Increase with Men like a Flock
“And they will say, This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited. Then the nations that are left all around you will know that I, Jehovah, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, Jehovah, have spoken, and I will do it” (Ezek. 36:35-36).
“Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Moreover for this I will be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock…. So will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they will know that I am Jehovah” (Ezek. 36:37-38).
In His recovery by life, the Lord desires to increase us “with men like a flock.” The Lord has promised to increase us, filling the waste cities “with flocks of men,” but we still need to inquire of Him, asking Him to do what He desires to do. We should not say that numbers do not mean anything and that we do not care for numbers. We need to pray for the increase, claiming the Lord’s promise in Ezekiel 36. We need to remember that quality comes out of quantity. We need to pray that the Lord will give us the increase and that He will bring in flocks of men. (Crystallization-Study of Ezekiel, msg. 12, VII)
Summer Training
The Summer Training is July 3 to 8 in Anaheim as well as through webcasts in many localities. Ask the Lord to prepare the speaking brothers during their labor on the messages. Also ask the Lord to prepare all who have registered to attend and to be good listeners and absorbers of the word.
FTTA Graduation
The graduation of the Full-time Training in Anaheim will be held this Saturday, July 1, 9:30 am at the Ministry Conference Center in Anaheim. This term there are 133 saints who will graduate. Please pray for their faithful going on with the Lord outside the training environment, the willingness of many to serve full time, and their blending into the church life wherever they go. Let us also ask the Lord to bring 80 brothers and 80 sisters to begin the training in August.
Summer School (Restaurant) of Truth (SSoT)
The Summer School of Truth gives life to the young people in the form of God’s word as “food.” This summer, from July 21 to 29, is indeed an appointed time to minister Christ as life and life-supply to those entering 7th to 12th grades. We ask the Lord that as many young people as possible in L.A. could attend. We believe this SSoT will be special and have various new elements that enable the young people to minister to one another and face the degraded age together. We hope all the young people would sign up here: https://churchinlosangeles.org/ssot/.
Please pray: 1) that the young people would, through an atmosphere of love, care and genuine concern for them, open the three layers of their being to the Lord—their mouth, their heart and their spirit; 2) that the young people will all have positive companions in the Lord; 3) that the Lord would give light to the serving ones on how to conduct the SSoT in a way that is timely, relevant, and “sweet as honey” to the young people; 4) that every young person would receive a personal appearing from the Lord such that the young people would say “Dearest Lord, my flask of alabaster, gladly now in love I break for Thee.”
BfA in Cincinnati
From June 14-18 saints in Cincinnati, Ohio endeavored to pass out 1,000 free copies of the NT Recovery Version and 2,000 free Bible-offer brochures in their neighborhoods. Many of the thirty saints used their vacation time to participate, with the goal of making a solid connection with at least one family in the areas where they live. Please pray that:
- The many seeds sown by the saints’ going out would take root in the hearts of people who received a free Bible or Bible-offer brochure.
- Several households would be gained by the Lord for His increase and spread in Cincinnati.
Germany
The six trips this spring for shepherding, perfecting, and campus gospel end July 22. Among the churches there is much burden and consideration before the Lord about the focus of our labor after this time, as we wait for the migrating saints to arrive after first spending 6 months in Düsseldorf for orientation and language training.
We trust the Lord will care for the churches in Germany. We pray that the Lord would grant the local saints His wisdom and leading in their care for the new believers, both German-speaking students and Farsi-speaking saints. We also pray that the Lord would use the second half of this year to strengthen the building among the local saints that there could be a good foundation in all the churches.
Continue to pray for the prompt follow-up with the recipients of the 4,655 German and 140 English NTs distributed at Kirchentag. Please pray that the Lord would gain at least 100 solid, seeking remaining fruits, and for the planting of “church trees” as golden lampstands all over Germany.
A one-page Kirchentag report is at https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer/.
Recovery Version NT in Polish
Praise the Lord that the New Testament Recovery Version will be available soon in Polish! This will be a significant accomplishment of the Lord in His move in Europe. Please pray
- that more Polish- and English-speaking saints will be released to participate in this six-week proof-reading project which begins August 14; there is still a shortage.
- for all the practical preparations related to the location where this project will be carried out.
- that more saints will be available for practical service (cooking, cleaning, transportation).
West Africa
From June 29 to July 1 there will be a West Africa Blending Conference in Bohicon, Benin.
Announcements
- Morning revival: Week 12 in Crystallization-Study of Ezekiel (Winter Training).
Monday, July 10 we begin Special Fellowship concerning the World Situation and the Lord’s Move. - Southern California Blending Conference: Outlines (E, S, C, K), audios (E, S, C, K), and videos (E) are at http://tinyurl.com/2017SoCalBlendingConference.
- Information about Germany and Europe: see June 11 prayer (“Older Entries” near bottom of https://churchinlosangeles.org/prayer/)