Posted on 01/27/2013 7:47:53 PM PST by Olog-hai
An American pastor who has been jailed in Iran since September has been sentenced to eight years in prison, the U.S. State Department said Sunday.
Spokesman Darby Holladay said the department is calling on Iran to respect Saeed Abedini’s human rights and release him.
Earlier this month, Iran’s semi-official news agency, ISNA, quoted Abedini’s attorney, Nasser Sarbazi, as saying his client stood trial in the Revolutionary Court on charges of attempting to undermine state security by creating a network of Christian churches in private homes.
The pastor, who is of Iranian origin but lives in Boise, Idaho, has rejected the charges. …
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
Prayers up!
God bless this brave young pastor and sustain his family.
Friends,
Thank you for praying for our friend Saeed when we sent out our recent prayer request. His wife Naghmeh is thankful for everyone who has lifted Saeed up before the throne of grace.
This is likely to be the last email we will send out about Saeed, as we have set up a special page on our website where we post regular updates about him and his situation. Please check here for news and updates: AsiaHarvest
The last few weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster for those involved. One day Iran has said they will kill Saeed, the next day they say he will be released so he can go home to his family. On Monday Saeed boldly and courageously gave his testimony in court. He brought honor to the Name of Jesus.
This morning news has broken that Saeed has been sentenced to 8 years in the notorious Evin Prison. He was convicted on charges of starting house churches throughout Iran in the early 2000s. Friends, an 8 year prison sentence in that demonic prison is basically a death sentence. Many people who go into Evin Prison only last a few days or weeks before they perish. Last week Saeed, who is a handsome young man, was taken to the prison hospital. When he stepped into the elevator he saw an older bald man with a bushy beard and swollen, bulging eyes. He went to say hello to him before he realized he was looking into a mirror. It was the first time he had seen a reflection of himself for months.
As a friend and brother of Saeed, I am proud that he has remained faithful to the Lord and has been counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus (Acts 5:41).
Here are some media links with the breaking news of Saeed’s sentence: Foxnews
ACLJ
We know that our God is the Living God, and He holds our times in His hand….
· Please pray the Lord Jesus will be glorified in Saeed’s life and through his testimony. Pray God will sustain his health and confound those who wish to harm him.
· Pray for Naghmeh and their two small children, for grace, peace and faith. Naghmeh has been a tower of strength for her husband but this is obviously a huge blow.
· Pray the leaders of Iran will be convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit, and will repent and believe in Jesus Christ, the True and Living God.
· Pray for the salvation of the 80 million Iranian Muslims who remain in darkness, that they will soon have a chance to hear the Gospel. Ask God to miraculously use Saeed’s testimony to impact his nation.
Please remember to check our website for news and further updates on Saeed: http://asiaharvest.org/
For our King,
Paul Hattaway and co-workers at Asia Harvest
Prayers for this brave soldier for Christ, and his family
Ironically though, this case may bring more people to the side of Christianity in the middle east.
Have been praying for this pastor and will continue to pray for the Lord’s will, care and strength for him.
Blind Sheik swap, most likely planned and approved by Obama.
Zero sympathy. He went to an Islamic nut country to preach - he knew the consequences; he’s paying the price.
What a shameful, uninvolved coward you are.
Will you still be lazily blaming those who stand up for truth when Obama persecutes Christians and Conservatives in America?
Will you say that they deserved it because America is a totalitarian hell-hole and they should have known better?
Blah blah blah. We’re supposed to idealize this idiot for going to a totalitarian cesspool to preach knowing that jail is inevitable? Sorry, am gonna pass on the hero worship for this clown. Pity the family of his who he has left in quite a pickle.
“Jesus nutjobs”? Really?
I thank God there are men like this pastor left in the world doing exactly what God wants him to do. God will have the last laugh. In the meantime, I will be praying.
>> Sorry, am gonna pass on the hero worship for this clown.
Is that your opinion of all the Christians being persecuted in the ME, or just those that take the extraordinary risks on behalf of Christianity?
I notice you studiously avoided mentioning the family he knowingly ABANDONED in order to fulfill his escapade.
His commitment to Christ is an escapade? Did his wife tell you this personally?
What a thoughtful response.
Hey as long as the taxpayer isn’t footing the bill for his now fatherless family and the wife is a-ok with his 8 year Iranian prison sabbatical, I could care less what he did or didn’t tell her. A hero however? Puhleaze!
I don’t understand why you’re bothered by this. You went out of your way to disparage someone serving Christianity through reasoning inconsistent with Christian principles, primarily evangelization.
Your position on this doesn’t make sense to me unless you’re normally hostile to, or disinterested in Christianity.
Still waiting to hear an explanation as to how its “Christian” for him to knowingly abandon his wife and kids.
It’s not my responsibility to educate you, especially in light of your hostility towards Christianity.
Last I heard Christianity frowned upon ditching one’s wife and kids for self righteousness.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.