Prayer, Week of April 21
Priests Possessed, Saturated, Living Christ Absolutely
"Then Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in front of the lampstand. And Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, as Jehovah had commanded Moses." (Num. 8:1-3)
Numbers 7 ends with God speaking in the Tent of Meeting, and chapter 8 begins with God's continued speaking concerning the lighting of the lamps for light. This sequence indicates that whenever God's word comes, His people receive light. The holy task of lighting the lamps was a service of holy persons, the priests. A priest is one who is possessed by God, filled with God, saturated with God, and living absolutely for God; furthermore, a priest had to be clothed with priestly garments which signify Christ lived out of the priesthood. (Crystallization-Study of Numbers, week 9, II.C-C.1, III.D-D.1)
The Lord made us priests in position (Rev. 1:6). For lighting the lamps we need the word of God and the Spirit (the oil). When we have a rich supply of the word and the Spirit, we are priests in reality—possessed, filled, saturated, and living Christ. Lord, bring us all further into this reality!
July Semiannual Training Registrations
This is the final week to register for the July Semiannual Training, July 1 to 6, in Anaheim ($205). Late registrations will not be accepted. For saints in LA, registration and payment instructions are at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla. Registrations for the local video trainings ($105) are due June 11. Please contact your district's registration coordinator if you have any questions.
We hope that many saints will seize the opportunity to participate in this training. As the Lord leads, may many be led of the Lord to budget their time and money so that they can physically attend the meetings. "You [Timothy] have closely followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, endurance" (2 Tim. 3:10). May we likewise closely follow the Lord's up-to-date speaking so that the Lord may build His Body and prepare His bride.
Southern California Sixth Grade Preparation Meeting
This meeting will be Saturday, April 27, in Anaheim, 2528 W La Palma Ave, Anaheim, 92801, 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Visit http://www.SCYP.com and click on Event Registration.
We particularly ask for at least one parent of each sixth grader planning on attending the sixth grade conference, as well as all those who will be shepherding them during and after the conference, to join us for this crucial time of fellowship. The upcoming junior high years are a key determining factor in retaining and gaining our young people during their crucial transition from childhood to the teenage years so we hope we could all labor in one accord with one view to gain them during this weekend and beyond.
GTCA Cities in California – Fresno/Clovis
GTCA is the carrying out of the long-term burden to "gospelize, truthize, and churchize" North America. More than 20 cities are targeted for ongoing care and labor in 2019, including 3 in California.
Clovis is 9 miles northeast of Fresno. It is the location of a community college and close to Cal State University-Fresno. There are 20 saints living in Clovis who presently meet locally during the week and with the church in Fresno on Lord's Days. The prayer requests from Fresno and Clovis:
- The saints would continue to pray in small groups and shepherd the gospel contacts from the college campuses and the community.
- The Lord would raise up a campus team to labor on the 3 campuses: Cal State Fresno, Fresno City College, and Clovis Community College.
Birmingham, United Kingdom
There is currently a burden to strengthen the Lord's testimony in Birmingham, the second-most populous city in the United Kingdom after London. In line with this burden, there will be a special one-week training from April 23 to 28 in Birmingham. This time is for all who would like to be trained in the God-ordained way, and specifically for those who are open to, considering, or in the process of migrating to Birmingham. The first-year FTTL trainees will also join this training.
Novi Sad, First Local Church in Serbia
Serbia is a nation of about seven million people in southeast Europe. The first lampstand in Serbia will be established with the Lord's table in Novi Sad on April 28. Pray for a strong beginning of the Lord's testimony in the nation's second-largest city through the blending and fellowship in the Body.
France
The annual spring conference for French-speaking Europe will be in Paris, April 26 to 28.
Germany
Please pray for these on-going burdens:
- More families and serving ones to pick up the burden of migration in 2019 for the Lord's spread to additional cities in Germany.
- The Lord's grace to the migrated saints in their learning and practicing the German language.
- The meeting, shepherding, and gaining of German college students and young German families.
- The perfecting of the Arabic- and Farsi-speaking saints to grow in life and in their function for the building up of the Body of Christ and to open their homes as shepherds' tents.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 9 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 2.
- July Semiannual Training is July 1 to 6. Registration is open until April 28 for the live sessions in Anaheim ($205) and June 11 for webcasts in LA ($105). No late registrations. Saints in LA should register online at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla and follow payment directions.
- Southern California Blending Conference will be June 8 and 9 in Anaheim.
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Receive prayer and announcements by email weekly; sign up at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.
Prayer, Week of April 14
Come Forward with Boldness to the Throne of Grace
"When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the expiation cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; and he spoke to Him." (Num. 7:89)
"Let us therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help." (Heb. 4:16)
The expiation cover signifies Christ as the place where God meets with His redeemed people and speaks to them in grace. The fact that God met with His people and spoke to them from above the expiation cover and between the cherubim signifies that God meets with us and speaks to us in the propitiating Christ and in the glory expressed in the propitiating Christ as His testimony.
The expiation cover on the Ark in the Holy of Holies equals the throne of grace in Hebrews 4:16. (Crystallization-Study of Numbers, msg. 8, II.A, II.D.1, III)
The Prayer of the Kingdom Life
"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)
We need to read and consider prayerfully the Lord's speaking in Matthew 18:15-22, which reveals how we can live the kingdom life....Verse 17 is so low, saying that we should let the sinning one who will not listen to the church be to us like a Gentile and a tax collector. But verse 18 says that we should touch heaven by our binding and releasing prayer....Whatever we pray, our Father in heaven will accomplish to gain that person.
