Word Of God

November 23, 2021·Nicole Leao

The righteous find refuge even in death

When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God. – Pv. 14:32 The title chosen for this text is a passage from Proverbs 14, verse 32. I really like this book of the Bible, it was even the first one I read in its entirety when I was younger, and every time I read it I learn something new, in it the Word of the Lord comes to meet our hearts with truths that may seem obvious, but that we easily forget. A relief for the soul These days in my devotional time I came across this passage again and what a balm it brought me. I am not sick and even less do I know when I will die, but if I have sought to walk in righteousness and justice, and my Lord will give me refuge even in the hour of my death, what will I say now that I am alive and full of steam. I was in a challenging phase, with the submission of my thesis in college and many things happening around me, it even seemed that 24 hours were not enough. However, as I read […]

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November 17, 2021·Nicole Leao

Don’t let the enemy fool you, you are precious

Today I want to talk about a theme that may be a little polemic for some, but is certainly necessary in view of the adversities experienced in recent years worldwide, and that is depression. Depression sneaks into the lives of many and this happens, in general, through the mind. When someone finds himself in this situation, everything may seem fine on the outside, but even so the depressed person feels miserable, with thoughts and feelings of anguish. When we meet Christ as our savior, our spirit is renewed, but our mind is still in the process of transformation and there is a dispute between the “mind prompted by the flesh” and the “mind inspired by the spirit.” But we can choose which mind to operate in. That is, to listen to the lies of the enemy or to the truth of God’s Word. How to identify lies of the enemy? God’s word tells us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, while Christ came that we might have life and in abundance. So, one can see that thoughts that steal your future with: “you will never amount to anything”, “your life will not get better”, “you should not […]

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November 12, 2021·Nicole Leao

How to acquire good habits and stop procrastinating?

Today we are in the last day of our study about procrastination, and we couldn’t finish without talking about how to acquire good habits and speaking of good habits, there is a servant of God who was a pioneer in this, Daniel. As a great man of faith, he knew that having healthy habits was fundamental to his relationship with the Most High, so come check out how to acquire healthy habits and stop procrastinating with a great example! Daniel, a holy man in the midst of gluttony Daniel was still young when, among the Israelites taken captive to Babylon, he was selected to serve in the king’s court. Certainly, in that environment where he was, he suffered many temptations. However, in each moment he sought sanctification, tried to live according to God’s will, and acquired good habits, remembering that these make us leave procrastination behind. In Daniel 1:5-7, it is written: “From his own table, the king assigned them a daily portion of food and wine. They would receive training for three years, and after that they would go on to serve the king. Among these were some who came from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief […]

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November 10, 2021·Nicole Leao

Procrastination and priorities

Today we are on our second day of the “3 days to get out of procrastination” series, on the first day we reflected on how being anxious and thinking about the whole paralyzes and today we will look for a solution to that. Let’s see, if being anxious and thinking about the whole paralyzes, then we need to deal with one goal or need at a time, but where to start? What are your priorities? Do you know what your priorities are? Here is the first step, ask the Lord for wisdom to define what you have the most urgency to accomplish and put it on paper, organizing and visualizing your tasks can help you a lot. Another point is: have goals that are feasible, specific, and easy. What does this mean? Well, feasible is something achievable, something that can be done, specific is something measurable, concrete and objective, and easy is to turn a certain activity into its easiest possible version. Let’s take some examples… for someone who is not used to running, participating in a marathon is not at all feasible. Working out may be too generic and distant a goal. Walking for two hours may be too […]

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October 27, 2021·Nicole Leao

How to live in harmony?

How to live in harmony when we feel we are failing so badly? After all, we are sinners struggling against our own flesh and against the evil that is in this world. But there is a way to live in harmony and it involves three blessed words: the first is love, the second is forgiveness, and the third is patience. The Bible teaches us to live in harmony by putting on these three acts, the first of which is the most important and determines the fulfillment of the other two, for as it is written in Colossians 3:14, love is the perfect bond. On Wednesday we talked about love, and today we will deepen a little on a not easy but necessary theme, forgiveness, after all without it it is impossible to have harmony. Forgive 70 times 7 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times; but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21,22 Are you willing to forgive 70 times 7? By ourselves this would be impossible, for […]

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October 04, 2021·Nicole Leao

Going through trials with faith

In this world you will have tribulations… Jesus said it in John 16:33, but in the same verse He says: “But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Everyone who is alive has faced difficulty, because we live in a world fallen by sin, all humanity suffers, trials and difficulties arise in our lives, we do everything in our power to literally get rid of these bad ones, including asking God to deliver us from this adversity faced. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 This is totally understandable, we don’t want to suffer, we all seek a full life, free from instabilities. However, there are so many things that God wants to do in us and through us through the trials we face. Of course, far be it from me to romanticize trials, and I say this with the short but intense experience on this earth of someone who […]

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September 22, 2021·Nicole Leao

Fasting, the preparation for battle!

