Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?Luke 13 : 7

Guy Faulconbridge

Wed, July 9, 2025 at 9:32 AM GMT+33 min read

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‘Fortress Russia’ has seized $50 billion in assets over 3 years, research shows

FILE PHOTO: A view shows the Moscow City business centre behind the Kremlin wall in Moscow

By Guy Faulconbridge

Confiscated Assets worth some $50 billion over the past three years

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian authorities have confiscated assets worth some $50 billion over the past three years, underscoring the scale of the transformation into a “fortress Russia” economic model during the war in Ukraine, research showed on Wednesday.

But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.Isaiah 42 : 22, The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.Psalm 119 : 61, 

The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.Psalm 68 : 11

Everywhere there is a tendency to substitute the work of organizations for individual effort. Human wisdom tends to consolidation, to centralization, to the building up of great churches and institutions. Multitudes leave to institutions and organizations the work of benevolence; they excuse themselves from contact with the world, and their hearts grow cold. They become self-absorbed and unimpressible. Love for God and man dies out of the soul. MH 147.3

The conflict has been accompanied by a significant transfer of assets as many Western companies fled the Russian market, others’ assets were expropriated and the assets of some major Russian businesses were seized by the state.

And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.Genesis 41 : 57, Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.Luke 8 : 11

My husband was very anxious to see his brethren at Battle Creek and speak to them and rejoice with them in the work which God was doing for him. I gathered up my writings, and we started on our journey. On the way we held two meetings in Orange and had evidence that the church was profited and encouraged. We were ourselves refreshed by the Spirit of the Lord. That night I dreamed that I was in Battle Creek looking out from the side glass at the door and saw a company marching up to the house, two and two. They looked stern and determined. I knew them well and turned to open the parlor door to receive them, but thought I would look again. The scene was changed. The company now presented the appearance of a Catholic procession. One bore in his hand a cross, another a reed. And as they approached, the one carrying a reed made a circle around the house, saying three times: “This house is proscribed. The goods must be confiscated. They have spoken against our holy order.” Terror seized me, and I ran through the house, out of the north door, and found myself in the midst of a company, some of whom I knew, but I dared not speak a word to them for fear of being betrayed. 1T 577.2

In response to what Russia called illegal actions by the West, President Vladimir Putin signed decrees over the past three years allowing the seizure of Western assets, entangling firms ranging from Germany’s Uniper to Danish brewer Carlsberg.

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.James 5 : 17, Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.Acts 20 : 31

Nationalism Born of Fornication!

Besides the Western assets, major domestic companies have changed hands on the basis of different legal mechanisms including the need for strategic resources, corruption claims, alleged privatisation violations, or poor management.

Moscow law firm NSP (Nektorov, Saveliev & Partners) said that the scale of what it called the “nationalisation” amounted to 3.9 billion roubles over three years, and it listed the companies involved.

[40] But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. [41] Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.John 8 : 40-41

The research was first reported by Kommersant, one of Russia’s leading newspapers, which said it illustrated a “fortress Russia” economic model.

Christ was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy, and in all his specific directions regarding the ceremonial observances, these were distinguished from the Decalog. They were to pass away. Type was to meet antitype in the one great offering of Christ for the sins of the world. ST July 29, 1897, par. 10

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2 : 8

The 1991 bread-up of the Soviet Union ushered in hopes that Russia could transform into a free-market economy integrated into the global economy, but vast corruption, economic turmoil and organised crime undermined confidence in democratic capitalism through the 1990s.

Putin, in his first eight years in power, supported economic freedoms, targeted some so-called oligarchs and presided over a significant growth of the economy to $1.8 trillion in 2008 from $200 billion in 1999.

In the 2008-2022 period, the economy grew to $2.3 trillion, though Western sanctions hit it hard after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, according to figures from the International Monetary Fund.

Though the Russian economy has performed better than expected during the war in Ukraine, its nominal dollar size in 2024 was just $2.2 trillion, according to IMF figures, much smaller than China, the European Union or United States.

Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel’s message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been—the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. GC 605.3

Proposals Regarding Centralization  : “President” caught off guard by Pentagon’s abrupt move to pause Ukraine “Weapons” deliveries, AP sources say

‘FORTRESS RUSSIA’

Russian officials say that the Ukraine war – the biggest confrontation with the West since the depths of the Cold War – has demanded extraordinary measures to prevent what they say was a clear Western attempt to sink the Russian economy.

“New Development Model” Distinct from “Outdated Globalisation”.

Putin says the exit of Western firms has allowed domestic producers to take their place and that the Western sanctions have forced domestic business to develop. He has called for a “new development model” distinct from “outdated globalisation”.

[7] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. [8] All these are the beginning of sorrows. [9] Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.Matthew 24 : 7-9

But the wartime economy, geared towards producing weapons and supporting a long conflict with Ukraine, has put the state – and those officials who operate it – in a much more powerful position than private Russian businesses.

