God’s Good Pleasure to Meet His Need in This Age
“For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13)
“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)
God’s good pleasure, His heart’s desire, is to meet the demand of this age, which is God’s need in this age. What He needs is the Body testimony, which is the reality of the Body of Christ consummating in the New Jerusalem. This is to fulfill the Lord’s heart’s desire according to His word concerning the building up of His Body.
We are being perfected in this present age to become functioning members of the Body of Christ. The church as the Body of Christ is brought forth when all the one-talented ones are functioning. Each member of the Body of Christ has at least one talent. Today the building up of the church hinges on the perfecting, building up, and raising up of the one-talented ones. God is recovering the most difficult thing today, which is the fulfillment of Ephesians 4:11-16. (Meeting God’s Need and Present Needs in the Lord’s Recovery, msg. 2, I, A, C-D, D.3, E)
May the Lord gain the functioning of all the saints for the building up of His Body to meet His need today.
LA Young People & College Students
Following last week’s prayer meeting, let us continue to stand with our young people and college students in prayer. Please pray for the following matters:
- That the Lord would be their peace and joy from all anxiety, cover their health and safety, and shine brightly from them to their friends and classmates.
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For the preparation of the SoCal YP Blending Conference from February 11 to 13, that it would be a help and encouragement to all.
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For the follow-up and fellowship with many new students on campus and the further connection of our college students with community saints in small groups and the church life.
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For the Lord’s wisdom to all the parents and serving ones in balancing safe yet engaging activities for our students in light of the pandemic.
South Africa National Student Training
The upcoming South Africa National Student Training takes place January 24 to 30. The timing of this training is strategic, since it universities across the country start the academic year in February. Many students will attend in-person and we hope the Lord could have a way to reach more freshman this year.
The general subject of this training is “Rise Up and Build.” Currently, 26 students have signed up. It is an encouraging number considering it will be the first full-time, in-person student training in two years. A number of students are still quite new among us and this will be their first time attending such a training. However, we do need the saints’ prayer, as already a few registrants have cancelled in recent days. Please pray that the Lord would:
- Release everyone who signed up, as well as any still on the fence, to attend this training in the best condition to receive the divine dispensing!
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Prepare the hearts of the first-timers and that they would get more built up with the other students.
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Bless all of us with one accord, whether full-timers, community saints, or students. Lord, make us a net to catch men alive for You!
Zurich, Switzerland
For a long time there has been a burden for migrations to six important European cities to strengthen or raise up churches. Zurich is one of these. The urban area population is about 1.8 million. At least four couples will soon migrate to Zurich, two this month. Some of these are native Europeans; others have been in German-speaking church life for many years. Ask the Lord to supply all the practical needs for their moves, and to bless the development of the church life in Zurich.
This year the saints in Zurich started to read the New Testament with footnotes on a 2 year schedule. Pray that all the saints enter into the enjoyment of reading and that through this enjoyment they will rise up and function in the church life.
Announcements
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Morning Revival: Week 2 of Meeting God’s Need and Present Needs in the Lord’s Recovery.
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All-LA Prayer Meeting: A recording of the fellowship on young people and college students from last week’s prayer meeting may be viewed in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean.
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Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry has made a series of free e-booklets available to read and share with others at http://www.lsm.org/booklets.
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Lord’s Move to Europe: Please visit http://amanatrust.org.uk/page/reports for video and written updates on Europe prepared for the recent December Semiannual Training.
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Ways to Give: Information about the church’s online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at http://www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.