25^th ANNIVERSARY OF JESUCRISTO.NET – SPANISH SITE OF YAHSHUA.NET

© Carlos Padilla – October 2022

25^th Anniversary Jesucristo.net taking the Gospel through Internet, because Jesus Christ returns. Do you know Jesus Christ? Rome and Internet, all roads lead to Rome, but today, all the information is in Internet, including The Bible. If Rome would give the world the communication between cities, through the famous “Roman roads” which at the same time would carry the information by earth to all the empire, Internet gave the world the communication of all the knowledge of humanity to all nations.

The main photo shows the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, the arches of Titus and of Constantine, and the Coliseum, beyond. Although it cannot be seen, at the entrance of the Forum, is the “Carcere Marertina”, the prison where the Apostle Peter lived his last days before he was crucified, and where also the apostle Paul would end. Without a doubt the Forum was a place of debate of all that occurred in the known world, the place of communication of information. In Greece was the areopagus, where Paul preached, and although the Greek left the foundation of the Roman culture, it would be Rome that would take it to the world adapting its architecture and adopting their pagan religion with other names, even their Greek tong would be the one used by God to reveal the New Testament, but taken through Roman roads. The Greek of the time was similar to English today, the commercial language in the world and of the culture then, although there are other features of that language, like their letters being also numbers, like Hebrew. That amalgam of providential circumstances coinciding in time, where part of the vehicle of the Gospel to the world, to fulfil the Great Commission, and to make disciples to all nations, Matthew 28. These 25 years in Internet from Jesucristo.net have gone very fast, at least for me, but I invite you to read my own experience writing this website and knowing brothers from all around the world.

 

INTRODUCTION BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF COMMUNICATION

Man is a natural communicator, because God is the great communicator. The events told in the introduction were followed by others that would also change the world fulfilling prophecies. Being that Jesucristo.net during 25 years has communicated, in its case, the Gospel, that Jesus Christ – Yahshua returns, and asks: Do you know Jesus Christ? I consider it relevant to do a brief journey through the history of communication. As I was saying, the previous events were followed by others that were fulfilling prophecies. One of them, the destruction of Jerusalem, prophesised by the Lord Jesus, occurred in 70 A.D. by General Titus, son of Vespasian, whose arch of triumph is in the photo, and inside the interior curve we can see the Menorah of the Temple, and other dispossessions from the taking and destruction of Jerusalem. That Titus would see the construction of these places, but soon his lineage and successors would lose the empire by the hand of Constantine, in a battle in Milvio Bridge, in Rome in 312, and his victory would be celebrated with another arch that has his name which is located south of the Coliseum. And, why do I include this data? Its relevance is so great that makes these two bridges, which are situated mere metres one from the other, the one of Titus facing east to west, and the one of Constantine north to south, are two witness of the twist that history of the Roman empire would make. Titus would destroy Jerusalem and would be enemy of Christians. Constantine would conquer the Roman Empire and would install Christianity in the entire empire. The forums and the arches of triumph were a way of communicating information of historical and social events; today we do it through Internet.

Another event that would change the world and the way of communicating information was the Renaissance. This period includes the Protestant Reformation, the printing press, the take off of art and science, culture reaches society. From Rome and Florence, Michelangelo, Raphael or Leonardo da Vinci. The three stood out in their paintings or religious sculptures, the Creation of Adam in the Sistine Chapel, the sculpture known as the Piety, both from Michelangelo, but also the David. The Last Supper, o the Virgin of the Rock, from da Vinci, but also in a non religious way, like the Mona Lisa or Gioconda and the technique of the eyes that follow the observer, and the Vitruvian Man. The School of Athens and its characters, like Plato and Aristotle, as well as other important ones, from Raphael, in an anteroom to the Sistine, at the Vatican, but his more spiritual work is the Transfiguration. But it was the genius of Michelangelo which allowed him to express and communicate the relationship of man with God from the two opposite ways of the time, without the rejection of the papacy, through his work at the Sistine Chapel, because the Renaissance claimed a direct relationship with God, without the need of the Church. This would also agree to the Protestant concept of authority of the Word of God before than through the tradition of religious men, when it contradicts it. Great messages to take to a medieval world that was in the darkness of those centuries. Paints and art as communication media to carry messages. Today all the paintings that can be visited in museums are also in Internet and their interpretations. Others to stand out were Vasari and Zuccari who, following the request of the Medici, painted a representation of the Final Juzgement of the Bible, according to their imagination, mixing it with the thinking of the Divine Commedy, of Dante, in the dome “Duomo” of the Cathedral of Florence, which was going to be without decoration, according to the original design of its architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Each of them would communicate their message for the glory of God, whether through painting, sculpture, or through architecture, and also their own interpretations; a complete revolution of thinking for that time.

