A Renewed Training in Enjoying and Keeping Christ
“All Scripture is God-breathed…” (2 Tim. 3:16a)
“…It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.'” (Matt. 4:4; cf. Deut. 8:3)
“But the word is very near to you, even in your mouth and in your heart…” (Deut. 30:14)
All the words in Deuteronomy are God’s breathing, and God’s breathing is altogether embodied in Christ. As we read Deuteronomy, we need to inhale all that God has exhaled, all that He has breathed out. By inhaling the divine breath in Deuteronomy, we will enjoy Christ, the embodiment of the divine breath. The more we receive the breath of the speaking God, the more we will enjoy Christ.
Whereas the children of Israel were charged to keep the commandments, statutes, and ordinances, we today need to keep Christ. By taking Christ, keeping Christ, and holding fast to Him, we will gain Him, enjoy Him, and live Him. We need to love Christ, keep Christ, teach Christ, wear Christ, and write Christ.
God was leading His people into the good land, a type of Christ, by Christ, and He was sustaining the on their way to the good land also by Christ, who is everything that proceeds out through the mouth of God. Every word in Deuteronomy is the very Christ, who is now the word of God for us to receive as our life and life supply. (Crystallization-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 1, III.B.2-4)
Much Fruit in LA to Glorify the Father
In John 15:7 the Lord said, “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall come to pass to you.” When we abide in the Lord and let His words abide in us, we are actually one with Him, and He is working within us. Then, whatever we ask, it is not only we who are praying but also He who is praying in our praying. This kind of prayer is related to fruit-bearing (v. 8) and surely it will be fulfilled.
Verse 8 says, “In this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit….We need to pray for much fruit-bearing that the Father may be glorified, that is, expressed, in the Son. In fruit-bearing the Father’s divine life is expressed and so He is glorified. (Life-study of John, msg. 34, sec. 3)
Lord, keep us abiding in You and praying for much fruit in Los Angeles.
GTCA—Gospelize, Truthize, Churchize America
The basis for the Lord to accomplish His present move in this country is through the persevering prayers of the saints in one accord (Acts 1:14). Three directions of prayer are much needed: first, to persistently remind the Lord of His will as the watchmen in Isaiah 62:6-7; second, to intercede for the people and leaders in this country; and third, to beseech the Lord to thrust out laborers into the ripened harvest of middle America—specifically, for at least 300 saints (including 30 full-timers) to migrate to the 10 target cities in the United States. For more reports and information, please visit http://GTCA.us.
Zagreb, Croatia
Croatia is a country in Southeast Europe with over 4 million inhabitants. In November 2019, the Balkan Regional Conference was held in the capital, Zagreb, with 180 saints in attendance, many of whom were gained through the distribution of the ministry. On March 1, the first Lord’s table will be taken in Zagreb. Please pray for a strong beginning to the Lord’s testimony in the nation’s largest city through the blending and fellowship in the Body.
Germany – Meeting Halls
Thank the Lord for His faithful care through the Body to meet the financial need for the purchase of the meeting hall in Berlin. Pray that in a timely way the Lord will grant the saints favor with the building authorities to enable them to renovate the new meeting hall to make it most useful for the Lord’s interest.
The church in Stuttgart has found a place available for lease that can suit their needs. They have submitted to the owner a plan with renovations that would need to be made. Pray that the owner will accept their proposal at a reasonable and affordable price.
Malta
Ten saints from Germany visited the island nation of Malta from February 7 to 10. The people were warm and responsive. Over the course of two one-hour distributions, 155 English NTs and 200 copies of The Mystery of Human Life were given out. Gatherings with seeking people were held on each of the three evenings. On the Lord’s Day morning there was a time of singing and prayer. Please pray that the three students who spent time with the visiting saints will attend the European University Conference in March, and ask the Lord to gain a local couple with an open home.
Prayer for the Current Situation
On Lord’s Day, February 23, Chinese-speaking believers around the world observed a day of prayer for the current situation with regard to the coronavirus outbreak. Saints began to pray at midnight and continued in intervals of 15 minutes or more for 24 hours. They prayed for an end to the epidemic, peace in the people’s hearts, and the Lord’s move in China. Many testified of the Lord’s presence in their prayer.
Several more countries (including Korea, Japan, and Italy) are now seeing a significant increase in virus-related cases. We need to take up the corporate priesthood to stop the pestilence by prayer. Now it is a critical time to rise up in one accord to pray for prevention and containment not only in China, but all over the earth. At the same time, while the black horse of pestilence is running rampant, let us pray to release the white horse of the gospel to first conquer people’s hearts and bring them to salvation.
“The earth is Jehovah’s, and its fullness, the habitable land and those who dwell in it.” (Psa. 24:1)
Announcements
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Morning Revival: Crystallization-study of Deuteronomy, week 1.
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High School Conferences at Oak Glen: for sisters, March 13 to 15 (registration due March 1); for brothers, March 20 to 22 (registration due March 8).
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Memorial Day Conference: May 22 to 25 in Atlanta, GA. Conference and hotel information is posted at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer. Saints from LA are asked to RSVP by April 28 at http://tinyurl.com/memdayla.
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Receive weekly church prayer in English by email: sign up at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.