How do I fast? Am I fasting in the right way? These are frequent questions in the Christian environment, and this is a subject that always leaves many in doubt and thinking about it today we will talk about fasting here on the blog. Together we will try to understand what the Bible has to tell us about this subject. But I want to tell you one thing, fasting is preparation for battle! What is fasting? First, we need to understand what fasting is. In general, it is total or partial abstinence from food for a definite period of time and for a specific purpose. Fasting has been applied practically in all eras, nations, cultures, and religions, with different purposes, being spiritual or even medicinal, since its practice brings several physical benefits with the detoxification it produces in the body, but our focus here will be on biblical fasting. Biblical fasting also brings abstinence from desirable things. Daniel, for example, ate no tasty foods and used not fragrant lotions for three weeks (Daniel 10:2-3). What is the purpose of fasting in religion? Fasting does not change God, it changes you! Fasting will not make God kinder or more merciful to […]

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September 17, 2021·Nicole Leao

Don’t be dominated by the flesh!

We will begin this text with a biblical reminder of what the desire of the flesh is. This desire makes a huge mess and is difficult to put away: 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. Romans 8:5-9 The flesh makes empty promises In 2 Peter 2:19, it is written that man is a slave to that which dominates him. Therefore, when dominated by the flesh we let ourselves be destroyed by addictions, which sometimes seem harmless and other times not so much, but we lie to ourselves […]

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September 02, 2021·Nicole Leao

Is there hope for your country?

We often hear phrases like “this country is hopeless”, especially in the midst of crises like the one we and the whole world faced (and still faces) in the area of health with the coronavirus, which also impacted other areas, one of them being the economy, with unemployment, high prices and instability in various sectors. But will your country be able to get back on its feet? And what is our role as citizens? A good Christian should always be a good citizen They tell him: From Caesar. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. Matthew 22:21 That being so, first of all Christians respect laws, obey them. A good Christian votes conscientiously, does not omit himself, but rather is present, fights for the transformation of the world and the society where he lives. He pays his taxes, no matter how heavy they are in his pocket. You can even fight for fairer taxes or for a more just society, for rulers who govern seriously, but without failing to fulfill their duties. If we want a better country, we can start by doing the right […]

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August 27, 2021·Nicole Leao

Where your feet cannot reach, your knees bent in prayer will carry you

Today I read this quote on a church’s Instagram and how much truth there is in it! You and I are strong when our knees are on the ground and it carries such beautiful symbolism, for this is a position of humility. You can see when there is a marriage proposal the groom kneels before the bride-to-be, in a humble gesture of demonstration of love, affection and care. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vanity, but humbly consider others superior to yourselves. Philippians 2:3 So many times we see people trying to do everything by their own strength, acting for themselves and getting frustrated, failing, not getting where they expect, that’s because either it’s not meant to be, or it’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Acting in our own strength is tiring and discouraging, but fortunately we have a loving Father who renews our spirits and who, more than preparing us for battle, is by our side while we are in it. A man’s pride humbles him, but he of a humble spirit obtains honor. Proverbs 29:23 I will repeat the last sentence… more than preparing you for battle, God is by your side while you are […]

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August 25, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: No more despair!

This week we talked about making a mountain out of a molehill and saw how damaging it is for us. This term is the result of two things, namely fear and lack of understanding. Let’s see, in fear we find insecurity and lack of trust in God, and when we are desperate we act on impulse, which prevents us from making good decisions and consequently makes things worse. The lack of understanding is a consequence of fear, because when we are disappointed we easily put our fears, insecurities and worries above the fears of others, thus we do not seek to understand the other. Therefore, today I want to pray that self-control and understanding will be more present in our lives and no more despair! I leave here some passages especially for you today: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 He who is longsuffering is great in understanding, but he who is hasty exalts folly. Proverbs 14:29 Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or store in barns, yet their heavenly […]

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August 23, 2021·Nicole Leao

Why make much ado about nothing?

It’s easy to see children making “scenes” that seem unnecessary to their elders. When they are little because they don’t want to eat, sleep or wear something, when they grow up a little more it’s because a friend turned his face away or got a lower grade than expected, but here’s the real point of this text, even adults thinking that none of this is necessary, sometimes we do the same or worse. We turn a simple situation into something much bigger than it should be, and this is a theme that touches on another aspect of human character, because it involves lack of patience, fear, insecurity, despair, lack of conviction in what God is doing, and so on. However, I believe that there are two the most striking aspects of this expression and in them are fear and lack of understanding. Fear Didn’t I command you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 As we have already written here fear is not always bad, it was created and is in us also as a warning of danger, but when it hinders us […]

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August 18, 2021·Nicole Leao

Do you care more for your soul or for your body?

