Prayer, Week of January 6
Fellowship unto the Furtherance of the Gospel
"With much entreaty they besought of us the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints." (2 Cor. 8:4)
"I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you...for your fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now." (Phil. 1:3, 5)
"You did well to have fellowship with me in my affliction." (Phil. 4:14)
Fellowship here [Phil. 1:5] means participation, communication. The saints in Philippi had fellowship unto the gospel, participating in the furtherance of the gospel through the apostle Paul's ministry. This participation included their financial contributions to the apostle (4:10, 15-16). This kind of fellowship gave them the ground for their experience and enjoyment of Christ. The more fellowship we have in the furtherance of the gospel, the more Christ we experience and enjoy. This kills our self, ambition, preference, and choice. (part of Phil. 1:5, note 1)
Southern California Special Training on the Eldership
Beginning January 12, there will be a special training on the eldership for Southern California elders and responsible brothers. The burden of this training is to strengthen the present eldership and the responsible brothers in the churches, to perfect and raise up the next generation of elders and responsible brothers, and to gradually bring more younger brothers into a functioning role in an organic way.
The training will take place over at least three terms, each term approximately six months. Since it will consist of monthly corporate gatherings, weekly group fellowships, and weekly personal study, this training will involve a significant time commitment on the part of all participants.
The Lord's need today is for an army of Nazarites to be raised up, trained, and equipped to fight for His testimony so that God can gain the ground on earth and have a people who are built up as His kingdom and His habitation. The elders and responsible brothers must take the lead and be patterns to all the saints in living for nothing other than God and for His satisfaction.
All the saints are encouraged to pray that:
- the Lord will strengthen all the participants and become their perseverance and faithfulness to continually present themselves absolutely to this training;
- an unprecedented one accord among the churches in Southern California will be ushered in as all the participants are attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion; and
- the Lord will bless this training so that all participants will be perfected further for the Lord's testimony in Southern California and for the building up of the church, the Body of Christ.
Spanish-Speaking and Young People's Conferences
The Southern California Spanish-Speaking Conference is January 18 to 20, at the MCC in Anaheim. Messages will be given in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish.Child care will be provided for kindergarten through 6th grade plus a room with a broadcast for parents with children younger than kindergarten. Conference details are posted at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.
A Southern California Young People's Blending Conference will take place at the same time in the MCC's cafeteria (HS) and a classroom (JH). There is no cost and no meals will be provided, but everyone must register at https://tinyurl.com/YP-Jan2019. Registration deadline is Lord's Day, January 13.
May the Lord super abundantly pour out His rich blessing on these conferences. Let us ask the Lord to open the hearts and outward circumstances for everyone He wants at these conferences and to take a step forward with both Spanish-speaking and young people.
FTTA
The spring term application deadline is January 10; the late deadline is January 31. Lord, bring at least 50 new trainees, including 25 brothers, to the spring term beginning February 17.
United Kingdom (UK) - Brexit
In November the European Union (EU) gave a document to the UK which has conditions for the UK exit (Brexit) from the EU. The UK Parliament will debate this week and vote next week on whether to accept or reject these conditions. The Lord is Head over all things, including Brexit, to the church, His Body. We pray, Lord, 1) head up the UK parliament for Your move in all of Europe, and 2) use the confusion and anxiety generated by Brexit politics to open more people to Yourself.
Germany
In Aachen there are close to twenty saints gathering. They can become a local church very soon. Pray for the establishing of a regular gospel living on the university campus and the preparation of the saints and contacts for the Lord's table meeting.
A group of brothers from cities surrounding Bielefeld have begun coming together to pray for the Lord's testimony to be raised up there. We believe in the coming months we will have a new church here. Pray for a stand-alone house for meetings near the university campus with adequate space for all functions, and for the saints from the adjacent cities to gather in one accord for the testimony in Bielefeld.
Lyon, France
When the weather permits, we go out weekly to distribute the Bible. To prepare for 2019, we ordered 900 Bibles from Bible for Europe. In addition to the Bible distributions, we put posters on several campuses to invite students for campus meetings and home meetings.
National College Training in India
Praise the Lord for our National College Students Training held December 22 to 25! We had a record number of 586 (281 college students, 187 young people, and 118 young working saints and serving ones), exceeding our prayer goal of 500.
We had separate sessions for college students, young adults, and young people. We also had one fellowship regarding FTT New Delhi; at least 120 consecrated to attend in the coming years!
Laos
Pray for the translation of the Recovery Version into Lao, so that the translation will be accurate and supply the needs of the saints in Laos.
Announcements
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Morning revival: Week 4 of Material Offerings and the Lord's Move Today.
Monday, January 14, we will begin The Reality of the Body of Christ (Thanksgiving Conference). -
Beginning January 1, the Spanish language radio broadcast in Los Angeles Monday through Friday changed time to 9:00 to 9:30 pm. For L.A. County the frequency changed to FM 100.3, with FM 90.3 for San Fernando Valley and Ventura County.
More information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer/. - The report from Europe presented at the December training, and supplemental reports, are at https://www.amanatrust.org.uk/reports.
