Heart

July 08, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Where does the future begin?

You know that dream you have? That goal you work so hard to achieve? God is working on it today! Molded now Many times we want something so much that we can only look forward, forgetting today. But don’t belittle what you’re experiencing now, because this is when God is working. He is using what you have today so that you can achieve what you want and need tomorrow. He wants who you are today to transform and shape who you will be tomorrow. For the next day to come, you need to wait for today to end. So, make this day count! Creating today What you have may seem little to you now, because what we dream of is usually greater than what we already have, and what God has for us is even greater. This makes us look forward to tomorrow and close our eyes to the present. But God will use what you have now. Everything He has already placed in your hands is crucial so that you have the tools necessary to build the future. Everything you will experience begins based on the way you live today, the choices and directions you take now. Don’t forget […]

blessings grace heart miracles

July 04, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Too busy for Christ

When we choose to listen to the Lord, we take the best path. Spending our time at the feet of Christ is the best choice, and nothing else matters when we have this closeness to Him. In Luke 10, we see God clearly express this truth to Martha and Mary. Hear Him now! “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” Luke 10:38-39 Mary left behind everything that had to be done in the house, as she knew what a great opportunity it was to have Jesus there with them. They could hear the Master, face to face, sitting with them. We don’t encounter Jesus in the flesh, like they did. But we have Him with us every day and at all times. He lives in our hearts, and we can talk to Him at any time of the day. The Lord knocks on the door to sit with us too and invites us to be at His feet, listening to everything He has to teach. All […]

follow-jesus heart holy-spirit kingdom-of-god

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 […]

blessings follow-jesus grace heart

May 14, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Renewed by the word

The Gospel transforms us. When we truly live out the Word, we are renewed and become unrecognizable. Today, I want to set aside this moment to pray for this genuine transformation, so that Christ has freedom in all areas of our lives. 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, I desire to be truly transformed by Your Word. I acknowledge, Lord, that Your Word is living and effective, capable of penetrating our hearts and shaping us according to Your will, and I am willing to fully surrender myself to make this a reality. Above all, I long to love and seek Your Word and Your presence more deeply, immersing myself in the Scriptures daily to seek Your wisdom and guidance in every aspect of my life. Your Word serves as a lamp for my feet and a light for my path, leading me in the ways […]

faith heart kingdom-of-god prayer

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 […]

grace heart love-of-god obedience

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 […]

grace heart holy-spirit love-your-neighbor

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. […]

grace heart kingdom-of-god love-of-god

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 […]

grace heart kingdom-of-god love-of-god

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 […]

follow-jesus grace heart holy-spirit

March 19, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Rebuilding the altar

Shall we pray concerning our relationship with God? We must reconstruct the altar, renew our intimacy and profound connection with the Father, as He beckons us to do. Today, I wish to set aside this time to pray collectively regarding this commitment with the Lord, ensuring that we consistently prioritize the altar and submit to Him. 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, I thank You for Your constant presence in my life and for granting me access to You, even when I do not deserve it. I am eternally grateful for the grace of being able to be with You, God. I acknowledge the importance of rebuilding the altar of worship and relationship with You as a top priority. I desire to offer You my firstfruits, knowing that You have much more in store for me. Often, I find myself distracted by the […]

heart holy-spirit kingdom-of-god life-style

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 […]

grace heart holy-spirit miracles

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 […]

blessings faith grace heart

February 19, 2024·Nicole Leao

Is your heart a fertile soil?

