Page 9
PART ELEVEN – The Issues of Life to Troublous Times (cont.)
On the Sabbath, May 19, 2007, Marilyn and I began the day with a battle. I was speculating the worst that would happen because of my doing something ignorantly – setting up the sprinkler system valve boxes without canceling the factory-preprogrammed, 10-minute time cycles, thus risking burning out the valves (something I knew nothing about). Marilyn then went into her usual defensive mode and preaching, unable and unwilling in her fear to acknowledge any blame.
I suddenly realized that my habit was always to assume the worst outcome to mentally prepare for it with the hopes I won’t be so disappointed if there were disastrous results. If things turned out not so bad, I could rationalize and console myself, saying, “Oh well, we only lost $3000; we could have lost $5000.” While I had sensed this tendency and habit, I had never fully realized, acknowledged or confessed it. I could do so today.
I also realized that Marilyn’s tendency to overreact to my overreaction was with purpose. Yes, I was guilty of bracing for the worst but was she right in throwing gasoline on it? No, but her infirmity in such cases, which are numberless, served to bring me to realize my infirmity. Therefore, her infirmity has been a tool in God’s hand to deal with my problem. She may be wrong but He’s always right, working both good and evil for ultimate good.
Conclusion: The faults and infirmities of others serve to deal with ours; when ours are dealt with, theirs will be removed, because no longer necessary. Therefore, we can give thanks for one another’s faults and infirmities. They serve a perfect purpose.
I’ve tried to change Marilyn and others, not realizing that I was the one in need of change, indicated by the very fact that they don’t change. Also, when others need change, are anger and frustration the answer? No. Examining ourselves for the problem is part of the answer but the greater part is to give thanks and acknowledge the Lord’s sovereignty over both good and evil.
My cleansing/healing/deliverance/correction will then result in Marilyn’s redemption; so with all.
Particle – Cowardice in Control
Mark refuses to accept responsibility. He will find a way to make someone else at least partly responsible for any decision, so that if in say, six months, it proved to be the wrong decision, he’ll be able to say, “Well, YOU SAID…we discussed it, remember? I didn’t say this; I didn’t say that….” The stance is one of fear; it is irresponsible, unfair to all, cowardly, and quite contemptible.
Now, why are we saddled with Mark? There are at least two reasons: One, I have always wanted to be the one in control, to have the final say, but I must relinquish that decision-making to the one that needs it for his life.
This need is also why Mark has been required to be responsible for his older brother Trevor, one horridly juvenile, careless, selfish, stubborn, unreasonable and irresponsible. Trevor is there to match Mark’s great shortfall of accepting responsibility. All infirmities work to deal with others; if they weren’t useful, why would God choose to leave us with them?
For that truth, we can all be thankful. Some of the most recent proverbs given me reflect these truths. Furthermore, one infirmity serves all other members of the Body, until the work is accomplished to the Head’s satisfaction.
Particle – Dick and Joan Dewert
It is public knowledge today, May 22nd, 2007, that Dick Dewert and his wife Joan resigned as executives of the Miracle Channel and Dominion Gateway because Dick has been discovered to be guilty of an extramarital affair. Ray Block, the former owner of Faith Electronics, has taken over as president for the time being.
Now, I wrote, “Dick, together with Joan, has preached of virtue, marital success, obedience to Christ, faith, and fidelity to God – name the virtue. Now he falls from a high pinnacle, high not only in physical accomplishments but also in words and stance.” But as I edit this document, I wonder if he really did preach all those things. It seems to me he was more about show, sensationalism, power, pleasing people, and success.
In any case, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes at all. Where will they go and what will they do? They are now spiritual pariahs, never to regain their former status in this world, though they will no doubt try, as do they all – Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, and so many others.
Mark talked to Dave Kuperus, owner of Coaldale Nurseries, by phone on May 25th, 2007, or thereabouts, concerning a refund he owed us for dead cherry trees. He wouldn’t refund us though I had written him twice, once last fall, repeating the letter a week ago or so. I have not let him off the hook and he is being very ignorant. He never made good, in effect calling us liars and cheats.
Ironically, I recalled returning a pair of lost Felco pruners to him, having found them in our community and guessing they were his because I spotted them working in our area. He barely thanked me for that act of voluntary restoration. Perhaps they weren’t his after all?
Particle – Jonathan’s Plague of Headaches
This morning we prayed concerning Jonathan’s headaches, which he has suffered for years and for which we have often sought the Lord. Marilyn received that we needed to go to Laura Kendall of Riverside Therapy in Okotoks, AB again to continue massage treatments. She also received that Jonathan needs to submit to his parents. After resuming treatments with Laura, Jonathan’s headaches grew worse.
Marilyn was feeling bad because Jonathan was getting his headaches more severely since last treated by Laura, a treatment at Marilyn’s insistence. She was crying to the Lord in prayer, not for her sake, I believe, but for Jonathan’s, and for sorrow at being responsible for his ailment deteriorating.
Particle – An Answer for Lawn Dandelions
I’ve often wondered about the dandelions in our lawn – to weed or not to weed? It has taken thousands of hours over these nearly 20 years to weed the lawn, and yet dandelions are a wonderful, potent medicinal source. We use the roots for liver cleansing and the leaves for salads. Why weed the lawn then? Why treat dandelions as all others do, removing them, even if without chemicals? Then the Lord finally gave me an answer, and it was so very simple: “There is a place for all things, including dandelions; they are not meant to be everywhere.”
Besides, it’s not about the dandelion weeding but about what the Lord is doing with me in subjection to this burdensome, meaningless activity.
Particle – Ellis Skolfield and The False Prophet
Paul and I were pleasantly surprised to find what seemed to be some irrefutable dates in Ellis Skolfield’s The False Prophet, a writing available on the net without charge. Ellis proves by the timing of historical events that Muhammad is the false prophet of Revelation, the beast is the Islamic Empire of the Middle East and elsewhere, and the Dome of the Rock, the abomination of desolation.
