Week of August 18

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Living Christ by Loving Christ

“For to me, to live is Christ.” (Phil. 1:21a)

“And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.” (Mark 12:30)

“Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.” (John 14:23)

The Christian life is a life of living Christ. Our living should be Christ, and the way to live Christ is to love Christ. To love God means to set our entire being—spirit, soul, and body with the heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30)—absolutely on Him, that is, to let our entire being be occupied by Him and lost in Him, so that He becomes everything to us and we are one with Him practically in our daily life.

To live the Christian life is to love Jesus the Son of God so that we will be loved by the Father and the Son and enjoy the Son's manifestation to us and Their visitation to us for Them to make a mutual abode with us. The Christian life is a life of loving God and loving one another with God Himself as our love. Christ lived in this world a life of God as love, and He is now our life that we may live the same life of love in this world and be the same as He is in His lost-one-seeking and sinner-saving ministry journey. (The Christian Life, msg. 1, I, B, D-E)

2024 SoCal Labor Day Blending Conference

“In the blending of the churches we receive nourishment, we receive revelation, and we receive a vision of God's eternal purpose concerning Christ and the church. Such a blending is not only for our own mutual spiritual benefit but is also for the mutual building up of the Body of Christ” (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord's Recovery and Our Present Need, ch. 2).

The co-workers in Southern California are burdened to conduct a blending conference among the saints and the churches during the upcoming Labor Day weekend. The schedule will be as follows:

    Saturday, August 31
    Message 1…………...... 4:00 to 5:45 pm
    Dinner Break……….... 5:45 to 7:00 pm
    Message 2…………..... 7:00 to 8:45 pm
    Lord's Day, September 1
    Lord's Table…….... 10:00 to 10:30 am
    Message 3…… 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

All conference meetings will be held in person at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. A way to participate online will be provided for saints who live too far from the LSM campus or for other reasons cannot attend in person. Because a major purpose of this conference is to carry out the blending among the churches and the saints in Southern California for the reality of the Body of Christ, in-person attendance is encouraged as much as possible. Please note that childcare will not be provided at the MCC.

Ahead of this special conference, please pray:

  • For the saints to set aside this Labor Day weekend to be gathered and blended together.
  • For all the practical preparation and coordination involved in carrying out this conference.
  • For the Lord to cover the brothers who will be ministering the word, as well as their families.
  • That the Lord will use this conference, and all the services related to it, to blend the saints in Southern California for the reality of the Body of Christ.

Wednesday Night Ministry Meetings

A new term of mid-week ministry meetings begins this Wednesday, August 21 at 7:25 pm at the LSM Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. All the saints (in good health) are invited to attend in person to support the release of the word. The meeting will also be live-streamed and archived at lsmwebcast.com (subscription or payment required).

Please pray for the ministry of the Lord's word week by week to His recovery. Pray for the Lord's continued blessing of the Full-time Training in Anaheim and covering of all trainees and serving ones.

2024 Paris Olympics Gospel Trips

The OL3 Olympic Games gospel cycle concluded on Monday, August 19. The OL4 cycle will run from August 20 to 29. These trips include five teams in and near Paris, plus teams in Lille and Rouen, as well as in Luxembourg. In all of the distribution and appointments, the goal is to strengthen the Lord's testimony, gain people into the church life, and raise up new churches in French-speaking Europe.

Please continue to pray:

  • For the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19) to the full-timers currently serving in France, that the Lord strengthen them in spirit and soul and body, and be their wisdom in all the practical and spiritual matters they face week by week.
  • For the continuing shepherding of people contacted in trips since early May, that they remain open to fellowship, and that the shepherding saints be diligent to continue nourishing them.
  • For the migrating of many more to France to raise up a team of at least 20 full-timers and to open many homes for group gatherings. May the Lord thrust out workers into His harvest in France and open a way for these saints to obtain a long-term visa.
  • That the Lord will raise up new lampstands in Rouen, Lille, Versailles, Mertzig (Luxembourg), Geneva (Switzerland), Marseilles, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, and Montpellier.

Subscribe to receive trip reports and testimonies at courantdevie.myflodesk.com; archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips. A special report on the Lord's move in France and a presentation on migration to serve in France given at the recent July Semiannual Training are at lme.org/reports.html.

Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

UK & Ireland Blending Conference

The 2024 UK & Ireland Blending Conference will take place August 24 to 25 in Leeds. Please pray for the Lord's rich speaking to the saints and for the saints' response in joining themselves to His speaking for the carrying out of His move in Europe. Pray that the saints and churches in the UK and Ireland would be blended together for the further building of the Body of Christ and the preparation of His Bride.

Bangladesh

Please continue to pray for the restoration of social stability as soon as possible and for people's hearts to be open to the gospel through the turbulence of the external environment.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 1 of The Christian Life (from the Memorial Day Conference).
  2. Wednesday Night Ministry Meeting: The ministry meeting resumes this week starting at 7:25 pm.
  3. 2024 SoCal Labor Day Blending Conference: Saturday, August 31 from 4:00 to 5:45 pm and 7:00 to 8:45 pm; Lord's Day, September 1 with table meeting at 10:00 am, then message from 10:30 to 12:30 pm. In person at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim; no childcare will be provided.
  4. Thanksgiving Conference: This year's conference will be held in Atlanta, GA from November 28 to December 1. Childcare for those in kindergarten through 6th grade will be provided during the meetings. Saints from LA who are interested in attending can get more information on hotel group rates and RSVP to receive any pertinent updates at tinyurl.com/thanksgivingconfla.
  5. Bibles for America's newest blog post “One Major Function of the Word of God: To Testify Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ” is available to read and share at blog.bfa.org.
  6. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is published at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974.
  7. 500 Life-studies App: To learn more about the burden for the Life-studies, including the 500 Life-studies app, please visit 500lifestudies.org.
  8. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

Week of August 11

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Enjoying Christ as our Subjective Righteousness

“And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints.” (Rev. 19:8)

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day, and not only me but also all those who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:8)

The righteousness (Christ) that we received for our salvation (1 Cor. 1:30) is objective and enables us to meet the requirement of the righteous God, whereas the righteousnesses of the overcoming believers are subjective (Phil. 3:9) and enable them to meet the requirement of the overcoming Christ…Thus, the queen in Psalm 45 has two garments. (Life-study of the Psalms, pp. 265-266)

The queen in Psalm 45 signifies the church. Her first garment is “inwrought with gold,” and her second is “embroidered clothing.” In the Bible gold signifies the divine nature of God. At the time of our salvation, we received a golden garment that enabled us to be in the presence of God. In addition to this, we need another garment, a garment of embroidery. This embroidery signifies the transforming work of the Holy Spirit...Although we have the first garment, our second garment is now being prepared under the embroidering work of the Holy Spirit. Day by day we are under the needle, the transformation, of the Holy Spirit. (Life-study of Revelation, 2nd ed., pp. 608-609)

In order to be awarded with Christ as our crown of righteousness in the next age, we must experience and enjoy Him as our subjective, lived-out righteousness in this age. (Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith…, msg. 5, I. A., II)

FTTA

The Fall 2024 term of the Full-time Training in Anaheim (as well as the Boston Extension) began this week on August 11. For this pre-training week, please pray:

  • That the Lord would speak all that is on His heart to supply and prepare the trainees and to gain their full consecration.
  • For the Lord's covering and strengthening of all the staff and serving saints as they care for all aspects of the training.
  • For the Lord's arrangements of all the service groups and campus teams, and for the surrounding localities to be ready to receive and care for the trainees assigned to them.

