Regenerated to Become Christ’s Increase, His Bride
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that everyone who believes into Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.” (John 3:14-16)
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom… He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29a-30)
“For He gives the Spirit not by measure.” (John 3:34b)
John 3 reveals that regeneration is not only to bring the divine life into the believers but also to make them the corporate bride for Christ’s increase. As Adam was increased in Eve, so Christ is increased in His bride. By Christ being lifted up on the cross as the bronze serpent, Satan’s increase has become Christ’s increase, His bride. We who were once the increase of Satan have become the increase of Christ.
All regenerated persons are components of the bride, who will be married to the Lord Jesus as the Bridegroom. Regeneration means that our serpentine being is annulled and that we receive the divine life in order to become a new being so that we may be a part of the bride. By this we can see that regeneration is for producing the bride of Christ.
The intention of John 3 is to show that the unlimited Christ must have a universal increase and that He is in the process of gaining this increase today. The immeasurable Spirit produces a universal increase for the unlimited Christ.
Our natural life and living are not part of the increase of Christ. Only the regenerated part of our being, our regenerated spirit, is Christ’s increase. In a real and practical way, Christ should be our life and our person. We live Him and are one spirit with Him. We abide in Him, and He abides in us. Therefore, He and we have one life and one living—this is the serpentine people becoming the bride of Christ. When we have this kind of living, then in reality we are serpentine beings in the process of transformation into the bride of Christ, the increase of Christ. The ultimate consummation of this bride will be the New Jerusalem as the tabernacle of God and the wife of the Lamb.
May the Lord have mercy on us that we may learn to live by our regenerated being! (Crystallization-study of Numbers, msg. 18, II.C-F, III.B.2-5)
Bibles for America
The number of Bibles that BfA ships from its distribution center in Southern California has been steadily growing, with an average of 800 to 1,000 Bibles mailed per week. Two weeks ago, the volunteers at the distribution center shipped an unprecedented 1,000 Bibles in just one day! This substantial increase in Bible orders is attributed to small changes that have been made to the wording on our Facebook ads, which have increased their visibility.
Please pray for the online ads to continue to be effective, so that more and more people could receive the food which abides unto eternal life. Pray also for the volunteers at the distribution center to be strengthened, energized, and filled with joy as they prepare Bibles to be sent to God’s seekers.
Ministry Digest
Issue 2 of the Ministry Digest has been published. The two specific goals of this new publication are: (1) to help the saints enter into the riches of The Collected Works of Witness Lee, and (2) to provide ministry content for the churches in their corporate weekly pursuit. Subscribe directly at http://md.lsm.org. Pray that this publication will help us develop a taste and deepen the desire for reading the ministry in a consistent way.
Balkans Regional Conference
This year’s Balkans Regional Conference will be November 1 to 3 in Zagreb, Croatia. Please pray that the Lord will gather the saints and the Rhema contacts throughout the Balkans for fellowship and blending and will abundantly bless the saints and the churches through this conference.
United Kingdom
Please pray that the Lord will rule sovereignly over the Brexit process. May the Lord rule over the situation for His interests and for the advancement of His move in Europe!
Europe
Amana Trust will host four one-week trainings at Bower House in London this fall, beginning October 28 and November 4, 11, and 18. The overall theme will be “The Four Great Pillars in the Lord’s Recovery: Truth, Life, the Church, and the Gospel.” These training sessions will help all to receive a vision of the Lord’s recovery. These times are also appropriate for new contacts and seeking ones.
Attendees will also participate in FTT London classes and other activities as well as meetings with the church in London and surrounding churches. There will be fellowship regarding our daily life, practicing the vital groups, spreading the divine truths throughout Europe, being fruit-bearing branches in the vine, and developing our function for the building up of the church in our respective localities. There will also be a special outing related to the history of the Lord’s move in Europe.
Poland
An international book fair took place last week in Krakow, October 24 to 27. Approximately 70,000 visitors were expected. Bibles for Europe was an exhibitor. The saints distributed free copies of the NT Recovery Version in Polish. Please pray for the Lord’s Word to run and be glorified in Poland!
Hong Kong
Over the past several months, there has been considerable unrest and turmoil in Hong Kong. In such times, the church needs even the more to fulfill the ministry of prayer (Eph. 6:17-18). Please pray:
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For the Lord’s peace to come upon all districts of Hong Kong and every person’s heart.
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For those in authority to have the wisdom from God in seeking a solution.
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For the citizens to know the Lord and receive hope from God, especially that the young people would be protected and have a heart to seek God so that they would be open to the gospel.
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For the Lord to cause the saints in the church to be strong in spirit and to be in one accord to preach the gospel of the kingdom.
Announcements
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Morning Revival: Week 18 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 3.
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Audio of the October 20 Joint LA Meeting is available in English at http://tinyurl.com/godlyfamily.
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SAVE THE DATE! On November 24, 3:00 to 4:30pm at Hall 5, there will be an important fellowship for serving ones and parents of children and young people to strengthen and upgrade our service.
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The Thanksgiving Conference will be in Houston, Texas from November 28 to December 1. Saints from LA who plan to attend are asked to RSVP by October 31. Childcare registration required. Information, including hotels, is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.
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SoCal Children’s Work Conference: Saturday, November 16, 9:00 am to 12:15 pm. No lunch provided. Bring your FM radio for translation. The location is the Church in Diamond Bar meeting hall. Donation is $20. Register by November 10 at http://www.scyp.com/registration.
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December Semiannual Training is December 23 to 28. Registration for webcasts in LA ($105) due by December 3. No late registrations. Registration for the live sessions in Anaheim is already closed. Saints in LA are invited to register and follow the payment directions at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla.
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Receive prayer and announcements by email: sign up at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer.