Love Of God

December 24, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Reunion

As soon as Christmas Day passes, everything around us seems to quiet down again. The rush to buy gifts, the ingredients for the dinner, organizing the house… Everything settles, and we simply wait for the new year to begin. Christmas leads us into a reunion with Jesus and His truth, and the turn of the year soon after brings a sense of new opportunities and a renewed hope. A time of realignment “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying: ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” Revelation 21:3 Christmas marks more than the birth of Jesus; it also represents a reunion. The God who, in the beginning, walked with humanity and was separated by sin, chooses once again to dwell among us. In the midst of the year-end rush and the expectations of a new beginning, Christmas invites us back to the place we were never meant to leave: the presence of God. The beginning of a new year often awakens reflections, adjustments, and resolutions. But before any goal, God’s greatest invitation is to […]

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December 23, 2025·Rapha Abreu

The silence of the birth

“Thus says the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’” Isaiah 30:15 Before the birth of Jesus, the world went through about four hundred years of prophetic silence. From the last announcement in Malachi until the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, there were no records of new direct revelations from God. For many, this silence could be interpreted as absence, but in truth, it was part of a plan carefully carried out by the Lord. God’s silence is not empty, nor does it mean abandonment. It carries intention, preparation, and alignment. While there was no prophetic voice, God was arranging times, people, cultures, and circumstances for the greatest event in history: the incarnation of the Son. The same happens with us. There are seasons when God seems silent, but that does not mean He has stopped working. Silence precedes spiritual births, maturity, and the fulfillment of promises. Not every silence is a “no”; often, it is simply a “not yet.” A guarded promise “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the […]

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December 16, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prepared

We are in the final month of the year, when preparations for Christmas and the New Year fill our days: lists, goals, shopping, schedules, and expectations. We organize everything to welcome guests or to visit someone special, to turn the year “the right way” and begin a new cycle. But amid so many external adjustments, an important question arises: are we preparing in the same way to receive Jesus? A full schedule “She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2:7 Many times, our lives are so full of commitments, tasks, and plans that there is no room left for the presence of Christ. We tidy the house, plan the dinner, organize gatherings, and set goals for the coming year, yet we leave the heart disordered. Jesus continues knocking at the door, as Revelation 3:20 says, longing to come in and dine with us—but He does not force His way in. He waits for the door to be opened willingly. Preparing for Jesus is not about filling our lives with activities, but about removing excess. It is emptying the […]

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December 11, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: The path to the promise

God, today I come before You acknowledging that the desert has never been a sign of abandonment, but of revelation. Help me understand that even when my steps feel weary, when the hot wind drains me, and when the silence scares me, I know You are still working deeply within me. May I see the desert not as punishment, but as the place where You shape my character, refine my faith, and prepare my heart for Your promise. Just as You led Israel for forty years, teach me to remember the passage in Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV): “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years…”Show me that every detail of my journey has purpose and that nothing escapes Your control. When my strength is small and I don’t know which direction to take, I know Your presence guides me. May I learn to depend more on You than on any human support. Jesus, You also went through the desert and overcame. So I ask You: strengthen my heart when temptations come, teach me to walk in Your steps, and when I feel hungry, thirsty, tired, or uncertain, be my sustenance. Reveal who […]

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November 20, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Purpose in the desert

The desert is not a place of abandonment, but of revelation. It is in silence, in lack, and in uncertainty that God works most deeply within us. Every great man and woman in the Bible walked through deserts as preparation, not punishment. The desert is the stage where character is shaped and purpose is revealed through refined faith. The journey “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.“ Deuteronomy 8:2 The people of Israel believed the desert was a place of punishment, but God used it as a school. For forty years, the Lord taught His people to depend on Him daily (through the manna, the cloud, and the water flowing from the rock). The desert is the season when God removes our human supports and invites us to rely solely on His provision. It is difficult to understand purpose while still walking through the hot sand and silent sky. Our pain is never wasted; He turns every difficulty into a teaching tool. In the desert, He teaches us to hear His voice, […]

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November 20, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Hardened heart

We can become resistant to God’s voice when we allow pride, hurt, or unbelief to take control. A hardened heart is like dry soil—unable to receive the seed of the Word and bear fruit. The danger lies in becoming accustomed to living far from God’s presence. Hardening the heart doesn’t happen all at once, but gradually, as we resist the voice of the One who desires to transform us. Stopping to listen “As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’” Hebrews 3:15 The hardening of the heart begins when we stop listening. God speaks in many ways—through His Word, prayer, circumstances, or even through people—but when we ignore His warnings, our hearts begin to grow insensitive. A hardened heart is not one that cannot hear, but one that hears and chooses not to yield, or is too numb to discern. That’s what happened with Pharaoh in Egypt. Even in the face of miracles and wonders, he insisted on resisting God’s will. The result was destruction. Likewise, when we insist on controlling our own lives and denying the work of the Spirit, we begin to drift away […]

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November 20, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Faith tested by fire

Faith is easy when everything is going well, but it is forged in the flames of trials. We are not tested for our destruction but to be purified and strengthened—never beyond what we can bear. Just as gold is refined by fire, our faith is strengthened when it remains firm in the midst of adversity. It’s in those moments that we move from merely talking about trusting God to truly living that trust, even when we don’t understand the path ahead. Faith that endures “So that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:7 Peter compares faith to gold, which must be purified to reach its true value. Likewise, God allows the fire of trials to remove impurities—pride, doubt, self-reliance. The fire doesn’t come to consume, but to transform. When we remain firm even without seeing the outcome, we are being shaped into the image of Christ. True faith isn’t measured by the absence of struggles but by perseverance through them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not spared from the furnace, but […]

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November 06, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Eternally healed

Father, thank You for being the God who heals—who transforms us in both visible and invisible ways. Even when physical healing doesn’t come, You are present, working in the unseen. Help me to recognize that Your work goes beyond the flesh—that healing is also divine and spiritual. Even in the face of death or loss, You are the true victory. Teach me to trust in the promise of eternal life with You. Even when we are not healed in this life, we receive eternal healing by Your side. When it is Your will, heal us here and extend our days on earth with health—but help my heart understand that even when we don’t see healing with human eyes, we have already gained eternal life in You. May I learn from Jesus and experience the peace that surpasses all understanding. Help me live in the hope of the healing that is already taking place, even when I cannot see it. May I not fix my eyes on things happening the way I desire, but on who You are—a Father who cares and pours out His grace. Let each day of my life on earth be marked by faith, not by doubt […]

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November 04, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Invisible healing

Losing someone we love is one of the hardest moments in the human journey. The pain of longing and the physical absence seem to contradict our faith and often make us question why God doesn’t heal or stop the suffering.However, the truth is that God always heals—sometimes in a visible way, other times in an eternal one. When we are in Christ, even death becomes a doorway to life, for He has conquered it. Different forms “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 We often expect healing to come in a physical, immediate, and visible form. We long to see the body restored, the pain fade, and the smile return. But God sees beyond what human eyes can perceive. His healing is not limited to the flesh—it reaches the spirit, the soul, and eternity. There are pains He does not remove but transforms into lessons, comfort, and faith. Spiritual healing goes deeper than any human medicine can reach. God doesn’t just remove sickness; He restores the heart, renews the mind, and strengthens hope. Faith does not […]

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October 23, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Empowered for the calling

Father, thank You for calling me from the womb and adopting me as Your beloved child. May I not be intimidated by the size of the mission You have placed in my hands, because I know I will not walk this path alone. Strengthen me to say “yes” with courage, knowing that the calling does not depend on my strength, but on Your presence within me. When I feel inadequate or afraid of not being enough, remind my heart that You choose me daily so that Your glory may be revealed through my weakness—and I choose to follow You. May I live in the faith that the purpose of the calling is to see Your power working where my strength cannot reach, so that I remain dependent on You and spread Your love to others, blooming for Your Kingdom. The grace that sustains me is greater than any challenge. God, may Your seal rest upon me, just as Your Spirit rested upon David even before he ascended the throne. Empower me to remain faithful in the deserts, to endure the battles, and to glorify You with all my heart, without seeking human recognition. Teach me to pursue anointing more than […]

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October 21, 2025·Rapha Abreu

My calling is too big!

