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00:00:01 At Romans 8:35, the apostle Paul asked: 00:00:06 “Who will separate us 00:00:08 “from the love of the Christ? 00:00:10 “Will tribulation or distress or persecution 00:00:15 or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword?” 00:00:20 Notice how Paul answered that question in verse 37: 00:00:25 “On the contrary, in all these things 00:00:29 “we are coming off completely victorious 00:00:32 through the one who loved us.” 00:00:35 That’s a very fitting scripture 00:00:37 for this update. 00:00:39 Many of the things Paul mentioned 00:00:42 we’ve experienced in the past year. 00:00:45 There have been many challenges. 00:00:48 Yet, through the help we receive from Jehovah, 00:00:51 “we are coming off . . . victorious.” 00:00:55 Of course, we’re all contending with the pandemic. 00:00:59 Jehovah’s organization has been complying 00:01:02 with guidance from public health officials worldwide. 00:01:06 We’ve worked hard as an organization 00:01:09 to show deep respect for the sanctity of life. 00:01:13 And we’ve watched Jehovah bless these efforts 00:01:16 as our meetings and ministry have thrived. 00:01:21 However, we are not immune 00:01:24 to the effects of the virus. 00:01:26 As of May 15, we have now lost 00:01:31 over 17,000 00:01:34 of our dear brothers and sisters 00:01:36 to COVID-19. 00:01:39 No doubt most of us have lost someone we love. 00:01:43 How comforting to know that our loved ones 00:01:47 are safe in Jehovah’s memory! 00:01:50 Even death has not separated them from Jehovah. 00:01:56 There have been many recent news reports 00:01:59 about the pandemic in India and Brazil. 00:02:03 Many of you have been asking how our brothers there are doing. 00:02:07 In the past month in India, 00:02:09 there have been ten times 00:02:12 as many new cases and deaths among the brothers 00:02:17 than there were in the previous month. 00:02:20 The disaster relief committees 00:02:22 are actively monitoring the needs of our brothers 00:02:25 and, as needed, helping them locate hospitals 00:02:29 that have available beds. 00:02:32 In Brazil, the number of cases 00:02:35 and the number of deaths continue to be high. 00:02:38 Sadly, over 400 of our brothers in Brazil 00:02:43 have died from the virus in just the past month. 00:02:47 The responsible brothers are working hard 00:02:50 to help our brothers in these lands. 00:02:53 Please keep all of our brothers 00:02:56 in India and Brazil in your prayers. 00:03:01 In various parts of the world, the virus is resurging 00:03:05 in some cases because of new variants. 00:03:08 Clearly, this pandemic is not over. 00:03:13 Please continue to be careful. 00:03:16 You may find it helpful to review 00:03:18 the 2020 Governing Body Update #9, 00:03:23 which explains how COVID-19 spreads 00:03:26 and what we can do to protect ourselves. 00:03:30 What is our view on vaccination? 00:03:34 Jehovah’s Witnesses are not against vaccination. 00:03:39 We view it as a personal decision 00:03:42 for each Christian to make. 00:03:44 Already, in cooperation with public health officials, 00:03:49 many in our Bethel families have chosen to be vaccinated. 00:03:55 In 2020, we also faced 00:03:58 an unprecedented number of natural disasters. 00:04:02 Can you imagine that in the 2020 service year 00:04:06 we have had 204 disasters? 00:04:10 That’s more than double the number of disasters 00:04:13 that we had in 2018! 00:04:17 Of course, we’ve had to cope with many disasters during the pandemic. 00:04:21 Let me remind you of some of them. 00:04:25 Central America was struck by Hurricane Eta. 00:04:29 St. Vincent has had volcanic eruptions. 00:04:33 Croatia was shaken by earthquakes. 00:04:37 Lebanon was devastated by an explosion. 00:04:42 Nigeria suffered widespread flooding. 00:04:45 Mozambique was hit by Cyclone Eloise. 00:04:49 The Philippines was pummeled 00:04:51 by Super Typhoon Goni. 00:04:54 Australia had destructive bush fires. 