Prayer, Week of December 30
Christ is the Center and Leader of God's Move on Earth
"The children of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard with the ensigns of their fathers' households; they shall encamp facing the Tent of Meeting on every side." (Num. 2:2)
The entire Bible shows us one thing—that God's intention is to have a people formed into an army to take Christ as their meaning of life, testimony, center, Leader, way, and goal and to proceed on and fight for God so that He may have the ground on earth and have a people built up as His kingdom and His house, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem. (Crystallization-Study of Numbers, msg. 1, III.G)
"So they set out from the mountain of Jehovah three days' journey, with the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah setting out before them….And when the Ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let Your enemies be scattered; and let those who hate You flee before You. And when it came to rest, he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel." (Num. 10:33, 35-36)
Christ is the center of God's move on the earth. God is still moving on this earth in and through the church, and He is moving with Christ as the unique Leader and center of the church. (training banner 4)
Christ Our New Year
"The body [the substance, the reality which casts the shadow] is of Christ" (Col. 2:17). Christ is the reality of all positive things in the universe, including our new month and our new year. These outward beginnings remind us that there is always a new portion of Christ for us to see and to gain. Lord, lead us into fresh experiences of Yourself this month and this year.
North America College Training 2019
Many testified that the National College Training in 2015 impacted their choices and had a life-changing effect on the direction of their life. The upcoming North America (US + Canada + Mexico) College Training will be July 14 to 20, 2019 in Champaign, IL. A brief video is at http://tinyurl.com/NACT2019. College students, college-age young adults, graduating high school seniors, and serving saints may register at collegetraining.org beginning January 1.
Please pray for:
- the Lord's move on every campus to gain typical, local students for His move on earth;
- all the college-age "church kids" to be preserved to attend this training and be fully gained by the Lord;
- all the saints to pray for this training and to help shepherd students into this training;
- the training to reach its maximum attendance of 2800 (1000 more than 2015) including 2000 students;
- all students to plan ahead and save for this special event, which occurs only once every four years.
Sweden
The recovery has existed in the Stockholm area since 1980. There are now two localities, Stockholm and Uppsala, one hour drive apart. Typically we have 20 adults meeting on Lord's Day in Stockholm and about 10 in Uppsala, plus children and young people. The two churches blend once a month.
There is definitely something in Sweden but we believe the Lord wants to do much more and we look to Him that it will happen in 2019. We need to move out of our present meeting hall at the end of January 2019. We sense that finding a new meeting hall is part of renewing and expansion of the church. May the Lord lead us by being our Head.
Also, we are in process of releasing 12 booklets by Watchman Nee (in Swedish) which we believe will be of great help to Christians and seekers here.
Cambodia
Pray for the translation work of the NT Recovery Version into the Khmer language.
Pakistan, Nepal, India
The two-page Lord's Move to Asia newsletter has photos and reports from the national blending conference in Pakistan and the national young people's training and national adults' training in Nepal. Both reports touch the topics presented and also speak about coordination in practical service.
The newsletter also has reports of gospel propagation after a cyclone and a flood which damaged parts of south India, including heavy damage to 42 homes of the saints (but no loss of life).
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/E-2018-12.pdf (English)
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Asia-2018-12.pdf (Chinese)
Announcements
- Morning revival: Week 3 of Material Offerings and the Lord's Move Today. After week 4, on Monday, January 14, we will begin The Reality of the Body of Christ (Thanksgiving Conference).
- The annual Southern California Spanish-speaking Conference will be Friday evening, January 18 through mid Lord's Day, January 20, in Anaheim. The messages will be in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish; they are open to all the saints. Child care will be provided for kindergarten through 6th grade plus a room with a broadcast for parents with children younger than kindergarten.
- A Southern California Young People's Blending Conference will be simultaneous with the Spanish-speaking conference. No meals or hospitality will be provided.
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Beginning January 1, the Spanish language radio broadcast in Los Angeles Monday through Friday will change time to 9:00 to 9:30 pm. For L.A. County the frequency will change to FM 100.3, with FM 90.3 for San Fernando Valley and Ventura County.
More information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer/.
Prayer, Week of December 23
Winter Training
"Then Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, take the sum of all the assembly of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go forth for military service in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their companies." (Num. 1:1-3)
The semiannual training is taking place this week in Anaheim. The training covers part of the book of Numbers. Please pray that the Lord would infuse all the saints with His up-to-date burden through the live training messages and the webcast and video training in many localities, including Los Angeles. May the Lord advance in His recovery during this week!
Southern California College Students
For the Southern California college age there will be a "Fan into Flame" time to incite one another and pray for one another immediately following this Winter Training. This is for all of the core college students (not students new to church life). It will be Lord's Day, December 30, 6 to 9 pm at Hall 1 of the church in Irvine, 4252 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92612. Bring $5 for dinner.
Bibles for America
Please pray for the thousands of people who have received a free Bible and/or books from BfA in 2018. May every recipient be granted a spirit of wisdom and revelation as they read the NT Recovery Version and ministry books!
European Winter Schools of Truth
From December 26 to 31, the Winter School of Truth will take place simultaneously in the UK, Netherlands, and Iberian Peninsula. Pray that the Lord will give the young people in Europe a captivating vision of His wonderful person and a governing and controlling vision of His eternal economy. Pray for the young people, serving saints, and speaking brothers; for the lessons and groups, meal times and activity times; and for the weather and all practical arrangements, such as transportation and room assignments. Also remember the German-speaking young people's participation in the Netherlands.
