Testimonies

Josef Hadad

read Yosef’s bio

I was born in Haifa, Israel and was raised up in a nominal Arab Christian family. I heard about Jesus and knew him only in my mind not in my heart. As a teenager I was involved in a sinful life as most of the teenagers in Israel do. I used to go to the Catholic church twice a year. once on Christmas and once on Easter not necessary to pray but to meet with friends and spend time with them.

My life was a mess, in fact, I had no goal, No direction and no values, I was living in total despair.

The emptiness in my life drove me to mistreat my old parents, Out of my despair I used to attack them both verbally and physically. I was very harsh with them as I was living at their home.

I didn't want to treat them like that but an external power was forcing me to hate and mistreat them.

In spite of my misbehavior with my parents they were good to me, In Aug' 1983 they brought me a bride from Lebanon. I was married to Ibtissam and thought that this joyful event would change my life but the result was totally different as I also began to mistreat my fresh wife too. I used to beat my wife, To curse and humiliate her since the first week of our marriage. Twice she packed up her luggage and was about to travel back to her parents home in Lebanon but a divine power prevented her from doing so. At that time I lost all hope and was in total despair.

About 6 months from our marriage, We were visiting some relatives in Haifa and there God prepared for us a surprise. Three brothers from the Baptist church told us the good news of Jesus the Messiah For the first time in my life I heard that Jesus is able to forgive all my sins and that I can start a new life with him if I repent and receive him as a Lord and savior. I was crying as a little baby. The Holy Spirit was convicting me for all my past sins. We all stood up and without anybody telling me, I started praying the sinner's prayer spontaneously. My tears were like a flowing river as I was repenting and asking God to have mercy on me. I hugged my wife, kissed her and was begging her forgiveness to me. I ran back home took a basin of water and washed my parent's feet and begged their forgiveness. Their was a big joy in the house similar to the joy when the prodigal son returned home and his father received him in his loving arms in Luke 15. The Lord Jesus had set me free. Hallelujah....

When my parents saw the real transformation in my life they also received Jesus as their Lord and savior. My father was 84 years old when he received the Lord. He Immediately quit smoking and his only joy was to hear the Holy scriptures. Because of their old age both of my parents eyesight were very week, They couldn't read, I used to sit down and read for them the Bible for hours everyday. They were crying like little children expressing their love and gratitude to Jesus for changing my stony heart into a new loving heart and for revealing himself to them as the only savior even in their advanced age.

When the neighbors came to visit our home and saw me sitting and reading the Bible to my parents they were astonished and gave glory to God since they didn't understand how can the same aggressive guy who used to attack and mistreat his parents in the past became so kind and gentle now, loving and honoring his wife and parents. Praise be to our God, Not only he saved me and my wife but he used me the past sinner to win my parents and lead them to eternal life in Jesus. They both now passed away but I will see them again in heaven.

The Lord had been good to us, He called me and my wife to serve him. We went to a Bible school in Haifa for some years to be equipped for full time ministry. In 1996 I was ordained a pastor, My wife studied music and was ordained as a worship leader. We both minister to a big group of Lebanese refugees in Israel. We disciple and build them up in the faith and teach their little children the precious word of God.

The Lord took me a wretched sinner, changed my life and made me a minister of the gospel. All glory be to him. I conclude my testimony by saying with Paul the apostle " Jesus the Messiah had come to the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst" 1Timothy1:15