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—The Lord's Latest Appeal for Russia!—From the European Continental Office

(Note from WS staff: The following are excerpts of an advisory that was compiled by EURCRO and sent to the Homes in Europe. It contains portions of prophecies recently received regarding the work in Russia, which we believe you will find interesting—particularly those of you who have been planning on going to Russia, or who have a burden to support the work there. God bless you!)

Dearest Family,

We love you! Our thanks goes to all of you who are even now laboring on the field [of the former Soviet Union], enduring difficult conditions and trying situations, and to those who are preparing to go to Russia, raising support and arranging your visas. Our appreciation also extends to all those who are supporting our efforts through your prayers and/or financial support. God bless you! You are helping to bring love and eternal life to countless millions and fulfilling the challenge the Lord gave us in "Go Ye into All the World!" (ML #2990, GN 631).

In fact, since that Letter was published, we now have many more full-time missionaries in Russia and the neighboring republics than ever before! You'll be encouraged to know we also have 3,000 active Outside Witnessers who are Mail Ministry members, plus scores of other catacombers‚ potential disciples, friends and witnessers whom the Homes are ministering to. Praise the Lord!

The purpose of this advisory is to update you on the latest timely challenges the Lord has given for the Russian work.

Actually He has not given us anything dramatically new, but has definitely emphasized certain goals‚ telling us repeatedly that the time is very short; that we need to pour forth the Words, and we need to make it possible for the laborers to be sent forth into the harvest. He has clarified how our potential Russian missionaries need to count the cost and that some could even come for a short time to sow the seed. He's shown us what message to emphasize in our outreach (Endtime!) and more on how to prepare for when the doors close by creating lit reservoirs. He's also spoken on the vision of working with our national and outside laborers. Praise the Lord!

For those who are planning to go to Russia, we pray this will inspire you to see the needs, to count the cost of your mission, and will also give you ideas about how to possibly speed up your arrival.

And to our dear Family worldwide who would like to support the work in Russia, we pray this will give you the vision for how to direct your prayers and also any support you're able to contribute.

The prophecy excerpts included below were received at a recent leadership meeting. We pray the Lord will inspire you through them. God bless you! We love you!

EMERGENCY CALL—TIME IS SHORT!

During the prophecy session, the Lord said eleven times that the "time is short." There are many outward signs in Russia which make this evident:

The Orthodox Church is continuing to press for legislation in the State Duma [parliament] which would ban all independent activity by foreign religious organizations.

The Communist Party says it wants to "protect religious freedom, but most of all promote the Orthodox Church." In other words, the Communists and Orthodox Church appear to be in agreement to restrict the freedoms of non-Orthodox religions.

The seriousness of this is highlighted by the increasingly Communist-dominated Duma, which may vote for restrictive legislation against smaller religious groups which was earlier vetoed by President Yeltsin.

A number of cities around Russia [and in neighboring republics] have passed laws restricting religious freedom and activities, even though these laws are in contradiction to the present Russian constitution.

Visa requirements are being tightened, making it more difficult and more expensive to obtain visas and invitations.

Tax and currency laws are being used as a tool to harass and in some cases prosecute foreign missionaries.

(Prophecy: ) "This is an emergency call to all! This is a call to step out by faith from where you are and come to reach this land in this last moment! For the darkness is already upon this country, and many are dying in fear. You are the few among so many who have the truth. Let those who have faith to be part of this project put on the war armor. They have to walk by faith and not by sight, and be fully persuaded in their minds and hearts that it is the place where I want them to be. For indeed‚ the darkness will grow stronger and stronger, and the walls will rise up again around this country. It will again become like a big prison. But there are many of My children still waiting for a message. Those who will go in must have full faith that this is the place I have chosen for them. Though the price is great, their reward will be great too, but they have to walk by faith and not by sight." (End of prophecy.)

(Prophecy:) "Dark‚ dark clouds gather on the horizon. Storm clouds are approaching. I have My reapers there‚ but the fields are vast. Lift up your eyes, for they are white‚ ready to harvest. If you would reap the most‚ reap quickly. ... Do the job while there is time, for the storm clouds are gathering on the horizon." (End of prophecy.)

POUR FORTH!—MORE MASS LIT DISTRIBUTION NEEDED!

(Prophecy:) "This is a northern nation, a mighty nation, cold and hungry for salvation, for the Words of Jesus, the Words of David. The day is far spent, the night is almost upon this nation, the time is very short. You have no guarantee of tomorrow, so you must sparkle and shine while there is daylight left, for the night approaches quickly when you can no longer work. For what is your life? It is but a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. You must work the work of an evangelist‚ the work of a missionary, while there is yet time, while there is yet a little daylight.

