by Standerinfamilycourt

There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Prisoners in misery and chains,
Because they had rebelled against the words of God
And spurned the counsel of the Most High.
Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;
They stumbled and there was none to help.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death
And broke their bands apart.
 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
For He has shattered gates of bronze
And cut bars of iron asunder.        –  Psalm 107: 10-16

 

It was in October a year ago that “standerinfamilycourt” was in Indianapolis at a womens’ conference with 8,000 other women and Naghmeh Abedini,  whose pastor husband, an Iranian-born U.S. citizen had been brutally imprisoned in Iran for over two years at that time.   Nancy Leigh DeMoss (since just yesterday,  Mrs. Wolgemuth) had persuaded Naghmeh at the last minute to take a pause in her busy efforts at advocacy for the release of her husband, to come and give her and Saeed’s testimony, and receive prayer with and by the other ladies attending.

Naghmeh updated us on his visits with attorneys and his parents, the venues the Lord has taken her to testify and make her appeal (the U.N., Congress, the Secretary of State’s Office, cable news networks),  her introverted nature that she had to overcome by the power of God, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as she read the riveting letter from prison that Saeed had gotten to his little girl, Rebekka, for her birthday the month before,  carried to Nagmeh by Saeed’s parents:

“My dearest Rebekka Grace, happy eighth birthday. You’re growing so fast and becoming more beautiful every day. I praise God for His faithfulness to me every day as I watch from a distance through the prison walls . . . (He gets to watch pictures of the kids growing up. And Rebekka’s hair used to be that short, in the picture, and now it’s long, so he gets to see how the kids are growing up.)

. . . and see pictures and hear stories of how you’re growing both spiritually and physically. Oh, how I long to see you! I know that the question is why you have prayed so many times for my return, and yet I’m not home yet. Now, there’s a big “why” in your mind. You’re asking why Jesus isn’t answering your prayers and the prayers of all the people around the world praying for my release and for me to be home with you and our family.

The answer to the “why” is “Who.” Who is in control? The Lord Jesus Christ is in control. I desire for you to learn important lessons during these trying times, lessons that you carry now for the rest of your life. The answer to the “why” is “Who.” The confusion of “why has all of this happened,” and why your prayers are not answered is resolved with understanding Who is in control-the Lord Jesus Christ, our God.

God is in control of that whole world and everything that is happening in it, for His good purpose, for His glory-and will be worked out for our good-Romans 8:28. Jesus allows me to be kept here for His glory. He’s doing something inside each of us, and also outside in the world.

People die and suffer for their Christian faith all over the world, and some may wonder why, but you should know the answer to why is Who. It is for Jesus. He’s worth the price. He has a plan to be glorified through our lives. I want you to read the book of Habakkuk. He had the same questions as you, but see how the Lord answers him in Habakkuk 2:3: “The vision comes-and doesn’t delay-on time. Wait for it.”

Mommy and I always had big desires to serve Jesus and had great visions to be used for His kingdom and His glory. So, today we pay a cost because God Who created us called us to that.

So, I want you to know that the answer to all your prayers is that God is in control. He knows better than us what He is doing in our lives and all around the world. Therefore, declare as Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did in Daniel 3:17­-18: ‘”If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace. He will deliver us from your hand, O King. But, if not, let it be known to you, O King, that we do not serve your God, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Learn and declare as Habakkuk did that, even if we do not get the result that we’re looking for, God is still good and we will praise His holy Name. Habakkuk 3:17-19: “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength. He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on high hills.”

Then, my dear beloved daughter Rebekka Grace, I pray God will bring me back home soon, but if not we still sing together, as Habakkuk did, “Hallelujah!”-either separated by prison walls or together at home. So let Daddy hear you sing a loud “Hallelujah,” that I can hear all the way here in the prison. I’m so proud of you my sweet, courageous daughter.

Glory to God forever. Amen. Kisses and blessings. Daddy.”

 

When she was finished reading,  the ladies formed hundreds of prayer circles to pray for Saeed’s release,  along with the three other Americans being held in Iran, and also to pray for the persecuted church in every country where people are imprisoned and killed for following Jesus instead of the state religion.     In the months that followed, it seemed Saeed was close to being released on a couple of different occasions, and our State Department became more vocal if not more effective in calling for his release.     We were gratified to hear that the Lord had protected Saeed’s life and has supernaturally touched the life-threatening medical conditions for which he was being denied treatment, but the Lord has held back from his release.

