life-study 26 - Christ Coming to Take Possession of the Earth

Scripture reading: Rev. 10:1-11 (Between the 6-7 trumpets, three visions here). [2nd insertion]. 

Rev. 10:1 And I saw another strong Angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon His head, and His face was like the sun, and His feet like pillars of fire;
Rev. 10:2 And He had in His hand a little opened scroll. And He placed His right foot on the sea and the left on the land;
Rev. 10:3 And He cried out with a loud voice just as a lion roars. And when He cried out, the seven thunders uttered their own voices.
Rev. 10:4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, and I heard a voice out of heaven saying, Seal the things which the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them.
Rev. 10:5 And the Angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up His right hand to heaven
Rev. 10:6 And swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there shall be delay no longer,

If we were to understand the above passage, you'll have to understand all the facts in the book of revelation. 

The following is the seventh trumpet. This trumpet will close the age and end all the mysteries of God, Christ, and the church. 

Rev. 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to trumpet, then the mystery of God is finished, as He has announced the good news to His own slaves the prophets.
Rev. 10:8 And the voice which I heard out of heaven, [I heard] again speaking with me and saying, Go, take the opened scroll in the hand of the Angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.
Rev. 10:9 And I went to the Angel and told Him to give me the little scroll. And He said to me, Take [it] and devour it, and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.
Rev. 10:10 And I took the little scroll out of the hand of the Angel and devoured it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth; and when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
Rev. 10:11 And they said to me, You must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.

life-study msg 25 - Further Judgment Upon Men—The Sixth Trumpet

Rev. 9:13-20 The 6th trumpet 

Rev. 9:13 And the sixth angel trumpeted, and I heard a voice out of the four horns of the golden altar which is before God
Rev. 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.
Rev. 9:15 And the four angels were released, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year that they might kill the third part of men.
Rev. 9:16 And the number of the armies of horsemen was two hundred million; I heard their number.
Rev. 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those sitting on them, having breastplates of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev. 9:18 By these three plagues the third part of the men were killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone proceeding out of their mouths.
Rev. 9:19 For the power of the horses is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they harm [men].
Rev. 9:20 And the rest of the men, who were not killed by these plagues, still did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship the demons and the idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

FOCUS: The future component - principles and aspects of Christ as well as the prophecy of the end of the age. 

1. John shows us the scenes in heaven. 

2. The fifth trumpet will be the beginning of the tribulation. 

3. Not just have a holy fearing when we read this portion, but should also be in awe when we read it- the Lord might be silent now but will COME FORTH. 

4. 1941 December Pearl Harbour - Witness Lee's personal testimony in the war: the suffering in the wars were counted by the sufferers by hours, days, months, and years. 

Life-study msg 23- The Scene In Heaven After the Opening of the Seventh Seal and Judgment Upon the Earth

Scripture reading: (Rev. 8:1-12)

Rev. 8:1 And when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
The silence here indicates that the Lord has been tolerating the sinful and rebellious situation on the earth; He tolerates for the gospel to be preached and the bride to be prepared, but at this point, there's no more tolerance.

Rev. 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

The seventh seal equals to seven trumpets.

Rev. 8:3 And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given to Him to offer with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (The another Angel is Christ, He stands on the position sent by God to execute God's administration- As appeared in OT that Christ often came as the Angel of the Lord)


Rev. 8:4 And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints out of the hand of the Angel before God.
(The Lord wants to come in and deal with the worldly situation, but there's a need for the saints to pray). A very important principle, even though God wants to do many things, He waits for the saints to pray so that He can move.


Rev. 8:5 And the Angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast [it] to the earth; and there were thunders and voices and lightnings and an earthquake.
Rev. 8:6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to trumpet.
Rev. 8:7 And the first trumpeted, and there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was cast to the earth; and the third part of the earth was burned up, and the third part of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Rev. 8:8 And the second angel trumpeted, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood,
Rev. 8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea [and] had life died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Rev. 8:10 And the third angel trumpeted, and a great star fell out of heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the springs of waters.
Rev. 8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many of the men died from the waters because they were made bitter.
Rev. 8:12 And the fourth angel trumpeted, and the third part of the sun and the third part of the moon and the third part of the stars were smitten, so that the third part of them would be darkened and the day would not appear for the third part of it, and the night likewise.

