Please Pray for This Man of God...

[Shimmie]

Article on Pastor Yucef, the Iranian Pastor who will not renounce Jesus... God bless him!

Here's the article update:

As you may already know, the ACLJ has been engaged in a global effort to save the life of an Iranian Christian Pastor who has been condemned to death by hanging for his Christian faith. His only crime: He embraced Christianity and, for that, has been sentenced to death by the Muslim-controlled government of Iran. The Iranian court demanded that Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani recant his faith three times, to which he responded, “I cannot.”

Working with contacts on the ground in Iran, international media, and congressional leaders, the ACLJ has been fully engaged in an aggressive strategy to put pressure on Iran to save Pastor Youcef's life. The White House spokesman has issued a statement condemning the promised execution of Pastor Youcef and is demanding his release.

We are calling on Secretary of State Clinton to step forward and put the full diplomatic weight of the United States behind this international outcry to save Pastor Youcef. Our attorneys have been working directly with Pastor Youcef’s attorney in Iran, literally around the clock, in an effort to save his life and secure his release from prison.

I want to share with you a video we have compiled - a brief snapshot of our media outreach on Fox News, CBN News, and the 700 Club - to share Pastor Youcef’s story and put pressure on Iran for his release. Please watch the video and share it with anyone you know who would like to support this pastor.

As Pastor Youcef’s attorney told us yesterday, the most important thing we can be doing for Pastor Youcef is sharing his story and urging our leaders to pressure Iran to spare this man’s life and release him from prison.
The situation in Iran is very fluid. Pastor Youcef remains under the threat of death, and we are working aggressively to save his life.

And, thanks to you, we are making a difference. Since you have been sharing our blog posts, tweeting our updates, forwarding our emails, and signing our petition, we have been able to put the spotlight on this tragic ordeal, and the news coverage and statements of support from congressional leaders are keeping this important story at the forefront.

This pressure on Iran is not going unnoticed. Our contacts in that country tell us that the judges in the case - who hold the power to execute or free Pastor Youcef - are aware of the international concern - especially in the U.S. It is crucial that we continue to keep the pressure on Iran. And we are committed to doing just that.

Thank you for your support, please continue to keep Pastor Youcef in your prayers and share his story with anyone you know. His life truly hangs in the balance.

Jordan Sekulow
ACLJ Executive Director

P.S. It is absolutely critical that we keep the pressure on Iran to release Pastor Youcef by sharing his situation and keeping it in the media spotlight.

Please read my new article on Washington Post, "Working to save the life of a Christian pastor in Iran."

You can help Pastor Youcef by clicking the Facebook "Like" buttons in this email and sharing this with your family and friends - keeping his story in the news is very important.

More informaton here:

http://aclj.org/iran/aclj-working-save-life-christian-pastor-iran

 

[Prudent1]

Just finished praying for him, his family, and all of the lives he touches.

 

[Shimmie]

Just finished praying for him, his family, and all of the lives he touches.

Thank you, Prudent1.

Can you imagine a man who would rather choose Jesus, in spite of the threats upon his life. This is beyond courage. Far beyond.

God keep him and protect him and his family and other Christians who are and have been in harms way. Bring them into a safe Haven of your divine protection. Let them dwell in your 'secret place', you who is 'Most High', that they abide under your shadow, Lord God All Mighty. And they will say of you Lord, you are their refuge, and their fortress, you are their God in whom they trust.

Be to them as Daniel protect in the Lion's den; as the three Hebrew men who were thrown in the firey furnace. Show the terriorists who have come against them, that YOU alone are God and they cannot defeat you nor your followers.

Father God, you shook the prisons and you recued Paul and Silas as they gave you praise, recue this Pastor and others likewise, bringing them to safety and complete protection, the enemy must lay down their weapons in another direction...away from those you love.

Whatever dangers others are in, here and abroad and in lands here, near and far away, save them and keep them each and everyday; save them all from out of harm's way.

For this I thank you in Jesus' Name... Amen and Amen

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

praying too, these are surely the last days watch and pray

 

[Laela]

ETA... here is a CNN update on this, Shimmie

DEATH PENALTY
Iranian pastor faces death for rape, not apostasy - report

September 30, 2011|By Dan Merica, CNN

• 

"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.

"Mr. Youcef Nadarkhani, son of Byrom, 32-years old, married, born in Rasht in the state of Gilan is convicted of turning his back on Islam, the greatest religion the prophesy of Mohammad at the age of 19," reads the brief.

