Terri Cabreros’ Testimony

I was born and raised on the Island of Hawaii (the Big Island), my dad being of Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Filipino descent, my mother Japanese. My dad was raised Catholic and my mother Buddhist, although both were non-practicing.

My parents divorced when I was in elementary school, and I remember my mother sending my brother, sisters, and me to a Christian church on Sundays. I believe it was because it got us out of the house for a few hours, and also because they picked us up and dropped us off. My brother and sisters eventually stopped going altogether and haven’t entered a church since, professing no faith.

I continued to go, and as I grew older, I went to different religions/churches (First Missionary Church, Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal, Foursquare, etc.) always seeking answers, searching for GOD’s Truth, but never finding it. While attending a church/religion, I would grow restless after a while and move on to another church/religion. I also searched many religious websites on the internet. The last church, we (I and my family) attended, for 3 years up until September of 2009, was what the pastor called a “nondenominational church that follows the Southern Baptist guidelines.”

When I began questioning certain doctrines and teachings by “leaders” and “intercessors,” they would not respond and basically shut me down. At that point, I thought of leaving that church, and was in the process of looking for another church, when I happened across (I believe led to) The Path of Truth website. I began communicating with Victor Hafichuk and eventually Paul Cohen.

I began reading their teachings, the first two The Case for Coming Out and The Church, and realized GOD was calling me out of the religious systems of the world. I eventually realized why I had been so restless, moving from church to church, religion to religion, never finding HIS Truth…because HIS Truth is not in manmade religions. When I informed the pastor (whom I had considered a friend for many years) through e-mail that we were leaving the church, he removed me from his e-mail account immediately, and I have not heard from him since.

Then GOD called me into repentance. I’m not talking about just confessing my sins to Him and thinking that is good enough because we have forgiveness through the cross, through grace (as I had always been led to believe in the religious system). But He led me to true repentance from my heart, not just with my lips; I had to fully confess my sins to Him - fornication, pornography, lying, envy, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, murder (about 27 years ago I had an abortion while I was in an affair with a married man), adultery, and stealing.

In some cases, we confess it to Him, repent, and it is done (though not without consequences). But sins done against others require more. Like the sins of self-righteousness and stealing, as you will see.

I worked for a recycling center for 3 ½ years. During this time, I witnessed thievery by the owners. At the same time, I and other employees received cash payments for overtime worked. When the Labor Department audited the company, the owner asked the employees to say we never received the payments in cash. I, in my self-righteousness and hypocrisy, said I would not lie. The owner made up accusations against me and fired me. I hired a lawyer and brought a lawsuit against him and, with the evidence I had, would have more than likely won.

As I was going through this, GOD was convicting me of my sins of stealing.

In the past, I was involved with organizations in which I served as the treasurer and in one organization as the president. I stole money from these organizations. No one knew about it - it was a secret sin. When GOD called me into true repentance, He revealed these sins to me, and I chose to ignore it. At that time, our finances were going well.

But He revealed it to me again and again and although I felt guilty, I ignored it, not wanting to deal with it. After all, how could I go to the organizations I had stolen from and tell them what I had done? I was concerned about my reputation, the shame it would bring to me and my family, and the possible consequences (being arrested, jail, fines).

Because I disobeyed, GOD placed a financial curse upon my home in which, suddenly, we had no money. Our checking account was in the minus, no savings, and things were coming up that we couldn’t possibly deal with. All we had was some equity left on our home that we were keeping “in case.” I went to Victor and Paul for guidance and confessed my secret sin to them. They chastised and encouraged me and confirmed what I already knew I had to do.

One of the things I clearly remember them telling me is, “When you ask GOD for His Truth, the first thing He’s going to reveal to you is YOU! This is about YOU and nobody else.” It was like being hit with a brick. At that point I felt convicted to right the wrongs I had done and, in the words of Queen Esther, “If I perish, I perish.”

I confessed to my husband and daughters what I had done and told them I needed to go to these organizations, confess to them, ask their forgiveness, and make restitution. My husband told me to use whatever was left on the equity to pay it, but he wanted me to do it anonymously. My husband and youngest daughter were embarrassed and concerned about their reputations, but I told him I couldn’t do it that way, that I needed to do it face to face.

My husband had a very hard time dealing with it; it was dividing us. I went to the LORD in prayer and recognized my sins - that I was a self-righteous, wretched sinner deserving of what was happening to me - and I vowed that I would do what was right in His eyes at whatever cost (division in my home, jail, fines, etc.) and if I perish, I perish.

At the same time, I talked with Victor and Paul about my lawsuit against my former employer. I sent them all the information and after several e-mails back and forth, they advised me to drop the lawsuit and apologize to the owner.

And what they told me offended my carnal flesh big time!

“God put you in league with thieves because you had been an unconfessed thief. Now, these were not believers you were working for, and you were not called to deliver them to any authorities, but the principle of God says you should not be a partner with others in evil, or you will suffer the judgment of that evil. You should have walked away from that situation long before the secular authorities came knocking on the door or you were fired for finally being honest (in part).

But have you considered why you were partnered with evildoers and kept there till the day of judgment? Were you not hiding your sin? Hadn’t this event with your employer happened after you had stolen money from others? You can be sure your sin will find you out. That’s what has been happening.

Judgment begins at the house of God. In other words, it’s time for you to confess your evils and never mind judging others who were part of God’s means of judging you. You should instead be giving Him thanks for your former employer and all that came your way, because if you receive His judgment in full, confessing yourself to be the offender (against Him, and therefore against all, including your former employer), then He will forgive, cleanse, and heal you.