Many times we feel that a certain saint is a hopeless case [in verse 17]....We would not take Christ as the heavenly ladder in verse 18 to climb up to the heavens with prayer that binds Satan and looses the sinning brother. We and the church may have no way with this brother, but should we give him up? We have to bind the binding one and release the bound one by praying together in harmony. (WL, The Vital Groups, chap. 1, sec. 2-3; part of reading for ITERO, msg. 3)
We can pray the same way for dormant brothers, brothers occupied with the world, and unbelievers.
Junior High Brothers' Conference
From April 19 to 21, brothers from across Southern California will gather at Oak Glen for the Spring 2019 Junior High Brothers' Conference. For this conference we pray:
- for the Lord to prepare the hearts of all of the young brothers in Southern California;
- that they would see how much the Lord loves the church; and
- that they would choose the church and would dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of their life (Psalm 27:4).
North America College Training
As of last weekend, 1615 are registered leaving almost 1200 spots open. Now is the time to strongly beseech the Lord to operate in the hearts and circumstances of all the students and serving ones to rise up and commit to attend the NACT this summer.
Bibles for America
A new version of our app has been designed to help people study 15 important topics in the New Testament using key verses and notes in the Recovery Version. Study topics include Christ, the economy of God, Christian experience, the church, and more. Verses and footnotes under each topic are linked to the online NT Recovery Version; an offer for a free physical copy from BfA is also included in the app. It is now available to download for free through the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. It will soon be made available on our website.
Please pray for this app to be easily found and downloaded. Pray that it would be useful to those who are interested in studying the many important truths in the Bible.
Europe
The European Brothers' Training is Tuesday to Thursday, April 16 to 18 in London. They will watch videos of the ITERO messages, have group study times, and fellowship about the Lord's move in Europe. The International Blending Conference will be Saturday and Lord's Day, April 20 to 21 in London.
Please pray for the Lord's blessing on every aspect of this training and this conference (including the facility, hospitality, services, and messages) and the preparation of every attendee to receive the Lord's up-to-date speaking and to enter into the universal fellowship of the Body
Gdansk, Poland
Gdansk is the leading city in northern Poland with almost 500,000 inhabitants. The broader urban area includes 100,000 university students.
During the FTTA gospel trip in January, visiting trainees and local saints conducted a two-day distribution of the Polish NT Recovery Version near the University of Gdansk. The openness among the students encouraged the saints in Poland to continue to visit after the gospel trip. Since February, four distributions resulted in over 700 NTs given away. Dozens of good conversations were held; eight students received the Lord. Please stand with us in prayer that:
- the Lord burden at least two families and two single saints to migrate and live near the University of Gdansk, to take care of students open to meet with us and church-life students studying there.
- the Lord will open the way to visit Gdansk regularly and burden the three nearby churches to join in sowing and shepherding students who are open for further contact.
- more students will be open to give us their contact information for further fellowship.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 8 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 2.
- July 2019 Semiannual Training is July 1 to 6. Registration is open until April 28 for the live sessions in Anaheim ($205) and June 11 for webcasts in LA ($105). No late registrations. Saints in LA should register online at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla and follow payment directions.
- 6th Grade Conference at Oak Glen will be May 3 to 5. Registration deadline is April 21.
- Southern California Blending Conference will be June 8 and 9 in Anaheim.
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Germany & Europe Info: https://churchinlosangeles.org/information-about-germany-and-europe.
- Receive prayer and announcements by email weekly; sign up at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer/.
Prayer, Week of April 7, 2019
The Development of the Kingdom of God
"Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth." (Matt. 6:10)
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…" (Matt. 6:33a)
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14)
The general subject of last weekend's International Training for Elders and Responsible Ones in Anaheim was "The Development of the Kingdom of God in the Christian Life and the Church Life."
The kingdom of God is Christ Himself as the seed of life sown into His believers, God's chosen people, and developing into a realm over which God rules as His kingdom in His divine life. We need to experience the development of the divine life and the divine nature contained in the divine seed that has been sown into us so that we may have a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom. May the Lord grant us grace and do a deeper work in us through the cross so that we may strike deep roots and live a hidden life in the depths to fulfill God's requirements and satisfy His heart.
For the building up of the church, may we learn to exercise three keys—of denying the self, taking up the cross, and losing the soul-life—to shut up the gates of Hades. The work of the church is to bring in the kingdom of God. The church bears the responsibility of bringing the kingdom of God to the earth. As the church, may we pray to bring in the kingdom of God and learn to utter prayers of warfare in order to bring in God's kingdom and to drive out God's enemy.
SoCal College Conference Registrations
The Spring College Conference (April 19 to 21 in Anaheim) provides college students a significant opportunity for blending, not only with other students, but with many families in Southern California who provide hospitality. The conference title is "That I May Gain Christ." Early registration ended April 7; late registration ends April 14. Please pray for the Lord to release and motivate more students to attend!
North America College Training Registrations
The summer college training has consistently had a powerful impact on college students, college-age young adults, graduating high school seniors, and serving saints. This year's time from July 14 to 20 in Champaign, Illinois is even more special since there will be one training for all of North America (US, Canada and Mexico), an event that occurs only once every four years. Many saints testified that the last combined training in 2015 impacted their choices and had a life-changing effect on the direction of their life. A brief video is at http://tinyurl.com/NACT2019. Early registration ends April 15 at http://www.collegetraining.org.