This week, Naghmeh disclosed Saeed’s long struggle with pornography addiction and the abuse that existed in their home prior to his arrest and detention in Iran, and she announced that she will be stepping back from public advocacy for his release while continuing to pray and to leave those efforts in the hands of their attorneys at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

Could his imprisonment have been a divine intervention?    “Standerinfamilycourt”  hates the heresy known as OSAS (“once saved, always saved”)  because it is a web of emboldened entrapment, luring people into activities, such as pornography and adultery, that lead to demonic oppression, which in turn requires exhaustive spiritual warfare to free them.    A shockingly high number of pastors, when interviewed anonymously, have admitted to viewing porn in a short window of time prior to the interview.
Several studies have documented the biochemical changes to the brain that result from pornography addiction that then lead to other destructive behaviors.    Apparently, this was an issue in Saeed’s life well prior to his imprisonment in Iran.    Many covenant marriage standers will tell us they feel that Satan targeted their prodigal, who had been extremely fruitful in the kingdom of God and had clearly been used of the Lord just before their fall.

Naghmeh is taking all of the same abuse from her fallen kingdom warrior that most non-famous standers do from their backsliding prodigals.   It’s exhausting and appears to all observers to be thankless–until God suddenly moves on the situation.    Wives like Naghmeh are torn between speaking out to try and secure the help they know their one-flesh needs,  and showing him the unconditional respect of not speaking negatively about him in public.    Naghmeh is also at considerable risk as she makes a public announcement that she is stepping back to be with her children and seek the Lord for what to do next, as we recently saw with Anna Duggar.    Everyone will have an opinion,  and in our self-focused, microwave culture, usually not one that is protective and supportive of healing the marriage.    She will be subjected to wave after wave of slander against her one-flesh (–slander doesn’t necessarily have to be untrue, just delivered in a fleshly and venomous way that rationalizes or reinforces somebody else’s unbiblical prior choices),  and will be regaled with corresponding unsolicited advice.    If she decides to follow fully biblical instructions, such as those Paul gave in 1 Cor. 7:11,  she can count on being publicly castigated and assured that no power in heaven or on earth can change her husband’s heart issues.    As sad as the Paris events were that deflected attention away from her announcement,  this development served as a merciful shield from the “Christian” magpies out there.

Naghmeh and Saeed are part of a fairly large nondenominational church in Boise, ID.    It is difficult to tell from their stated doctrines whether they believe that any act of men, from abuse to civil divorce or civil remarriage dissolves the marriage covenant, contrary to Christ’s word on the matter [Matt. 19:6 and Mark 10:9] — and this is a crucial issue in today’s largely apostate evangelical church.

From the church website:  “The Bible is our creed. Therefore, any effort to define the basis of our teaching necessitates emphasis on the whole Word of God as the sole source of our beliefs. Furthermore, it seems unwise to adhere to the labels of much of Christendom, whether it’s Fundamentalism, Pentecostal, Calvinism, Armenianism, Charismatic, Dispensational, Reformed, etc.   It is unrealistic to think that any individual man-made system of beliefs is completely error free or, conversely, without merit at all. It is therefore our sincere desire to simply teach the Bible true to its original languages and respectful of its historical context, the context of each passage, and the accepted and normal use of language (i.e. being able to discern the difference between a parable and a proverb, a prophecy and an historical account, etc.). We trust that this will enable us to understand the intended meaning and truth that is to be found in God’s inspired Word. “

 

The above sounds hopeful, that the leadership of this church values the “Berean” approach.   If so, the Holy Spirit has far fewer obstructions in the form of wishful interpretations than might otherwise be the case in an evangelical church of today.    When Saeed is finally released, he will have been so traumatized that he will likely not be immediately returning to ministry, and we can be praying that appropriate church discipline, repentance and marital healing, by the grace of God, happens first.

Back to the womens’ ministry conference in Indianapolis….it was perhaps providential that the Cymbala family, from Brooklyn Tabernacle was also there, with a wonderful session of testimony and extended, soaking prayer for the redemption of prodigals and the breaking of spiritual bondage holding them captive.   Additionally, a covenant marriage stander by the name of Vicki Rose gave the account of her restored marriage, after addiction, adultery and divorce.

Also, providentially, Nancy’s closing session, also focused on the redemption of prodigals, was around Psalm 107–and very powerful!   May the Lord quicken all of this back to Naghmeh as she seeks His face, leading her to watch the videos again and realizing that the Lord knew, and orchestrated all of it!

Standers, though we bear shame for the sake of the kingdom, we know that deception can (and does) fall on the strongest kingdom warrior,  yet God will still find a way to be glorified in the end.    Let’s take heart, as we hedge this precious marriage in our prayers.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.    – 1 Peter 4:1-2

 

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