Russian prosecutors are now seeking to seize billionaire!

Russian prosecutors are now seeking to seize billionaire Konstantin Strukov’s majority stake in major gold producer Uzhuralzoloto (UGC) for the state.

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?James 2 : 5, And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.Genesis 13 : 2, Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.Luke 12 : 32

Why Americans Are Living Big Cities Behind!

More than a thousand companies – from McDonald’s to Mercedes-Benz – have left Russia since the February 2022 start of Russia’s war in Ukraine by selling, handing the keys to existing managers or simply abandoning their assets.

Others had their assets seized and a sale forced through.

($1 = 78.2000 roubles)

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Heinrich)

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.Isaiah 55 : 2

AAMER MADHANI, SEUNG MIN KIM and TARA COPP

Tue, July 8, 2025 at 9:51 PM GMT+35 min read

2.6k

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s decision to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine came after he privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing a pause in some deliveries last week — a move that he felt wasn’t properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The consolidation problem will not make more successful the interests in the publishing line. It is the men who are handling these responsibilities that need to be daily converted. The resolution for consolidation will never be blessed of God, for it is to bring about things that God will not endorse. Those who adopt it know not what they are doing. They are not walking in the counsel of the great I AM.
There is a consolidation these men can enter into with safety. Christ speaks. Hear what He says: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4, 5; verses 6-13, 15; John 17:21-23. 10LtMs, Ms 56, 1895, par. 2 – 10LtMs, Ms 56, 1895, par. 3

The Pentagon, which announced last week that it would hold back some air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons pledged to Ukraine because of what U.S. officials said were concerns that American stockpiles were in short supply. Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. will have to send more weapons to Ukraine, effectively reversing the move.

Two of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the sensitive internal discussions, said there was some internal opposition among Pentagon brass to the pause — coordinated by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby — before it was announced.

During the year 1890, much thought had been given by leading men connected with the management of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, to a proposal for the consolidation of the work of the publishing houses under one board of control. The proposed union of the publishing interests was advocated as a means of securing unity, economy, and efficiency. At the same time the hope was expressed that at no distant day all the sanitariums might be brought under one ownership and control. By the same ones who advocated consolidation of the publishing houses and the medical institutions, the theory was advanced that the surest way to establish confidence in the work that Seventh-day Adventists were doing was to strengthen the institutions at headquarters, by providing them with large and substantial buildings and with ample facilities.
But those who were personally acquainted with the conditions existing in the home and foreign mission fields, felt that there was greater need for broadening the field work and establishing many centers of influence. They felt that already a disproportionate amount of means had been expended at headquarters. Moreover, the men bearing responsibility at the publishing house in California did not approve of any plan of consolidation which might result in the crippling of the work on the Pacific coast. LS 311.3 – LS 312.1

One of the people described Trump as being caught “flat footed” by the announcement. The White House did not respond to queries about whether Trump was surprised by the Pentagon pause.

Everywhere there is a tendency to substitute the work of organizations for individual effort. Human wisdom tends to consolidation, to centralization, to the building up of great churches and institutions. Multitudes leave to institutions and organizations the work of benevolence; they excuse themselves from contact with the world, and their hearts grow cold. They become self-absorbed and unimpressible. Love for God and man dies out of the soul. MH 147.3

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson denied that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had acted without consulting the president.

“It is the job of the Secretary of Defense to make military recommendations to the commander-in-chief. Secretary Hegseth provided a framework for the President to evaluate military aid shipments and assess existing stockpiles. This effort was coordinated across government. The Department will continue to give the President robust options regarding military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end and putting America first,” Wilson said in a statement to The Associated Press.

The pause in critical weapons deliveries had come at a difficult moment for Ukraine, which has faced increasing — and more complex — air barrages from Russia during the more than three-year-old war. Trump acknowledged that in announcing the reversal on Monday night, saying, “They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now.”

The conference taking on all the crippled institutions was a blind to obtain control of every interest, every institution, by the consolidation of all. God would not have this. He would have His institutions independent of each other, and yet in perfect harmony with each other. 13LtMs, Lt 41, 1898, par. 14

[12] And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Revelation 17 : 12-13

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

Asked by a reporter Tuesday who approved the pause, Trump bristled at the question while he was gathered with his Cabinet. “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