The secret of God's economy is in the seven seals.

Leviticus - the Holy living of God's people

 This section concerning the holy living of God's people starts from chapter 11. 

The ways for God's people to live a holy living 

1. To contact people - 

2. Concerning our birth - 

3. Our condition- leprosy 

4. Discharge - not only unclean, filthy, and contagious - (Leviticus c15) 

Anything that comes from our natural men is unclean and contagious. Even in our serving the Lord, our natural ability and so on are unclean. Besides, anything we do for the Lord, it shall originate from the Lord as the source. That's why we always pray before we fellowship. The means is the Lord, and the outcome shall be glorifying God. 

The way to deal with the discharge is via the washing the cloth- such washing is the washing of the spirit of life. 

Ep 5:26 That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word,

That's why it is important that we read the Word of God every day - even we might not understand the word entirely, we still get washed in the word. 

Comparing to leprosy - it is easy to avoid; However, to natural discharge, it is hard to stay away. Since it is hard to stay away, it is so easy to contaminate people by our natural discharge. 

5 things that can save us from the uncleanness:

1. Death of Christ 

2. Resurrection of Christ 

3. Spirit of Christ 

4. Life of Christ 

5. The word of Christ 

Life study msg 22- The Seven Eyes of the Lamb For the Building of God

Scripture reading: Revelation chapter 5. 

The burden of this massage: Grow in life and function as Christians for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

Rv 5:3 And no one in heaven nor on the earth nor under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it.
Rv 5:4 And I wept much because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look into it.
Rv 5:5 And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals.

1. Worthy is the Lamb for He has redeemed us. He has completed the full salvation for us. 

2. He is worthy because He has defeated the enemy. This qualifies Him to open God's economy. 

3. Who is worthy to open the secret of God's economy? -God is the only One who's found to be worthy. 

- The Lion of the tribe of Judah - His victory over the enemy. God's a fighter who knows how to defeat the enemy. 

- The Root of David - Christ is the source of David. 

Rv 5:6 And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

The development of this verse: 

- Seven Lambs (Exo.) -> seven eyes (Zech.) --> seven Spirits of God (Rev.) 

Eyes: Infusing into (purifying and burning away < judgment> and infusing into us the nature of God)

The overcoming today is to overcome the dark night and the degraded situation. This requires His infusion into us. This infusion will be the New Jerusalem that we see- all built by Jasper stone. 

Some fellowship from the saints:

We do experience the essential spirit but for the Lord's move and the fulfillment of His economy, the economical spirit is needed. Since the building of the Body of Christ is the Lord's heart's desire, at the later stage before the day of the Lord, we have to experience the Lord's intensified economical spirit in His move as well. 

Lord, may our daily living also be part of your move so we can experience you as our essential spirit but also the economical spirit. Bless your church, Lord! 

Life-study 21 -God's Preservation of His People

Scripture reading: 

Rev. 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on any tree.

Rev. 7:2 And I saw another Angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom [authority] was given to harm the earth and the sea,

Rev. 7:3 Saying, Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the slaves of our God upon their foreheads.

Rev. 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:

Rev. 7:5 Out of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed; out of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand;

Rev. 7:6 Out of the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand;

Rev. 7:7 Out of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand;

Rev. 7:8 Out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed.

Rev. 7:9 After these things I saw, and behold, [there was] a great multitude which no one could number, out of every nation and [all] tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and palm branches in their hands.

Rev. 7:10 And they cry with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb.

Rev. 7:11 And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God,

Rev. 7:12 Saying, Amen. The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanks and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.

The seven seals are a response to the martyred saints' prayers, and the seals will be before the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord in the Bible meaning the great tribulation. The man child will be taken away before the sixth seal (the 1st camp of rapture, the man child, the first fruit). 

