I arrived last month at the EXIT festival in Novi Sad Serbia a bit discouraged & apprehensive with so many changes up in the air with our home & our work & all the decisions & deadlines, little things & pressures that lay ahead of us.. We are now in the process of starting a new home, in a new country & pioneering a new work with a few other young people. Me & my wife are the oldest ones on the team so far & I was already starting to feel the pressures of planning the future as my mind was continual racing trying to work out why, how, where, when, all those details that were up in the air. For the first few days of the festival I was very focused on these things & had trouble getting into the groove of talking & witnessing to others.

But on the last night the Lord in his mercy broke through & showed me things especially through this one witness that inspired me & I hope will inspire you too…

The wonderful family in Belgrade were singing on the street with their guitars. While a few of us were talking to the people who stopped to watch. So Joel starts talking to these 2 Swiss guys who came for the EXIT festival. Joel’s great with people & has a cool testimony. I went off to talk to someone else & as I looked over a few minutes later I saw this cool confident young guy he was talking to sobbing uncontrollably on this busy walking street in the middle of Novi Sad, while Joel with a hand on his shoulder prays with him to ask Jesus into his heart…

It’s always amazing to me how Jesus message of love & salvation & God’s Holy Spirit is still as effective today as it ever was. In this cynical & increasingly so called scientific & fast paced world the human soul is still just the same lonely heart in search of love understanding & faith. It really is a powerful thing when you find that answer you have been looking for your whole life.

I see that no matter what these changes bring in our mission center & even the Family International as an organization, the fundamentals of our job & our faith will never change. No matter how much our methods change the message will always essentially be the same. It’s amazing to me that in 2000 years the message of Jesus is just as relevant to the world as it ever was.

With all the changes in the family the fundamentals of our job will always be the same just as it will always be the same for every true Christian & disciple of Jesus. We experienced something wonderful the beauty of salvation true love & freedom from fear & death & we must tell others about it. As a fulltime missionary organization how we approach people how we meet people may vary from place to place & from time to time but it will always come back to one human soul speaking to another human soul of the miracle that happened in their own life.  I  may get a different job in the future, our family may not always be fulltime missionaries but what ever I do I pray that whenever I have an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus I will always take it, no matter where I am or what I do..

If we look back to that first time you got excited about Jesus. When we first realized that His love & truth was the answer & we remember the joy we first felt, that’s what will keep you going. As we live with it every day & we do our work behind computers or facilitate the preaching of the gospel in behind the scenes ways sometimes we forget how lucky we are. But if you get out there & see the sea of faces & start talking to one of them & they share there life & they cry on your shoulder as they find salvation & the answers to there many questions It’s really an amazing & wonderful thing. Let’s just keep our eyes on Jesus & the millions of people out there who are lonely & desperate for love.

So if you are feeling worried or pressured in your home your life or your work just focus on the basics & why we are all really here. Get out & witness to others about the love of Jesus & you will see the worries melt away as the truth of our existence & our job crystallizes before our eyes. Let’s forget our own problems & reach out to others

Please keep us in your prayers, thanks for all your love prayers & support. Hope to hear from you soon!

Click here for pictures of us at Exit in Novi Sad Serbia

Simon Wilson
www.newbottleradicals.com

The merchant Guyot lived and died in the town of Marseilles in France. He amassed a large fortune by the most laborious industry and by habits of the severest abstinence and privation. His neighbors considered him a miser and thought he was hoarding up money from mean and avaricious motives. The populace, whenever he appeared, pursued him with hootings and execrations, and the boys sometimes threw stones at him. At length he died and in his will were found the following words: “Having observed from my infancy that the poor of Marseilles are badly supplied with water which they can only purchase at a high price, I have cheerfully labored the whole of my life to procure for them this great blessing, and I direct that the whole of my property be laid out in building an aqueduct for their use.”

We usually admire the other fellow more after we have tried to do his job.

One of the easiest habits for any human being to acquire is the habit of criticising others.–Spiros Zodhiates

How lamentable is the way we praise the dead saints & persecute the living ones!

Aesop has a fable of three bulls that fed in a field together in the greatest peace and safety. A lion had long watched them in the hope of making prey of them, but found little chance so long as they kept together. He therefore began secretly to spread evil and slanderous reports of one against another till he fomented jealousy and distrust among them. Soon they began to avoid each other and each took to feeding alone. This gave the lion the opportunity it had been wanting. He fell on them singly and made an easy prey of them all.

