JFA Blog

Prayer: Do not negotiate the encounter

God is not entertainment

We are always returning to speed, comfort, and entertainment. We want experiences that captivate us, immediate answers, and environments that do not demand too much of us. Gradually, we can carry this same logic into the church and begin to expect that the service entertains us, pleases us, and ends quickly so that we can move on to our other plans.

Prayer: Faith that is not ashamed

Father, I know that I, too, have often denied Jesus. Perhaps not with words, but with choices, attitudes, omissions, and moments when I was ashamed to demonstrate my faith. Forgive me when the fear of being rejected spoke louder than the desire to remain faithful to You. Give me courage not to hide Your name and to remember that it is a privilege to feel discomfort for choosing to follow Christ in a world that often rejects what comes from You.

Do not deny Him

I used to think it was absurd that Peter denied Jesus three times. How could someone who had walked so closely with Him, witnessed His miracles, and heard His teachings, under pressure, say he did not know Him? That was until I realized that, many times, I have also denied Jesus. Perhaps not with words, but with choices, attitudes, omissions, and moments where I preferred to hide my faith.

Prayer: Deciding to return

Previously, I spoke about the moments when we are the lost sheep and others when we are the prodigal son. But in both cases, the Lord remains available to us, knocking at the door.

The sheep or the prodigal son?

There are different ways to drift away from God. Sometimes, we do not realize we are getting lost. Other times, we know exactly where we are and, even so, we choose to walk away. Jesus revealed this difference through two stories that speak deeply about the heart of God: the lost sheep and the prodigal son.

Prayer: Destroying the "self"

God is not a friend to your ego

We often seek messages that confirm our desires, but God desires to give us a Word that transforms our hearts. True love does not hide the truth; it confronts us to set us free.

Prayer: More than promises

The valley and the goodness of God

Prayer: Beyond a place

Disobedient religion

Prayer: Taking off the masks

Masked

Prayer: Erasing shortcuts

Hitching a ride

Who governs tomorrow?

Prayer: Faith in action

To know or to follow

Prayer: Unity

With Jesus on the team

Prayer: Purify and restore

Father, today I stand before You, acknowledging my need for the presence of Your Holy Spirit. There are areas of my life that often resemble dry, weary, and barren land. There are times when my faith weakens, my heart becomes heavy, and my soul thirsts for the water that only You can offer. Therefore, I ask You: pour out Your showers of blessing upon me. May Your Spirit renew what is worn out, restore what is broken, and bring life where there is dryness. Just as You promised to pour water upon the thirsty land, I acknowledge my dependence on You. I do not want to seek satisfaction in the fleeting things of this world, but in the inexhaustible source of Your presence. Fill my heart with Your peace, strengthen my faith, and help me remain close to You at all times. May Your Spirit flow through my life like rivers of living water, bringing hope, direction, and renewal to every area that needs Your touch. Holy Spirit, fall upon me like a flood. Invade the places in my heart that I have not yet fully surrendered to the Lord. Wash away my worries, my fears, my insecurities, and everything […]

Rain and fire upon us

Throughout the Scriptures, God uses powerful images to reveal the work of the Holy Spirit. Among them, two appear repeatedly: rain and fire. They may seem like completely opposite images when we read them, but rain speaks of life, renewal, and abundance, while fire speaks of purification, holiness, and power. When we cry out, “Holy Spirit, fall like a flood” or “Holy Spirit, send Your fire,” we are echoing deeply biblical symbols that point to God’s work among His people. The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or a passing emotion. He is the living presence of God dwelling within us, transforming dry hearts into fertile ground and igniting cold lives with the fire of His presence. Rain upon dry ground “I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26 Since the Old Testament, God has promised to pour out blessings upon His people like rain that falls at the proper time. The image of water is frequently used to describe spiritual renewal, restoration, and abundant life that come from the Lord. In a world marked by spiritual exhaustion, many hearts […]

Prayer: Guarding my steps

Father, I know that many times I make decisions based only on what my eyes can see. Just as Lot saw a land that was beautiful, fertile, and full of possibilities, I am also tempted to choose paths based on appearance, comfort, and immediate opportunities. Forgive me for the times when I considered only the visible benefits and failed to seek Your direction. Give me a sensitive heart to discern not only what seems good, but what is truly part of Your will for my life. Help me understand that the environments I choose to remain in deeply influence who I become. Guard my heart from influences that pull me away from Your presence, and strengthen my faith to remain in places that promote spiritual growth, even when they do not seem the most attractive in human eyes. May I never exchange Your peace for temporary advantages, nor Your presence for empty promises that do not come from You. Father, give me wisdom to recognize the moments when I need to leave behind certain seasons, relationships, habits, or environments. Many times I cling to what I already know out of fear of change or uncertainty. But I know that when […]