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Transformative Grace
·Rapha Abreu

Transformative Grace

The presence of God comes to give new meaning to everything. He comes to redefine your life and your journey. It’s not the end! “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.” 1 Corinthians 6:14 Before, death only meant “the end.” Something that ceases to exist, no longer among us. It brought fear and uncertainty. But Jesus redefined death. Through Him, death became the beginning of everything, the fulfillment of God’s promise. This is the most wonderful part of grace: how it contradicts the obvious, how it doesn’t follow a pattern. It is poured out in a unique portion for each person, for each season, and for each situation. It is unique and incomparable! Comes from God “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11:25 To the world, it seems like foolishness. But for those who believe in God and know His Word, it is the power of God. Without Jesus’ death, the Christian faith would just be an ideology. An ideology can easily be created by intelligent people, but Christianity was not conceived by humans. Grace, mercy, and this […]

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Prayer: Directing the wind
·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Directing the wind

There will be days when life is completely beautiful, like a summer evening with friends. At other times, there will be storms, and that’s normal! God is present in both. He cares, guides, and directs the wind. Just adjust the sails and fix your eyes on the Father. Would you like to pray about this together? Prayer “Father, I know that many times the strong winds and storms of life make me lose my way. There are moments when I feel disoriented, not knowing where to steer the ship of my life. But, Father, I know You are with me at every step of this journey, even when the sea seems too rough. Teach me, Lord, to adjust the sails so I can navigate according to Your will, towards Your plan for my life. May I not focus on the opposing winds, but on Your promise and direction. Give me wisdom to understand that, even though I cannot control the circumstances around me, I can trust in You, knowing that You are taking care of every detail. May my eyes always be fixed on Jesus, just as Peter walked on the water while looking at Him. Do not let the […]

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Prayer: Seeking Divine Strength
·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Seeking Divine Strength

Shall we pray for God’s presence and strength? This is a moment set aside for us to recognize our weakness before God and cry out for the work of the Holy Spirit. 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 recognize my weakness and limitations. I know that, by my own strength, I am not capable of facing the challenges that come my way. Many times, I try to be strong on my own, attempting to solve problems with my own hands, and I end up feeling lost, tired, and overwhelmed. There are moments when life feels too heavy, the struggles pile up, and I feel small before the challenges. But Your Word reminds me that I don’t need to be strong all the time because it is in You that I find true strength. Your grace is sufficient for me, Lord, and Your power is made perfect […]

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You are weak
·Rapha Abreu

You are weak

Your strength comes from God. He offers grace and love so that by seeking Him, you become strong. But to live this, you need to expose yourself, that is, open your heart and allow yourself to be molded by Him. Get exposed You’ve certainly heard someone say, or maybe you’ve said yourself, that we can only help someone who wants to be helped. This is also the dynamic of God’s aid. We need to recognize that we are sick so that He can act and heals us. The Gospel only saves those who recognize that they need salvation. This does not mean that only some of us need it, but that He can only act on those who know they need it. God does not invade; He is at your side, waiting for you to give Him freedom to act. That is why you need to recognize your limits and expose your weaknesses. What does the word say? Do you want examples of this in the Bible? In Mark 10:51, in the story of blind Bartimaeus, Jesus already knew the man’s need, yet He didn’t bring healing directly. He approaches the man and first asks, “What do you want Me […]

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Prayer: I want to see You
·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: I want to see You

Let’s seek the face of God. He sees us, sees our hearts. Run to see Him, climb whatever tree you must to find Him. Shall we pray for this presence? Prayer Father, we acknowledge how sinful and weak we are, and we now place ourselves in Your presence, knowing that without You we are nothing, but with hearts full of hope, because we know that Your love for us is greater than any mistake we could make. Just like Zacchaeus, who longed to see Jesus, we too desire to find You, to be in Your presence, and to contemplate the beauty of Your face. Lord, we know we do not deserve to be before You. Just like Zacchaeus, who was despised by society because of his sins, we also carry guilt and wounds that separate us from You. But just as You did with Zacchaeus, we know that You look upon us with love, inviting us to sit at Your table, for a personal and profound relationship. Help us to seek Your face with all our being, to step out of our comfort zone, to leave behind all that holds us back, and to overcome our fears, so that we […]

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Climb the tree!
·Rapha Abreu

Climb the tree!