It is true of God’s people that–”united, they stand; divided, they fall.” (Ps.133.1; 1Cor.1.10)

To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing!

When you deplore the condition of the World, ask yourself, “Am I part of the problem or part of the solution?”

A lady came to the judge because she wanted to divorce her husband. There were many little things in their relationship which she thought good enough reasons to break up their marriage, so when the judge asked, “Well, what is wrong?” the lady answered, “Oh, he doesn’t hang up his clothes & he sometimes sits at the table without having washed his hands … ,” & on & on & on & on. But when the judge asked her, “Well, is he a good father to the children & does he provide well?” She only could answer those important questions positively, so the judge suggested that she go home & in the following 30 days to really think of the good things & see the good things in her husband. And then afterwards if she still thought she wanted to be divorced, she should come back again. But the judge never saw her again!–What a wise judge! It’s so often the little thins which break up relationships, so let’s think of those things which are of good report!

He criticized her pudding,

He didn’t like her cake,

He wished that she’d make biscuits

Like Mother used to make.

She didn’t wash the dishes,

She didn’t make a stew,

And she didn’t darn his socks

Like Mother used to do.

So when one day he went the

Same ole rigmarole through,

She turned & boxed his ears,

Just like Mother used to do.

.

In the mountains of Mexico lived a man called Pablo. Pablo’s family was very poor & simple & they had to work hard on their small farm to make a living. Over many long months they had saved their money to buy a donkey which would be able to pull their plow & carry heavy loads. At last they had enough money, & he & his son Juan walked the long, dusty road to town. There they bought a sturdy little donkey in the marketplace & soon they were leading it through the town on the road back home.

“Can I ride the donkey, please?” Juan asked.

“Of course!” his father answered, lifting him up onto the donkey’s back. “In fact, a good donkey should be able to carry me too!” he said, climbing onto the donkey’s back with Juan. They had not gone far when an old man indignantly muttered, “How terribly cruel you are to that poor little donkey, making it carry both of you!” Juan’s father was hurt & embarrassed & got off the donkey & led it along with Juan riding on it.

It was not long before a stern-looking woman sharply chided, “Oh, look how cruel that boy is to let his poor old father walk!”

Now Juan felt bad. He got down from the donkey & began walking & his father got back on the beast’s back. They hadn’t gone 50 paces before someone from the crowd called out, “Senor! How cruel you are to make your tired little boy walk while you ride!” Embarrassed, Juan’s father got off & they both walked, looking dejectedly at the ground as they led their donkey out of the village! A few minutes later they passed a group of men who began laughing at them; one of them said sarcastically, “Look how ridiculous they are! They’ve got a donkey, but they’re both walking!” Another called out to Juan’s father tauntingly, “Why don’t you do the donkey a favor then & carry him?”

Juan’s father was now angry. “What a good idea!” he said to the men. “It seems that some people will criticize & complain, no matter what you do to try to please them! So I might just as well learn how to carry my donkey too, if I am going to live my life by the opinions of others!” And with that, he tied the donkey’s legs to a pole, & he & Juan carried the donkey the last way out of town with the townspeople looking on astonished. Then they set the donkey down, untied it, & had a good laugh at the people of the town who were all staring at them. Never again would they let the criticism of opinionated people tell them what to do!

]]> http://attheturningpoint.org/wp/?feed=rss2&p=459 http://attheturningpoint.org/wp/?p=453 http://attheturningpoint.org/wp/?p=453#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:25:33 +0000 simon http://attheturningpoint.org/wp/?p=453 Shopping with Jesus!

This happened a little while ago, but it’s still a very fun and cool example of the amazing ways that Jesus uses to supply our needs when everything else screams impossible or seems to be failing.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

(Miguel:) A few of us made a small list of needs to present to Jesus. One thing on the list was new clothing, as we had just gotten back to Europe from Africa, and it was cold! We didn’t have a cent toward it, so we asked Jesus if there was anything He could do. He told us to go to the store and pick out the items we wanted. We went by faith and looked around.

We each had hangers in hand with several pieces of clothing. “Jesus, what do we do now?” He told us to take them to the counter and reserve them. We gave them to the clerk and said we’d be back soon to pick them up, and then walked out to the sidewalk. “Well, Jesus, we did our part. What next?” I looked down and saw a white envelope on the ground.