00:04:58 These are just a few 00:04:59 of the disasters we have faced 00:05:01 during the pandemic. 00:05:03 This is exactly what Paul was talking about 00:05:07 when he mentioned tribulation, distress, 00:05:11 hunger, nakedness, danger, or sword. 00:05:16 Would any of these things 00:05:18 “be able to separate us from God’s love”? 00:05:22 What have we seen? 00:05:24 Let’s hear some expressions from our brothers in the United States. 00:05:35 When you have a disaster 00:05:36 on top of a disaster, 00:05:38 COVID-19 on top of Hurricane Sally, 00:05:41 it’s a challenge to get through and navigate both. 00:05:45 Being homebound for so many months, 00:05:48 everybody was already feeling 00:05:49 a little bit on edge. 00:05:52 Then you add the stress of the flood on top of it. 00:05:56 The speed of the brothers 00:05:58 and sisters responding 00:05:59 was probably the most heartwarming. 00:06:02 We called them on a Wednesday to start some of their work on Friday, 00:06:07 and by Friday, they were organized and ready to go. 00:06:11 I think it’s one of the most heartwarming 00:06:13 privileges I’ve ever seen 00:06:15 —how Jehovah’s organization 00:06:17 can take care of needs, 00:06:20 whereas the world around us is falling apart. 00:06:25 There are people who think: 00:06:26 ‘I can handle this. I can handle this,’ 00:06:28 you know, ‘I can do this.’ 00:06:30 And you can’t do it on your own. 00:06:31 You need the friends. You need them. 00:06:34 When the call goes out, Jehovah’s people come running. 00:06:37 It’s an amazing thing to see. 00:06:39 There’s no way that Jehovah’s love can be blocked. 00:06:43 If you’re sheltered in place, wherever you are, 00:06:46 Jehovah’s love gets through. 00:06:48 We’ve been through a difficult situation, 00:06:51 but our confidence is solid 00:06:53 that he’ll continue to help us. 00:06:55 He got us through this problem; 00:06:57 he’ll get us through the next. 00:06:59 One of the reasons why our brothers are coming off victorious 00:07:03 is because of all of you. 00:07:06 You have been there to help. 00:07:09 Some of you have risked your own safety to provide relief. 00:07:13 Although most of us don’t have the circumstances to do that, 00:07:17 we’ve made donations. 00:07:20 As a result, we’ve been able to provide our brothers 00:07:23 with food, water, building materials, and medicine 00:07:28 —all because of your generosity and goodness. 00:07:33 Thank you for what you’ve done 00:07:36 to help our brothers who face these disasters. 00:07:41 That’s not the only thing that Paul talked about 00:07:44 in Romans 8:35. 00:07:47 He also mentioned persecution. 00:07:51 We certainly have had to face that. 00:07:53 It hasn’t gone away during the pandemic. 00:07:56 As of May 2021, 00:07:59 more than 155 brothers and sisters 00:08:02 are in prison for their faith. 00:08:06 Even so, there have been positive developments. 00:08:10 In recent months, we were so encouraged to learn 00:08:15 that 32 of our brothers in Eritrea 00:08:18 have been set free, 00:08:20 including Paulos, Isaac, and Negede, 00:08:24 who were imprisoned for 26 years. 00:08:28 We continue to pray 00:08:30 for the 20 brothers and sisters who are still in prison. 00:08:36 On May 8, we were delighted to learn 00:08:39 that the Turkmenistan government released from prison 00:08:42 all 16 of our brothers 00:08:44 who were imprisoned 00:08:46 for conscientious objection 00:08:48 to military service. 00:08:50 We thank Jehovah 00:08:52 for these positive developments. 00:08:56 When I went to Russia for the Supreme Court hearings in 2017, 00:09:01 it was a very sobering moment 00:09:04 when we heard the judge announce 00:09:07 that our legal entities were banned. 00:09:11 We knew Jehovah would look after our brothers, 00:09:14 but there were so many unknowns. 00:09:17 How would our brothers be affected? 00:09:20 Some, of course, have been arrested, like Brother Dennis Christensen. 