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 25
Waiting on Our Faithful God
"It is Jehovah's lovingkindness that we are not consumed, for His compassions do not fail… Jehovah is my portion, says my soul; therefore I hope in Him. Jehovah is good to those who wait on Him, to the soul that seeks Him." (Lam. 3:22, 24-25)
When the situation around us seems to be hopeless, we need to realize that our God can never be defeated. Whatever He has spoken, He will be faithful to fulfill. Therefore we should believe all that the Bible says. In addition, we need to realize that God is the portion of His people, and we need to put our hope and our trust in Him. We need to trust in Him and wait on Him whether He answers us now or later. Even if he seemingly does not answer our prayer, we should continue to pray and wait on Him. The eventual result will be according to His purpose, and we will be the ones benefited by Him. May we all learn this lesson. (Life-study of Lamentations, p. 9)
Although God is true, living, compassionate, and faithful, in order to test His people, He often delays in fulfilling His word. To wait on the eternal God means that we terminate ourselves; that is, we stop ourselves with our living, our doing, and our activity and receive God in Christ as our life, our person, and our replacement. We need to learn the lesson of waiting on the Lord. (Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, msg. 7, IV.B.1-2.a)
The Prevailing Prayer of the Church
"Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven." (Matt. 18:18)
The prayer in the church as a house of prayer is in the position of ascension, and with this position of prayer there is the authority of prayer. When we have the heavenly position and authority, our prayers become God's administration, the executing of God's will. This is the prevailing prayer of the church—the prayer of the age. (ITERO, msg. 5, II.G)
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)
"This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High is the Ruler over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wills and sets up over it the lowliest of men." (Dan. 4:17)
Pray that the Lord would sovereignly rule to preserve America's leadership in the world situation so that He may have the way to accomplish His purpose that His bride would be prepared. Pray that a peaceful situation would be kept in the United States and throughout the globe for the word of the Lord's recovery to go out. 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. (http://www.beseeching.org, Days 115, 117, 127)
Church in Los Angeles Joint Meeting
The whole church in LA—all halls, districts, and languages—will meet together this Lord's Day, November 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 am. There will be translation into Chinese, Korean, and Spanish. The Zoom link is http://tinyurl.com/lachurchmeeting.
Let us be those who wait on the Lord, seek Him, and call unto Him. Please pray for His lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness to refresh and encourage all the saints to pursue Him more in these days. Pray for the Lord to gain a brighter testimony and expression of Himself in this city!
Orange County
As of Monday, at least 85,000 residents in Irvine and Yorba Linda were under mandatory evacuation due to two large brush fires. Please pray for the protection of the Lord's interests. Also pray for such "shaking" to open the hearts of people to receive the gospel and stir us to speak the gospel more.
All-California College Conference
This fall 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." The registration deadline is this Thursday, October 29. Please pray that many college students from both Northern and Southern California, including many first-timers, would sanctify this weekend unto the Lord and register on time!
European Online Training
Amana Trust will conduct the Autumn Online Training for saints in Europe from October 31 to November 21. This three-week event will explore four great matters in the Bible—truth, life, the church, and the gospel. The online sessions will consist of spoken lessons, group times, and opportunities for personal time with the Lord. The schedule is four Saturday mornings and three Wednesday evenings for a total of five hours a week.
Zürich, Switzerland
The church life began in Zurich in 1978 and grew to 120 saints. The turmoil in the late 1980s left only a few. Now we pray for the restoration of the Lord's testimony in Zurich. A five-minute video with history, photos, and specific prayer burdens is at http://tinyurl.com/Zu-Sw.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 7 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations. Next week, we will REPEAT Week 7.
- Daylight Savings Time will end in the early morning this Lord's Day, November 1. Please remember to move your clock back one hour before you sleep on Saturday night, October 31.
- Ministry & Gospel: There will not be a Ministry & Gospel Meeting this Lord's Day, November 1. The series resumes the following week, November 8. Previous meetings can be viewed and shared at http://youtube.com/churchinlosangeles.
- Interim Instructions for Giving: 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 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 October 4
Loving the Lord's Appearing
"He who testifies these things says, Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20)
The general subject of this past weekend's ITERO was "The Christian Life, the Church Life, the Consummation of the Age, and the Coming of the Lord." Through the eight messages and small group study sessions, we saw our need to be trained by the Lord to live a normal Christian life and church life with the consummation of the age and the coming of the Lord in view. May the Lord enlighten all of us to see the signs of the times and open to Him in a fresh way for Him to train us, minister to us, live in us, and operate in us. While we live in the physical human realm, may we also live in the divine and mystical realm with an inner corporate sensation that the Lord is coming.
