Follow Jesus

August 24, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Move yourself

The word “movement” appears for the first time in Genesis 1, verse 2. From that text, from Genesis to Revelation, it was through people moving that miracles happened. Do not stop “The earth was an empty waste and darkness was over the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was moving over the top of the waters.” Genesis 1-2 It is after this word that the text of Genesis begins to tell us how God created everything in the world in those 7 days. It was after His movement that everything began to emerge. Movement means success. No one who has won and reached incredible places has managed to stand still. People who move change their position and achieve their goals and dreams. Even if it’s not overnight, with each step they get closer to where they want to go. And as the Father moves, He calls you to move and work. Not to stand still. The Lord can do anything with a snap of His fingers, but He will work the impossible and He expects us to do everything that is possible as humans beings . We have the opportunity to participate in the work of the Father. I […]

calling follow-jesus growth holy-spirit

August 15, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Not yet…Wait!

I have a potted oxalis purple clover at home. It is a flower that hibernates at certain times, and during the day it opens or closes more depending on the incidence of the sun. I want to focus with you precisely on this period when the clover is silent. Writing the last text on the blog, about burying and planting, I thought a lot about this flower and I’d like to talk about the details in its care. Process “…Is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.“ Psalm 1:3 I commented with you in the last text about the importance of understanding the right time to bury and plant, the difference between these two actions. But do you know the similarity between them? Both take place in darkness and silence. When the clover arrives in the “hibernation” season, we cannot water it or put it in the sun. He needs to be recluse, as if there is nothing inside the vase. It is the moment when we really need to forget about it and, when it grows back, we take care of it again so that it is […]

courage-of-the-lord expert-god faith follow-jesus

August 10, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Bury X Plant

There is a big difference between burying and planting. Many times we confuse these two words and take actions that take us off the right path or take us in the wrong direction. What’s the difference? Even if there is nothing in the bible that directly compares “burying” and “planting”, there are several passages that treat each of these concepts in isolation. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 we see the following passage: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot” The term “bury” is seen, for example, in the text of Luke 9:60, where it is written: “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Planting is sowing to reap something in the future, burying is linked to burial, the completion of something. In our lives, we need to have discernment and wisdom to understand when to plant and when to just bury. Closed cycles “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 We’ve all heard that life […]

changes cycles follow-jesus growth

August 08, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Why is discipline so hard?

I’ve heard a lot of people talking about how taking the first step in situations is difficult. But I disagree with that statement. The first step, in most cases, is the easiest because it can be given in a moment of impulse, excitement, emotion, euphoria… I believe that from the 2nd step onwards, it gets more complicated, because emotion mixes with reason and we need to be very focused on what is really worthwhile and what we really want. Strength for the walk “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9 Have you ever tried making a decision in a moment of great joy? Or very sad? It is in this type of situation that we usually make decisions that we later regret. We get the feeling that we shouldn’t have done that or that we could have done more or otherwise. The problem is that, even following reason from the first step, thinking several times before taking any action and asking for the Father’s direction, overcoming the difficulties that exist in the next steps is completely linked to our constancy and discipline, and these are not easy things, because each day requires a different […]

constancy faith follow-jesus seek-the-kingdom

August 01, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Strength, Faith and Spirituality

Today I want to pray with you for strengthening of faith and spirituality. The Bible brings faith as the certainty of things we still don’t see, as the hope of what we ask for, dream of, but which is not yet palpable. It’s about what’s yet to happen. Our faith needs to exist when we still have no clue that something is happening. When we ask and still don’t have an answer, that’s where our full trust in the Father lives. Spirituality is when our life is based on what is spiritual, what is supernatural. It concerns the moment when we elevate our thoughts to what is Divine and Eternal, having faith and trust in the word that comes from above. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as it is here, because everyone has their own way of talking to the Father. But if you want, I’ll be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, today I want to ask you for my faith. I cry out to You so that You fill my life with full trust in Your word and in Who You are. Teach me to trust even when my eyes still can’t […]

courage-of-the-lord faith follow-jesus heart

June 13, 2023·Rapha Abreu

The number of the beast

In Revelation 13 we are introduced to the number 666, “the number of the beast”, a sequence that would bring with it curse, pain, distance, war… There are many explanations and thoughts about this on different theological lines. All the ones I’ve read about make sense at specific points and teach us a lot. But there is one in particular that caught my attention. Three 6 “This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.” Revelation 13:18 I don’t know about you, but this subject scared me a lot when I was younger. The idea of a giant being, who affronts God and brings destruction, whose main objective is to distance people from the Father and generate wars, scared me. And that number? Why? If there are so many numerical combinations… The explanation that most calls my attention is in Revelation 13:16-17 that describes that only with the mark on the right hand or on the forehead, which is the name of the beast or the number that represents its name, we could buy and sell. The mark would be a precondition […]