United Kingdom
Please pray for the Lord's sovereign will be done in the "Brexit" political process. May the Lord's move not suffer loss and may the ability of saints to move between Europe and the UK for trainings and conferences not be hindered.
The Lord's Testimony in Europe
Pray for the raising up of the Lord's testimony in major cities, including: Lisbon, Portugal; Vienna, Austria; Sofia, Bulgaria; Thessaloniki, Greece; Zagreb, Croatia; Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia; Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland; Bilbao, Spain; Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands; and Tirana, Albania.
Announcements
- Morning revival: Training verses or repeat Week 24 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4. Next we will use Material Offerings and the Lord's Move Today for two weeks; if you do not have a copy, please order one. Starting Monday, January 14, we will begin The Reality of the Body of Christ (Thanksgiving Conference).
- The annual Southern California Spanish-speaking Conference will be Friday evening, January 18 through mid Lord's Day, January 20, in Anaheim. The messages will be in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish; they are open to all the saints. Child care will be provided for kindergarten through 6th grade plus a room with a broadcast for parents with children younger than kindergarten.
- A Southern California Young People's Blending Conference will be simultaneous with the Spanish-speaking conference. No meals or hospitality will be provided.
- Beginning January 1, the Spanish language radio broadcast in Los Angeles Monday through Friday will change time to 9:00 to 9:30 pm. For L.A. County the frequency will change to FM 100.3, with FM 90.3 for San Fernando Valley and Ventura County.
Prayer, Week of December 16
Enjoying the Work of the Processed Triune God
"You shall keep My Sabbaths…" (Lev. 26:2a)
"Come to Me all who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)
"Yet those who wait on Jehovah will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and will not faint; they will walk and will not become weary." (Isa. 40:31)
We need to understand the intrinsic significance of the processed Triune God, the work that He has done entirely by Himself, and the result of His work—the church as the enlargement of Christ for God's dwelling and eternal manifestation.
We need to learn to receive, regard, respect, and enjoy what God has done and not try to do something for ourselves. We should deny our work but honor God's work and rest in Him. God wants us to stop our doing, be replaced by Christ, and keep away from the taste of anything other than Christ.
The way to enjoy the unsearchably rich Christ is to take Him as our real Sabbath rest, stopping ourselves with our living, doing, and activity, and receive Him as our life, person, and replacement. Then we will experience Christ as the power of resurrection to be transformed and to soar in the heavens far above every earthly frustration. (Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, msg. 24, Banner 4, III.A.1-3)
Winter Training
The semiannual training takes place next week in Anaheim. It will cover part of the book of Numbers. Please pray that the Lord would infuse all the saints with His up-to-date burden through the live training messages and the webcast and video training in many localities, including Los Angeles. May the Lord advance in His recovery during this week!
FTTA Graduation
The FTTA graduation will be this Saturday, December 22 at 9:30 am at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. Please pray that each of the 44 graduates will follow the Lamb wherever He goes, that all current trainees will be supplied to continue, and that the Lord will bring at least 50 new trainees, including 25 brothers, to the spring term beginning in February.
Los Angeles Hall 1
Our God is living and moving, especially in the church as a corporate vessel. The Lord has been moving in the Korean-speaking saints in Hall 1 by gaining more people and strengthening His testimony in the Koreatown area. From 2004 to 2015 our Lord's Day attendance increased steadily from 40 to 120 saints. Since then there has been some decrease, so we have been seeking the Lord for His leading.
After much prayer and fellowship, we realized that to take better care of the saints and bring them into function, there is the need for a new Korean-speaking district. The fellowship about the gospel and visitation from the recent LA joint meeting also encouraged us to plan in this direction. The saints are in one accord concerning this burden.
This districting will begin in January 2019. One district will focus on gaining young working people in Koreatown while the other district will focus on gaining young families through neighborhood children's meetings. Many saints are regarding this districting as an opportunity to "migrate" for the gospel even though there may be no physical relocation.
Please pray for our smooth, organic transition into two districts. May the Lord bless this move by adding many new ones and raising up young saints for His one testimony in Los Angeles!
Bibles for America
Please pray for the thousands of people who receive a free Bible and/or books from BfA each month. May every recipient be granted a spirit of wisdom and revelation as they read the New Testament Recovery Version and ministry books.
Birmingham, UK
There is a burden among the churches in the United Kingdom to build up prevailing testimonies in the major UK cities, beginning with Birmingham as the UK's second city and the key to central England by blending on a regular basis. We hope that as we visit, the Lord will burden many to migrate to Birmingham, either by working or studying there, and opening our home for the gospel and the rich enjoyment of the church life with all the saints. Please pray for the propagating of the resurrected, ascended and all-inclusive Christ as the kingdom of God in the whole of the Central England.
Sri Lanka
Pray for the translation of the NT Recovery Version verses into the Sinhala language to be completed by the end of September 2019.
Announcements
-
Morning revival: Week 24 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
After the winter training we will use weeks 3 and 4 of Material Offerings and the Lord's Move Today. - The Winter Training (December 24 to 29) will cover part of the book of Numbers. Those who would like to prepare themselves are encouraged to read the verses, footnotes, and Life-Study messages.
- The annual Southern California Spanish-speaking Conference will be Friday evening, January 18 through mid Lord's Day, January 20, in Anaheim. The messages will be in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish; they are open to all the saints. Child care will be provided for kindergarten through 6th grade plus a room with a broadcast for parents with children younger than kindergarten.
