The World Upside Down!

Woe! Woe! Woe! We live in an increasingly turbulent world, a world upside down; and if you and I don’t change our way of living, we will witness its ruin, our ruin.

 

It seems that we currently live “in chaos,” some people say. And it’s because today’s society has “taken a different path,” others point out. Their stance is somewhat like being “upside down,” some would say.

The truth is, if we compare our world to decades and centuries ago, we would notice a huge, huge difference. Just to give an example, a positive example of course, perhaps the most evident one is technology. Who would have thought that we would go from the tremendous computers of yesteryears that occupied large physical spaces to tablets or even pocket-sized smartphones? Or who would have imagined crossing skies and seas at astonishing speeds… going from nightfall in America to dawn in Europe?

It’s incredible how the world has changed, evolved. There would be almost no contradiction in saying that the world has changed for the better, if we look at it from the perspective of growth and development, like the example mentioned above.

But has the world really evolved? And here is where the human being plays a very important role. Undoubtedly, the world has required great human minds to bring about this growth and development in many areas such as education, technology, medicine, and industry in general.

feet standing on asphalt with multitude of arrows in diffrent directions

However, even though human beings have worked hard to promote development and progress in various areas like the ones mentioned above, unfortunately, they have neglected matters of the heart and consequently the values that govern human life.

All it takes is turning on the news to realize that the world is upside down. The menu is extensive: murders, kidnappings, armed robberies, drug trafficking. And of course, in a neighborhood conversation or a gathering of friends, there are also “news” like: “Did you know that so-and-so got divorced?” Or “Have you heard that so-and-so left home to live with their boyfriend?” Or maybe, “Did you hear how many people attended the ‘Gay Pride’ parade?”

The list is truly endless! But not only endless, it has also become “normal” to some extent, and many of these actions would even be considered “good.” And people would clearly affirm, “If a marriage isn’t working, it’s better to end it.” In fact, “it’s better to live together to see if the couple is compatible or not.” And of course, “if a man feels trapped in a woman’s body,” it’s time to “come out of the closet.” Ah! “If you can take advantage from this business, you shouldn’t be foolish.” Therefore, everything mentioned and more is seen as “good” in today’s world.

It is normal for couples to live together without getting married; it is frowned upon to express opinions against gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals, to name a few; it is well regarded and accepted to act “diplomatically,” meaning “smiling in front, stabbing in the back.” And it is an everyday occurrence to witness “corruption” at various levels of society, without anyone getting upset or embarrassed, because it is “better to keep quiet than to report it.”

What do you think about it? Do you think “our world is upside down”? Or perhaps, have we exaggerated a bit in this article?

Meanwhile, allow me to leave you with a word of wisdom taken from the Bible, the Word of God, our Creator:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” (IsaiahTE_Isaiah5-20 5:20)

Woe! Woe! Woe! We live in an increasingly turbulent world, a world upside down; and if you and I don’t change our way of living, we will witness its ruin, our ruin. If you and I don’t turn to our life manual that the Creator left us – His Word – the Bible, this world will continue upside down, and every day we will witness its gradual destruction. In other words, we will gradually witness our own ruin.

Guard your heart!

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart…” (Luke 6:45)

 

 

The Greatest Miracle in the World!

 

Miracle: “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention…”

 

Have you experienced a miracle in your life? Surely, some of our readers will answer affirmatively with all conviction. Others may doubt whether they have experienced one or not, and others will certainly say, “Well…no!”

But then, what is a miracle? To explain it, let’s take the definition from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:  “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” 

With this clear definition, the truth is that all human beings, I believe, could answer affirmatively if we stop for a moment and think about ourselves, about our birth, and if we analyze from the moment we were conceived. That extraordinary formation of each one of us in the womb of our mother and our arrival in this world is already a wonderful miracle. In fact, thinking about the formation of each creature in the maternal womb fills us with tenderness, but at the same time with magnificent amazement. Conception is the start of life and then a journey of 9 months of formation and growth before the great day of the birth of a little boy or girl. It is truly a tender and at the same time great miracle! And yes, a “miracle” because it goes beyond the tender creature that we can hold in our arms. That little creature has a spirit that connects it with his or her Creator, a soul that throughout his life will reflect his character, and a physical body through which that person will connect with his or her environment.

