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From The Washington Post (13th October 2011)

Clearing up the facts on Pastor Nadarkhani's fate

By Jordan Sekulow

In June, the Iranian Supreme Court issued an order requiring the appeals court in Gilan province to conduct what is now being called a, "retrial" in the press for a "further investigat(ion) to prove that from puberty (15 years) to 19 (Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani ) was not Muslim by his acquaintances, relatives, local elders, and Muslims he frequented. He must repent his Christian faith if this is the case. No research has been done to prove this, if it can be proved that he was a practicing Muslim as an adult and has not repented, the execution will be carried out."

The "retrial" occurred September 25-28th. On reexamination, the appeals court determined that Nadarkhani was not a Muslim at the age of majority but that because of he abandoned the faith of his ancestors, he must recant his Christian faith or face execution. Nadarkhani refused to recant his faith and the trial concluded.

At this time, we are still awaiting a written verdict from the appeals court and have confirmed that the court has requested an "opinion" on the case from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, something unusual and unlikely to have occurred without the growing condemnation and international media coverage of Nadarkhani's trial.

The latest reports indicating that the Supreme Court has called for yet another retrial are misleading. The Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), which receives financing from the Iranian government, released a statement yesterday from the Supreme Court indicating that, "If there is an appeal and the case is returned to the supreme court, the case will be reviewed." The key word from the court is "if."

Until Khamenei gives his opinion to the appeals court, something that may not be public, or decides to resolve the matter outside the judicial process, we will not know if an appeal to the Supreme Court will be required.

As we have stated throughout the coverage of this trial, the judicial system in Iran operates in a substantially different way than court systems with which Americans are familiar.

The only new information is that the Supreme Court has indicated that they would in fact "review" an appeal by Nadarkhani. A "review" in no way guarantees that the Supreme Court would hold yet another round of hearings and we hope and pray that an appeal will not be necessary.

Some Thoughts from Brother Youcef

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.



"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).



When someone internalizes the revelation of the Truth, he will be willing to share it with others and future generations. We are indebted to the people who, in the past, fought for the Truth, allowing us to have access to this glorious revelation of Jesus Christ. These believers understood the richness and the beauty of the revelation and they were ready to fight in order to pass down the fruit of the revelation.



How can we bear similar fruit for eternal life? It depends on the way we choose. First we have to close our ears to the voice of the darkness as it is written in the first Psalm:



"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1).



The second thing is to open our ears to the Voice of the Spirit speaking through the Word of God, as it is written:



"But his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and in his Law doth he meditate day and night" (Psalm 1:2).



The fruit of communion with the Lord through His Life-giving Word is stability in this life and eternal fruit that others bear in their life, as the Scriptures say:



"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:3).



"Come".



A lot of people admire Jesus as a unique model to follow for generations and a lot of people would like to become like Him. Jesus did not come to be admired but to give us a perfect model to follow. If we want to be like Him, we need to take a step of faith, like Peter. When the apostle saw his Lord walking on the furious sea, he asked to come to Him on the water. Jesus said: "Come"!



Everyone willing to follow the Lord is supposed to have listened in some way to this seemingly imperious command: "Come"!—a command which implies an act of faith, referred to sometimes as the leap of faith. As it is clear from the Scriptures, what we are able to see is not faith, as the biblical faith is defined as: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." We have to decide in spite of, in order to experience the power of God. But we need to remember that everything must be done according the Word of God. Peter did not experience the possibility to walk on water because he decided to leave the boat but because of the Word, the Command of the Lord.



The Word of God tell us to expect to suffer hardship and dishonor for the sake of His Name. Our Christian confession is not acceptable if we ignore this statement, if we do not manifest the patience of the Lord in our sufferings. Anybody ignoring it will be ashamed in that day.



Let us remember that sometimes the leap of faith leads us towards some impasses. Just as the Word led the sons of Israel leaving Egypt toward the impasse of the Red sea. These impasses are midway between promises of God and their fulfillments and they challenge our faith. Believers are to accept these challenges as a part of their spiritual course. The Son was challenged at Calvary in the hardest way, as it is written in the Scriptures:



"Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Hebrew 5:7-8).



The cry "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani"? is enough to express the sufferings of our Lord at Calvary. Behind this cry of distress, we can identify the great faith that leads Him to accept the will of the Father. Yea, He knew that God will "not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption." and He was to rise up within three days. Beyond the power of death, the Lord perceived the victorious power of the resurrection.



I don't need to write anything further about the basis of faith. Let us remember that beyond beautiful or painful feelings, only three things remain: Faith, Hope and Love. It is important for believers to make sure which kind of Faith, Hope and Love will remain. Only what we receive according the Word remains forever. I would encourage you to live in a way that is worthy to the Holy calling of the Word. Let believers, who are heirs of the glory, be examples for others in order to be a witness of the power of Christ for the world and the future. I beg you to live according the Word of God in order to chase the powers of darkness that generates doubts in your heart. The overcoming faith that casts out the doubt comes by hearing the Word of God.



Only a church based on the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ will remain, for beyond the protection of the Word of God the destroyer destroys. Let us keep His Holy Testimony.
Your brother in Christ,



Youcef Nadarkhani

Some people won't walk across the street to see one of the meetings, and she come from the utmost parts of the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold a greater than Solomon is here. Solomon's God is with us, sure, doing the same thing He did in Solomon's day. No wonder Jesus said she'd rise in the judgment and condemn this generation.

William Branham - The Queen of the South (1960)