Prayer, Week of December 6
Shepherds according to God's Heart
"Jehovah is my Shepherd; I will lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside waters of rest. He restores my soul…" (Psa. 23:1-3)
"…Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs… Shepherd My sheep… Feed My sheep." (John 21:15-17)
To shepherd is to take all-inclusive, tender care of the flock. All believers, regardless of their stage of spiritual growth, need shepherding.
All of us need to be under the organic shepherding of Christ and be one with Him to shepherd others. We need to shepherd the flock of God according to the Father's loving and forgiving heart and according to the Son's seeking, finding, and shepherding spirit. We are both sheep and shepherds, shepherding and being shepherded in mutuality; through this mutual shepherding, the Body builds itself up in love. (Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, msg. 11, V.A-E)
Semiannual Video Training
Please pray for the pre-recording of the messages for the upcoming semiannual training. Pray that the ministering brothers will be richly anointed and strengthened by the sevenfold intensified speaking Spirit to release a timely word to the recovery from Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Pray also for the technical matters and for the preparation of the saints to receive and respond to the Lord's burden in His word.
SoCal Chinese-speaking Gospel Meeting
This Saturday, December 12, there will be a Chinese-speaking gospel meeting for all the churches in Southern California, held in two sessions: 5:00 to 6:00 pm and 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Live streaming of the these sessions will be at http://thenewman.org/2020gospel. Please pray:
- For the Lord to bind the strong man and release many gospel friends to attend.
- For the Lord to soften the hearts of the gospel friends to receive salvation and be baptized.
- For the meetings to go smoothly without any technical frustrations.
Bibles for America
BfA's Share the Good News website has been gaining more traction over the past few months. Most recently, from October 21 to November 17, the page traffic has shown some encouraging statistics, including 2,714 visits by 1,525 users.
Please pray that those visiting this page would continue to share the tracts, videos, and blog posts with others. Pray also that recipients of these materials would respond to the high gospel and be saved.
Europe
The United Kingdom is supposed to leave the European Union at the end of this month. Please pray for a relationship between the UK and the EU that will not hinder blending among the churches, visitation by the co-workers, or participation in trainings and conferences in the UK and continental Europe.
Lord's Move to Africa
The December 2020 online newsletter introduces the Lord's move in the western part of the African continent. Lampstands have been established in 6 of the 15 countries in this region (Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Sierre Leone, Togo and Benin) with approximately 2,700 saints in the church life in 54 localities. There are saints in Burkina Faso pursuing the ministry, and our prayer is that the Lord will recover the lampstand in Liberia. Read more at http://www.lmafrica.org/newsletter.
Announcements
-
Morning Revival: Week 11 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
After the semiannual training, beginning December 28, we will use Material Offerings and the Lord's Move for three weeks. - New Church App: The church in LA has designed a convenient phone/tablet app for the saints of all ages to stay informed with updates and helpful resources. Download at http://www.tinyurl.com/CILAapp.
- New Online Platform for Giving: Information about the church's new online giving platform, Subsplash Giving, as well as where to mail checks while our meeting halls are closed, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Church YouTube: Visit http://www.youtube.com/churchinlosangeles for videos from the morning revival, ministry series, and hymns. Feel free to share them with your friends or on social media.
Prayer, Week of November 15
Being Separated from Worldly Mixture to Enjoy God
"I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world." (John 17:14)
The children of Israel enjoyed the aspect of the world typified by Egypt. Because they were occupied by the riches and enjoyment of the world, they were kept from fulfilling the purpose for which God had created and chosen them. In the same principle, all the worldly people today have been usurped by Satan. As a result, they do not know God's purpose. How we need to thank the Lord for delivering us from slavery in the world and for setting us free from the usurping hand of Satan! (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 16-17)
Jeremiah presents God's economy to us that we may turn back to our source and origin, the Triune God as the fountain of living waters (Jer. 2:13). Then we will enjoy Him and will receive His dispensing into us for the accomplishment of His economy. God will then take care to keep the world away from us. Today in our church life there should not be anything Babylonian. We should clear away any rebellion against God, any exalting of ourselves, and any worshiping of idols. Then we will be God's elect under His dispensing to enjoy Him. (Life-study of Jeremiah, pp. 253-254)
Being Watchful and Beseeching to Escape
"Take heed to yourselves lest perhaps your hearts be weighed down with debauchery and drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day come upon you suddenly as a snare…. But be watchful at every time, beseeching that you would prevail to escape all these things which are about to happen and stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34, 36)
In verse 36 the Man-Savior charges us to be watchful. Instead of being stupefied or drugged, we need to be vigilant. Furthermore, at every time we need to beseech. This is not to pray in a general way; it is to pray in a particular way that we may prevail to escape the things that are about to take place. As we have pointed out, to prevail in this way is to have the strength and ability to escape the great tribulation. We should not be caught in the trend of today's world. Instead, we need to escape this trend. The strength and ability to escape come from being watchful and from beseeching. If we pray in a particular way, we shall prevail to escape all the things that are about to take place. (Life-study of Luke, msg. 48, sec. 3)
This beseeching is not ordinary, general prayer but specific prayer for a certain matter: being raptured to escape the tribulation that will come upon the whole earth. (Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, vol. 6, ch. 59, sec. 4)
United States
"Let every person be subject to the authorities over him, for there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are ordained by God." (Rom. 13:1)
To be subject to the authorities is to recognize God's authority and to respect His government over man. God ordains the authorities over man in order to maintain peace and security in human society so that He may have the time and the opportunity to preach the gospel, to save sinners, and to build the church for the spread of His kingdom. (Footnotes 3 and 4 on Rom. 13:1)
As the church, the Body of Christ, let us continue to trust in the Lord's sovereignty and cooperate with Him by praying and laboring together with Him for the advance of His economy.