choices deliver follow-jesus gods-glory

June 01, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Access to salvation

The word says that we must confess our sins and that, through this, He forgives us. But if He already knows everything before we even speak, why do we need to say? He has the password “According to His eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:11-12 Salvation has been offered to us, but grasping it is in our hands. Jesus died for us and we now have full access to God, but if there is no movement from us, we are not saved. We need to receive Jesus! Do you know what I mean? It works for other areas as well. God won’t do anything if we don’t want to and if we don’t hand it over to Him. I look at all of this like a bank account. Imagine that someone deposited a very high amount in an account that you don’t have access to, because you lost your password. This money deposited makes no difference in your life if you cannot access it. You will need to go to a bank to solve the access impasse. God has already poured […]

blessings faith follow-jesus forgiveness

May 30, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Slaves of Desire

Immanuel Kant was one of the greatest philosophers of the 18th century. In one of his works (Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, chapter 2), he brought the idea that being free is not doing what you want, but doing what you don’t want. And today I want to talk about this idea and how it appears in different ways in the bible too. The power to evaluate “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Rather, serve one another humbly in love.” Galatians 5:13 As humans we have the false feeling that, if we do what we want, we are free. Kant breaks this pattern and shows that, if you do what you want, without measuring consequences, you become a slave to desire and, from that, it is impossible to be someone free. To be free is to do what we don’t want to. For example, I train in a gym. If someone offers me a lot of candies and fried foods after a workout, my craving would be immediately accept it and eat it all at once. But that way I would become a slave to desire, which […]

authority choices discernment expert-god

May 25, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Used or approved?

Many times we confuse God using us with approving us and we end up taking paths that are not what God wants for us. We seek to be used and do not act to move towards approval. Used by god “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13 To be used by God is to be a channel for a certain action. For example, at one point the Lord used you to say something to someone who was asking for an answer. When you minister over someone’s life, it doesn’t come from you and your knowledge, but it is an act of God through your life. And He can use anyone, any place, any situation. As in the book of Numbers, where the donkey that belonged to Balaam is used to send God’s message and guide the man in the opposite direction, where his mission would be. In many situations we seek to be used, but this is so momentary. The animal didn’t keep talking and having words of wisdom coming out of its mouth for the rest of its life. It was just that moment, and […]

eternity follow-jesus god growth

May 23, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Understanding God’s Wisdom

The quest for wisdom is something that goes far beyond the accumulation of knowledge on a subject. Wisdom leads us to a deep understanding of life and divine purposes. It guides us to a full and meaningful existence. The source of all understanding “For the Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.” Proverbs 2:6-7 When we are anchored in the wisdom from on high, that which comes from the Father, it becomes a sure lighthouse in the midst of dark moments and storms. True wisdom is not found in human sources, it comes as the gift and gift of God. It is revealed through the scriptures and by a communion with the Holy Spirit of God. It involves understanding God’s ways, purposes, and principles. It allows us to discern between right and wrong, choose wisely, and act with integrity. Divine wisdom guides us in all areas of our lives, whether in relationships, financial and career decisions, among others. It also helps us to find balance at times when our emotions struggle to rule our lives. God is the source of true wisdom. […]

authority discernment expert-god follow-jesus

May 04, 2023·Rapha Abreu

What is greater than God?

Have you heard of Billy Graham? He was a pastor who was at the forefront of revivalist movements that took place around the world. He was a channel for approximately 2.5 million people to convert. This wise man, who lived the Word of God so intensely, said a sentence that really caught my attention. I always try to remember it when I’m having a hard time. “Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will for us.” Billy Graham Change of Measure “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5 When our expectations and faith are focused on things other than God, it is normal for us to be exposed to fear, anxiety, hopelessness, and thoughts of giving up. Understanding that the greatest strength man can achieve would still be weakness before God, is also understanding how He is greater than everything and how we are nothing. If we are so small and fragile close to the Lord, our thoughts and feelings are also smaller than His and that’s why we can trust completely in this love and care from heaven. Just as we […]

change changes courage-of-the-lord depth

April 18, 2023·Rapha Abreu

God doesn’t need time

I’ve heard some people say the phrase: “God isn’t taking too long, He’s doing his best“. Yes, He is doing the best. But He doesn’t need time to do something better, in that situation you need that time… Omnipresent or busy? “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.“ Proverbs 21:31 God isn’t like a super busy person who needs a longer deadline to do something better. As if He were telling you: “Wait just a little bit more, I just need to do this detail here“. It’s not time that changes what He gives you, it’s you who needs to change so that what He’s doing comes to you at the right time. God can give you the promise He made you in a snap of a finger, because He has the power to make the perfect in milliseconds. But you would not be ready to receive. The time it takes for you to reach that promise has to do with how much He needs to prepare you so you don’t waste it. Ripe to the Whole “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time […]

