JFA Blog

Reflections, studies and news for your walk with God.

September 30, 2021·Nicole Leão

Does God have favorite children?

Have you ever wondered if God has favorite children? Perhaps at some time of difficulty you thought that God cared more for your other children, after all, you were doing everything right, but the Lord was not rewarding you as you expected. The lives of your brothers and sisters in the faith may have seemed better, more exciting, as if God had a favoritism for them. So, does God have favorite children? Am I one of them? In today’s text we are going to dig into this topic together and understand what the bible has to tell us about it. Favoritism and God For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 When I read these two words (favoritism and God), one next to the other they sound very strange to me, don’t you think so too? After all, God is just and in his justice would have preference among his children? I would also like to reflect on the above passage. Our Lord gave his only Son, not for one or two people, but for whoever believes in him. Because […]

devotional

September 27, 2021·Nicole Leão

How do you fight your battles?

In the last weeks we have talked a lot about preparation, mortification of the flesh and all of this also having in mind the importance of fasting, because as we have been talking about here, it doesn’t make God nicer, but through the mortification of our flesh our spirit is more attentive and prepared for battle because we are strengthened. So, to begin with, reflect: how do you fight your wars? With your own strength, with total dependence on God, but forgetting to seek Him? With confidence in the Lord, but doing your part? Well, I am sure that if you have not faced any fight in the last times, you have seen someone else go through one. I say go through because there are those who don’t even fight, they just let themselves fall apart. But from today on I declare that even if you don’t know where else to get your strength from, you will not give up, you will do your part, preparing yourself and facing every evil that may be happening to you, because even if you are tired, your God is perfect and strong, so when you are weak, you are strong in Him. Put […]

bible devotional

September 24, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: Starting a fast!

Last Friday we talked about the importance of fasting here on the blog, we also addressed frequent questions that can arise in our midst regarding this topic and today we will continue praying for the beginning of a fast, maybe you are not starting a fast now, but I want to leave here available a prayer for you when you decide to do it. I would also like to recapitulate a few points: Fasting doesn’t change God, it changes you! Fasting will not make God kinder or more merciful to you, in fact, it is directly related to us, that is, our need to break through the barriers and limitations of our flesh. Fasting mortifies our flesh and makes our spirit alert, so its primary purpose is the mortification of the flesh. We should also not be like the Pharisees, for Jesus condemns exhibitionism before men to attest your spirituality. If you wish, feel free to return to the last text to learn a little more about fasting. I leave here some passages especially for you today: 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better […]

prayer

September 22, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 20, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: No More for the Flesh!

This week we talked here on the blog about not allowing ourselves to be moved by the flesh and today we will pray for forgiveness first and also for help from our Lord. After all, the flesh makes us empty promises and leads us astray. 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 vices, which sometimes seem harmless and at other times not so much. We lie to ourselves with empty promises: “just today and I’ll stop”. But today the day has come to put an end to this situation, let’s also pray for deliverance from all and any addiction, so that we can get closer to the Father, remember that to go to God you don’t need to be perfect, come to the Father and He will set you free. I leave here a passage especially for you today: He who lives according to the flesh has his mind set on what the flesh desires; but he who according to the Spirit has his mind set on what the Spirit desires. The mindset of the flesh is death, […]

prayer

September 17, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

bible word-of-god

September 15, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: Healing a wounded heart!

Do you know what the key to healing a heart is? It’s forgiveness, forgiveness cleans our hearts and lightens our baggage, maybe you carry a much heavier load than you should and it’s time to leave it in the past, after all, who lives in the past is a museum, so today I want to pray with you for a renewed heart, healed, free of pain, bitterness, anger or any bad feeling. In Proverbs 27:19, it is written that the heart reflects who we are, so we can realize the importance of taking good care of it, so that no evil can enter. Fortunately, we can count on our God for this, for as it is written in Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and deals with their sufferings. I leave here some passages especially for you today: Just as water reflects the face, the heart reflects who we are. Proverbs 27:19 He alone heals the brokenhearted and cares for their wounds. Psalm 147:3 May the peace of Christ be the judge in your hearts, since you have been called to live in peace, as members of one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 Remember that you don’t have to […]

prayer

September 13, 2021·Nicole Leão

How to heal a wounded heart?

