Pure In A Perverse Generation - No. 135

Luke 24:47, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

We don’t use the word ‘remission’ very much in our society today, do we? The understanding of this Greek word, aphesis, means ‘to send away, the deliverance from the power of sin, although not from the presence of sin.’

For what reason did Jesus suffer, die upon the cross, and rise again? To deliver us from the power of sin! He has not chosen to deliver us out of this sin-sick world, but through the blood of Jesus that was shed for us, He has given us the power to live sanctified lives in the presence of this sinful world.  God forbid that we should limit the power of the blood of Jesus to keep us clean and pure in the midst of this evil world. Thank God frequently that He has forgiven your sins and for the power of the blood that keeps you cleansed from sin.

We need to also teach our children that Jesus came to bring remission of sins. It is our responsibility as parents to protect our precious “olive plants” and keep them from the wiles of the enemy. We protect them from evil people, we protect them from the lustful garbage on TV and from humanistic and ungodly education.

We do not do this to hide them away forever. We do it to establish them in a strong foundation in the ways of the Lord. We do this to prepare them for their future. We train our children in the sanctuary of our home in order to one day send them out into this sinful world --  to be lights in the midst of the darkness, to wave the banner of God’s truth in the midst of deception and to bring justice in the midst of perverted judgment.

This world is desperate for truth-upholding, sin-exposing, salvation-preaching, holy and  uncompromising believers, who will not hide away, but who will come out, filled with God’s Holy Spirit, and shine His light into the midst of the darkness.

Jesus said, “The world… hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil.” (John 7:7) Jesus did not compromise with the spirit of the world but testified against its evil. You, and even your children, will never be hooked into the world when you stand against it. Instead, you will be hated by the world. Again, Jesus said in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” God has chosen us out of this world system, to go back into it with His love and truth.

You don’t have to live in a house in the country, away from civilization, to raise godly children. You can do it in the midst of your city street and evil all around you. God gave you His Holy Spirit to enable you to do this. He  promises in Deuteronomy 28:3 that He will bless you in the city and in the country, and he mentions the city first!

Most of our children were in their teens when we moved from the little country of New Zealand to pioneer and pastor a church on the Gold Coast, the tourist mecca of Australia. Our church was opposite the big Jupiter’s Casino and from the windows of our home we looked out upon it. I cried out to God that He would keep our children in the midst of this materialistic and evil environment where most people walk the streets scantily clothed and the topless sunbathers line the beach.

God answered and they came out on the offensive. The older children started open-air preaching in Cavil Mall. Rocklyn was only 13 years old, but in bare feet and jeans, he preached with power and passion and gathered crowds around to listen. Even 11 year old Pearl often preached with her little squeaky voice!

After most of our children were married, I remember one time lamenting to Howard, Evangeline’s husband that I pined for the days when all the children were still home and we sat around the family meal table together. His reply came as a rebuke to me, “Mother, didn’t you train them to send them forth as arrows into the harvest field?”

I have recently returned from a mission trip to orphanages in Liberia. As we left, four of the girls were crying profusely. “Why are they crying?” a returning missionary asked Tom Zackey, the team leader. “They are concerned about leaving their brothers in this war-torn country. The boys are going out to do evangelism in the bush.” “Isn’t that what you raised them for?” replied the missionary.

I am also thinking of David’s words in Psalm 23, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” We live in the midst of enemies. But in the midst of evil enemies all around us, God prepares a table for us. It is His divine presence. As we keep daily cleansed from sin and live in the presence of the Lord, we can live purely even in the presence of sin!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

I thank you, Lord  for shedding your pure, precious blood to cleanse me from my sin. I thank you that you died to save and deliver me from sin. I thank you for your keeping power in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation.

AFFIRMATION: