ccm Cross 0228 New Life Baptist Ch Nazareth, Holy Land

ccm Cross 0228
Sunday May 19, 2019

New Life Baptist Church
PO Box 187
Nazareth,Israel The Holy Land
ccm Cross 0228

GPS/DMS 32°42′07″N 35°18′12″E / 32.70194°N

Additional Photos After Testimony

4900 cdd Get Ready
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 20 Number 149

Today’s Author: Pastor Bill

Scripture: Acts 16:27-30
“The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” NKJV

Hello, my name is Reverend Suhail Saad with the New Life Baptist Church in Nazareth, Israel. I grew up not far from here in the small village of Turan. I was the 10th of 11 children. My dad was a Police Officer for the British before the UN approved of the State of Israel in 1948. After Israel becoming a country his job was disbanded and he became a farmer to feed our large family.

We lived in a two-room house and one of my earliest memories was sleeping on the roof when it was very hot. Dad had a large ladder and when it was hot at night, we all climbed the ladder and slept on the roof. We would haul the ladder up on the roof with us for protection so no bandits would attack us.

We had no well, so we made daily trips to the local well just as described in the Bible. Electricity had not yet reached our village, so our life revolved around the light of the sun.

Our dad was a deacon in the church, and he gave the church some land to build. That church still stands today. As a church family we were active in everything going on. Then another church opened its doors in our community, and we attended both churches.

Our small community only had a grammar school so when it came time to go to high school many of our children were unable to travel the 10 miles to school every day and back. They all dropped out and found jobs. But for me the Lord was keeping watch.

The new church in town had missionaries from the United States. One of those missionaries heard through the Holy Spirit to select me for a high school education. The missionary paid all my school fees. Eventually I graduated and went on to college. In college I earned a teaching degree following the advice of my father who said, “Teaching is a good profession being that it is of the government and you’ll always have a paycheck.”

I graduated college as a good man who was a practicing Christian in two different churches. Then an interesting situation came up. One of my brothers who is my best friend started acting all churchy on me. I noticed something was different with him, but I thought it would just pass.

My brother invited me to hear a professional wrestler from the USA who was going to speak at his church. He was from California, so I thought this ought to be interesting. He spoke about Paul’s prison jailer (Acts 16:27-30) who was attempting to kill himself when Paul and the other prisoners were miraculously released from jail. Paul challenged him not to do it as all prisoners were still present. He asked, “How can I be saved?” It was my time and the Holy Spirit led me to the altar. I was immediately transformed from a good man going to church into a born-again believer. I left that service a new creature in Christ and never looked back.

Jesus instantly became real to me. Not just a story in a book. I began to live my faith. I found out who I was in Christ. The fruit of the Holy Spirit bubbled out of me. The gift of evangelism drove me to tell everyone what happened to me and what Jesus was doing in my life.

I was teaching Muslim children in school every day. I told Jesus I was leaving the teaching profession and received a stunning rebuke when He said in a dream, “No, the harvest is here with the children. Go and tell everyone what you have learned.”

It was clear, it became my job to introduce Muslim children and their families to Jesus Christ. I taught school by day and at night I began visiting my students at home with their entire family. I brought them Bibles as gifts, and everyone was introduced to Jesus Christ.

One year later, in 1981, I married the daughter of the missionary who had provided my education. Ruthie and I moved to Nazareth and now have five children. Once in Nazareth I became the youth leader for our church.

In 1997 the missionaries from the Baptist church left Israel and we asked if we could use their closed building as a church. The answer was yes, and I was ordained. The New Life Baptist Church in Nazareth was born.

I became a Pastor and a bridge to Jesus for the community which is still where we are today.

Our group of churches were holding a nationwide evangelical church meeting in Bethlehem. I was asked to be the main speaker. The night before the event we arrived in Bethlehem. I became so very ill. It was clear I could not speak. We went to bed and I was so ill. The conference picked a replacement speaker for me.

That night I had dream. It was Jerusalem from a distance as I was peering out a window. There were fireworks like I’ve never seen before. My heart stopped. Everything went dark. There was no light. Then a big explosion as big stones were falling from a many story high hotel. No one was hurt. Then we were all in the clouds with an atmosphere of icicles. I woke Ruthie up and shouted. It’s the Rapture! We will soon see Jesus!

All my sickness was erased as I woke up. I went to the meeting and completed my presentation. My words changed that day from what I had prepared, and I stood in front of everyone with a new message, get ready, Jesus is coming.

I’ve had other dreams and Jesus is always the center of what I’ve dreamed about. He is coming again — soon! You can depend upon it.

My favorite Bible verses are John 3:16 and Psalm 23:1.

It is clear to me that those who finish strong for Christ will see the Kingdom.

Recently in preparation for this Cross planting I spoke on the Cross to our congregation. I used two prophetic art illustrations.

The first shows what we did to Jesus and the second shows what He gave us in return because of His love for us. He took all those transgressions and gave us the true meaning of love and everlasting life.

We are to take up our Cross daily and follow Him. It’s a choice. Do you choose Jesus today? There are only two answers. Yes or no. The same choice the two thieves that hung with Jesus on a Cross had two thousand years ago received. One chose life everlasting. The other chose death to the fullest. How about you?

Prayer: Father thank you for Jesus who became us and showed all who believe in Him the path to heaven. Today I chose Jesus and eternal Life. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!