Archie Turner – Rochedale, Queensland, Australia Convention – 1967

People in the world have a wonderful ambition to push out and ahead. When they do get there, it is only a bubble. It is necessary to have an ambition. Ambition as children of God or citizens of Zion. Israel 62:1-2, sometimes we feel the things we want most are kept from us. As citizens of Zion, there should be some difference between us and the world. Noah was distinct from all the world and the world was distinct from Noah. It would be an easy matter to distinguish Noah if you went to his district and he was doing a work for 100 years ahead. A distinct work and it should be the same of God’s people in 1967. Greatest danger for the children of God is that they would become like those around them instead of influencing those around them. Not alone by outward dress, speech and actions, but heart conditions to the God of Heaven.

The devil’s purpose is not to get people back to where they were, but to conform them to the world. We need the ambition from Heaven. The stern stuff. Men have trampled others and conquered countries to fulfill their ambitions. Marks in the children of Israel when they began caused God to love them. Are we getting closer to the Christ-like marks than when we began? If not, we are out of order. We are called to represent Heaven, and not represent earth. We have to live in the world, but not to be like it or of it.

The watchman and the watch women, shepherds and shepherdess are responsible to sound the trumpet warning when danger is seen. People say, “There is no harm in it.” The harm it is when it is making you like Babylon. On that day in which He comes, all such will perish with Babylon. I wonder how the process is going on. Where did these scenes come from that people say, “There is no harm in it, today?” Did they come from heaven? Their origin is in the depths of Babylon. Yet people make for them, want them, have them and keep them. If you cannot see it is unChrist-like, you will be a shame to stand by Him when He comes.

What should be the uppermost thing in the mind of the citizens of Zion? Responsibility is on the parents even if you do not want to take it. We must be inside the line at the end or we will be cut off. It is time the drift stopped. Can’t be a marriage or go anywhere without the Babylonish touch. Zion, the sunny city, I am going to put it first. “I will not hold my peace,” Isaiah said because he wanted Babylon out and Zion city as it should. People run after all these things when they could be teaching the world how to dress and how to bring up their children.

Let us begin, clean the city, cast out what is not of itself. Get back to what Jesus brought, the unlikeness of the world. I will not rest until I see it as sunny as it used to be and that is how Isaiah felt. [For the Son of Heaven to shine on my life I must conform to His will.] If not, there will be darkness, first in our heart, for God will withdraw His presence. Outwardly conforming, but what about conforming to the will of God in living. “I am not among you” confusion in the day of Babylon. A sad day God withdraws His presence. I cannot compel you to do what should be. The love of God in the heart only can do that. Love begets love.

Psalm 103, the promise for forgiveness, cleansing, healing and redemption, but it is qualified by that verse, “His mercy is to them that fear Him and keep His commandments.” In the moment, God sees repentance in your heart and sorrow for your sin then He forgives you. Yes, you may suffer for your sin for a time, just as David did. Our relationship with God is a very delicate thing. This can be easily marred. Begin with ourselves. Some soldiers were told to march over a field and to pick up what was in front of them and never mind the one either side and soon the big field was all clean. The citizens of Zion are different to all the others.

Luke 24:26, those two on the road to Emmaus and Jesus drew near. He said, “Ought not Christ to have suffered this.” There is not one under the tent to day if they want to have the Christ nature but ought not Christ to suffer. When we go to see those upish relations, you feel you ought to have something just a little better to go to them and you feel so small, is that of proud, to be able to witness for Christ. Those who are keeping righteousness going in the world will be pulled to pieces. “I will not rest until the righteousness going forth as a lamp that burneth.” Prepared not alone to suffer for Him but with Him. Very little life left in us if we are not prepared to suffer. Why do we, like children, want to play toys of the world when we good teacher and show to the world how they ought to live and walk and make it worthwhile for them to live for Christ also?

A train accident happened and there was an enquiry; a man was to be there to swing a lantern and was to swing it to warn others of the train coming. He was asked, “Did you have the lantern?” “Yes.” “Did you swing it?” “Yes.” But he had no oil in the lamp. Genesis 1:11, grass, herbs, fruit trees yielding after their kind whose seed is in itself. All bore after its kind and what about the seed of Christ. The Christ life. Sure did not bear after its kind. Colossians 3, “If ye then be risen with Christ.” If I have His life and nature, I will seek after those things.

Psalms 48, beautiful for situation and that is another side of the city. The joy of the whole earth. There is no more beautiful situation than the one God wants us to fit into. Paul and Silas were in a beautiful situation from Heaven’s point of view when they were in there with bleeding backs. We could be like children going to war worse and wanting the toys and I hope we will grow up. Then there are those folks to go to the hard places and saw the beauty. I want that one. Why not labour for treasures of worth? “I will not rest.” Was willing to inconvenience himself. Don’t lose sight of the value of what we have. Paul, a matter of being constrained by love and no law to it. If I compel you, either you or I would get any blessing or eternal reward. Sad if our love was strained.

One of those churches in Revelations 3 were told to get their eyes anointed with eye salve. Need the milk of the word. Let Him show us a course to run and see what is at the end. We will keep busy if we make Zion our home city. Traitors, those who bring into the city what the king and the builders don’t approve of. Let the Lord for lies with ambition to keep Zion above our Chief joy. I do not care for anything, but that Zion will be built up. Let us set to it as individuals and restore Zion to its sunny state. The sun shining on and in it. Righteousness is not produced without inconvenience to the human. Has always been some pressure on according to the generations. Attractions in the past as well as today. There is joy when we are getting something out of it. Our privilege to try to advertise this city everywhere we go. We will not be out of work this year if we do that. True citizens of Zion doing it together. Amen.