In today’s reflection I want to remember the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13, in this passage Jesus speaks to a crowd in parables and then talks about the fertile soil which is an analogy to our heart: 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:3-8 Explanation of the Parable of the Sower The Lord Jesus himself explained the meaning of the Parable of the Sower to his disciples. Jesus explained that when someone hears the message of the kingdom but doesn’t understand, the evil one comes and snatches away what […]

bible heart word-of-god

January 15, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: What really matters

Previously, I spoke to you about seizing opportunities and the present. Today, I want to pray about this, so that we don’t waste time and enjoy every detail of life: the places, the people, possibilities, moments, opportunities… Life is a reflection of the One who created it, and we need to enjoy every part of it. 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 express my gratitude for the precious gift of life and for every blessing You bestow upon me, even when undeserved. I acknowledge that You present me with people, places, and opportunities that I can only experience through Your grace and wisdom. Teach me to relish every detail of these gifts. Guide my heart to love others unconditionally and sacrificially, expressing my feelings to make them feel loved by You. May my heart learn to value places, moments, and opportunities, maintaining the […]

grace heart love-of-god love-your-neighbor

November 21, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Liberation

I invite you to join me in prayer today, seeking deliverance and the true freedom that comes from God. Our Father desires our hearts to be free from guilt, remorse, and the shackles of sin. Life with the Lord leads us to a healthy fear of Him, which, in turn, guides us to obey His will. Let not the weight of sin and guilt keep you at a distance from Him, preventing you from recognizing the intricate details of His work in your life. Keep in mind that you don’t have to follow my words precisely in prayer. Each person has their unique way of communing with the Father, and it’s crucial that we individually strive for intimacy with Him. So, feel free to speak to the Lord in your own manner. However, if you’d like, I’d be delighted to join you in this prayer. PRAYER God, thank you for never giving up on me. Despite my mistakes, Your love persists, and Your arms remain open to welcome me back. Open my eyes to see Your wonders and continuous blessings in every detail of my days. I want to avoid the risk of complaining about something that You, Lord, did […]

follow-jesus grace heart miracles

November 16, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Message not sent

The word thrown can hurt, both those who receive it and those who say it. It is capable of dirtying our spirit. But it can also positively transform places and hearts. It is capable of hurting and healing. But what have your words done? Do you understand how important they are? Artificial world “Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.” Proverbs 10:19 Since I was a child, I was taught that we should control what we say, that this is part of self-control. It’s something difficult to do in moments of great emotions (good or bad), because at the time the feeling ends up taking over us, if we’re not focused. And we end up losing control of what comes out of our mouths. We are in a technological era full of different functionalities. We can communicate with someone miles and miles away as if we were right next to each other. This facilitates and unites, but if we don’t know how to balance the use of technology, we easily lose control in our real lives. Power of the word “From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled. With the harvest […]

grace heart holy-spirit wisdom

October 26, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: A Worship Heart

It all starts within us. God first plants a seed in our heart, prepares it, and then this tree grows and can be seen by other people, making us a channel of God’s word and blessings. Today I want to pray with you about this order. So that we can understand the importance of first contemplating God’s grace and love, and only after worshiping Him in spirit and truth, we express this externally in words and praise. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. Each one has a specific way of talking to God and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. I want you to be comfortable talking to the Lord in His way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank you for offering me a heart like Yours every day. Thank you, because even though I am a failure, the Lord shapes me every day. Teach me to worship You first, within my heart, with my being and spirit, so that later I can express it in words and actions. May people see the shine of Jesus in me […]

heart holy-spirit prayer word-of-god

October 24, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Start with your heart

Everything we express comes from our heart, everything we do flows from it and God knows it deep down. That’s why we first need to fill ourselves to be able to overflow. This is being a channel, because we can’t take people around us to a place we haven’t been to yet. Born from within “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 When we fill our heart with gratitude, worshiping the Lord becomes a natural response from our body. Praising Him is in our essence. Our body needs to worship the Creator, but this needs to start first in our heart. I’ve always heard that first we need to introject, and only then can we project. You can never lead a person to worship if you have never worshiped in Spirit and in truth. Many times, even before you minister over someone’s life in words, people will see God in you, in your actions, and in your lifestyle. When you are filled with the Spirit, you exhale it naturally, without having to strain. It overflows from within and reaches hearts, without needing words in sermons. Jesus, even without speaking, on several occasions healed and […]

faith grace heart

October 03, 2023·Rapha Abreu

What is your real intention?