2024 Paris Olympics Gospel Trips

The third 10-day Olympic Games gospel cycle (OL3) began last Saturday, August 10 and concludes next Monday, August 19. Two more 10-day cycles will follow. This cycle includes five teams in and near Paris, plus teams in Lille and Rouen, as well as in Luxembourg.

There has been much distributing of New Testaments and preaching of the gospel, especially with Le Mystère de la vie humaine (The Mystery of Human Life). There are also appointments with seekers and dinners or meetings with ministry to which many are invited. In all of this the goal is to strengthen the Lord's testimony, gain people into the church life, and raise up new churches.

Please pray for:

  • The bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19) to the few full-timers currently serving in France, that the Lord strengthen them in spirit and soul and body, and be their wisdom in all the practical and spiritual matters they face week by week.
  • The continuing shepherding of people contacted in trips since early May, that they remain open to fellowship in person and by electronic means, and that the shepherding saints be diligent to continue nourishing them.
  • The migrating of many more to France to raise up a team of at least 20 full-timers and to open many homes for group gatherings. May the Lord thrust out workers into His harvest in France and open a way for these saints to obtain a long-term visa. As Psalm 110:3 says, “Your people will offer themselves willingly in the day of Your warfare, in the splendor of their consecration.”

Subscribe to receive trip reports and testimonies at courantdevie.myflodesk.com; archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips. A special report on the Lord's move in France and a presentation on migration to serve in France given at the recent July Semiannual Training are at lme.org/reports.html.

Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Ukraine and Russia

A reminder from the footnote on 1 Kings 8:48: “No matter for whom we are praying, our prayers should be aimed at the interests of God, i.e., at Christ and the church as God's interests on earth, for the fulfilling of God's economy.”

Please continue to pray for the Lord to:

  • Keep all the saints in the countries involved open to Him for His divine dispensing.
  • Meet all their practical needs and preserve their tripartite beings for His interests.
  • Protect His people and His interests in Ukraine, Russia, and throughout Europe.

Bangladesh

Pray for the social and political situation to be restored to stability as soon as possible and for people's hearts to be open to the gospel through the turbulence in the external environment.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 5 of Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness. Next week, we begin The Christian Life (from the Memorial Day Conference).
  2. 2024 SoCal Labor Day Blending Conference: Saturday, August 31 from 4:00 to 5:45 pm and 7:00 to 8:45 pm; Lord's Day, September 1 with table meeting at 10:00 am, then message from 10:30 to 12:30 pm. In person at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim; no childcare will be provided.
  3. Thanksgiving Conference: This year's conference will be held in Atlanta, GA from November 28 to December 1. Childcare for those in kindergarten through 6th grade will be provided during the meetings. Saints from LA who are interested in attending can get more information on hotel group rates and RSVP to receive any pertinent updates at tinyurl.com/thanksgivingconfla.
  4. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. For example, sixty nuggets and gems have been extracted from the Life-study of Philippians with timely topics such as “Pursue toward the Goal for the Prize of the High Calling” and “The Way to Be Freed from Anxiety.” These e-booklets may be accessed for free at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  5. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is published at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  6. Bibles for America's recent blog post “How Should Christians Respond to the World Situation?” is available to read and share at blog.bfa.org.
  7. Shepherding Words: Seven articles concerning Israel in God's economy have been posted to shepherdingwords.com, a helpful resource in ushering the saints into a view of the present situation in the Middle East according to God's view in His eternal economy.
  8. 500 Life-studies App: To learn more about the burden for the Life-studies, including the 500 Life-studies app, please visit 500lifestudies.org.
  9. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.
     
     
     

Week of August 4

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Loving the Lord's Appearing until His Return

“Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.” (S.S. 8:14)

“He who testifies these things says, Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20)

As the concluding word of this poetic book, the lover of Christ prays that her Beloved would make haste to come back in the power of His resurrection (gazelle and young hart) to set up His sweet and beautiful kingdom (mountains of spices), which will fill the whole earth. Such a prayer portrays the union and communion between Christ as the Bridegroom and His lovers as the bride in their bridal love, in the way that the prayer of John, a lover of Christ, as the concluding word of the Holy Scriptures, reveals God's eternal economy concerning Christ and the church in His divine love.

“When He comes, faith will be turned to facts, and praise will replace prayer. Love will consummate in a shadowless perfection, and we will serve Him in the sinless domain. What a day that will be! Lord Jesus, come quickly!”—Watchman Nee, The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, vol. 23, “The Song of Songs,” p. 126. (Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith…, msg. 4, II, A-B)

UCLA Student Internship

Beginning on Monday, August 5 many students from Christian Students at UCLA will serve with the club in a month-long online internship, which aims to fill their time positively while they are spread around the country and simultaneously taking classes or working jobs. The purpose of the internship is to cultivate both an individual and a corporate pursuit of the Lord, to build up healthy Christian life-practices, and to develop a burden for UCLA. We thank the Lord that a far greater number of interns applied and were accepted than originally anticipated and are eager to pursue and serve the Lord together in the coming weeks. Please pray:

  • For the students to be neither distracted nor disheartened by the online format, but that the Lord would fill all the meetings with mutual participation, enjoyment, learning, and perfecting.
  • For the strengthening of the students' personal and corporate pursuit of the Lord to endure through the coming school year.
  • For the prayer and coordination with the students in this internship to result in a sweet one accord for the Lord to bless us with much remaining fruit.

2024 LA Truth School

Our Truth School for the young people concluded last Saturday, August 3. This week please pray for:

  • The young people to remain in the things they have seen and heard during the 2024 LA Truth School;
  • For the Lord to cover, protect, and strengthen our young people as they begin their next school year;
  • The salvation to reach many of their friends as classmates.

FTTA

The fall term of the Full-time Training in Anaheim begins this Lord's Day, August 11. Please pray for the first-term and returning trainees as they travel and prepare for the new term. May the Lord cover their tripartite being, fill them with rest and joy, and cause them to be vessels fully open for His fresh words.

