Jewish Stories - Paul’s Story

Let me tell you a story...

I could start this story "Once upon a time" or" Long Long ago in a Galaxy far away" or " Suddenly, in the middle of the day there was a deafening roar and the skies went black". But I really can't start my saga in such a manner.

My coming to Yeshua was personal and dramatic only to me. I wasn't under a burden of drugs or alcohol, I wasn't ill and no one in my family was on death's door and fortunately we have money to meet our financial obligations for the time being (another 7 months but the Lord will provide, I trust him ).

My youngest daughter married a Christian about five years ago. This bothered me but not enough to make waves about it

She was in love and happy. I met him before I moved to Israel, we went out for an evening together to shoot pool and shoot the breeze. He impressed me immediately by the way he thought and the way he acted. I made up my mind that very night, I thought he and my daughter would get along fine together. The fact that I saw myself in him at the same age, the same ambitions and drives, had nothing to do with it. Many of the ways he thought were the same as mine. These years later show me I was right about him.

Hana, my wife, and I talked it over at length. Even though he was not Jewish we knew our grandchildren would be. Jewish family lines run thru the woman. If a woman is Jewish, her children are automatically Jewish. I never discussed this with Joe but I knew what he would say, he thinks like me. He even went to services at Synagogue with my daughter. Everything was great. Then they moved to a small down in Ohio. He was working for a large company and was promoted to the main office. So you don't think this is their story I am going to jump ahead a bit. Hopefully my daughter will decide to fill in the blanks and I will add them to this page.

To continue, we received a phone call from my daughter, one which she found very hard to make, telling us she had found the Lord in Jesus. She had joined a small nondenominational church and was very very happy. Our first reaction, after we hung up the phone, was shock.(Sorry DAf). Hana and I were both upset. Another Jewish person starting to believe in Jesus.

We discussed it at length. We both felt that He had to have been a very powerful and charismatic person, after all, He changed the history of the world and He molded the ways of man for two thousand years. Neither one of us believed He was the Son Of G-d. We calmed down and slowly accepted, over a period of weeks, in our minds that our grandchildren would believe in Him. Naturally quite a bit of time past before we discussed it with Daf again even though we talked on the phone 2-3 times
a week.

I have mentioned David before. I had a 4 year discussion with him about the beliefs of Messianic Jews. Of course I would always take the negative side. Two years ago I read the New Testament. Twice. It was interesting reading from an informational stand point. When my daughter told me she had become a believer I decided I should learn all I could, especially since I wanted to know what my grand children might ask me or tell me when they come to visit.

As I read both bibles I began to see how closely one followed the other. I then started to read about Church history starting from the first century and looked for where the division took place that so alienated Jews and Christians.

I found what I was looking for. I also looked for the proof Yeshua was not the Messiah. The Bibles have all the proof that He Is.

All arguments against Him, I found to be hollow and lacking all proofs. All works I read that were against Yeshua were from an emotional stand point or seemingly from a stand point of fear. In short I found no PROOF He was not the Messiah. I read in the Tanach the prophesies and what had to be full filled for the Messiah to come and He filled them all.

At this point I decided it would hurt nothing if I accepted Him as The Messiah. So mentally I did. Understand, this was all done without emotion. Just a logical 2+2=4 attitude. For me everything has to follow and be in order for me to believe it. I believe H2O is water and CO2 is carbon dioxide. Neither can be something else.

Accepting Yeshua I started to read both Bibles again keeping in mind "I believe in Yeshua" and the Bibles are the word of G-D.

Suddenly there was a whole new meaning in those pages. I also went to Ohalei HaRachamim Synagogue for services few times. I also started praying 3 times a day. I was feeling a conflict in me and I knew some thing was happening.

During this time I was also meeting once a week with David and Eitan (from the synagogue).

On Rosh Hashanah I went to services on Saturday morning. Then the BIG surprise. After the Torah reading ,we said the Blessings and Moshe picked up the Torah, held it high in the air, turned around so all could see the scripture and I received a lightning bolt. A jolt of electricity came from the open Torah and almost knocked me down. I started to weep and I was filled with the most wonderful feeling I had ever had in my life. All at once I felt a change in my body, a warmth spread through me to all parts of me. When I recovered from the shock I had a tremendous feeling of well being. My mind was quiet inside and I felt warm and safe as if in the arms of someone who was comforting me. All anger, resent, and fear left my mind and body. I felt it leave. I just felt great. No tension. No confusion.

The Ruach HaKodesh had filled my body. I just prayed and gave thanks to The Lord Yeshua and G-D Our Father for welcoming me back. I was overcome with emotion and had to leave. I didn't tell David or Eitan until the Wednesday after. I wanted to make sure I was not mistaken. I still feel the same way and Life is so much sweeter. I feel, see, and hear things I never did before. Those of you who have received the Holy Spirit know what I am talking about.

Last Wednesday I was immersed in the Jordan River. What a thrilling experience. The old me is gone and the new me is here.

There is much to tell about what seemed to me to take 30 seconds. When I have my thoughts in order I will post them.

Mayim's Endnote