JFA Blog

Reflections, studies and news for your walk with God.

October 29, 2020·Paulo Oliveira

A life that overflows into eternity

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly! John 10:10 Do you know what is in this verse that is not written in your Bible? The final exclamation point! But it is difficult to imagine Jesus making that statement without that exclamation point… He came to give us LIFE and abundant life! In many countries and cultures, November 2 is associated with the Day of the Dead. It recalls loved ones who are no longer with us, people line up in cemeteries and decorate their tombstones with flowers. But We can also talk about life. Without any disrespect, if Jesus made this powerful statement about the purpose of His incarnation – to bring life – it must also reach the lives of those who no longer live, right? Which leads me to think of another very strong word in this verse: ABUNDANCE! Abundance means exceeding, not ending, overflowing! It has to do with almost waste, and certainly not with saving, rationing or saving. Doesn’t it look like a consumer dream? Enter the supermarket or mall without worrying about […]

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October 26, 2020·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Fear, never again!

Fear is a natural feeling, which can even be positive in some situations, serving as an alert, but often causes us harm, despair, paralysis and leads to wrong decisions. All of this is not good, but I have some good news to give you today … and it is, with God’s help, you can win! In Psalm 34: 4 it is written: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears”. We cannot let ourselves be dominated by fear, so today I invite you to pray, throw away all the fear that paralyzed you, remember that God is greater than everything that afflicts you so much and He will take care of you. Here are some verses to help you: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:6 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for […]

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October 23, 2020·Nicole Leao

Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Goodness

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22 (NIV) We are in the sixth text of the series “Learning about the Fruit of the Spirit”, in which we will delve into what is written in the Bible about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, mentioned in the book of Galatians, and today we will learn more about goodness. I would like to begin by leaving here the passage from Psalm 125: 4: “Lord, do good to those who are good,to those who are upright in heart”. Goodness Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NIV) We are already in the sixth text of our series and I would like to bring a reflection here, I believe that you have already realized how each of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit are related to each other. Goodness is directly related to long-suffering, which is related to peace and so on, that is why it is so important that […]

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October 22, 2020·Nicole Leao

God, the expert in preparing banquets in the desert!

Have you ever stopped to think how many times God has prepared a table for you in the desert? By this, I mean that all of us have been through some moment of tribulation, because we live in a world fallen by sin, but as it is written in the Holy Scriptures, even in the worst situations the Lord is with us and more than that, he prepares banquets in the desert, as it is written in Psalm 78. In this chapter, the miracles of God are counted – that were made for your people who left Egypt for the Promised Land. The Bible points out the desert as a place of trial, where we are taught and improved. Certainly the people of Israel had to go through this arid place, because as we saw along this Psalm, even God caring and bringing supplies, their hearts were full of ingratitude and murmuring. We must never doubt the miracles of our Lord, we must remember his righteousness and benevolence. The desert is a place of preparation, where He is forging you for something greater, that is, no situation is in vain, through your life God wants to manifest the Glory of […]

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October 20, 2020·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Making wise decisions!

Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t know what was the best decision to make? Most likely, yes. I’ve been in this condition a few times and I know how difficult it can be, because we don’t want to make mistakes or make decisions that may not be the best in the future and it’s not always clear what we should do. Fortunately, our God and Creator knows all the ways, knows what is best for us and is willing to give wisdom to anyone who asks. So today we are going to pray for the guidance of our Lord, but first I would like to remind you that the right decision is one that will glorify the Father. Here are three verses that can help you: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1: 5 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 Prayer Beloved God, […]

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October 16, 2020·Nicole Leao

Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Kindness

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22 (NIV) We are in the fourth text of the series “Learning about the Fruit of the Spirit”, in which we will delve into what is written in the Bible about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, mentioned in the book of Galatians and today we will learn more about kindness. I would like to begin by leaving as a reminder the passage in Colossians 3:12: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”. Kindness Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10 (NIV) Do you know what kindness means? Well, it is the quality of those who are benign, that is, endowed with good characteristics, such as generosity and benevolence. To act kindly is to be merciful to others, behaving based on loyalty and fidelity. Being a fruit of the Holy Spirit, as well as love, joy, peace and long-suffering, the quality of being kind is produced by the Holy Spirit in us, when we are […]

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October 15, 2020·Nicole Leao

