Tuesday, August 21, 2012

● 2012 West Coast College Training


"The Course of the Church" brought me to dive into the book of Revelation, especially chapters 2 and 3. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The seven epistles to the seven churches are for all the churches and for our benefit. By studying the history of the church, we learn what God desires, what offended God and the fate of the church. God wants something of life and the church should not be divided. He loves the church in Philadelphia. When we turn to the Lord, we set Him in motion to move and saturate us within. He is working Himself into us little by little according to our cooperation and our openness to Him. In the church life, because we love the Lord, we spontaneously love one another, love the Word of God and exercise the little power. 

                I was very touched that we cannot be so confident to say that we are the church in Philadelphia. We are a group of people endeavoring to live out Philadelphia. However, it does not take much to become degraded, the church in Laodicea. In Rev. 3:14-22, we see four points on how not to be Laodicea. First, we must fight against lukewarmness; we must be boiling, burning in spirit! Since the church in Laodicea was degraded because they became proud of their truths, the second point is that we must be humble and poor in spirit. Moreover, the Lord charged us to pay the price, to buy gold, white garments, and eyesalve. We must give up something to gain Christ, a living that express Christ and open eyes to really see. Lastly, we must open the door when the Lord knocks on our heart. Let Christ come in and settle down to dine with us. Therefore, we must live a normal, overcoming life to be Philadelphia to bring the Lord back!
                                                                                                                                                                                         -Jessica C.
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                We need to exercise our spirit unto godliness. 1 Timothy 4:8 says: "For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of that which is to come." Godliness is a Christian life, a godly life that expresses God as the issue of His dispensing. This godly life needs our exercise. To exercise our spirit we need to make an effort; we need to push ourselves so that we may make progress, and eventually to reach a goal. So when we exercise our spirit unto godliness we gain all things that are profitable of the present life and of the coming life.
                                                                                                                                                                                           - Claire L.
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                I enjoyed that we need to be the church in Philadelphia and that we need to have God first in everything that we do  in our own time. We must make God our first love. There are 7 local Church's: Ephesus, Pergamos, Smyrna, Thytaria, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea. The Lord loves Philadelphia. Philadelphia is precious to the lord. The spirit was poured out. 

                We need to preach the gospel on the campuses so that they may know the truth of God’s work on the earth and we must gain new ones. We must make time for the Lord so that we do not leave the church life. We must have a companion so we may read the bible together or have morning revival together. Pray for a companion so that in the next year or month you may have a companion. It’s not the serving ones time to preach, it’s the college and the young ones. They are the next generation of serving ones. We must not wait, we must preach so when the lord comes back, you will be accountable before the Lord. This is very important in our daily living. We must pray, read the word, and pray read. This is our daily food. We must bear fruit in the vine to gain new ones to be in the church life. Brothers and sisters preach the gospel and bear fruit so that they may know the truth and the word of God. Praise the lord!
                                                                                                                                                                                             - Patrick P.
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                After going to the college training, I realized how important prayer is. When the speaking brother was explaining to us how the Lord's recovery began, he pointed out that it started with prayer and not by the outward doings of man. This was demonstrated through M. E. Barbara, she was led by the Lord to China and there she stayed, praying for China. She prayed for 10-12 years, day and night, praying that China would rise up. God answered her prayers and raised up Watchman Nee. I really appreciated that we need to be under the head. We shouldn't be ambitious and go ahead of the Lord's move. After all, it is God's move on earth not ours. We need to go before Him and see His vision and pray according to His desire, so that the glory is to God and not to ourselves. Praise the Lord for HIS move on earth!
                                                                                                                                                                                             - Anwin C.