Week of November 24

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God Is Able and We Are Not

“And on the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and there was the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi: it had budded; it even put forth buds and produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds.” (Num. 17:8)

“And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.” (Gen. 21:2)

“…Jesus said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:26)

After the children of Israel rebelled, as recorded in Numbers 16, God commanded the twelve leaders to take twelve rods according to the twelve tribes of Israel and put them in the Tent of the Testimony before the Ark. Then He said, “The rod of the man whom I choose shall bud” (17:5). All twelve rods were leafless, rootless, dry, and dead. Whichever one budded was the one chosen by God. Here we see that resurrection is the basis of God's selection and that the basis of service is something apart from our natural life. Thus, the budding rod signifies our experience of Christ in His resurrection as our acceptance by God for authority in the God-given ministry.

Resurrection means that everything is of God and not of us. It means that God alone is able and that we are not able. All of those who know resurrection have given up hope in themselves. They know that they cannot make it. As long as the natural strength remains, the power of resurrection has no ground for manifestation. As long as Sarah could conceive a child, Isaac would not come. To be a Christian is not merely difficult—it is impossible. Only the processed and consummated Triune God living in us as the all-inclusive Spirit can be a Christian. Only the Spirit can be a Christian, and only the Spirit can be an overcomer. (Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1), msg. 9, I.D.1, 2, 5, 6, 9)

Thanksgiving Conference

The 2024 International Thanksgiving Blending Conference takes place this weekend, November 28 to December 1, in Atlanta. The general subject is “Living a Christian Life and Church Life Under the Government of God for the Economy of God.” The live schedule is below. Please note that listed start times are EST (3 hours ahead of PST):

Meeting 1: Thursday, November 28………. 7:30 PM
Meeting 2: Friday, November 29………….. 10:00 AM
Meeting 3: Friday, November 29………….... 7:30 PM
Meeting 4: Saturday, November 30……….10:00 AM
Meeting 5: Saturday, November 30……….. 7:30 PM
Meeting 6: Lord's Day, December 1………. 9:30 AM

The six conference messages will be broadcast live at www.lsmwebcast.com. They will also be accessible for viewing anytime until December 31 in the “Archives” section without a subscription. Outlines are already available for download on the site.

Let us prepare ourselves for this upcoming time of ministry and sanctify these days for the hearing of faith among us. Please pray for the release of the Lord's timely word to the whole Body. Pray also that the saints not attending in-person would make use of the online provision to get into the messages, that as many saints as possible may receive this word.

Church in Los Angeles

The whole church in Los Angeles—all halls, districts, and languages—will meet together starting at 10:00 am on Lord's Day, December 8 at Hall 2. Lunch will be provided afterwards for the saints to enjoy more blending. Please pray for all the preparation and coordination and for the saints to attend.

Lord, release Your speaking and Your burden into us for Your moving onward in each of us and in the whole of Los Angeles!

FTTA

The application deadline for the Spring 2025 term of the Full-time Training in Anaheim is this Saturday, November 30. Please pray for many college graduates and young working saints to answer God's call to go to the training in next term.

United States

“I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; on behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.” (1 Tim. 2:1-2)

A quiet and tranquil life is one that is peaceable, still, and without disturbance, not only outwardly in circumstances but also inwardly in our heart and spirit. Such a life enables us to have an enjoyable church life in godliness and gravity. (1 Tim. 2:2, note 1)

After last month's elections, the nominees for high positions in the government have brought forth strong reactions, some positive, some negative. Let us petition the Lord that those who take office in January will be for a quiet and tranquil life both outwardly and also inwardly in our hearts.

France – Shepherding Trips

Beseech the Lord to supply all the saints who live in French-speaking Europe, and all who are there on “shepherding trips” for weeks or months, to labor diligent in ministering Christ to the seeking contacts so that these ones may grow in truth and life and be added to the church. Also beseech the Lord to thrust out more workers into this harvest and to release the long-term visas.

Urk, The Netherlands

For a number of years a group of faithful saints have been meeting regularly in Urk, a town in the central Netherlands. This Lord's Day, December 1 they will hold the first Lord's table meeting as the church in that city. Please pray for the leading brothers in their being a pattern and in their shepherding of the saints according to God, and for all the saints in their experiencing, enjoying, and expressing Christ for His testimony in Urk.

The Lord's Move in Europe

Please pray for the migration of burdened saints to strengthen the Lord's testimony in nine critical European cities in 2025—Paris, Geneva, Brussels, Belfast, Dublin, Vienna, Prague, Rome, and Athens.

Announcements

1. Morning Revival: Week 9 of Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1).
2. No Wednesday Night Ministry Meeting: There is no ministry meeting this week due to preparations for Thanksgiving Conference. The meeting will resume next week, December 4.
3. Semiannual Training: December 23 to 28 in Anaheim. Lord's Day, December 8 is the firm deadline to register for the video training in LA at tinyurl.com/wintertrainingla.
4. Europe Blending Fellowship: A message given by Ron Kangas on “Doing the Will of God in the Two Systems of God in the Universe” after the October ITERO can be viewed at lsm.org/blending.
5. Bibles for America's blog post “Knowing the Truth concerning God's Forgiveness” is at blog.bfa.org.
6. Free e-Booklets: Living Stream Ministry offers free e-booklets to read and share. For example, sixty nuggets and gems have been extracted from the Life-study of Philippians with timely topics such as “The Rich Word for Living Christ” and “The Way to Be Freed from Anxiety.” These e-booklets may be accessed for free at www.lsm.org/life-study-philippians.
7. Ways to Give: Information about the church's online giving platform, Subsplash, and where to mail checks, are at www.churchinlosangeles.org/members/offerings.