LA Ministry & Gospel Meeting
The English-speaking Ministry & Gospel meeting this Lord's Day, November 22 at 11:00 am will conclude our Fall series, "Genesis: A Book of Seeds." All saints are encouraged to invite guests and accompany them to this time. Please pray for many contacts, friends, and relatives to attend and for the Lord to speak to each one, including the younger saints among us. Lord, multiply Your testimony in Los Angeles!
The Zoom link is http://tinyurl.com/lachurchmeeting. Videos from previous meetings may also be viewed and shared at any time at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
Thanksgiving Conference
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Living Stream Ministry will again modify the format for the upcoming 2020 International Thanksgiving Conference and host it online. The general subject is "The All-Inclusive, Extensive Christ Replacing Culture for the One New Man." For the church in Los Angeles, we will gather by languages to enjoy the messages together on Zoom.
The English-speaking meeting schedule will be as follows:
Meeting 1: Friday, November 27…………... 10:00 AM
Meeting 2: Friday, November 27…………..... 7:30 PM
Meeting 3: Saturday, November 28………. 10:00 AM
Meeting 4: Saturday, November 28………... 7:30 PM
Meeting 5: Lord's Day, November 29……. 10:00 AM
Meeting 6: Lord's Day, November 29……... 4:00 PM
We are looking to the Lord and expecting Him to use the current world situation to do something extraordinary among us during this time. Please pray for the release of His Word through this ministry. Let us prepare ourselves for this upcoming time of ministry and sanctify these days for the hearing of faith among us. Pray for the Lord's blessing upon this conference. May it turn out to be a real memorial among us to the shame of God's enemy and to the glory of God's grace!
Honduras
In the aftermath of Hurricane Eta, please pray for the Lord to continue to protect His interests, including the saints and the churches, in Honduras and the rest of Central America. Pray for the gospel of the kingdom to be proclaimed and the hearts of the people to be open to receive it.
Offerings for the saints affected by the hurricane may be given to the Church in Los Angeles designated for 'HONDURAS.'
India
Through the Lord's speaking in the Memorial Day Conference, many saints in India began contacting their friends and relatives. The common feeling among the churches is that there has never been a time when people in India are as open to the gospel as during this pandemic. Please pray for:
- The campus work, that through the functioning of the college students in contacting their gospel friends, the burden of the gospel and shepherding may continue according to the present situation.
- The free literature distribution during the pandemic, that the word of God can grow, multiply and prevail, and many seeking ones can be gained for the church life and the Lord's testimony.
- The strengthening of the major cities in India, that the saints can be supplied in the word and can continue to grow in life and grow in number for the sake of the Lord's testimony.
More details and photos are in the November issue of the Lord's Move to Asia newsletter at:
- http://lmasia.org/newsletter/2020-newsletter/november/ (English)
- http://lmasia.org/zh-hans/月刊/2020-newsletter-ch/十一月 (Chinese)
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 9 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- The December Semiannual Training for saints in LA will be held online beginning Monday, December 21. Registration ($125) at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla closes on December 1.
- New Online Platform for Giving: Information about the church's new online giving platform, Subsplash Giving, as well as where to mail checks while our meeting halls are closed, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.
Prayer, Week of November 1
Knowing Jehovah, the Eternal God
"But Jehovah is the true God; He is the living God and the eternal King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation." (Jer. 10:10)
"You, O Jehovah, abide forever; Your throne is from generation to generation." (Lam. 5:19)
The phrase You, O Jehovah, abide forever indicates that God is eternal and that there is no change in Him. God remains immutable, not subject to any change due to any kind of environments and circumstances. In the human realm changes take place in every way, but there is no change with God's eternal being; He remains forever the same.
The phrase Your throne is from generation to generation refers to God's eternal and unchanging government. God's throne has no beginning or end; His throne exists from generation to generation. Jeremiah's word about God's eternal being and His throne is a strong sign that in writing Lamentations Jeremiah touched God's economy. He came out of his human feelings, touched God's person and God's throne, and entered into God's divinity. (Crystallization-Study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, msg. 7, II.C.1-2, D.1-2b)
The Prevailing Prayer of the Church
"Again, truly I say to you that if two of you are in harmony on earth concerning any matter for which they ask, it will be done for them from My Father who is in the heavens." (Matt. 18:19)
In the church as a house of prayer, we pray in an executing way, binding on earth what has been bound in heaven and loosing on earth what has been loosed in heaven; this is the prayer of the Body; we can have this kind of prayer only when we ask "in harmony." (ITERO, msg. 5, II.H)
United States
"Let the name of God be blessed from eternity to eternity, for wisdom and might are His. And it is He who changes the times and seasons; He deposes kings and causes kings to ascend." (Dan. 2:20b-21a)
"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." (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
Pray that the saints would see that the Most High God is the Ruler over the kingdom of men and gives the kingdom to whomever He wills. Pray for the saints to know that the heavens do rule in the midst of the present world situation and that the purpose of God's heavenly ruling is to complete God's elect so that Christ may be preeminent.
