Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Freed!

I just received this on the email:

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani has been released from prison!

After languishing in an Iranian prison for almost three years, under the threat of execution for his faith, Pastor Youcef appeared before the court this past Saturday morning for the charges brought against him. His hearing lasted almost six hours. But in the end, he was released and able to return home to his family.

Some close to the case report that the court acquitted him of apostasy, but charged and convicted him of evangelizing to Muslims. According to these same sources, the court sentenced Pastor Youcef to three years in prison and granted him time served, which means his prison sentence already has been completed.


Here's the original prayer email that went out a couple of years ago:

Pastor about to be executed by Iranian government

Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani faces execution anytime from Thursday onwards after refusing to renounce his faith.

September 28, 2011

Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani is currently on trial in Rasht, Iran. He has appeared in court three times this week and each time has refused to renounce his faith when asked to do so by the court. If he does not recant his Christian faith, he could be executed at any time (on or after Thursday, September 29).
The 11th branch of Iran's Gilan Provincial Court has determined that Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry and therefore must recant his faith in Jesus Christ.
When asked to "repent" by the judges, Yousef stated, "Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?" The judges replied, "To the religion of your ancestors, Islam." To which he replied, "I cannot."

 Wow! Isn't God amazing!  I'm so happy that this pastor can be reunited with his family!  As I was reading the breaking news today I noticed the words at the end "his prison senteence already has been completed".  That's the truth, in more than one way!  Reminded me that Jesus already paid for our sins and we aren't getting what we deserve.  I praise God for this news.  Love it when God flexes His muscles!