilees, etc., had their origins much earlier than the second century BC ... One thing that just drives me bonkers is when i listen/read where so called ancient history experts say that the writings of the Jews on such subjects as Sheol, hell and angels were subsequently adopted from Sumerian, Zoarastrians, Assyrians, and Babylonian mythology/legend when i believe not only is it the other way around, but that Jewish/shemitic history is the actual oldest of all mankind beginning with Enoch's writings being passed down as the first scribe/prophet, and from it did all other nations adapt it to becoming their own mythologies and legends ... The longest lineage of importance to the entire world is the one from the first Adam to the last (Jesus Himself) ...

i in fact suspect that the info in 1 Enoch is derived from the same Enoch that was translated to heaven, and that when Moses wrote Genesis the reason he didn't write all that is contained in 1 Enoch anew is because they were already familiar with the writing (or at least the oral history), and so Genesis came out a synopsis of a much broader material ... i see the Enochian writings as a pre flood version of our Bible to their benefit, as ours is to us today ... Many Bible scholars today have no such tolerance for such suspecting, but historically speaking one can't end run the fact that these books (and/or oral history) formed a knowledge around Jews and early christians that seem lacking in us today ... No matter tho, God give me the opportunity i'll be putting my reasonings forth in hopes of spurring much talk about God, His plan, etc ... i had a vision up at the Rockefeller Estate of a roundtable of men of God all together, in prayer to Holy Spirit, seeking deeper understanding of the mysteries of Him ... i believe it forthcoming ...

Anyhow i did some research in the OT to find if there was a corresponding concept to Peter's stating a day with God is like a 1,000 years but could find none ... So it must be that again the Jews in Christ time had an understanding, via much like the writing in Jubilees, that God's creative day was a 1,000 year period ... Also i find it corresponding to the significant concept that Christ reign is stated as actually 1,000 years ...

But you said something of this that i think incapsulates it all ... You said, "Common sense tells me" ... On this you're better than myself bro Steve because "what my common sense tells me" and "what God does" seems to be diametrically opposed ... God makes no common sense to me at all in what and how He does things from His sacrificing Christ from before the setting of the foundation of the world, to His creating even tho He knew Adam would fall, to His final solution at the Revelation's end, and all the thousands of years of satanically infected human struggle, suffering and death in between ... But i've seen the Hubble images, and that alone for this puppy is enough to let me know that i don't have to understand Him, what He does, or how He did anything ... All i have to know is that He's my God, my Lord and Savior, and i'm His creation, a chosen vessel of mercy put here to acknowledge Him in prayer, praise and thanksgiving!!! ... Oh bless His Holy name!!! ...

i don't know how God did what He did in 1,000 year creative day intervals, i as a Christrian just like the Jew of old just believe that He did it because it's written ... i do know that our common sense has a tendency to be based on after the fact science of the whole creation being here, but we have no idea what steps God took in order to bring things about to the point that He got to see that it was good ...

Blessings in Christ Jesus! ... :-D

_________________
Ron Bailey

Hi bro Ron (Happy 2007!) ...

You wrote;
"It's my belief that it is nonsensical fiction which will confuse people who have not studied the scriptures on the topics. To claim to be 'a scribe' is to claim the same kind of inspiration that underlies the scriptures. This is as dangerous and false an assumption as your claim to be a 'prophet'."


---You know when you first came at me on this subject i didn't know as much as i know abour it now and i was very intimidated by you ... Notice i didn't say you were trying to intimidate me, i was just intimidated, and frankly scared to broach this subject, as well as my belief that i'm called of God as a NT prophet in His Church ...

Well i'm neither scared, or intimidated anymore, and as i've said before God and time will shortly tell ... But in the interim i continue to espouse in the same vien of faith that i've been on for so long and grant that you are entitled to your "belief" about this novel and myself, but it will not deter me one iota from backing down on my own "belief" ...