Pray also that the saints would see a vision of the throne as the center of God's administration. Pray that God, as the One who deposes kings and causes kings to ascend, would place in power those whom He wills at every level of government for the carrying out of His economy on the earth. (http://Beseeching.org, Days 127-129)
All-California College Conference
This weekend we will have our first-ever All-California College Conference. It will be held online from November 6 to 8 on the topic of "Loving the Lord's Appearing." Please pray for the college students from both Northern and Southern California, including many first-timers, to sanctify this weekend unto the Lord. Pray that the Lord would appear to each one as their hope and encouragement, both in their personal fellowship with Him and in the messages.
European Autumn University Conference
This year's European Autumn University Conference will be held online from November 13 to 15. The general subject is "The Two Trees." The registration deadline is November 7. Pray for many students, young adults, and serving ones to set aside this weekend and register on time.
Canada
This Saturday, November 7, there will be a Canada Brothers' Conference. Over 600 brothers have registered for this online gathering to pray, fellowship, and coordinate together for the Lord's interest and move in the country. The Lord's Day meeting on November 8 will be a combined blending meeting on Zoom for all the churches in Canada—all at the same time, across five time zones.
Please pray that the Lord in His heavenly ministry will continue to shepherd His churches in Canada for His increase and spread to express His glory in a fuller and richer way. May His presence be with all the churches during this time.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: REPEAT Week 7 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- Ministry & Gospel: Our Ministry & Gospel Meetings this month will be on November 8, 15 and 22. The entire series may be viewed and shared at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
- SCYP Children's Work Conference is Saturday morning, November 14. Register by November 10.
- The Thanksgiving Conference will be online from November 26 to 29. No registration required; details will be announced closer to the date.
- The December Semiannual Training for saints in LA will be held online as a video training beginning Monday, December 21. Registration ($125) will open this week at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla and close on December 1.
- New Online Platform for Giving: Information about the church's new online giving platform, Subsplash Giving, as well as where to mail checks while our meeting halls are closed, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.
Prayer, Week of October 18
Revolutionized by Realizing That We Are God-men
"And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…" (Gen. 1:26)
"…We know that if He is manifested, we will be like Him because we will see Him even as He is." (1 John 3:2)
When we think of ourselves as God-men, this thinking, this realization, revolutionizes us in our daily experience…. After hearing that God wants a group of God-men, how can you be content to be anything else? What do you want to be? Do you want to be a typical Chinese or a typical American? Do you want to be merely a Christian or a believer in Christ? We should all declare that we want to live the life of a God-man. Eventually, the God-men will be the victors, the overcomers, the Zion within Jerusalem. This will bring in a new revival which has never been seen in history, and this will end this age. (Life-study of 1 & 2 Chronicles, pp. 27-28)
Let us all pray for the proper realization that we are God's kind and that our experience of Christ would be revolutionized.
Responding to Christ as a House of Prayer
"If therefore you were raised together with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." (Col. 3:1)
In His heavenly ministry Christ is interceding, ministering, and executing God's administration, and we need to be those who respond to Christ's activities in His heavenly ministry by our prayers in the church as the temple of God, a house of prayer.
Through our prayer Christ, the Head, is given a way to carry out His administration through His Body. As the Head is working in heaven by interceding, ministering, and administrating, we, the Body, are working on earth by responding to the heavenly ministry of Christ and reflecting what He is doing.
If we seek the things which are above and have one life and one living with Christ, we will be wholly occupied with the Lord's interest. Our heart will be with Him in heaven, where He is interceding for the churches, supplying the saints, and administrating God's government. (ITERO, msg. 5 outline, II.F.1-2)
Church in Los Angeles Joint Meeting
The whole church in LA—all halls, districts, and languages—will meet together on Lord's Day, November 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 am. There will be translation to Chinese, Korean, and Spanish. The Zoom information will be communicated later. Please pray for a healthy attendance and participation, and for much blending and mutual encouragement.
LA Gospel Meeting in Korean
The Korean-speaking saints in Hall 1 will hold an online gospel meeting on Friday, October 23 from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. The messaged will be based on John 4:14a: "But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thirst forever." In our vital groups, we have been praying for gospel friends and backsliding ones; we have at least 53 names of contacts we are burdened to invite. Please pray for:
- the saints to be in one accord to bind the enemy and release these contacts (and more) to attend;
- the Lord to visit each of these ones to soften their hearts;
- the Lord to bless the gospel meeting and pour out the Spirit on all the participants.
United States
With the elections approaching on November 3 and early voting already taking place in many areas, we pray to release on earth the authority of the "Ruler of the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5) for His choice of elected officials. Pray that the heavens will rule and that the outcome will advance the Lord's move on earth to prepare His bride and bring in the King with His kingdom.