The brief was obtained by CNN from the American Center for Law and Justice and was translated from its original Farsi by the Confederation of Iranian Students in Washington.

It goes on to say that during the court proceeding, Nadarkhani denied the prophecy of Mohammad and the authority of Islam.

"He (Nadarkhani) has stated that he is a Christian and no longer Muslim," states the brief. "During many sessions in court with the presence of his attorney and a judge, he has been sentenced to execution by hanging according to article 8 of Tahrir -- olvasileh."

Rezvani, the official from Gilan province, confirmed that his execution is "not imminent" nor is it final.

Mohammadali Dadkhah, the pastor's lawyer, said through a translator that even in light of the Fars News report, he does not believe Nadarkhani will be put to death.
"The case is still in progress," Dadkhah said. "There's a 95% that he won't get the death penalty. Yes, I still believe that."

Dadkhah spoke briefly of the trial proceedings, stating that he presented documents to the court that should be convincing, including documents from Shi'ite leaders that state the crime does not warrant the possible punishment.

"This is a legal process that should take its course, and it should stand, on its own merits. It should succeed," Dadkhah said.

 

[Laela]

(Page 2 of 2)

Nadarkhani, the leader of a network of house churches in Iran, was first convicted of apostasy in November 2010, a charge he subsequently appealed all the way to the Iranian Supreme Court. After four days of an appeals trial that started Sunday at a lower court in Gilan Province, Nadarkhani refused to recant his beliefs.

That said, Rezvani -- echoing an earlier report from Fars -- insisted that "Nadarkhani's crime and his death sentence have nothing to do with his beliefs.

"No one is executed in Iran for their choice of religion," he added. "He is a Zionist and has committed security-related crimes."

The possible execution of Nadarkhani, based on an assumption it is tied to his Christian belief, has elicited responses from the highest levels of the United States government, too.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released a statement Friday that said the United States stands with "all Iranians against the Iranian government's hypocritical statements and actions."

The White House released a statement on Thursday, stating that Nadarkhani "has done nothing more than maintain his devout faith, which is a universal right for people."

"That the Iranian authorities would try to force him to renounce that faith violates the religious values they claim to defend, crosses all bounds of decency and breaches Iran's own international obligations," reads the statement.

Leonard Leo, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, says a trial for apostasy in Iran is rare. According to him, this is the first apostasy trial since 1990.

Nadarkhani's trial and his possible execution have engaged American Christians, as well. Todd Nettleton, spokesman for Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian organization that attempts to assist with persecuted and minority churches around the world, called the news of the new charges proof that international attention on the issue is working.

"They are feeling the attention, they are feeling the weight of the eyes of the world watching how they are treating this man," Nettleton said. "I am dumbfounded, though, that at this stage in the game, this is what they would trot out."

Voice of the Martyrs manages a Facebook page that has brought a lot of attention to Nadarkhani's trial. With comments updated by the minute, thousand of people have taken to Facebook to spread the word about the pastor.

In light of this news, Nettleton said the Facebook page would continue to be active.

"I think our first response will be prayer for pastor Youcef," Nettleton said. "Prayer that justice will be done and that he will remain faithful no matter that the days ahead may bring for him."

 

[Shimmie]

Laela, thank you very much for sharing this important information with us.



You are a 'Treasure' Precious Lady.

 

[mscocoface]

Praying for God's Will in this matter.

 

[aribell]

Western governments are trying to come to his aid.

Germany urges Iran to free pastor on death row
Published February 22, 2012
| Associated Press
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BERLIN – Germany's top human rights official is urging Iran to release a pastor sentenced to death for converting to Christianity.
Markus Loening said Wednesday the German government is extremely concerned about Yusuf Naderkhani's fate amid reports of his imminent execution.
Loening urged Tehran to "release Naderkhani, lift his death sentence and grant him a fair trial."
He says an execution also breaches international obligations guaranteeing religious freedom.
Naderkhani, who is in his early 30s, converted to Christianity when he was 19 and later became a pastor in the Iranian city of Rasht. He was convicted of apostasy in 2010.
The U.S. government called for his release last year and Germany summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest Naderkhani's continued imprisonment.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/0...an-to-free-pastor-on-death-row/#ixzz1nBAp8qzj

 

[Rainbow Dash]

I was reading about this earlier and praying that God would intervene. Praying that he will be strenghened to continue to stand for Jesus.

My hope and prayer is that if I ever had to go through this that I would not waiver but look up to my Lord and Savior. Knowing that being absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.