The times of Daniel point to the rebuilding of the Second Temple, the building of the Dome in 688 A.D., the rebirth of Israel in 1948 and the repossession of Jerusalem by the Jews, June 6, 1967, after being dispossessed of complete sovereignty over it for nearly 2600 years.
There are many representations in creation and history of internal spiritual truths. For examples, the man of sin and Mystery Babylon are within until the Lord comes and does away with them. The battle of battles and the victory must be fought and won within; victory in the inner battle is therefore our primary, crucial concern. Those who have had the evil done away within know that the manifestations of the man of sin and the harlot church will also be done away from the earth in their time.
Particle – My Perspective on All
I wrote this on Sunday, June 3rd, 2007:
“I am everybody’s friend. There is not one person I don’t love, be it any in the past or the present, friend or foe, blood relative, spiritual relative, a casual friend, neighbor, or stranger. Whether a drug addict, pusher, pimp, bag lady, hardened criminal, prostitute, beggar, black, white, native, priest, bishop, pope, respected citizen, policeman, judge, merchant, farmer, politician (well, maybe not – kidding), lawyer, realtor, stockbroker, infamous tyrant, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Mormon, Catholic, cannibal, success or failure, strong or weak, I love them all. In short, saint or sinner, it doesn’t matter.”
Editor’s Note, June 2017: The day would come where there would be a definite exception.
I can say I love the brothers and sisters in Christ more, although I can’t treat all the same – God doesn’t do it; Jesus Christ never did it. In that regard, there’s no longer such foolishness in me, by His grace and mercy. While it is to be acknowledged that thorns and thistles are God’s creation, fruits and vegetables, like pomegranates, apples, and carrots, are preferable in my garden, in my hand, and in my mouth. For everything, there’s a place as well as a time.
The time would come when as a Christian and man of God, I would truly hate someone and have no chagrin, troubled conscience, or apology for it. I never thought it could or would happen. I know the Lord can bring me to not hate that person, but for now, I have nothing less than hatred for him and his, and I’m good with that.
I’m not eaten up by it but I sincerely believe my hatred and unforgiveness of that person is acceptable to and purposed by the Lord. May God show me differently if I’m wrong.
Psalms 139:21-24 MKJV
(21) O LORD, do I not hate those who hate You? And am I not grieved with those who rise up against You?
(22) I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
(23) Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts,
(24) and see if any wicked way is in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
It’s a start. Today, June 4, 2007, Jonathan received his first Ninjutsu belt. He was quite happy about that and I with him.
I record on June 4, 2007: Sean is goofing up on everything because he still clings to the fulfillment of the prophecy. He is suffering a heavy case of disillusionment, having come here thinking his time of reward and glory had come. After all, being away six years and called back after being thrown out as Satan is quite a reversal; to him, it must mean he and Marilyn were right after all. Now, he’s at the bottom of the pecking order, incompetent in the smallest matters and he won’t talk to me.
Lord, You are not well pleased with him at all. Were You ever?
Particle – Israel, God’s Savior of Nations
Marilyn, Jonathan, and I watched PM of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu with Glenn Beck on YouTube today. By what Netanyahu and others have said, and which we have red lately (like an article by a Jewish lady who wrote about how the world would be so different from the way it is if not for the Torah), I have come to understand that Israel, as a nation, is the savior of the nations of the world. Today, it takes all the blame, yet preserves the world by the Law and its presence. It also takes the brunt of the punishment and is so hated by bloodthirsty murderous Islamists and frankly, the rest of the world.
Let it be understood that I do not regard Israel as the savior but God is using Israel to represent His interests from a physical, geographic national perspective.
Particle – Trevor Granted Wisdom
On June 11, 2007, I had a Word to Trevor that his wisdom is present to believe and receive. I told him he would be given wisdom in all matters, wherever necessary. I told Lois by phone that instead of a huge supervisory burden to Mark, Trevor would now be helping supervise. Trevor told me he had a dream last night that showed the origin of his problem when he was about 5.
Editor’s Note, June 2017: It seems some prophecies such as these have not materialized, yet I post them to let everyone know in all honesty what was happening, true or false, right or wrong. As I look back at these things, I shake my head with wonder.
Particle – Jonathan Spiritually Disinterested
On the Sabbath of June 16, 2007, I recorded that Jonathan is not at all interested in spiritual things. He strongly makes his sentiments known against reading the Scriptures or anything else. I really don’t know what to do except to let him go his way. He’s almost 16 now.
Particle – Progress in the Theo-Autobiography
I try to get some of the Theo-autobiography done each day. I am, in June of 2007, at 1995 and approaching 1996 of my life history. I have also been reading other autobiographies to gain other perspectives and some understanding on how to proceed with mine.
I have accomplished very little in the Theo-autobio, though I’m excited about it. We are quite confident that if one wishes to publish anything, the worst possible thing to publish would be the autobiography of an unknown person like me. What makes it even worse is that it is so long.
Unless the Lord is doing something beyond our understanding, this undertaking is vain, sheer madness. But then, as Paul mentioned, we have done many things that appear to be perfect madness to others and have been fully vindicated. So, what’s new?
Particle – To Speak or Not to Speak
I heard a news item that Al Qaeda is attempting to send agents into Canada and the US to attack citizens. We are right “out there” with our site and statements condemning Islam, its Koran and vile prophet, that make Rushdie’s criticisms pale in comparison.
“Father, I would count myself as salt having lost its savor if we were to draw back. The thought of withholding what is true out of fear and capitulation to the enemy is contemptible to me. I’m trusting that You protect us from all harm; however, if we must suffer at their hands for Your sake, so be it. Furthermore, if You will that we remain silent, You must tell us. Thus far, it seems to me in every way that we are to shout from the housetops what You’ve spoken.” All agree.