In Luke 19, we see the story of Zacchaeus, a man small in stature, but with an immense desire to see the Lord. Stay exposed “A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.” Luke 19:2-3 As we read the verses of this story, we might mistakenly interpret that the Lord saw Zacchaeus because he was in an elevated position. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, a group whose social status was equivalent to that of sinners, prostitutes, and lepers at the time. For this reason, he was considered as sinful and impure as they were, and people hated him. He always walked accompanied by Roman guards to ensure his safety. Even knowing the risk of being lynched, Zacchaeus exposed himself. He placed himself in a position of visibility, seeking to see the Son of God. Be vulnerable “So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay […]

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Prayer: Walking with Jesus
·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Walking with Jesus

I want to invite you to pray together today about our relationship with the Lord. Let’s pray that we may worship Him fully and in all moments and situations, not just to ask for help, but to seek His presence. Prayer “Father, we come before You with open hearts, seeking more of You. Too often, we seek Your presence only when we are in trouble, as if You were an emergency number. Forgive us for the times when we don’t seek You just to give thanks, but only when we need something. Transform our hearts. Teach us, Lord, to trust in You not only in moments of crisis but in all situations of our lives. Help us to recognize that we need You with every step we take, in every decision we make, in every joy, in every sorrow, and in every challenge we face. We want to have constant communion with You, not only in difficult days but also in moments of peace. Let our pursuit of Your presence not be driven by desperation, but by a genuine desire to be close to You, to know You more deeply, and to walk with You daily. Lord, grant us the […]

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Submit yourselves!
·Rapha Abreu

Submit yourselves!

Human beings love freedom, the feeling of having control and the power to make decisions. If something good results from the choice, we celebrate and feel extremely intelligent and accomplished. But if the choice brings negative consequences, we rebel against someone close or even against God, trying at all costs to shift the responsibility away from ourselves. Educated children God gave us free will, but with it, we also received the responsibility for our choices and decisions. I’m saying this to remind you that the world is not in the hands of the enemy because God gave it to him, or because the Lord desires destruction. Rather, it’s because man, having received the earth from the Lord, handed it over to the devil. Do not blame the father for the choices of the son. No matter how much the father’s authority teaches, the world and the experiences lived throughout the days can transform the son and shape his thoughts. This changes the entire path and ultimately distances the son from what the Lord desires for His children. But the son can always return to his origins, to what shaped who he is in his essence. Call the sky “God blessed […]

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Prayer: Apple of the eye
·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Apple of the eye

We are children of God, which means He will always have a fatherly gaze toward us, a gaze of care and protection. He knows how limited we are and how we err, knows that we are imperfect and defenseless, and that we need His love and care. I want to invite you to pray together to recognize the sovereignty of God. 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 are grateful with all our hearts for Your unconditional love and infinite patience. We recognize that we are immature and often act impulsively, without considering the consequences of our actions, frequently disobeying Your word. Even amidst our failures and limitations, You love us and welcome us with open arms. We are beloved children and we know that Your eyes are upon us like those of a Father who loves and cares. We are small and defenseless and […]

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Immature and loved
·Rapha Abreu

Immature and loved

We have already talked about how dependent we are on the Father. No matter how much we know how to do certain things on our own, the best choice is still to follow His steps. He wants to be in control of our lives because He dreams of the best for us. Patient father “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:8-11 God knows everything, so He is by our side, already aware of our limitations and human mistakes. But He is patient with our childishness and immaturity. He knows our lack of knowledge and our difficulty in controlling ourselves. The Bible says in several verses how the Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in love. In all the ancient stories, we see God showing immeasurable patience with His people, guiding them through spiritual deserts and moments of darkness. He sees us as beloved children, […]

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Prayer: Dependent on the Lord
·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Dependent on the Lord

I want to take this moment today to pray together. May we recognize that no matter how much we know how to get by and how independent we are most of the time, we will always depend on God’s love and grace. 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 Lord God, thank You for enabling me every day and strengthening me in all situations. Without You, I go nowhere. As much as I know how to do and decide things on my own, I depend entirely on Your wisdom and strength. Father, I know that in many moments of life I feel capable and independent, but I also know that without Your guidance, all my efforts are in vain. Lord, pour out Your divine wisdom upon me, which illuminates my path and teaches me the right direction. Teach me to always seek Your counsel before making decisions, […]

