Subject: ‘Guess Who Appreciates Satan’
From: David
To: The Path of Truth
Date: 11/24/2015 1:42 PM
Hi,
I came across your website not by accident, chance or choice but by determination of seeking out an opinion that aligns closely to how I too view God’s word.
Although I’ve read many of your teachings, there is one so far that has stood out amongst them the title is “Guess who appreciates Satan” I have been seeing this for years but haven’t been able to piece it together so I could show those that have eyes could also see it. So a big thank you for doing it.
It also states in scripture (Gen 1:26) that God made man in the image and OUR likeness and this task wasn’t completed until AFTER they ate the fruit, God confirms this in Gen 3:22 to which many followers miss.
Gen 3:24 also shows us that there were others also in the garden as well and along with Gen 3:1 we can now piece together to whom God was referring to when he was talking about making man in the image and likeness of US.
Anyway, this is a fantastic website for all to enjoy and learn.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
David from Brisbane, Australia.
From: Paul Cohen
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 4:42 PM
To: David
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Subject: “Guess Who Appreciates Satan”
Thank you, David, for letting us know you’re out there receiving some of the good things the Lord has given us at The Path of Truth. Bless His Name!
Continue exploring what is available on our site – the Sabbath meetings and Forum, for example. Tell us more about yourself if you write back. We’d like to hear about your spiritual journey and where you’re at presently.
We also send out emails in response to questions and contentions that come to our site regularly. You’re welcome to be a recipient on the blind carbon copy list, if you like. Let us know if we can help with anything.
Paul
From: David
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 6:11 AM
To: Paul Cohen
Subject: Re: “Guess Who Appreciates Satan”
Hi Paul,
Thanks for taking the time in replying to my email, much appreciated, and for asking about my spiritual journey.
Well, I’m 54 yrs old married with 2 children, boy 23 and 21yr old girl both still at home. I also have a 34yr old stepdaughter to whom is married and lives in Sydney. I work for the Australian Government as a Quarantine Officer and my wife works at the Australian Taxation Department. We’ve been married for 25 yrs next Feb.
I grew up in a non christian family, all my school friends, neighbours weren’t religious as far as I knew and no one attended any church. I can’t recall any time when I was growing up of religion even been the topic of discussion. So, I knew very little on the subject.
When I was at state school, the entire school children would all assemble on the play ground courtyard each morning before the first period commence and we would sing a so called religious song; “God save the Queen” [the Queen of England, Australia is part of the Commonwealth] this was a tradition back then however, this in itself was strange as we would all sing about God saving someone else, the Queen. This was my introduction to God.
A day at school was also broken up into periods, and each period we would be taught a different subject (English, Maths, Science etc) however, once or twice a week we would have a Religious Instruction period. But there wasn’t any representative from any religious organisation that taught the subject it was basically to whom you had teaching you in the period before hand was your Religious Instruction teacher. More or less its was another way of giving us a double period of Maths or Science or in most cases we would just do nothing for the 40 minutes as the teacher would use it to catch up on their own work.
After I left high school and started my working life I continued living without knowledge of religion. I drank, party and went out with several girls. However, all this time I did feel something missing I didn’t know what it was I just felt perhaps lost or lonely even though I had plenty of friends.
When I was about 19 there was a very popular religious show playing on television each week. And the show (A New way of Living) was filmed here in Brisbane. And one weekend I grab my two sisters and said lets go and see what this is all about.
So when we got to the venue it had already started the event was held in the Bingo hall that would hold around 400 hundred people. This day it was packed to the rafters. When we walked in they were all singing a hym, standing in the aisles waiving their arms above their heads and some were dancing to the beat. We found a spot near the aisle at the back of the hall. There were television cameras set up in each corner and a stage out front that accomodate the speakers for the day.
Anyway after the songs were finished and all the commotion settled down we sat and listened to the speaker. I can’t remember who it was speaking but he called out to the crowd for anyone that wanted to be saved to come up to the front and to be saved. I said to my sisters I’m going up there, and before they could stopped me I was on my way.
The speaker ask those to come up on stage and line across it facing the front, therefore our backs were to the audience. I remember there were about 7 of us standing in a row. I was second from the end. As i was standing there, the speaker walked over and stand in front of the first one in line as a couple of his helpers would stand behind the person. I remember watching one by one those standing in line fall into the helpers arms as the soeaker would touch them on their forehead and say a couple of words and down they go.