Particle – The Korean Connection
We have a Korean woman from Japan visiting us for two weeks. Her name is Sachei (Satch-ee-ay). She feels her brother Yoshi should come and spend time with us. He is greatly troubled. To her, we said, “Let him come.”
Tomorrow, June 27th, Jonathan heads to camp in Drumheller for nearly a month. To spend a bit of time together before he left, he and I went for a bike ride to Monarch, talked to Harvey there at the closed-down “Sugar Shack,” and bought some ice cream. I thought I might be asking for trouble, biking five miles and back with long hills, considering my injured knee, but it wasn’t a problem. The weather was ideal and we both enjoyed the event; the biking even seemed to help my knee.
Lord, today we thanked You for Jonathan’s headaches.
Particle – A Revelation of Our Duty to the Public
I received this revelation on June 27th, 2007:
Only those poor in spirit will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. However, we find none of those anywhere. Therefore, it is our calling to make them poor in spirit. We must impoverish the populace, take away their food and strip them of their clothing. Our job is to speak so that they come to realize they don’t know anything worthwhile. For this, they will and do call us hateful and unloving, but there it is – without those wounds, they will never get turned around.
“A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness. Yes, and nothing shall escape them” (Joel 2:3 MKJV).
Particle – Thoughts on the Sixth Sense
As Jonathan and I went for the bike ride yesterday, I suddenly found myself talking about the “sixth sense” (I think it was related to Marc Salem, the mentalist, and his book we’ve browsed through).
What is the “sixth sense”? Here is what I believe it is: it is the inner man, fallen or otherwise. And he has just as many senses, so we can have more than the reputed six. The spirit man can also see, hear, smell, feel, and taste. We have experienced seeing (discerning of spirits, visions, and dreams); hearing (prophecy); comprehension (words of wisdom and knowledge); and feeling (I was once attacked by a spirit when going to sleep when angry with Marilyn in 1975).
And there is smelling. I have told the story of the time in 1977 when Marilyn and I prayed for an aboriginal native who reeked of alcohol while he was kneeling at the stage. We laid hands on him and rebuked the demon of alcohol. The smell immediately disappeared and the man looked up at us, smiling.
I have no doubt taste will come into play too, perhaps like having or not having a witness on spiritual matters. I’m doing some guessing with this but I think I have received that what is called the sixth sense, intuition, instinct, or gut feeling is the inner man operating.
Is this how Marc Salem knows hidden things? He may be more in function through the inner man than most, even if that inner man is yet to be raised up by the Power of the Resurrection in Christ. If Salem knew the things we know by our spiritual senses in Christ, what would he think or say?
Editor’s Note, August 4, 2016: There is one other most credible possibility. Marc has a spirit of divination. The Scriptures speak of diviners who have impressive abilities that astounded their audiences:
“But a certain man called Simon had long been conjuring in the city, and amazing the nation of Samaria, claiming himself to be some great one. All gave heed to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, This one is the great power of God” (Acts 8:9-10 MKJV).
Acts 16:16-18 MKJV
(16) And as we went to prayer, it happened that a certain girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by divining.
(17) The same followed Paul and us and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are announcing to us the way of salvation.
(18) And she did this many days. But being distressed, and turning to the demonic spirit, Paul said, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out in that hour.
That possibility or probability is surely where I would put my money. Not condemning the man; just identifying his source of power.
Particle – Milk and You Will Be Milked
Joe Mans, our supplier of certified organic dairy product started selling milk at the Saturday Farmer’s Market, cutting off about a third of our business. Besides, we were stuck with some stock because he didn’t notify us of this happening, although he expressed willingness to compensate us for the leftovers.
On the heels of the travesty of a supplier cutting our legs out from under us, who have served if only in small part to build his milk business, the government suddenly condemned his milk because of a high bacteria count. I had said the Lord would judge him, and there it was.
Editor’s Note, 2016: This past year, Joe Mans has been gracious, helpful, friendly, and generous. Could it be because of the drastic and significant changes in personnel at Harvest Haven? Could Joe have been reacting in the past to some ugly and cynical treatment so many others had suffered at Harvest Haven, or should I say, “Harvest Hades”? That is a very plausible possibility.
I can only say I’m thankful for Joe’s change and so are others, whom you’ll meet in this Theo-auto in due time.
Healing or Deliverance: I confessed to the Lord that I was having a problem giving up wine, that it was taking hold of me. It had a grip on Lois; she decided to give it up completely and said she has had a wonderful freedom she has never known.
I asked the Lord to deliver me of the problem, expecting that I would not be touching it again. He delivered me of its draw upon my confession, and I found that we will not have to toss or give it away, though we could, but it will not be a problem having some, even as Paul has no problem having it. I am surprised and very thankful for that. Wine or alcohol does not have the same effect on me now, in terms of desire, but we will see if I have not deceived myself.
I arose at 4:40 this Sabbath morning of June 30 and wrote What Is Faith?
Particle – A Peculiar Coincidence Again
What a peculiar coincidence this time, as though you aren’t already acquainted with some of these!
As I said, I’ve been reading autobiographies of late. I recently finished Benjamin Franklin’s. I’m presently reading Nemat’s Prisoner of Tehran and founder of Worldwide Church of God Herbert W. Armstrong’s autobiography. Last night, I was reading page 508 where Herbert found a 14″ high rock on a hillside and called it his “prayer rock.” I had never heard of anything like that, except that I thought of the common picture of Jesus praying in Gethsemane, kneeling toward the large rock, His elbows resting on it as He looked upward.
Then last night or this morning, as I red Nemat’s book, I arrived at page 61 where she had found her “prayer rock.” One book I had been reading for weeks, on and off, the other for days, on and off, and in the same sitting so to speak (it could have been both last night and this morning), I read of a prayer rock, never having heard of such a thing before.
I take it the Lord is saying, “Victor, I determine all things, the books you read, when, where, how much – everything. I am in full control” (I had some things bothering me – nothing much – which were settled in prayer, then this coincidence came.)