Bibles for America
BfA will host a special webinar this Wednesday, October 21 at 1:00 pm to present a behind-the-scenes tour of our new distribution center in Anaheim and give an update of our operations and the current focus of our labor. If you would like to attend, you can register at http://biblesforamerica.org/webinar-oct2020 to receive the Zoom link. Translation into Spanish will be available. If you are unable to attend live but would like to watch later, please still register and we will email a recording to all registrants afterward.
Please pray that this webinar would impart a deeper burden for the spread of God's Word and the gospel of the kingdom to all who attend.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 6 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- The Thanksgiving Conference will be online from November 26 to 29. No registration required; details will be announced closer to the date.
- Ministry & Gospel: The last Ministry & Gospel Meeting (English-speaking) for this month will take place at 11:00 am this Lord's Day, October 25. The entire series may be viewed and shared at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving, which includes Zelle, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.
Prayer, Week of October 11
Vessels of Mercy Sovereignly Prepared unto Glory
"So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." (Rom. 9:16)
"In order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory." (Rom. 9:23)
If we look back upon our past, we shall worship the Lord. We shall realize that our steps have been not of ourselves, but of Him. Before we were born, He selected us and predestinated us and arranged everything related to us, including the time and place of our birth. Moreover, He appointed all our days and all the places where we are to be…. Everything that happens to us is a matter of divine mercy. (Life-study of Romans, pp. 610-611, 613)
As vessels, we are not instruments or weapons—we are containers. According to Romans 9, we contain mercy, honor, and glory. This mercy, honor, and glory are actually the Triune God. In the initial stage of our experience the Triune God is our mercy, in the progressing stage He is our honor, and in the completing stage He is our glory. At present we are enjoying our God as mercy and somewhat as honor. When the Lord Jesus comes back, we shall be fully brought into honor and also into glory. Then we shall be filled with the Triune God not only as our mercy but also as our honor and glory. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 1183)
Prayer on the Ground of Christ's Ascension
What is the Lord doing in the heavenlies today? The Bible tells us that He is waiting for His enemies to be subdued and made the footstool for His feet (Heb. 10:13). How will this be accomplished while He is waiting? This will be accomplished by the church praying a certain kind of prayer. The prayer that is needed is not an ordinary kind of prayer but a specific, definite, and extraordinary kind of prayer. This kind of prayer is based upon the ascension of Christ and claims all that the Lord has obtained and attained in His ascension. This prayer takes the ground of Christ's ascension and is based upon the fact that the Lord has ascended to the heavens, attained to the highest place, and obtained all things. (CWWL, 1963, vol. 1, "Prayer on the Ground of Christ's Ascension," p. 154.)
May all the saints enter into such a specific, definite, and extraordinary kind of prayer—prayer that is based upon Christ's ascension and claims all that He has obtained and attained in His ascension.
LA Gospel Meeting in Korean
The Korean-speaking saints in Hall 1 will hold an online gospel meeting on Friday, October 23 from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. Last Lord's Day, we released the burden on being watchful and faithful. We prayed that we would use our one talent properly and not hide in the earth. Please pray for:
- the saints to be burdened to pray with companions and to invite their gospel friends;
- the Lord to cover all aspects of the meeting preparation and coordination; and
- the meeting to be carried out smoothly and richly supply all guests.
United States
With the elections approaching on November 3, we pray to release on earth the authority of the "Ruler of the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5) for His choice of elected officials. We pray for the heavens to rule and for the outcome to advance God's interests on earth, which is Christ as God's portion to us, as God's kingdom, and as God's dwelling place.
International Blending Conference Baarlo Online
Since 2010, the autumn conference in Baarlo, The Netherlands and the spring conference in London, UK are the two times a year that all the saints in Europe gather. This year, from October 16 to 18, the blending conference normally held in Baarlo will be online. The general subject is "Being Intensified by the Seven Spirits Before the Throne of God to Carry out the Divine Administration and to Consummate the Divine Economy." Please pray for the blending of the saints and churches and for the advance of the Lord's recovery in Europe.
Azerbaijan
Pray for the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that the tripartite being of the saints and the Lord's interest in these countries can be preserved.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 5 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- LA Joint Meeting: Lord's Day, November 1, we will have a meeting of the whole church in LA.
- Ministry & Gospel: Our Ministry & Gospel Meetings continues this month on October 18 and 25. The entire series may be viewed and shared at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving, which includes Zelle, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.
Prayer, Week of September 20
Enjoying God as the Fountain of Living Waters
"For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, which hold no water." (Jer. 2:13)
"But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thirst forever; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life." (John 4:14)
"Always rejoice, unceasingly pray, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thes. 5:16-18)
God's intention in His economy is to be the fountain, the source, of living waters to satisfy us for our enjoyment; He wants us to take Him as the source, the fountain, of our being; the only way to take God as the fountain of living waters is to drink of Him day by day. This requires us to call on the Lord continually (with thanking, rejoicing, praying, and praising) and draw water with rejoicing from Him as the fountain of living waters. Nothing apart from God as the fountain of living waters can quench our thirst and satisfy us; nothing apart from God dispensed into our being can make us His increase for His expression. (Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, msg. 1, II.A, A.1, E)
GTCA – Virtual Tours
In light of the Lord's move and the world situation, the burden to gospelize, truthize, and churchize America has never been stronger. During the recent Labor Day conference, the call was sounded for 300 saints to migrate to the 10 target cities.
