Three powerful advices that will help you to start with expectation this 2025

 Here you have three advices that will help you to start with expectation this 2025:

1. Do not base your plans on your past, but in your present and in the Word of God.

It's hard not to base your plans on what you have lived, because we think on our past mistakes and on what we don't have. We say: "Why'd be different now? Why even to try?" That way of thinking is wrong. The right way is to see YOUR PRESENT and to see the promises of our heavenly Father.

When you see your present focus on what you have, your talents, your abilities, your opportunities. What you don't have is not your present. Your lack of money, of opportunities, of talents, etc., is not part of you, is not part of your present, that's why you don't have it! For example, if you don't have 20 million dollars, are those 20 millions your present? Obvios that not! Maybe your present is only 10 dollars. Well, start with that!

And if, to what you have you combine with the promises of our heavenly Dad, those 10 dollars become more that enough to start! Your heavenly Dad wants you to use what you have, not what you don't have.

2. Think big, start small.

ALL big achievement starts small, grows small, and it's achieved small. For example, the "small step" that took Neil Armstrong (that "a small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind") was the culmination of millions of small steps taken by him and by a numberless of people that worked together to reach the moon. We cannot make something big with only one decision, but with the accumulation of thousands of small decisions.

So, aim to reach your dreams, let them be big!, written them now, BUT, know that you won't reach them after taking 10 or 20 steps. Do not quit! Keep building from yesterday's work. Keep building brick upon brick, step by step, correcting your way as you go. DO NOT DESPISE THE SMALL PROGRESS, because big dreams are made of those.

3. Live in peace and joy now!

Maybe the most deceiving mentality is that you have to reach your dreams to be happy. You might be thinking that I got that wrong. But I'll repeat it so you make sure it was what I meant: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REACH YOUR DREAMS TO BE HAPPY. You can be happy now!

Jesus said in John 14:27, "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give you". And then Jesus adds a key part: "I do not give it to you as the world gives". The question is, how does the world gives it? The world gives peace conditionally. That's to say, you have to do something in order to have peace. You have to reach your dreams, belong to the group, have money, travel, get marry, loose weight, build up muscle, be healthy, etc. All of that are good things, and all of that our heavenly Father wants to give you, but never as a condition for you to have peace, but as a consequence of having sought Him firts (Matthew 6:33, Romans 14:17, Psalm 23:6). So, "do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27), because Jesus gives you away His peace. And His joy too! (Philippians 4:4).

Happy 2025!

Peace in the middle of so much Violence

One characteristic of the time we live in is violence. This is something undeniable. This doesn't only happen at country's level where we see that the conflicts between nations get worse, but also we see it as much as a symptom of society as individual. It is even in social network!

Nowadays people live in a hurry and tense in the traffic, they exasperate easily if the person in front of them in the line to the cash machine takes longer than they should, we don't find tolerance whatsoever between each other, you can find insults everywhere in social media, people are killed just for a cellphone, brutally beaten up just for liking a different football team, verbal rudeness and lack of patience is daily fare, and abuse has become normal in many families. Sadly, it's not the first time that the earth is so full of violence.

The same characteristic is found in Noah's days. Genesis 6:11 says: "The earth was full of violence". I remember that 25 years ago I used to asked myself how much violence must've been back then for the Bible to say that the earth was full of violence, but now I think that maybe it hasn't been much different from nowadays or, at least, that we're close to be like them.

But what makes me think the most is that in Matthew 24:37 says that "as the days of Noah were, so will also the coming of the Son of Man be". That's to say, one of the characteristics of the earth before Jesus comes back is that it'll be full of violence.

2 Timothy 3:1-3 states it clearer because it says that the last days will be perilous and the people will be cruel, truce breaking, fierce, selfish and without natural affection.

I see these characteristics in many people nowadays. That's why, on one hand I'm happy that I can see that my Jesus is coming soon, but on the other hand it saddens me how many people suffers for violence, as much for receiving it as for giving it.