"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)
Loving the Lord's appearing and loving the Lord Himself are inseparable. We should love the Lord's appearing and look forward to it with earnest expectation and joy. We should have a living that loves the Lord's appearing; this causes us not to be discouraged but to remain faithful to the end. As those who love the Lord Jesus, take Him as our life, live Him, and magnify Him, we should await His coming and love His appearing; this should be our heart's desire and our living as those who hope to enter into His joy, be saved into the Lord's heavenly kingdom, and receive the crown of righteousness. (Msg. 7, III.A, C.1-2, H)
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col. 3:16)
"Your words were found and I ate them, and Your word became to me the gladness and joy of my heart..." (Jer. 15:16)
We need to let the word of Christ dwell in us so that we may experience the functions of the word of God operating within us, ministering the riches of Christ into our being. The word of God enlightens, nourishes, and waters us to quench our thirst. The word of God strengthens, washes, and builds us up. The word of God completes, perfects, and edifies us by sanctifying us. By allowing the word of Christ to inhabit us, we can become a God-man filled with Christ as the reality of the attributes of God. (Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, msg. 4, III.D.1-4)
Lord, cause us all to allow You to dwell in us richly and have the first place in our being!
United States
The elections for the U.S. president and congress, along with some senate seats and governorships, will take place Tuesday, 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.
Our prayers should be aimed at the Holy Land, the holy city, and the holy temple; this means that our prayers should be aimed at the interest of God, that is, at Christ and the church as God's interest on earth. To pray properly, we must pray to God in the name of the Lord Jesus, aiming at God's interest for His economy; to pray in the name of Jesus is to pray for the interest of God on earth, which is Christ as God's portion to us, as God's kingdom, and as God's dwelling place. (ITERO, msg. 5, II.E.1.b, 2)
Bibles for America
During this time of restriction and upheaval, BfA is more burdened than ever to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ by producing more gospel materials, particularly videos. We are exploring different formats and content to appeal to all kinds of people, and endeavoring to decrease production time in order to create these videos more quickly.
Please pray for the Lord's leading and the supply of the Spirit as we labor on these videos so that people from every walk of life would be touched to repent and be saved. Pray also for the Lord to provide persons with the specific skills needed to carry out this ongoing burden.
Myanmar
There are currently 79 churches in Myanmar (also known as Burma) with over 5,000 saints. On June 18, 103 trainees graduated from the Full-time Training in Yangon. A new term began on June 22 with 69 trainees. Four times a week, trainers from the FTT in Hamilton, New Zealand give online classes; local trainers take care of the rest. Please pray for all FTTY trainees to be gained by the Lord for His economy.
Since the beginning of this year, the electronic version of the Holy Bible Recovery Version in Burmese has been available from the Google Play Store for saints to enjoy the Lord's word at every time and in every place. The translation work continues to progress with four ministry books scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020. Please pray for the timely supply of grace to the ones laboring on this project. Pray for these publications to feed the saints richly and to meet the various needs in the churches.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 4 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 for this month will be October 11, 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
Prayer, Week of September 27
God's Faithfulness in Fulfilling His Economy
"They are saturated with the fatness of Your house, and You cause them to drink of the river of Your pleasures." (Psa. 36:8)
"God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor. 1:9)
God intended to dispense Himself into man as man's satisfaction so that He might be enlarged, but man became unfaithful and unchaste and forsook God for idols. An idol in our heart is anything within us that we love and treasure more than the Lord and that replaces the Lord in our life.
Although we are unfaithful, God is faithful. God is faithful in His purpose to turn us from idols and bring us back to Himself. Our peace, safety, health, and possessions may become idols to us, but God is faithful to take these things away so that we may drink of Him as the fountain of living waters. If we realize that we have been unfaithful to God, we may repent and weep, but then we should begin to drink of the living waters, praising God, giving thanks to him for everything, and enjoying Him. This is what God wants. God is not interested in anything other than our enjoyment of Christ. (Crystallization-Study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, msg. 3, II.C, C.1, III.A, A.5, B)
ITERO
The International Training for Elders and Responsible Ones will take place by webcast this weekend, October 2 to 4, with brothers participating from around the globe. The general subject is "The Christian Life, the Church Life, the Consummation of the Age, and the Coming of the Lord."