To help facilitate this move, virtual tours of each city have been arranged. The first round took place last weekend to introduce Cincinnati, Lexington, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh. This weekend, September 26 to 28, there will be tours of Charlotte, Columbia, Memphis, Orlando, and Richmond. An overview of the local situation and needs will be presented, and visitors can meet and blend with the local saints virtually. The detailed schedule is posted at https://gtca.us/virtual-tours.
Please pray for these virtual tours, that the Spirit will move to make His will known. Pray that many saints would rise up to respond to this call according to the Lord's leading by praying, giving, and/or migrating so that the Lord's testimony would be strengthened in each of these key US cities.
UCLA Fresh Start
The UCLA Fall Quarter opens on September 28, with classes beginning October 1. Although most classes will be online, many students have opted to live closer to campus. Last week, incoming and returning student saints moved into our brothers' and sisters' houses in Westwood. This week, September 20 to 26, the serving ones have planned a welcome itinerary called Fresh Start. In addition to the regular meetings of the church in Hall 5, online activities include prayer sessions for the Lord's move on the UCLA campus and our student club's social media outreach, UCLA's Virtual Club Fair, and testimonies; in-person activities (outdoors, physically distanced, and grouped by house) include singing, picnics and scavenger hunts.
Please pray for all the students in corporate living to have a new beginning in the Lord. Pray for the students to be built up together and for the Lord to burden everyone freshly for the gospel.
SCYP Gospel Meetings
Thank you for all of your prayers! This past Saturday night, over 650 people attended our Southern California Young People's gospel meetings; many raised their hands to pray to receive the Lord. One of the highlights from the gatherings was the participation of our young people in the singing, moderating, and speaking. Please continue to pray for our young people and their friends to pursue the Lord and have a heart for the gospel.
European Church History Trip
About 40 German students and serving ones are near the end of a church history trip (September 8 to 23), visiting key historical sites in Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. A key part of the trip involved handing out Bibles and public singing and gospel preaching in Zurich, Switzerland (September 11 to 12) and Frankfurt, Germany (September 18). In Frankfurt 302 German NTs and 42 in other languages were distributed. Each time some warm contacts were made. There were also meetings and other blending times with local saints in both cities. Please pray:
- that participants will have their eyes opened and their consecration strengthened by seeing all that the Lord has done through the sacrifice of His many servants in past centuries;
- for continued contact with the open people met during these times;
- for many NT recipients to read what they received and touch the Spirit.
India
Please pray for the new semester of FTT New Delhi, that all the 26 trainees can be preserved in their tripartite being and be equipped and perfected unto the work of the ministry, to become useful vessels unto the building up of the Body of Christ.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 2 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- Ministry & Gospel: The last Ministry & Gospel Meeting (English-speaking) for this month will take place at 11:00 am this Lord's Day, September 27; next month, the series resumes on October 11. Previous meetings can be viewed and shared at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
- SCYP Fall Conferences: The junior high conference will be held online from October 9 to 11 (registration due September 27); the high school conference from October 23 to 25 (registration due October 11). The cost is $15 per person.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Since our meeting halls are still closed, instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.
Prayer, Week of September 6
Keeping the Oneness and Practicing the One Accord
"That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me." (John 17:21)
"These all continued steadfastly with one accord in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers." (Acts 1:14)
The oneness is the Triune God mingled with all His believers, and this oneness is just the Body of Christ. In John 17:20-21 the Lord prayed that all the believers would be one "in Us," that is, in the Divine Trinity; this is the genuine oneness. This oneness is also the Body of Christ, for the Body of Christ is the mingling of the processed and consummated Triune God with His believers.
The genuine one accord in the church is the genuine practice of the oneness in the Body. The one accord is the base, the ground for our present practice in the Lord's move
In the book of Acts the one hundred twenty prayed together in one mind, in the same mind, in the same will with the same purpose around and within the soul and the heart. We must see that the crucial need today is the recovery of the one accord; the one accord is the master key to unlock every blessing in the New Testament. We need to maintain the one accord by prayer, the Spirit, and the Word. (Labor Day Weekend Blending Conference, msg. 2, I,B-C, II, III, C.1, D, E)
GTCA
In the midst of these turbulent times, a fresh burden has stirred in the hearts of the co-workers, leading brothers, and saints in the churches to gospelize, truthize, and churchize North America.
Our Brother Witness Lee considered not only the US as a whole, but, more specifically, Middle America to be most strategic for the Lord's interest. He hoped that a good number of saints would be led to migrate to many cities and states in America's heartland, to gain a solid increase for His testimony and bring in a great blessing.
Please pray that many families and full-timers will continue to respond to the call to go to the 10 GTCA cities to strengthen the Lord's testimony in Middle America. Please also pray that all the practical needs would be met for all of those who are in the process of migrating to these cities.
