Grace

June 18, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Creating foundations

Previously, I talked to you about focusing on the structure of the building, laying the foundation, and strengthening the house. Shall we pray about this today? So that we can stand on the firm rock that is Jesus. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, we know that true transformation begins from the inside out. The search for it must be in secret, in our intimacy with You, where we are molded and renewed in Your image. Teach us to focus on what is within us. Enable us to seek Your face in prayer, meditating and studying Your Word, allowing Your Holy Spirit to work deeply in our hearts. May we grow spiritually in secret, away from the eyes of the world, being transformed according to Your will, forgetting the spotlight that our ego seeks and just wanting to be under Your gaze. Lord, we want […]

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June 12, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Structured by the Creator

Human beings have always cared about what can be seen. We have observed beauty standards for people and places being imposed since ancient times, and we tend to focus more on that than on who we are inside and what we do when no one is watching. But who are you inside? What is your identity? What is its structure? Surface base “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:24 Nowadays, with technology and so much information, appearance and what you are like on the outside have become an unhealthy concern. We think we know people because of what they seem to be, and we choose to go to places because of what they appear to be. Then we get frustrated when we get to know the inside; we place a lot of expectations on what we form from such a superficial characteristic. I don’t know about you, but I love home decor. Seeing an organized, clean, and beautiful environment is something I really appreciate. The look always catches our attention. We are dazzled by what adorns us and, most of the time, we are led to focus more on it. In the end, what matters least […]

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June 11, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Fire that purifies

God wants to purify us like gold, making us a mirror of who He is. To do this, we need to allow Him the freedom in our lives to act as He desires. Shall we pray together about this? Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank You for all You do in our lives. We give You complete freedom right now to do whatever You want, however You want, whenever You want. Prepare me for everything I have prayed for and align my dreams with Yours. We want to be purified and shaped into the image of Christ. Lord, we ask that You purify us as gold is refined in fire; burn with Your fire in us. Remove from us all impurities, all sins, and imperfections that prevent us from reflecting Your glory. May Your Holy Spirit work deeply in our hearts, transforming and renewing […]

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June 06, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Purified like gold

The Bible tells us in several passages that God fashions us like new vessels and purifies His people like gold and silver. While studying and listening to some sermons on this, I found a deeper meaning on the subject: the way gold looks after going through the fire. Separated For gold to be purified, it is placed at a high temperature for a certain time. This metal is not found pure in nature; it is common to find it mixed with silver or other materials. Therefore, this purification becomes necessary. It’s the same with us. We were created by God and received the identity of Christ in our lives. But we are in the world and we are human beings with flaws. God needs to separate us from what makes us unclean. We need to go through a long process of purification and refinement. These steps hurt and don’t happen on our schedule. They occur at the right time and the correct temperature. It is not easy to be refined, and it is not painless to be purified, but God strengthens us at each moment of the process and promises us His protection. Becoming a mirror “So God created mankind in his […]

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May 29, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Unbind Yourself!

We hear a lot about being available for what God is going to do. The Bible says in several passages that we need to open our hearts and allow the Lord to act in our lives. But, after all, what does this mean? Be aware “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 Being available does not mean being idle but being open and attentive. To be available, you can’t be tied to something; it is necessary that we are not entangled in any situation. When we try to embrace the world, we lose focus, and that puts us in a spider’s web. We make our lives so busy that we don’t have free time to pay attention to what the Lord wants to do. This makes us miss opportunities because we are too busy and miss the blessings of heaven because we are distracted by things that take us nowhere and just take up unnecessary space. Make room for “yes” “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries […]

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May 28, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Blessed to Bless

The Lord has a calling for each of us, with a personal and individual direction. But this calling is for the Kingdom, not for oneself. In the word of God, we are encouraged to love as God loved us, caring for one another and being channels of blessings to those around us. The answer to someone’s prayer could be you! Today, I want to invite you to pray together for this sense of community and body, so that we may understand that, in addition to our calling to serve the Kingdom, we must also serve people. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, I want to thank You for Your blessings upon my family and friends. I ask that You use me as a channel, so that I can be an answer to prayer in their lives, bringing Your love and light. Illuminate our paths […]