There are moments when God’s calling seems too great for us to carry. We look at our limitations, insecurities, and weaknesses and think, “Lord, did You choose the wrong person?” But what we need to understand is that the calling never depends on our natural ability, but on God’s presence within us. He never makes mistakes and doesn’t choose us because we are strong, but to make us strong in Him. The courage in saying “yes” “Ah, Sovereign Lord! I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” Jeremiah 1:6 Jeremiah felt afraid when God called him—just like Moses before Pharaoh and Gideon in the middle of the battle. They all saw themselves as small before the greatness of the mission, but God always responded in the same way: “I will be with you.” The calling is not a burden for those who trust in God’s presence; it is an invitation to experience His power working through our weakness. The calling is perfectly sized for God to be glorified, and He places it in the hands of those He equips. The Lord never sends us to do something we can fulfill on our own, because the purpose is […]

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October 09, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Changing the heart

Father, I recognize that many times I have prayed expecting a visible change—a clear answer that would ease my worries, take me out of one place, and move me to another in the blink of an eye. But I know that You will not always alter the circumstances the way I desire. Forgive my impatience and my doubt of Your love when I should be trusting even in the silence. Help me understand that even when I don’t see external change, You are working within me, and in Your perfect time, everything—including myself—will be transformed. Teach me the mature prayer that Jesus prayed—the one that surrenders control, placing my will under Yours. Teach me to pray not only for relief but for my heart to be shaped by Your grace, for my inner being to be renewed even if my circumstances remain still. God, I pour everything at Your feet—my disappointments, wounds, anguish, joys, dreams, and deepest desires. May my understanding of prayer not be tied to what I see, but to what Your heart has prepared for me. Grant me peace beyond understanding. In the midst of the storm, may my hands still rise in worship and my heart […]

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October 02, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Eternal life with Christ

Father, thank You for sending us the resurrection and the life. Even in the face of death, You offer the promise of eternal life. In You there is a living hope, a new existence beyond this earthly life. Lift up my understanding so I may believe this truth with all my being. When Your Son rose again, You showed that sin and the grave have no power before You. Your victory is the foundation of my faith, and through Your resurrection I have the assurance that whoever believes in You, though they die, will live. May this certainty be firmly established in my heart, unshakable and strong. Holy Spirit, help me to live in the hope of eternity, even when days are dark. May I worship You through tears, in pain, in joy, and in achievement. Remind me always of the promise that this life is not the end. Teach me to place less value on fleeting moments and to fix my eyes more intently on eternity with Christ, knowing that my body, though fragile, will be transformed and perfected. Strengthen my faith so that I may also wait for You. May this hope move me, not into passive faith, […]

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September 25, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Seeking God’s “No”

Father, I don’t always understand Your ways. But I am grateful because, even when I feel like I can’t go on, You continue to care for me. May I understand that Your true care sometimes includes setting “limits” in my life. Not to hurt me, but to protect me, shape me, and teach me about dependence. When I face difficulties that seem beyond my strength, when I ask You to remove afflictions and yet they remain, help me remember that Your grace is sufficient for me. May I not feel abandoned, but secure in the truth that You are strengthening me and perfecting my faith in the place of my weakness. May Your grace be my foundation, even in silence and trial. May I not see my limits as failures, but as spaces where I can experience more of You. Give me patience to wait, courage to remain faithful, and wisdom not to rush ahead, trusting in the right time You have prepared for me. I know You will never stop loving me or working in my life. I trust that You are orchestrating something greater. I want to depend completely on You and on Your care. I don’t want […]

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September 23, 2025·Rapha Abreu

The limit of God’s care

We don’t always understand God’s ways, especially when He doesn’t respond as we would like or allows certain situations to remain in our lives. But Scripture teaches us that God’s “enough” is not a sign of abandonment, but rather a demonstration of His care and the sufficiency of His grace. Grace That Sustains “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9 The apostle Paul asked three times for God to remove the “thorn in the flesh,” but the answer he received was a loving “no.” That “no” was not rejection, but teaching. God’s grace did not remove the pain but empowered Paul to endure it and even to boast in his weakness, for it was there that the power of Christ was fully revealed. The same happens with us. Many times, we ask God to take away our difficulties, but He answers: “My grace is sufficient.” Not because He ignores our pain, but because He wants us to experience a strength that does not come from us, but from Him. It is in that place that we learn deep dependence and trust. God’s response teaches us […]