The Protestant Reformation also permeated the Florence of the Renaissance, being the place of more growth in Italy. The park dedicated to Martin Luther and its church very close to the famous Ponte Vecchio are a living remembrance. But before Luther and Gutenberg´s printing press, that would help to spread the Bible in German, translated from the original tongs by Luther himself, and that way fill his country with the knowledge of the Gospel, there was a previous reformer called and known as the preacher of the Cathedral of Florence, Girolano Savonarola who preached the Gospel in the tong of the people, and denounced the licensed living and the abuse of the power of the papacy and of those in government who abuse the poor, in his sermons. He would even confront his first benefactors, the Medici, who would be thrown out of Florence by King Charles VIII of France when he invaded the city. Amongst those in favour of Savonarola at the beginning, were Michelangelo or Bottichelli, but at the end he would be burned in the bonfire, in Florence by the Inquisition, by decree of the pope Borgia, Alexander VI, and the Medici would return and dominate Florence with the help of one of their members, then cardinal John of Medici, who would be pope Leon X, who ordered to finance the construction of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome through the sale of indulgencies. Exactly in this point he met with Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, which communicated to Christianity the urgent need of to return to true Christianity, from which, the official Church, has deviated. The printing press and preaching would be the ways of communication, and would serve the Gospel.

The Enlightenment would be the flowing movement that would transform the world, especially in Europe and America in the XVII and XIX centuries, precisely, making use of the printed, the books, of science, philosophy, ideas, politics, and even religion, with The Bible to be read by all, but with the risk of interpreting it without knowledge, and the free thinking; the relevant was to acquire knowledge and to be enlightened to come out of the darkness and ignorance, definitely to communicate the new ideas to the world. It changed society, it put an end to monarchy and gave place to the republic, “The French Revolution”, the talk was about progress, of human rights, and the division of the power Church-State. Reason, the empiric through observation and experiment won the minds hungry of information, but now rationalism was arriving. Although an excessive rationalism would also take to a growing atheism, the humanism of the Renaissance place man in the middle of all, and empiricism did it with science, but the Enlightenment centred knowledge through reason. The bases in the XVII century would be laid by Newton, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, Locke, amongst others. Some Enlightened Kant, Montesquieu, Voltaire. End of absolutism. In art, the neoclassical style. The Evangelical Pietism from the Protestant Nicolas Zinzendorf and the Evangelical Awakenings in Europe and America discomforted rationalism with the faith; such a kind of communication.

The Industrial Revolution would be the next way of changing the world and communicate from machines. The radio, an invention awarded to Marconi, changed communication forever. Telephone and television. Films of all kinds, social and religious. But at the end of the XXth century came the final change in technology, we entered into the digital era. The industry, the radio and TV changed the world, communicating a powerful expectation of man who now could fly to another country, watch films, and listen to music or news in his car. Communication arrived in real time for the first time to the entire world. And the Gospel again would benefit from these new platforms of communication.

Internet changed the world and all has been digitalized to be in the back of the hand through the Smartphone, from the latest in news, to a medical diagnostic, the greatest world encyclopaedia in one second, The Bible, and all the information that exists. The appearance of robotics with artificial “intelligence”, makes it that soon we could see ourselves sharing our live with humanoids, as shown in the film “I Robot”. The Gospel can be taken to everyone that has access to Internet, which by today, finishing 2022 is estimated to be 65% of the world’s population, with more than 5 billion users. But we do not only use it to communicate, but the banks, medicine, the governments, the universities, the scientific development, all the transport, including the aerospace is developed and it communicates via Internet, even if they use satellites, and a digital way. But the access to the Metaverse, a virtual world that seems to be making the delights of those who want an ideal world, or escape reality, is growing in an exponential way. Who feels the call of God to initiate an Evangelistic ministry in the Metaverse? Thre already exist churches in the Metaverse. Digital communication in a virtual world, and again the Gospel is already there.