faith follow-jesus god gods-time

April 12, 2023·Rapha Abreu

You only have this life

You only live once. I know this is nothing new. But that also means you only have one life to have faith and follow Jesus. This is not carried into eternity, because there is already everything. The eternity “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-1:21 We understand eternity as a life after our earthly death, a life that we will spend physically with God. In a paable way like never before. So we can only work on our faith and prayer while we are here. When we go there, we won’t need it anymore, as it prepares us for a life of worship in Eternity. It is here on earth that the Kingdom is prepared and has its members well aligned and adjusted. Our life here must be based on the search for closeness to God. If we are going to be living with Him, this search will no longer be necessary in eternity. But it is our pursuit here that leads us to Him there. Bring […]

eternity follow-jesus kingdom-of-god life

March 23, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Have you been dreading your call?

Do you know what your calling is? What did the Lord form you and call you for? It is important as Christians to know this, because God counts on us. Your calling won’t do anything for you if you don’t say “yes” to it. God does not suggest “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” 2 Timothy 1:9 It all starts with understanding that your calling is not a suggestion from God. It’s not like your life is a suggestion box, where God puts little slips of what He thinks could be better. We need to begin to understand the voice of God as a duty. Not that duty that tires us and is a boring obligation. But listening with obedience and devotion. When our obedience is activated, so are God’s graces and blessings in our lives. And it is through our calling that many of them are poured out on us. Obedience is faith “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.“ James 1:22 […]

blessings calling courage-of-the-lord follow-jesus

February 02, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Does God punish us?

Have you understood the weight and responsibility of freedom or have you constantly tried to sign your decisions with the name of God? Have you remembered that even though everything is released to you, not everything builds your life? “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive“ 1 Corinthians 10:23 Divine punishment “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Father, serve one another humbly in love“ Galatians 5:13 It is normal (but should not be) to hear the phrase “God punishes” as a warning to stop acting in some way, transforming the fear we should have into God by fear, distorting the image of a loving God and merciful, placing in His hands a whip. I see that this phrase arose in the face of a difficulty that human beings have in assuming responsibility. We celebrate the freedom of choice that God gives us, but after we choose, we want Him to take the blame for our bad choices. It’s not fair to blame the tools if we are the ones operating them. The […]

choices discernment follow-jesus freedom

January 19, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Has your heart agreed with God?

God says in the bible that whatever I ask in faith will be given to me. So why have I been asking with all my strength and He won’t give it to me? Does he not hear me? This has happened to everyone at least once. Praying and waiting on God, but not receiving what was asked, thinking that the Lord is not listening to us. But that’s not true. On the opposite way “Before they call I will answer. While they are still speaking I will hear” Isaiah 65:24 The Father always hears us, His ears will always be turned towards the children. And even stronger than that, the heart of God hears our insides before we even speak. In all your prayers He was always by your side listening to every word. But He will not give you what is not linked to what He dreams for your life. God has a plan for every person even before birth. All life has a purpose, because He doesn’t do anything “just in case”, every detail has already been dreamed up. And our prayer may not be aligned with this desire of the Father, which makes us think that He closed his […]

choices distractions faith follow-jesus

January 12, 2023·Rapha Abreu

When is the right time to pray?

When is the right time to act? To what extent is risk taking the right decision? How long should we wait for something? With each passing day, the answer to these questions becomes clearer to me. The answer is always Jesus. Who knows more “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”. James 1:5 A while ago my car started making an unusual noise. Instead of consulting a mechanic right away to find out what that noise was and what to do, I postponed it for a few long days. The noise was coming from the damper. If I had changed it when it was defective, I would have had to change it alone. But as several days passed, the bad shock absorber ended up overloading the other 3, so I had to change them all. Conclusion: I spent more, I needed to spend more days without a car and I almost had problems with other parts of the car. If I had changed it too soon I would have thrown a still good shock in the trash and had unnecessary work. So who […]

choices follow-jesus prayer relationship-with-god

January 05, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Seeing with Eyes of FAITH

Claude Monet was one of the most important impressionist painters of the 20th century. He once said a sentence that always caught my attention: “To see, we must forget the name of the things we are looking at”. I don’t know about you but, in addition to using it for many areas of my life, I can see this phrase in the gospel too. Discernment and vision “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue’. Proverbs 16:1-9 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds“ Daniel 1:17 We are the only beings who receive from God rational abilities to plan, decipher codes, dream… This characteristic leads us to always seek the path of reason. We often rationalize too much, question and wish that everything makes the most sense to us. We want to have complete knowledge of everything that happens in our lives. However, God in different situations will use what makes no sense to us. He breaks the mold and invites us to see through faith and understand through His voice. And faith […]