- A Southern California Young People's Blending Conference will be simultaneous with the Spanish-speaking conference. No meals or hospitality will be provided.
Prayer, Week of December 9
The Living of the Jubilee
"If therefore the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)
"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all and rich to all who call upon Him." (Rom. 10:12)
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." (Phil. 4:4)
The living of the jubilee is a living in the enjoyment of Christ, a living of enjoying God as our inheritance and real freedom. The only way to be released from the three kinds of labor in human life—the labor to be a good person, the labor of anxiety, and the labor of suffering—is to take Christ as our enjoyment, satisfaction, and rest. The Christian life should be a life full of enjoying the Lord, a life full of joy and praises. When we enjoy the Lord fully, He becomes our jubilee.
Paul learned the secret of living in the jubilee, the secret of gaining Christ in any kind of environment [Phil. 4:11-12]. Because everything is under His sovereignty, we should pray, "Lord, fill me, gain me, and possess me; no matter what my outward situation is, I just want to enjoy You." (Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, msg. 23, IV.B,C,E,F)
The Early Days in Los Angeles
Brother Jim Reetzke fell asleep in Christ last Friday. He and his wife Bette, who remains in the church in Chicago, were among the small group which came out of Westmoreland Chapel to begin praying for and later meeting as the church in Los Angeles. He was one of a few who prayed with Brother Lee five or six mornings a week in the month prior to the All-inclusive Christ conference, which was at the end of 1962. The first summer training (six weeks long!) in North America, in 1963, was held in his home in Altadena. There were about 30 to 35 full-time in this training, many of whom received hospitality in the Reetzke's home; about 70 attended evening meetings.
Jim and Bette were active in the church in Los Angeles until summer 1970 when they were among about 50 saints who migrated to Chicago for the start of the church life there.
FTTA-MA Graduation
The graduation of the Middle-Age FTTA will be this Saturday, December 15 at 10 am in Anaheim. Pray that each of the 20 graduates will be headed up by the Head for their future church life and service.
Pray also that the Lord will bring 45 new trainees to the spring term, which starts in March. Pray especially that this number include many born in North America and at least seven Spanish-speakers (this term, for the first time in 17 years, there was no Spanish-speaking section in the training).
Southern California Chinese-Speaking Gospel Meeting
Saturday, December 15 there will be a Southern California Chinese-speaking Gospel Meeting in Arcadia. Pray for the fulfillment of Acts 26:18: "To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me."
Manchester, New Hampshire
The first Lord's Table of the church in Manchester will be December 16. The metropolitan area has a population a little above 150,000 and multiple colleges with a combined enrollment over 10,000.
France
Nationwide anti-government protests have flared over the past month. Many people, protestors or not, are dissatisfied with their current life. Lord, exercise Your authority over France and turn many from this "philosophy and empty deceit" to the gospel that they may be "made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority" (Col. 2:8, 10).
Sweden
The church in Stockholm would like the Body to stand with us in prayer for a new meeting hall. We need to move out of our present meeting hall at the end of January 2019. Please pray that the Lord will lead the brothers and bring them into one accord regarding this matter.
Germany
Our publication team is translating more ministry books. We pray that the Lord would enable us to release new publications regularly to be a continual supply to churches and ministry book readers. We hope to print some new titles early next year. Please also pray that the Lord would raise up a culture among the German-speaking saints of reading the word and the ministry in a regular way.
Iberian Peninsula
This year's Iberian Peninsula Conference will be held in Málaga, Spain from December 14 to 16. It will consist of five meetings plus many opportunities for blending outside the meetings. Please pray that the Lord would richly bless this time.
Announcements
-
Morning revival: Week 23 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
After the winter training we will use weeks 3 and 4 of Material Offerings and the Lord's Move Today. - The Winter Training (December 24 to 29) will cover the book of Numbers. Those who would like to prepare themselves are encouraged to read the verses, footnotes, and Life-Study messages.
- The annual Southern California Spanish-speaking Conference will be Friday evening, January 18 through mid Lord's Day, January 20, in Anaheim. The messages will be in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish; they are open to all the saints. Child care will be provided for kindergarten through sixth grade plus a room with conference broadcast for parents with children younger than kindergarten.
- A Southern California Young People's Blending Conference will be simultaneous with the Spanish-speaking conference. No meals or hospitality will be provided.
Prayer, Week of December 2
Receiving the Real Jubilee
"And you shall sanctify the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family." (Lev. 25:10)
"Make a joyful noise to Jehovah, all the earth. Serve Jehovah with rejoicing; come before His presence with joyful singing." (Psa. 100:1-2)
The year of jubilee is the age of Christ as grace dispensed into us for our enjoyment by His words of grace. The New Testament jubilee is an age of ecstasy for our salvation.
Jubilee means having no worry or anxiety, no concern or care, no lack or shortage, no sickness or calamity, and no problems whatsoever but, rather, having all benefits. Hence, all things are pleasant and satisfying to our heart, and we are free from anxiety, at ease, excited, and exultant.