THE BEGINNINGS OF A CHRISTIAN WEB IN INTERNET

I was praying to God, at about Easter of 1997 when I reading about Internet (abbreviation of International Network) and the World Wide Web (WWW) so that what I had received, the knowledge of Christ and His salvation, and the Bible, the Word of God, could reach all the world through Internet. Without going into technicalities, I informed myself about the need for a domain name and of the possibility of doing my own website. A few months later and without knowledge, thanks to an award at work, I received a complete PC computer system and I went hands on to work. I bought a router and did my first connection to that unknown world of cyberspace. That reminded me of the experience of the main character of the film Tron, when he entered inside the video game. If you have enough age, you will remember that when connecting to Internet you would hear an awful noise until it connected. There were very few web pages, and less in Spanish. The speed was so slow, that one would leave archives uploading, or opening, and could go for hours. With Windows system and a series of programs needed, and a visual “sysiwyg” creator of web pages to avoid programming with HTML or PHP, with jpg archives and other things that sounded like extraterrestrial language, and adding the first page to some “search engines” like Altavista, Yahoo and others (Google did not exist yet) with programs to surf, like Netscape Navigator, or Internet Explorer (Chrome did not exist), one would advance in that new world, while every month more people initiated their journey.

The happiness started with shortly after, Christians and seekers of God started to write through a link that had a symbol called “at @” and sent an electronic mail to which I could reply in real time, well almost, without paper, without ink, and that could be saved. A marvel that would change the world. With much joy I continued to see that each year the contacts would grow and that the lives of many where touched by the Holy Spirit, through this new media that God place to our reach. God answered that prayer of a wish that surely He had inspired. I remember who most Christians that I knew, and the majority of brothers of other churches did not see with good eyes the use of Internet for God. For many it was not a holy media, it was of the world of the end times. I would reply that TV could communicate the Gospel, or be used for evil, the same way as Internet. Today no one questions its use, even Theological Seminaries and all branches of Christianity work and make every effort to be in the first places in Internet, and now also in social media. I do not reproach any brother; I know it was hard for them, but I had a clear vision of God, a call, a ministry to fulfil, and a heavy burden if I did not go ahead, and serve God through this media, and glory to God that it gave its fruits, for the glory of God.

 

MY EXPERIENCE IN INTERNET AS JESUCRISTO.NET

Through these 25 years in Internet, I have known Christians and new believers from all over the world. I have received many help requests, of prayers, and of pastoral help, that come from thousands of kms, from the American continent, the vast majority, for being Spanish speaking. I have met pastors, evangelists, professors of seminaries and missionaries. For me it has been a true privilege to be able to share, serve and receive from so many beloved brothers and sisters, and new believers, many already disciples of Christ, and others on the way, and many who have come to know Jesus – Yahshua. This journey through the Christian cyberspace  that God has allowed me to surf, together with all of you, has made me grow and be a better disciple of Jesus Christ.

In the beginning it was difficult, but it has been worth it and it still is. Many years being in the first position of the ranking in search engines, until recently, all churches, Christian institutions, press and Christian media, or media interested in informing about Christianity compete and invest great resources and money to be the first, and use companies and specialized personnel. The humble ministries and of few resources, compete with the years, the experience and dedication, but we have the help of God, and the work is His and it is for His glory.

As I was saying in the beginning, about the communication of the message, we think that is us humanity that has created the forms of doing it. God gave first His Law and His revelation to his prophets and apostles. The Word of the living God has been communicated to us, through Jesus alive, and there is no other way, nor other form of communicating better than in person, God alive amongst us “Emmanuel”. Then the apostles preached in the world making disciples of Christ, and then the deviation of the Church had to be revised with the Protestant Reformation, for which the printing press was provided as well as the Renaissance movement. Followed by the XVIII century with the Enlightenment, being reason and logic its pillars, but great preachers and spiritual awakenings troubled the empirical and rationalist thinking of the movement.

Curiously there are no other movements that have changed the thinking of the world, but what followed was the industry, the radio, the telegraph, the telephone and television, that would change the world of communication again from the analogical. The digital era was at hand, and was computers and programming what caused the need of Internet. Once created, the world changed again. It has not been until the appearance of social media that communication has received a total change, together with the TV through internet, the final step with Youtube and other similar. Now all lives in Internet, and all the ways of communicating, written, radio live or recorded in podcasts, via photos in Instagram and others, via messages in groups through Facebook, meta, Whatsapp, etc. via TV through Youtuve, via written websites, all come together in a central web page, or at least this is the tendency. All media in our reach to take the information of the salvation of God, the Gospel, to all nations, through all possible media, and now through Internet and its resources.