Please join us to beseech the Lord to release our students and serving ones to participate in what He would do during this time. May all participants see a vision, be infused with the truth, and get to know one another to encourage one another in the years to come. Pray for the training to reach its maximum capacity of 2800 (1000 more than 2015) including 2000 students.
Junior High Sisters' Conference
From April 12 to 14, sisters from across Southern California will gather at Oak Glen for the Spring 2019 Junior High Sisters' Conference. For this conference we pray:
- for the Lord to prepare the hearts of all of the sisters in Southern California;
- that they would see how much the Lord loves the church; and
- that they would choose the church and would dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of their life (Psalm 27:4).
Venice High School
Venice HS Bible Club participated in the school's club fair last Friday, with about 28 new ones signing up for further contact. Please pray that the Lord would bind the strong man so that many of these young people can be released out of Satan's kingdom.
Spanish-Speaking Perfecting
Every spring we have a time of fellowship and perfecting in the truth with the Spanish-speaking elders, responsible and serving brothers in Southern California. This year's fellowship will be on Saturday, April 13 from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm at the meeting hall of the Church in Anaheim, District 2 at 1916 W Ball Road, Anaheim. May the Lord fill this time and grant each brother definite perfecting.
Germany
Please continue to pray for the follow-up from the Leipzig Book Fair, held from March 21 to 24, at which 5060 Bibles were given out and some ministry books sold. A one-page report with encouraging testimonies is posted at https://churchinlosangeles.org/information-about-germany-and-europe.
Azerbaijan and Bangladesh
The Lord's Move to Asia newsletter has reports from both nations with a burden for the gospel:
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/E-2019-03.pdf (English)
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Asia-2019-03.pdf (Chinese)
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 7 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 2.
- July 2019 Semiannual Training is July 1 to 6. Registration is open until April 28 for the live sessions in Anaheim ($205) and June 11 for webcasts in LA ($105). No late registrations. Saints in LA are requested to register online at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla and follow payment directions.
- 6th Grade Conference at Oak Glen will be May 3 to 5. Registration deadline is April 21.
- Southern California Blending Conference will be June 8 and 9 in Anaheim.
- Junior High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, April 12 to 14; brothers, April 19 to 21.
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference information, including MORE ROOMS at an ADDITIONAL HOTEL, is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Spanish language radio broadcast: Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 9:30 pm. LA County 100.3 FM; San Fernando Valley and Ventura County 90.3 FM.
Prayer, Week of March 31
Participate In, Experience, Enjoy, and Possess the Triune God
"Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matt. 28:19)
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." (2 Cor. 13:14)
The divine revelation of the trinity of the Godhead in the holy Word, from Genesis through Revelation, is not for theological study but for the apprehending of how God in His mysterious and marvelous trinity dispenses Himself into His chosen people, that we as His chosen and redeemed people may, as indicated in the apostle's blessing to the Corinthian believers, participate in, experience, enjoy, and possess the processed Triune God now and for eternity. (2 Cor. 13:14, note 1, last paragraph)
It is altogether worthwhile for us to spend our time and energy, with a spirit of prayer, to exercise our entire being to conduct a thorough and exhaustive study of the Divine Trinity as revealed in the holy Word. (Crystallization-Study of Numbers, week 6, II.)
Los Angeles Campuses
April is a critical month for the labor on the college campuses in LA. We desperately need the prayers of all the saints to fight the battle for our students to be fully gained for the Lord:
- Reestablishing contact at UCLA — At UCLA, the saints will be laboring to reestablish regular contact with all of the students at the beginning of the new spring quarter.
- Good finish at USC and CSUN — At USC and CSUN, this will be the final full month of classes for this academic year, our last opportunity to further solidify the students in the church life.
- College Conference — We are beseeching the Lord that many of our newer and younger ones would attend the college conference, April 19 to 21, in Anaheim, and see a vision of God's purpose that will capture them.
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College decisions for high school seniors — April is also the month when high school seniors decide which college to attend in the fall; may the Lord place each one as He wills for His economy.
- CSUN has an open house for all admitted students April 6; hall 2 will have a table at that event.
- UCLA has an open house for all admitted students April 13; hall 5 will have an open house for high school juniors and seniors April 12 to 14 to provide a foretaste of the church life at UCLA.
- North America College Training — Perhaps most importantly of all, the first deadline to sign up is April 15. This special event only takes place once every four years, and we are asking the Lord to send more students than ever from LA to this time, including our graduating high school seniors. Many are asking time off from internships and even summer school so that they can be there. Others are facing pressure from other directions, preventing them from coming. May all of the enemy's frustrations be bound and may a myriad of students be fully released to attend the college training!
July Semiannual Training Registrations
Registration and payment for the July 2019 Semiannual Training (July 1 to 6) is open until April 28 for the live training in Anaheim ($205) and June 11 for webcasts in LA ($105). Late registrations will not be accepted. Saints in LA should register online at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla and follow payment directions. Please ask the Lord to release as many saints as possible to participate in His speaking to the churches in this training on Numbers.
We hope that many saints from the church in Los Angeles will seize the opportunity to participate in this training. As the Lord leads, may many be led of the Lord to budget their time and money so that they can physically attend the meetings. "You [Timothy] have closely followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, endurance" (2 Tim. 3:10). May we likewise closely follow the Lord's up-to-date speaking so that the Lord may build His Body and prepare His bride.
