We recently received a wonderful testimony from our ministry partners, Gilad and Rachel from Ein Karem. Rachel shares:
We have such good news to share with you!
I have been teaching my niece about the Lord since 2004. We held home groups in her house, and I spent many hours answering her numerous questions. Recently I saw that she was finally grasping the difference between religion and faith.
After praying, I sensed it was time for someone with more authority to talk with her. I asked Pastor Asher Intrater to do so. After three hours of explanations, he told her that she needed to become a disciple of Yeshua and be baptized. As many of you know, for a Jew, the ceremony of baptism is a huge step and many are afraid of making this commitment and of the persecution that could follow. I opened up a WhatsApp group where she could talk to other believers and Asher sent her more written material. She really loves Asher, and his humility opened the door to her heart to take this huge step. When he asked her if she was ready to be baptized, she said “Absolutely!”
A date was set and arrangements made for the water immersion to be in our garden in Ein Karem, the town where it is thought John the Baptist grew up (very fitting!). Years ago, I led an Arab man to the Lord and he built us a little pool so that he could be baptized in it. The Lord has used this pool many times, but this was by far the most special.
My niece wanted to invite everyone – all of her unbelieving family and friends. When the big day finally arrived, I was surprised and delighted that almost everyone came — her husband, children, many friends and my sister with her husband who came with his “oud” instrument to play music.
Asher taught and performed the ceremony, but what touched me most was how her husband and children all held her hand as she went into the water. The baptism itself was so powerful and emotional. First, my niece started to cry; then her husband was crying as well as her children and others. She said that, in her whole life, she had never experienced “holiness” like this before. It was better than giving birth to her children. This was a spiritual experience that no one will ever forget, whether they are believers or not. We were all touched by the Holy Spirit.
Now my niece cannot stop talking about Yeshua to everyone. I heard her telling people that the religious Jews have not been telling us the truth. How can they not see what is written in the Bible about Yeshua? Later that day, she began to share with her husband about Matthew 5 and how Yeshua taught the people to pray to the Father. This is a stumbling block for many Jews since they think we only pray to Yeshua instead of God. It is difficult to explain that Yeshua is not separate from God.
Yet, when you see Yeshua you see God. In Isaiah 9:6 it is written, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” He had to be born and all of His five names are names of God.