I started to get nervous and i remember thinking, this is it, this is the change I’m looking for, something is going to dramatically happen to me and I’ll be saved by God. The soeaker was getting closer and closer and finally he”s standing in front of me. I felt the presents of those behind me and then the speaker put his fingers on my forehead and then started his speach, I closed my eyes and waited, but there was nothing, and then all of a sudden I felt him pushing me with his fingers. So, I pushed back, then he pushed and I pushed again then to realise that I was holding things up. I was meant to fake it and fall down and pretend that I’m saved. So, under duress I fell to the ground before he moved onto the next person beside me.
But it continued, as I was laying there on the floor I thought now what, so I took a glance to my right and saw people getting to their feet and just to top it off, the one beside me started jiratting on the floor she looked as if she was having convolutions and I remember saying to myself as I was looking at her “turn it up, really” this is a hole lot of baloney.
When I got to my feet I quickly got off the stage (appropriately named I thought) and walked straight down the aisle and grabbed my sisters and walked out and never looked back. This experience turned me completely off religion.
I hope im not putting you to sleep. So, I stayed away from religion until I met Reba, my wife today. Reba didn’t talk to me about religion it was indirectly through her parents that I became exposed to religion again.
Reba grew up attending church every Sunday but when she was with me we didn’t go. When Reba and I got married we built a house not far from her parents place and Reba started to attend church with her parents again on weekends. I would go occassionally but not often. Reba got involved in the Church kids club and before to long she was running it. Eventually I got to know a few people at the church. The church although in the city was a country style church approximately 40 members. This was an “open bretheren church” over the next 15 years would go and listen to the speakers and attend their communion every now then but not participate in because I wasn’t saved. I tried a couple of times in reading the bible but I thought it was all gobbly gock. To me it was confusing as all i saw was contridiction and stuff that only people smoking pot could have dreamt up.
I would sit there time after time and having all of them directing their sermons at me and trying to get me to convert. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, it was more that I couldn’t understand it or put it together.
Until one day they introduced a study program. This program was for all those that went to the church. It was called “Road to Damascus”. It was a program that taught the bible from cover to cover hiwever, only taking bits out of it here and there so one would get an overall picture of the book and later it was up to each to go back and fill in the parts that were in between. The beauty abbout this course was that who ever had questions you’d could write them down anonymously and place it in the question box and the next week they would answer it as a forum before starting the next lesson. The only problem with this was that I was the only one that questioned everything and the only one that would ask. So, you didn’t have to have a mind of Einstein to work out who the anonymous person was that was asking. Some questions were answered but many werent, this lead me searching for myself and the more I searched the more questions I’d ask.
This was a small nit church of folk that were predominantly over 70 years of age. They weren’t so called exclusive bretherens, but lack in certain ritual I suppose. More open to peoples choice, for example my wife refused to wear a hat or a head covering whilst in church they said that they would tolerate it. Probably because Reba’s parents were part founders of the church as well as lack of numbers could have been also a factor.
I couldn’t and never could understand the hole denomination thing of churches anyway as I would ask them why they were the woman wearing hats when the bible passages that they quote me with would suggest the covering be for the whole of the head not just the top to which a hat does. They were contradicting even their own rules and also why one church would allow not to wear appose to the other that would. Also how come they don’t do laying of the hands like the church down the road and so on.
Anway after learning how to read and understand the bible I became more and more convinced about Gods presence. This lead for me asking the same question as Nicodemus what does one need to do to be saved. On September 27th 2013 I invited a couple of friends from the church around home and on that day I gave myself over to believing that the Lord God opened my heart to let the light shine out. And from that day, everyday i have not stopped reading God’s word.
Before i finish up here, the more i read the more I’d question the church’s ways and it eventually i stopped going to church once again, however the reason was more as to why they were doing what they do that didnt make any sense to me. So out on my own travelling down not to far from the same track of turn or burn gospel i came across the Rick Warrens Purposely driven book and then watching Dr David Jerimiah Creflo Dollar, Joyce Myer and Ray Comfort and still questioning their ways when i came across Martin Zender. This was the first time I came across someone that showed a different perspective of the gospel that made any sense. Then I started listening to Dan Sheridan, Clyde Pilkington, and came across the iswasandwillbe website and eventually to yours.
There is a variety of religion followers I work with, so I too enquired about them there were mormons, hindusiam, islam, Judaism and one was a sonof a preacher that turned away from religion by believing ancient Egyptian mythology but I found myself coming back to your teaching and felt that this is the right track.