What better course to please the enemy and grieve the Spirit of God could be pursued than that which has been pursued by you, my brother, a teacher in Israel. You have had quite a number fully engaged with you in the work, men in responsible positions, presidents of conferences, ministers and workers, that have formed a confederacy to question, to criticize, to say, “Report and we will report it.” [Jeremiah 20:10.] The position these men have occupied, and the influence this position has given them, has caused many to doubt who will never be settled again. The deceptions and delusions of these last days will overcome them, because heaven’s divine illumination is powerless to set them in order for they have decided from the example given them. It makes no difference whether they believe or disbelieve, so if any reproof comes to them which they wish not to believe, they will say, “O, Sr. White is influenced. Some one has told her these things. If Elder Smith, who knows all about the testimonies, says this is only her own opinion and her own judgment, and he does not accept the teachings of the testimonies, and he such a good man, I will follow his example and I will risk it.” This is a very unwise thing to do, yet many are doing this and have done it. I know that the Spirit of the Lord was holding me here in Battle Creek that all might have my evidence whether it was of God or of the devil. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” [Matthew 7:20.] As in the days of Christ, some have overlooked the very <kind of> evidence God has given them and have said, Show us a sign, work some miracle, if you are right. 6LtMs, Lt 40, 1890, par. 12

Trump’s change in tone on Putin

The president also laid into Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting he was unnecessarily prolonging the war that Trump has said he’s determined to quickly conclude. Trump has struggled to find a resolution, with talks between the sides stalled.

The Republican leader has sounded increasingly exasperated with Putin in recent days. The two spoke by phone last week.

“We get a lot of bull—- thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. “He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”

In 1865 I saw that some have felt at liberty, through envious feelings, to speak lightly of the church at Battle Creek. Some look suspiciously on all that is going on there and seem to exult if they can get hold of anything to take advantage of to the discredit of Battle Creek. God is displeased with such a spirit and course of action. From what source do our churches abroad obtain their light and knowledge of the truth? It has been from the means which God has ordained, which center at Battle Creek. Who have the burdens of the cause? It is those who are zealously laboring at Battle Creek. Burdens and heavy trials necessarily come upon those who stand in the forefront of the hottest battle, and perplexities and wearing thought are attendant upon all who engage in making highly important decisions in connection with the work of God. Our brethren abroad, who are relieved from all this, should feel thankful and praise God that they are thus favored and should be the last to be jealous, envious, and faultfinding, occupying a position, “Report, and we will report it.”
The church at Battle Creek have borne the burdens of the Conferences, which have been a severe tax upon nearly all. 1T 526.1 – 1T 526.2

He has threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia’s oil industry to try to prod Putin into peace talks.

500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said last week that Trump has given him the go-ahead to push forward with a bill he’s co-sponsoring that calls, in part, for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil. The move would have huge ramifications for China and India, two economic behemoths that buy Russian oil.

Trump said Tuesday that he’s “looking at it very strongly.”

Pentagon says it’s going to resume shipments to Ukraine

The weapons pause announced last week impacted shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and Howitzer rounds and more, taking not only Ukrainian officials and other allies by surprise but also U.S. lawmakers and other parts of the Trump administration, including the State Department.

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The Pentagon said late Monday that at Trump’s direction, it would resume weapons shipments to Ukraine “to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops.” Still, spokesman Sean Parnell added that its review for Trump to evaluate military shipments worldwide continues as part of “America First” defense priorities.

It’s also unclear which weaponry would now be sent, though Trump said that the U.S. will primarily be assisting Ukraine with defensive weapons.

Counting the weapons _Stockpile

On Tuesday, each of the services and the combatant commands — the multiservice organizations that spearhead U.S. military operations around the world — were still sending up information on their stockpiles of specific munitions to Pentagon leadership, a U.S. official said.

At times it has been urged that the interests of the cause would be furthered by a consolidation of our publishing houses, bringing them virtually under one management. But this, the Lord has shown, should not be. It is not His plan to centralize power in the hands of a few persons or to bring one institution under the control of another. 7T 171.3

“They are literally still doing the math,” the official said.

The information was being presented on a stoplight chart — where munitions were either in a red, yellow or green status, similar to slides that had been created the week before, the official said. That earlier study had concluded that some munitions were OK to keep sending to Ukraine — but others were reaching concerning levels.

High -demand items like 155mm artillery shells and Patriot missiles for air defenses!

Getting a full visibility on the numbers of actual munitions on hand takes time, the official said, because while Patriot missiles, for example, initially belong to the Army, once they are requested and sent to a combatant command, such as U.S. Central Command, the service loses visibility on those numbers in inventory.

The vast majority of the munitions and weapons the U.S. has shipped to Ukraine have been pulled from the Army, which has monitored levels closely in recent years, particularly for high-demand items like 155mm artillery shells and Patriot missiles for air defenses.

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It’s been harder for the Army to ramp up production on those items than had been planned: It was trying to hit a goal of producing 100,000 155mm shells a month by the end of 2025 but won’t meet that goal now until 2026, Army spokesman Steve Warren said.

Ramping up Patriot missile production also has been challenging, Warren said.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement Tuesday that he was glad Trump was resuming deliveries to Ukraine.

“This time, the President will need to reject calls from the isolationists and restrainers within his Administration to limit these deliveries to defensive weapons,” McConnell said. “And he should disregard those at DoD who invoke munitions shortages to block aid while refusing to invest seriously in expanding munitions production.”

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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.