5 essential tips to evangelize

In this time of so much bad news, when people are suffering or anxious, you can share the good news of the gospel. Let’s take this opportunity to spread the love of Jesus Christ. 1. Pray first before everything Think about the person you would like to evangelize and pray for them. I recommend that you pray for 1 month, breaking all difficulties that may prevent that person from receiving the gospel of Jesus. Continue in prayer also during the time you are discipling her, as there is a spiritual battle. 2. Be a true friend Be a true friend of the person you want to evangelize. Always be helpful and available. And, of course, this will need to be true in your life. Show Jesus’ love with sincerity. In practice, be helpful, invite the person to a coffee, call him. 3. Don’t use difficult words Always be approachable when speaking and avoid difficult words, as they may move away instead of approaching. Avoid silly discussions and unnecessary confrontations. Jesus does not need to be defended, he needs to be introduced. Try to present Jesus through the Bible, because when He is well presented, He is simply irresistible. 4. Study […]

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October 13, 2020·Nicole Leao

Prayer: It’s time to slow down!

Have you ever stopped to think how much hurry gets in the way of your day to day, fellowship and relationship with God? The rush can hinder our lives a lot, because when we are affected by it we fail to give due attention to what we need. These days I came across the following phrase: “If the devil does not make you sin, he will occupy you”. I know it may seem like extremism, but think with me, when we are busy we do not have time for God, nor to exercise love for those around us. Because when we are in a hurry we get easily irritated, we want to solve everything running and certainly not how Jesus Christ acted with his followers and disciples. In fact, He did the opposite, dedicated himself to each one in a sublime way. So today, I invite you to pray with me, because it’s time for you to slow down! Remembering that you do not need to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here, as each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to accompany me, it will […]

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October 09, 2020·Nicole Leao

Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Forbearance

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22 (NIV) We are in the fourth text of the series “Learning about the Fruit of the Spirit”, in which we will delve into what is written in the Bible about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, mentioned in the book of Galatians and today we will learn more about forbearance. And I would like to start by leaving the passage in Galatians 6: 9 as a reminder: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up“. Forbearance As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4: 1-2 (NIV) Forbearance is the characteristic or quality of greatness of spirit, a person who faces adversity with courage, in the Bible we see that this is a virtue of those who are good and generous and have faith in God to help solve […]

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October 08, 2020·Nicole Leao

4 lessons we can learn from the life of Joseph

Joseph is an emblematic character of the bible and today we are going to learn 4 lessons about his life. He was Jacob’s eleventh and favorite son, as well as Rachel’s eldest son, who remained infertile for years, but was his father’s most beloved wife. Because of this, he became the most protected and favored. Throughout his history, he was despised by his brothers, threatened with death, sold as a slave, tempted by a powerful woman, unjustly imprisoned, forgotten in prison, challenged by Pharaoh to interpret dreams, appointed governor of Egypt, and put to the test before his brothers, whom he forgave. In all of this, he had faith in God and was honored. 1. The evil of envy, jealousy and hatred When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Genesis 37: 4 Driven by hatred, envy, and jealousy, Joseph’s half brothers conspired against him and sold him as a slave. To justify Joseph’s absence to his father, they anointed his animal tunic and gave it to Jacob, so that he would think that his protected son had been devoured by a wild […]

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October 06, 2020·Nicole Leao

Praying for the month of October!

We reached another month of the year 2020, a year in which the world has faced many challenges both in health, as in the economy and education. Many events in a year. We need to be steadfast, strong in the unwavering rock because this phase lived due to the Covid-19 pandemic will come to an end and I want to pray with you for this month, you may be waiting for an answer, needing a solution in some area of your life, or even if you just want to say thank you, today I invite you to pray and put everything on God’s altar. Remembering that you do not need to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here, as each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to accompany me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak your way. Prayer Dear God, first of all, I want to thank you for the month of October for everything you have done so far and for everything you are still going to do, thank you for taking care of me and my family even when I do […]

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October 02, 2020·Nicole Leao

Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Peace

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22 We are in the third text of the series “Learning about the Fruit of the Spirit”, in which we will delve into what is written in the Bible about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, mentioned in the book of Galatians and today our study will be about peace. I would like to start by leaving as a reminder the passage from Romans 8, 6: “The mentality of the flesh is death, but the mentality of the Spirit is life and peace”. Peace I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 Peace is not characterized by the absence of struggles or circumstantial adversities, but by discernment and emotional control in the face of situations that bring anguish, doubt or fear. This fruit of the Spirit, described in the sacred scriptures, is very different from what the world means by peace, because it is generated by the comfort of the […]

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October 01, 2020·Nicole Leao

4 ways for God speak to you

In times when the world is in constant motion and we are always in a hurry, it can be difficult to pay attention to what God has to say to us, with this many believe they are incapable of it, or even that our Father chooses people to speak, but in In truth, the Lord wants to have a deep relationship with us, so much that He speaks to us at all times and in different ways. In this blog post, you will see the 4 ways in which God speaks to you. 1. God speaks through the Bible All Scripture is divinely inspired and profitable to teach, write, correct, instruct in justice; So that the man of God may be perfect and perfectly instructed for every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16,17 The Bible is God’s main tool for talking to us, because as it is written in the above passage it was entirely inspired by God, and therefore it is sacred and important for us to know His will for our lives. Through it the Lord manifests himself, whether to advise, exhort or comfort us. Therefore, try to take the time to read the Bible daily, it is […]

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September 29, 2020·Nicole Leao

Praying for the joy that comes from God!