1. Rapture: the believers on earth taken alive to the presence of the Lord. It takes place before the great tribulation (principle: the reaping the mature of the crop).

2. Two things God will do to preserve His people 

a. To seal the children of Israel on their forehead (144,000 people) -God's marking out the children of Israel and preserving them in the tribulation (if those do not worship the beast). God's faithful covenant. 

b. The great multitude in white robes  with palm branches are the believers who have suffered many things - grow in life in maturity. If the believers are not mature, they will be left on the earth until they become mature. 

(The reference - revelation of chapter 14, there mentioned three reapings) 

Life study msg 20- The Cry of Martyred Saints and God's Answer—Seals Five and Six

Introduction that linked to the four horses from the last broadcast. 

The mind behind the system: the preaching of the gospel is the strong affirmation of the four horses. 

The Lord used war, death, and famine to release the gospel. 

Reference verses - (Rev. 6:10-17)

Rv 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Master, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? 

This is the cry from the martyred saints. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, the sinner, who crucified together with Jesus, went to paradise, the pleasant section of the hades. Those who died in Christ are in paradise and there'll be resurrection and rapture and we will all be together someday. There'll be a judgement starting from the House of God.  

Also, we focus is not on the heavens but the very person Christ Himself. 

Rv 6:11 And to each of them was given a white robe; and it was said to them that they should rest yet a little while, until also the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed, even as they were, is completed.

Facing any catastrophe described below, we need to repent. The day of the Lord is at hand. 

Rv 6:12 And I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
Rv 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
Rv 6:14 And heaven was removed like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rv 6:15 And the kings of the earth and the great men and the generals and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rv 6:16 And they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb;
Rv 6:17 For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?

We will have the growth of Christ before the great tribulation begins. 

Life study msg 19- World History From Christ's Ascension to the End of this Age—Seals One Through Four

From the Rev 6:1-8 depicts the history of the 20th century which is composed of the gospel preaching, war, famine, and death (see the four horses). Everything else among the four horses just makes the white horse forward to end the age.  

We don't pray for people in the world to be afflicted by war, death and famine. However, once they take place, we have to join ourselves to the white horse to preach the gospel. This indicates when Christ died on our behalf, He has put the enemy to death. This can be seen in Hebrews 2:14. 

Hebrews 2:14- Since therefore the children have shared in blood and flesh, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might destroy him who has the might of death, that is, the devil,

---- 

Rev. 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying like the sound of thunder, Come.

Rev. 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

Here, we only see a bow but not an arrow, this means that the arrow has been shot and won the victory. 

Rev. 6:3 And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come.

Rev. 6:4 And I saw, and behold, another horse, a red one, went forth; and to him who sits on it, to him [authority] was given to take peace from the earth, and that [men] should slay one another; and to him a great sword was given.

Rev. 6:5 And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a balance in his hand.

Rev. 6:6 And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying: A choenix of wheat for a denarius and three choenixes of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.

Rev. 6:7 And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come.

Rev. 6:8 And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and he who sits upon it, his name is Death; and Hades followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with death and by the beasts of the earth.

Life-study msg 16- To Dine With the Lord and To Sit On His Throne

This message corresponds to the church in Laodicea.

The first three churches mentioned in the book of Revelation are over, but the rest of them are still in continuation. 

Our first need to know the particular aspect that God is the head of the church. 

Ministry meeting: Life-Study of Jeremiah and Lamentations msg 18

 26 December 1991

Brother Witness Lee

The ministry meeting is the video delivered by brother Witness Lee on 26 December 1991. 

Title of the message 18: Israel's Sin Against Jehovah and Jehovah's Punishment Upon Israel (10) - Jehovah as the Potter and Israel as the Pottery

Hymn 548

(The message link - https://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?cid=26DE) 

__

Main point: God has the absolute right over His people

Thus, the potter is free to do anything he wants with the pottery. He is sovereign. 