Who says there is no God?
Particle – When Jonathan is Away
My journal record: Wednesday, July 4, 2007:
Jonathan has been to drama camp at Drumheller for a week now. This has been the extent of his communications with us while away from home:
From: Jonathan Hafichuk
To: victor@thepathoftruth.com
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 8:46 AM
Hello,
Everything is going well, i wasn’t able to get online till now, ttyl.
Jonathan
Jonathan replies with short notes and no emotional expression, yet, he’s quite reasonable and obedient.
From: victor@thepathoftruth.com
To: Jonathan Hafichuk
Subject: Re:
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 09:05:02 -0600
Hey, son!
Glad to hear from you! Thinking of you all the time. Mom talked to James Dahl last night when he came on MSN. He told us a bit. Said you would be writing us. Also told us you got a bit ill from a ride. Easy to do. Lots of people experience that.
Did you see the lightning storm? Things are well here.
Dad and Mom.
From: Jonathan Hafichuk
To: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 8:51 AM
Subject: RE:
Hello,
Ya, one of the rides spun a lot….as for the lightning storm, thankfully it didn’t start really raining till after i got here and got my stuff unloaded.
Jonathan
From: victor@thepathoftruth.com
To: Jonathan
CC: Marilyn
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 10:44:45 -0600
Hi Son,
The Lord bless you! Bless Him and thank Him for everything!
Reply:
Hello,
Once again everything is going well, it was a little weird the first couple days cus i didn’t know anyone but it’s getting better now.
Have a nice day,
Jonathan
Particle – Drumheller Passion Play
Jonathan was impressed with the Passion Play in Drumheller, in which he served as an extra during his three-week, summer school camp. I don’t agree with a man playing the part of Jesus Christ in any way, so I debated whether Jonathan should be involved but didn’t feel free or moved to prevent it.
Particle – Doubts about the Theo-autobiography
I’ve had serious doubts about the autobiography. Lord, do You want it or not? If this is simply an ego trip, I’m wasting the latter part of my life talking about what I’ve already lived instead of living productively today.
On the lawn, I received that what we conceive of the autobio will be. If we want the best, a worldwide circulation, attracting record numbers, it will be so. We only need to do the job well. I discussed those things with Sara and Paul.
Particle – 7th Day, 7th Month, 7th Year, 7th Millennium
Today, July 7th, 2007, I thought of building a creation museum. It was the concluding motivation to build the “Harvest Haven Hall.” To put a lot of money into a meeting hall that might have very few small meetings didn’t seem justified.
In one building, I thought to incorporate a stone baking oven (for baking and selling our own bread); a commercial kitchen with a meat-processing facility (cutting only); a health machine treatment, demo, and sales area; and living quarters for volunteers and visitors.
Particle – Creation Museum in Big Valley
Also, today is the grand opening of Big Valley Creation Science Museum near Drumheller, AB, as well as one in Bow Island, AB, an hour’s drive east of us. Paul wanted to visit the Big Valley Museum when we went to pick Jonathan up two weeks from today. “Why would he want to go there? It can’t be that big a deal,” I thought. He mentioned it two or three times.
Then it occurred to me that such a facility would be perfectly in line with our farm and all we do and teach, as with The Path of Truth. I’m so contemptuous of evolutionary theory asininity; I would like to make a mighty statement against it. Today, Marilyn, Mark, Sara, Paul and I seriously considered the project.
Editors Note: I think of ThePathofTruth site combined with Harvest Haven as the “creation museum.”
Our neighbor Elisha Rasmussen needed someone to do her hay because her regular “haymaker” was unavailable. Trevor went over and did it. We calculated what it would cost to do the work and determined a bill. She preferred to interview us for a few minutes on her Channel 7 program free of charge.
However, Mark said we didn’t find certain avenues of advertising of value to us, so I countered with another proposition: “Do such-and-such an amount of business with us of anything you wish to buy in our store and we won’t charge you for haying. You’ll only pay whatever anyone else pays for our product and they don’t get any haying done with it.”
I asked Mark to present the option to Elisha. Mark tells me she blew up at him, apparently thinking we were charging her when we were only asking her to patronize our business enough to compensate for our services. After all, our main product was a substantial assortment of quality organic groceries, everyone needs to eat (even Elisha), and she didn’t have to go far – we were next door – we would even have delivered them in a timely manner free of charge. We would both benefit. She disagreed and asked us for a bill.
Mark seemed to think our proposition was misunderstood so I wrote her a letter, explaining that in effect, she was getting her haying for nothing. She accepted my letter, which Lois personally delivered to her door, but it didn’t change her mind. She paid us by check and indignantly severed relations with us.
But Elisha wasn’t done. She soon asked us to remove our Harvest Haven road sign from her property, which we promptly moved to the other side of the road and pleasantly discovered the change made it more appealing and visible to traffic. We also had a strawberry directional sign on a post near her gate for many years to do her, our customers, and us a favor, directing them to our farm. We suddenly found it laying on the ground near our fence.
Did we show poor judgment? Were we stubborn? Were we un-neighborly? Perhaps we were all those things; I don’t honestly know. What specific fault did Elisha find with us? I don’t think she said; I believe she simply wanted her way, expected us to be doing her favors as neighbors without any obligation to her, and we refused to compromise. We thought we were offering her a very good deal, which amounted to free hay harvesting.
Was Elisha within her rights? I suppose. Was her demand to pay for our services with unwanted advertising warranted? We didn’t think so. One would think we had some say in an exchange currency seeing she was the one asking for the favor.
Was Elisha a neighbor worth letting have her way to keep “good” relations? I think the answer is in the quotation marks around the word “good.” I think Elisha was confronted on her pride and childishness.
It was a coincidental and remarkable thing that immediately after we had our conflict with Elisha, we sold four triple Hsin Ten health machine combos (a highly unusual occurrence), along with other merchandise that far exceeded what she would have bought.
