HAPPY BIRTHDAY

in this issue
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWITZERLAND!!! FROM GOOD TO GODS BEST! LETS PRAY FOR EUROPE

SWITZERLAND!
Today, the first of August 2011, is the 720th birthday of Switzerland. In the year 1291, the three founding fathers were men from different origins, different generations, different trades or social classes (a farmer, an aristocrat and a craftsman). Although it is uncertain whether this really happened, these three men represented the first three states of Switzerland. They gave an oath before God and even lay aside their differences for the sake of unity. My country has four official languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh), accommodates one of the highest rate of foreign-born people in Europe and has seven women and men as our head of state. Please pray for the leaders of this state. A country that started as a Christian nation just like the USA, but depends on their decisions to be according to the will of God.

July / August 2011

Higher Walking

From good to GODS BEST!

Being back home from being in my other homes is a good feeling. Probably not many people understand what I feel right now, but I did just return from visiting my first (Philippines), second (Germany) and third (Switzerland) home countries. Besides that I feel home everywhere God calls me to be That definitely makes everything easier. On these many routes, I had two stopovers in Tokyo and Los Angeles to visit more family and friends. I already talked about my first half of the journey to the Philippines and Japan. The spiritual situation in Asia or other similar continents like Africa or South America are more or less well-known. Many missionaries take it as their calling to go to those popular places where miracles happen and people easily grasp an all-giving and all-loving God. Those were my thoughts too as I decided to go to Mozambique this summer to Mama Heidis famous camp of miracle healings and other wonders. Then as the door was shut on me for this opportunity and another one in Guatemala, I started asking the Lord what He wanted. He called me to go back to my home of homes Switzerland. Although at first grudgingly, but then later on as I realized that He always wants our best and the best for others, I grew fond of the idea going back home. When I finally got there, God did not wait long until He showed me why He called me there. Not only did I see the momentary spiritual condition of Switzerland or Europe in general, but I was also given a glimpse of the future to come. One story shows clearly the state of Switzerland concerning faith in general. A friend told me that a Korean missionary visited him wanting to evangelize out in the streets of my hometown. After only a day apparently, he gave up and asked his church if they could send him to Germany instead. Indeed speaking to Swiss people about religion or Jesus is particularly difficult, because they are becoming more and more self-reliant especially in spiritual matters. A former friend of mine asked me what she needed God for, after all she had her family, a car, a job and insurance. I was a fresh believer back then and I probably did not respond well at all. As I evangelized to a tall Caribbean man at the train station, he told me that he did study the Bible but started to make his own religion out of it. Another old man was running away from me and told me rather furiously that he was a protestant and that was good enough for him. Leave me alone! he barked at me. Now that was all the first and rather frustrating part of my excursions in Europe. God helped me see what he was building up in the background of all this. He gave me hope where I was slowly losing the little hope I had for Europe. Not only did I receive divine appointments and meet new and strong brothers and sisters in Christ, but He also showed me what He wanted for Switzerland (well actually for all countries in the world) Prayer! I know it seems like a no-brainer, but in a country like Switzerland where pastors are constantly in danger of burning out and churches are relying more on programs than falling face down on the floor first and asking the Lord for help, the Christians have to be reminded to start calling out for the Almighty God once again. Please pray with me for this rich country and the continent of Europe as they are getting spiritually poorer and poorer. I attached some guidelines for you. Thank you! In this journey, there are also personal testimonies I would like to share. God has granted me valuable time with my precious family and friends and blessed me even with a business class flight back to the USA! Looking back, surely Africa would have been a good trip, but theres nothing like Gods best! Its always worth it to wait on the Lord... Choosing Gods best over what we think is good for us, is a wise thing to do.

From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010, www.operationworld.org: Massive cultural shifts are occurring right across the continent as Europe finally reaps the harvest sown from the Enlightenment through WWI up to today. Christianity was effectively replaced by humanist philosophies and nationalism. Europe can be regarded not only as postmodern, but also post-rational and certainly postChristian. It is no accident that the regions of the world where relativism, individualism and existentialism reign supreme are also spiritually the bleakest. This has had several debilitating effects: a) Cynicism is now apparently the -ism of choice, as the younger generation increasingly disengages from traditional civic responsibilities, such as politics and community service, and feels alienated from older generations. The elevation of

the individual and instant gratification spur on hedonistic, nihilistic lifestyles that often end in dysfunction, emptiness, loneliness and despair. b) Moral uncertainty. With transcendent authority undermined (and the authority of the Bible dismissed long ago), right and wrong are determined by consensual bureaucracy or individual inclination, leading to a morass of relativism. c) Societal disintegration. Traditional values regarding the family, childbirth, marriage, sexuality, sanctity of life and community are being dismantled not just culturally, but also legally. These have severe repercussions in the areas of demographic decline, future economic burdens and psychological and social health. As traditional founda-

tions of healthy societies are deconstructed in Europe, some suggest the term sociocide, self-aware civilizational suicide, as an adequate description.

Pray that Europes sophisticated societies might turn back from the brink, affirming and working out together the Judeo-Christian values that so profoundly shaped them and gave them the freedoms they now misplace.
Freedom of public religious expression continues to erode, largely due to insistent secularism. It is acceptable to have religious faith as long as it remains a thoroughly private affair that is not inflicted upon the secular public.

Pray that believers might proclaim the good news regardless of the cost. Networks that represent the Church such as the European Evangelical Alliance need to negotiate the shifting currents of laws and culture with the shrewdness of serpents, while remaining as innocent as doves in living out pure and blameless lives that glorify Jesus and compel others to do the same.

who is siggi?
People call me Siggi and I am currently 34 years of age. Born in the Philippines, growing up in different parts of the world, God probably prepared me to be His missionary long before I accepted Him (Jeremiah 1:5). Seeing and living in poverty at a young age, I have spent the last 20 years of my life in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. I gave up my existence in Switzerland two years ago, which included a very good job, a cozy apartment and all that belongs to the materialistic ideal (Matt. 19:21). He called and I am following (Mark 1:17). People all over the world need to experience His Love that I have received (John 15:9-17)! Nothing comes even close to this new life everyone of us could have (John 10:10 b)! I dont regret a single second! (Just look at my smile )

find me

back2church@gmail.com http://www.facebook.com/siggi.winkler http://higherwalking.wordpress.com/