Strange! I picked it up, looked inside, and there was a stamped gift voucher for the store we had just walked out of! There was no name on the envelope, I wasn’t even sure if it was real. I went back to the counter, showed the gift voucher to the clerk we had just spoken to, and asked if it was valid. He typed some things into his computer, and handed us our clothes. The cost had balanced perfectly with what we had selected, down to the last cent! Jesus took us shopping today and we got everything we needed.

Dear Friends,

Satan has no power except in your mind & his greatest trick is to try to convince you that you are useless & get you so far under with condemnation that you become truly useless…

I got a message the other day from my Dad who has been through a lot in the past few years. Right now he’s going through a period where he feels a bit like a failure, something I’m sure a lot of us have felt at times in our lives. There are many things in my life that I wish I could have done better in. There are so many times I’ve offended others or made wrong decisions or acted in haste. Sometimes I get to looking at our mission center & our goals & our little family & I feel like we could be accomplishing so much more. I’m tempted to look at the negative & the struggles I’m going through to keep fighting for the Lord & some times I wish it was just easier, that I could make all the goals we shoot for & that we could explode as a movement & really make a difference in the world.

But most all of that is just negativity. We need to look at the positive & trust God for the rest. So you feel like a failure, but why? Dad you had 5 great kids that you poured your time into for over 2 decades. You traveled the world touching the lives of so many people for the better, at least in the 100’s of thousands. So what if you made a few mistakes? That’s something we all make! let’s just learn from them & move on. I’m telling you condemnation only comes from the devil. He wants us to get so involved looking at our failures & our seeming inadequacies that we overlook all the miracles God has done for us, all the truth around us & all the good God was able to do through us & we sit in a pile of our own self loathing licking our wounds when the future lies before us full of possibilities with greater victories yet to be discovered.

Youth & progress are mainly in your mind. You have no idea how many lives yours has touched, how much good you will do, please don’t any of you ever get to living in the past or feeling you are not good enough. Of course we are all sinners. Of course we all make a bunch of mistakes, but look at how in spite of our selves God is still able to use me & you. Damn Satan & his ploy of getting you to look at your own mistakes & short comings. Please don’t ever give up or think your life & your efforts are inconsequential. Don’t give up before the end of the war & the victory. Don’t ever make that decision to give in to defeat. Just keep loving others & serving God & you will be amazed I guarantee when you get to heaven & you see a sea of faces that are there because of your self sacrifice your love & your decisions to put God first & to live for others. God bless all of you out there who have fought through thick & thin who have held on & regardless of the mistakes we all have made have kept on going till the end. I love you all please don’t give up keep fighting no matter if no one appreciates your efforts, no matter if the whole world stands against you, no matter what don’t give up, just keep fighting on!

How many great men & women through out history would we have lost if they gave up after a little difficulty? How many great books, great symphonies, great works of art, and how many discoveries would we have missed if the great explorers turned back because it was getting tough. Jesus helps us all to never give up, never surrender, to look at the positive & to always strive for more. Till that day God calls us home & with a pat on the back says “Well done though good & faithful servant! (Mat.25:23)” Like a wise man once said about that verse “God never said perfect servant of successful servant he just says faithful” If we will only be faithful to keep serving God & loving others despite the obstacles that’s all that matters. Even if the whole world thinks were crazy…

This is the beginning of a new year filled with possibilities. The future is as bright as the promises of God!

We love you all!!

Simon & Mary (for the New Bottle Radicals in Budapest Hungary)

www.newbottleradicals.com

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

(written by Joe Darion)

Mat.25:23 — Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Gal.6:9 — And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Dan.12:3 — And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

Isa.43:1b,2 — Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Heb.12:1,2a — Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

Rom.8:18 — For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Edison tried more than 200 different substances in attempting to find a filament for his incandescent bulb. Someone once said to him, “You have failed more than 200 times; why don’t you give up?”

His answer was, “Not at all. I have discovered more than 200 things that will not work. I will soon find one that will”.

Troubles just tumbled about me
And heavier came each task.
Why doesn’t God help me, I wondered,
He answered, “You didn’t ask.”

I tried to come into God’s presence,
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently & lovingly chided,
“Why child, you didn’t knock.”

I wanted to see joy & beauty,
But the day toiled on grey & bleak,
I called on the Lord for the reason–
He said, “You didn’t seek.”

I woke up early this morning
And paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.

20. Last night I took a journey
To a land across the seas;
I did not go by boat or plane,
I travelled on my knees.

I saw so many people there
In deepest depths of sin,
But Jesus told me I should go,
That there were souls to win.