Bibles for America
BfA is currently developing an easy-to-use online site for ordering BfA materials. Saints can order items such as gospel tracts and distribution kits, and churches can order bulk quantities of Bibles, books, and other items for outreach activities. This much improved site will replace LetHisWordRun.com, which is no longer in use.
Please pray for the Lord to head up all of the many details related to the site's development and timely completion. We pray the Lord will use it to facilitate the distribution of the free Bibles and books to those who hunger for God's Word.
Germany
- At the March 21 to 24 book festival in Leipzig 5060 NTs were given out and some ministry books were sold. The large majority of the visitors were typical Germans with a good number from the greater Leipzig area. The saints in Leipzig have contact information from multiple NT recipients. Please ask the Lord to grow in these recipients as they read, and to give them a hunger to order ministry books. May the Lord gain many for the church life in Leipzig.
- Twenty-five FTTT trainees will be in Germany from April 2 to May 3. They will be labor in small groups with local saints in various cities. Please pray that the Lord will bless this gospel trip, that the trainees and the locals will enjoy the Lord together richly, that their service in the gospel and shepherding in coordination with the local saints will advance the Lord's move in Germany, and that the trainees will receive an enlarged vision of and burden for the Lord's move in Europe.
Europe
The European university conference was March 29 to 31. Attendance was 326 including 191 students. Six were baptized. Fourteen European nations participated. Pray that all will continue in the jubilee by eating, drinking, breathing Jesus.
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 6 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1.
- July 2019 Semiannual Training is July 1 to 6. Registration is now open until April 28 for the live sessions in Anaheim ($205) and June 11 for webcasts in LA ($105). No late registrations. Saints in LA are invited to register online at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla and follow payment directions.
- 6th Grade Conference at Oak Glen will be May 3 to 5. Registration deadline is April 21.
- Southern California Blending Conference will be June 8 and 9 in Anaheim.
- Junior High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, April 12 to 14 (registration due March 31); for brothers, April 19 to 21 (registration due April 7).
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference information, including MORE ROOMS at an ADDITIONAL HOTEL, is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Germany & Europe Info: https://churchinlosangeles.org/information-about-germany-and-europe.
Prayer, Week of March 24
Being Nazarites Enjoying the Richest Grace and Sweetest Love
"He will eat curds and honey until he knows how to refuse evil and choose good." (Isa. 7:15)
"The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us…full of grace and reality….Of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." (John 1:14, 16)
Among the human race, the unique Nazarite is the Lord Jesus. Hence, a Nazarite is a type of Christ in His living absolutely for God in His humanity. God desires that all His people be Nazarites. To be a Nazarite is to be sanctified, separated, absolutely and ultimately to God, that is, to be for nothing other than God and for nothing other than His satisfaction—the testimony of Jesus. We can be such people by the great and reinforcing power of the enjoyment of Christ as the richest grace and the sweetest love. (CS Numbers, msg. 5, I, II, I.B)
Lord, gain our hearts to fully enjoy, love, and reflect You, and form us as Your army of Nazarites!
LA Chinese-Speaking Retreat
This weekend, March 29 to 31, Chinese-speaking saints from LA will gather for a retreat in Thousand Oaks. Around 140 saints are expected, including children. There are three main burdens this time:
- Salvation—for gospel friends who come to receive the Lord.
- Consecration—for all to renew their consecration to the Lord, especially those joining for the first time.
- Service—for all to be vital and practice the God-ordained way.
Please pray that the Lord's rich presence will be with the saints during this retreat and that all those attending will be deeply touched with the messages and testimonies.
GTCA Cities in California – Hayward
GTCA is the carrying out of the burden to "gospelize, truthize, and churchize" North America. This long-term labor is part of the one, unique work of the Lord to build up the Body of Christ. This year, more than 20 cities are targeted for ongoing care and labor, including 3 in California.
Hayward is a city in the East Bay sub-region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is the sixth-largest city in the Bay Area. It has a large number of manufacturing and high-tech companies. The two campuses, Cal State East Bay and Chabot College, have a combined student population of over 25,000.
The church in Hayward was established in 1979. Over the years, many saints migrated elsewhere, while three families remained to continue the church life. From 2008 to 2010, three or four families moved to Hayward, and the Lord gradually added more. Today, the Lord's Day meeting has about 25 to 30 saints, not including children; the prayer meeting has 8 to 9 saints. There are several small group meetings and home meetings as well.
With the 2019 GTCA, we have a new beginning in Hayward. Many saints participated in the gospel outreach to the nearby campuses and communities. The church plans to have a regular BfA table and raise up a campus team to gain more college students. Please join the church in Hayward to pray for:
- the raising up of a campus team to gain students at Cal State East Bay and Chabot College, and the building up of the campus Bible studies;
- the saints' migration to strengthen the church life in Hayward and increase the number of the saints;
- the follow-up with all the contacts and the new ones that they may be remaining fruit.
Bibles for America
Bibles for America receives approximately five requests per month from Bible recipients who would like to be put in touch with others in their area who are reading the NT Recovery Version. Although three out of five of them live within an hour of saints, it's not always possible to make a connection.
Please pray for the Lord to open the way for recipients to be promptly connected to local saints in their area. Pray also for these connections to be warm and positive with a view toward shepherding recipients into the riches of the ministry.