However, extraordinary as the miracle of life is, there is definitely an even more wonderful miracle. It happened one day, but its impact is eternal. In fact, this miracle is also related to life, but rather, to the “Author of life” – Jesus Christ.

A couple of days ago, the Christian world celebrated with great joy “Resurrection Sunday”. But this extraordinary eventLuke24-EN represents more than a day of celebration. It happened more than 2000 years ago. However, historians, anthropologists, scientists, and ordinary human beings continue to talk, analyze, debate, or simply accept in faith this extraordinary event.

Jesus, the Son of God, was “humanly” condemned to death and death on the cross; however, His death was part of the divine plan. In fact, Jesus himself said: “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (John 10:18 – NLT).

And the fundamental purpose of Jesus on this earth was to give His life in perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of humanity’s sin. The Scriptures say that “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10 – NIV); and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 – NIV). Therefore, all humanity was condemned to die because of sin. However, the everlasting love of God, the Creator, opened the way for our salvation. And that way was Jesus. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” says Jesus (John 14:6 – NIV).

As human beings, we are completely lost in our sins. Only in Christ and through Christ, if we accept in faith His perfect sacrifice on the Cross, is the only thing that saves us from the wickedness of our hearts. Because who among us could say… “I am free from sin” – no one, absolutely no one.

However, the work of the Cross would be incomplete if Christ had not risen. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:17 – NIV, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

Empty tomb while light shines from the outside. Jesus Christ Resurrection. Christian Easter concept.

On the Cross, Christ carried the evil of the world, He carried our guilt; the Servant put His life in place of ours. The Righteous died for the unrighteous. However, Christ – the Author of life, rose triumphantly and victorious from the tomb on the third day. In the resurrection, Christ conquered death, demonstrating His Deity, His power, and His glory.

Are you amazed by the miracle of life, by your life? Well, I trust that you will be even more amazed by the miracle of the resurrection of Christ. He is no longer on a cross, His tomb is empty, He is alive, and Jesus has the power to bring you from death to life, from the darkness of this sin-filled world to a life full of His marvelous light, a life full of hope, a transformed life full of the very presence of the Giver of Life – Jesus Christ, who longs to guide and sustain you with deep love, step by step, minute by minute; like a Father who takes care of his son or daughter as no one else does.

Don’t wait any longer, the resurrected Christ is knocking at the door of your heart: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13 – NIV). And if you accept this invitation, you too will be a participant in “the greatest miracle in the world” – “And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.” (1 Corinthians 15:19-20 – NLT)

Christ is risen indeed!

 

The Escape Door for your Soul

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’”

Billy Graham

What is the first thing you would think, if you suddenly fell into a dark and gloomy pit, and you do not see a way out of it at all. But suddenly you hear a voice like from heaven, when from above it tells you, “There is only one escape door, I will lead you.”

Salvation1Certainly, in my case, I would pay absolute attention to that miraculous voice that offers me help to find the only escape door, the only way to get out of that pit.

Well, our soul lives in a dark and gloomy pit until it finds “the escape door” – “the exit door” and that only escape door is Jesus Christ. There is no other way, there is no other exit, there is no other escape door – Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

Jesus Christ is the only way for the salvation of human being. Jesus Christ is salvation forSalvation2 the soul in depression, for the soul in slavery, for the soul in despair. Jesus Christ is salvation for the soul that longs to get out of the prison of hopelessness.

Referring to Jesus Christ, renowned evangelist and author Billy Graham stated: “God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’”

The everlasting love of the Creator God of heaven and earth, of the universe and of everything in it, is constantly telling the human being “there is only one escape door for your soul, I will lead you.”

Salvation3

I invite you to walk through the four steps, simple but profoundly significant steps that have been posted in this article (see the images). Pay absolute attention to the voice of God that today will lead you step by step so that you find salvation for your soul.

Salvation4

If you want to know more about salvation through Jesus Christ, do not hesitate to contact us.

May God your Creator speak deeply to your heart and lead you to salvation in Christ Jesus!

New Year – New Life!

“The life of the human being is so fleeting.”

