The Living to Him Podcast

Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. - Ephesians 6:10-13. As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com, which expose the stratagems of the devil. Beginning this week, the Living to Him podcast will release narrations of select articles every month in order that we may all be equipped to stand against the enemy's attacks. This first episode is a narration of the article entitled “Preserving Human Life,” originally released on March 23, 2021. Using the Word and the ministries of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee, this article shows us the preciousness of man in God’s purpose and exposes Satan’s strategies in destroying man, which include injecting thoughts into their minds that lead them to despair, mental instability, and even suicide. May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/preserving-human-life/. The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com and is used with permission.

In Second Timothy, the apostle Paul speaks of God's purpose as having become his own purpose. In chapter 1 verse 9 he says, “Who has saved us...not according to our works but according to His own purpose…”; and in chapter 3 verse 11 he says, “But you have closely followed...my purpose…” In this episode we continue the series entitled “Our Existence,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship given by brother Ron Kangas to the young adults in San Francisco on December 6, 2008. Brother Ron continues his fellowship on how God's will is embodied in His purpose, and how our life has meaning only when God's purpose becomes our purpose. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/12/ron-kangas-san-francisco-december-2008/

Revelation 4:11 is the unique verse in the entire Bible that tells us why we exist: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for You have created all things, and because of Your will they were, and were created.” In this episode, we begin a new series entitled “Our Existence,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship given by brother Ron Kangas to the young adults (or working saints) in San Francisco on December 6, 2008. Brother Ron brings us back to the desire of God’s heart and His perfect will as the meaning of our existence. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/12/ron-kangas-san-francisco-december-2008/

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; / And before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you. / I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Then I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! / Indeed, I do not know how to speak, / For I am a youth. But Jehovah said to me, / Do not say, I am a youth; / For everywhere I send you, you shall go; / And everything I command you, you shall speak" (Jeremiah 1:5-7). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, brothers Dennis Higashi and Andrew Yu exhort the working saints to not despise their youth, but to show strength and take action by picking up an area of service with a companion. The book referenced in this series can be found at: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“Breathing is something too ordinary and too normal, not outstanding in any way, yet it is miraculous….The Christian life that we have is one that is normal, without one bit of peculiarity, yet it is also miraculous; it is a story of the Triune God living within us." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 4. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, brothers Rick Scatterday and Albert Lim gave their personal testimonies on how they practiced to live a normal yet miraculous life as working saints. The book referenced in the speaking can be found at: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“In order to have the proper service, we must first consecrate our bodies and our time….We have to say to the Lord, “Lord, my body is purchased by You. It is Your possession. I am consecrating it to You.” To offer up the body, we have to offer up our time, because the body is in the time." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 8. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, Brother Benson speaks of the importance of offering up our body for the practical church life and service. The book referenced in the speaking can be found here: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“We should have a budget for our time, our energy, and our finances...even our energy has to be budgeted….Timewise, every week and every day we should set aside some time for the Lord." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 8. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, Brother Benson speaks on the importance of having a normal living by budgeting our time, our energy, and our finances. The book referenced in the speaking can be found here: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“In order to meet the Lord's present need, we must first recall our past experiences and vision. I believe that all of you have had some experiences and some vision in the past. Now we have to recall them….Third, we have to renew our past commitment and consecration. In the past many of us have had a heart for the Lord and have consecrated ourselves to the Lord. Now we need to have these renewed. Fourth, we need to set aside some time and specifically budget our lives. We have to set down some guidelines for our lives. In our daily lives we should set aside some time for the service of the Lord." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 6. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, Brother Minoru continues to share what it means to live to the Lord and how we can meet the Lord’s present need by 1) reconsidering our ways, 2) recalling our past vision and experiences, 3) reconsecrating ourselves, and 4) recalculating and budgeting our lives. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“The real meaning of being full time is to live to Him. To go full time does not mean to drop your job and become a preacher… A full-timer is one who lives to the Lord. Every believer, without one exception, should be such a one. As long as you are a believer, you have to realize that you should be one living to Him. We have to live to Him because He is ours and we are His." (Witness Lee, Elder’s Training Book 8, Chapter 8. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we begin a new series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, Brother Minoru describes what it means for us to live to the Lord, which is the real meaning of being a full-timer. You can find the original recording at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“The meetings and services in the past did not create enough opportunities for the saints to serve…. Today everywhere abounds with opportunity, from preaching the gospel by visitation, through the home meetings, to the small group meetings and the district meetings." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 6. Living Stream Ministry). This week we continue the series entitled “Our Response,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in December 2008 in Anaheim, California. In today’s episode, we hear testimonies of saints who had begun carrying out this burden for the working saints by practicing a vital living and serving in the church. You can find the original recording at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/12/andrew-yu-working-saints-winter-training-2008/ The December 2007 fellowship referenced in the speaking can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2007/01/12222007-andrew-yu-and-gerald-chan-winter-training/