So here I am. Don’t worry I haven’t left you out without questioning. But, I’ll ask in a different time.
I hope you didn’t nod off to many times then.
Take care.
David from Brisbane Australia.
From: Paul Cohen
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2015 7:51 AM
To: David
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Subject: Re[3]: “Guess Who Appreciates Satan”
Hi David,
Didn’t nod off at all reading your story. On the contrary, it’s always of interest hearing how the Lord draws a soul to Himself in the midst of a dark world. We appreciated getting to know you better, too.
Lord willing, you’ll take advantage of the various ways to communicate and stay in touch with us, and we’ll hear your questions when you’re ready.
Paul
From: David
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2015 3:21 AM
To: Paul Cohen
Subject: Thank you
Hi Paul,
I’ve just finished reading “The Origin and Identity of Satan” absolutely brillient work.
Through this mind field of trying to understand God’s word, I thank God for directing me to your website so he can show me through the intellectual gifts to which he has bestowed upon you and Victor by way of collating scripture together and spelling it out in layman’s terms for those of us that are less educated (myself) that are hungry for enlightenment.
Thank you Lord, thank you Paul and please pass on a thank you to Victor as well.
Brillient work guys.
Ciao
David from Brisbane, Australia.
From: David
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2015 3:16 PM
To: Paul Cohen
Subject: Question?
Hi Paul,
I’ve a couple of questions for you. Where is heaven and which one is available to us when the time comes?
Ciao
David from Brisbane, Australiia
Subject: The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God
From: David
To: The Path Of Truth
Date: 12/28/2015 2:58 PM
Hi Victor & Paul,
I just like to say your work is brillient. I’ve just finished reading “The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God” and thought i’d pass on the recognition to which you deserve. I’ve read many about this subject but they have all fallen short until I’ve read yours.
I’m amazed of your insight into scripture. Its unlike any other. I’m yearning to tap into it myself in the way that you both have.
May I ask to which bibles you read from? And to any other materials that could help me along the right path, I would greatly appreciate if you could share this with me.
Thank you very kindly.
David from Brisbane, Australia
From: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 7:32 AM
To: David
Cc: Paul Cohen
Subject: Re: The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God
Hi David,
Our Source of whatever spiritual knowledge and understanding we possess is the Lord Jesus Christ Who has called and chosen us for this ministry.
Some Bible versions we use are the MKJV, the KJV, the ESV, GNB, WEB, LITV the Geneva Bible, and several others. It’s good to compare them. You can get many versions free from www.e-Sword.net and other websites like http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/.
Also read How We View and Use the Scriptures.
Until I received the gift of repentance from the Lord in 1973, I understood absolutely nothing of any Bible version (see my testimony). In 1975, I received the Holy Spirit and entered the first dimension of the Kingdom of Heaven where the Lord opened the Scriptures to me in a wonderful way. From there the Spirit of God has been teaching me to this day, using all things and peoples to do so. No credit to us – it’s entirely the Lord Jesus Christ’s doing.
What we have learned is posted at this site. Read and read and pray and read. Man’s great need is to turn from all sin and idolatry to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord grant you repentance and understanding.
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8 KJV).
The following is not a translation but a paraphrase by Peterson of the same verse, which seems quite accurate:
“But He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously– take God seriously” (Micah 6:8 MSG).
Read The Baptism in the Holy Spirit, The Cross – Only the Death Sentence Will Avail and Taking Up the Cross: “What Is Required of Me?” Let us know how you do.
Are you interested in attending our Sabbath meetings on Saturdays at 12 noon MST and receiving our correspondence? You may also participate in our Forum.
Victor
From: David Adam
Sent: January 05, 2016 2:42 PM
To: Victor Hafichuk
Subject: Re: The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God
Hi Victor,
Thank you for replying and sending me the information to which I requested, much appreciated. I”ve read some of the referrals already and looking forward to reading the rest.
However, I have a gift for you. I recently came across a youtube video of a sermon that blew me away and thought I have to share this. The difference between this message than the others on the subject (besides the content), that the message has come from the least expected source.
The subject is called “The Soul and Afterlife. Where Do We Go From Here?” by a guy called Rabbi Friedman. I know that he is a Jew and NO I”m not sending this to convert you to Judaism. I don”t know anything about this guy and I have no intentions of wanting to know. It”s the message itself that caught me unaware, just like when I first read yours and Pauls messages. This is also good. I find that we all fall short of the 100% and by being human we have to allow for the blemishes and see if one does have anything good to contribute.
