UK Christian Magazine Reviews Novel: THE CALLED ...

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" ... 8-) 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 MAGAZINEhttp://www.soteriamag.co.uk/Reviews/Books/RRcalled.htmFor 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=glanceAnd read the first 3 chapters here;https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2289&forum=35&29As 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 - 34UK - 8CA - 1GER - 4FR - 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 edited 4/12/06 ...STICK ME WITH A FORK I'M (UN)DONE ...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.htmi 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 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 - 18Then 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

3/4/06Dear 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. RahmanPS - THE CALLED is now available at a lot of places in about 5 countries ... Here's a web-site of the info;http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=1597814644&mode=direct

THE CALLED is now available on line in about 5 countries ... US - CA - UK - GER - FR ...Here's a web-site to search for the cheapest prices and shipping;http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=1597814644&mode=directi 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? ... :-?