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HIS TESTIMONY God forbid that this testimony be used in any way, against "my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" - the Jews. As Paul wrote: "Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved." "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." "I will not die but live and declare what the Lord has done!" "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?" " I will tell of all Your wonders." " I will declare Your Name to my brothers." "I will declare what He has done for my soul." "I will speak of Your acts, I will declare Your greatness.” "I will declare Your righteousness and Your works." I was born in Tunisia. My mother was a devout Jewess, a rabbi's daughter, from a Cohen (priestly family). She taught me to believe and trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and in His ways. At the age of five, I received from my parents an illustrated booklet of "The Prophet Samuel" which I loved very much. My heart cried to God, why didn't He call ME in the same way He called Samuel? I who was so willing to hear and obey Him. In 1956, my family moved to Israel to build the country as good Zionist pioneers. As a teenager I asked myself, Why doesn't God speak to my Jewish people as He used to speak in the time of the prophets 2000 years ago? I knew something was wrong. When married with two children, I started seeking God. I asked my brother-in-law, who was a religious man "What I should do to be close to God ?" His answer was "Keep Kosher and Sabbath." It did not satisfy me, for I had already tried it and that did not bring me into a close relationship with Him. I could not believe that the God I knew wanted only my works and not my heart. For it is written: "I desire mercy not sacrifice and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings." ( Hosea 6: 6 ) Time passed, when one day, a woman came to my home in Israel. She spoke to me about the Messiah whom the Jewish people were waiting for -- the One who had already come and is coming again -- His Name was Yeshua (Jesus). She was a Jewish believer, and for the first time I heard the message of salvation. For It is written: "How can they believe in the One of whom they have never heard ? and how shall they hew without a preacher ?" (Rom 10:14)" The first thing I did after her visit was to question my parents about what I had heard from her. They answered: "Jesus indeed lived on earth and was a good man, but he was not for us." I wanted to get things clear in my mind. I wanted to find out for myself and not be caught between two opinions. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense that Yeshua could be the long waited Messiah of Israel. I still was not convinced, so I waited. Somehow I knew that this woman was sincere and godly. After that I started seeking the truth and asking myself questions such as: What is the truth ? Who is Yeshua really ? When did He live ? Why did the Rabbis not receive Him as their Messiah ? Which Messiah were the Rabbis expecting ? What did the Rabbis say about Yeshua? Why is His Name not mentioned as a false Messiah in Jewish doctrine ? Could all Rabbis be mistaken ? Could it be that all the Rabbis were blinded and couldn't see the first coming of their Messiah ? Could it be that One Messiah was to appear in two different ways and at two different times, as a servant and as a king ? Then other questions arose in my mind. By what would I be judged ? If I was unable to keep the 613 Laws, but loved God, what then ? What hope did I have as a Jewess, living the way I did ? What was my chance to enter Gan Eden (the garden of Eden) ? There were many more questions. The seed was planted ! I praise God for this bold, courageous, loving, caring woman, who paid heed to the word of God and obeyed it. GAIL In 1979, a month after we immigrated to South Africa. My children and I were invited to the birthday party of my next-door neighbor's child. This was when I met my other neighbor Gail. She started speaking of how much she loved the Jewish people because through them, she said, she had known the Messiah of Israel, and told me her thoughts about Him, something I had longed to hear, for when in Israel, at that time, I tried to find someone who was interested in discussing this subject but to my sorrow, had found no one. Finally Gail and I agreed on one thing - that the Messiah would come very soon as we all believe. From that time on we became real friends. Almost every day we were together, debating, Is Yeshua the Messiah of Israel or not ? It really amazed me that, although I could not construct a proper sentence in English, she showed great patience and endurance in trying to understand my views. Her patience stretched so far that when I asked if she had come to convert me, and if so, she had better leave. To my surprise, she put aside the Bible and stayed. Feeling embarrassed I changed the subject. Later, I found myself re-opening the same discussion again. For Jews to receive doctrines other than their own is almost impossible. But praise be to God, all things are possible with Him! COMPLETE HEALING During a New Year's party held by the Jewish community in January 1980, I twisted my knee while dancing. It was very painful, and I was in plaster for almost a month. My friend Gail offered to pray for my knee, but I refused, knowing she would use the Name of Jesus. A specialist in Johannesburg advised me to have an operation. To be honest, I was not keen so I approached my friend Gail and told her that I would allow her to pray for my knee, if she would not use the Name of Jesus, instead she would use "Messiah". She agreed, but before letting her pray I moved my knee to make sure it was still painful and it was. When she prayed, to my surprise, my knee no longer hurt and I wondered how an ordinary woman could pray with healing power. In Judaism the only one you would go to be prayed for would be a rabbi, and he would be an old respected man. Yet I still could not sit in a certain position, so Gail suggested that I accompany her to a friend who had the ministry of healing. She said he would help, and I accepted. We went in secret to 'the so called healer' ( so I thought of him). When he started praying, he spoke in a strange language, very suspicious I began 'moking' him in my heart, although there was no doubting his sincerity. Suddenly he stopped praying and said, "God is not answering." At once I knew it was my fault. I said, "I am sorry, I am the cause of it” Then I stood still before God. When he prayed again, he said; "You are healed." Indeed, I was healed of not only my knee injury but also my nervously affected stomach. Hallelu-Yah! His love endures forever. Thank You Lord! Yet, even though I believed in miracles and in the power of God, I was not convinced that Yeshua was the Messiah of Israel, for I believed that if I accepted Yeshua, it meant I would have two gods instead of One God. And Yeshua Himself said: "Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is One." I was not going to betray the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The One my dear mother feared so much. ROY EMMANUEL I traveled to Israel in 1980 to sell our flat to open instead a jewelry shop in Vanderbijlpark - South Africa. As soon as I came back from Israel, I became pregnant. Mark with his mind set on opening a shop didn't like it at all and made it clear he doesn't want this pregnancy. Six weeks later I started hemorrhaging. The doctor said, "Come again in a week if the bleeding doesn't stop. " After a week it did not stop, and the doctor said that it was dangerous. He asked me to come two days later for dilatation and curette. After the operation, I felt like a piece of material, a very floppy one. For two weeks I could not even stand. The doctor gave me some medicines to take, but thank God, I was not pro-medicine, so I did not take them. At that time, I knew a Christian friend from Sasolburg by the name of Silvia Cox; I phoned her to come and pray for me. She came, but before she prayed she asked me, whether I believed in the Messiah of Israel - Yeshua. "Yes", I answered. Then she asked me to receive Him into my heart. I wondered what she meant. She said, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord; and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Rom 10:10 For the first time, I confessed Yeshua as my Messiah, the Holy One of Israel. After she prayed for me, I could stand on my feet, although I was still far from being myself. For instance, I could still 'smell' the watermelon as in the time of pregnancy! Something I could not bear. Neither could I bear the smell of steak nor that of the Palmolive soap. Crazy, but true! When we returned Mark suggested that I go to a specialist in Johannesburg for a check-up and I did. He said, "Mrs Cohen, nothing is wrong with you. You are just three months pregnant." Only those who believe in God and in His power would understand that there is nothing impossible with Him! The operation did not remove the infant; the child remained in his place! Our plans were not God's plans. Praise God for that! Our baby was a beautiful child. We gave him the name Roy Emmanu-EI (Emmanuel). Roy means king, and Emmanu-El means God is with us. And indeed, from that time on I knew that GOD WAS WITH US! Hallelu-Yah! www.mishkaned.com Click HERE to return to the edited story Click HERE to create a banner that links to this story! Your e-mail address will be kept private!
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