The instruction here: Admit what you have been and what you deserve. Take your judgment from God, entrust your fate to Him, and stop blaming and fighting against others for what you perceive to be wrongs against you. Are we saying they are innocent? Of course not! But it’s not about them.”

Although at the time I still felt like the “victim,” still in my self-righteousness, I knew deep down that what Victor and Paul wrote was true. I called my former employer, apologized to him, and told him I was dropping the lawsuit and would give him all the evidence I was going to use against him.

At the same time, I called the organizations and made appointments to meet with them. As I went to each organization, confessed, repented, and made restitution, I knew GOD was in control over the people and situations and was ready to accept whatever they decided, as coming from Him. They all reacted with surprise that I was doing this and compassion for me. I also asked forgiveness of some people I had wronged in the past.

All this happened in January of this year, 2010. In February, my sister (who had been battling breast cancer for 10 years, which had spread throughout her body) came to live with us. I cared for her till her death in May. During this time, I also had to deal with continued division in my home between my husband and me, my daughters and me, and between my husband and my daughters, as GOD revealed the secret sins of my daughters – fornication, bisexuality, disobedience, and lying.

On September 19th, we received a call from my cousin (who is like a sister to me as we were raised together) to meet them at the hospital. Her son, my nephew, at the age of 21, committed suicide. I have since been placed in a position to minister to her and her other son. At his funeral services, GOD had me speak His Truth and come against the Catholic Church’s false teaching. A deacon from the Catholic Church (my nephew’s dad is a staunch Catholic) gave a message, and I followed with a message. The contrast between the two messages was very apparent.

I know this is by no means over. As GOD continues to correct me, chastise me, and scourge me through testings, trials, and tribulations, I must continue to walk in faith and obedience. I know it is necessary and fair, and I rejoice that He loves me enough to discipline me. My faith is in Him, and He is my provider, not this world, but Him.

We are still struggling financially, having lost my unemployment benefits and my husband having to take a pay cut. When a thief is caught and goes before the judge, the judge sentences him to jail for his crimes. When GOD says it is finished, I believe that He will lift the financial curse. During this time, He has been teaching me how to stop wasting and spend wisely. I am thankful!

Through all of this...I have GOD-given peace because I know GOD is in control and whatever happens, He is our provider.

Victor wrote before that “the issue is never external, but internal; never the circumstances, but one's attitude toward the circumstances. God designs all circumstances for our development; our only hope of deliverance is in a change of attitude and not circumstances. If a person is facing problems in this life, those problems are there for a reason and/or purpose. The reason - because of things he or she has done. The purpose is from God for His higher purposes to work good for all. We need to recognize the sovereignty of God Who is over all circumstances and is working all things for good.”

So in all truth, how can they not be GOD’s saints? Through their chastisements, corrections, and encouragements, GOD is dealing with me and for the first time in my life...I am rejoicing in it! For the first time in my life, I am not asking Him, “Why is this happening to me?” I know why, and I rejoice that He loves me so much, and He is working His good work in me - a wretched sinner. How can I be sad, resentful, or bitter when He is ridding me of the carnal man in me to make way for receiving His Spirit? I TRULY REJOICE!!

So how can I not say to them… “BLESSED ARE YOU WHO COME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!” GLORY BE TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!

I was hiding my sins in self-righteousness, thinking I was okay because I was fellowshipping in a “church” that loved and accepted me as I am, because all that was being preached was, “What a loving and forgiving GOD we serve.” But until the LORD directed me to Victor and Paul, I was perishing in my sins. It was only through their teachings and guidance that my ugly self was exposed and dealt with, and is still being dealt with. Thank you, LORD! All glory… all praise… all honor to You! Bless Your Holy Name!

Hawaii has been experiencing a severe drought since the beginning of this year. The local weather service has predicted that because of the El Niño conditions, we would continue to experience drought conditions well into April. They have since extended this warning to January 2011.

I live in a rural area in which most homes have water catchment systems. In February, I mentioned to Victor in an e-mail that it had not been raining much at all and our catchment was really low on water. Victor prophesied that the LORD would send rain when or as I turned from my sins.

A couple of weeks later it started raining and raining. Since then, our water catchment tank has been overflowing. Whenever the water seems to go down a little, GOD sends the rain and fills it right up again.

Our state is still in severe drought conditions and the recent occasional rainfall has not been enough, but for us it is more than enough... it is overflowing! Praise GOD for His provisions!

I had a dream one night in which I was wearing a white wedding dress, and I was going to get married. Someone was holding a box and in it were white invitations (it was blurred but I knew they were invitations). I took one of them out of the box and looked at it. On the front was written “Welcome.” I believe that (and His saints confirmed this) I am being prepared for the wedding feast of the LORD.

I continue to be chastised, corrected, and scourged, with all praise and glory to our LORD, but soon, not only will Christ be with me (which He is), but within me. Forsaking all and taking up the cross is not easy - it is the hardest thing I have ever had to do and as long as I am still of the flesh, I fall. But I know that faith in GOD is having Him pick me up, dust me off, and continue seeking Him in all things. Not halfway (lukewarm), but all the way. I have found out (the hard way) that through faith and walking in obedience, GOD is faithful, and He provides everything I need, according to His good will. Taking up the cross will cost you everything you have - not taking it up will cost you even more.

I have lost a lot of “friends” (mainly professing believers in Christ), and it has caused some division in our extended family, but I truly feel that I have not lost anything as I “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of GOD in Christ Jesus.”

Terri Eiko Cabreros

Keaau, Hawaii, USA

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