We must receive the Lord Jesus as the real jubilee in us (cf. Luke 4:16-22). If we have him, we have God as our possession and can be delivered from the bondage of sin and Satan to have real freedom and rest. (Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, msg. 22, II.B-C)
Gospel in Ventura County
"Behold, now is the well-acceptable time; now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2b)
The Lord shakes the earth (as in the recent fires) and allows tragedies (as in the shooting that killed 13 people). These events bring people out of their comfortable living and open them to the gospel. The Lord's intention is to awaken us to respond to His urgent need for us to preach the gospel and build up the Body of Christ.
To answer this "wake-up call" from the Lord, the church in Thousand Oaks held an English-speaking gospel dinner and meeting on December 1 to proclaim the good news of the Jubilee to local residents in Ventura County. Around 20 gospel friends and 40 local saints attended. Most of our contacts were from Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) in Camarillo and Career Care Institute (CCI) in Oxnard. Brothers shared the message on this being "the acceptable year of Jehovah" (Isa. 61:2), followed by many testimonies from CSUCI students and local saints. The reality of the Body of Christ was expressed by the sweet coordination among the saints. Please pray for:
- The waking up of the local saints from their comfortable and routine way of life.
- The follow-up with gospel friends to gradually bring them into the Body of Christ.
- The preaching of gospel on a regular basis in Ventura County.
- The raising up of workers to labor on the CSUCI campus.
United Kingdom
"Brexit" refers to the United Kingdom's (UK) exit from the European Union (EU), which will be in March 2019. Last month, a withdrawal agreement was negotiated and approved by the EU. The UK parliament will vote December 11 on whether or not to accept the agreement.
"I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; on behalf of kings and all who are in high position" (1 Tim. 2:1-2a). Our primary concern is not with the details of the agreement; rather, our petition is that the vote and whatever follows it will be best for the continuation of the Lord's move in all of Europe.
Pray for the Lord's will to be done, that the ability of saints from Europe to travel to the UK for trainings and conferences would not be affected, and that the Lord's move would be unhindered.
Berlin, Germany
There is an urgent need for a new meeting hall for the church in Berlin. Recently a place was found that met all the requirements, but the government would not allow church use. Please pray for:
- The Lord to shine on the saints in Berlin to rise up and pray in one accord;
- The meeting hall to be of suitable quality, in the best location, and at an affordable price;
- The hall to be accessible by public transportation, and noise will not be a problem to neighbors;
- The new building to be approved by the government for church use.
Pakistan
The National Blending Conference was November 10 to 11 in Karachi. The subject was "The Goal of the Lord's Recovery—To Bring Forth the One New Man," re-speaking the last International Chinese-Speaking Conference. Brother Ken Mooney came to Pakistan to join us for the sixth time.
The conference was the most attended blending conference (around 190 saints) since the work began in Pakistan in 2012. The sharing of the saints with their exercised spirit was very powerful.
Forty-four saints from Islamabad attended. Most traveled by train—a 29-hour ride (one-way). Everyone enjoyed fellowshipping on the trip (back and forth). Praise the Lord!
After the blending conference, a sister from Islamabad and a brother from Karachi left for the Philippines to attend the Full-Time Training in Malabon.
India
Our annual National College Student Training will take place December 22 to 25. We will be covering the recent Crystallization-study of Leviticus. There is about one week before registration closes. Currently about 450 are registered, which includes some young working saints and young people. We are hoping to reach over 500. Please pray that the Lord could release many more college students to attend!
Announcements
- Morning revival: week 22 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
- The Winter Training (December 24 to 29) will cover the book of Numbers. Those who would like to prepare themselves are encouraged to read the verses, footnotes, and Life-Study messages.
Prayer, Week of November 25
The Reality of the Body of Christ
"We who are many are one Body; for we all partake of the one bread." (1 Cor. 10:17)
"For even as the body is one and has many members...so also is the Christ. For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body...and were all given to drink one Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:12-13)
"To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." (Phil. 3:10)
"For to me, to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21)
The reality of the Body of Christ is the corporate living by the perfected God-men, who are genuine men but are not living by their life but by the life of the processed God, whose attributes have been expressed through their virtues. (Thanksgiving Conference, banner 2 and msg. 4, VI)
It is only by the inner experience of Christ as life that we can have the reality of the Body of Christ. (Thanksgiving Conference, msg. 5, I.C)
We need a positive response to this conference instead of passive agreement. By the Lord's mercy, may we all be brought into daily prayer, opening to and seeking experiences of life for the Body.
Gospel in Ventura County
The Lord shakes the earth (as in the recent fires, with the whole of Thousand Oaks evacuated and over 1000 homes burned down) and allows tragedies (13 killed in a shooting before the fires). The Lord's intention is awakening us to respond to His urgent needs to preach the gospel and to build up the Body. These events also bring people out of their comfortable living and (temporarily) open them to the gospel.
The church in Thousand Oaks has been and will be distributing gospel tracts and will have a gospel table on the Cal State Channel Islands campus this Wednesday. They will have gospel meetings Saturdays, December 1 (English speaking) and December 22 (Chinese speaking). Please pray that:
- the saints would be burdened to pray desperately, be blended in the Word thoroughly, and serve in 2's and 3's collectively;
- every member would exercise to contact colleagues, neighbors, and friends, testifying the resurrected Christ in them;
- they would realize the vanity of temporal things and turn to diligently pursue the reality of the Body;
- the three major college campuses (CSUCI, Pepperdine, California Lutheran University) and the communities in Ventura County would be open to the Word of God and the gospel, with the veils on peoples' hearts removed, that they may see the light shining forth from the truth;
- the gospel meetings will bring the sons of peace and seekers into the church life.