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May 14, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Becoming unrecognizable

The journey of faith needs to make us unrecognizable. This does not mean forcing ourselves to look like something we are not, but truly being transformed. Processes “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 Nothing changes who God is; no situation or person holds such power. But nothing remains the same wherever God passes. His presence needs to kill who you are so that you become more and more like Him. At times, we try to change the Lord without realizing it. We want to teach Him how to do something, aligning His desires with ours, not the other way around. The problem is that this frustrates us and keeps us away from our promises because we are the ones who need change and direction. Change hurts; the refinement process is painful at some points. We need to let go of who we are used to being. And the secret to getting through all this stronger is to focus on who we will become while walking with Christ. […]

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May 02, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Love that directs

We know that God is a Father of justice and love, who cares for us and calls us to the best path. Today, I want to pray with you about this. We should not feel punished in some situations, but rather cared for and directed towards something much greater, learning and growing along the way. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, I recognize Your perfect justice and Your endless love. Lord, I know that You are a God of love and justice, who desires for me to live in harmony with Your principles of love and righteousness. I ask that You teach my heart to understand and live according to Your justice. May I be under the shelter of Your loving care, understanding that Your “no” is also a blessing and leads me to “yes” at the right time. I always want to seek to […]

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April 30, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Justice and love!

I’ve heard many people talk about God’s justice as divine punishment. He doesn’t punish; He teaches and guides. The consequences of our choices have never been God’s fault, but rather our own errors and steps taken alone. Warning “He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.” Psalm 9:8 He is love. But God cannot be a God of love without also being a just God. Love comforts and confronts. It corrects, guides, warns, and cares. If your child makes a mistake, you teach them. You show them where they went wrong, instruct them on the right way to do things. But most of the time, you cannot prevent the consequences. If they climb somewhere they shouldn’t and fall, the pain of the fall is inevitable. However, your role as a parent is to instruct and correct, so that it does not happen again. God warns us, gives us new chances, directs us, and calls our attention repeatedly. But often, we continue in error and suffer the consequences, blaming God for them. Fair judge “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: […]

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April 25, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Influencing through the Spirit

In the previous message, I mentioned the importance of not allowing ourselves to be influenced by others, but rather allowing ourselves to be guided by God and influencing others through that. I would like to take this moment to pray together about this matter. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, lead my heart to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Teach me the way and direct my focus to where You want me to go. I long to move towards Your promises and the calling You have for my life. I do not want to be shaped by the influences of the world around me. I acknowledge, Lord, that You are the source of all wisdom and truth, and Your words and deeds are the standard by which I should live. Empower my heart to discern what I should absorb and learn from the things […]

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April 23, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Influenced by the Spirit

Jesus was in the world physically. He walked among sinners and lived among those whom society excluded. And because of that, we distort this message and find comfort in being in certain places and situations that distance us from Him. Presence of God “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25 Jesus was not influenced easily. He was so rooted in God and lived out the Word so deeply that He was not swayed by His surroundings. He did not approach these people just for the sake of it; He stayed close to teach and exhort about the word and the truth of the Gospel. The environment never corrupted Him; instead, in the authority given by God, He transformed environments and people. The Father was with Him at all times. He was a teacher, a brother, a friend, and an intercessor for those people, not just a companion. Standing firm in Christ “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand […]

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April 18, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Chosen Children

We are children of God, chosen and set apart to live by His side, building His Kingdom and experiencing the fullness of His love. I want to invite you to pray together today, so that we can feel in our hearts that we are beloved and desired children of the Lord, no longer carrying within us the feeling of orphanhood. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, we acknowledge that we are Your beloved sons and daughters and we thank you for this truth. We know that You have adopted us and given us the privilege to call You Abba Father! Teach our hearts to fully understand the meaning of this adoption. May we deeply feel the unconditional love You have for each one of us, even before we were born. Empower us to trust in Your paternal providence and care, even in moments of difficulty and uncertainty. […]

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April 15, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Adopted by the Creator