Bibles for America

In April 2022, Bibles for America began sending out copies of Basic Elements of the Christian Life, vols. 1 to 3 to recipients all over the US. In July of this year, we sent out the last copies we had available and we are currently in the process of changing our free book offer to The Knowledge of Life. Please pray for a smooth transition, that the Lord would cover all the details as we make changes to our website and ads to reflect this new offer.

Please also pray for the more than 38,000 people who have received sets of Basic Elements of the Christian Life. Pray that the Lord would bless their reading and that they would receive the help they need to grow in their Christian life.

2024 Paris Olympics Gospel Trips

The second set of Olympics gospel trips (OL2) to Rouen and Strasbourg (France), Mertzig (Luxembourg), and Geneva (Switzerland) concludes August 9. The third set of trips (OL3) will be August 10 to 19 and focus on Paris, Lille, Rouen, and Mertzig. Please pray:

  • That all those who have applied to serve full-time in France will receive their visas in a timely manner.
  • That the day-by-day and house-to-house church life among the local and visiting saints will open the way for the Lord to add to the churches, even raising up new districts and lampstands.
  • That the existing churches in French-speaking Europe will be strengthened by the gospel teams.
  • For the Lord to raise up new lampstands in Marseilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, Lille, Rouen, Versailles, Mertzig, and Geneva.
  • That the Lord will cover and rule over any disturbances or hindrances from the enemy.

Subscribe to receive trip reports and testimonies at courantdevie.myflodesk.com; archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips. A special report on the Lord's move in France and a presentation on migration to serve in France given at the recent July Semiannual Training are at lme.org/reports.html.

Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Middle East

Many airlines have canceled flights to Israel because of rising tensions in the Middle East involving Israel. A number of Israeli young people are stranded in Poland following the European Young People Conference. Please pray that the Lord will rule over the situation and will make a way for the young people to return to Israel safely.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: REPEAT Week 4 of Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness. Next week, go onto Week 5. On August 19, begin The Christian Life.
  2. SoCal Labor Day Blending Conference: Saturday afternoon, August 31 to Lord's Day morning, September 1, at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. More details to be announced.
  3. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. For example, sixty nuggets and gems have been extracted from the Life-study of Philippians with timely topics such as “Pursue toward the Goal for the Prize of the High Calling” and “The Way to Be Freed from Anxiety.” These e-booklets may be accessed for free at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  4. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is published at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  5. Bibles for America's recent blog post “How Should Christians Respond to the World Situation?” is available to read and share at blog.bfa.org.
  6. Shepherding Words: Seven new articles concerning Israel in God's economy have been posted to shepherdingwords.com, a helpful resource in ushering the saints into a view of the present situation in the Middle East according to God's view in His eternal economy.
  7. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 


Week of July 28

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Maintaining a Personal and Affectionate Seeking After Christ

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine. Your anointing oils have a pleasant fragrance; your name is like ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you. Draw me; we will run after you—the king has brought me into his chambers—we will be glad and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.” (S.S. 1:2-4)

Song of Songs is a history of love in an excellent marriage, a story of the love between the wise King Solomon, the writer of this book, and the Shulammite (6:13), a girl of the countryside…Song of Songs stresses not the Body of Christ corporately but the believer in Christ individually, unveiling the progressive experience of an individual believer's loving fellowship with Christ in…stages… (Song of Songs 1:1, footnote 1)

After you have received Christ as your life, you must have a very personal seeking after Christ. No one can represent you or do anything for you in this matter. It must be personal.

We all need this kind of personal, affectionate, intimate contact with the Lord every day...We all need to take heed to what the seeker says: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!” Right away her tone changes: “Your love is better than wine.” This is a personal, intimate prayer. “Draw me; we will run after you.”…We need to build up such a relationship with Him that is so personal and affectionate. (CWWL, 1994–1997, vol. 3, “Crystallization-study of Songs of Songs,” pp. 257, 260)

2024 LA Truth School

Our Truth School for the young people started Friday, July 26 and concludes this Saturday, August 3. This week, please pray:

  • For our weeklong truth pursuit of judicial and organic salvation, that our YP would be impressed with and enter into the experience of these truths;
  • For our YP to enjoy the gatherings and be companionized during the planned outings and activities;
  • For our concluding meeting of the 2024 LA Truth School this coming Saturday.

Bibles for America

In June, Bibles for America announced a new title available for saints to order and give away: a 90-day version of Spiritual Nourishment, which can be obtained at materials.bfa.org. This booklet includes ninety days of Bible verses and short excerpts from the ministry. The burden is for this booklet to serve as an entry point into the rich ministry of these two servants of the Lord. The bite-sized portions emphasize Christ as life and are intended to give people a taste for healthy spiritual food.

So far, over 500 copies have been ordered. Pray that all those who receive a copy would be nourished spiritually and enter into the life practice of spending time with the Lord in His Word and the ministry.

European Young People's Conference & Family Conference

The annual European Young People's Conference (EYPC) and European Family Conference (EFC) are taking place this week from July 28 to August 3 in Małe Ciche, Poland. The burden of the EYPC is to constitute the young people in Europe with the truth in the Bible so that they are encouraged to love the Lord and the Word of God, to pursue Him with one another, and to be built up together in His Body that they may become pillars for the Lord's move in Europe and for His coming back. The burden of the EFC is to raise up families from across Europe for the church life. Please pray:

  • That the Lord will once again speak a clear and definite word to each young person that will touch each heart and call each one for His purpose in Europe.
  • That there will be a cleansed and sanctified environment for the Lord to freely move among our young generation to gain a group of consecrated young people in Europe for His testimony and expression.
  • For the fellowship and blending among the young people and serving saints from the many different countries and languages to realize the Body, even while they are still so young.
  • For the covering and protection of the saints in their travels and throughout the entire week of the conference, and for the health and safety of all in attendance.

2024 Paris Olympics Gospel Trips

The first set of gospel trips (OL1) started July 21 and concludes July 30. This marks the beginning of 50 days of continuous Bible distributions and visiting people with the good news during this year's Olympic Games. The second set of gospel trips during the Olympics (OL2) are July 31 to August 9 and will be in Rouen, Mertzig (Luxembourg), Geneva (Switzerland), and Strasbourg.

We expect that the day-by-day and house-to-house church life among the local and visiting saints would open the way for the Lord to add to the churches, even raising up new districts and lampstands. May our praying spirit be so strong to stand with the Lord in what He is doing among the French people!