But I said, “Jesus, I cannot go
And work with such as thee.”
He answered quickly, “Yes, you can
By travelling on your knees.”

He said, “You pray; I’ll meet the need,
You call & I will hear;
Be concerned about lost souls,
Of those both far & near.”

And so I tried it, knelt in prayer,
Gave up some hours of ease;
I felt the Lord right by my side
While travelling on my knees.

As I prayed on & saw souls saved
And twisted bodies healed,
And saw God’s workers’ strength renewed
While labouring on the field.

I said, “Yes, Lord, I have a job,
My desire Thy Will to please;
I can go & heed Thy call
By travelling on my knees.”–Sandra Goodwin

On Sunday we sing, “I serve a living Saviour.”
On Monday we act as if He is dead.
On Sunday we sing, “My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, for Thee all the pleasures of sin I resign.”
On Monday we pitch our tents as near as we can to Sodom.
On Sunday we sing, “O the best book to read is the Bible.”
On Monday we spend our time poring over Sears’ Catalogue.
On Sunday we sing, “He’s the Lily of the Valley, the bright and morning star. He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.”
On Monday we listen to a godless media cursing His name, and attacking His attributes, and we never lift our voices in protest.
On Sunday we sing, “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave.”
On Monday we do not care enough to even hand out a tract.
On Sunday we sing, “Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross.”
On Monday we are ashamed to identify ourselves with someone who is standing up for Jesus, especially if that person lives within a hundred miles of us.
On Sunday we sing, “Redeemed! How I love to proclaim it.”
On Monday we chicken out before our next door neighbor.
On Sunday we sing, “None of self, and all for Thee.”
On Monday we are so tied up in our own little box, we wouldn’t take ten minutes to phone some lonely shut-in, who is pining in loneliness for a little bit of love.
On Sunday we sing, “I love to tell the story. ‘Twill be my theme in glory.”
On Monday we are either too cowardly or too proud to tell the story to our own relatives.
On Sunday we sing, “Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone.”
On Monday we brand anyone who dares to stand alone as a troublemaker.
On Sunday we sing, “Dearer than all, dearer than all, He is my King, before Him I fall.”
On Monday we take up our cudgels to defend our worldly churches, and apostate denominations.
On Sunday we sing, “Let goods and kindred go.”
On Monday we expend all our time and strength polishing our materialistic gods, and compromising with our kindred.
On Sunday we sing, “I’m not ashamed to own my Lord, nor to defend His cause.”
On Monday we tremble lest some religious fanatic should talk to us about His cause on our party-line.
On Sunday we sing, “Take the world, but give me Jesus.”
On Monday we spend our afternoons watching sensual soap operas, and our evenings watching the games.
On Sunday we sing, “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.”
On Monday we wouldn’t buy a postage stamp to write to some lonely missionary.
On Sunday we sing, “Faith of our fathers, living still, we will be true to thee till death.”
On Monday we take sides with the apostates against anyone in our midst who is contending for that faith today.
On Sunday we sing, “All to Jesus I surrender.”
On Monday it would require a blast of dynamite to uproot us out of our regular routine.
On Sunday we sing, “Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be.”
On Monday we blow our budget buying that status symbol which will up us on the social ladder.
On Sunday we sing, “O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me.”
On Monday we court the favor of a godless world, cower before it, and boast about the good rapport we have with it.

So while the church wallows in apostasy,
And the world heads for damnation, we settle for singing:
Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
Within the safety of our sanctuaries
Until time shall be no more.

There is an interesting story which has come down from medieval times: The great scholar, Thomas Aquinas, came to the City of Rome to pay his respects to the one who was then pope. In the course of his visit, the pope proudly showed him all the wonders of the papal palace, and took him to his treasury and showed him chests of silver and gold received from every part of the world. With something of a smile on his face he said, “You see, Thomas, we cannot say with Peter, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’”
Looking the pope in the eyes, Thomas Aquinas fearlessly replied, “No, and neither can we say, ‘In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’” Riches had come, but power had gone! Peter and the apostles had poverty and power.

“Come give me your hand,” said the merry World.
“And then walk with me this way.”
But the good Church hid her hand from him,
And solemnly answered–”Nay.

I will not give you my hand at all
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way of eternal death,
And your words are all untrue.”

“Nay, walk with me a little space,”
Said the World with a kindly air,
“The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun shines always there.

Your way is narrow and thorny and rough,
While mine is flowery and smooth.
Your lot is sad with reproach and toil,
But in rounds of joy I move.