Life-study msg 15- Rapture Before the Great Tribulation and a Pillar in God's Temple

The message is referring to the church in Philadelphia. 

Verses- Rev 3:7-13

- The meaning of David (the one built the temple indirectly at the back whereas Solomon built the temple). Christ is the centre who actually builds the temple. 

* The Key

The key to God's economy. Christ's supreme authority. Matt 28 (All the authority has been given to me). This key is able to open every door that is positively related to God's carrying out of His economy. 

The brethren in the 19th century in England was a recovery from the dead reformed church typified by the church in Thyatira. 

* The Name 

The name indicates the reality of a person, and thus it is wonderful to have His Name and the name of the city of My God be written on us.  

During the tribulation, the anti-Christ will also put his name on men so that those men will be identified with the anti-Christ. 

Life-study msg 14- White Garment and Name Confessed By the Lord

This message refers to the church in Sardis. 

This corresponds to the stage of the reformation in church history. e.g. Martin Luther's reformation. However, the truth at this stage is rather superficial and tied up to doctrines instead of life. 

That's why they always in revival because everything in the reformed church would die out (dead and dying are the main feature of the reformed church). The church becomes institutionalised. 

Seven stars- The seven-fold intensified spirit that makes us living! 

Death is dirtier than sin. If someone sins, they just need to offer the offering then they can be forgiven. However, if someone touches death, it takes seven days for them to be clean. 

We don't want to just be deadly right but livingly wrong. 

Names written on the book of life can be erased if we live the defeated life today (Rev 3:5), and those who stay on the book of life are overcomers who will eventually have higher enjoyment of Christ. This is our reward. However, being erased from the book of life is nothing today with our eternal salvation. 

Lord, keep us enjoying You as grace!

Life-study msg 13- Authority and Morning Star

This message focuses on the church of Thyatira. 

The parables: 

The woman in Matt 13 then becomes the woman Jezabel (harlot) in Rev 2 and eventually becomes the great harlot in Rev 17. This very woman portrays the apostate church (背道的教會) in history. 

The portion above can relate to 1 and 2 Kings concerning bringing the pagan things into the church (also is related to the leaven in Matthew).

*The church supposed to feed on the pure fine flour, but the evil woman in Matt 13 put leaven into the flour. The flour then had the mixture. What is leaven today? It is subtle that bringing things that are not from the Bible or from God and can seemingly be good that are easy for people to feed on these things.

We really need to be on guard. 

Rev. 2:24 "the deep things of Satan"= Deep thoughts of Satan = the embodiment of Satan. 

The great harlot does have many "daughters". = We need to be "nothing to do with the daughters of the great harlot". 

Life-study msg 12- Eating For Transformation

This msg is corresponding to the church in Pergamos, meaning marriage (marrying to the world) or tower (fortified tower). These are not in a positive sense. This indicates the church was in union with the world. 

However, God wants a church not joint to the world. Instead, God wants a church which is a golden lampstand. 

The debate in Christianity sometimes mistakes that if the church joints itself to the world, it might make the church more attractive to the unbelievers. However, God's desire is to "call out a group of people from the world". Therefore, the church of Pergamos, the church that jointed itself to the world was actually in an "illegal" marriage. 

From Rev. 2:13-14, we find a link between eating God's word and becoming Antipas (against all). Eating God's word cause us to be His testimony and not joint ourselves to the world. Eating God's world keeps us not marry ourselves to the world so that we can be a proper testimony of Jesus. 

*Antipas, My witness, My faithful one.

From Rev. 2:17 indicates that we, originally as clays, have become white stones, the transformed people. Additionally, on the white stones, there are new names written. These new names represent the special experiences we've gone through and thus only we know what the names mean. 

A special portion reserved for us as well (hidden manna). We are really partakers of the divine nature by enjoying the special portion of Christ. 

Life-study msg 11- The Resurrection Life and Crown of Life

Life-study msg 11- The Church in Smyrna—The Resurrection Life and Crown of Life

* The churches mentioned in the book of Revelation are the actual churches existed in Asia in the 1st century. 

