Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Spends 35th Birthday Behind Bars [UPDATE]

Here's another UPDATE on Pastor Youcef. Please keep him in your prayers. The article can be read at Pastor Youcef Spends Birthday Behind Bars.


Today, is Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s birthday, and our sources in Iran confirm that he is still alive. Thirty-five years ago, on the 23rd of the Farvardin month of the Persian Calendar, Youcef was born in Iran.

This is the third birthday that Pastor Youcef has been forced to celebrate behind bars, condemned to death in Iran for apostasy – becoming a Christian in a regime governed by Shariah (Islamic) law.

Tomorrow, marks exactly two and a half years of imprisonment – 913 days illegally held in prison for his faith.

Both the Iranian Constitution and the International Declaration of Human Rights, of which Iran is a signatory, not only forbid executing someone for their faith but expressly protect religious freedom. Despite these assurances of religious freedom, Iran continues to imprison Pastor Youcef indefinitely for charges related solely to the exercise of his faith.

Today, Christians and supporters of Pastor Youcef all around the world are holding a fasting and prayer vigil for the persecuted pastor to bring attention to his plight. Just last week, hundreds of Christians and supporters of religious liberty attended a vigil and march for Pastor Youcef’s release in Hamburg, Germany.

These are just a few examples of the increasing international pressure being placed on Iran to release Pastor Youcef. Nations like the United Kingdom, Brazil, and many others are directly demanding that Iran immediately and unconditionally release Pastor Youcef.

The ACLJ’s Tweet for Youcef campaign is now reaching nearly 1.5 million Twitter accounts around the world each day with updates about Pastor Youcef. His story has reached over 91 percent of the United Nations member states, including Iran. The Tweet for Youcef Brazil campaign in Portuguese also continues to see tremendous growth.

Even with this increasing international pressure on Iran for Pastor Youcef’s release, it is critically important to remember that Pastor Youcef is still in an Iranian prison under a death sentence that could be carried out at any time. The only reason that he is still alive today is because of the international outcry against this abhorrent situation. It is not enough that Iran remove his death sentence, rather we must demand his ultimate and unconditional freedom.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Youcef. As a Birthday present for Pastor Youcef and symbol of solidarity for those persecuted for their faith, please let the world know that you support Pastor Youcef by signing up to Tweet for Youcef today.

Happy Birthday Pastor Youcef.

A Stranger Comes to Town

Romans 12:2
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Unperceptive men exist and interpret reality only by means of sensory experience. The only real and true things for these men are their physical experiences. This certain breed of man excels in existentialism; that is, they suscribe to the idea that there is no “higher” meaning to the universe or to man’s existence, and no rational order to the events of the world. It is all coincidental, happenstance and circumstantial. Human life is not invested with a redemptive or affirming purpose. There is nothing beyond man’s physical existence. Therefore, the modus operandi of these men is a gentle indifference of the world. Live and let live, as it were.

Ironically, these men are unperceptive because they are not introspective. They perceive, but do not comprehend. It is only when they are confronted with something beyond their immediate interpretation or carnal appetites that they are compelled to become introspective about life, its meaning, and all the while contemplating about their impending death. This kind of man only becomes perceptive after he acknowledges his mortality and responsibility for his own life. In Hebrews 9:27, man clearly has a reckoning beyond meaninglessness: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

After apostasy, the greatest threat to a Christian is apathy, the so-called gentle indifference that takes root as a consequence of living in the world and cooperating with it. Please read all of I Corinthians 3 for further convincing.

To illustrate this threat of indifference, I've included a story I came across somewhere on the web. Please seriously consider where you're at in your walk with Christ as you read.

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche.

My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. Both read the Bible and shared its wisdom with me. But the stranger was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and funny stories.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future!

He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, and Mom submitted to Dad's authority without complaint, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor these convictions.

Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home, not from us, our friends or any visitors. The stranger, however, got away with four-letter words that burned in my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush.