Please pray:

  • For the the 50 days of continuous Bible distributions and visitations during the Olympics.
  • That the day-by-day and house-to-house church life among the local and visiting saints will open the way for the Lord to add to the churches, even raising up new districts and lampstands.
  • That the existing churches in French-speaking Europe will be strengthened by the gospel teams.
  • For the Lord to raise up new lampstands in Marseilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, Lille, Rouen, Versailles, Mertzig, and Geneva.
  • That the Lord will cover and rule over any disturbances or hindrances from the enemy.

A special report on the Lord's move in France and a presentation on migration to serve in France given at the recent July Semiannual Training are at lme.org/reports.html. Subscribe to receive trip reports and testimonies at courantdevie.myflodesk.com; archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips.

Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste, or East Timor, is a Southeast Asian nation with fewer than 1.5 million inhabitants, most of whom are Catholic. The two official languages are Portuguese and Tetum, with English and Indonesian designated as working languages. Please pray for the students at the Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e, located in Dili, the capital city, to be open to the truth and for the home meetings and group meetings for Bible reading to be established.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 4 of Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness.
  2. SoCal Labor Day Blending Conference: Saturday afternoon, August 31 to Lord's Day morning, September 1, at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. In-person attendance is encouraged. More details to be announced.
  3. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. For example, sixty nuggets and gems have been extracted from the Life-study of Philippians with timely topics such as “Pursue toward the Goal for the Prize of the High Calling” and “The Way to Be Freed from Anxiety.” These e-booklets may be accessed for free at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  4. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is published at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  5. Bibles for America's recent blog post “How Should Christians Respond to the World Situation?” is available to read and share at blog.bfa.org.
  6. Shepherding Words: Seven new articles concerning Israel in God's economy have been posted to shepherdingwords.com, a helpful resource in ushering the saints into a view of the present situation in the Middle East according to God's view in His eternal economy.
  7. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 


Week of July 21

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Keeping the Faith and Laying Hold on Eternal Life

“I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7c)

“Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold on the eternal life, to which you were called…” (1 Tim. 6:12)

To keep the faith is to keep the entire New Testament economy of God—the faith concerning Christ as the embodiment of God and the mystery of God and the church as the Body of Christ and the mystery of Christ. A proper Christian life involves keeping the faith for participation in the divine riches in God's economy. The economy of God is a matter in faith, that is, a matter that is initiated and developed in the sphere and element of faith. God's economy, which is to dispense Himself into His chosen people, is not a matter in the natural realm nor in the work of the law but in the spiritual sphere of the new creation through regeneration by faith in Christ.

We today must fight the good fight of the faith. This means that we must fight for Christ as the embodiment of God and for the church as the Body of Christ. Furthermore, we must not merely fight objectively but fight subjectively, by laying hold on eternal life…

Do you realize that you have been called to eternal life? This eternal life does not mainly refer to blessings in the future. To be called to eternal life does not mean that we have been called to enjoy blessings in heaven. Eternal life should be our life today, a life for our present daily living. By our first birth, the physical birth, we received the adamic life. But because we have been called to eternal life, we should no longer live the adamic life, the natural life. Yes, we must be truly human, even Jesusly human, but not in our natural life. On the contrary, we need to live a human life by the eternal life. We have been called to this life, and now we need to live it. (Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith…, msg. 3, II.C, V.A-B; Life-study of 1 Timothy, 2nd ed., p. 102)

Heavenly Rule over the United States

“The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.” (1 Cor. 10:26)

“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.” 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. (Rom. 13:1 and footnote 4)

The U.S. elections at all levels of government are Tuesday, November 5. The church takes no position on how to vote. Each saint must seek the Lord about whether to vote and how to vote. As Romans 14:4a reminds us, “Who are you who judge another's household servant? To his own master he stands or falls.”

Let us labor with the Lord in prayer to bring His heavenly ruling into all the elections that there may be a proper atmosphere for the gospel and the raising up and building up of the churches.

2024 SoCal Labor Day Blending Conference

The co-workers in Southern California are burdened to conduct a blending conference among the saints and the churches during the upcoming Labor Day weekend on Saturday, August 31 and Lord's Day, September 1. Please set aside these dates on your calendar. The plan is to have two meetings (afternoon and evening) on Saturday and a concluding meeting (with the Lord's table) the following morning. The specific schedule will be announced later.

The conference meetings will be held in person at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. A way to participate online will be provided for saints who live too far from the LSM campus or for other reasons cannot attend in person. Because a major purpose of this conference is to carry out the blending among the churches and the saints in Southern California for the reality of the Body of Christ, in-person attendance is encouraged as much as possible. Please note that no childcare will be provided at the MCC.

“In the blending of the churches we receive nourishment, we receive revelation, and we receive a vision of God's eternal purpose concerning Christ and the church. Such a blending is not only for our own mutual spiritual benefit but is also for the mutual building up of the Body of Christ” (1993 Blending Conference Messages concerning the Lord's Recovery and Our Present Need, ch. 2).

Please pray for the Lord's blessing on all aspects of this conference and for the saints to set aside this Labor Day weekend to be gathered and blended together for the reality of the Body of Christ.

2024 LA Truth School

Our Truth School for the young people begins this Friday, July 26 and runs until Saturday, August 3. The whole church is needed to bear this burden in prayer. This week, let us pray:

  • For a good beginning to our 2024 LA Truth School, and the Lord's presence at each gathering.
  • For the Lord to anoint the word in each meeting and speak to the hearts of the young people.
  • For the young people to overflow with the enjoyment and appreciation of God's full salvation.

UCLA Freshmen Orientations

This summer, UCLA is hosting 12 orientation sessions for incoming freshmen. During these two-day sessions, students pick classes and get acquainted with campus life. A big component is a club fair on the first day of orientation, where students can sign up for various clubs that appeal to their interests.

Our club will have a table at most of these orientations in order to meet and connect with new students. Over the years, these orientations have been very fruitful for our labor at UCLA. Please pray:

  • For the Spirit to brood over the incoming freshmen to open them to the Lord and bring them to the table.
  • For our timely follow-up with all contacts to maintain contact throughout the summer and into the fall.
  • For the Lord to flow through our own students and full-timers at the table to minister to the freshmen.

North America Chinese-speaking Saints Perfecting Training

Following five days of in-person sessions in Cerritos, the perfecting training on “Shepherding According to God” continues from July 24 to 28 at Camp Penuel, New York. Please pray for the Lord to:

  • Strengthen, protect, and prepare the saints who have registered for this training.
  • Cover all the practical needs of the training so that the burden of the training can be fully released.
  • Encourage and perfect the seeking Chinese-speaking saints in the churches in truth, life, and service.