Germany
The Leipzig book fair was March 21 to 24. Bibles for Europe and Lebensstrom were present for the first time. One goal was to distribute 5000 Recovery Version NTs. The actual distribution was 5060. Please pray for many to receive light and life from their NT and for them to seek fellowship with the churches.
European University Conference
The Spring European University Conference will take place March 29 to 31 in the Netherlands. The conference subject is "The Jubilee." Please pray that the Lord will prepare the hearts of the university-age saints from all over Europe and release them to attend the conference. Please pray also that the Lord's blessing will be poured out on every aspect of this gathering.
United Kingdom
Please pray for the Lord to rule over the UK's withdrawal process from the European Union (Brexit). Ask the Lord to keep the door open for saints to travel freely between the UK and EU, and for continued freedom of residency for UK saints in the EU. Pray also for the climate of discord and uncertainty to open people to the gospel. May we release on earth what has already been released in the heavens concerning His will and pray the prayers that that match Him in His move on the earth!
Sri Lanka
There are currently 16 local churches in Sri Lanka. Last year, the propagation was blessed in three aspects: first, it was a move in the Body, with several visits by overseas co-workers, saints, and teams from FTT Taipei and FTT Seoul; second, the local saints received perfecting, including the desire of more young people to attend the full-time training, as well as a plan for regular monthly regional trainings; and third, the saints have been faithfully offering towards the purchase of a property in the capital city of Colombo for blending and training. We are praying before the Lord that we will find a suitable place this year and be able to make the purchase by the end of the year.
A more detailed report with photos, including an update on Kuwait, is at:
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/E-2019-02.pdf (English)
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Asia-2019-02.pdf (Chinese)
Announcements
- Morning Revival: Week 5 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1.
- July 2019 Semiannual Training is July 1 to 6. Registration begins this Lord's Day, March 31 and ends April 28 for the live sessions (no late registrations) in Anaheim ($205) and June 11 for webcasts in LA ($105). Saints in LA should register online at http://tinyurl.com/summertrainingla and follow payment directions.
- Southern California Blending Conference will be June 8 and 9 in Anaheim.
- Junior High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, April 12 to 14 (registration due March 31); for brothers, April 19 to 21 (registration due April 7).
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Spanish language radio broadcast: Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 9:30 pm. LA County 100.3 FM; San Fernando Valley and Ventura County 90.3 FM.
Prayer, Week of March 17
The Lord's Jealousy over the Church as His Wife
"You shall not go after other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you—for Jehovah your God is a jealous God in the midst of you." (Deut. 6:14-15a)
"For I am jealous over you with a jealousy of God; for I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." (2 Cor. 11:2)
Jealousy is usually regarded as a negative thing, but it is one of God's attributes. The jealousy of God is like the jealousy of a husband over his wife. The most jealous one in the universe is God. His name is Jealous (Exo. 34:14). He wants us to love Him uniquely, singly, wholly. God is jealous whenever we love anything or anyone in place of Him. As a jealous Husband, God wants us to serve Him and Him alone.
Knowing that God is jealous, we should let His jealousy become ours so that we would care only for Him and allow no one and nothing to replace Him. (CS Numbers, msg. 4, III.B.1-4)
"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)
College Conference Registrations
The Spring College Conference (April 19 to 21 in Anaheim) provides college students a significant opportunity for blending, not only with other students, but with many families in Southern California who will provide hospitality. The conference title is "That I May Gain Christ." Early registration ends April 7; late registration ends April 14. Please pray for the Lord to motivate and release more college students to attend so that they may indeed gain more Christ!
UCLA Spring Break Blending Trips
Every year, the students at UCLA go on blending trips to various parts of the US to have their vision of the Body of Christ enlarged and refreshed. This year, from March 23 to 27, a group of 18 students and 4 serving ones will visit Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona. Six students will attend FTTA short-term either during finals week or spring break; of this number, three will attend both trips. Please pray:
- For the bountiful supply to the saints in Phoenix in their receiving us and that this kind of pattern would have a definite impact on our students and be reproduced.
- For safe travels and that the times in the vehicles would be filled with the enjoyment of Christ.
- That the blending would usher in an enlarged and refreshed vision of the Body of Christ.
- That the saints short-terming would receive the maximum benefit in their time in the training.
High School Brothers Conference
The Spring 2019 High School Brothers Conference at Oak Glen will take place from March 22 to 24. The general topic is "A New Heart and a New Spirit." Please pray:
- For the Lord to prepare the hearts of all of the high school brothers in Southern California;
- That they would know their spirit and its importance in fulfilling God's purpose;
- That they would be open to deal with their hearts to have a proper relationship with the Lord; and
- That the issue of dealing with their hearts would be a personal seeking after Christ to develop a personal, affectionate and romantic relationship with Him.
Germany
The Leipzig Book Fair will be March 21 to 24 with 300,000 visitors expected. Bibles for Europe will be there for the first time to present ministry publications and distribute copies of the NT Recovery Version. Please pray for the giving out of more than 5,000 German NT Recovery Versions.
Scotland
Scotland is a constituent country of the United Kingdom. There are currently two lampstands, Glasgow and Edinburgh; the ground was taken in both localities in 2011. In 2014, a meeting hall was purchased in Glasgow, but for various reasons, work on the building was not started until last year. The main renovations to the hall will be completed by the time of the church in Glasgow's Mini-Conference this weekend, March 23 to 24.