00:09:25 He’s been in prison for four years 00:09:28 as of May 25, 2021. 00:09:31 Although Dennis has qualified for parole for over a year, 00:09:36 the authorities have “hardened their hearts.” 00:09:39 They have not let him go. 00:09:42 In spite of that, 00:09:44 Dennis and his wife, Irina, are in good spirits. 00:09:49 And we continue to remember our 10 brothers 00:09:51 who are in penal colonies in Russia 00:09:54 and the 48 who are in pretrial detention 00:09:58 as of May 14, 2021. 00:10:02 Now that four years have passed since the ban, 00:10:06 what do we see? 00:10:08 Our brothers have not cowered. 00:10:11 They have not backed down. 00:10:13 They continue to serve Jehovah faithfully. 00:10:17 As you watch this next video, 00:10:20 see who the authorities are attacking now. 00:10:28 In 2013, 00:10:30 our son, Igor, became ill, 00:10:32 and he got worse and worse. 00:10:36 Then, in 2014, our son died. 00:10:39 It was such a tragedy for us, 00:10:41 and words cannot describe it. 00:10:43 He was our only son and was deeply loved. 00:10:46 Then, two years later, my mother died. 00:10:50 And two years after that, my sister died. 00:10:53 Getting through all of that was beyond human strength. 00:10:59 We had just started to feel a little better 00:11:03 when on March 26, 00:11:05 2019, . . . 00:11:06 . . . 2019 . . . 00:11:09 . . . armed men in masks burst into our home. 00:11:14 It was such a shock! We went numb. 00:11:17 We couldn’t say anything. 00:11:19 We were paralyzed. 00:11:21 On May 22, 2019, 00:11:25 early in the morning at 5:45, 00:11:28 the doorbell rang. 00:11:31 I looked through the peephole and saw people 00:11:34 who showed me their identification. 00:11:37 Then those people came into my apartment, 00:11:39 made a search, and took me to the center 00:11:42 for fighting extremism. 00:11:45 It ended up with my being accused 00:11:47 of participating in extremist activity. 00:11:51 Then, in 2020, 00:11:53 the court hearings began for my case. 00:11:58 For example, for my criminal case, 00:12:01 they collected 17 volumes of evidence against me, 00:12:04 and they questioned over 200 witnesses. 00:12:07 Then the court hearings started. 00:12:09 First of all, there were Valentina’s hearings, then mine. 00:12:14 Of course, none of that is exactly pleasant, 00:12:16 but it somehow made us stronger, 00:12:19 and Jehovah supported us. 00:12:21 We even went to the court feeling joyful. 00:12:24 We felt that Jehovah was helping us, supporting us, 00:12:27 strengthening us, and encouraging us. 00:12:29 We are so grateful to him! 00:12:31 Our fellow worshippers constantly called on us 00:12:35 from all parts of the town. 00:12:37 They always supported us, 00:12:39 always called us and said strengthening things 00:12:42 and quotes from the Bible. 00:12:46 I understood that it would end up with my being a defendant. 00:12:50 It was as though inside I was already prepared for that 00:12:54 and, you know, I didn’t feel any kind of panic. 00:12:57 I just wanted to get through it in a dignified manner 00:13:00 and didn’t want to let anyone down 00:13:03 and under no circumstances 00:13:06 betray our God, Jehovah. 00:13:08 I want to say that each day for me 00:13:11 is a blessing from Jehovah. 00:13:14 I pray and ask for peace and calmness 00:13:18 in both my heart and my home. 00:13:21 And right now, the blessings far outweigh 00:13:25 all negative experiences. 00:13:27 This I value very highly. 00:13:29 The sentence might even involve time in prison 00:13:33 or it might be a suspended sentence. 00:13:36 But regardless of the outcome, 00:13:38 we need to remain faithful to God 00:13:40 and to stay on the way of truth 00:13:42 to the end. 00:13:45 No matter what happens, 00:13:46 whether I remain free 00:13:49 or they put me somewhere behind prison walls, 00:13:52 there is absolutely nothing 00:13:54 that can “separate us from God’s love.” 00:13:58 No prison walls can shut out God’s love. 00:14:01 It can penetrate everywhere 00:14:03 to all depths. 00:14:07 It was the strength that we received from God 00:14:10 that helped us to survive the death of our son 00:14:13 and many other misfortunes, 00:14:15 so we will get through this too. 00:14:17 We definitely will! 00:14:19 I have no doubt about it. 00:14:26 How shameful that the authorities are attacking 00:14:30 our elderly brothers and sisters! 00:14:32 And yet, isn’t it amazing 00:14:36 that, despite their own trials, 00:14:38 these dear older ones are not yielding to fear? 00:14:43 They say that the persecution 00:14:46 has only made them stronger in the faith. 00:14:50 You dear brothers and sisters in Russia 00:14:53 have done so well. 00:14:56 You are an inspiration to all of us. 00:15:00 We truly love you. 00:15:04 Doesn’t all of this convince us 00:15:07 of what Paul said in Romans 8:37? 00:15:12 “In all these things 00:15:14 “we are coming off completely victorious 00:15:18 through the one who loved us.” 00:15:20 That’s what we’ve seen with our brothers and sisters 00:15:23 facing the pandemic, natural disasters, 00:15:27 and persecution. 00:15:29 What conviction does this lead us to? 00:15:33 Paul continues in verses 38 and 39: 00:15:38 “For I am convinced 00:15:40 “that neither death nor life 00:15:43 “nor angels nor governments 00:15:46 “nor things now here nor things to come 00:15:49 “nor powers nor height nor depth 00:15:52 “nor any other creation 00:15:54 “will be able to separate us from God’s love 00:15:58 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 00:16:02 Brothers and sisters, 00:16:04 we are convinced that you too 00:16:08 will continue to “[come] off completely victorious” 00:16:12 no matter what trials you face. 00:16:15 Why? 00:16:16 Because nothing can separate us 00:16:20 from Jehovah’s love. 00:16:22 Please know 00:16:24 that we love you all very much. 00:16:28 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:16:32 this is JW Broadcasting®.
00:00:01 At Romans 8:35, the apostle Paul asked: 00:00:06 “Who will separate us 00:00:08 “from the love of the Christ? 00:00:10 “Will tribulation or distress or persecution 00:00:15 or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword?” 00:00:20 Notice how Paul answered that question in verse 37: 00:00:25 “On the contrary, in all these things 00:00:29 “we are coming off completely victorious 00:00:32 through the one who loved us.” 00:00:35 That’s a very fitting scripture 00:00:37 for this update. 00:00:39 Many of the things Paul mentioned 00:00:42 we’ve experienced in the past year. 00:00:45 There have been many challenges. 00:00:48 Yet, through the help we receive from Jehovah, 00:00:51 “we are coming off . . . victorious.” 00:00:55 Of course, we’re all contending with the pandemic. 00:00:59 Jehovah’s organization has been complying 00:01:02 with guidance from public health officials worldwide. 00:01:06 We’ve worked hard as an organization 00:01:09 to show deep respect for the sanctity of life. 00:01:13 And we’ve watched Jehovah bless these efforts 00:01:16 as our meetings and ministry have thrived. 00:01:21 However, we are not immune 00:01:24 to the effects of the virus. 00:01:26 As of May 15, we have now lost 00:01:31 over 17,000 00:01:34 of our dear brothers and sisters 00:01:36 to COVID-19. 00:01:39 No doubt most of us have lost someone we love. 00:01:43 How comforting to know that our loved ones 00:01:47 are safe in Jehovah’s memory! 00:01:50 Even death has not separated them from Jehovah. 00:01:56 There have been many recent news reports 00:01:59 about the pandemic in India and Brazil. 00:02:03 Many of you have been asking how our brothers there are doing. 00:02:07 In the past month in India, 00:02:09 there have been ten times 00:02:12 as many new cases and deaths among the brothers 00:02:17 than there were in the previous month. 