2024 Paris Olympics Gospel Trips

The quotas for participation in the gospel trips have been filled. Praise the Lord! The first set of gospel trips during the Olympics (OL1) are currently taking place from July 21 to 30 in Paris, Lille, Rouen, Lyon, Mertzig (Luxembourg), and Geneva (Switzerland). Please pray:

  • For the beginning of the 50 days of continuous Bible distributions and visitations during the Olympics.
  • That the day-by-day and house-to-house church life among the local and visiting saints will open the way for the Lord to add to the churches, even raising up new districts and lampstands.
  • That the existing churches in French-speaking Europe will be strengthened by the gospel teams.
  • For the Lord to raise up new lampstands in Marseilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, Lille, Rouen, Versailles, Mertzig, and Geneva.
  • That the Lord will cover and rule over any disturbances or hindrances from the enemy.

A special report on the Lord's move in France and a presentation on migration to serve in France given at the recent July Semiannual Training are at lme.org/reports.html. Subscribe to receive trip reports and testimonies at courantdevie.myflodesk.com; archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips.

Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 3 of Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness.
  2. Bibles for America's latest blog post “How Should Christians Respond to the World Situation?” is available to read and share at blog.bfa.org.
  3. Shepherding Words: Seven new articles concerning Israel in God's economy have been posted to shepherdingwords.com, a helpful resource in ushering the saints into a view of the present situation in the Middle East according to God's view in His eternal economy.
  4. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 
 
 


Week of July 14

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Running the Race and Finishing the Course

“Do you not know that those who run on a racecourse all run, but one receives the prize? Run in this way, that you may lay hold.” (1 Cor. 9:24)

“Run with endurance the race which is set before us, looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…” (Heb. 12:1-2)

“I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course…” (2 Tim. 4:7)

Like the apostle Paul, all Christians must run the race to win the prize, not salvation in the common sense but a reward in a special sense. We run the Christian race by “looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.” When we look away unto Him, He ministers heaven, life, and strength to us, transfusing and infusing us with all that He is, so that we may be able to run the heavenly race and live the heavenly life on earth. As we look away unto Him continually, He will finish and complete the faith that we need to run the heavenly race.

We need to be encouraged and warned by the type of the children of Israel, whose journey toward the good land typifies the Christian race toward our good land, the all-inclusive Christ. We have been redeemed through Christ, delivered out of Satan's bondage, and brought into the revelation of God's economy. We may yet fail to reach the goal of God's calling, that is, to enter into the possession of our good land, Christ, and enjoy His riches for the kingdom of God that we may be His expression in the present age and participate in the fullest enjoyment of Christ in the kingdom age.

The last part of the journey ordained by God for each one of us is the most difficult part of the journey. An important thing in the Christian life is to seek out the journey that the Lord has ordained and faithfully walk on it. We may be delighted to be on the right course; but how we run and end is still a question. We should not grow weary, fainting in our soul for any reason; rather, we should be those who run the race to the end. (Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course…, msg. 2, II.C.1, D, 4.b-c, E-G)

Southwest College Training Follow-up

Dear saints, thank you for your prayers! Around 50 saints from LA participated in last week's regional college training at Oak Glen. This five-day training was on “A Vessel Unto Honor,” based on Paul's epistles to Timothy, and consisted of four lines of fellowship:

  1. Touching the Lord through personal and intimate pray-reading for the daily nourishment of our spirit and soul. (Students had the opportunity to spend personal time with the Lord in the mornings.)
  2. Experiencing life and dealing with the Lord to have a pure heart and a good conscience.
  3. Carrying out one's ministry of preaching the gospel on the college campuses, especially in the areas of personal and corporate prayer and coordination.
  4. Having a vision of God's economy. (This was the main burden of the training.)

Special fellowship topics included the history of the Lord's recovery and an introduction to the FTTA. Students also spent time memorizing Bible verses.

Overall, the training was blessed with the Lord's fresh burden and speaking. The students were charged as men of God to flee and pursue, to be patterns to the believers, and to be open vessels that cooperate with the Lord to cleanse themselves from dishonorable things. A special commission came at the high point of the training for the students to be the next generation of good ministers, nourished and constituted with the revelation of God's New Testament economy through the apostles' teaching. The last day prepared the students for going on after the training as good soldiers fighting the good fight.

Please continue to fight through prayer for the students' immediate practice of all that they touched during this training, specifically:

  • For the students to rise up regularly in the mornings to inhale God through His word.
  • For their cooperation with the Lord to deal with their conscience and flee from unrighteousness and dishonorable things.
  • For the Lord to impart into them a burden for others' salvation and gain the prayer for specific names He would put on their heart.
  • For their daily nourishment with the words of the faith and of the good teaching that they may be good ministers of Christ Jesus in God's economy.

May every one of these young saints become gold and silver vessels in His hands and for His use!

2024 LA Truth School

This year's LA Truth School will be from July 26 to August 3. As we approach the start date, we ask the whole church to join in prayer. This week, please pray:

  • For the coordination of all the serving ones and service groups planning for the Truth School.
  • For the oneness and one accord among the saints upon which the Lord can pour out His blessing.
  • That the activities and atmosphere during the Truth School would be cherishing and facilitate blending.

North America Chinese-speaking Saints Perfecting Training

This summer's perfecting training for Chinese-speaking saints in North America will take place in two parts—July 19 to 23 in Cerritos and July 24 to 28 at Camp Penuel, New York. The subject of this year's training is “Shepherding According to God.” Please pray for the Lord to:

  • Strengthen, protect, and prepare the saints who have registered for this training.
  • Cover all the practical needs of the training so that the burden of the training can be fully released.
  • Encourage and perfect the seeking Chinese-speaking saints in the churches in truth, life, and service.

2024 Paris Olympics Gospel Trips

The quotas for participation in all the gospel trips have been filled. Praise the Lord! The ninth and final Torch Relay trip (TR9) is currently underway from July 11 to 17 in Paris. The first set of trips during the Olympic/Paralympic Games (OL1) will take place July 21 to 30. Please pray:

  • For the Spirit to continue opening the hearts of the people to the gospel and to bring the seekers into contact with the saints.
  • For the Lord to give us more follow-up and shepherding time with the new ones in order to bring them to maturity so they can be rooted and grounded for the building up of the church.
  • For the Lord to strengthen existing churches through the gospel teams and raise up new lampstands in Marseilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, Lille, Rouen, Mertzig, and Geneva.
  • That the Lord would cover and rule over any disturbances or hindrances from the enemy.

A report was given during the July Semiannual Training concerning the present gospel move in France, with a strong call for those burdened by the Lord to migrate there. The presentation slides are at www.lordsmove.org/reports.html and the report video is at www.lsm.org/announcements.

Gospel trip reports and testimonies are compiled for the saints' awareness and prayer. Subscribe to receive these at courantdevie.myflodesk.com. Archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips.

