Posted on 09/30/2011 6:59:23 PM PDT by nuconvert
Washington (CNN) -- Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani will be put to death for several charges of rape and extortion, charges that differ greatly from his original sentence of apostasy, Iran's semi-official Fars News agency reported Friday.
Gholomali Rezvani, the deputy governor of Gilan province, where Nadarkhani was tried and convicted, accused Western media of twisting the real story, referring to him as a "rapist." A previous report from the news agency claimed he had committed several violent crimes, including repeated rape and extortion.
"His crime is not, as some claim, converting others to Christianity," Rezvani told Fars. "He is guilty of security-related crimes."
In a translated Iranian Supreme Court brief from 2010, however, the charge of apostasy is the only charge leveled against Nadarkhani.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
A letter from Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who currently faces the death sentence for apostasy. Please continue to pray.
(This message has been translated from Farsi to English.)
Dear brothers and sisters, Salam
In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I am continuously seeking grace and mercy to you, that you remember me and those who are bearing efforts for his name in your prayers. Your loyalty to God is the cause of my strength and encouragement.
For I know well that you will be rewarded; as its stated: blessed is the one who has faith, for what has been said to him by God, will be carried out. As we believe, heaven and earth will fade but his word will still remain.
Dear beloved ones, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of a few verses, although you might know them, So that in everything, you give more effort than the past, both to prove your election, and for the sake of Gospel that is to be preached to the entire world as well.
I know that not all of us are granted to keep this word, but to those who are granted this power and this revelation, I announce the same as Jude, earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.
We are passing by special and sensitive days.They are days that for an alert and awake believer can be days of spiritual growth and progress. Because for him, more than any other time there is the possibility to compare his faith with the word of God, have Gods promises in mind, and survey his faith.
Therefore he (the true believer) does not need to wonder for the fiery trial that has been set on for him as though it were something unusual, but it pleases him to participate in Christs suffering. Because the believer knows he will rejoice in his glory.
Dears, the judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Therefore those who are enduring burdens by the will of God, commit their souls to the faithful Creator. Promises that he has given us, are unique and precious. As weve heard he has said: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you
How can it be possible for a believer to understand these words?
Not only when he is focusing on Jesus Christ with adapting his life according to the life Jesus lived when he was on earth? As it is said O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Have we not read and heard: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Many attempt to flee from their spiritual tests, and they have to face those same tests in a more difficult manner, because no one will be victorious by escaping from them, but with patience and humility he will be able to overcome all the tests, and gain victory.
Therefore in the place of Christs followers, we must not feel desperate, but we have to pray to God in supplication with more passion to help us with any assistance we may need.
According to what Paul has said: In every temptation, God himself will make a way for us to tolerate it.
O beloved ones, difficulties do not weaken mankind, but they reveal the true human nature.
It will be good for us to occasionally face persecutions and abnormalities, since these abnormalities will persuade us to search our hearts, and to survey ourselves. So as a result, we conclude that troubles are difficult, but usually good and useful to build us.
Dear brothers and sisters, we must be more careful than any other time. Because in these days, the hearts and thoughts of many are revealed, so that the faith is tested. May your treasure be where there is no moth and rust.
I would like to remind you of some verses that we nearly discuss everyday, (Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.) but as long as our human will has priority over Gods will, his will will not be done.
As we have learned from him in Gethsemane, he surrendered his will to the father, My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.
What we are bearing today, is a difficult but not unbearable situation, because neither he has tested us more than our faith and our endurance, nor does he do as such. And as we have known from before, we must beware not to fail, but to advance in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, And consider these bumps and prisons as opportunities to testify to his name. He said: If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
As a small servant, necessarily in prison to carry out what I must do, I say with faith in the word of God that he will come soon.However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
Discipline yourself with faith in the word of God. Retain your souls with patience. For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly.
May you are granted grace and blessings increasingly in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.
Yusef Nadarkhani
Lakan Prison in Rasht
2/June/2010
http://trevinwax.com/2011/09/30/youcef-nadarkhanis-letter-to-his-church/
Those weak, pathetic cowards believe that lying about the pastor will protect their ‘reputation’??? They actually believe we won’t ‘think bad things about them’ if they lie about the pastor? Are they really so feeble that they needed something to ‘say’ to the public? They will maim and kill at will but DONT say anything bad about them - it hurts their feelings???!
Father in heaven, in Christ’s name, please protect this dear soul. We also ask you to continue to give him steadfast faith and trust in you for whatever he must face. Thank you for the courageous example he sets for the rest of the believers in Iran and around the world. Please comfort his family and keep them strong during this terrible trial.
Amen.
Amen
AMEN
I worked in Saudi for awhile. Why anyone Jew would want to go there is beyond me. They couldn't pay me enough to ever return to that hellhole.
Amen.
Thank you for posting this.
Amen.
Islam is a war plan. War exploits deception.
The Iranian government can’t control the house church movement that has taken off in Iran so they stoop low by slandering him . Muslims kill the woman who is raped .Why has this charge not been brought up before ? Because it never happened.
Their slanderous lies are not going to work . The real church grows and the Gospel spreads fastest when it is persecuted . God bless Pastor Youcef
Iran's legal system doesn't operate with the starting point that the role of government is to protect God-given rights to individuals; their government quite clearly thinks its job is to protect the state from individuals with God-given rights.
Correct
And when we destroy their nuclear facilities it will be a simple accident. I’m certain they’ll understand.
Which says a lot about the state of the Church in America...it doesn’t appear to be growing as it once did. And I don’t belive, IMHO, that it will see a regeneration and explosion in growth until real persecution comes.
To many of our congregations are being led by wolves in sheep’s clothing that are leading the people right back into bondage. Their minds have been clouded and they can no longer discern right from wrong nor who the enemy is.
The people have grown fat in their comfort and many have fallen sound asleep. Sadly it’s going to take persecution to wake some of them up . It’s coming
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