Anyway, like others there are bits of his message that are questionable however its his viewpoint on the subject I believe will surprise you, in a good way.
In this case its the message not the messenger that speaks for itself.
This gift is for both you and Paul to watch and by all means send me back your opinion as I do value them. This does shine a Whiter Light on the subject.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YzFUXKk2B4I
Kind regards
David from Brisbane, Australia
From: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2016 8:29 AM
To: David
Cc: Paul Cohen
Subject: “The Soul and Afterlife. Where Do We Go From Here?”
Hi David,
Rabbi Friedman, of course, doesn’t know the Lord, his Messiah. While he has some interesting thoughts that may or may not be true – there’s no way of confirming many of the things he says except the Lord reveals them to us. Yet he speaks these things as though they are Gospel truth. How so?
What I find rather interesting is his claim that the Torah is his source for a lot of this information, yet you’ll not find much of it in the Torah (the 5 books of Moses). What does the Torah say of that very thing?
“You shall not add to the Word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2 MKJV).
So what IS his source of information? And what has he really offered anyone of life, besides mere unsubstantiated speculation as to where one goes after leaving the body? Truly, he has robbed us of valuable time and energy and has attempted to sow his philosophy in us, which has no profit.
That about sums up what the worth is of his sermon, doesn’t it?
Victor
From: David
Sent: January, 17 2016 4:57 PM
To: Victor Hafichuk
Subject: Re: “The Soul and Afterlife. Where Do We Go From Here?”
Thanks Victor, in looking back now and applying to what you have said I can see your view. This guy is definitely way off track. As you said he does make some interesting points but fails to provide any support to them.
Allow me to ask you a question. You have a very extensive knowledge of the Hebrew language. As you know it’s quite different from our Western mind set. The English version of the bible seems to contain a mixture of both concrete and abstract language. So my question is when reading the bible how do we know as to whether it’s literal or figurative? It may read as Literal to a westerners mind set but when in fact its figurative in the Eastern. And vice versa. Is it best to read it as Literal according to how I see it and when I get to a section where it doesn’t make sense then I have to assume that it’s figurative.
For example the Adam & Eve story where I always thought it was a Literal Story until someone showed me another view of why it’s figurative. When I apply both they can both make sense. One fills in the gaps that the other leaves.
So is there a set of rules to which helps you to meander through scripture to which I would appreciate your assistance with. Or the way that I apply the Literial until figurative comes along is the correct way?
Thank you
David from Brisbane, Australia.
From: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Saturday, January 30, 2016 6:56 AM
To: David
Cc: Paul Cohen
Subject: The Bible: Literal or Figurative?
Hi David,
My knowledge of Hebrew is not at all “extensive.” I must rely on the Lord to give me understanding or I simply don’t have it, no matter how much I study. That goes for anyone. We have no understanding but by the Spirit of God, so Paul declares:
1 Corinthians 1:19-20 MKJV
(19) For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the perceiving ones.”
(20) Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 MKJV
(9) But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,” nor has it entered into the heart of man, “the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
(10) But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
(11) For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of man within him? So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
(12) But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God.
(13) These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
(14) But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
(15) But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one.
(16) For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Jesus Christ is the Rule of Interpretation. There is no other, except by the so-called wisdom of men, which, God says by Paul to the Corinthians, He has made foolish.
“For example the Adam & Eve story where I always thought it was a Literal Story until someone showed me another view of why it’s figurative. When I apply both they can both make sense. One fills in the gaps that the other leaves.”
You see that from Adam we have a genealogy right up to Christ, which obviously doesn’t come from a figurative story. But yes, the story is both physical and spiritual. Which is why we can’t in truth divide the secular from the sacred, the physical from the spiritual, the earthly realm from the heavenly. After all, the Kingdom of God is within. How do we escape or separate ourselves from its rule and power? God is One and all that He made is one. It is the serpent, the usurper, who created a dichotomy. He is the counterfeiter, the deceiver; he divides and conquers. He is the one who comes to steal, to kill and destroy (John 10:10).
Was the Garden of Eden spiritual or physical? The Bible gives a physical location, doesn’t it? Yet, it is also spiritual, even as man has a physical body yet is spirit. So with Adam and Eve, the serpent, and all things.
Ask and you will receive…for everyone that asks, will receive.
Victor