Bibles for America
BfA offers seven titles by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee as free downloadable e-books on our website, http://www.biblesforamerica.org. The number of book downloads from our site has steadily increased over the past six months, reaching over 124,000 by mid November.
Please pray for these books to make a difference in the life of every reader and help bring them to the full knowledge of the truth. Pray that they will share this rich ministry with others who want to know how to experience Christ and fulfill God's purpose.
North America College Training 2019
Many testified that the National College Training in 2015 impacted their choices and had a life-changing effect on the direction of their life. The upcoming North America (US + Canada + Mexico) College Training will be July 14 to 20, 2019 in Champaign, IL. A brief video is at http://tinyurl.com/NACT2019. College students and graduating high school seniors may register at collegetraining.org.
Please pray for:
- all the saints to pray for this and to help shepherd students into this training;
- the training to reach its maximum attendance of 2800 (1000 more than in 2015);
- the way to be opened for all students, especially graduating high school seniors, to attend;
- all students to plan ahead and save for this special event, which occurs only once every four years;
- the Lord's blessing on this training.
Leipzig, Germany
Three saints from Taiwan are serving in Leipzig from mid October until the end of December. They have been contacting students daily and have experienced the students being very open to speak with them and be friends with them. Please pray that in their further contact with the students they will find the ones that are open and seeking the Lord and that some will be gained as remaining fruit.
Announcements
- Morning revival: REPEAT week 21 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
- Audio of the October 14 joint meeting of the church in LA is available at http://tinyurl.com/gospelspirit.
- The Winter Training will be December 24 to 29 in Anaheim and by local webcasts in LA. Registration including payment for the webcast ($105) is due December 2. Late registration requests for the live training ($255) should be made as soon as possible before that date. Saints from LA should register at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla and submit payment either online or to their district's designated registration coordinator.
- Information on Germany and Europe, see the right side of https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.
Prayer, Week of November 18
Enjoying Christ for a Church Life in Resurrection
"Now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Cor. 15:20) "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we all are witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear." (Acts 2:32-33).
The Feast of Firstfruits signifies the resurrected Christ as the firstfruits for our enjoyment as a feast in His resurrection. The Feast of Pentecost came fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits, indicating that the outpoured Spirit is the aggregate of the rich produce of the resurrected Christ. (Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, msg. 21, I., II.B.1)
Lord, keep us in resurrection enjoying You daily as our feast and participating daily in the outpoured Spirit!
The Thanksgiving Conference
The Thanksgiving Conference is in North Carolina Thursday night to Lord's Day noon.
"Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving, praying at the same time for us also, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ." (Col. 4:2-3)
Lord, release Your word through the speaking brothers, open a door in every heart for hearing this word, and open our mouths to release this word to others.
College Conference C
Conference C was richly blessed by the Lord as our living, releasing, pneumatic, life giving Word! The atmosphere was jubilant! Many students were freshly released by the Lord from self consciousness and were speaking Him forth with boldness. This is surely due to the prayer of the saints. The conference concluded with five baptisms of which one freshman brother and one freshman sister are from UCLA.
Please continue to pray that Christ the living Word of God would become the daily experience of every student across southern California.
Our Need and the Church's Need
In Luke 6:38 the Lord goes on to say, "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will give into your bosom; for with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you in return." Here the Lord is saying that when we give to others, our Father in heaven will always return to us much more than we give. (LS Luke, ch. 15, sec. 1)
May we apply this word in prayer, opening to the Lord about our giving to the church. The church in L.A. has financial needs and we need the Lord's mercy to give in a good measure.
Bibles for America
Bibles for America advertises free Bibles and books online using Google ads. Please pray for the Lord to be our wisdom as we implement new ad campaigns. Pray for many people who want to understand the Bible and grow in their Christian faith to see the ads and order a Recovery Version and ministry books.
Birmingham, UK
May the Lord build up prevailing testimonies in the major cities of the United Kingdom, starting with Birmingham, the second-largest city after London. Please pray for the Lord to strengthen His testimony in Birmingham through the clustering of the neighboring churches, as well as the visitation, migration, and blending of saints.
Germany
In October 2017 over 30,000 Recovery Version NTs were distributed in Germany. Thousands more have been distributed since then. German people will rarely take a NT if they have to give their contact information, so no information is requested during distributions. Please petition the Lord to rise up in more NT recipients to contact Bibles for Europe to request contact and Bible reading times.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a country between western Asia and eastern Europe. The population of around 10 million is predominantly, but nominally, Muslim. It has some history and relics of early Christianity, but the Lord's recovery in the past century has no history here.
A couple from the U.S., serving in Germany, moved to Azerbaijan in September based on a subjective leading from the Lord that began at the Taipei blending conference in February and continued with prayer and fellowship with co-workers. They testify that the Lord had prepared everything for them to migrate there, including the opportunity to teach English at Western Caspian University.
Their request: please pray for our God-man living to reach the 35 students whom we spend 4 hours with every day. Please pray that the Lord will have a way to bring in the ministry material, so that the sons of peace here can be discovered, supplied, and equipped to hold forth the word of life. Suitable ministry material is Russian (60% of the people understand it) or Turkish (very close to Azerbaijani). Pray also that The Mystery of Human Life can be translated into Azerbaijani.