"You must pour forth the Words, the wonder working Words, millions for the billions! Pour them forth! Cease not to teach and preach, for you will not have gone over all the cities of Russia when the Son of Man comes. But do what you can, that it may be said of you‚ 'He did what he could. She did what she could.' That it may also be said of you, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.' Be faithful to pour forth the Words. It is not given unto you to know the times and the seasons, but know this, that the time is very short. Therefore‚ pour forth as if there is no tomorrow. For you have no guarantee of tomorrow. ...

"I will protect your going out and your coming in. And even though perils and dangers come upon the land‚ even wars and rumors of war and revolutions and great changes, yet I will be with you. You will not cease from the land until the time comes when it is so dark that you can no longer labor. Then you will know and then shall be the time." (End of prophecy.)

THE ENDTIME!—AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MESSAGE FOR RUSSIA!

(Prophecy:) "For the spirit of the son of iniquity is already in this land, as he prepares to take it over. He plans a war against the hearts of men. Therefore I have called you to be My witnesses, My prophets, My prophets of warning, to warn of the soon-coming power of the Antichrist.

"For this is a battlefield. These are the front lines of the war, and those who go to the front lines must be prepared and ready and know what they are about to face, for the final battle of this war is soon to be fought. It is a war for the hearts and minds of the men and women and children of this land. Those who go in to fight this war must be wholehearted and true, willing to lay down their lives completely, even willing to die that others may live." (End of prophecy.)

OUTSIDE WITNESSERS AND LIT RESERVOIRS!

(Prophecy:) "You ask, 'What about our nationals‚ what about their training, what about the establishing of our church?’ But I say unto you‚ are they not My sheep? Are they not My babes? Am I not the good Shepherd Who cares for My sheep, Who knows each one by name? I say unto you that the sheep who do know My Name will come and will follow. I will lead them and I will teach them with My right hand.

"As you go forth‚ take them with you and teach them on the way. As you witness you must train them, for this is the clinical method. They will see a sample and it will burn in their hearts and set them on fire as they learn to witness and to reach their own people, as they learn to apply the Word in their lives, as they learn to give. Don't worry, I will supply, I will bring forth laborers into My field. I will speak to their hearts and I will be their good Shepherd." (End of prophecy.)

(Comment from EURCRO:) In addition to the Catacombers, Outside Witnessers and sheep whom the Homes in Russia are ministering to and encouraging to witness, we currently have 3,000 active Outside Witnessers on the Russian Mail Ministry list. "Active" means that we have heard from them in the past couple of months and they have requested lit to distribute and/or have reported back on the lit we've already sent them. Less than 5% of these Mail Ministry Outside Witnessers have ever met the Family personally, but they love the Word we share with them and are eager to pass it on to others! (A major reason so few have ever met us is due to them living in villages and distant areas scattered far and wide throughout the former Soviet Union.)

What a tremendous testimony to the power of the Word! This is very encouraging for several reasons.

Firstly, we see that the seed we have "scattered" by mass distribution has borne tremendous fruit and continues to bring forth more fruit, as many of our present Outside Witnessers were themselves the fruit of lit that was given out in faraway places by "other sheep" rather than full-time Family members.

Secondly, we can see how the Lord is raising up nationals who will, D.V.‚ continue witnessing even when circumstances prevent foreign missionaries either witnessing openly or being there at all. Even if they're members of other churches or are unlikely to come much closer into our Family circle of discipleship, they can still be channels for the Word.—In fact, many of our Outside Witnessers are members or leaders of other churches, but they love our lit and often use it for their Sunday schools and for witnessing.

This brings us to another important prophecy the Lord gave on the need to set up stockpiles of lit‚ which we will be working on. Please keep this in your prayers!

(Prophecy, a departed Russian speaking:) "Plan your warfare, set up your stockpiles, for in the days to come transportation may be difficult. It's always been difficult in Russia, such a vast land. Communications have always been difficult. When you set your army in the field, set up stockpiles, receptacles for the Words of David, where many can come and draw from them. You must supply your army in the field. Take the Words of David, scatter them around, but put them in strongholds that the laborers may come and replenish their bags‚ that they may go out again and feed the people.

"Don't let your army be cut off from their supply; let not your laborers fail in the field because they have no seed to give unto the people. I know this land, and I have seen generals and mighty men of war who have failed and whose brilliant tactics were destroyed for lack of supplies for their soldiers. So my counsel unto you is to provide reservoirs, provide stockpiles, provide the places where people can come and draw out the Words of David so your soldiers shall not fail to have the ammunition they need to fight this war." (End of prophecy.)

GO FORTH!—AND THE NEED FOR LABORERS!