00:02:20 The disaster relief committees 00:02:22 are actively monitoring the needs of our brothers 00:02:25 and, as needed, helping them locate hospitals 00:02:29 that have available beds. 00:02:32 In Brazil, the number of cases 00:02:35 and the number of deaths continue to be high. 00:02:38 Sadly, over 400 of our brothers in Brazil 00:02:43 have died from the virus in just the past month. 00:02:47 The responsible brothers are working hard 00:02:50 to help our brothers in these lands. 00:02:53 Please keep all of our brothers 00:02:56 in India and Brazil in your prayers. 00:03:01 In various parts of the world, the virus is resurging 00:03:05 in some cases because of new variants. 00:03:08 Clearly, this pandemic is not over. 00:03:13 Please continue to be careful. 00:03:16 You may find it helpful to review 00:03:18 the 2020 Governing Body Update #9, 00:03:23 which explains how COVID-19 spreads 00:03:26 and what we can do to protect ourselves. 00:03:30 What is our view on vaccination? 00:03:34 Jehovah’s Witnesses are not against vaccination. 00:03:39 We view it as a personal decision 00:03:42 for each Christian to make. 00:03:44 Already, in cooperation with public health officials, 00:03:49 many in our Bethel families have chosen to be vaccinated. 00:03:55 In 2020, we also faced 00:03:58 an unprecedented number of natural disasters. 00:04:02 Can you imagine that in the 2020 service year 00:04:06 we have had 204 disasters? 00:04:10 That’s more than double the number of disasters 00:04:13 that we had in 2018! 00:04:17 Of course, we’ve had to cope with many disasters during the pandemic. 00:04:21 Let me remind you of some of them. 00:04:25 Central America was struck by Hurricane Eta. 00:04:29 St. Vincent has had volcanic eruptions. 00:04:33 Croatia was shaken by earthquakes. 00:04:37 Lebanon was devastated by an explosion. 00:04:42 Nigeria suffered widespread flooding. 00:04:45 Mozambique was hit by Cyclone Eloise. 00:04:49 The Philippines was pummeled 00:04:51 by Super Typhoon Goni. 00:04:54 Australia had destructive bush fires. 00:04:58 These are just a few 00:04:59 of the disasters we have faced 00:05:01 during the pandemic. 00:05:03 This is exactly what Paul was talking about 00:05:07 when he mentioned tribulation, distress, 00:05:11 hunger, nakedness, danger, or sword. 00:05:16 Would any of these things 00:05:18 “be able to separate us from God’s love”? 00:05:22 What have we seen? 00:05:24 Let’s hear some expressions from our brothers in the United States. 00:05:35 When you have a disaster 00:05:36 on top of a disaster, 00:05:38 COVID-19 on top of Hurricane Sally, 00:05:41 it’s a challenge to get through and navigate both. 00:05:45 Being homebound for so many months, 00:05:48 everybody was already feeling 00:05:49 a little bit on edge. 00:05:52 Then you add the stress of the flood on top of it. 00:05:56 The speed of the brothers 00:05:58 and sisters responding 00:05:59 was probably the most heartwarming. 00:06:02 We called them on a Wednesday to start some of their work on Friday, 00:06:07 and by Friday, they were organized and ready to go. 00:06:11 I think it’s one of the most heartwarming 00:06:13 privileges I’ve ever seen 00:06:15 —how Jehovah’s organization 00:06:17 can take care of needs, 00:06:20 whereas the world around us is falling apart. 00:06:25 There are people who think: 00:06:26 ‘I can handle this. I can handle this,’ 00:06:28 you know, ‘I can do this.’ 00:06:30 And you can’t do it on your own. 00:06:31 You need the friends. You need them. 00:06:34 When the call goes out, Jehovah’s people come running. 00:06:37 It’s an amazing thing to see. 00:06:39 There’s no way that Jehovah’s love can be blocked. 00:06:43 If you’re sheltered in place, wherever you are, 00:06:46 Jehovah’s love gets through. 00:06:48 We’ve been through a difficult situation, 00:06:51 but our confidence is solid 00:06:53 that he’ll continue to help us. 00:06:55 He got us through this problem; 00:06:57 he’ll get us through the next. 00:06:59 One of the reasons why our brothers are coming off victorious 00:07:03 is because of all of you. 00:07:06 You have been there to help. 00:07:09 Some of you have risked your own safety to provide relief. 