Midwest
- Cincinnati, OH
- Lexington, KY
- Minneapolis, MN
- St. Louis, MO
Southeast
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbia, SC
- Memphis, TN
- Orlando, FL
Mid-Atlantic
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Richmond, VA
Oak Glen
The El Dorado Fire is currently burning near our conference center in Oak Glen. Lord's Day night, the fire burned through the upper part of our property with no loss of buildings. Even though the head of the fire has moved away there is still the danger of spot fires developing due to the dry weather conditions and winds. Fire trucks with crews remain on the property to protect the structures from spot fires. We look to the Lord for His preservation of our property and those in the neighboring community. Please continue to pray for the Lord to protect our blending center and to thank Him for no loss of buildings.
Washington, DC
To the dear churches in North America and abroad, and to the precious saints who have been allotted equally precious faith, from the joyous saints in Washington, DC: Grace to you, and peace in the person of Jesus Christ our Lord!
We would like to announce that on August 12, the church in Washington, DC closed on a property located at 4380 MacArthur Boulevard, NW, Washington, DC 20007 two weeks in advance of the contracted closing date. This property will be the location of the first permanent meeting hall in the nation's capital and represents the response to years of prayer and petition.
In May of this year, the building fund of the church in Washington, DC had a total of $1.6 million, representing the faithful giving of the local saints over many years. Since that time, the saints here have poured out above and beyond what could be imagined, raising this total to $2.1 million. In addition, bountiful and cheerful giving pouring in from saints and churches around the world has totaled $1.4 million. The total amount offered, $3.5 million, is the exact purchase price of the property. Renovations are underway to build out a facility that would be home to the saints and fitting for the community. We would encourage you to visit https://churchindc.org/meeting-hall/ for updates and photographs as we eagerly await blending with all the saints.
May the Lord continue to be manifested and glorified in every possible way!
Central and Eastern Europe and Balkans Blending Conference
The saints throughout the Central, Eastern and Balkan regions of Europe will be blending together in an online conference this weekend, September 11 to 13. The general subject is "The Consummation of the Age and the Coming of the Lord." The main language during the conference will be English, but all the fellowship and messages will be simultaneously translated into following languages: Albanian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech/Slovak, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian, and Turkish. Please pray for all the saints who speak these languages to be more blended with one another for the manifestation of the reality of the Body of Christ.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Labor Day Conference outlines or repeat Week 6 of A Timely Word. Outlines may be downloaded at http://www.labordayconf.com. Next week, we begin Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations (from the July Semiannual Video Training).
- SCYP Parents & Serving Ones Fellowship: The SCYP parents and young people's serving ones fellowship will take place on September 12 from 9:30 to 11:45 am. Translation into Chinese, Korean, and Spanish will be provided. Please consult YP serving ones if you need the Zoom link.
- SCYP Fall Conferences: The junior high conference will be held online from October 9 to 11 (registration deadline September 27); the high school conference from October 23 to 25 (registration deadline October 11). The cost is $15 per person.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Since our meeting halls are still closed, instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving, which now includes Zelle, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.
Prayer, Week of August 23
Answering God's Call to Turn the Age through Prayer
"And of the children of Issachar, men who understood the times that they might know what Israel should do…" (1 Chron. 12:32)
"So I set my face toward the Lord God to seek Him in prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes." (Dan. 9:3)
People on earth are suffering calamities, and the churches are in hardship; this is not the age of God's heart's desire but the age of God's procedures. God is using His procedures to fulfill His heart's desire. To turn from the age of procedures to the age of God's heart's desire, man must pray the age-turning prayer. Daniel was such a man. The earth is suffering calamities because people on the earth do not want God and do not care for God's affairs. Therefore, if the saints are to pray to end the time of calamities, they must answer God's demands and care for God and His needs. Oh! These many calamities today should wake us up to no longer live to the earth! Oh! Today we should truly consecrate ourselves to answer God's demands on behalf of the church so that God may have a way to come in and to turn this age of procedures into the age of His heart's desire. (CWWL, 1932–1949, vol. 2, p. 27)
Labor Day Weekend Blending Conference
From September 4 to 6, the churches in the entire state of California will blend together in an online conference. Such a conference of all the churches in California is unprecedented and should be a further advance in the blending of the entire Body for the Lord's unique testimony.
The four meetings will be conducted online and will include both spoken messages and breakout sessions for mutual sharing and blending of all the saints. Translation of the messages and all special fellowship will be provided in Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Details regarding the meeting schedule and links to join the meetings for each language can be found at <http://www.labordayconf.com>.
Let us sanctify the Labor Day weekend by setting aside our time and presenting our tripartite beings to hear what the Spirit would speak to the churches. May the Lord infuse us with His words and His burden for His present move and interests on the earth.
FTTA
The Fall 2020 term of the Full-time Training in Anaheim begins remotely on August 26. Please pray for the Lord to arrange all the trainees' housing, to be wisdom to those overseeing the details of how the training will be carried out, and to encourage and supply all of the incoming trainees as they begin this new term. Lord, in these days, constitute Yourself into each trainee, in their classes and studying, in their living arrangement, in gospel teams, in service, and in blending with the churches!