(Prophecy‚ a departed Russian speaking:) "I come to you to plead for my people. … Far and wide you shall find them—in villages, in towns, in cities, in places that are not even on the map. …

"Someone must go out and seek them and find them—someone who will go and listen to the voice of the Spirit, someone who is yielded to the voice of the Spirit, that the Spirit may direct them and guide them. For the Spirit may say, 'Go here,' and 'Go there‚' or 'There are people here,' or 'There are people there.'

"They must be yielded vessels. They must be strong vessels—strong in faith, strong in listening, strong in yielding, strong in humility. For my people are a proud people. They were once a wonderful people, industrious, with great vision, simple, with love and compassion, yet they have been beaten down, they have lost their vision, they toil day in and day out with no hope. Some pray‚ some believe, some carry their faith with them, but their flame flickers low. Some have passed on their faith to their young ones, but they've seen so little evidence and they hang on by a straw.

"If you will go, even one word shall ignite that one candle. Even two words shall ignite ten thousand candles! And if you will give them all the Words of David, you shall set the country aflame! For they are like dry straw and you are the match, and you shall cause a mighty flame throughout the land if you will but go.

"Forsake not this land. It is a vast land‚ a cold land‚ but as you light the hearts of those who live there, you will find that a warmth shall spread and it will melt the ice and the cold. The warmth of their hearts shall spread, and they shall become a flame that shall light the way for many.

"Are you hearing my voice? Am I getting through to your heart? Is something stirring within you? Is that little fire kindling to reach my people, to come forth and give of yourself that they might live, that you may know the joy of seeing the downtrodden, the visionless, the helpless suddenly become full of life and joy and rejoicing?

"Would you miss this chance to see life breathed into dead corpses? For they are as dead men, trudging through the day, trudging through the night. But you are as light and you shall bring life unto them! And they shall love the Lord with such ardor, such fervor! For what else have they but the Lord? They shall be a pure people, a dedicated people, and they shall tell their neighbors, and their neighbors shall tell other neighbors, and the word will spread." (End of prophecy.)

(Prophecy:) "Some may stay a short time and some may stay a long time. Some may come for a time and sow some seed, and others will stay and become a part of the work. …

"Some may even come as Pandita Ramabai did to her people. For though she had but half a life to give‚ she gave it with all that was within her. She burned bright and fast for Me. There will be those who come like her, giving all that they can for a short time and then going back. I will say of them that they have done what they could also.

"For the time is short and we need all the hands for this last battle. I will do the purging and the choosing for you, even as I did with Gideon's mighty men. I tried their hearts. I even put it in some hearts to not go, to stay back. But the ones that do make it there and have the faith‚ them will I use mightily for a short time or for a long time.

"But they must go in as Gideon's men, with their sword in their hand, holding up the Light of My Word, the Light of Truth, and with their vessels that they will crash and make a loud sound that all men will hear and know of the mighty works of the Lord! … It will be a wonderful harvest and a wonderful testimony.

"Fear not, for it is all in My hands. I love these people of Russia and I want them to know of Me. I will call the people that I need to be there, and I will provide what they need to get there. I will supply their needs and I will keep them there and use them for as long as I want, and as long as I need. Trust in Me." (End of prophecy.)

(Prophecy:) "For I say unto you, yes, the time is short. Therefore‚ send laborers! Open your barns and fill the land! There are many, oh‚ so many, who will not have the opportunity to hear the Words of Life if you do not give it to them. As I have taught you, so should you go and teach others to teach others. ...

"According to their faith be it done unto them. Those called to the harvest are those that are young and free and able-bodied, for there is great fruit yet to be reached and the time is short." (End of prophecy.)

(Comment from EURCRO:) The Lord keeps calling for laborers! He promises His protection and supply, but He also warns that it is going to be a sacrifice and it is important that anybody praying about going to Russia seriously counts the cost.

Those of you already on the field know the reality of the battles you face there. It is not an easy field. Physical conditions can be rough, and the overall spirit can be quite depressing and a battle to stay on top of. Some of our dear missionaries have gone through immense spiritual battles. Other newcomers have been surprised that even though it is a fertile field with many receptive people, there is also a fair amount of opposition and you are not always received with open arms.

—But the rewards are great! We have the potential to set the country aflame with the Words of David! Praise the Lord! In fact‚ the Lord says that as we light their hearts‚ they will in turn spread the warmth, "they shall tell their neighbors‚ and their neighbors shall tell other neighbors, and the word will spread." Even if the "only thing" you accomplish during your stay in Russia is distribution of the Word‚ and even if your stay turns out for any reason to be short, you will have accomplished the most important thing if you have given out the Word. And the Word itself will multiply and bear fruit in the lives of those who have received it.

Thank you for all you are doing to help bring the Love of Jesus to these needy people. We love you!

With love and prayers,

Your European Shepherds

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family