Announcements
- Morning revival: week 21 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
- Audio of the October 14 joint meeting of the church in LA is available at http://tinyurl.com/gospelspirit.
- The Winter Training will be December 24 to 29 in Anaheim and by local webcasts in LA. Registration including payment for the webcast ($105) is due December 2. Late registration requests for the live training ($255) should be made as soon as possible before that date. Saints from LA should register at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla and submit payment either online or to their district's designated registration coordinator.
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Video of the October 7 blending in Addis Ababa is at http://tinyurl.com/Oct7-Addis. This video is long: scan the whole or watch specific parts. Here are start times [hours:minutes] for each segment:
[0:00] Lord's Table (which began before the announced time)
[1:01] testimony of the Lord's leading to raise up the church in Addis Ababa
[1:31] key points from the October 4 to 6 ITERO in Addis Ababa
[2:12] a brief view of the Lord's recovery in 25 African nations
[2:52] an overview of the full-time trainings in South Africa and Ethiopia
[2:59] concluding word; [3:27] a call for prayer, visiting, and financial support; [3:34] end
Prayer, Week of November 11
Resting, Feasting, Purging to be a New Lump
"Purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened; for our Passover, Christ, also has been sacrificed. So then let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor. 5:7-8)
The principle of the Sabbath is that we should cease our work because God has done everything for us and has become everything for our enjoyment. The Feast of the Passover is a sign of God's full redemption, and this full redemption is the bringing of God's chosen people into the full enjoyment of Himself. The entire Christian life should be such a feast. Keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread typifies the purging away of all sinful things through the enjoyment of Christ as the sinless life supply, to be a new lump—the church, composed of believers in their new nature. (Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, msg. 20, II.A, IV.D, II.A.2, V.B, V.B.3.b)
More Winter Training Registrations
To be trained is to have the rich supply of Christ ministered to us that we may grow, and it is to be equipped that we may be skillful in speaking, in contacting new ones, and in shepherding and in preaching and teaching. (Life-Study of Ephesians, ch. 41)
In Los Angeles, we will hold simulcasts December 24 to 29; and a delayed video in Spanish. Registration is due December 2, including payment of $105. Saints from LA should register at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla and submit payment either online or to their district's registration coordinator.
Ask the Lord to release more saints from the affairs of human life and to save us out of any routine church life to have Christ richly ministered to us. Ask the Lord to stir our hearts to pursue Him actively: "For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).
College Conference C
Last weekend was truly blessed with the Lord's presence and His rich speaking! Though we were short of serving ones, the Lord supplied to meet the need and shepherd each of the students.
We received an uplifted view of what it means to have the Lord's speaking and how we can have it all the time. His speaking shouldn't be rare. God's speaking has been consolidated in the Word.
During cabin time, we made a resolution to read the Scriptures daily in a consistent way. Please pray for all the students to be reminded to read at their set time and develop a long-lasting habit so that they all grow and develop their spiritual vocabulary to fellowship with the Lord. The conference concluded with five baptisms.
For conference C, the coming weekend, please pray that:
- Everyone that signed up will be released to the conference with no cancelations.
- The Lord would sanctify everyone with His word and prepare us more to be His Bride.
- Everyone going would have a fresh touch with the Lord and experience Christ in a fresh way.
Thousand Oaks
The Lord is shaking the Ventura County residents out of peaceful suburban living. Even many of us are seeking a comfortable, good family life. God's economy has became a secondary thing.
The series of tragedies should be a wake-up call to us that "we should not regard the things which are seen but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18). God should also use these tragedies to soften people's heart to receive His gospel.
Though outward circumstances are negative, God wants to move on in the church in Thousand Oaks and all of Ventura County. Please pray for us:
- The saints will be emptied and allow the Lord to take over their life by thorough consecration.
- We will be strengthened to spread His testimony throughout Ventura County.
- The students on college campuses will be open to the Bible and the serving saints.
- The saints will all become vital groups of 2s and 3s to pray, read the Word, and preach the gospel.
This window of opportunity will not last long. May the churches stand as one to cooperate with our energizing God to move on and gain people now!
As of Lord's Day morning, all TO saints and their homes were in good condition.
Brexit
"I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God." (1 Tim. 2:1-3)
Please pray for the Lord's will to be done in the ongoing negotiations. May the church-life in the UK, and the ability of European saints to go there for trainings and conferences, be unaffected.
Kraków, Poland
During the International Book Fair in Kraków in late October, we sold 10 ministry books and gave out 691 Polish NT Recovery Versions, plus several English and Russian versions. The number of Bibles distributed per hour was fewer than when we distribute on the street; however, we received significantly more email subscriptions. Those who subscribed will receive 5 emails from Bibles for Europe to help them read and appreciate the Bible. They may also request a local Bible study.
Please continue to pray for literature recipients, especially those who subscribed to the emails, that they will be encouraged to read the Bible and be open and ask for further contact, and that eventually they will have a way into the church life.
Announcements
- Morning revival: week 20 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
- Thanksgiving Conference: All the available rooms in the hotel where the Thanksgiving Conference will take place in Charlotte have been booked. LSM has arranged a discounted rate at additional nearby hotels. Saints from LA who plan to attend but have not yet made their hotel reservations may request more information by filling out the form at http://tinyurl.com/thanksgivingconfla.