The Bible says that we have been adopted by God as beloved children. As stated in Galatians 4:5: “…to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship….” For a long time, the word “adoption” bothered me. Perhaps because it carries a connotation of not being directly begotten, as if it were less important. But today, I see it as something even deeper, because we were chosen. Desired “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 A biological child is often unexpected and unplanned. In some situations, we even hear the word “accident” when referring to a pregnancy. Having a child is a blessing, and pregnancy is a gift. But truly, depending on the timing in the parents’ lives, it may not be desired right away. This is not the case with adoption. The process of adopting someone is filled with difficulties, choices, decisions, and planning. It does not happen by chance at an undesired time. God loves Jesus as a son begotten by Him, as part of Who He Is, and loves us as chosen and set apart children. God and Father “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God […]

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April 11, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Merciful like Christ

I spoke last week about how our mercy is often selective and limited. Today, I want to pray with you about this, to be meek and have a heart filled with God’s love and grace. We need to express this care that the Father has for us, reflecting this to the people around us, being witnesses of God’s grace and mercy on earth. And God has His eyes and ears open to receive our prayer at all times. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, I want to be more like you. Knowing You transforms me every day, walking with the Lord renews me. I know how much I make mistakes. I am not worthy of Your love, but even so, the Lord continues to pour it into me abundantly. Your mercy accompanies me every day, and just as the Lord forgives and consoles me, I […]

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April 08, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Selective mercy

God expects from us a merciful heart, just like His. And in several biblical passages, He teaches us about mercy, love, and compassion… But have you truly been merciful? Weaknesses “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:4 One of the things I ask God for the most, and where He has worked the most in me, is patience. It’s understanding other people’s timing and difficulties, as this sometimes prevents me from being merciful. Our tendency is not to show mercy toward what is not our weakness, but to desire mercy in our moments of weakness. What hurts us deserves all the grace and gentleness in the world, but have we shown gentleness and grace toward what doesn’t cause us pain but affects others? The Bible calls us beyond ourselves. And I write this text in complete vulnerability about one of my own struggles as well. Unit “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together […]

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April 04, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Anointing of the Spirit

God grants us gifts, pours His grace upon us, and empowers us for various actions, specific to each of His children. But, furthermore, He also desires to anoint us in these areas. He has set us apart for the Kingdom and guides us daily toward His work. I want to invite you to pray today for this anointing, for boldness and wisdom to serve the Kingdom. It’s important for us to pray for our dreams, but beyond that, it’s necessary to be thankful for what we already have and to seek empowerment for what He calls us to do. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, I acknowledge the need I have to be anointed and washed by You, Lord. In this moment, I pour myself out before You, surrendering all that I have and am, allowing myself to be crushed and molded so that […]

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April 02, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Anointed

What have you done with what God has poured out on you? We often seek instant fulfillment, asking for everything or new things immediately, hoping to feel needed. However, true fulfillment comes only from Him, and we can only attain new things when we learn to cherish what we already have. God desires to anoint what you already possess! You already have the gift “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 God will not give you something new if you do not value what you already have. Routine makes us forget all that we have with us, everything we have received from God. We ask for gifts and more gifts, and we neglect the anointing. We long to be talented people, but when we have the ability to do something, we often think only of serving ourselves. Seeking validation in something that should point to the Kingdom. There is a very big difference between a gift and anointing. God wants to anoint us in our gifts; He wants to direct us to impact lives through our […]

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March 28, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Living in the Supernatural

Let’s pray together about the supernatural? Just as I mentioned in the previous text, God wants us to live out promises and miracles through His hands and calls us today to draw near to Him. And it’s important that we pray for this, entrusting our trust to the Father. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, allow us to live in the supernatural. Open our eyes to Your wonders and miracles. We don’t want to see just the ordinary in our days, but to perceive the extraordinary that happens through Your mighty hand. We know that You are a God who performs miracles, and that Your power knows no limits. We ask, Lord, that You pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us and grant us the ability to see miracles in our lives, just as we see in the Bible. You parted the Red Sea […]

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March 26, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Live the supernatural