00:07:13 Although most of us don’t have the circumstances to do that, 00:07:17 we’ve made donations. 00:07:20 As a result, we’ve been able to provide our brothers 00:07:23 with food, water, building materials, and medicine 00:07:28 —all because of your generosity and goodness. 00:07:33 Thank you for what you’ve done 00:07:36 to help our brothers who face these disasters. 00:07:41 That’s not the only thing that Paul talked about 00:07:44 in Romans 8:35. 00:07:47 He also mentioned persecution. 00:07:51 We certainly have had to face that. 00:07:53 It hasn’t gone away during the pandemic. 00:07:56 As of May 2021, 00:07:59 more than 155 brothers and sisters 00:08:02 are in prison for their faith. 00:08:06 Even so, there have been positive developments. 00:08:10 In recent months, we were so encouraged to learn 00:08:15 that 32 of our brothers in Eritrea 00:08:18 have been set free, 00:08:20 including Paulos, Isaac, and Negede, 00:08:24 who were imprisoned for 26 years. 00:08:28 We continue to pray 00:08:30 for the 20 brothers and sisters who are still in prison. 00:08:36 On May 8, we were delighted to learn 00:08:39 that the Turkmenistan government released from prison 00:08:42 all 16 of our brothers 00:08:44 who were imprisoned 00:08:46 for conscientious objection 00:08:48 to military service. 00:08:50 We thank Jehovah 00:08:52 for these positive developments. 00:08:56 When I went to Russia for the Supreme Court hearings in 2017, 00:09:01 it was a very sobering moment 00:09:04 when we heard the judge announce 00:09:07 that our legal entities were banned. 00:09:11 We knew Jehovah would look after our brothers, 00:09:14 but there were so many unknowns. 00:09:17 How would our brothers be affected? 00:09:20 Some, of course, have been arrested, like Brother Dennis Christensen. 00:09:25 He’s been in prison for four years 00:09:28 as of May 25, 2021. 00:09:31 Although Dennis has qualified for parole for over a year, 00:09:36 the authorities have “hardened their hearts.” 00:09:39 They have not let him go. 00:09:42 In spite of that, 00:09:44 Dennis and his wife, Irina, are in good spirits. 00:09:49 And we continue to remember our 10 brothers 00:09:51 who are in penal colonies in Russia 00:09:54 and the 48 who are in pretrial detention 00:09:58 as of May 14, 2021. 00:10:02 Now that four years have passed since the ban, 00:10:06 what do we see? 00:10:08 Our brothers have not cowered. 00:10:11 They have not backed down. 00:10:13 They continue to serve Jehovah faithfully. 00:10:17 As you watch this next video, 00:10:20 see who the authorities are attacking now. 00:10:28 In 2013, 00:10:30 our son, Igor, became ill, 00:10:32 and he got worse and worse. 00:10:36 Then, in 2014, our son died. 00:10:39 It was such a tragedy for us, 00:10:41 and words cannot describe it. 00:10:43 He was our only son and was deeply loved. 00:10:46 Then, two years later, my mother died. 00:10:50 And two years after that, my sister died. 00:10:53 Getting through all of that was beyond human strength. 00:10:59 We had just started to feel a little better 00:11:03 when on March 26, 00:11:05 2019, . . . 00:11:06 . . . 2019 . . . 00:11:09 . . . armed men in masks burst into our home. 00:11:14 It was such a shock! We went numb. 00:11:17 We couldn’t say anything. 00:11:19 We were paralyzed. 00:11:21 On May 22, 2019, 00:11:25 early in the morning at 5:45, 00:11:28 the doorbell rang. 00:11:31 I looked through the peephole and saw people 00:11:34 who showed me their identification. 00:11:37 Then those people came into my apartment, 00:11:39 made a search, and took me to the center 00:11:42 for fighting extremism. 00:11:45 It ended up with my being accused 00:11:47 of participating in extremist activity. 