Pen of Iron

I read somewhere

"hammer away you hostile hands;

your hammers break, God's anvil stands"

And the burden of the Lord shall yee mention no more: for euery mans word shall be his burden: for yee haue peruerted the words of the liuing God, of the Lord of hostes our God.

Jeremiah 23:36

here's what I say, if they understood this verse when they decided to mess with the King James Bible, then they are guilty, and if not, then what business had they correcting the King James Bible?

Posted by Revelation 2:17 at 7:42 AM | 4 comments    

The glory has departed and the people knew not.

I am saddened to hear of the news of the church where I first got saved. A couple of years ago, I belonged a church in Montreal that was run by a board of deacons. The pastor there was just an employee. A number of men dictated to our pastor what to preach, when to end the sermon, and how to preach. Behind the men were their wives. At some board meetings, the men would agree to a certain issue, and although they were sworn to secrecy, they'd go home and share with the wives who if they didn't like the subject, the deacons would then call the pastor and tell him they had changed their mind.

With time the situation degenerated in my church, and the church families took sides. Some believed in the authority of the pastor as the man in charge who stands accountable first and foremost to God himself, Christ being the head of the church. Others wanted a congregational church where the people would rule. Things got so bad that we got to point where members were threatening each other with libel. Finally, a general meeting was called, and lawyers were invited by a certain party to the church Assembly. The pastor was just a puppet in the hands of the deacons, and the meeting atmosphere was really really sad. I think this was the saddest scene of my life, seeing a pastor humiliated over issues that had nothing to do with his Christian conduct. It was nothing than a Power Struggle. And Power CORRUPTS. The meeting broke off, and the members were more divided than ever.

We finally called on a reconciliation team. One thing we all agreed upon was Ichabod. The glory had departed from our church and the people knew not. God's Holy Spirit was displeased with us that he had left us, and the people knew not. Some people even witheld their tithes and offerings. You know the old time trick when people thing they will teach their pastor a lesson by not paying their dues.

Samuel 4:21 - And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 1 Samuel 14:3 - And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. Isn't it sad, when Satan reaks havoc in God's house because we are not sensisitve to God's holiness.

Posted by Consecrated at 1:39 PM | 4 comments    

Roberta's church wants to have a Lebanese night for some Lebanese youth. There will be special prayers for Lebanon and I believe our church here (which is facing serious internal and external problems)

She also wants to prepare some Lebanese sweets for the saints but doesn't know much if anything in that area and so was asking for help.
I thought maybe Consecrated and Redeemed would have some ideas.

Posted by Revelation 2:17 at 5:18 AM | 8 comments    

Posted by Redeemed at 7:58 PM | 7 comments    

A couple of people have asked for a picture of me.

Posted by Consecrated at 4:49 PM | 4 comments    

Someone recently said I had the same personality like another fellow at the office. I took offense to that because I honestly do not think so.

Another friend solved the mystery this afternoon. I do not have the same character as that fellow, he said. What a relief.

But that got me thinking again, what is the difference between pesonality and character. Can someone tell me, please?

Posted by Consecrated at 3:47 PM | 18 comments    

I just realized I had posted this in the Poetry weblog because of a comment notification about Redeemed. Too many weblogs.

Reading the latest post on Matthew's weblog reminded me of an incident last week.
I'm walking out of the local cafe having lifted up a prayer for an opportunity to witness to someone not 120 seconds prior, when a hand stops me. It's a young man I had met in a cab returning home one night and would later on bump into a couple of times. He's on the phone, says hi, and motions me towards a elder fellow sitting across him. The latter asks me to sit down and I try to excuse myself, being hungry. He insists, so I sit down thinking I'll wait for the young man to finish his call, exchange a few words and leave.
The elder, clad shabilly, (and as I was to find out, jests in accordance) asks of my education and plans. I answer and mention a certain country.
-we can help you, we own the place; he says.
- who's we, sir?
-I tell you we own the place and you ask me who's we?

At this point I'm thinking a certain ethnicity, but doubtful.
He reaches into his pocket, brings out the plainest business card ever. White, phone number printed in ink which he hands over.
-who's we, I obstinately repeat
He reaches again into his pocket, brings out a golden ring, with the Masonic symbol.
I don't react. He starts rambling. I mean just that. Raving on about control of the world, and power they have.
I answer I have the Lord Jesus to take care of me, and He will bring about his will for my life.
So here starts telling me how they accept all religions.
There's only one true God, I say, the God of the Bible. Uniting all religions is the work of the AntiChrist, and unless you believe upon the Son of God as dying for your sins on the cross as the only way to salvation, then you will perish in hell.
The spirit behind your movement is not the Spirit of the Lord.