- Audio of the October 14 joint meeting of the church in LA is available at http://tinyurl.com/gospelspirit.
-
Video of the October 7 blending in Addis Ababa is at http://tinyurl.com/Oct7-Addis. This video is long: scan the whole or watch specific parts. Here are start times [hours:minutes] for each segment:
[0:00] Lord's Table
[1:01] testimony of the Lord's leading to raise up the church in Addis Ababa
[1:31] key points from the October 4 to 6 ITERO in Addis Ababa
[2:12] a brief view of the Lord's recovery in 25 African nations
[2:52] an overview of the full-time trainings in South Africa and Ethiopia
[2:59] concluding word; [3:27] a call for prayer, visiting, and financial support; [3:34] end - Information on Germany and Europe, see the right side of https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.
Prayer, Week of November 4
Chosen to Be Holy with a Holy Living to Express the Holy God
"And you shall be holy to Me, because I Jehovah am holy, and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine." (Lev. 20:26)
"Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blemish before Him in love." (Eph. 1:4)
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Pet. 2:9)
To be holy is first to be separated to God; second, to be taken over by God; third, to be possessed by God; and fourth, to be saturated with God and one with God. Being holy because God is holy signifies walking according to God's holiness, living a holy life.
We need to live a holy life, a life that befits our priesthood. We can be such persons only by contacting the perfect Christ, enjoying Him and experiencing Him day by day. He will make us complete, perfect, and properly balanced. Then we shall have all the qualifications required for us to serve as priests in the New Testament age. (Crystallization-study of Leviticus, msg. 19, I.C, II.F, III)
College Conference B
The past weekend's Conference A at Oak Glen was very much blessed by the Lord with the living Word strongly impacting all who attended, including our students from USC. Thanks to the prayers of the church, some who were thinking of cancelling at the last minute still ended up attending and truly experienced the Lord's light. The joy of experiencing Christ as the living Word of God was fresh! Please pray that the students would continue steadfastly in this enjoyment this week.
Conference B will take place this upcoming weekend, November 9 to 11. CSUN has a large number of students attending for the first time. Please pray:
- That the Lord would reveal to each one what is on His heart so that they can experience Him as the fresh and living Word.
- For the Lord to prepare the hearts of all of the students attending.
- That every student would be open to the Lord and experience Him as the living Word who meets their need in every situation, and that the result of this experience would be a spontaneous outflow to friends, classmates, and companions.
- That cabin times would be conducive for mutual fellowship and for shepherding of the first-timers.
Oak Glen
The churches in Southern California took possession of Oak Glen Christian Conference Center at the end of 2015. Since then, the facility has been enjoyed by many saints and churches, including many halls and language groups in Los Angeles.
We thank the Lord that the Engedi facility in Big Bear was sold in the summer. Although funds from this sale were originally earmarked for various improvement projects at Oak Glen, the decision was made to first pay down the Oak Glen purchase loan to avoid further interest fees. As of now, the churches in Southern California still need approximately $770,000 by the end of December 2018. If we reach this year-end goal, we will be able to pay off the purchase loan entirely.
May the Lord's grace continue to operate in the churches and saints in Southern California, that we may even abound in grace for giving (2 Cor. 8-9). Gifts may be made online at socalblendingcenter.org or to the church designated for Oak Glen.
United States Elections
Elections are on Tuesday, November 6 for the US Senate and the US House of Representatives. There are also many state and local elections and issues voted on.
As God's people, we are instructed to "be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake" (1 Peter 2:13). At the same time, we "know that the heavens do rule" (Daniel 4:26). Lord, we praise You as "the Ruler of the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5)! We agree with Your sovereignty and pray for the heading up of "all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth" (Eph. 1:10)!
Germany
After last year's Emigration Training in Anaheim from mid-July to early August, many saints migrated to Germany for the Lord's move. Within a short time, many obtained one-year visas, mainly for language study. Those visas expire soon. Please pray for the Lord to reveal the best way for each saint to stay longer, anoint every applications, and grant visas for the their long-term service.
Tirana, Albania
The Balkan Regional Conference from November 2 to 4 was marvelous! Over 15 saints from the LA area traveled to Tirana, Albania for this special time of blending with saints from at least 12 different countries. The subject was "Man in God's Eternal Plan." One of the burdens was that this conference would help to lay a solid foundation of the truth not in the way of doctrine, but in the way of experience.
Please pray for the Spirit of reality to guide all the ones who attended into all the reality (John 16:13). Pray for the spread and strengthening of the Lord's testimony in Albania and the entire region!
Vietnam
Please pray for the Lord to cover all details related to the proofreading of the Recovery Version in Vietnamese, which is currently taking place until December 1.
Announcements
- Morning revival: week 19 of Crystallization-Study of Leviticus, Vol. 4.
- Audio of the October 14 joint meeting of the church in LA is available at http://tinyurl.com/gospelspirit.
- The Winter Training will be December 24 to 29 in Anaheim and by local webcasts in LA. Registration, including payment, for the webcast ($105) is due December 2. Late registration requests for the live training ($255) should be made as soon as possible before that date. Saints from LA should register at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla and submit payment either online or to their district's designated registration coordinator.