*Smyrna- the suffering church

 * The word "Smyrna" is a Greek word for Myrrh. = The sweet suffering of Christ= The tribulation of the Lord Jesus. This indicates that the church of Smyrna went through the suffering with Christ. Individually and collectively, the followers of God need to continue in the suffering of Christ. 

How to continue in the suffering of Christ? 

1. We cannot do anything to gain redemption and have no part of the redemption done by Christ. However, when death operates in us, we can then minister life to others. 

2. The affliction of Christ enables the release of life for the growing of the church. 

3. The kingdom. The Lord could bring in the kingdom to the earth. However, for the Lord to manifest the kingdom to the earth, it is necessary to go through the suffering. 

God is the First and the Last. 

Whatever may happen, they are under the Lord's control. 

The second death 

Our salvation is eternal. Yet the Lord's arrangement is that there will be a reward in the Millenium kingdom for those who are faithful unto death. The reward is the crown of life. Otherwise, for those who have been saved yet live a life of the flesh, they will suffer the 

For those who are faithful unto death: 

*Positively- gaining the crown of life 

*Negatively- you will not suffer the second death 

Life-study msg 10 in the book of Revelation

Rev 2:4 concerning our problem: we left our first love for the Lord. 

God surely loves us, but the problem lies in "Our love for the Lord". 

Our loving the Lord gives us the ground for us to enjoy the Lord, and via enjoying the Lord, we gain life. The life also shines in us. This is the way that we enjoy Him as the tree of life and can be the testimony of Jesus. Leaving the first love indicates that we are in the degradation of the church. Also, as long as we allow God to be replaced, we are also in the degradation. 

Loving the Lord-> enjoying the Lord -> Gaining God as the tree of life -> the testimony of Jesus. 

Warning: works 

Rv 2:3And you have endurance and have borne all things because of My name and have not grown weary.

The first love is the best love. We are not love, He is love. In order to love the Lord, we simply are required to turn to Him who is love. We need to let Him be the first. 

Lord, to be honest, I don't know how to love. As I had never experienced the real love from others, how can I know this? Please don't make fun at me, okay? 

God's heart's desire for us to be sanctified

This is to respond to message five in ITEROS-HWMR
Topic: The Will of God—Our Sanctification

In this message, I got some reminders that both God and human need this mutual cooperation in order to make the sanctification to take place in us. 

 (1 Thes. 5:23-24)

“The God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it". 

In these two verses, it is quite clear that it is really God's heart's desire to sanctify us completely, and from the message throughout the week, we also see God's multifold procedure to sanctify us and make us as holy as He is. And once He calls us, He "ALSO WILL DO IT". However, I am reminded that although God is faithful in His work to sanctify us, we also have to play a part in this process, that is, our cooperation. 

I think a lot of times I simply cast the responsibility to the Lord for Him to renew and sanctify me. Well, it is true that He will do it as He is faithful in His Word. But I realise I also have a role to play so that the Lord can gain my tripartite being. 

(1 Tim 4:7) But the profane and old-womanish myths refuse, and exercise yourself unto
godliness.

I have to cooperate with the Lord by keeping my spirit in a living condition. In order to do it, I have to exercise my spirit in order to preserve my spirit. 

(Jer 15:16) Your words were found and I ate them, / And Your word became to me / The
gladness and joy of my heart, / For I am called by Your name, / O Jehovah, God
of hosts.

I also need to exercise my soul to be filled with Him. I can contact the Word and muse upon Him. This will create a way for Him to permeate my soul. Then I will find joy in Him and my soul will be able to praise Him and worship Him.

(1 Thes 4:4) That each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and
honor,

I also need to exercise to live a holy life for the church life. Sometimes, I am quite careless in taking care of my physical environment, and I might be defiled by many things passively instead of exercising myself to run away from the worldly things. Then this can affect the enjoyment of the Lord in my soul and even stop me exercising my spirit to touch the Lord. 