My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and smoking pipes distinguished. He talked freely - much too freely - about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. Over time, he only got worse.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked. And never was he asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first.

Still, if you could walk into my parents' home today, you would still find him sitting over in his special corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name?

We just call him TV.

Now, the stranger has a wife. We call her Computer.

"I  know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. "   Revelation 3:15-16

Please be prayerful about your choices as they relate to time spent watching TV or on the computer. They are powerful tools. Without godly purpose, they are the Devil's toys to take us away from God's will through distraction, doubt, and indifference. In godly endeavor, they can reach a lost and dying world. Choose wisely!

Here's a choice you can't afford to ignore: The Plan of Salvation

Ten Little Christians

Romans 14:17-19

^"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."

There's nothing more disheartening in the church than to see divisions of any kind. It holds back the ministries and the work of the Holy Ghost. The only serious division should come from rightly dividing His word (II Tim. 2:15).

To be sure, every thing should be done in love. Christ told his disciples as much. In John 13:34-35, He said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Also, consider I John 4:7-8:
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

Please consider Scripture and the poem below. I know it got me to think about my words, actions and motives. May the Lord bless you richly.



Ten Little Christians
Ten Little Christians came to church all the time;
One fell out with the preacher, then there were nine.

Nine Little Christians stayed up late;
One overslept on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight Little Christians on their way to Heaven;
One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven Little Christians, chirping like chicks;
One didn't like the singing, then there were six.

Six Little Christians seemed very much alive;
One took a vacation, then there were five.

Five Little Christians pulling for Heaven’s shore;
One stopped to take a rest, then there were four.

Four Little Christians each as busy as a bee;
One had his feelings hurt, then there were three.

Three Little Christians couldn't decide what to do;
One couldn't have his way, then there were two.

Two Little Christians each won one more;
Now don't you see, two plus two equals four.

Four Little Christians worked early and late;
Each brought one, now there were eight.

Eight Little Christians if they double as before;
In just seven Sundays, we have one thousand twenty four.

In this jingle there is a lesson true;
You belong either to the Lord, or to the wrecking crew.

-Author Unknown

The Year of the Bible

John 8:47
"He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."

Pennsylvannia atheists and PA lawmakers have been battling after the state’s House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution calling 2012 the “Year of the Bible.” At the time, a staff lawyer from the Freedom From Religion Foundation called the act “shocking.”

Now, two other groups, American Atheists and Pa. Nonbelievers, are being accused of invoking racial themes after posting a Bible-inspired billboard against the designation. Their sign, which tackles the issue of slavery, was erected in an area of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with a large African American population.

State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland (D-Delaware), a black legislator, was one of the many voices objecting to the now-removed billboard, which featured a shackled slave. The image of the individual in shackles appeared below the words, “Slaves, obey your masters.” Kirkland supported the Bible resolution and has claimed that the billboard took the Bible out of context and that it portrayed both racism and hatred.

“I’m a Christian,” Kirkland said. “My master is Jesus Christ, so I obey Him.”

When it comes to the billboard, Ernest Perce V, of the American Atheists says that he and his group would like the House to repeal the Bible resolution. “We want Christians to accept all of the Bible and to accept the wicked parts as well,” he said. “The bible was used as an excuse for many very bad things, including American slavery.”

source, www.WGAL.com

Godless men are at their worst when attempting to usurp the will of the believers. Like Satan, they will twist, abuse and misquote God's word in an effort to confuse and condemn Christians. The above-noted story is a good case study of how these godless people work. It's also a prime warning to believers to read, study and believe God's word on a daily basis, so that when the enemy or the world distorts God's word, we are ready with the Gospel of peace and the shield of faith (Eph. 6:15-16).

Notice that Colossians 3:22 is taken out of context (plus the quote is from a non-KJV Bible):

"Slaves, obey your masters."