At that point the young man had finished his call. They both were surprised at the turn of the conversation, which for the next hour or so went something like:
- blablablabla
-hell
-blablabla
-hell
-blablabla
-hell
-(in answering a question of mine) we control the vatican and the cardinals, who do you think took out John Paul 1? We have politicians and chiefs of police, whom should we fear?
- the Lord Jesus
(Abrupt pause; conversation, not surprisingly, moves to the Jesuistes. Eventually I ask about their connection to Solomon. His face lit up. He would draw my attention to the dollar sign, an S straked by two bars. I infered that the S stood for Solomon and the bar or bars for the temple pillars; he nodded in the affirmative.)


-for all his worldly wisdom Solomon had no understanding and left the living God
(more talk)
- we will have the world
- then you'll die, so what?

(tells the young man "he's right")

- we are setting up a world system
- a gentile world system which the Lord Jesus Christ will destroy at his second coming

It got intense at some points but finished on a level note, with the elder inviting me to continue the conversation at some restaurant, which I declined after handing them two tracts.

Satan, the flesh, the world. Everyone is deceived by something.

Posted by Revelation 2:17 at 3:14 PM | 8 comments    

Roberta is a born-again Brazilian believer from Lebanese origins, and has cancer. Having undergone treatment in California, she returned to Brazil.
A couple of weeks ago she witnessed to some of her Muslim friends about the Lord Jesus Christ. Apparently news spread as she, and her family I believe later on received death threats from the leaders of a near-by mosque. Her family is very scared. Everyone has been beating down on her for having witnessed; I mean believers are upset with her. She didn't go to the church meeting last Sunday, and told me she feels she has done a mistake in witnessing to them. She is afraid to walk the neighbourhood streets.

I couldn't contain myself while chatting on MSN. I told her those thoughts were from Satan to shut her mouth from witnessing for her Lord. She shouldn't have a guilty conscience over obeying the Bible. I told her she had more courage than those believers and that by censuring her they were appeasing their own conscience. I didn't leave a verse from Jeremiah, Joshua, Philippians or Timothy that I didn't have her read for encouragement.
That young lady did right before God Almighty in preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to lost people.
She left encouraged, knowing she was in the right before God, and that she needed to spend time alone with the Word to find courage and consolation.
She was pleading for prayer and so I send this out with indignation, that you pray for Roberta that the Lord might use her to shame those believers who would silence her into witnessing themselves and that the Lord might be maginified by having those who heard her be saved. She needs also our prayers that our Lord Jesus might deliver her out of all snares and keep her safe.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and we are no better than anybody. People need to hear about the love of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for their sins, just like once we were lost, heard, and believed

Posted by Revelation 2:17 at 11:43 AM | 6 comments    

I am in the middle of a big Conference at work, but to read up a little bit on what we did on St. Patrick's day, please visit www.ThatImayknowhim.blogspot.com

Posted by Consecrated at 12:53 PM | 1 comments    

Posted by Redeemed at 10:42 PM | 5 comments    

We tend to be creatures of habit, and as such I often fill up from a certain gas station on my way home from church. There is this French fellow, a young lad, who is always on duty in the evenings when I stop by. I would give him a chick tract every time I stop by, and I try to remember which one I gave him the time before so as not to give him the same.

This past Tuesday, I stopped by to gas up. When I went into the cabin, he had another friend and two other young men (one French and three black guys) were in there as well. To be honest, I was not comfortable for a little while knowing that a crime had been committed at a similar gas station not long ago. I said a silent prayer in my heart and reached into my purse, pulled out two copies from the French tract "Heaven or Hell, which One will you choose".

As soon as I handed the black fellow a copy of the tract, he started reading it, and immediately the French fellow says to me "Oh I read them all the time". I said, "But this is new. Did you read this one as well". He suddenly looked up at me and said "Ah you are the lady who is always giving them to me". That's right I said.

"Is it true", he asked. Is it real? Of course it is, I replied. Otherwise I wouldn't give it to you. One day when you are not as busy, may be you and I can have a chat. You can ask me questions. Good night now.

I left the station feeling so happy. I had been praying for that fellow. I remember one snowy evening in January, as I pulled away I glanced back at the glass pane of his cabin and I saw him reading the chick tract which I had left him. I remember having prayed for him that night.