So, it's a good reminder to me again. The Lord is faithful to sanctify us, and this is also His heart's desire to do so. But without my cooperation, whatever He tries to do in me will be in vain. I shouldn't be passive in preserving myself but to be proactive and exercise my entire being to live a life that can let the Lord sanctify us wholly. 

The place where God intends to lead His people to enter into

This message is such a good reminder to me. As a genuine child of God, I certainly have experienced the altar and the laver- believing into Christ as my Passover Lamb and me being washed and cleaned by the work of the Spirit. However, this message clearly shows that in order to further our experience of the Lord, we need to first differentiate the experience in the Holy Place and the experience in the Holy of Holies. The experience in the Holy Place is necessary for us, but it is not a place that we should be content with and linger on all the time. The goal is to enter into the Holy of Holies and experience Christ directly in a hidden way. This can be illustrated by the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness and in Canaan. 

God is merciful. After leading the children of Israel out from Egypt into the wilderness, He provided manna and living water to satisfy them (1Cor. 10:1-4). However, God's mercy to satisfy them with the food and water in the wilderness did not justify the children of Isreal. Their experience to enjoy God's supply was a wonderful thing which showed God's wondrous deeds and tender care, yet that was still not God's goal towards His people. 1Cor. 10:5 says, "But with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn along in the wilderness." This indicates that the children of Isreal's lingering in the wilderness did not satisfy God. He had purposed somewhere higher and better, Canaan, for His people to enter into rest (Hebrews 4). For we believers, we are encouraged to long for solid food to grow unto maturity (Heb. 5:13-14) and enter into the veil, the Holy of Holies, to be partakers of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 6:4; 19-20). This corresponds to Paul's entreaty for the Corinthian believers not be soulish men but to be spiritual men in order to truly know things of God (1Cor. 2:11-15).  

One sentence in the message struck me. We might enjoy "something of Christ, but not Christ Himself". Oh Lord, I repent. May I not be content with something of Christ or even be proud of having something of Christ. May You empty me daily and increase my hunger and appetite for You so I would long for entering into the Holy of Holies continuously and enjoy the hidden portion of Christ that is not known by everybody but only me. May this knowing be my cooperation with You to satisfy Your heart's desire and Your purpose in me and in Your people. 

(Prophecy on "The economy of God- Chapter 19")

1991 Memorial Day Conference -2

This message can be referred to chapter four of the book "The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord's Move" and titled "The way to spread the Lord's recovery in the countries of Europe". 

Several points that remind me. 

1. Study the truth "what is God's ordained way"? Intensified study of the life-study as our responsibility is to teach the high gospel. 

2. Remind me of why I came here. 

We are not doing a work, or participating in a movement. We have to go to Europe by emigration. Just a portion below reminds me of why I am here. Although I do think it's the time that I can make myself graduate now. Also, as brother Lee mentioned that the full-timers will serve in poverty. It reminds me that I want to take a job and support the full-timers. Lord, as I note down this, remind me always and help me find a job in Europe for your economy. Even there will be more families to serve You together. 

Some Emigrating There
to Study in a School and Serve the Lord

Some can emigrate there to study in a school and serve the Lord. I would recommend that some go there to be “professional students.” In other words, those who go to school should plan on remaining in school for the Lord’s work on the campuses. The longer they stay in school, the better it is. This is because they can spend their time contacting the students for the Lord’s interest. I hope that many young people among us would go to the universities in Europe to be professional students teaching the divine truths. It is glorious and worthwhile to be such a student, contacting other students daily with the Lord’s truths. I believe that some students who go to Europe can bear new fruit monthly like the tree of life in the New Jerusalem. (Ministry portion from the chapter) 

3. We must have a change. 

The longer I remain in Europe, sometimes I just lose the burning and vision to follow the Lord. I might just be habitual and feeling comfortable with my life. I am reminded to have a change. We must have a change. Lord, have mercy on me. A term that occurs to me is "being properly aggressive". People in this world, if they want to succeed, they need to work hard to achieve that goal. We Christians, although depending on the Lord, should still have such an attitude towards the particular goal. May the Lord gain many of us at the end time of this age. 