discernment faith follow-jesus fundamental

December 16, 2022·Rapha Abreu

The meaning of the gifts

When Jesus was born, the story tells that the wise men went to the baby and presented him with some objects. Have you ever wondered about the meanings of each gift given by them? “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 The gold This gift represented and reaffirmed the royalty of Jesus. “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty. The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. Indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Your throne was established long ago. You are from all eternity”. Psalms 93:1,2 The boy was born in a manger, surrounded by animals and hay. But he was still the Son of the King of Kings. Jesus was King right there in Mary’s lap and King in every heart that recognized Him as Lord. He just wasn’t a king who would reign in a palace. As stated in Philippians 2:6, He was God Himself in human form but, even though He was the greatest in the world, He did not attach to titles, but came to earth to fulfill His purpose […]

care christmas commemorative-dates deliver

December 13, 2022·Rapha Abreu

Have you been a disciple or one of the crowd?

In the stories of Jesus we see several miracles happening wherever He went. But what most calls my attention in them is where the focus of each character was in the face of everything that happened. We can compare it to our focus on situations these days. The crowd seeks the miracle “And the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all” Luke 6:19 The crowd followed Jesus for His works, often craving what He could offer rather than who He was. After the healings and miracles it was possible to see people worshiping Him with greater vehemence. It always leads me to think that I too am often the crowd. Who asks, begs and hopes for a miracle, but who only has that as a goal. We seek God many times for what He can do for us, and we forget to seek Him just because He is God, our Father. The Master for the crowd was often an attraction. The disciple seeks Jesus “Many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’, Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ;Lord, to […]

deliver follow-jesus heart miracles

November 24, 2022·Rapha Abreu

There is only One Way

Today I came here to remind you that there is a right path and a wrong path, however hard it is to see and accept. I know that sometimes it becomes more comfortable to think that there is a third way, because then we would have a better chance of getting it right, but there is not. These days I was playing golf and I paid attention to some details. I’m bad at golf. But I’m learning to play by playing. In the race. There is a right way to position your hands, your body and aim. There is a correct force to apply. Details that I wouldn’t have known without the instruction of someone who knows the sport and lives it. We create our own path In the middle of the game I already started to feel pain in my hands, in my back… I could hit the ball with the club, it would go out of place, but it wasn’t getting as far as the golf players next door, because the The way I was playing was a path I created, not the right path. All this out of sheer laziness and lack of patience to learn from […]

bible follow-jesus

November 02, 2022·Rapha Abreu

What is the dynamic of faith?

The dynamic of faith is when something is anticipated. As it is written in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see“ Faith is not a reaction to something, it is an anticipation. It is when we can understand the end without necessarily seeing the whole process. When we recognize that He is taking us to an amazing place, even if I don’t understand the way. Predetermined “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations… Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.” Jeremiah 1:5 and 7 This is the greatest folly of the gospel! God calls you what you are, even before you become. And we need to trust God even before something happens. He called Abraham the father of multitudes in Genesis 17, even before that man had a son. When God anoints David as King in 1 Samuel 16, Saul was still in power and David was a shepherd in his father’s house. This is the dynamic of […]

blessings faith follow-jesus kingdom-of-god

September 01, 2022·Rapha Abreu

Is fearing death a sin?

I’ve heard some people say that if you’re sure of your salvation, it’s wrong to fear death. It is important to know that fear is a natural feeling, it appears whenever something threatens our present or future. Taking care of ourselves with our life can awaken this feeling. Living the now We recently lost a great Brazilian journalist, the famous Jô Soares. In one of the interviews he did a few years ago, he spoke the following sentence: “I’m not afraid to die, I’m sorry”. Life has so many possibilities, we are so used to thinking about tomorrow and planning until the year that hasn’t even started yet. We are made of “nows”, but these “nows” always lead to tomorrow, and imagining this cycle ending at some point can often despair us. Created for “always” “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart” Ecclesiastes 3:11 The human being was created by an eternal Being. We were created for eternity, she lives in our hearts. Accepting anything less than that is not in our setup. Looking at such a big world and thinking that we won’t have time on earth to see everything […]

choices courage-of-the-lord eternity fear

July 21, 2022·Rapha Abreu

[Series: Identity] Do I have a calling?

Another point in our life, which makes up our identity, is our calling. But after all, what is this? How do I find my calling? Am I already doing something in the area of my calling? These are questions I’ve asked myself several times, out of curiosity or fear of making mistakes. But I want to talk more about this subject with you today, in our penultimate text in this series. We all have a calling We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith. If it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach. If it is to encourage, then give encouragement. If it is giving, then give generously. If it is to lead, do it diligently. If it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8 God has a plan for us since before we were born. He left a specific mission for each person in this world and invites us to act in a certain area. Our greatest and most important calling will always be to worship him above all else, but there is a vocational path that we can choose […]

bible calling deliver follow-jesus