Generosity is something difficult to put into practice, as most of the time it is accompanied by sacrifice. Whether it’s sacrificing part of our time to serve someone or even donating material resources, which we often don’t have spare, but we do so to share with those in need. Therefore, serving and being generous is an act of courage and gratitude. Surrender and devotion “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless, I will show my salvation.” Psalm 50:23 We need to be generous, because through this action, in addition to serving other people, we express our gratitude through giving, whatever the scope. More than give material resources or donate our time, we need to look at everything we have, all areas of our lives, in a generous way. Because generosity is at the essence of the Gospel. Pastor Tim Keller said something interesting in one of his sermons: Jesus Christ was the only human being who was not simply born, but who was delivered. God gave, donated His son out of love for us. Christ gave himself out of love for us. He became poor so that we could become rich. Through this surrender of Christ we […]

grace heart obedience simplicity-en

September 28, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Peace beyond the rain

Having the peace that passes all understanding means being at peace on rainy days as well as on sunny days. Whether in difficult times or when everything is going well. It goes beyond all the reasons that surround us for being good or bad in a situation, it goes beyond everything we have within us and around us. Today I want to pray with you about this peace, so that we can ask God to fill us with it and that it is not just an emotion in our hearts, but a lifestyle. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has a specific way of talking to the Father and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. I want you to feel comfortable talking to Him in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, even though there are reasons to cry, I know that I have even more reasons to smile, through the joy of the Lord that was deposited in my heart. Open my physical and spiritual eyes so that I can focus on the reasons […]

faith follow-jesus heart life-style

September 21, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Giving up understanding

We hear a lot about the passage from Philippians 4, about receiving into our hearts the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding, that is beyond what we can comprehend with our intellect. Looking at the world around us we come across many reasons not to believe, not to maintain our peace. And at these times I remember a quote from Bill Johnson… Don’t depend on the obvious “In order to have a peace that surpasses all understanding, you have to give up your right to understand.” Bill Johnson Feeling peace after the storm or when dreams come true is very simple, as it is obvious. If everything happened as I wanted, everything is going well, without any difficulties, it’s easy to have peace, it’s an obvious feeling. To experience the peace of God, the one that goes beyond everything that happens around us, we need to not let ourselves be shaken by what happens around us. We always want to have the peace of mind of being with God, but even though we are with the Father, we don’t focus on Him, and this shakes our calm in the face of life’s situations. We focus on problems as […]

follow-jesus grace heart peace

September 12, 2023·Rapha Abreu

How do you feel inside?

The problem is not that there is chaos around you, as you need to focus on what is happening inside you. God is much more concerned about how you are than how things around you are… He’s in us… “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 In Acts 16 we see the story of when Paul was arrested. He was in captivity, but Paul’s inside was at peace and that set him free. In the story of Mark 4, when the storm hits, Jesus was at peace within and the storm stoped. Their states of mind, the feeling of peace within them coming from God changed the environment. What is within us has enough power to transform everything around us, it is not the other way around… When we fear the Lord, prosperity and peace accompany us wherever we are. Even if the environment calls you to make mistakes, to sin, to lie, to steal… If your principles are well established and your interior is at peace in Him, the environment is changed, not you. 1st step: Obedience “We must […]

faith follow-jesus heart holy-spirit

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 […]

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July 27, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Dependence on Him

We currently have access to so many things. New products, new ideas, new dreams. Thousands of information and news. And that can easily take our focus away from the Lord, steal our attention to something that quickly fades away. But we need to be dependent on Him at all times, on His amazing grace. It is this grace that enables us to go through the most difficult situations in life without losing sleep, faith and hope. So I would like to say a prayer on this topic. Say this powerful prayer with me! Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as you are here, because everyone has their own way of talking to the Father. Prayer “Lord, teach me to depend only on You. In so many situations, I end up depending on people, resources, my work or my own understanding of life. But I ask that I may remember Your sovereignty every day. it is the Lord who has all knowledge, understanding and power over any circumstance. In this prayer, I want to exalt You and recognize that You Lord is greater than anything. Bigger than any relationship crisis, bigger than any financial crisis, bigger than any illness. […]

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