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September 17, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Walking in the presence

Lord, I want to seek Your face more, not just Your hand. May my heart not be satisfied with visible blessings or miracles, but long for intimacy with You. May this pursuit be my priority and my greatest treasure.Forgive me for so many times murmuring or desiring only earthly provisions, failing to see Your presence—which is the only thing that truly matters. How often I complain, discontent, even while You care for me constantly! Teach me to trust in Your faithfulness in seasons without visible provision, remembering that Your presence sustains above all else. I want to rejoice fully in You, even when circumstances are not as I imagined. May my faith not depend on what I see, but on Who You are: Constant, Perfect, and Good, even in difficult times.Father, guide me to seek You always, continually. May I not settle for temporary moments, but live in daily worship, in authentic praise and sincere surrender, building a relationship with You that lasts for eternity. May my prayers, my moments of silence, and my devotion be the expression of this constant pursuit. When I seek Your face, I discover there is no greater gift than Your presence, and my heart […]

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September 11, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Unmatched power

Father, I know that many times I allow my anxiety, human expectations, or the weight of my own ideas to take the throne of my heart. Forgive me when I have trusted more in my own understanding than in Your perfection. Help me remember that nothing this world offers, no human power or earthly promise, can compare to Your greatness and sovereignty. Your power is unmatched! May I surrender my fears and expectations to You, knowing that trusting in Your love and Your plans is greater than trying to control everything by myself. May my faith not depend on what I can see or accomplish, but on Who You are: a God who sustains, guides, and acts on behalf of those who seek Him. Holy Spirit, come remind me that I have already overcome through the One who dwells in me. May this truth become the foundation so that I am not shaken by trials, comparisons, or moments of doubt, but instead that all of these transform and strengthen me. When the world seems stronger, may I fix my eyes on Your truth that never changes. Help me live by the dimension of Your Kingdom, where everything that is natural […]

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September 09, 2025·Rapha Abreu

What is more powerful than God

In Exodus 7 to 9, we see the narrative of the plagues of Egypt and the direct confrontation between the power of God and the illusion of human power. Pharaoh, hardened in his heart, believed he could resist the Lord, and his magicians tried to replicate the signs performed by Moses. For a time, it seemed they could imitate, but soon it became evident that only God had the true power. This story reminds us that, in our lives, the world may seem to offer strength, stability, or solutions similar to God’s, but nothing compares to the sovereignty of the Lord. Unsustained imitation “Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts. Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake…” Exodus 7:11 The magicians managed to reproduce some of Moses’ signs, like turning the staff into a snake or imitating the initial plagues. This shows that the world may offer alternatives that resemble God’s work: riches, power, pleasure, and even a false spirituality. However, this imitation cannot last long, for it lacks the true source. Human power, limited as it is, always tries to compete with […]

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August 26, 2025·Rapha Abreu

The God Who flips the tables

There are moments when God needs to intervene firmly within us. Just as Jesus entered the temple and overturned the money changers’ tables, showing that the house of God was not a place for bargaining, He also needs to bring order to our inner being. Our hearts often become filled with distractions, selfishness, and greed, and in His love, the Lord disrupts to reorganize, cleanses to sanctify, and flips tables to bring us back to the focus: His presence. The Heart as a Temple “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” Matthew 21:12 Jesus’ act in the temple was more than just a reaction to religious corruption—it was a symbol of the purity God expects. The temple, a sacred place, had become a marketplace. The same happens in our hearts when we set aside what is holy to prioritize what is convenient. Allowing God to “flip tables” inside us means recognizing the areas contaminated by ego, haste, and the pursuit of personal gain. He must purify our inner being so that the true altar of worship can be restored. […]

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August 21, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Chosen