Many saints throughout the UK have participated financially in the purchase and renovation of the hall. Therefore, all the saints in the UK have been invited for this time of blending and rejoicing. We expect up to 140 adults and 15 children. We will cover the main points from the recent feasts on The Reality of the Body of Christ and The Crystallization-Study of Numbers. On Saturday afternoon we will hand out flyers in the neighborhood to invite local residents to the church's "open house" on April 6.
Please join us in prayer for the Lord to bring the local saints and new ones to the conference and bless the time with His rich speaking and much blending. Also pray for the Lord to bring people to the open house on April 6. May the Lord gain much more ground in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and all of Scotland!
Announcements
- Morning revival: Week 4 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1.
- Southern California Blending Conference will be June 8 and 9 in Anaheim.
- LA Chinese-Speaking Retreat will be March 29 to 31 in Thousand Oaks.
- Junior High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, April 12 to 14 (registration due March 31); for brothers, March 19 to 21 (registration due April 7).
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Information about Germany and Europe: see https://churchinlosangeles.org/information-about-germany-and-europe/.
Prayer, Week of March 10
Praying to Match God in His Move on Earth
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and I set you that you should go forth and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you." (John 15:16)
"He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17)
Why do we need to pray? It is because we cannot do anything. We can never be elders, we can never be deacons, and we can never be evangelists. We just cannot do it. So we must pray, which means that we put our trust in the Lord. The second reason we need to pray is that we realize God must do something through us. Without us, even God cannot do anything. This is quite remarkable. Without us, the Lord cannot preach the gospel. Without us, He can never save sinners. Although we need Him, He needs us even more. So we have to pray because we cannot do anything and because without us God cannot do anything. The third reason we must pray is that God wants to mingle Himself with man. Therefore, we pray to open ourselves to Him that He may mingle Himself with us. When God and man are mingled together through priestly praying, God will flow out through man to do His work. (The Priesthood, in CWWL, 1966, vol. 1, p. 471)
Without man, God can do nothing. In His New Testament economy, God does nothing without man. God must have man to match Him, to be one with Him, to coordinate with Him. This is the basic principle of God's New Testament economy. Christ is moving today throughout the earth, and He is moving with those who are one with Him. Christ, the embodiment of God for His expansion, moves through those who love Him. (CS Numbers, msg. 3, III.C.1-3b)
High School Sisters Conference
From March 15 to 17, sisters from across Southern California with gather at Oak Glen for the Spring 2019 High School Sisters Conference. The general topic is "A New Heart and a New Spirit." Please pray:
- for the Lord to prepare the hearts of all of the high school sisters in Southern California;
- that through this conference they would know their spirit and its importance in fulfilling God's purpose;
- that they would be open to deal with their hearts to have a proper relationship with the Lord;
- and that the issue of dealing with their hearts would be a personal seeking after Christ to develop an affectionate and romantic relationship with Him.
GTCA Cities in California – Palo Alto
GTCA is the carrying out of the burden to "gospelize, truthize, and churchize" North America. This long-term labor is part of the one, unique work of the Lord to build up the Body of Christ. More than 20 cities are targeted for ongoing care and labor in 2019. These cities have been selected based on local burdens and their proximity to nearby churches. In California, we have 3 target cities.
Palo Alto is 30 miles south of San Francisco, situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, and contains Stanford University. We have an on-campus Bible study with 5 to 10 new seeking Christians joining weekly. Moreover, with GTCA, we have reached out to the Palo Alto community with a good number of seeking contacts. Please join us in prayer:
- For the church in Palo Alto to become a living gateway for many seeking ones at Stanford and the community to enter into the church life.
- For the Lord to raise up two full-time brothers to be added to the campus team, since current serving brothers are limited by their work schedules.
FTTA-OL
The Online Full-Time Training (FTTA-OL) conducts the FTTA curriculum completely online. The hope that this online program will help the believers cultivate a habit of studying the truth through a lifelong pursuit. While some learners may complete all the courses in short period of time, the FTTA-OL is designed with the view that most saints will take one or two courses per year for the next fifteen to thirty years. More information is at http://www.onlineftta.org.
Each year is divided into 5 terms. The 2019 Term B is from March 13 to May 7. Pray for every enrollee to be a diligent learner to help others learn and dig into the ministry materials. By the Lord's mercy, may more saints sanctify their time by studying God's Word and being constituted with the divine truth.
Germany
Leading brothers from German-speaking churches will meet together from March 16 to 17 for their semiannual gathering to blend and to seek the Lord for His present move in German-speaking nations.
Please continue to pray for the growth, building up, and blending of the saints and the strengthening of the Lord's testimony in Aachen, Bielefeld, Bochum, Leipzig, Hamburg, Heidelberg and Mainz, as well as in Zurich, Switzerland. In particular, pray for the establishing of a strong testimony in Bielefeld in the coming months and that the Lord's blessing will be on the oneness of these saints as they prepare to take the ground as another lampstand in Germany.
United Kingdom
There are two blocks of weekend retreats scheduled this spring at Bower House in London. The first block takes place each weekend from March 16 to April 7. The second block takes place during all weekends in May. Each weekend includes some time for practical service to encourage blending and give participants an enjoyable taste of the prayer and fellowship that can take place during practical service. A range of services will be available, including gentle landscaping work, Bible packing and simple indoor cleaning, as well the option to use the time for fellowship, reading, or personal time.