Our Young People – 2020 Fall Advance
The Southern California Young People (SCYP) Fall Advance began Saturday, August 22, and continues for four weeks until Saturday, September 19. A five-minute video will be released each week, and the young people and their parents are encouraged to watch these weekly videos together by household. Please pray for our junior high and high school students as they begin the new school year. For more information, visit <http://www.scyp.com/fall-advance>.
Gospel to All the Nations
The next gospel to all the nations session will be held by Zoom on Saturday, August 29 at 1:00 pm (Los Angeles time) with fellowship from John 4. Two additional sessions will follow on September 12 and September 26. All the people out of every nation are invited to join! Please pray for many friends, relatives, and colleagues to come and see how the life of Christ meets the need of every person and to enjoy the pure ministry of the Word as the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 24:14). For more details and to register to receive the Zoom link, go to <http://www.gospeltoallthenations.com>.
Bibles for America
We are thankful to the Lord that over the past year, people have been visiting our blog in record numbers, seeking answers to their questions about God, the Bible, and the Christian life. From July 2019 through June 2020, BfA Blog pages (in both English and Spanish) were viewed over 3.2 million times. Traffic to the blog spiked in April and May, with over 400,000 page views each month. The most popular posts during this time were:
- 8 Verses that Show Jesus Christ Lives in You
- What Does the Blood and Water That Came out of Jesus' Pierced Side Mean?
- The Three Parts of Man: Spirit, Soul, and Body [Spanish]
Please pray that people would continue to find this rich ministry and be nourished by it, and that many blog visitors would also be motivated to order a free Bible and download our free e-books.
European Young People's Conference
The subject of this year's four-part online conference is "Men Who Turn the Age." Part 4 takes place this Saturday, August 29. Please pray for this time, for the gathering of the young people, and for the release of the serving ones. More information at <http://ypconference.eu>.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 5 of A Timely Word Concerning the World Situation and the Lord's Recovery. After next week, we will review Material Offerings, Week 3 before starting Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Since our meeting halls are still closed, instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving, which now includes Zelle, are at <http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings>.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at <http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19>.
Online Resources
- The Church in Los Angeles has a YouTube channel to show videos from recent gatherings, such as the Ministry & Gospel Meeting. <http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles>
- A Timely Word of Supply to meet the present need from messages given by Brother Lee is posted each week on LSM's website. <http://www.lsm.org/timely-speaking.html>
- GTCA updates ongoing burdens about the ten target cities for migration this year. <http://gtca.us>
- The Bible Tells Me So is posting daily videos on weekdays to help foster a "Family Time" in each household. <http://www.thebibletellsmeso.com/familytime>
- LSM Christian Radio broadcasts hymns and messages 24 hours each day. <http://lsmchristianradio.com>
- Bibles for America has easy-to-use resources for telling people about God's salvation. <http://gospel.biblesforamerica.org> (English) and <http://gospel.bfa.org/es> (Español)
- Living to Him provides a forum for helping young working saints to practically enter into a vital living for the building up of the Body of Christ. <http://livingtohim.com>
- Shepherding Words addresses critical issues facing the Lord's recovery. <http://shepherdingwords.com>
Prayer, Week of August 9
The Divine History Within the Human History
"…Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be fashioned according to this age." (Rom. 12:1-2a)
"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, that Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith." (Eph. 3:16-17a)
We need to have a clear view of these two histories—the physical human history and the mysterious divine history… The history of man, the history of the world, is outward. The divine history, the history of God in and with humanity, is inward. This history is a matter of the divine mystery of the Triune God in humanity.
We all were born in the human history, but we have been reborn, regenerated, in the divine history. Now we need to ask ourselves this question: Are we living in the divine history, or are we living merely in the human history? If our living is in the world, we are living in the human history. But if we are living in the church, we are living in the divine history. In the church life God's history is our history. Now two parties—God and we—have one history, the divine history. This is the church life.
With the divine history there is the new creation—the new man with a new heart, a new spirit, a new life, a new nature, a new history, and a new consummation. We praise the Lord that we are in the divine history, experiencing and enjoying the mysterious, divine things. (Life-study of Joel, p. 36)
LA Ministry & Gospel Meetings
The English-speaking Ministry & Gospel meetings will resume this Lord's Day, August 16, from 11:00 to 11:45 am. The series topic is "Genesis: A Book of Seeds" with a particular burden to reach our friends and family as well as the younger ones in the church through an approachable ministering of the word. Furthermore, we will proceed with a particular sensitivity to new ones that we contact from the campus work at the beginning of the academic year.
Saints, let us all reconsider before the Lord whom we can shepherd to these outreach times. All saints are welcome to invite guests and accompany them to this time. The Zoom link is http://tinyurl.com/lachurchmeeting. Videos from previous meetings may also be viewed and shared at any time at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
May we help the white horse run through our prayers and invitations. Lord, expand Your burden for the gospel in our hearts to multiply Your testimony in Los Angeles!
LA Campuses
USC classes begin on August 17, CSUN on August 24, and UCLA has been having online orientations throughout the summer. Please pray for the students, serving ones, and those related to the campus in their outreach to new students, which is much different than in previous years.