Was God rewarding us for standing our ground? You decide. We could have done her hay for nothing but it seemed she was always expecting us to do her favors over the years while never stepping inside our store next door. I think we did the right thing, finally.
Editor’s Note, April 2017: Years later, perhaps around 2014, we realized what had happened. Mark failed to communicate accurately our proposal to her and so she didn’t understand. Still, she could have tried and had she tried, things would be very different. There was no give, no patience, no effort of understanding from her in a neighborly fashion.
Particle – A Regrettable Hesitation
Mark attended a compost tea conference in Vulcan where he met Gerald Wiebe from southern Manitoba. Gerald paid a visit to our farm and we got into a discussion of spiritual and religious matters wherein Gerald immediately took the floor and criticized those in churches for their hypocrisy. His spirit was aggressively cynical. When done speaking, I gently addressed him on cynicism before all. However, I believe I should have rebuked a demon of cynicism.
Gerald was proud of his cynicism. Later he told us that his instructor in one of his classes commended him for being cynical. It occurred to me that the instructor was diplomatically and shrewdly winning him to neutralize personal conflict. Gerald said that from that time on, he was openly and freely cynical. The instructor did Gerald no favors while preserving himself from Gerald’s negative attitude and public embarrassment.
Something coming from the visit was that Gerald confessed that keeping the Sabbath was clearly Biblical and right while keeping Sunday was neither. Yet he would not commit to keeping the Sabbath, though he professed faith in Christ. So while he was cynically accusing others of hypocrisy, he manifested a supreme example of it.
But I too failed, I suppose, because I think he needed deliverance from a demon of cynicism, and possibly hypocrisy as well. I had the chance to rebuke the demon but held back for social appearances and because of doubt. I was hoping to see him again and gain the opportunity to help him, but it didn’t happen.
Editor’s Note: Other consequences of dealing with Gerald would come to light in years to come.
Particle – Marilyn’s Low Self Esteem
Marilyn was in distress after some things I said to her concerning her low self-esteem, which often provoked her to criticize or belittle others without their presence to find solace or comfort. She was told to abhor undue criticism of others, especially of herself, and to stop blaming others for her state of mind and lack of composure. These things deny Jesus Christ is Lord. In the end, she was to focus on confessing His Sovereignty over all.
Particle – Mariko’s Vision: Star of David Flag
Mariko recorded this vision in her diary:
On July 14, 2007, I had a vision of our Star of David flag being close to the ground, then rising to another level, and then once more, all the while staying the same size. It grew jerkily, as a plant sprouting from the ground.
I felt like I was in another dimension. I knew the scale of the flag’s movement was very different from what we have in our yard. It was much bigger. The distance the flag climbed was great. I would say that it was great on an astronomical scale. I did not see the ground or the flag pole. I knew the flag was low and I knew it was moving up, but all I could see was sky. The flag was moving up, not straight up but on a bit of an angle to the right. The sky was a mix of red, black and maybe a little white. It reminded me of clouds I had once seen (or somehow now associate with the event) before an earthquake [in Japan] when I was young.
Editor’s Note: Mariko’s visions and dreams have been strange and distracting. Spirits?
Particle – Fire Blight Strikes Fruit Trees
Our neighbor June Creighton came over to tell me she had fire blight in her yard and that the community needed to do something about this pernicious disease. She pointed to possible symptoms in our fruit trees. Sure enough, the disease was there.
How often have I asked the Lord why, if I walk with Him, am I subject to the kinds of problems to which the world is subject, and which aren’t in my control? Am I not supposed to be kept and blessed, according to the Scriptures, as in Deuteronomy 28? Or is it simply that I’m not walking with the Lord as I ought? All my life, I have constantly examined myself when things like this came my way. Often, it didn’t seem I got anywhere; at times, it was clear I needed correction.
I had to conclude it’s not my righteousness, that we all suffer loss, failure, and defeat – unbeliever and believer alike. And we suffer them from former as well as present sins. This was the case with the saints in Scripture and it’s no different for anyone else.
Yet, concerning my fruit trees and the disease that has plagued them, I must confess that I have not been diligent in caring for them as I could be or ought to. How can we escape consequences when not giving proper care? What do we expect? Freebies? No, we all have a responsibility before God to be able stewards of all He gives us.
Particle – Trevor and Ingrid’s Wedding Date
Revelation: Why is Trevor and Ingrid’s wedding day on the 7th anniversary of rebuking Satan and kicking Sean out? What is the correlation? I asked the Lord and it came to me that just as something greatly troublesome was removed then, so something troublesome would be removed again. What a relief that will be!
Particle – Dream – Ben and Danny
In the night of the 15/16 of July 2007, I had a dream, not from God but from my spirit, of seeing Ben and Danny Hafichuk. I tried to befriend them, seeking to do them good, to rectify or make up for the past. As they saw my willingness to do something for them, they each asked for a car, a certain kind of which I do not recall. They asked for something else monetary as well.
I realized that though I greatly desired to help them, financial gifts were all they were interested in. I knew those would accomplish nothing. I was about to tell Danny when the dream ended that buying a car was not always the wisest choice for a young person. I sensed that if I did not give them what they wanted, that they really had no use for anything else, like reconciliation with me or anything of true spiritual value. All true.
Particle – Islam, Creation, the Trinity, and Evangelicalism
On the Sabbath, July 21st, 2007, Marilyn, Paul, Sara, and I visited Big Valley Creation Museum. There we met Harry Nibourg, the “director,” a zealous evangelical of the E-Free Church. I had some things to say to him. After leaving, a question occurred to me and I had Paul go back in to ask Harry if he had ever heard the voice of the Lord, and seeing Harry had made a big deal of believing in the Trinity, Paul could also ask him which one of the Trinity did he hear.
We coincidentally met another visitor there, Basim Faraj, a “Palestinian” Muslim and geologist with a Ph.D., working with Talisman Energy Inc. in Calgary. Basim was an evolutionist and argued against some of the displays for creationism. I had words to speak to him as well. In our conversation, he said I was a brave man to say that God condemned all religion, including Islam (consider the implications – so much for Canadian freedom of speech).
From the Big Valley Creation Museum, we headed to Drumheller to pick up Jonathan. In seeking directions for the school location at a tourist information center, we met an SDA (Seventh Day Adventist) couple near the entrance, who were quite eager to testify to us. Strangely enough, an event repeated itself once again – they asked Paul and me if we were brothers. We answered, they gave us some SDA websites to check out, and we gave them our card.
Particle – Rare Talkativeness with Jonathan
Moving on, we headed to the school where Jonathan met us with a big hug and introduced us to his companion, Samantha Underhill, ballet daughter of Eric and Gabrielle of Barrhead, AB. On the way home, Jonathan talked and talked of his experiences the past 3 weeks. It was unusual because Jonathan is habitually a person of few words.
Days later, Jonathan filled us in more on his activities, victories, and achievements at camp; quite amazing really. I never had his kind of life at all. He has great favor with both God and man. My life at that age was so different from his!
On Sunday, July 22, 2007, our neighbor John Rutland sent an email announcing his garage sale. Paul and I walked over and had a talk with him. John was a university professor and was headed to Kuwait on a three-year contract to teach business. Years prior, I tried talking to him about the Lord but he was very closed. He said he was brought up in an evangelical home and had “salvation rammed down his throat,” and therefore was not the least interested.
As we were leaving, I asked him if he had any thoughts about the state and happenings concerning Islam, seeing he was headed to a Muslim country. He believed that the Kuwaitis loved the Americans, who had “saved them from Saddam Hussein” and were their present protectors. He said the Americans had a tank barricade there just in case, the only of its kind.
He said a Filipino-Canadian woman’s husband was killed there in a drive-by shooting two years previously. He was a migrant worker (considered low-life) and Muslim elements could not countenance it. According to John, the woman was charged with a contract murder on her husband and might still be in prison. The event wasn’t well-known because the media was quite hushed about it. It seemed very unlikely that she would do such a thing.
I asked him if he knew what the Koran taught. John said he had studied Islam for years and knew the general situation quite well. I asked him if he had red the Koran. He admitted that he had red it some but not really. I told him the three choices the Koran dictated to all Muslims for infidels (unbelievers/nonmuslims) – convert to Islam, become a slave of a Muslim, or off comes your head.
He repeated the common excuse and lie of the Muslims that unless one reads the Koran in Arabic, one cannot really understand it. Isn’t it suspiciously strange how one can have accurate translations of Arabic in everything else, be it commerce, books, governmental relations, etc., but when it comes to their Koran, when we point out the vicious verses and contradictions, “we can’t really understand its real meaning in translations”?
Paul tried to tell him that only in Jesus Christ was the answer for something John mentioned (don’t recall what), but John brushed it off, cut the conversation short, and dismissed us with a pretense of goodwill, saying “Have a good trip,” to Paul. We expected him to receive a rude awakening about the truth of Islam, its dynamic and agenda.
Particle – A Third Muslim Incident in Two Days
On Sunday, July 22nd, while Paul and I were in the Harvest Haven store, for some reason Mary was trying to get a cup of water to me. I drank it, but when I discovered she might have had the flu, I decided to go to the house for a tablespoon of colloidal silver for prevention. At that moment, three unusual persons (young men that looked like Arabs) walked in. Paul and I suspected they were Muslims. I said I would be right back, fully intending to be, and went to the house.
Ten minutes later, Paul came to the house saying he‘d just had a confrontation with the three men who were indeed Muslims, and menacing as well. I had completely forgotten about them! I then realized I had forgotten even before I left the store!
One of them picked up a Path of Truth card from the counter and asked, “What is this?” (People never do that.) Paul replied that it was Biblical. The leader replied, “We don’t read the Bible – we are Muslim.” Paul said the Bible was about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Lord and Savior of mankind.
They replied that Muslims believe Jesus was only a prophet, as expressed in the Koran. Paul said the Koran was a lie, denying God and His Son. They had no response and exited the building in contempt, with one crying, “Allahu Akbar!” leaving the door open behind them.
I believe Paul had it to make the right statement to them concerning the major difference between Islam and Christianity, that being the Son of God. Obviously, I was not purposed there.
So the day before, we had met a Muslim at the Creation Museum in Big Valley. The next day we had a confrontation with an ignorant American neighbor who defended Islam and wouldn’t listen to the facts. Then on the same day, we encountered three menacing young Muslims at Harvest Haven, checking us out, asking about The Path of Truth card and taking one.
I do not believe that the meeting with Basim and the 3 fellows coming the next day was an unrelated coincidence. While Basim acted rather neutral about religion when we met at the Big Valley Creation Museum, I have no doubt that after our conversation and his reading our site (I had given him a POT card), he alerted the three young men from Calgary, or wherever, to investigate, if not intimidate us in a subtle manner.
Particle – Trevor and Ingrid’s Wedding
On the same day of July 22nd, the self-confessing lesbian, Wilma Vanden Dool, whom Trevor had once attempted to court, came by to pick strawberries after closing at 3 PM, the very day of Trevor and Ingrid’s wedding. We had not seen her in a while. We told her Trevor was getting married. She heard things we had to say about God’s direction and sovereignty.
A peculiar thing was that as seldom as Wilma would show up at the farm, she had also been present the day when Pascal (Ingrid’s late husband) came requesting prayer to receive the Spirit and we told him we weren’t free to pray for him. I don’t know that she knew Pascal died (slain by the Lord through an evil spirit) shortly after he left us with indignation, or that Ingrid was Pascal’s widow.
Then came the wedding. As with Mark and Mariko, Albert Hing came to do the legal ceremony, speaking of his experiences and giving his opinion on many things. Albert not only officiated at weddings, he added color and charm to the event. We appreciated him.
Paul, Sara, Mark, and I had things to say, recounting the experiences in Big Valley, and about the revelation of Trevor’s wedding being on the 7th anniversary of casting Sean out, for what it was worth. As there was a great burden lifted when Sean was cast out, so there would be another lifted with Trevor wed, Ingrid filling in some missing element(s) in his life.
Ingrid and I also testified about her past, the prophecies of February 1998, which spoke of a wife of God’s choosing for Trevor, which coincided with the time when the Gregoires’ immigration paperwork was initiated for Pascal and Ingrid to come to Canada from Belgium. We also talked about Pascal’s resistance to us and his consequent, unusual death.
An eventful day!
And tell me this: Are those precision timings haphazard coincidences, natural results of a billion-years-old explosion of gases, or the work of an Almighty and Sovereign Engineer?
Who says there is no God?
The Sirias family have been our customers for years. Paul, the oldest son, came visiting us at the Farmer’s Market on July 25th. He told us of his younger brother, Chris, who was now a staunch Muslim in Indonesia, married and with a child, or one on the way. Chris was adopting and expressing all the grievances of Muslims against the West. Paul laughed, saying that Chris had once berated him for working with Wal-Mart, saying it was party to killing Muslims. We had also heard from Wayne Gregson of Chris’ complaints against Israel and apologetics for Muslims.
Particle – Faith Tested by Fire
In this year of 2007, Korean Christians were taken hostage by the Taliban. One was executed; the others were being held for ransom. They went to Afghanistan against their country’s warnings and even posed for pictures in front of a sign warning them not to go.
Were their actions a leading of the Spirit of the Lord or were they being self-righteous and ostentatious? Now, they beg for their lives, whether forced to do so or not; who knows? Does it matter? Are their deaths those of martyrs who love their Lord or of presumptuous fools who took Jesus Christ’s Name in vain? I’m persuaded it was the latter.
It is for this very kind of thing that the Muslims come. It is the fire of God on flippant, shallow, nominal Christianity, for those taking God’s Name in vain. We heard that a large percentage of South Koreans are evangelical and very zealous to proselytize.
Particle – An Ever-Present Trouble
Sean fails to do anything right at the farm. If there is a way of messing something up, he finds it. If he doesn’t find it, he makes it. Lois and Mark are constantly frustrated with his ineptitude. What is worse, Sean fails to recognize any fault.
Mark related to me how when Sean was at the farm before, in authority, he ruled by evil, being foolish, stupid, arrogant, selfish, stubborn, and they had to submit to it. They had to submit to wrong. Now, Sean sees himself hard done by, yet the Bensons aren’t ruling in evil as he did. He doesn’t see it that way, being blind and foolish. He needs to submit to good, yet has a harder time doing that than they did submitting to his evil. “Harder time”? Try impossible. Sean can admit no wrong and will never apologize unless an apology is extracted from him, which is no apology.
We talked to Paul and Sara by phone after Marilyn said she was greatly tempted as never before to commit suicide, crying, “There is no hope! There is no hope!” I rebuked spirits of suicide, self-pity, and bitterness.
Particle – A Reluctant Confession
Carol Browne’s communications with us were all but dead. When we confronted her, she admitted she was hiding from us. She had taken in her wayward daughter who rebelled against Carol, ran around, and became pregnant from a Catholic fellow who indicated no love for or commitment to her.
Because her daughter simply refused to obey her mother, we advised Carol to let her go and suffer the consequences. She wouldn’t do it, but neither would she tell us she was disobeying us.
I considered that the Lord was proving her, calling her into account for a statement she made when we first met her, that she was prepared to do anything God asked her to do. When tried, however, she wouldn’t forsake her daughter. Had she done so, she would have had a spiritual victory, her daughter, and all things. Now all she has is her daughter and family, creatures she wasn’t willing to forsake for the Creator. It is a tragedy.
It wouldn’t be long before we discovered Carol was lying to us concerning offerings. She was not willing to send them, telling us there was a heavy duty on them by the South African government to prevent their currency from leaving the country. This wasn’t so unless the law had changed recently.
Editor’s Note: Paul adds, “I found the below letter you wrote to Carol at the time, Victor. Perhaps she was willing in part, but withholding because she wasn’t willing to forsake herself and her family?” The letter began with:
“Hi Carol,
It is apparent that the government’s restrictions are not worth sending the offerings, though you’re willing to do so. The willingness is what the Lord sees and I believe that you will set those offerings aside, not touching them until a reasonable solution appears…”
Particle – Trevor Incorrigible
On July 31, 2007, Lois reported to me that Trevor had lost more mail – a $350 check to Mark from the government. Trevor had also tracked manure into the back of the garden shop and used the phone with mechanic-greasy hands. Ingrid was distraught and suffering some disillusionment. She was finding out, as I had warned her, that she was appointed to take care of him, seeing he wasn’t capable of doing things properly or even taking care of himself.
I saw Ingrid as a fruitful branch grafted to a tree that had a serious shortfall. I suspected she was the wisdom component, not that she had necessarily shown any, yet she had, in simple straightforward ways. For examples, a desire was already in her to translate writings to French; she had seen through Pascal’s hypocrisies and contradictions, having tried to reason with him; she forsook her children, knowing by faith that was her duty. Yes, there was wisdom to do the will of God, without fanfare or apparent extraordinary gifting.
Particle – Enemies for Next Door Neighbors…Again
John Rienstra, a new neighborhood boy, came by with our next-door neighbor Bern’s dog, which crapped on our lawn. I asked John to tell them I do not want their dog in our yard. He did and returned with a report that Val Bern would not answer the door if I came to speak to her. I wondered at such a strange reaction and went over to talk to her. Val’s daughter’s boyfriend, who was standing out front, verbally, scornfully attacked me, but without substance, and would not give any explanation when I asked for it.