Do you take care of your soul like you take care of your body? We live in a time that is far too media-driven and full of vanity exaggerations. There are painful procedures, expensive products to delay aging, what is natural in life, and so on. Now I ask myself, a generation that takes so much care of the body, does it take care of the soul in the same way? Let’s see, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t take care of ourselves, in fact, I believe that it is essential to take care of our body, because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we have to go to the doctor, practice physical exercise, and look after ourselves, but the problem lies where vanity begins. When we care more about our physical appearance than about our behavior. The danger of comparison Beauty is deceitful, and comeliness is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Proverbs 11:13 If you are a woman, you may have noticed the number of posts and reels on Instagram about makeup, tips to cover up “flaws,” pictures of skinny women, designer clothes, and so on. Maybe you’ve even felt […]

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August 16, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: God in control of my life!

We don’t have the script for our lives, only our Father does, and that’s a good thing, isn’t it? God is in control of everything we are going through and knows what is best for us. This is wonderful, but sometimes we find it difficult to just trust, we want to be in control and know what is going to happen in the future, which is impossible. But do you know what? When our Lord is in control there is no need to know what is going to happen in the future and, furthermore, when we prepare ourselves and give our best today we will certainly be prepared for whatever comes, be it blessings or trials. This is why I want to pray with you today, that we hand over our future to the Father and prepare ourselves daily for whatever comes. I leave here a passage especially for you today: Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 Remember that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here, because each one of us has a specific way […]

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August 13, 2021·Nicole Leao

Life doesn’t come with a script!

It’s easy to find someone who wishes they had made better decisions in life, we hear the famous phrase “if I had known this was going to happen I wouldn’t have done that”, however, we don’t know our future, nor will we ever know. After all, the only one who knows about your past, present and future is God. The screenwriter of our lives who gives us freedom to make decisions and knows very well what each decision will lead to. But do you need to know what will happen to make better decisions? I actually think it is important that we do not know the future. Because then we can truly deliver it to the Lord. When we trust and have faith in God, we believe that His plans are bigger and better than ours. We may not have a script, but we have the best instruction manual in the world, the word of God! It is living, unique and effective. Through it we are counseled and taught in the way of the Lord, we have there precious teachings for our life. It is through its reading that we find answers, confirmations and comfort. So what good would it […]

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August 11, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Father, help me to deal with nervous people!

Dealing with nervous people is not easy, maybe you are one of them yourself. However, the word of God teaches us how to deal with different kinds of people as we can see through the teachings left by our master Jesus Christ. Still, there are situations in which besides reading the Bible, we need discernment to put into practice what we read. And today we will pray asking the Father to help us to deal with nervous people, giving us the right strategies and working on us to see where we can improve as well. I leave here some passages especially for you today: A calm answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult, but rather bless; for to this you have been called, that you may inherit blessing. 1 Peter 3:9 Remember that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m going to leave it here, because each one of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to follow me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak it in your own way. Prayer […]

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August 09, 2021·Nicole Leao

How do you deal with nervous people according to the Bible?

Have you lived with someone who is very nervous? It is not easy, is it? There are people who are like that, and there are others who are just nervous sometimes. But after all, how do you deal with nervous people according to the Bible? This is a difficult question to answer, because each person has a different way of reacting. Fortunately in the bible we find the answer to everything, and in today’s text we will see what the bible has to tell us about the subject, remembering that we also get nervous with others, so as you read this text reflect not only on how to deal with others, but how you can improve yourself as well. Dealing with nervousness is an exercise in love, patience, and grace To begin with I would like to bring up a situation that we went through here at home recently. Well, my 10-year-old brother’s behavior had been changing for some time. More closed, quiet and irreverent as well. He entered in that complicated phase, when his mother speaks (or his sister) and immediately he retorts or questions. “Why do I have to take a bath?”, “I’ll go soon”, “this is boring”, […]

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August 06, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: God fulfill your will in my life!

In last week’s Friday text we talked about God’s word being the last and most important. After all, how many times have you found yourself in a situation that seemed to have no way out? I am sure they were not few, but with the same certainty I know that even if everything says no, it is the Lord who knows the plans He has for you. And what is His will for you no one can take away from you, and you will have provision when the time is right. Therefore, today I want to pray that the will of the Most High be fulfilled in our lives and that we may live according to His will! I leave here a passage especially for you today: The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35 Therefore, for Christ’s sake, I rejoice in weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the answer of the tongue. Proverbs 16:1 Remember that you don’t have to repeat the […]

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August 05, 2021·Nicole Leao

God’s word is the last and most important!