FTTA
The Fall 2020 term of the FTTA will be conducted remotely and begins August 26. Please pray for the Lord to arrange all of the housing for the trainees, to be wisdom to those overseeing FTTA regarding the details of how it should be carried out, and to encourage and supply all of the incoming trainees as they prepare for this next term!
Oak Glen
Update: As of this past weekend, the forest fire has moved away from the conference center. On Friday, the evacuation orders for the property were lifted, though some fire crews remain in the area. We are thankful to the Lord for answering the prayers of the Body.
Lord's Move to Africa
The August 2020 online newsletter introduces the Lord's move in the southern part of the African continent. Lampstands have been established in five of the ten countries in this region with approximately 1,500 saints in the church life in 25 localities. While Lampstands have yet to be raised up in Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia. there are already some saints following the ministry in these places. Read more at http://www.lmafrica.org/newsletter.
Please pray for:
- The spread of the gospel of the kingdom to this region which has a predominantly Christian population.
- The strengthening of the existing testimonies through perfecting, blending and (post-pandemic) visitations.
- The Lord to gain the young people and equip them through training to become pillars in the churches.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 3 of A Timely Word Concerning the World Situation and the Lord's Recovery (from the Memorial Day Conference).
- Labor Day Weekend Blending Conference: The churches in the entire state of California will blend together in an online conference from September 4 to 6. There will be four meetings. Details regarding the schedule and the way to join will be announced in the coming weeks.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Since our meeting halls are still closed, instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving, which now includes Zelle, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Updated interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19. We will proceed slowly, cautiously, in loving care for one another.
Prayer, Week of July 26
Persevering in Prayer While Discerning the Signs of the Times
"But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:4)
"...The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14)
In the present environment of the world, we need to devote ourselves to and persevere in prayer, while discerning "the signs of the times." We need to pray with the full realization of God's view of human history by seeing that the gospel is speeded up and even maximized by war, famine, and death and by seeing that we need to gain God to the fullest extent to accomplish the goal of His divine economy.
God will listen to our prayer when our prayer to God is toward Christ, the kingdom of God, and the house of God as the goal in God's eternal economy. This means that our prayer should always be aimed at the interests of God, that is, at Christ and the church as God's interests on earth, for the fulfilling of God's eternal economy. (A Timely Word concerning the World Situation and the Lord's Recovery, msg. 1, V, B, C.2)
Pray that we will be in our spirit in order to be men on earth with God's heart, men to whom heaven can be opened to see the vision of God concerning the destiny of the world, who see that the world situation is the indicator of God's move on earth, and who realize that all the major events of human history have been arranged and matched by God in His sovereign authority for His move on earth. (Beseeching.org, Day 1)
European Young People's Conference
The European Young People's Conference is being held online in four parts over a different time period than normal. Part 3 begins this Friday afternoon and ends Monday evening; it is the main part of this year's conference. Corporate meetings will be held every afternoon and evening with activities in the mornings, as well as group times. Please pray for this conference, for the gathering of the young people, and for the release of the serving ones.
Lord's Move to Africa
The theme of the June 2020 online newsletter is "Church Life Under the Pandemic" and features encouraging reports from Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. In the midst of the pandemic, the Lord has been blessing the churches with more blending, increased fellowship and practical care, and more saints functioning. Read more at http://www.lmafrica.org/newsletter.
Prayer for the Current Situation
In the midst of the pandemic in the United States and around the world, please continue to pray:
- For the Lord to protect all His interests on earth, including the saints and the churches;
- For the saints and churches to be open to what the Lord will accomplish during this time;
- For the saints to persevere in prayer for the Lord's final move to end this age; and
- For the gospel of the kingdom to be proclaimed and the hearts of many men to be open to receive it.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 1 of A Timely Word Concerning the World Situation and the Lord's Recovery (Memorial Day Conference).
- Labor Day Weekend Blending Conference: The churches in the entire state of California will blend together in an online conference from September 4 to 6. Details regarding the meeting schedule and the way to join will be announced in the coming weeks.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: Since our meeting halls are still closed, instructions for where to mail checks and options for online giving, which now includes Zelle, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
- Guidelines for in-person group meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19. We will proceed slowly, cautiously, in loving care for one another.
Online Resources
- The Church in Los Angeles has a YouTube channel to show videos from recent gatherings, such as gospel meetings and midweek perfecting fellowships. http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles
- A Timely Word of Supply to meet the present need from messages given by Brother Lee is posted each week on LSM's website. http://www.lsm.org/timely-speaking.html
- GTCA updates ongoing burdens about the ten target cities for migration this year. http://gtca.us
- The Bible Tells Me So is posting daily videos on weekdays to help foster a "Family Time" in each household. http://www.thebibletellsmeso.com/familytime
- LSM Christian Radio broadcasts hymns and messages 24 hours each day. http://lsmchristianradio.com
- Bibles for America has easy-to-use resources for telling people about God's salvation. http://gospel.biblesforamerica.org (English) and http://gospel.bfa.org/es (Español)
- Living to Him provides a forum for helping young working saints to practically enter into a vital living for the building up of the Body of Christ. http://livingtohim.com
- Shepherding Words addresses critical issues facing the Lord's recovery. http://shepherdingwords.com