The Farmer
September 10th, 2006
One Sunday, March 21,1982 Mark read an article in the Sunday Newspaper and came to me saying with a bit of pride, “Did you read the newspaper? You follow Jesus when others choose to follow Judaism.”
I was disappointed and unhappy. I could not understand how a Pentecostal Minister could leave the Holy Spirit and Yeshua to become a traditional Jew.
My only desire was to meet him, but how? I knew it was impossible for me, because according to the article he lived on a farm far from Johannesburg, and we lived 75km south of Johannesburg. I dropped on my knees and said; “Lord God, I must meet this man. Thank you, Lord,” and raised up on my feet.
Two days later Mark decided to take me with him to the ‘Pick & Pay’ shop in Johannesburg and buy groceries for Passover. He had to attend a meeting, while I was to do the shopping. I was not too keen to go, because I would be on my own for awhile until he had finished his meeting, but at the end I decided to accompany him.
So he went to his meeting and I to ‘Pick & Pay,’ searching for food for Passover. I did not find anything suitable and waited for him to meet me there. When he came, he asked me what I had bought for Passover. “Nothing special,” I replied, for there was nothing special to buy.
He could not believe it and went forward towards the Passover groceries. I stayed where I was, and almost said, “You always think you know better,” but thank God I kept quiet and joined him.
I could scarcely believe what I saw. The farmer from the newspaper article was standing there with his wife! I went to him and asked, “Are you the farmer who became a Jew?” “Yes,” he answered, with a bid of pride, for he was in a Jewish department store. He surely thought a Jewess had came to encourage him for his conversion. “Pleased to meet you,” I said. “I am a Jewess who became a Christian!” (Messianic).
Here I would like to pause and explain to my Jewish readers the word ‘Christian.’ Christ means; ‘Messiah.’ Christian means; ‘Messianic.’ Through the centuries there have been many so called ‘Christians’ who have not been truly born of the Spirit of God “Born Again.” They have not known a personal relationship with God. They have either obeyed His Word, or lived up to the standard of that excellent title which they claim).
We talked for a while and he told me, “I believed in the Holy Spirit, but not in Jesus.” I knew something was wrong, but at that moment I could not put my finger on it. I called Mark, and we made an appointment with them to come and visit our home two weeks later.
I asked God for a message to give to this man. One week later I was led to continue a book I was reading entitled, ‘Power In Praise.’ Two pages from where I had stopped was the answer for the farmer, Mr.Taljaared. “O foolish Galatians! What magician had hypnotized you and cast an evil spell on you? Let me ask you this one question: ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit by trying to keep the Jewish Laws? Of course not for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you heard about Christ and trusted Him to save you. Then have you gone completely crazy? If trying to obey the Jewish Laws never gave you Spiritual Life in the first place, why do you think that trying to obey them now will make you stronger Christians.”? Gal 3:1-3
There was the answer! “For the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you heard about Christ and trusted Him to save you.” I jumped with joy for the beautiful answer. Hallelu-Yah!
And so when they came to pay the visit, I asked him, “Where were you saved?” He answered, “In church.” Then I read the message from the book just as it is. His eyes met his wife’s eyes and they began to smile, surprised and touched by what they had just heard.
I believe this message will never leave them wherever they will go. I pray that they will see their great error and come back to the Messiah of Israel. For there is no other way to be saved, but through the blood of the Lamb. For with a price we have been bought, and there are no other ways to the Father!
God Himself provided the perfect sacrifice for all who receive Him; first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. To say, “No,” to the Son is to say, “No,” to God the Father. It is Written in Psalm 2:11-12: “Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you parish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”
The Law is good and perfect. Yeshua had said, “I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill.” He also said, “Our righteousness should exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.” What was the righteousness of the Pharisees, but the keeping of the Law! But let us remember, the Law does not bring us SALVATION, for then Messiah had not need to come!
© Mishkan Ed
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