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22 In Monday’s blog this week, we talked about the difference between happiness and joy, we saw that happiness is an emotion, unlike the joy that according to the Bible fills the spiritual void through an intimate relationship with our God. Therefore, happiness is a feeling of joy that depends on something good to happen, but our Lord wants us to be happy regardless of the circumstances. Despite this, God knows that we will not be happy all the time, in fact there are times when we will be sad and everything is fine, but we cannot help but hope that better days will come. So, today I invite you to pray for a heart that overflows with the joy that comes from God! Remembering that you do not need to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here, as each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to accompany me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak […]

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September 25, 2020·Nicole Leao

Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit: Joy

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22 This is the second text in the series “Learning about the Fruit of the Spirit”, in which we will delve into what is written in the Bible about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, mentioned in the book of Galatians and today we will learn more about joy. To begin, I want to affirm that true joy is that which comes from our Lord! Joy Nowadays, joy seems scarce in the world, where there is room for so much fear, worry, discouragement, anxiety and depression, but our Father called us to joy and would like to start this text by differentiating joy and happiness. Happiness is an emotion, and God does not expect people to be in that emotional state all the time, after all, as it is written in Ecclesiastes 3: 4, there is time to cry and to laugh; time to cry and time to dance. Joy, according to the Bible, fills the spiritual void through an intimate relationship with the One who is pure joy. In John 15: 5, […]

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September 23, 2020·Nicole Leao

A study about Samuel

Samuel was born during the last few years when Israel was ruled by the judges and is the son of Hannah, a barren woman. He was a prophet and led Israel as a priest, military and political leader, being a great example of faithfulness and obedience to God. Therefore, I invite you to study and delve into the life of this great man. His early years Samuel is one of the few biblical characters that we can find reports about childhood. The prophet’s father was Elkanah, a godly man from the region of Ephraim and of Levitic lineage. His mother, already mentioned, was Hannah who for a long time remained sterile, which saddened her a lot. On one occasion, Hannah went to the sanctuary of God and promised that if she had a son, she would dedicate it to the Lord. Then, the high priest Eli told her that God would fulfill her heart’s desire and Hannah became pregnant. Samuel was born in a troubled time for Israel, when the Israelites faced great oppression from the Philistines and the nation was in complete spiritual decline. As promised, Samuel was taken to the sanctuary early, where he stayed in the care […]

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September 21, 2020·Nicole Leao

Give me patience!

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, which must be produced by every Christian. We live in a time of immediacy, many want everything for yesterday, always in a hurry, making wrong decisions, and acting hastily. But we must not act like this, as followers of Jesus and new creatures we must reflect in our lives the patience generated by the Holy Spirit. So I invite you to pray and ask God: Give me patience! Remembering that you don’t need to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here because each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to accompany me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak your way. Prayer Dear God, first I would like to thank you for being so patient with me and for loving me even though I am a sinner. Sir, I know I am a failure, I often stress about small things or I want to do everything in my own time, so today I ask you: Give me patience! May I be patient with people in my daily life, whether they are my family, friends, or even strangers. […]

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September 18, 2020·Nicole Leao

Learning about the Fruit of the Holy Spirit: Love

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 Today we will start a series here on the blog, where we will delve into what is written in the Bible about each of results of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives, mentioned in the book of Galatians. The series “Learning about the fruit of the Holy Spirit” will feature 9 devotionals, which will be released every Monday here on the Bible Offline blog. Love My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12 Love is the first mentioned and to understand it a little better, let us draw on the passage in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-8, when the apostle Paul was teaching in a church about true love and said that even that he spoke all the languages that are spoken on earth and in heaven, if he had no love, people would not understand anything. Paul goes on to say that he could have the gift of announcing messages from God, have all the knowledge of the world, understand all the secrets that exist […]

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September 16, 2020·Nicole Leao