00:11:51 Then, in 2020, 00:11:53 the court hearings began for my case. 00:11:58 For example, for my criminal case, 00:12:01 they collected 17 volumes of evidence against me, 00:12:04 and they questioned over 200 witnesses. 00:12:07 Then the court hearings started. 00:12:09 First of all, there were Valentina’s hearings, then mine. 00:12:14 Of course, none of that is exactly pleasant, 00:12:16 but it somehow made us stronger, 00:12:19 and Jehovah supported us. 00:12:21 We even went to the court feeling joyful. 00:12:24 We felt that Jehovah was helping us, supporting us, 00:12:27 strengthening us, and encouraging us. 00:12:29 We are so grateful to him! 00:12:31 Our fellow worshippers constantly called on us 00:12:35 from all parts of the town. 00:12:37 They always supported us, 00:12:39 always called us and said strengthening things 00:12:42 and quotes from the Bible. 00:12:46 I understood that it would end up with my being a defendant. 00:12:50 It was as though inside I was already prepared for that 00:12:54 and, you know, I didn’t feel any kind of panic. 00:12:57 I just wanted to get through it in a dignified manner 00:13:00 and didn’t want to let anyone down 00:13:03 and under no circumstances 00:13:06 betray our God, Jehovah. 00:13:08 I want to say that each day for me 00:13:11 is a blessing from Jehovah. 00:13:14 I pray and ask for peace and calmness 00:13:18 in both my heart and my home. 00:13:21 And right now, the blessings far outweigh 00:13:25 all negative experiences. 00:13:27 This I value very highly. 00:13:29 The sentence might even involve time in prison 00:13:33 or it might be a suspended sentence. 00:13:36 But regardless of the outcome, 00:13:38 we need to remain faithful to God 00:13:40 and to stay on the way of truth 00:13:42 to the end. 00:13:45 No matter what happens, 00:13:46 whether I remain free 00:13:49 or they put me somewhere behind prison walls, 00:13:52 there is absolutely nothing 00:13:54 that can “separate us from God’s love.” 00:13:58 No prison walls can shut out God’s love. 00:14:01 It can penetrate everywhere 00:14:03 to all depths. 00:14:07 It was the strength that we received from God 00:14:10 that helped us to survive the death of our son 00:14:13 and many other misfortunes, 00:14:15 so we will get through this too. 00:14:17 We definitely will! 00:14:19 I have no doubt about it. 00:14:26 How shameful that the authorities are attacking 00:14:30 our elderly brothers and sisters! 00:14:32 And yet, isn’t it amazing 00:14:36 that, despite their own trials, 00:14:38 these dear older ones are not yielding to fear? 00:14:43 They say that the persecution 00:14:46 has only made them stronger in the faith. 00:14:50 You dear brothers and sisters in Russia 00:14:53 have done so well. 00:14:56 You are an inspiration to all of us. 00:15:00 We truly love you. 00:15:04 Doesn’t all of this convince us 00:15:07 of what Paul said in Romans 8:37? 00:15:12 “In all these things 00:15:14 “we are coming off completely victorious 00:15:18 through the one who loved us.” 00:15:20 That’s what we’ve seen with our brothers and sisters 00:15:23 facing the pandemic, natural disasters, 00:15:27 and persecution. 00:15:29 What conviction does this lead us to? 00:15:33 Paul continues in verses 38 and 39: 00:15:38 “For I am convinced 00:15:40 “that neither death nor life 00:15:43 “nor angels nor governments 00:15:46 “nor things now here nor things to come 00:15:49 “nor powers nor height nor depth 00:15:52 “nor any other creation 00:15:54 “will be able to separate us from God’s love 00:15:58 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 00:16:02 Brothers and sisters, 00:16:04 we are convinced that you too 00:16:08 will continue to “[come] off completely victorious” 00:16:12 no matter what trials you face. 00:16:15 Why? 00:16:16 Because nothing can separate us 00:16:20 from Jehovah’s love. 00:16:22 Please know 00:16:24 that we love you all very much. 00:16:28 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:16:32 this is JW Broadcasting®.