4. Pray to save sinners. 

Prayers work the best to save sinners. 

5. Learn to be pure and faithful. 

The Lord surely will take care of us in His way. Oh Lord, I want to joint to the church for "the goal". 

1991 Memorial Day Conference -1

This message can be referred to chapter four of the book "The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord's Move" and titled "Our responsibility for the spreading of the divine truths especially to the crucial parts of the world".

The influential factors for the world situation:
1) The United States takes the lead in finance, politics, and the military
2) Europe cooperates in finance, politics, and the military
3) the Far East cooperates mainly in finance.

Our responsibility:

Is to teach the Bible. It requires us to understand the Bible and explain the Bible in an understood way. 

European Young Adults (EYA) Thursday fellowship - April 23rd

Br. Reggie Favors:

What is "fellowship"? 
The divine flow of the Triune God. 

It is the fellowship that brings us into the experience of the Triune God.

The secret of the epistles of John and even the gospel written by God, the theme is LOVE. This is because of the mingling with the Lord and thus LOVE becomes a theme, and it is love that makes us open to Him and willingness for participating in the fellowship.

The interwoven fellowship 
- Vertical (2Cor): the Holy Spirit - we need to learn how to enter into this divine fellowship (also, we have the position to enjoy this fellowship but in our practical experience, we need to practise enjoying and entering in this fellowship. Thus, we need to practise setting apart some time to the Lord, and open to the Lord in His Word in simple prayers).

1. Open our ears:
Our ears need to be cleansed from the voices outside, and because His voice is very gentle and small, we need to practise learning to hear His Word via His Word.

2. Eyes be opened:
To experience His unsearchable riches.

- Horizontal
When we enjoy the vertical fellowship, we will desire to have the horizontal fellowship. Sometimes in our experience, we might feel that the heavens are shut and we feel nothing. When we touch the flowing in this divine life, we experience the attributes in this divine life. This divine fellowship will lead us to touch light, love, and various aspects of Christ. The light shows us who Christ is, but at the same time, the light exposes us what we are and how much we need the Lord's portion for us to be cleansed in order to maintain the fellowship.

Therefore, if we want to experience the horizontal fellowship, we need to enjoy the fellowship in the light (if you walk in the light, you have fellowship with one another).
*BUT we are not looking to ourselves which cause us to be depressed and discouraged. Instead, it will help us to enjoy more fellowship vertically and horizontally. 

This divine fellowship will eventually bring us into the reality of the Body of Christ.

Let us sing for joy to Jehovah

Thanks to the menstrual cycle and PMS, I often feel weak for one week or two and come to life afterwards. When you have a weak physical body, it is always not easy to achieve whatever you intend to do. Some work has been piled up during this time. Even when I start feeling better, I can feel overwhelmed just by thinking of all the work before me that needs to be dealt with. 

It is, however, a comfort that when I read many of God's workers in history have had some physical limitations. Many times we might think why the Lord doesn't give us a super healthy body so we can do this and that and to glorify God. We don't ask for a weak body to be seen as a spiritual person, but we do have many "problems" and "thorns" in our daily human life. And this morning, I read Psalm 95. 

verse 1-3: Come, let us sing for joy to Jehovah; Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise to Him with psalms. For Jehovah is a great God And a great King above all gods. 

The Lord has put limitations to many of us, yet it should not stop us praising God. I am still learning to work and live by the Lord's mercy and grace without feeling much stress so I can faithfully carry out my daily work. And while I feel weak and helpless with many limitations, dear Lord, may You be much closer and dearer to me. 

His name is great in Israel

"God is known in Judah, His name is great in Israel". (Psalm 76:1)

After several months since the last post, surprisingly, or not surprisingly, the suffering has never ceased. I found it funny. Yet when I read this verse this morning, I repented. Lord, may Your name be great among Your people, even during the sufferings.