 

2023 – is not just another number, it represents a new opportunity! Certainly, many around the world have started working on their “New Year’s resolutions”, resolutions that unfortunately will fade as the days go by and perhaps in a couple of months. Few are those who keep hope alive and their eyes set on reaching the goal.

But we should all go beyond poetically writing a couple of “New Year’s resolutions”; and we should take a prudential time to meditate in our hearts and evaluate our life in the light of our “life manual”. What is that “life manual”, some may ask? Well, the only “life manual” that every human being has and should have is the Bible.

For some, the Bible is unfortunately already an obsolete book, of yesteryear, worthless in the era in which we live. For others, the Bible is almost an “amulet”, they enjoy having it as a wonderful ornament and sign of “good luck” in one of their rooms. But happily, for many others, the Bible is truly the Word of God, it is the “life manual” that the Creator has given to His Creation and even more so to those who are His sons and daughters.

And the Word of God tells us  “ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14 – ESV)

And yes, the life of the human being is so fleeting. It’s almost a dream as parents raise their little ones, watch them crawl, walk, run, and almost disappear into adulthood – their studies, their businesses, their commitments, their new families. “Time flies” say some; and in truth it is so. What is 70 – 80 years old? In some cases, perhaps much less or perhaps a few more years. But what are a few decades compared to eternity? Time flies, earthly life is really fleeting.

2023-engThe Psalmist David wisely tells us: “Teach us to understand the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 – NLT). And it is that no one has a guaranteed tomorrow; however, while the grace of our Creator allows us to be on this planet, we must yearn to live a life full of wisdom, love, grace and service to others.

And perhaps everyone who reads this article can say, I live that life! But I must be very clear, no one lives, nor will they live, a truly wise life, without having personally met the Giver of life and the Source of wisdom, Christ Jesus.

For this reason, at this beginning of the New Year 2023, I invite you to evaluate your life and refocus it if necessary, so that the Creator of Heaven and Earth, of the entire universe, may not be only Your Creator, but you may also allow Him to enter into your life and embrace you as only a Father knows how to do it.

And for this, you only need to recognize 3 simple but profound things at the same time:

  1. We are all sinners – None is righteous, no, not one, the Bible tells us (Romans 3:10).
  2. I can’t do anything on my own to cleanse myself of my sins. There is no human effort that can erase the evil that is in the heart of man (Jeremiah 17:9).
  3. I recognize that only the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross is the only thing that cleanses me from all sin and that by accepting Jesus as my only Savior, it is the only thing that brings me from death to life, from darkness to light. It is the only way to go from “creature” to “son or daughter of God” (John 1:12).

As 2023 begins, I encourage you to make the biggest decision of your life, if you haven’t already. God, your Creator is waiting for you with open arms – accept His invitation, don’t put it off until tomorrow, because tomorrow may already be too late.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

New Year – new life in Christ Jesus!

hand holding wooden block with text 2023 NEW YEAR NEW YOU on tab

NOTE:  If you would like to learn more about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please contact us.

 

The Culture of Christ is the Culture of the Kingdom of God

“There is no justification for a leadership that has strayed into the profane of its culture!”

 

Before we start developing today’s  topic, it is important to mention that the English version of this article has been translated from the Spanish version of Towards Excellence (https://hacialaexcelencia.org/2022/12/11/la-cultura-de-cristo-es-la-cultura-del-reino-de-dios/); not necessarily from the original texts and works of authors here cited.

JOversetreet-valoresReino-ENGJane Overstreet, the author to whom we have referred in previous articles, mentions that after working for more than twenty years with Christian leaders around the world, she has observed that their leadership style is more like the culture in which each leader lives, than really the culture and values ​​of the Kingdom of God.[1]  And she emphatically points out:

“Each culture puts a slightly different mask on those leadership qualities it cherishes, and all our cultures are terribly broken. Perhaps some are significantly worse than others, but none of them accurately reflect God’s values. The values ​​of the kingdom of God are countercultural to every earthly culture. (Overstreet 2011)

Along these lines and for the purposes of this research, we had the opportunity to interview Tope Popoola, a prominent Nigerian leader and author, who regularly gives lectures and consultancies on topics related to leadership, management, marketing, and entrepreneurship in various countries around the world. For Popoola, when asked, what should a Christian leader do so that the culture of Christ prevails in his actions instead of the culture around him. This is what he replied to us:

“The culture of Christ is the culture of the Kingdom of God. Our call is to make Christ known in all spheres of human existence… We are called to bring heaven to earth, not earth to heaven. When we ask ourselves before taking any action, ‘How would Jesus handle this issue?’ and go ahead to do what He would do, regardless of what may be popular or trending, we enforce the culture of Christ. Whoever does it must necessarily die to himself and die towards popular public opinion. The kingdom of God is not a popularity contest! Those who can’t stand something will fall for anything…I’ve had to oppose my culture regarding various traditions. At first it wasn’t easy, but they came to respect me for my decisions.” (Popoola, Interview on Christian Leadership 2020)

Parallel to this important challenge; and in the same way, for the purposes of this research we also carried out a random survey aimed at the Christian public. 118 people participated, from 21 countries, representing the 5 continents.

By asking them, in one of the questions, to rank in priority the characteristics of a “servant leader” that Christian leaders need to put into practice so that they truly reflect the excellence of Christ; the voting system yielded the following results, among 10 proposed characteristics: “practice spiritual disciplines: pray, fast, read the Bible”, in the first place; and, “act with integrity”, in second place. According to the voting system, these were the characteristics with the highest score and consequently those considered to be a priority for those surveyed.

And these results point to the heart of the problem. If Christian leaders do not walk in intimate communion with God, it will be obvious that we are more likely to walk reflecting our own culture, a culture broken by sin, and not the culture of the Kingdom of God.

As Christian leaders, as sons and daughters of God, whom do we represent? Well, the Word has given us the title of “Ambassadors of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Therefore, our actions must reflect such title; if we represent Christ Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the Creator God of heaven and earth, of the entire universe. What a tremendous privilege! And what an enormous responsibility to be ambassadors of the Kingdom of God! Certainly, it would be far from us to act like those ambassadors of the world, who have often been involved in corruption scandals.

It truly causes shame, frustration, and great pain when we see the Church not acting up to Christ; a leadership that has accommodated itself to the culture of its environment, losing sight of the culture of the Kingdom of God.

We live in a postmodern culture, which has sadly compromised its values, has become involved in the profane. As Miguel Núñez says, when we live in a culture like this, if we do not try at all costs to avoid it, its effects will end up contaminating us and then the profane will become normal in our lives.[2]

Today more than ever we need a leadership that turns to the SOURCE, as Popoola says, so that we can recover the values of the Kingdom. This is not evangelical jargon, which is so common at least in Latin America. We think that if we treat ourselves as “brothers”, we say: “Glory to God”, “Amen”, “Hallelujah”, “Blessings”; we are already Christians. But it’s not like that. There is a world that observes and judges us severely and in front of which we have dishonored the Name of excellence of our Triune Creator God, the Name of our Savior.

If indeed one day we have come to Christ, only by turning to His Word and maintaining an intimate communion with Him, we will be confronted and we will achieve that His mark of excellence shines in and through us and allows us to truly be the salt and light that this world needs.

Hands holding Holy Bible over grey background. Sharing the Gospel with youth. Copy space. Christian concept

This is consistent with the Word:

“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you…Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:3-5)

And this is complemented by the clear challenge from our God:

 

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)

Only the Word and an intimate communion with Christ, will transform our mind so that consequently we are channels of transformation in our environment.

In closing, we will quote an extraordinary reflection by Dr. Núñez, which will certainly touch the hearts of readers as it has touched the author of this blog:

“…Perhaps one of the highlights of his [Jesus’] life of service, especially considering that He is the Creator of the world, and yet he set out to serve the creature. When one thinks that the God of the universe, the One who sustains everything with the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3), was capable of kneeling down to wash the feet of His disciples, this is something that goes beyond what that the human mind and heart can assimilate”. (Núñez, Jesus – the man who challenged the world and confronts your life 2018)

There is no greater example of excellence than this! There is no justification for a leadership that has strayed into the profane of its culture!

 

[1] Jane Overstreet, UnLeader: The Surprising Qualities of a Valuable Leader (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 3.

[2] Miguel Núñez, Vivir con Integridad y Sabiduría: Persigue los valores que la sociedad ha perdido (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2016), 40.

Tope Popoola, Interview on Leadership, 2020.