I see many people questioning why those who don’t follow God prosper, while others who do, encounter afflictions. But that’s simply the nature of life. Natural cycle “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 Whoever walks without God experiences what is natural. There is planting, rain, and then the harvest, as this is the normal cycle of things. And amidst all this, there are the consequences of your mistakes. We who live with God experience the supernatural daily. We witness miracles and events that can only exist in Him, which clearly demonstrate the presence of God and His hand in everything. Those who walk far from the Father only experience the natural, the obvious, and the expected cycle. But those who live for the Kingdom also need to understand that this does not provide an antidote to the bad things that happen. Battles exist, whether they are necessary for our growth or those in which we get involved due to wrong choices along the way. But achievements exist too, those of our own work and those that the Lord grants us. He promises to be with us […]

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March 21, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Where Christ is not welcome

As tempting as it may be to journey where you desire, refrain from proceeding if it means leaving God behind along the way. Any path without Him leads towards the abyss. Despite the pain involved, relinquishment and surrender bring us peace and accomplishments far beyond what we could ever imagine. Don’t follow your limits “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!” Psalm 20:7-9 God calls you to live your best life in this world, not as a slave to your desires and dreams, but with the Father by your side, guiding you to ever greater heights. When we walk alone, we rely solely on our own abilities and strength, reaching only as far as our own limits allow. However, when we choose to walk with God, we surpass our own strength, being empowered by Him. Consequently, we reach places that we could never reach on our own, as there are no limits to Him. Our minds can only comprehend so much, and our strength has its limits. But […]

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March 14, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Rebuild the altar

God is calling you to rebuild your story. He not only wants you to appear healed and renewed on the outside, but He desires a genuine transformation from within. He needs to flow in you for something to flow through you, through His hands. Build an altar to Him in your heart, and witness the Lord moving everything else. Restoring the connection “Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.” Ezra 3:3 If the altar is the first step in reconstructing your story, there will be no difficulty in building everything else. In the biblical context, the altar was a place of encounter with God, where sacrifices were offered as expressions of devotion, lament, and surrender. Rebuilding starting at the altar implies restoring connection and intimacy with the Lord first and foremost, placing Him at the center of our lives, and prioritizing our relationship with Him. After the people returned from exile in Babylon, the first thing they did in the reconstruction was to build the altar. They offered sacrifices and surrendered everything they had to God, seeking His presence […]

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March 11, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Worship and faith

I want to invite you to pray together about faith and worship. In order to worship Him, giving everything we are and have, it is necessary to have complete faith in God, knowing that He will always do infinitely more than we ask or dream. He is a providing Father, and we will never be alone in our steps of faith and obedience. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, we come before You with gratitude and praise, acknowledging Your faithfulness and presence in all circumstances. You consistently provide for us, and we have never been alone because You are always with us. We place our trust in You, not for what we receive through this faith, but because of who You are to us in every moment of our lives. Teach our hearts to worship Your name in all circumstances, whether in the […]

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March 07, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Get out of the boat!

When we hear the word “worship,” one of the first things that comes to mind is music, praising in songs. But it’s not just that. We can worship Him in songs and melodies, but worship is a lifestyle and holds a much deeper meaning. We need to worship Him beyond the comfort of the boat. Complete delivery The first mention of the word “worship” is found in Genesis 22, verse 5, where God instructs Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, to offer him as a sacrifice: “He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” This initial mention of “worship” was associated with an offering, not a song. To worship means to be in complete devotion. This absolute surrender can occur through a song, but it is also evident in our decisions, the steps we take, the way we speak, act, and love. We can engage in various activities, but what characterizes an action as worship is the act of surrender. When we give something to the Lord, pour out everything at His feet, and submit it to His […]

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February 29, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Have great faith

We often read that we are children of love, of the One who is grace and mercy itself. Today, I want to remind you that we are also children of faith, of the One who is hope itself, alongside whom we are secure. Several passages in the Bible speak of this, aiming to fill us with this divine faith, love, and grace. Do not fear “For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 Faith does not accept doubts; it generates certainties. It does not arise only afterwards, when we already know everything and have complete security in each step. It is born beforehand, in the darkness, when we cannot clearly see anything ahead of us. I once read that anxiety is the fear that God will make mistakes. However, He never errs. We can have faith and fully trust in His word, even before we have confirmations, trusting that our faith will confirm what is necessary. This is an invitation for you to trust and surrender everything to Him. God does not expect us to have a great faith in our own way. He desires that we have great faith, complete surrender. Follow His voice “Consequently, faith […]

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