My way you can see, is a broad fair one.
And my gate is high and wide;
There is room enough for you and me,
And we’ll travel side by side.”

Half shyly the Church approached the World
And gave him her outstretched hand;
And the false World grasped it, and walked along
And said, “You must understand,
Your dress is too simple to please my taste.
I have gold and pearls to wear;
Rich velvets and silks for you graceful form;
And diamonds to deck your hair.”

The Church looked down at her plain white robes
And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip,
With a smile contemptuous curled.
‘I will change my dress for a costlier one,”
Said the Church with a blush on her face;
Then her pure white garment drifted away,
And the World gave in their place
Beautiful satins, and fashionable silks,
And roses and gems and pearls;
And over her forehead her bright hair fell
And waved in a thousand curls.

“Your house is too plain,” said the proud old World.
“Let us build you one like mine,
With kitchen for feasting and parlor for play
And furniture ever so fine.”
So he built her a costly and beautiful house–
Splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and daughters met frequently there,
Shining in purple and gold.
And fair and festival–frolics untold,
Were held in the place of prayer;
The Angel of mercy rebuked the Church,
And whispered, “I know thy sin;”
Then the Church looked sad, and anxiously longed
To gather the children in.
But some were away at the midnight ball;
And others were at the play.
And some were drinking in gay saloons,
And the Angel went away.
And then said the World in soothing tones–
“Your much loved ones mean no harm–
Merely indulging in innocent sports.”
So she leaned on his proffered arm,
And smiled, and chatted, and gathered flowers,
And walked along with the World;
While countless millions of precious souls
Were hungering for truth untold.
“Your preachers are all too old and plain.”
Said the gay World with a sneer;
“They frighten the people with dreadful tales
Which I do not like to hear.
They talk of judgments and fire and pain,
And the doom of darkest night.
They warn of a place that should not be
Thus spoken to ears polite!
I will send you some of a better stamp,
More brilliant and gay and fast,
Who will show how men may live as they list
And go to Heaven at last.
The Father is merciful, great and good,
Loving and tender and kind;
Do you think He’d take one child to Heaven,
And leave another behind?
So she called for smooth, well-polished priests,
Deemed gifted, and great, and learned;
And the plain old men that had preached the cross
Were out of her pulpits turned.
Then Mammon came in and supported the Church,
And rented a prominent pew;
And preaching and singing and floral display
Soon proclaimed a gospel new.
“You give too much to the poor,” said the World,
“Far more than you ought to do.
Though the poor need shelter, food and clothes,
Why thus need it trouble you?
Go take your money and buy rich robes
And horses and carriages fine;
And pearls and jewels and dainty food,
The rarest and costliest wine.
My children, they dote on all such things.
And if you their love would win,
You must do as they do, and walk in the way,
The flowery way they’re in.”
The Church her purse-strings tightly held
And gracefully lowered her head,
Declared, “Yes, I’ve given too much away.
I will do, sir, as you have said.”
So the poor were turned from the door in scorn,
She heard not the orphan’s cry,
And she drew her beautiful robes aside
As the widows went weeping by.
They of the Church, and they of the World
Journeyed closely, hand and heart,
And none but the Master, who knoweth all,
Could discern the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at ease and said,
“I’m rich and in goods increased.
I have need of nothing, and naught to do,
But to laugh and dance and feast.”
The sly World heard her and laughed within,
And mockingly said aside,
“The Church has fallen–the beautiful Church.
Her shame is her boast and pride.”
Thus her witnessing power, alas, was lost,
And perilous times came in;
The Times of the End, so often foretold,
When the Church would fall into sin.
Then the Angel drew near the mercy-seat,
And whispered in sighs her name,
And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed,
And covered their heads with shame.
A Voice came down from the hush of Heaven,
From Him who sat on the throne;
“I know thy works and what thou hast said,
But alas! Thou hast not known
That thou art poor and naked and blind.
And your sins are an open sore;
The expectant Bride of a heavenly Groom
Has become the World’s whore!
Thou hast ceased to watch for that blessed hope,
Hast fallen from zeal and grace;
So now, alas! I must cast thee out.
And blot thy name from its place.”
But out from the side of harlot church,
While she sleeps in indolent shame,
Will be taken the remnant who keep God’s Word,
And honor His holy name.
By the word of their testimony, and the blood of the Lamb,
They overcame the world.
For those who keep their garments clean,
Shall walk with Him in white,
In the day when He comes to claim His own,
To make them His jewels bright.