Please pray for the rich and timely supply of Christ to be ministered to all the brothers that they may grow in life and be equipped further in their function and service. Through such perfecting times, may the Lord gain all the brothers as able ministers of the New Testament, effective building material for the universal building up of the Body of Christ, and good stewards and serving ones in their respective local churches.
United States
"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)
The elections for the U.S. president and congress, along with some senate seats and governorships, will take place Tuesday, 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.
UCLA Fresh Start
The UCLA Fall Quarter opens this week with classes beginning October 1. Last Thursday, as part of our campus club's Fresh Start welcome week, we held an online "meet-the-staff night" where the newer full-timers shared their testimonies. Originally intended just for our existing students, this meeting was expanded to include freshmen we met in the summer. At least 12 new freshmen joined, which was very encouraging!
Please pray that our freshman contacts—both those who attended and those who did not—would receive the follow-up care and shepherding. May the Lord make us a corporate net for "catching men alive" (Luke 5:10) for His purpose!
United Kingdom – Brexit
Brexit negotiations enter a key stage in the coming months. Please pray for a relationship between the UK and the European Union that will not hinder blending among the churches, visitation by the co-workers, or participation in trainings and conferences in the UK and Europe.
Lord's Move to Asia
The LMA newsletter is now available in web format as well as PDF download. The September issue contains reports and prayer burdens from Vietnam and Central Asia:
- English: http://lmasia.org/uncategorized/september
- Chinese: http://lmasia.org/zh-hans/月刊/2020-newsletter-ch/九月
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 3 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- Ministry & Gospel: There will not be a Ministry & Gospel Meeting this Lord's Day, October 4. The series resumes the following week, 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 was due September 27); the high school conference is 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.
- Receive prayer and announcements by email: sign up at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.
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 13
Being Tenderhearted and Filled with Intimate Concern
"...The Lord is very tenderhearted and compassionate." (James 5:11)
"But I, I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent on behalf of your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved less?" (2 Cor. 12:15)
"...You are in our hearts for our dying together and our living together." (2 Cor. 7:3)
Jehovah is the tenderhearted God, and in being tenderhearted, Jeremiah was absolutely one with God; thus, God could use the prophet Jeremiah, an overcomer, to express Him, speak for Him, and represent Him, even in his weeping. In order that God may be fully expressed through us, we need to have spiritual emotions, be tenderhearted with one another, and be able to serve God with tears. (Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, Key Statement 1; msg. 1, VII)
If we have ability to carry on a work but lack an intimate concern, our work will be fruitless... As long as we have the proper concern for people, we are well on our way to be qualified to be used of God for their salvation. A very good testimony of this is in the book Seen and Heard. In that book, the writer, James M'Kendrick, tells us of standing in front of a group of unbelievers and weeping, without saying a word. Nevertheless, a number were saved, for he had a deep concern. Eloquence, gift, and power can never touch people as deeply as your concern for them. (Life-study of 2 Corinthians, pp. 382-383)
SCYP Gospel Meetings
This Saturday evening, September 19, there will be three different young people gospel meetings according to the content covered during the SSOT: (1) The Container and the Content; (2) Two Spirits; and (3) A Certain Man. Young people are encouraged to invite their friends, and the Fall Advance website (http://www.scyp.com/falladvance) provides helpful invitations and promotional videos.
Please pray for our own young people's heart for man to be enlarged, for the invitations to go out, and for many junior high and high school friends to respond positively to the invitation and attend on time.
Southern California College Meetings
This semester, we will be having a monthly meeting on Zoom for all the college students in Southern California. Our first such gathering is this Thursday, September 17 at 7:30 pm. Please pray for the college students to be gathered together, for the Lord to release a timely word, and for the students to mutually incite one another to freshly pursue the Lord!
BfA Gospel Materials
Bibles for America has just launched a new gospel video called "The Greatest Truth in the Universe" based on a quote from Watchman Nee. All the saints can share this video with family, friends, neighbors, and anyone who needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray that it will help many people receive Jesus as their Savior and personally experience the greatest truth in the universe.
For more videos and gospel materials, visit http://gospel.bfa.org (English) and http://gospel.bfa.org/es (Spanish).