Saints in LA burdened to give for the Bible distributions can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Nordic-Baltic Conference

This summer's Nordic-Baltic Conference from July 19 to 22 will be hosted by the church in Stockholm, Sweden. The subject is “Knowing and Doing the Will of God in the Kingdom of God.” Please pray for the Lord's timely speaking and for the blending of around 160 saints from the Nordic countries, the Baltic States, and other Russian and English-speaking churches for the building up of the Body of Christ. Pray that the word concerning the will of God would be released and received by the saints.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 2 of Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness.
  2. Bibles for America's latest blog post “How Should Christians Respond to the World Situation?” is available to read and share at blog.bfa.org.
  3. Shepherding Words: Seven new articles concerning Israel in God's economy have been posted to shepherdingwords.com, a helpful resource in ushering the saints into a view of the present situation in the Middle East according to God's view in His eternal economy.
  4. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 


Week of July 7

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Fighting the Good Fight

“I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7)

“Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold on the eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.” (1 Tim. 6:12)

To fight for the faith [1 Tim. 6:12a] means to fight for God's New Testament economy. In particular, it is to fight for Christ as the embodiment of God and for the church as the Body of Christ. The eternal life [1 Tim. 6:12b] is the divine life, the uncreated life of God, which is eternal. Eternal denotes the nature more than the time element of the divine life. To fight the good fight of the faith in the Christian life, especially in the Christian ministry, we need to lay hold on this divine life and not trust in our human life. Hence, in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus the eternal life is stressed again and again (1 Tim. 1:16; 6:19; 2 Tim. 1:1, 10; Titus 1:2; 3:7). To bring forth God's dispensation concerning the church in 1 Timothy, to confront the process of the church's decline in 2 Timothy, and to maintain good order in the church life in Titus, this life is a prerequisite. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 1862-1863)

Not only heretical teachings but even fundamental teachings may be used by the enemy to keep us from enjoying the eternal life. Teachings that are scriptural, fundamental, good, ethical, and moral, teachings about the improvement of character and about making up our mind to do good things, keep the believers from the experience of the processed Triune God as eternal life to them.

It is crucial for us to see that all the matters in the New Testament concerning the believers are related to the dispensing of the processed Triune God into us. To experience this dispensing is to enjoy eternal life. Some may teach according to the Bible without teaching the believers how to contact the processed Triune God and to receive His dispensing, which becomes the vital factor of our Christian life. Because even fundamental teachings may be subtly used by the enemy to keep us from enjoying eternal life, we need to lay hold on the eternal life. Then we shall be able to fight the good fight for the faith. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 1863-1864)

Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ

Thank the Lord for His rich speaking in last week's Semiannual Training in Anaheim. Please pray that the spoken word would penetrate the entire recovery in an unprecedented way to match the Lord's burden. Pray for all the saints in the churches to spend the time praying over the word, allowing it to have a thoroughfare in their being so that it becomes their constitution. May we all upgrade our experience and enjoyment of Christ for the expression of Christ for the fulfillment of God's economy!

Southwest College Training

Five regional college trainings are taking place around the United States from July 10 to 21. The topic is “A Vessel Unto Honor,” mainly based on 1 and 2 Timothy. The Southwest College Training will be July 10 to 14 at Oak Glen for saints from California, Arizona, and Nevada. Over 300 saints have registered for this training, including over 40 students related to Los Angeles. Please pray:

  • For a prevailing atmosphere of pursuing Christ with all those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
  • For a sweet fellowship and blending experience for mutual encouragement among all the students.
  • For a fanning into flame of the spirit within each student, resulting in a genuine consecration to the Lord and a desire to flow Him out to others on their campuses.

2024 LA Truth School

As we near the start of our 2024 LA Truth School (July 27 to August 3), we ask the whole church to join in prayer. New burdens will be added each week for the saints to follow along and strengthen by prayer. This week, please pray:

  • For many young people across LA to register for this time. The registration deadline is July 12.
  • For the preparation of the hearts of our young people to be soft and open.
  • For our young people to be impressed with the overall topic this year—“God's Full Salvation.”

2024 Olympics Torch Relay Gospel Trips

A report was presented during the recent Semiannual Training in Anaheim concerning the present gospel move in France, with a strong call for those burdened by the Lord to migrate to France to support this move and strengthen the Lord's testimony there. The presentation slides are available at www.lordsmove.org/reports.html.

The ninth and final Torch Relay (TR) gospel trip will be July 11 to 17 in Paris. Please pray that:

  • The existing churches in French-speaking Europe will be strengthened by the gospel teams.
  • The Lord will gain local French speakers along with their families for the church life.
  • The Lord will raise up new lampstands in Marseilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, Lille, Rouen, Mertzig (Luxembourg), and Geneva (Switzerland).
  • By Summer 2025 there will be a team of 20 full-time serving ones in Paris to take care of the Lord's needs throughout France.
  • Many students, families, and mature saints will migrate to France within the next couple of years for the Lord's interest.
  • The Lord will cover and rule over any disturbances from the enemy that might hinder the distribution.

Gospel trip reports and testimonies are compiled for the saints' awareness and prayer. Subscribe to receive these at courantdevie.myflodesk.com. Archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips.

Application information is at www.amanatrust.org.uk/page/2024Paris. Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “PARIS OLYMPICS.”

India

Pray for the general political situation in India, that the Lord as the Leader and Savior can sovereignly arrange the situation so that the door of the gospel can remain open for many more to be saved and for the testimony of the Lord to be spread into many more northern states of the country.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 1 of Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness.
  2. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is now available at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  3. Bibles for America's recent blog post, “Jesus the Lamb of God,” is available at blog.bfa.org.
  4. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. The latest release is “Paul's Secret of Sufficiency in Christ” at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  5. Living to Him: A recording of the working saints gathering at the recent Memorial Day Conference in Bellevue is available at youtu.be/u5fRTZ5LrrQ. The fellowship focused on the actual carrying out of the God-ordained way, especially in the practice of the vital groups and shepherding.
  6. 500 Life-studies App: To learn more about the burden for the Life-studies, including the 500 Life-studies app, please visit 500lifestudies.org.
  7. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 
 
 


Week of June 30

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July Semiannual Training

The July Semiannual Training is taking place this week, July 1 to 6, in Anaheim and by webcast in Los Angeles and around the world. The subject is “Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1)."

Pray for the saints to receive and respond to the Lord's burden in His up-to-date speaking, and to participate as much as possible in study times. Pray that through this training the Triune God will operate more in us to accomplish His will, fulfill His purpose, and satisfy the desire of His heart.

FTTA and FTTA-MA

Last weekend, trainees graduated from the FTTA, FTTA-XB, and FTTA-MA. Please continue to pray for all these ones to follow the Lamb wherever He may go. Pray also for many college graduates and young working saints to answer God's call to go to the FTTA next term. A video of the graduation meeting is available for a limited time at ftta.org.