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Independents
·Rapha Abreu

Independents

I don’t know the exact moment when you matured, when you realized that it was necessary to grow up. In each season of our lives, we learn something that shapes and transforms us. We learn so many things simultaneously and end up not giving everything its due value. Time to grow “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 I started working at 13 years old. I helped at a stationery store on the avenue near my house. It wasn’t my parents’ desire, and they only allowed it because they saw that it was my desire to have my own money and learn. As the owner of the place was a friend of theirs, I was able to go in to help her. I did various tasks, some days cleaning to maintain the environment, receiving new merchandise, among many other things that, even though they seemed small, made me grow a lot. I matured very early. Since that age, I knew the value of my money and my work, I had my responsibilities, […]

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Don’t compare yourself!
·Rapha Abreu

Don’t compare yourself!

You know that person you admire and look up to? I need to tell you something: she also has bad days, and her life is not perfect. Lives on screen These people will not go around shouting to the world that they have health problems, financial problems, or what struggles they are facing to everyone around them. Just like you don’t tell everyone that yesterday you went to sleep crying. What we see on social media or in person when we go out is a very small part of the lives of the people around us; there is no way to base it solely on that. God has been acting in your life too, delivering miracles and blessings every day. Don’t look around, don’t compare your path with others. Understand what He has done for you individually, with a measure made especially for you. You are loved You are no less loved because you are crying while others laugh. Just like it doesn’t mean God loves you more because you’re smiling now while others cry. Battles are necessary; struggles exist to make us grow and teach us, and we all go through them. We let the world see what suits […]

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Cursed dreams
·Rapha Abreu

Cursed dreams

I’ve read a lot about frustrated dreams, when we think that God doesn’t care about what our heart desires and does everything to do the opposite. Only later do I realize how this is a response from a spoiled child. We do not seek to understand the Father’s will and where it will lead us. We spend our time questioning why our dream didn’t happen, without seeing the wonders that were possible to be experienced in place of that interrupted plan. Zealous Father No, God doesn’t want to see you cry. In fact, I believe that it hurts the Lord, as a Father, to see His children suffering for something that did not happen. But He knows what’s best for you. Not only does He know what is best for us, He also knows the best way. I’m talking about this because there is a big difference between not getting what you want and not getting it the way you want. Sometimes God is not denying you what you dream of. But He may be saying “no” to the way you are trying. There are dreams that are not good for you, even if you don’t see any dangers in […]

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Prayer: Creating foundations
·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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Structured by the Creator
·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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Prayer: Fire that purifies
·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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Purified like gold
·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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Prayer: Blessed to Bless
·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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We should take care of each other
·Gabriela Angerami

We should take care of each other

We often assume that caring for people within the church is solely the responsibility of leaders or pastors. However, the Gospel instructs us to love our neighbors as God does and to emulate the example of the Good Shepherd, Jesus. I believe that if we grasped the concept that caregiving and shepherding aren’t exclusive duties of ordained pastors, the entire church would function more effectively. If individuals understood their call to care for one another in a compassionate manner, conflicts might be less severe, and many situations could be managed more adeptly or with greater empathy. We all need to learn to view circumstances through a lens of compassion and caring. How Jesus Demonstrated Care Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. – Luke 4:38-40 Your text is clear and well-structured, but […]

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Blessing your family
·Gabriela Angerami

Blessing your family

Last year, during one of the meetings at my church, we discussed how parents’ generosity blesses their children. Each person shared a different experience that, in some way, highlighted this idea. David’s Great-Grandparents Do you know who King David’s great-grandparents were? Some biblical narratives teach us about generosity and its blessings for families. I’d like to emphasize the story of Ruth and Boaz here. They were King David’s great-grandparents and are also mentioned in the genealogy of Christ, as we see in the Gospels, where Jesus is depicted as a direct descendant of King David. The book of Ruth narrates their story. Ruth, an incredibly generous woman, chose to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi after losing her husband, despite having the option to return to her family. She famously declared, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16). Together, they returned to Naomi’s homeland, Israel. Ruth committed herself to caring for her mother-in-law and started working in the fields to support them both. It was there that she met Boaz, a man who showed kindness to them. Boaz had heard of […]

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Prayer: Love that directs
·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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Justice and love!
·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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Prayer: Influencing through the Spirit
·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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