As christians, the Bible gives the solution: "Overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).

"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore, «if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.» Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". (Romans 12:17-21)

In Jesus's time, there was an abusive Roman law, which consisted in that a Roman soldier could legally demand you to carry his package (backpack, purse, etc.) for one mile, and then you could leave.

Can you imagine that law nowadays? How do you believe people would react? How would you react if a policeman approach to you and say: "Carry my package for a mile"? I think that social networks would be fill with videos on those abuses, protests would fill many of our streets and many would rather fist-fight the police than to obey that law.

Sadly violence by words or actions ALWAYS produce more violence. Hurt people hurt people. That's why Jesus, in order to stop the degrading vicious circle of violence, told his disciples what to do: "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two" (Matthew 5:41). Would you be able to do it? That's why it's necessary more strength to be christian than not to be it.

Can you imagine the face of the Roman soldier after hearing from a Jesus's follower that he/she is offering to carry his stuff for one more mile? I imagine a face of surprise, thinking "is he/she for real?", but at the same time, of curiosity for knowing why he/she is different, why he/she is not upset or angry like everyone else, why he/she doesn't hate me like everyone else.

As a result, in the worst-case scenario, it's very likely that this soldier won't demand again to the same person to carry his stuff, but in the best-case scenario, surely this soldier will tell to this person: "I want to know the God you know".

Do you have a problem with your neighbor, family member, workmate? Any of them is starting to act with violence against you either by word or by action? How about if you get out of that degrading vicious circle of violence and rather start to apply this principle and let your heavenly Father move. Overcome evil with good! Ask for strength and wisdom to your Father to do this!

Will this guarantee that this person will change? No, unfortunately no. That's why Romans 12:18 says "as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men", in other words, sometimes people will not change, BUT check out what our Father promise us (and you can hold on to this promise!) in Psalms 34:12-14 if we want to see good days:

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it."

Note that ALL the requirements to see good days DEPEND ON US, no one of them depends of the things that happen to us. In other words, we might be surrounded by violence, BUT if we do not answer that violence with more violence, but rather, seeking peace, our Father promises us that we'll see good days!

Overcoming evil with good, seeking peace in the middle of violence, it might not end up in friendship with the ones that hurt us, but you will end seeing good days in the midst of violence, your heart will be protected against evil, you'll have joy in spite of everybody is attacking you, because you'll learn that the Prince of Peace will be with you always.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble and do not be afraid" (John 14:27) 

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)

I hope this may have blessed you!

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For more teachings you may want to visit my page "Consejos y Enseñanzas Varias" (Various Tips and Teachings) clicking Here. There you will find teachings about marriages, parents, leadership and more =)

Christmas: Joy in the middle of trouble

Rulers only being worried for themselves, sitting in their offices to get rich instead of serving the people. The breach between the rich and poor is getting bigger every time, feeding the resentment, the bitterness and the despair. Violence is found as to daily bread, and sicknesses are attacking making no distinction of people.

Just in case, I'm not describing the actual situation of many countries nowadays, but the situation of the Jews people of thousand years ago when Jesus was born.

It was in that situation that the angels announced: "Fear not, because I give news of great joy which will be to all people, for there is born to you this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)

I want you to see this: For our Heavenly Father, this news would produce joy in the middle of troubles. And, since God doesn't change, but remains the same, this news, if you receive it, will produce in you too joy in the middle of your troubles.

Christmas is about Jesus. He was born to give joy and peace. He doesn't give it to us as the world does, so do not be afraid (John 14:27). How does the world give peace? It offers peace and joy as long as everything is OK. If everything is not OK, there is no peace and joy. Jesus doesn't give it in that way. Jesus gives you peace and joy even in the middle of trouble because that peace and joy will be Him, your Heavenly Father.

Receive this message of Christmas and enjoy that peace and joy which nobody else will ever be able to offer!