Gospel to All the Nations
The next gospel to all the nations session will be held by Zoom on Saturday, September 19 at 1:00 pm (Los Angeles time) with fellowship from John 4 on "Life Meeting the Need of Every Man's Case." This particular session will focus on "The Need of the Immoral—Life's Satisfying." All the people out of every nation are invited to join! Those of African origin are specifically encouraged to join and to invite their 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). The Zoom link and more information are available at http://www.gospeltoallthenations.com.
European Chinese-speaking Autumn Conference
We praise the Lord for His continued shepherding of the saints in Europe, especially the Chinese-speaking saints, through the two annual Chinese-Speaking Conferences in London and Paris. The Lord's Move in Europe is advancing rapidly according to His desire to obtain the reality of the one new man. With this goal in view, the Chinese-speaking Conference is not intended only for the Chinese-speaking saints, but to be a part of the building up of the entire Body of Christ.
The church in Paris will host the next conference from September 18 to 20. The general subject of the five messages is "Living the Christian Life under the Government of God to Experience Christ and Grow in Life for God's Building." High-quality translation will be provided in French and English. For more information, visit http://zh.legliseaparis.fr/conference-langue-chinoise.
Please pray for both the speaking and the hearing, and for the overcoming of any language barrier so that the saints may rejoice together in the Word that the Lord desires to speak to His Body.
European University Training Follow-up
The European University Training took place online from August 23 to 27. Thank the Lord for gathering 110 students (204 saints in total) for these five messages concerning "Samuel—An Age Turning Nazarite." To apply what was released, there were workshops on the gospel and fellowships on life practices. Please pray that every saint would:
- Respond to the Lord's speaking by going to the Lord willingly to offer the Nazarite vow of consecration that the Lord would have a people raised up by Him to turn the age;
- Be vitalized and joined with others to be priestly prophets: bringing man to God and God to man on all the campuses throughout Europe; and
- Receive, digest, apply, and practice the life practices to have a Nazarite living of calling, praying, pray reading, and spending personal time with the Lord.
Lord's Move to Asia
The August issue of the Lord's Move to Asia newsletter contains reports and testimonies of the Lord's shepherding care of the saints and churches in Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Turkey:
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/E-2020-08.pdf (English)
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Asia-2020-08.pdf (Chinese)
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 1 of Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
- 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: While our meeting halls are 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 30
The Preparation of the Bride
"Let us rejoice and exult, and let us give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (Rev. 19:7)
"And the grace of our Lord superabounded with faith and love in Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 1:14)
God's economy in the New Testament is to obtain for Christ the bride, the church, through His judicial redemption and by His organic salvation in His divine life. The bride, however, cannot be prepared quickly; this preparation is a gradual work that takes place over a period of time.
The readiness of the corporate bride depends on the maturity in life of the overcomers. In order for the bride to mature, her faith and love need to be fully developed. In addition to being mature in life, the bride must be build up as a corporate person. (A Timely Word, msg. 6, III.C, IV)
Let us pray for our faith and love to be fully developed so that we may mature in life, and for all of us to be build together as the bride for Christ's satisfaction!
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. The outlines should be available for download by Tuesday, September 2, after the evening prayer meeting.
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.
Our Young People – 2020 Fall Advance
The Southern California Young People (SCYP) Fall Advance began Saturday, August 22, and will conclude with three gospel meetings on Saturday, September 19. Short videos are released each week, and the young people and their parents are encouraged to watch these videos together. 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/falladvance.
South Africa
The new term of the Full-time Training in Pretoria began three weeks ago with 7 on-site trainees and 9 remote trainees (residing in their own countries). Both sets of trainees face practical challenges. For example, those in Pretoria must remain at the training center and may not yet visit saints' homes or have in-person gospel appointments; these restrictions can easily lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Those participating from other countries may have challenges such as poor Internet connection or lack of other resources. Please pray for the trainees to not lose heart. Also pray for the FTTP serving ones to be one with the Lord in shepherding the trainees during these uncertain times.
Announcements
-
Morning Revival: Week 6 of A Timely Word Concerning the World Situation and the Lord's Recovery.
UPDATE: Next week, beginning September 7, we will digest outlines from the Labor Day Conference; prophesying on September 13 may include conference overflow or Week 6. After that, on September 14, we begin Crystallization-study of Jeremiah and Lamentations. - Ministry & Gospel: There will be no English-speaking Ministry & Gospel Meeting this Lord's Day, September 6 due to the Labor Day Weekend Blending Conference. It will continue on September 13.
- Interim guidelines for in-person meetings are posted at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/covid19.