May the Lord motivate as many saints as possible to attend at least one of these special weekends, together with friends, family, and gospel contacts, to blend with one another and learn to function together in pursuing the truth and in practical service.
Announcements
- Morning revival: Week 3 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1.
- This year's LA Chinese-Speaking Retreat will be March 29 to 31 in Thousand Oaks.
- High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, March 15 to 17; for brothers, March 22 to 24.
- Junior High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, April 12 to 14 (registration due March 31); for brothers, March 19 to 21 (registration due April 7).
- College Conference will be April 19 to 21 in Anaheim. Early registration ends April 7; late registration ends April 14.
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP by April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Spanish language radio broadcast: Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 9:30 pm. LA County 100.3 FM; San Fernando Valley and Ventura County 90.3 FM.
Prayer, Week of March 3
Encamping in Array and Facing the Tent of Meeting
"The children of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard with the ensigns of their fathers' households; they shall encamp facing the Tent of Meeting on every side." (Num. 2:2)
The children of Israel encamping in array typifies God's redeemed people being consummated as the New Jerusalem. Just as the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 has four sides, so also the encamping in Numbers 2 had four sides. The New Jerusalem has three gates on each of her four sides, on which are the names of the twelve tribes. Similarly, the twelve tribes of Israel's encamping in Numbers 2 had three tribes on each of its four sides. This all depicts the scene in eternity, showing that God's purpose in this universe is to be mingled with man in His Divine Trinity in order to become a unit of government. This unit of government can fight for His testimony. (CS Numbers, msg. 2, II.F.1-6)
That the children of Israel were encamped facing the Tent of Meeting indicates that the testimony of God—the Ark within the tabernacle, which contained the law as God's testimony—was their unique center and goal. This signifies that Christ, the embodiment of God, is the center and goal of God's people, who are journeying and fighting for God's testimony.
The children of Israel encamping around the Tent of Meeting indicates that they were formed into an army to fight for the protection of God's testimony (the Ark in the tabernacle, typifying Christ and His Body, the church, as the incarnated and embodied God). In the same way, the church today is fighting for the protection of the incarnated God. God in Himself needs no protection, but God in His embodiment needs to be protected by the fighting of the church as a formed, coordinated Body. (Num. 2:2, footnote 3)
FTTA-MA
The spring term of the Middle-age Training in Anaheim begins March 11. The goal of the training is to foster living, functioning, overcoming members of the Body of Christ for the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose. Lord, release the saints from every restraint, and grace them inwardly to give themselves to begin or to continue this training!
Bibles for America
We are expecting 100,000 copies of the NT Recovery Version to arrive at the BfA distribution center within the next two months. This shipment will replenish our inventory to enable us to meet the never-ending hunger for free Bibles throughout the United States. May the Lord bless all the readers of His interpreted Word with light and life. Please pray for the shipment to arrive on schedule so we can fill the orders without delay.
European University Conference
The Spring European University Conference will take place March 29 to 31 in the Netherlands. Please ask the Lord to release many students to register and attend. Early deadline to register is March 10; late deadline is March 17. The conference subject will be "The Jubilee."
South Africa
The annual national conference will take place from March 8 to 10 in Pretoria, South Africa. The general subject will be "Living in the Reality of the Body of Christ by Keeping the Principles of the Body" from the recent International Chinese-speaking Conference. Please pray:
- For the release of the Lord's speaking;
- For the participation of saints from the South African Development Community (SADC) region - which includes countries such as Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe - not only in the conference but also in one week of short-term training at the FTTP afterwards; and
- For the Lord to advance the formation and encampment of the army through this conference, that the saints would be built up in vital groups to bear fruit and live out the reality of the Body.
Kuwait
In Kuwait City, over forty saints plus children are enjoying the church life in different geographical districts. Please pray for the saints to continue meeting in small groups and for the church to have weekly gospel meetings. Pray for the spread of the Lord's testimony to other cities in this country.
A more detailed report with photos, including an update on Sri Lanka, is at:
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/E-2019-02.pdf (English)
http://lmasia.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Asia-2019-02.pdf (Chinese)
Announcements
- Morning revival: Week 2 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1.
- This year's LA Chinese-Speaking Retreat will be March 29 to 31 in Thousand Oaks.
- High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, March 15 to 17 (registration due March 3); for brothers, March 22 to 24 (registration due March 10).
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Information about Germany and Europe: see https://churchinlosangeles.org/information-about-germany-and-europe
Prayer, Week of February 24
The Need to Be Formed into an Army
"Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, for our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies." (Eph. 6:10-12)
The picture in Numbers shows the Triune God and His chosen people mingled together as one entity so that God may move on the earth and conquer His enemy in order to regain the earth for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.
Because God desires a corporate man to represent Him in subduing and regaining the earth from the usurping hand of Satan, God's chosen and redeemed people need to be formed into an army to journey with God and to fight with God for His interest on earth.
The entire Bible shows us one thing—that God's intention is to have a people formed into an army to take Christ as their meaning of life, testimony, center, Leader, way, and goal and to proceed on and fight for God so that He may have the ground on earth and have a people built up as His kingdom and His house, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem. (CS Numbers, msg. 1, I.C, III.G, and Banner 1)
Santa Clarita
Praise the Lord for the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion and running down upon the hem of Aaron's garments (Psalm 133). In Santa Clarita we are enjoying this dew; we are enjoying the one accord and continuing in "the prayers" (Acts 2:42). Prayer has become a great enjoyment to us! It seems like the more we pray, the heavier the burden becomes. The Lord has turned us from offering general prayers to specific prayers that He can answer for many people. We pray name by name. And we can testify that we have a God who answers prayer! We are encouraged to see many prayers answered. We are motivated to continue in one accord to beseech the Lord.