How many times have you found yourself in a situation that seemed to have no way out? Well I can guess that not a few, we all go through times when everything seems to say no, but if there is one thing that is a fact, it is: even if everything says no, God’s word is the last and most important! Bills that we don’t know how they will be paid, diagnoses said to be irreversible, relationships that seem to have no solution anymore, but when we least expect it God comes with his hand over the situation and everything turns out fine. This is because what is His will for you no one can take away and you will have provision at the right time. As it is written in Matthew 24:35, “The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Testimony Today I want to bring a word of something that happened this week to me. Well, I am heading into my last semester of college and due to a number of factors I was having a financial hold on college, so I would not be able to do my rematriculation unless […]

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July 29, 2021·Nicole Leao

It’s time to overcome your insecurities

Have you ever felt inferior or self-pitying, felt that everyone was judging you, but in fact none of it was real. As human beings we sometimes have inferiority complex and insecurities that come in and make us feel too small and what does the Bible have to say about this? Well, complexes imprison us and everything that imprisons us is not good, for we have been called to freedom in Christ. Many people feel this way because they have lived in hostile environments, suffered bullying or been criticized too much, and as a result, they end up absorbing the external problems, which makes everything more complicated. But today I want to bring two biblical examples about inferiority and self-compassion. Through the stories of Gideon and the prophet Elijah, we will better understand what the word of God has to tell us about these things. Gideon and inferiority The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why […]

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July 06, 2021·Nicole Leao

In what area are you crying out for God’s care?

It is difficult to find someone who says that life is perfect, there is always one or another thing that could be better, some area of life that needs more care and today I would like to bring an answer, a comfort to the heart of those who are anxious, in 1 Peter 5:7, it is written: “Cast all your anxiety on him, for he cares for you. Independent of the area God has the solution The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. Psalms 37:18-19 Did you know that for God there is no area of your life that is more or less important? Be it sentimental, health, employment, or even things that to our eyes are simple and we don’t even think that deserve great care. You are important to the Lord and He takes care of His children at all times. An important reminder is that God takes care of the righteous as it is written in the verse, so we always need to evaluate ourselves and ask forgiveness for our failures, forgive those around us, […]

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July 02, 2021·Gabriela Angerami

How to store up treasures in heaven?

Today I would like to share something about the relationship between generosity and eternity. God wants to teach us to live with eyes that can see far beyond what is visible, temporary, finite and earthly. When the Bible teaches us to be generous, it is precisely teaching us to have an eternal look with regard to our resources, possessions, and money. It is teaching us to store up treasures in heaven. Let me give a simple example here: when a mother or a father sits down with a child to do his homework, the child looks at the video game or some other toy next door and wants to play. The child thinks about what he wants at that very moment. He thinks only of the present while his parents worry about learning, about developing and about the next school years. More than that, parents dream about the future of their children. We who are already grown up are able to plan the next years, to organize ourselves for some future medium or long term dream. But more than this, our Father wants to teach us to live and plan our lives with an eye to eternity. And this also […]

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June 29, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Trusting in the unshakable rock!

Our Father is the unshakable rock and as it is written in Psalm 125, those who trust in the Lord are like the mountain of Zion that is not shaken. We will have afflictions in this world, but as we well know our savior has already overcome them all. Know that even if the struggle is difficult, our God is a righteous judge and has the power to change any story. With this in mind, today I want to pray with you who are going through a struggle, making a prayer of adoration and surrender. I leave here some passages especially for you today: ‘For it is I who know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. John 16:33 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken, but which stands forever. Psalm 125:1 Remember that you don’t have to repeat the prayer […]

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June 29, 2021·Nicole Leao

Those who trust in the Lord are like the mountain of Zion

How beautiful is this verse from Psalm 125, isn’t it? In Portuguese this Psalm has become a hymn that I like very much and it goes like this: “Those who trust in the Lord are like the mountain of Zion that do not shake but remain forever / As the mountains are around Jerusalem, so is the Lord around his people. Very strong verses indeed. Surely you have gone through a time of instability on this earth, for as we know the evil one lies there, yet I am sure you have overcome or are overcoming this adversity. Now ask anyone who has gone through or is going through a difficult time, how they had the strength to go on, and in general, the answer will always involve faith. We Christians know and know very well who is the God from whom this strength comes, from the one true God, our Father, comforter, just judge, Lord of lords and best friend. From the One who is always by our side and watching over us, who is goodness, but who is also a consuming fire. When we have God by our side, we survive the hardest day. To have God in […]

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