Becoming Living Stars Who Watch for the Lord’s Coming
“And we have the prophetic word made more firm, to which you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19)
Numbers 24:17 says, “There shall come forth a Star out of Jacob”; this Star refers to Christ. The fulfillment of this type of Christ is found in the word of the magi, learned men from the east, recorded in Matthew 2:2: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him.” When Christ came the first time, He appeared openly as a star, but when He comes the second time, He will be the morning star to His overcomers, who watch for His coming; to all others Christ will later appear as the sun.
Christ’s faithful followers are shining and living stars, those who follow Christ as the shining and living Star to be His duplication. The living stars give heed to the prophetic word of the Scriptures “as to a lamp shining in a dark place” so that Christ as the morning star rises in their hearts day by day. If we give heed to the word in the Bible, which shines as a lamp in a dark place, we will have His rising in our hearts before His actual appearing as the morning star. He will secretly give Himself as the morning star to those who love Him and who watch and wait for Him so that they may taste the freshness of His presence at His coming back after a long absence. (CS Numbers, msg. 22, I, A, 6; II, C, 2)
Thanksgiving Conference
This weekend, November 28 to December 1, saints from all over the world will gather in Houston, Texas for the International Thanksgiving Conference. Around 25 saints from Los Angeles are planning to participate. Please pray that the Lord will take more crucial steps for the advancement of His purpose.
Many localities, including Los Angeles, will partake of this time via webcast. Pray that many will give their time to attend these webcasts and to speak with one another after the meetings. Lord, prepare us all to feast with You for Your joy and for our enjoyment with You and with one another!
Semiannual Video Training in Los Angeles
To be trained is to have the rich supply of Christ ministered to us that we may grow, and it is to be equipped that we may be skillful in speaking, in contacting new ones, and in shepherding and in preaching and teaching. (Life-Study of Ephesians, ch. 41)
This winter’s Semiannual Training (December 23 to 28) will be the Crystallization-study of Deuteronomy. For those not attending the live sessions in Anaheim, the church in Los Angeles has arranged video trainings in multiple locations.
The deadline to register at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla and submit payment ($105) is December 3. This is a firm deadline. For more information, fellowship with the registration coordinator in your district.
Please ask the Lord to increase our number participating in His up-to-date speaking to the churches in this video training. Ask Him to stir our hearts to pursue Him actively: “For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
LA Children and Young People Fellowship
Lord’s Day, November 24, was a fellowship time with all the saints in LA who serve with children and young people. In December, district-level fellowship will take place in each hall, to which all parents and new serving ones are invited: December 15 for Halls 1, 3, 4, 5 and December 22 for Hall 2.
Please pray for all the parents to be released to participate in these times of fellowship. Pray also for the Lord to uplift our care for our children and young people, in family life, in personal shepherding, and in meetings, so that many godly families can be firmly established.
Hong Kong
The events in recent weeks, in particular the conflicts on the university campuses, have directly affected our propagation on the campuses and damaged the Lord’s interest in Hong Kong. The campuses were ruined, classes were suspended, and non-local students had to evacuate Hong Kong. The serving ones and trainees for the campuses were unable to enter the campuses to contact people, and the propagation of the gospel is thus interrupted. All these are the work of the enemy.
Please pray that the gospel propagation on campuses would continue to have an open door without hindrance, and that the young people would receive the gospel of God’s economy as the meaning and goal of their life (Acts 28:31; Rev. 3:8; Eph. 3:9).
Europe
Please pray for the raising up of the Lord’s testimony in major cities in Europe, including Lisbon, Portugal; Vienna, Austria; Thessaloniki, Greece; Zagreb, Croatia; Belgrade, Serbia; Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland; Sevilla and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Tirana, Albania; Gdansk, Poland; and Malta.
Milan, Italy Meeting Hall
The church in Milan (100 saints; city population 3 million) and the literature center in Italy (29 titles published; sold in ten Christian book stores in Italy) are in the process of acquiring a property in Milan. A total of €741,000 (approximately $830,000) must be paid by January 13, 2020. The church and literature work have provided €200,000. Please pray for the Lord’s blessing on this property for His increase in Milan and in Italy. Gifts can be given to LME or to the church, designated “Milan Meeting Hall.”
Announcements
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Morning Revival: Week 22 of Crystallization-Study of Numbers, vol. 4.
Next week, after Thanksgiving weekend, we will REPEAT Week 22. -
Wednesday Night Ministry Meeting: There will not be a meeting on Wednesday, November 27, due to the Thanksgiving Conference in Houston. The ministry meeting will resume on December 4.
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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. Register at http://tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla.
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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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Reports on the Lord’s Move in Germany, website in English: http://germanyreports.info.