The Fall 2024 term of the Middle-age Full-time Training in Anaheim goes from September 9 to December 21. The classes are given in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish. It is hoped that many saints in the Lord's recovery, especially those between the ages of 35 and 65, will seize this opportunity to be perfected. All FTTA-MA applications must be received by August 20.

France

The first round of France's elections for all members of the national parliament was on June 30. The final round is on July 7. The first round results led to strong expressions of political concern by many groups in France. The election and reactions are outwardly manifested, but at the same time the Lord is doing a marvelous, hidden work in the country, especially among students and young adults.

Let us petition the Lord that the coming vote will do nothing to hinder His present move in France and its spread all over French-speaking Europe.

2024 Olympics Torch Relay Gospel Trips

The eighth gospel trip is currently taking place June 27 to July 8 in Lille and Brussels. Lille was previously was visited on three occasions by Russian-speaking trainees and saints; it will be visited six more times in the remaining trips. May the Lord gain many seeking ones, particularly among the younger generation, for His testimony in these cities!

Please pray that:

  • The existing churches in French-speaking Europe will be strengthened by the gospel teams.
  • The Lord will gain local French speakers along with their families for the church life.
  • The Lord will raise up new lampstands in Marseilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Caen, Nantes, Lille, Mertzig (Luxembourg), and Geneva (Switzerland).
  • By Summer 2025 there will be a team of 20 full-time serving ones in Paris to take care of the Lord's needs throughout France.
  • Many students, families, and mature saints will migrate to France within the next couple of years for the Lord's interest.
  • The Lord will cover and rule over any disturbances from the enemy that might hinder the distribution.
  • The Holy Spirit will prepare the ground in Paris, which will receive multiple teams starting July 11 and in the remainder of the gospel trips.

Reports and testimonies are compiled for the saints' awareness and prayer. To receive these directly, subscribe at courantdevie.myflodesk.com. All archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips.

Application information is at www.amanatrust.org.uk/page/2024Paris. Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Ukraine

Please pray that the Lord will protect the tripartite being of all the saints and will rule in the heavens over every aspect of this conflict so that the result will advance His economy on earth.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Repeat Week 12 or enjoy material from the Semiannual Training. Next week, starting July 8, we will get into Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness (ICSC).
  2. No Prayer Meeting: To make way for the Semiannual Training, there will not be a church prayer meeting on Tuesday, July 2. It will resume on July 9.
  3. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is now available at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  4. Bibles for America's recent blog post, “Jesus the Lamb of God,” is available at blog.bfa.org.
  5. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. The latest release is “Paul's Secret of Sufficiency in Christ” at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  6. Living to Him: A recording of the working saints gathering at the recent Memorial Day Conference in Bellevue is available at youtu.be/u5fRTZ5LrrQ. The fellowship focused on the actual carrying out of the God-ordained way, especially in the practice of the vital groups and shepherding.
  7. 500 Life-studies App: To learn more about the burden for the Life-studies, including the 500 Life-studies app, please visit 500lifestudies.org.
  8. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 


Week of June 23

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Living a Life of Enjoying Christ

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16)

“In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit.” (Eph. 2:21-22)

God's will is for us to enjoy Christ. We need to seek to enjoy Christ and experience Him in every situation. In order to experience the riches of Christ as the good land, we must be dominated, governed, directed, moved, and led by our spirit.

When we enjoy Christ personally in our daily life for our collective enjoyment of Him in our meeting life, God is among us, and we are His dwelling place and His kingdom. When we enjoy Christ to such an extent, the church meeting will be filled with God, and all its activities will convey and transmit God to people that they may be infused with God. The true worship of God by His people is when everyone is full of Christ, radiant with Christ, and exhibiting the Christ upon whom they have labored. (Laboring on the All-inclusive Christ Typified by the Good Land…, msg. 12, II.B, E.8, III.A-C)

July Semiannual Training

The 2024 July Semiannual Training will be held next week at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim from July 1 to 6 and by webcast in Los Angeles and around the world. The general subject is “Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1).”

Please pray for the Lord to bless all the preparations for the upcoming training and cover the travel of all the saints. Pray for the Lord to strengthen and protect all the speaking brothers in their tripartite being as they seek Him and labor diligently in cutting straight the word of the truth. Pray for the release and receiving of the Lord's up-to-date burden, that the Spirit will operate through the speaking to build up the Body and prepare the bride for His return.

FTTA Graduation

This Saturday, June 29, the graduation meeting for the 2024 Spring Class of the Full-time Training in Anaheim, including a recognition of the Boston Extension (FTTA-XB) trainees, starts at 9:30 am at the Ministry Conference Center. This meeting can also be seen online at www.ftta.org/graduation.php. In the afternoon, the Middle-age Training (FTTA-MA) graduation starts at 3:00 pm at 1853 W. Ball Rd.

Please pray for the graduates of the FTTA and the FTTA-MA trainings, that they will continue to pursue Christ, gain Him, live Him, and minister Him for the building up of the Body.

2024 Olympics Torch Relay Gospel Trips

This week, the seventh and eighth gospel trips are taking place, respectively, June 24 to July 1 in Strasbourg and June 27 to July 8 in Lille and Brussels. May the Lord gain many seeking ones, particularly among the younger generation, for His testimony in these cities!

Please continue to pray for:

  • The whole situation in France—from the legislative election on June 30 and July 7 to safety concerns—that the Lord would have a way to move in the hearts of the people during this time.
  • The Lord's blessing and protection on the saints from different countries going to serve, and for their blending together to serve as in a heavenly team in one accord without opinions.
  • The Lord's covering and ruling over any disturbances from the enemy that will hinder the distribution.
  • The follow-up shepherding of contacts from Lille and TR1–6 (Marseille, Montpellier, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Caen, Rennes, and Nantes), including a weekly Zoom seminar, through the coordination of both local and overseas saints.
  • More saints to apply for OL3–5 trips (starting August 10, 20, and 31, respectively).

Reports and testimonies are compiled for the saints' awareness and prayer. To receive these directly, subscribe at courantdevie.myflodesk.com. All archived reports are at tinyurl.com/2024gospeltrips.

Application information is at www.amanatrust.org.uk/page/2024Paris. Saints in LA burdened to give for the distribution can do so through the Church in Los Angeles designated for “Paris Olympics.”

Israel

Please continue to pray for the situation in Israel and the Middle East, that through the prayers of the saints the evil rulers and authorities in the air, and the human agents used by them, will be bound, and God's interests will be furthered and His chosen ones preserved.

Pray that God will use the situation to cause the gospel of the kingdom to be proclaimed, and that many people, regardless of ethnicity, religion or background, will be unveiled to see Christ as the Savior and the only way to God.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 12 of Laboring on the All-inclusive Christ Typified by the Good Land… Next week, repeat Week 12 or enjoy verses and related material from the Semiannual Training.
    Starting July 8, we will get into Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith, and Loving the Lord's Appearing in Order to Receive the Reward of Christ as the Crown of Righteousness (from the ICSC earlier this year).
  2. Wednesday Night Ministry Meeting: This Wednesday, June 26 at 7:25 pm will be the last ministry meeting of the Spring term on “The Crucial Points of the Truth in Paul's Epistles—2 Corinthians.”
  3. Memorial Day Conference: As a reminder, saints are encouraged to watch or listen to the archived messages, available at no charge only until Wednesday, June 26 at www.lsmwebcast.com.
  4. The LA Years: Chapter 6: Visiting Seekers Throughout America is now available at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in Los Angeles from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  5. Bibles for America's recent blog post, “Jesus the Lamb of God,” is available at blog.bfa.org.
  6. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. The latest release is “Paul's Secret of Sufficiency in Christ” at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  7. Living to Him: A recording of the working saints gathering at the recent Memorial Day Conference in Bellevue is available at youtu.be/u5fRTZ5LrrQ. The fellowship focused on the actual carrying out of the God-ordained way, especially in the practice of the vital groups and shepherding.
  8. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.

 


Week of June 16

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Laboring on Christ for the Corporate Worship of the Father

“But to the place which Jehovah your God will choose out of all your tribes to put His name, to His habitation, shall you seek, and there shall you go. And there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and the heave offering of your hand and your vows and your freewill offerings and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.” (Deut. 12:5-6)

“What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” (1 Cor. 14:26)

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.” (John 4:24)

Daily, we should labor on Christ to have a harvest of Christ's riches to bring to the church meetings for the corporate worship of God the Father. Christ will be exalted and glorified, and the Father will be pleased and satisfied. It is crucial that we diligently labor on Christ to have our hands full of Christ and then come to the church meetings to enjoy this rich and glorious Christ with God's children and with God the Father Himself.

Whenever we come to the Lord's table meeting to remember the Lord and worship the Father, we must come with the riches of Christ produced by our daily laboring on Christ. To worship God with Christ is to worship Him collectively with all the children of God by enjoying Christ with one another and with God. We need to produce enough of Christ so that there will be a surplus to share with others and to offer the best part of the produce to God the Father for His joy, delight, and satisfaction. (Laboring on the All-inclusive Christ Typified by the Good Land…, msg. 11, III.C-E, 1-2)

LA Family Bible Day

The church in Los Angeles will be hosting our first Family Bible Day this Saturday, June 22. This gathering will include a time for singing and storytelling, crafts, fun activities, and lunch at a park. Over 100 people have signed up! Please pray for:

  • The preparation and coordination of our gathering.
  • An increase in fellowship among all the families.
  • A sweet atmosphere for the children to get acquainted and to form friendships outside of the meetings.
  • All the children to realize that they are precious and to aspire to be precious to God.
  • The strengthening of the vision and care for the families and children across all the halls in LA.

FTTA Middle-age Training

The Fall 2024 term of the Middle-age Full-time Training in Anaheim (FTTA-MA) will be from September 9 to December 21. All classes are given in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish and designed with a full year in view in two 15-week terms. Saints may also attend on a short-term basis.

Please pray for more saints in the Lord's recovery to seize this opportunity to be perfected. All applications must be received by the training office no later than August 20.

2024 Olympics Torch Relay Gospel Trips

Following what it considered to be disastrous EU election results, the French government called a snap election for parliament just two weeks before the Olympic Games. Aside from this political upheaval, there have also been terrorist threats to the opening of the games. Please pray for:

  • The whole situation in France—from the election to the safety concerns—that the Lord would have a way to move in the hearts of the people during this time.
  • The Lord's blessing and protection on the saints from different countries going to serve, and for their blending together to serve as in a heavenly team in one accord without opinions. The next Torch Relay trip starts on June 24 in Strasbourg.
  • The follow-up shepherding of contacts from Lille and TR1–6 (Marseille, Montpellier, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Caen, Rennes, and Nantes), including a weekly Zoom seminar, through the coordination of both local and overseas saints.
  • More saints to apply for OL3–5 trips (starting August 10, 20, and 31, respectively).

For the saints' awareness and prayer, the following detailed reports and testimonies are available:

Botswana

Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The church life there began in 2014 with four faithful sisters who had touched the ministry through Europe and began practicing the church life and entering into the ministry publications. Currently, of the 19 saints, only 7 are meeting regularly. Most of the saints are located in the capital city, Gaborone, while 4 saints are scattered around the country. Six saints have graduated from FTT Pretoria; two brothers are learning to bear responsibility.

From 2022 to 2023, fifty university students who had met the saints while studying abroad in Israel returned to Botswana; out of the 10 students we were able to have fellowship with, at least 4 are positive. Through our labour at the University of Botswana, we have another 5 positive students. There are also families and sons of peace in the community under the care and shepherding of the saints.

This weekend, June 22 to 23, the seventh annual Botswana Blending Conference will take place. with 80 to 100 saints from Southern Africa are expected to attend.

Please pray for:

  • The Lord to establish a lampstand in Gaborone.
  • The care and shepherding of many dear ones not currently meeting, that the Lord would heal any wounds and restore the joy of their salvation.
  • The Lord's bountiful supply and wisdom to the saints caring for their gospel contacts.
  • This weekend's blending conference, that Lord would use it to gain Botswana for Himself; pray for some who were invited to be released in every way and hear the gospel of the kingdom.
  • The migration of families to strengthen the Lord's move in Botswana, along with much visitation and blending with neighboring nations.
  • The Lord to raise up the proper eldership and add to the brothers in Gaborone.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 11 of Laboring on the All-inclusive Christ Typified by the Good Land…
  2. Wednesday Night Ministry Meeting: The ministry meeting continues this week starting at 7:25 pm.
  3. Bibles for America's newest blog post, “Jesus the Lamb of God,” is available at blog.bfa.org.
  4. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. The latest release is “Paul's Secret of Sufficiency in Christ” at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
  5. Memorial Day Conference: Saints are encouraged to watch or listen to the archived messages, available at no charge until June 26 at www.lsmwebcast.com.
  6. Living to Him: A recording of the working saints gathering at the recent Memorial Day Conference in Bellevue is available at youtu.be/u5fRTZ5LrrQ. The fellowship focused on the actual carrying out of the God-ordained way, especially in the practice of the vital groups and shepherding.
  7. The LA Years: Chapter 5: Publications to Reach the Seekers is now available at www.layears.org, an oral history project documenting the early years of the church life in LA from 1958–1974, including written history, photos, and first-hand accounts.
  8. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.