Then came the data protection law and had to oblige thousands of subscribers, most of them in Hispano-American countries to accept laws that did not exist in their countries to continue to receive the “newsletter”. Now, in 2022 and since some years, all is being focused to video, Youtube and other platforms of social media, but the conduct is the same: Internet. The visual wins again against the written letter which has to be read. It reminds me of the Protestant Reform and its call to read The Bible, even teach the people to read with The Bible, in opposition to the cultural movement of the Renaissance, which filled cathedrals with paintings and sculptures, that in their way, and in a limited and fix way tried to explain the story of the Bible. All paths leaded to Rome – all the information is in Internet.

 

THE 12 SECTIONS OF THE WEBSITE JESUCRISTO.NET AND YAHSHUA.NET

Jesucristo.net -as well as Yahshua.net- is formed of 12 sections. The reason is that during 25 years, as well as the need to communicate the Gospel, and so that all may know Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God, there are other essential lines of message. As well as there are 12 tribes, and 12 apostles, and 12 months in the year, this website has ended having 12 sections.

Prophetic News, helps us to see how history is fulfilling them.

Biblical Studies, helps us study The Bible in depth and to know the Lord Jesus better.

Bible Prophecies, helps us to study the prophecies of The Bible, so that we are not deceived.

Science & Faith, helps us to know how God is the Father of the true science, of intelligent design and how He designed, and we can prove it scientifically.

The Bible, online allows us to have permanent access to the Word of God.

The Gospel, is the base of the entire message.

Bible Doctrine, helps us to understand the teachings of Jesus Christ –Yahshua- and to compare them with traditions and interpretations of the different branches of Christianity, to know the Truth, because Truth will set us free.

Spiritual Dictionary of The Bible, helps us to know the spiritual part of the Biblical Text to apply it to our lives, but strengthening it historicity and laterality of the same.

Jesucristo.net 25 Aniversary, so that it is a witness that this ministry has been useful and serves Jesus Christ and those who love Him. (Yahshua.net Ministry).

Book: La Mente de Cristo (The Mind of Christ), for those that want to have most of this website in a book.

Good Deeds, because the just will live through faith, but the love of God is shown by the good deeds.

Church of Yahshua, so that all love their brethren, because this way they will know that we are His disciples.

At the foot of the page are 20 points which include the 12 sections, as well as a link to the English version Yahshua.net (to the Spanish version Jesucristo.net in the English website),  other to “Links” to other websites of Christian help or of general interest. Index, to return fast from any page. Yahshua Know Him, the greatest event of life. The Way to God: is a web page of Biblical studies of this website, in spiritual order of growth. Link to Christian TVs. Ministry: about Jesucristo.net – Yahshua.net. Statement of Faith. And, About Us.

 

WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO? WHAT’S NEXT IN COMMUNICATION?

Before finishing, I consider relevant to analyze where we are heading to. An easy an direct answer would be that we are going to an all, with all, in the same way as it is the tendency in other states of society, food, fashion, architecture, art, the ways of communicating; we must be everywhere! Linking each platform to the others where one is.

In the same way as the Roman roads communicated the empire, Internet communicates the world with all the media possible. Web page, e-mail, video in Youtube, social media, radio, all lives through the networks of Internet, from each platform to all are inter connected. And another transformation is the use of Smartphone as the winner device in volume of connections for everything. All websites must be adapted to mobile phone, where all the information is checked, e-mail, video, chat, network, banking, platforms for procedures, universities, etc. etc.

Jesucristo.net in Youtube has videos of my preaching’s, which I published during the pandemic and that you may watch in links like this one: https://youtu.be/J1mDtPcQd0k

God willing, in the future we could count with a series in Youtube or some TV channel through Internet. Pray for this so that if He wants, we have the resources and so that it is for His glory.

 

GREETINGS

Beloved readers, hearers or spectators, first of all I want to thank God for this ministry, because He made it, maintains it and cares for it, and blesses us at doing it, or when feeding from it. Second, thank you all who pray for us and are our friends in Christ. And third, to my family, for their invaluable help, and to the brethren.

Internet was giving the world all the information available. Today the problem is that the majority of people do not reach to the truth of the information; we suffer a great “infoxication”.  If in times of the power of the Church one could not read the Bible, now we have the Bible and of the general information, but with millions of sources and millions of ways of presenting the information, which in almost its totality seek to manipulate or direct the minds, in one or other way. What to say about social media? However this is not new, for TV already, radio and press have been doing it for centuries.

The conclusion about communication has been clear: we had to use Interest to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. The result has also been clear: transformed lives by knowing Jesus Christ, and others for knowing Him better, those who now transform the lives of others, with the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation, because Jesus Christ –Yahshua- returns. Do you know Jesus Christ? Jesucristo.net -Yahshua.net

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16. Amen!