The King James Version of Colossians 3:22-24 gives a better - and correct - perspective:

²²Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

²³And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

²⁴Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Servants of Christ are called to serve their masters (ie, bosses) as to the Lord Jesus. In other words, everything we do, we are doing for the Lord. Whether it is washing dishes, mowing the lawn, filing paperwork, cooking a meal, performing heart surgery, driving a delivery truck or standing in the grocery line (which I really hate, especially when the coupon lady is in the front line pulling out each single piece of coupon from her baggy purse). AND, we are to do it "heartily", meaning merrily, joyfully.

Also, notice that the atheists stated , “We want Christians to accept all of the Bible and to accept the wicked parts as well,”

Of course, Christians accept ALL of the Bible! The wicked parts are Adam's disobedience; Cain's hatred of Abel; Abraham's unbelief in Egypt; Jacob's trickery; David's adultery; Solomon's polygamy & worldliness; Saul's bloodthirsty zeal for killing Christians; and on and on. Of course we accept the wicked parts because the Bible mirrors our hearts because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).

Another statement the atheist made: “The bible was used as an excuse for many very bad things, including American slavery.”

Yes, the Bible was used to excuse and condone very evil actions in the world. This doesn't mean that the Bible promoted slavery. Just a quick reading of the Book of Exodus will tell you how God emancipated the Hebrew slaves from bondage. By the way, His dear Son Jesus Christ can do the same for you and me (Luke 19:10; Rom. 10:9-10).

Finally, every year is the Year of the Bible as far as I'm concerned. In 2011, it marked the 400th anniversay of King James I commissioning the translation of the Bible into the English language. No matter what king, principality, political group, nation or era has done to destroy the KJV Bible, it has withstood the attacks and the test of time.

God's word truly endures forever!

For those not acquainted with the wonderfully poetic and beautifully translated King James Bible, I am attaching a link (right here: The King James Bible 400th Celebration) for your perusal. Enjoy and may the Lord richly bless you today.

To find out more about having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, see here: The Plan of Salvation

Wake Up and Stand Up!

I Samuel 3:11-13

"And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not."

While it's clear that this Scriptural passage refers to Israel - the nation of Hebrews - there's an application for us, as a nation, as well. There's a spiritual danger for those who walk with Christ that I feel compelled to write about: apostasy. Eli was the high priest who knew God's word and served him. Yet he walked away from God and his sons followed in his footsteps. And it all began with one step. Make no mistake, friend. One step towards the world is one step away from God.

Apostasy.

You see, we're in it. When an abomination (in God's eyes & according to His word in I Cor. 6:9-10; Lev. 18:22; I Tim. 1:10) is made into a norm and legislated as "legitimate" then we've crossed over into spiritual darkness. I'm referring to homosexual marriage. It's clear from God's word that homosexuality is wrong. And, as Christians, we are to hate the sin and love the sinner. After all, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23)

Today's Seattle-Times article  talks about how, "a proposal to legalize gay marriage in Washington state made it out of a final committee and faces its last major obstacle, a crucial vote Wednesday in the state Senate..."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017386542_apusxgrwashingtongaymarriage5thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

When we see this abomination out in the open and there's no fear of God, then, as a nation, we are showing how lost we truly are.

Apostasy.

As Christians, we have to be aware of how apostasy works. The starting point is in our Bible reading and obedience to God's word. This is where we must be vigilant and guard what comes into our heart (Prov. 4:23). The 1st step that draws us away from God is subtle: We continue reading God's word but fail to obey it. Pretty soon, we stop believing what we're reading, so we put our Bible down. Finally, we simply walk away from our faith in Jesus Christ and believe whatever doctrine or whim blows down our path. As a nation, this is the state we find ourselves in. Godless. Hopeless. Helpless. And, lost.

Apostasy.

Consider this thought: "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."         C.S. Lewis

I realize people have opinions about homosexual marriage as well as about other topics. But, as Christians, the final authority is God's holy Word. Is it any wonder many want His Word out of the public life?

Finally, the ultimate authority on God's Word is Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

It doesn't get any clearer than that. So, where do you stand?