Dear Brothers,
Please see the fellowship and urgent request below concerning developments in Russia.
Bob
Dear brothers,
Some days ago a court in Moscow, Russia, ruled that the footnotes of the Recovery Version by Brother Witness Lee are “extremist” and therefore to be banned in Russia. (See one published report here.) The publication of this ruling is due Monday, March 17, 2025, and afterward the brothers have thirty days to appeal. While the suit is technically against Living Stream Ministry (as the publisher of the Russian New Testament Recovery Version), the obvious target is the publication work in Russia (BBD) and the Lord’s move in the Russian-speaking world. The brothers in BBD are seeking the prayers of the saints during these critical days while this suit makes its way through the Russian court system. We brothers at LSM agreed to make BBD’s request known to you brothers to see if you would consider placing this matter before all the co-workers for prayer in the local churches of the Lord’s recovery. At the end of this email we offer some possible matters for prayer. But please know that we leave this whole matter entirely up to you and are at peace with whatever you decide to do.
Thank you for your consideration.
In Him,
The brothers at LSM
Based on suggestions from the brothers in BBD, we can present the following prayer burdens related to this need:
- For the saints in the Russian-speaking world to be strengthened by the Lord, not thinking that the fiery ordeal among them is strange, but that inasmuch as they share in the sufferings of Christ, they would rejoice, so that also at the revelation of His glory they may rejoice exultingly (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
- For the leading ones and all the saints in the Russian-speaking world to be subject to the authorities over them, for there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are ordained by God (Rom. 13:1), and to remember that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
For all the serving ones and all the full-time trainees in Russia to be at peace and open to the Lord’s direction through the brothers there. - For the protection of the Lord’s truth in the Russian language and the continued availability and spread of this ministry to His seekers and lovers in the Russian-speaking world, remembering with thanksgiving and praise all that He has done in this regard during the past decades.
- For the continued and even intensified shining of the testimony of Jesus in all the local churches in the Russian-speaking world.
Also, we ask the saints everywhere who pray:
- To be careful to wrestle not against blood and flesh (persons and institutions) but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies (Eph. 6:10-13).
- To pray in the heavenlies, where in fact we are seated together with the Lord in His exalted position on the throne in ascension (Eph. 2:6; 1:20; 3:10)
- To pray for the current situation by always taking the Lord’s interest, and not our welfare, as its focus, that is, the producing of the overcomers to be His bride to hasten His return and bring in His eternal kingdom.