Father, so many times I focus on the blessings I receive—gifts, achievements, moments when I become visible and evident, when miracles become visible and evident—and I forget that Your eyes are turned toward my surrendered heart. Forgive me for wanting to feel chosen only by what I have, instead of being fully open and available for You to have me completely. Teach me to offer my life as a living sacrifice, pleasing to You. May my life not be defined by what I receive, but by who I become in You. May I understand that grace is upon all creation, but the chosen are those who allow the Father to receive from their lives. Let love, faithfulness, and obedience remain constant in me. Cause my heart to surrender fully—not out of obligation or expectation, but out of love. Lord, help me to transform my understanding of being chosen—not as a privilege of status, but as a responsibility of commitment. May I learn to live each day not for myself, but for the One who called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. May my actions show that Your mercy and grace upon me are greater than my achievements. I […]

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August 14, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Recognizing the goodness of God

Previously, in the text “Evil God”, we talked about the perception that the God of the Old Testament is evil and intolerant, and, over time, “transforms” into a God of love and mercy. But we saw that God has always been the same. His grace and mercy have always existed, and His love has been poured out upon the world since the beginning. Today, I want to pray with you about this — to surrender ourselves into the arms of the God of love without fear, but with reverence, recognizing His sovereign grace. Prayer Father, sometimes I have looked at the Old Testament with eyes that see only justice and judgment, forgetting to also contemplate Your mercy and grace displayed there. Forgive me for this limited view that keeps me from fully understanding who You are: Just, Holy, and Loving. Renew my mind so that I may see, behind acts of judgment, a heart that cares for life and seeks to restore what has been broken. Lord, may I recognize that Your holiness requires seriousness, for sin is serious and destructive, and I do not want it to have power over my life. Give me wisdom to understand that the […]

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August 12, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Evil God

Many people, when reading the Old Testament, come across passages of judgment, wars, and lessons, and end up forming the idea that the “God of the Old Testament” is severe or even “evil.” This perception most often comes from fragmented readings without understanding the biblical context. When we look at the Bible as a whole, we realize that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that His justice, love, and mercy have always walked together from Genesis to Revelation. Righteous and Holy “He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4 In the Old Testament, we find moments when God judges entire nations, such as in the flood (Genesis 6) or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). At first glance, these episodes may seem harsh, but they reflect His holiness and intolerance toward sin—not the sinner. God is just in acting against the evil that destroys life and creation, that hurts His children and distances them from Him. This is not punishment—it is care and love. His justice is not like ours, limited and flawed. If God […]

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August 07, 2025·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Burning myself

Father, I so easily cling to my own achievements and merits instead of depending on Your grace. Forgive me for so often conditioning our communion on my efforts or possessions. Teach me to remember that I received Your Spirit not by human merit, but by faith, believing in Your Word. Help me burn the symbolic “chariots” that keep me bound. I want to burn the pride that believes it is by my efforts that You remain with me, the plans that exclude Your supernatural power, and the self-sufficiency that ignores the dependence every child must have on the Father. May I truly surrender my strategies and control into Your hands. God, lead me beyond the earthly conditions I believe bring me closer to You. Show me that Your Kingdom is accessible in simplicity, in the struggle, and in the silence. Help me understand that You dwell in my imperfect routine and in my genuine faith, not in the perfection I strive for. May I live by faith and not by sight, trusting in the promises that surpass every situation. When circumstances seem unfavorable, affirm in my heart that I was made to walk in trust in You. May Your presence […]

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August 05, 2025·Rapha Abreu

By works or by the Spirit?

“I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?” Galatians 3:2 How often do we condition our relationship with God on earthly circumstances? We say we seek Him first, but deep down, we live as if we need certain achievements to truly draw near to Him. Galatians 3:2 confronts us with a crucial question: did we receive the Spirit through works or through faith? Every moment is the right moment to reevaluate where our heart truly is. Beyond the Conditions “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 We often say God is our priority, but in practice, we wait to seek Him “once life is in order”—when we have a more comfortable home, a better job, or a calmer routine. We condition our relationship with the Father on earthly stability, as if He needed those things to draw near to us. As if everything rested on the foundation of God, but He were the foundation of nothing. The Kingdom of God is not limited by circumstances. […]

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