A study about Ruth

Ruth’s story is so important that it is recorded in the Bible in a book that bears its own name. She was a Moabite woman who lived during the era of Israel’s judges – a period of great spiritual degradation for the nation – and although the Moabites were Israel’s enemies, she was married to a Jew named Mahlon, who moved from Bethlehem to Moab with your family during a time of famine. By marrying a Jew, Ruth joined not only her husband, but also the God of Israel. Mahlon’s death Soon the story of this woman of faith became a sad drama, because in addition to not having children, she soon lost her husband who died at the same time as her brother. As her father-in-law had passed away, the women of the family were left alone. Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, decided that she would return to her community in Israel and encouraged her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, to remarry in Moab. But while Orpah reluctantly agreed, Ruth decided to go with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem and remain faithful to God (Ruth 1: 16,17). Naomi and Ruth As widows, her mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had to take care of themselves. So […]

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September 14, 2020·Nicole Leao

I forgive my brother!

The sacred scriptures show us the importance of forgiveness, as it brings peace to our hearts and communion between brothers. Not to forgive is to be disobedient to the word of God (Matthew 18: 21,22), and this can have serious consequences even for our health. So, today I invite you to say: I forgive my brother! Remembering that you do not need to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here, as each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to accompany me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak your way. Prayer Dear God, I thank you for healing your only son and for the price Jesus paid for my sins on the Cross, so that I may have eternal life. Today I want to ask forgiveness for my sins, words, thoughts and attitudes that displease You. And thanks for forgiving me, even though I’m a weakling. I also recognize that, just as the Lord forgives me, I must release forgiveness to those who somehow hurt me. So, I declare: I forgive my brother. Cleanse my heart of all bitterness, so that there is only […]

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September 11, 2020·Nicole Leao

5 teachings of Jesus Christ on prayer

Prayer is fundamental to our intimacy and relationship with God, but it is not difficult to hear someone say that they are ashamed to pray in public or that they do not know how to pray, perhaps you will try it yourself. Fortunately, we find passages in the Bible where our Master instructs us on how to pray. So, check out 5 teachings of Jesus Christ on prayer! 1. Reserve a place and time to pray And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:5-6 It is very important that we have a time of intimacy with our Father, where in secret we try to hear His voice. In addition to creating a place not to appear or “make it beautiful” just for the satisfaction of our own ego, when we enter our room or […]

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September 10, 2020·Nicole Leao

A study about Gideon

The account of Gideon’s life is in the book of Judges and begins with the devastation of the Israelites by the Midianites, as a result of disobedience to God. For seven years, they faced invasions from Midianites, Amalekites and Orientals who ruined their crops and destroyed their flocks. Although they were unfaithful to God, they cried out to the Lord for His help without realizing why this was happening to them, and then God sent the prophet Gideon to remind them who the one God was, who cared for them in the past and yet they abandoned quickly (Judges 6: 8-10). The summons of gideon God hears the people’s cry and graciously intervenes by sending an angel to Gideon to call him to service. Gideon, whose name means “lumberjack”, was the son of Joás and belonged to the least important clan of his tribe, but by the greeting of the angel – who called him “brave man” – we can assume that Gideon had already proven himself to be a powerful warrior (Judges 6:12). Although Gideon was a servant of God, he needed to be sure that it was, in fact, the Lord who was calling him to this service. […]

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September 07, 2020·Nicole Leao

Wearing the armor of God

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the celestial kingdoms. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) As soldiers of God, we need to be ready for battle every day and that is why it is very important to put on spiritual armor, because as it is written in Ephesians 6:12 our struggle is not against the flesh, but against principalities and powers , then our spirit must be strengthened. I invite you to pray with me and to wear the protection that comes from our Lord! Remembering that you do not need to repeat the prayer exactly as I am going to leave it here, as each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to accompany me, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak your way. Beloved God, I ask you for spiritual protection, for me and my family so that we can stand firm against the enemy’s traps.I pray that you put on all your armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of justice, shoes with the readiness […]

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September 06, 2020·Nicole Leao

5 Lessons from the book of Acts for the Christian walk

Today we will learn 5 lessons from the book of Acts, which was written by Lucas in the form of a letter to his friend Teófilo. In it the author deals with themes such as the beginning of the church, the story of perseverance of our first brothers in the faith – among them the missionaries Paul and Peter stand out – amid persecution and the care of God with his servants. In Acts we see the action of the Holy Spirit, guarding His people which has resulted in the salvation of many lives. 1. Pray before making important decisions Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen, to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs”. Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Acts 1: 24-26 In this chapter, Peter who assumes the apostolic leadership of this new moment in the church, presents the need for the appointment of a new apostle to the place of Judas Iscariot and then, after praying and asking for God’s direction , Matias is appointed. This passage teaches […]

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