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Being Reconstituted with God’s Word to Be God’s Testimony

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” (Col. 3:16)

“That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:26-27)

God’s intention with Israel was to have on earth a divinely constituted people to be His testimony—a people reconstituted with the word of God. After the return from captivity, the people of Israel were still unruly, for they had been born and raised in Babylon and had become Babylonian in their constitution. There was the need of teaching and reconstitution to bring the people of God into a culture that was according to God, a culture that expressed God; this kind of culture requires a great deal of education.

Ezra brought the people back to the Word of God so that they might be re-educated and reconstituted with the heavenly truths in the divine Word. As a result of being reconstituted through the ministry of Ezra, Israel (in type) became a particular nation, a nation sanctified and separated unto God, expressing God. (December Semiannual Training, msg. 5, II.A,B,C,E,G)

As we pray for the Lord’s word and burden released in the December Semiannual Training to operate prevailingly in all the saints and churches, let us pray specifically that we would begin this year with a renewed appetite for the Word of God. May the Lord gain us as Ezras—priestly teachers who contact God, who are saturated with God, who are one with God, who are mingled with God, who are filled with God, and who are skillful in the Word of God—for His testimony and glory.

2023 North America College Training

We joyfully announce that registration is now open for this summer’s North America College Training! This training occurs once every four years. In 2023 we are gathering July 16 to 22 in Champaign, Illinois. The topic will be “Love Prevails.” Registration opened January 1, and anyone who registers during the month of January will receive a discount. Go to http://collegetraining.org

Please pray that the Lord would move in a special way to call all of our high school seniors, current college students, and recent college graduates to set this time aside and register right away!

FTTA Gospel Trips

From January 26 to February 9, 16 FTTA gospel trip teams will go out to 21 countries in Europe to join with the local saints for the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. Please pray that:

  • The Lord will blend and build the saints involved so that He will have the free way to fully bless the trips.
  • The sanctifying Spirit will go before the saints to prepare the hearts of those the Lord has chosen.
  • The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom will be prevailing and reach all those the Lord desires to save.
  • Fruit, even remaining fruit, will be borne in each place visited, and the Lord will add to the churches as His testimony in each of these nations.
  • The Lord will fully cover the travel, safety, security, and health of all those involved.

Ukraine

Please continue to pray that:

  • The Lord will keep all the saints in the involved countries open to Him for their experience of the divine dispensing in all the situations of their daily living.
  • The Lord will meet all the practical needs of the saints as the cold weather of winter settles in.
  • The brothers who are fighting in the war will be preserved by the Lord in their tripartite being.
  • The Lord will shepherd the refugees and establish them in the church life.
  • The local saints, serving ones, and trainees will be blended with the refugees by being through the cross and by the Spirit to minister Christ to one another for the building up of the Body.
  • The saints in the involved countries involved will be kept in the oneness of the Body and the reality of the new man.
  • The tripartite being of saints in besieged cities will be protected and preserved for the Lord’s interests.
  • The Lord will comfort and sustain those who have lost loved ones in the war.
  • The enemy will be bound in his attack on the Lord’s interests in Russia, Ukraine, and Europe.

Stuttgart Meeting Hall

Please continue to pray for the release of funding needed for Phase I renovations and for the planning, design, and permits needed. Saints in LA who are burdened to contribute may give through the Church in Los Angeles designated for ‘Stuttgart Meeting Hall’.

Azerbaijan

Pray for the saints to be in one accord to gain some stable Russian speakers for His testimony.

Announcements

  1. Morning Revival: Week 1 of our morning revival topic on “Eating the Word of God.”
  2. FTTA and FTTA-XB graduation videos may be viewed for a limited time at http://www.ftta.org.
  3. SoCal Spanish-speaking Conference: January 13 to 15 at the Ministry Conference Center, Anaheim.
  4. SoCal YP Blending Conference: January 13 to 15 in Anaheim. Registration at http://scyp.com/blending.
  5. Bibles for America‘s latest post is available to read and share at http://blog.biblesforamerica.org.
  6. Living to Him has a podcast series particularly helpful to working saints, available on all major podcasting services at http://livingtohim.com/the-living-to-him-podcast.
  7. A Timely Speaking of Supply: Enjoy a free weekly video from messages given by Brother Lee at http://lsm.org/timely-speaking.html.
  8. 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.