What i write about is my experience in the Lord, which obvously is much different than your own, but both of us have to do as we believe led of Holy Spirit ... You believe yourself used of Him to go to the Himalayas, i believe myself used of Him to write, publish and discuss The Called ... i don't expect you to be anything less to your faith, and if you think you or anyone else can disconnect me from mine you're sadly mistaken ... Only God can do it, and that's why i pray if i'm on a wrong track that He will free me from it ...

i was really hoping that you'd address the other thread ...

[b] With No OT Explanations How Did NT Jews Understand NT Descriptions of Hades, Gehenna & Tartarus? ...[/b]
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13837&forum=36&8

i've asked you before if you've read 1 Enoch and Jubilees, but you never answered ... Have you? ... If so can you please tell me what in these writings you think will confuse people? ... In my research i've found that had you been born a Jew when Christ was here you'd not have such suspicions of these books because they were read and believed ... That's historical ...

i even said that i hope you'd read The Called, so that you could at least attack it from a first hand knowledge ... Have you? ... i know brother Robert has, perhaps he could comment on whether there's anything so confusing in it ... Soteria Magazine reviewed it and said they couldn't find an instance in it that went against scripture ... That's an even better track record than The Left Behind series ... All the christian folk that i personally know who have read it have been prompted to ask questions and delve deeper into Bible study ... The few unsaved folk that i know, and know of from others, who have read it have come and asked me, or the person that gave it to them, where such info is found in scripture (especially regarding the afterlife) ... The whole premise of The Called, if you read the jacket, is pointed toward telling God's story/plan, pointing to the Bible itself, and prayerfully subsequent salvation in Christ to the reader ... i'm hearing nothing but good reports, but based on your beliefs you fear it will confuse people? ... Come on bro Ron, God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind ... Again may i implore your putting your sound mind to reading The Called before pitting your fear against it ...

In closing on this subject, and what i believe my calling, you remind me a lot of the F. Murray Abraham character in the movie Joshua ... If you haven't seen it it's about a guy who comes into a community and begins doing wondrous things that really upsets the status quo ... i personally think that God is in the process of upsetting the status quo, and historically how does he always do that? ... By introducing a controversial figure with a controversial message ...

Bro Ron you are wise, i am foolish, if God and time proves me misguided you already knew it of me, but if God and time proves me (and The Called) of Him, then you're on the road to being confounded ...

In the meanwhile i praise Him for His use of you in my refining ...

Blessings in Jesus! --- :-D

Hi Rahman,

I appreciate the reply and I thot I would keep my reply short but as I looked deeper at the subject this will not be the case. Honestly I am more concerned with the bible and what it says because it is the standard – the bible is not "a skeleton" on (as you stated) which we build our faith and beliefs on, it is complete in every way, shape and form. To state otherwise indicates that the bible is lacking in doctrine and that it is an unfinished work (not true). I believe the bible is the inspired word of God and there are no contradictions (I used to think there were but after proper research, the bible has again and again proven to have no contradictions, and will last for eternity). In light of this, everthing should be held to this standard.

So how do I see other works of antiquity, like the ones you mentioned? If they don’t mesh with the bible, there is no reason to pursue it further or give it the same credence and authority as the bible (as you have), even if it was supposedly written by other bible characters (most of which are "false" texts as Ron pointed out). I don’t accept any belief or writing just because it’s old, or because Jews of old believed such things back then (that is sloppy hermeneutics). If it was banned then obviously it was for good reason (probably because it caused problems with other scriptures found in the bible). For me everything should be held up against the bible (it’s THE standard to which we measure everything by). Anyway on to your statements…

_________________
Steve

Hi bro (Steve) Xtian ...
"You wrote" ...
"the bible is not "a skeleton" on (as you stated) which we build our faith and beliefs on, it is complete in every way, shape and form."


--- That's not what i said, but no matter because it seems not many hear clearly what i say/write and the more i try to clarify the more muddier the waters get ... i felt led of our Lord to say to another brother: Peace, be still ... Sounds like good advice for me to ...

You asked me why my belief on a 1,000 year creative day and i told you, now you've told me why your disbelief ... So to this i can only say ok ... i assembled The Called exactly as i heard it, saw it, was led to, and really didn't question much ... If you were to talk to anyone who knew me then they'd tell you i was on a single minded mission ... Think what you will about the writing it still does not cancel out the fact that i understand more about this novel now than i did then (which in retrospect to me seems really odd), and now am at a loss as to how i could have ever concieved of and put together such a thing on my own ... If i did i'm way more talented than i have knowledge of ---


Bro Xtian you wrote;

"I just hope that you dont take this as "refining" as you have said to others, where you ignore your errors and continue to depart from scripture. The errors and contradictions are clear, but you still hold fast to what is false. I know that you are sincere and that you have had deep spiritual experiences in the past, but in light of the bible, you are sincerely wrong. Being wrong can have some serious and eternal consequences. Please take time to aline yourself with the bible and the bible alone.

My thots and prayers are going out to you."


--- You know bro Steve i had an agonizing time of prayer and seeking our Lord's feet over this weekend ... Kind of a pity party actually, asking Him why i'm in this regarding my believed calling by Him and the writing of this novel ... i told Him again i didn't ask for this, how my initial salvation experience seemed normal enough - then wham! ... i know to write/talk about my experiences eventually draws ire, but i can only communicate what i live, and what i believe i hear Him telling me ... Horrible place to be actually because it fits no norms ... i don't try/want to be different, i want to fit in, be accepted, but soon after my salvation i found myself saying things that really irked folk ... Stuff like anti-denominationalism, love amongst brethren regardless of denomination, the word about final Revival, the massive need for Joel chapter 1 & 2 repentance, the writting of The Called and God On Earth, and a promised ministry ... At first it started out like some great spiritual adventure, then it began to turn into nothing but pure pain ... i began to feel like Jeremiah, that somehow God had fooled me, putting me in places of fire that i began to rebel against, to the point that like Jonah i really tried to run away from it, but His ever constant pursuit dogged me, till i wound up doing the very things that i believed i was hearing Him say do ...

One of the main reasons i concider others wiser than myself is because they're so "sure" against what i believe as being from God in my Christian experience, and i'm not ... i was foolish from the start because i didn't know any better, which is why i believe Holy Spirit caught me then before i became wise enough in learning how not to believe that He could operate in me in the capacity i'm experiencing ... See i was initially taught that Holy Spirit would operate in me, but when my experience began surpassing others parameters it began to get dicey ... Over the years i've tried to wisen up, but i'm still hopelessly foolish and so i continue to hold on and operate in this capacity of faith that i just can't shake on my own ... i'm a pretty tenacious guy, a trait which i believe God is using in me to His glory and a huge reason why i have a tendency to keep holding onto what i believe He's had me do, say and write ... That is why i said only God can free me if i'm in error ...

So as far as "refining" is concerned i'm learning not to take what is painful as being less than positive, and thus far everything it seems our Lord has me involved in brings me much pain ... Rejection, always rejection, it's like i've been groomed to be rejected ... But God says that "ALL things work together for the good of we that love Him and are called according to His purpose", so i have to trust Him that He's got a good finish ... i certainly see Rom. 8:28 working towards my refinement (good) in this arena, as it is with you, and others "called" ... We may not be able to see HOW just yet, but faith says that it's SO anyhow ... So if i'm in need of being clarified to an error of my ways all this is still working toward my good, a refining if you will of the elimination of my errors ...

Thank you for your thoughts of concern, and i really mean this from the bottom of my heart ... And thank you bontifully for your prayers on my behalf ...

Blessings in Christ Jesus ... :-D ---

[i]"As firmly believed by the author this “novel” is a divinely inspired compliment to the first 32 chapters of Genesis, intent only on making God’s story/plan clearer to “truth seekers”."[/i]

[u][b]From Wikipedia[/b][/u]

Complement means to accompany helpfully (help+full).

A thing is said to be "a complement" to something else, if it is helpful to the other thing.

A hamburger and ketchup complement each other, because they taste good together. The two things are complementary.


[u][i]2Ti 3:16, 17 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. [/i][/u]


2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


When any person writes something that they acclaim as being "divinely inspired" and a "complement to the bible" it must be tested against the word.

_________________
Dyanne