On February 24, we held our second Lord's table meeting in Santa Clarita. We sensed the Lord's sweetness and presence. It was encouraging to see saints who have not met with us for years, and to break bread and enjoy the Lord with them. Starting in March, we will have two Lord's table meetings each month (on the second and fourth weekends). O Lord, the city of Santa Clarita belongs to You!
FTTA Gospel Trips to Europe Follow-Up
The FTTA gospel trips to Europe concluded earlier this month. A total of 139 trainees and serving saints in 24 teams visited 17 European countries. Please pray:
- That the Lord's word that went out will not return to Him vainly but will accomplish what He desires for His move in Europe (Isa. 55:11).
- That many of the contacts that were made, including some key ones, will be brought into the church and that the churches and the saints in Europe will be strengthened and encouraged.
Germany
Please pray for long-term visas for many saints to continue serving in Germany. For some it is difficult to find the right path to take; for all it requires prayer for the Lord's heading up of the process.
United Kingdom
Please continue to pray for the Lord to rule over the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. In particular, pray that the saints from other parts of Europe will still be able to travel to the UK for trainings and conferences.
Nepal
There will be a national blending conference from March 8 to 9. May the Lord speak to His churches and strengthen His testimony in Nepal, a predominantly Hindu country with nearly 30 million people. Please also pray for the practice of daily Bible reading in the church life that all the saints may spend time to enjoy God's word and be constituted with the truth.
Announcements
- Morning revival: Week 1 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1.
- High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, March 15 to 17 (registration due March 3); for brothers, March 22 to 24 (registration due March 10).
- Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA attending should RSVP no later than April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children).
- Spanish language radio broadcast: Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 9:30 pm. LA County 100.3 FM; San Fernando Valley and Ventura County 90.3 FM.
Prayer, Week of February 17
Living Out and Working Out the New Jerusalem
"Great is Jehovah, and much to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, the sides of the north, the city of the great King." (Psa. 48:1-2)
"But holding to truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, Christ, out from whom all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love." (Eph. 4:15-16)
The Lord's recovery is to build up Zion as the reality of the Body of Christ by living out and working out the New Jerusalem. To live out the New Jerusalem is to grow up "into the Head" by the mingling of God with man, and to work out the New Jerusalem is to function "out from the Head" for the oneness of the Body of Christ. Whatever is ascribed to the New Jerusalem should be both our personal and corporate experience for us to become the New Jerusalem and build the New Jerusalem by the mingling of God with man for the oneness of the Body of Christ to fulfill the eternal purpose of God.
To live out and work out the New Jerusalem to build up Zion as the reality of the Body of Christ requires spiritual warfare. We need to stand against the stratagems of the devil by fighting the battle in the Body with fighting prayers, praying at every time in spirit to put on the whole armor of God to build up the Body of Christ as the house of God for the glory of God and as the kingdom of God for the dominion of God for the complete fulfillment of the economy of God. (The Reality of the Body of Christ, I, II, III.I.3)
Memorial Day Conference
The 2019 International Memorial Day Conference will be May 24 to 27 in Seattle, WA. Conference and hotel information is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints are encouraged to make their hotel reservations as soon as possible if they do plan to attend, and to only reserve the number of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Seattle that they intend to use, because cancelled rooms will no longer be available to others at the discounted group rate.
For saints from LA who plan to attend, please RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla (adults) and http://tinyurl.com/memchildrenla (children) by April 28.
Please pray that the Lord will take more crucial steps in the advancement of His purpose during this gathering. Also pray that many would be released and empowered to attend.
FTTA
The spring term begins this week on February 18. Lord, richly infuse Yourself into each trainee, in their classes and studying, in corporate living, in gospel teams, in service, and in blending with the churches!
GTCA Follow-Up
The GTCA sowing trips concluded last week. The participating saints in each of the 26 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada have all given encouraging reports. Each gospel team experienced the Lord's rich blessing on the prayer, coordination, and spreading of the gospel of the kingdom.
Many gospel tracts, Bibles, and ministry books were given away on campuses and in communities in each city, and a number of people prayed to receive the Lord. Please pray that:
- the Bible/book recipients who are open to further contact would be shepherded;
- those who were regenerated would receive ongoing care, grow in life, and become functioning members of the Body; and
- the local saints would be strengthened with power to pray and labor in one accord.
For more specific prayer burdens, you can find detailed reports at http://www.gtca.us/reports.
Germany
The gaining of university students on the campuses by shepherding them into the church life and guarding them against all opposition and negative speaking from the enemy.
India
Pray for the new term of FTT New Delhi, that the Lord will strengthen the nine new trainees beginning first term. Pray also for all the continuing trainees to be perfected and to advance further in truth, life, service and character in order to be useful to the Master.
Announcements
-
Morning revival: Week 6 of The Reality of the Body of Christ (Thanksgiving Conference).
After week 6 we will use Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 1 (December Semiannual Training). - High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, March 9 to 11 (registration due February 25); for brothers, March 23 to 25 (registration due March 11).
- Information on Germany and Europe, see the right side of https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.