I was so happy to learn that this fellow has been reading the tracts. Actually his question said a lot of things. The guy is thinking. Amen Lord. Open his heart let him understand what he read even as you opened the eyes of that first gentile convert, the Ethiopian eunuch.

Posted by Consecrated at 9:05 PM | 2 comments    

Posted by Redeemed at 8:35 PM | 4 comments    

Posted by Redeemed at 8:23 PM | 4 comments    

For the longest time I have been telling this colleague of mine to call unto God for help in a certain situation. Things had gone really sour and despite all efforts of good people around, the situation kept spiralling downward to what seemed like a hopeless case. In the meantime I kept preaching "Call on God". "You need God". "Read your Bible". "I gave you a Bible. It is not a good luck charm. It works if you open it and read it and call on its author for help."

Few days ago we got a glimmer of hope. Things may be finally looking up. When I asked a common friend if prayer had been lifted up, I was told that the Bible had been spotted at the desk of the person concerned. Praise God. His telephone number still works. Should you need it, here it is: Jeremiah 33:3

Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Posted by Consecrated at 1:19 PM | 3 comments    

In reply to Redeem's "We Have A New Prime Minister" January post, Anonymous writes

"Mr. Harper is a dangerous theocrat who will gleefully stomp on gay rights and women’s reproductive rights. Like other conservatives, he believes that his faith makes him impervious to any kind of criticism. Canada’s reputation as a civil rights leader will forever be tarnished under that bigot. As far as I know, a Canadian Prime Minister has never been assassinated while in office. Hopefully, history will change that."

First of all, we are not naive about conservative or religious political leaders. We keep our guard and are not enamoured with any. Do we generally prefer their policies over the liberals' when they are closer to the Bible's teachings? Sure. But that's about it.

Now anonymous, here are some relevant Bible passages.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

This applies to all our political leaders, irrespective of their political party.

Now please consider the following and take heed, Anomymous:

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Anonymous, we don't look unto men, we look unto the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us, and died for our sins on the cross and rose again from the dead.
Set your eyes on him and believe upon the Son of God who offers you redemption and peace by reconciliation with the holy God.

Posted by Revelation 2:17 at 2:59 PM | 4 comments    

Posted by Redeemed at 11:12 PM | 5 comments    

Hey Matthew,

Posted by Redeemed at 10:39 PM | 5 comments    

I have a dentail appointment this morning. I hate to go the dentist. I wonder why did God give us teeth that fall off. I wish he had just created the teeth like every other bone of our body that does not need maintenance. I mean you have your skeleton, and that's it. Why couldn't the teeth be that way.

Posted by Consecrated at 10:14 AM | 8 comments    

It's encouraging to see you all find encouragement and comfort in fellowship with Bible-believers.
I read everything, though I have less time these days to write.
Witnessing over here in my part of the world is going great. I continually pray for greater boldness.
One of the best ways is hitch-hiker picking. I pick'em up and lock the doors
ahahahaha...Ehem, just kidding.
So far two fellows got saved, one with whom I'm keeping contact since he gave me his mobile number.
So much of it is sheer plowing though.
You must plow through people thinking you're a Jehovah's witness, through people thinking they can be saved by works, through people associating Christianity with the Vatican, etc...

I love those hymns, now THAT'S worship music. Have had "My Jesus I Love Thee" in mind for a couple of days now. You know what I have written on my choir sheets?

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
and a twoedged sword in their hand
Psalm 149:6

A Bible in one hand and a hymnal in the other.

Name your 10 favorite hymns of all time

Posted by Revelation 2:17 at 3:21 PM | 19 comments    

I love it when people ask me questions on the train. What better opening do you want for me to either talk to them or give out a tract.

This morning a lady gets on the train and sits right across from were I was. But she is not sure whether she was on the right tracks going downtown. She waits a few seconds, then puts the question to me. I gladly answered, and then something pricked me in my heart. Give her a tract, it said. I smiled for I knew it was the Holy Spirit again. I am used to this by now. When I hear that still small voice in my ears, I know the Lord wants me to move. I continued reading my Bible however, but in my heart I knew that I was not going to pass up that opportunity.

Later at an opportune moment, I closed my Bible and I asked her if I could give her something to read. She willingly took the French tract from me. As she read it, I closed my eyes and was silently praying. When I finally opened my eyes, she looked at me and with a smile on her face, said "Thank you". We didn't talk, but I was glad she accepted the tract. A seed was sown. I was happy. What a way to start a brand new day, I thought.

Posted by Consecrated at 10:22 AM | 6 comments