That evening, Val Bern came to the road while Magda Bogaert, Ghinny (her son and Jonathan’s friend), Jessica Rienstra (John’s sister), John, Michael (John’s little brother) and I were talking on the street in front of Val’s home. She was either drunk, on medication, or just somehow rationally handicapped.
Before these other people, Val said her daughter knew I had looked into her bedroom in the night with a flashlight, she knew I had a criminal record, that I had beaten a kid to within an inch of his life, that I had been in a tree in their yard, that I had shot a dog dead, and that I had messed their sprinkler system and lawn. It was so bizarre. And there was no talking to her or to her husband, Andy. I decided to write a letter to all people concerned.
I think John also mentioned that Suzanna Koppert was afraid of me, my having come to their house late in the evening as if I was dangerous. I recalled how I had donated some goods to a fundraising garage sale that would be held the next day at the Fire Hall, which was 2 doors down from their place. I was home late and would not be available the next day, so I thought I’d drop the goods off at Kopperts’, asking if they would get them to the garage sale for me.
Granted, it was nearly 11 p.m., but I didn’t ask to come into the house, nor was I the least interested in taking any more time than necessary that late at night. Wouldn’t reason point out that I had brought goods for an actual sale slated for the next day, was leaving them on their front step and that I left without any attempt at conversation, seeking entry, or anything else?
I suppose Suzanna was afraid and talked about it to others. But even if she couldn’t “put two and two together,” in time you would think the Koppert family would realize the event to be entirely innocent. I recall giving the family strawberries at Harvest Haven years before when they came U-picking, seeing they seemed poor. I also had spiritual discussions with Harry and Alice in times past. Don’t they consider these things? Must I be branded a sexual predator for nothing? Is that not a grievous accusation, particularly by those who publicly profess faith in Christ? But human nature pays little or no mind to even obvious facts when in fear or resentment.
Wow! How rumors can form and spread! I wrote a 7-page letter to the entire community, telling all, and rebuking any that participated in these rumors, particularly the Kopperts – Reform Church people professing faith in Christ.
By the way, I wish to clarify the reason for the Berns’ daughter’s report that someone had shone a light into her bedroom one night. They said it was me because there was an evening before sundown where Andy saw Jonathan and me searching trees along the Bern boundary and into his yard for a wasp’s nest. One can barely see one of those in broad daylight.
I assume Andy suspected me for that reason and came over to ask me directly if I had been shining a light in his daughter’s bedroom in the night. I had no idea what he was talking about and told him so. I think I should have been insulted, but knowing human nature and the foolish things people can assume or dream up, I wasn’t offended.
“Okay, I thought I’d just ask,” he replied.
When Ghinny Bogaert heard about the incident, he almost immediately knew what had happened. He and some other young people had gone around in the dark with a laser light not long ago, shining it here and there. He said it had likely inadvertently shone in the Berns bedroom window, the Berns daughter saw it, and thought it was someone deliberately shining a flashlight to invade her privacy. Of course, a laser is nothing like a flashlight, but Ghinny’s explanation made sense – the timing, time of day, and the type of light.
I’m reminded of a saying that says, “Not only must we be right, we must appear right.” How swiftly we can get in trouble without effort! Yet, I’m persuaded the Lord has orchestrated these events to use me as a stumbling block to judge people. This has happened many times and it never ends well for those gathered against me, as you’ll see again. At the same time, it never hurts me!
Particle – Fife Rife with Strife
Sean was rebuked again and again for carelessness, thoughtlessness, irresponsibility and, worst of all, a refusal to admit any wrong or ineptitude.
For several days, two words Sean used have been haunting me with the very same thoughts Lois and Mark have had. Sean referred to us when being corrected or rebuked as “you people,” a separatistic, judgmental, contemptuous expression.
Particle – Leckey, Kenneth, Behold the Man
I red Behold the Man by Kenneth Leckey and became angry. He and A. P. Adams basically deny the Deity of Christ, supposing that unless Jesus was born of sinful flesh, He could not rightly be our High Priest and Example. It was very convoluted. To counter Trinitarians and others perverting the true nature of Jesus Christ, we decided to post a section about Jesus Christ being the One and Only God [See Jesus Christ Is God (section). Paul wrote the principal paper – Jesus Christ, Almighty God].
Particle – A Visitor for Dinner
On the evening of August 10th, 2007, we had our Sabbath supper at the farm with James Sorochan, a customer, as a guest. James had asked Dena out for dinner. Marilyn said, “Why don’t we invite him to the farm for dinner with all of us?” So we did.
We had a good visit. Mark and Dena told their stories, which James found interesting, if not moving. I appreciated hearing Dena manifest a freedom she never displayed, telling her story and expressing realizations I wasn’t aware she had.
James, part Ukrainian, part Scottish, labeled himself an agnostic. He was going through a divorce, had two sisters, one, his twin, and four brothers, who, with their father, ran an excavation company. James was a high hoe operator.
James said he was searching out the answers of life and reading the Bible, presently at Exodus, and finding it interesting. He was also reading The Path of Truth.
Particle – Michael – “Who Is Like God?”
On August 11th, I recorded this revelation:
Why is one, if not the chief of archangels called “Michael,” meaning “Who is like God?” It’s because he leads the spiritual battle against the lie that man can be like God on his own, or that he can imitate or emulate Christ, or even follow in Christ’s footsteps. No man can be a bona fide believer and disciple of God in his own right or power. Only those in whom He dwells can ever be His disciples. Jesus Christ is not a mere example; He is the Essence of God Himself. He is the Only Savior, thoroughly needed by every man.
Previous Page Next Page
Part XI - Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Part I ~ Part II ~ Part III ~ Part IV ~ Part V ~ Part VI ~ Part VII ~ Part VIII ~ Part IX ~ Part X ~ Part XI ~ Part XII