The verbs wound, hurt, injure, and offend are applied when there is emotional suffering, which comes from the heart, for the heart as we know it is the center of emotions. Perhaps you feel or have felt unappreciated or rejected. These are wounds that can generate severe consequences in life, for a wounded person hurts another as well. So it is essential that we be healed and heal our hearts as soon as possible. How is your heart? I know that sometimes life can be hard, but do you know what? God is looking for a wounded heart to heal. We know that in this world we will have afflictions, so our heart must be protected from evil and in God we find healing. As it is written in Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and deals with their sufferings”. A wounded heart finds no peace “The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.” – Isaiah 32:17 When our heart is wounded the peace that we should find seems distant and do you know why? Well, in Isaiah 32:17 we read that the fruit of righteousness will be peace. When our hearts are wounded, […]

devotional

September 10, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: More love and less indifference!

These days we wrote about love and indifference, and how these two are incompatible. For when we search for the definition of indifference we find things like: absence of interest; lack of consideration; indifference to the feelings of others. Being indifferent is very much related to not caring about the pain or the needs of others. To love in words is much easier than to love in actions. When we love in action, we choose to walk beside the other, which can be difficult because we live in a very individualistic world. But we, as the light of the world and the salt of the earth, cannot conform to the standards of society, but to the standard proposed by the Word. We need to love our neighbor as ourselves and if this biblical love is a reality in our lives, we will never be indifferent to the pain of others, be it emotional, physical or financial. So, today I want to pray with you that we can love more every day and that there will be no indifference in our hearts! I leave here some passages especially for you today: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, […]

prayer

September 08, 2021·Nicole Leão

Is indifference the opposite of love?

There is a well-known phrase that says “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference” (Elie Wiesel). Today we will talk about this and see what the Bible says about love. And for that we will start with some verses that define what love is: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not mistreat, it does not seek its own interests, it is not easily angered, it does not hold grudges. Love does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8 Jesus answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 But God demonstrates his love for us: Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 God is love and He is not indifferent In 1 John 4:8 we […]

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September 03, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: A nation with hope!

Our hope must always be first in God and when it comes to our nation it is no different. Of course we also have more than the role of just waiting, as Christians we must do our part and be good citizens, respecting the laws of our country and giving the example of a life of integrity. There is no use in demanding less corruption when you yourself are corrupt in your “small”, but significant, daily actions. As we said in the last text, as Christians we also have a commitment to all creation, we must take care of nature. And today I want to pray with you for our country, also remembering our responsibility for the country to have a good future and hope. You may have heard or said that children are the hope of the nation, but they will do in the future what they have been taught to do, so we need to be good examples. I leave here some passages especially for you today: They say to 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 And […]

prayer

September 02, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

devotional word-of-god

September 01, 2021·Nicole Leão

You are not alone!

In a world with more than 7.674 billion people, we see more and more isolated people. And being isolated is not always about having or not having someone around you. This is often related to how you are feeling, with the impression of not having anyone to trust, to count on, or even feeling like you need to keep a mask of happiness all the time. Maybe you who are reading this text right now are feeling this way and I want to tell you right away: you are not alone! It is not easy to talk about, but it is necessary Honestly, today it is not easy to write this reflection, not because I have nothing to talk about, but because I have seen many times Christians disdaining when the subject is mental health by considering anxiety, depression and other mental disorders as a lack of God. So before I say anything, I want to remind you that our bodies and minds are complex and that even God-fearing people with their stories portrayed in the Bible have faced such difficulties. Elijah and Depression while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, […]

devotional

August 30, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: Fighting with your knees on the ground!

As it is written in Ephesians 6:12, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That is also why our tools and preparation are not like those of this world. Our struggles and battles require kneeling on the ground, dialogue with our Lord, the One who can do everything and who has the power to change any situation. I don’t know how your home, bank account, pantry, work and relationships are doing, but I do know that prayer, the act of praying together with action, has an incredible power to transform. So today let’s pray together for our daily struggles for strength, protection and empowerment. I leave here some passages especially for you today: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but humbly regard others as greater than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 A man’s pride humbles him, but he of a humble spirit obtains honor. Proverbs 29:23 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is anything excellent or worthy […]

prayer

August 27, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

word-of-god

August 25, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

bible word-of-god

August 23, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

devotional word-of-god

August 19, 2021·Nicole Leão

Prayer: Putting aside vanity!

Vanity is very present nowadays, you can open your Instagram and you will see people all over the place. As if life was a big “show” that should be exhibited for everyone, which generates even more vanity. With this we see people thinking more about what others will think than what God thinks about their attitudes, but as it is written in Habakkuk 2:4: “The wicked is proud; his desires are not good; but the righteous shall live by his faithfulness. With this in mind, today I want to pray for everyone who is reading this text, that all vanity and any evil way will not be in our hearts. I leave here some passages especially for you today: Beauty is deceitful, and beauty is fleeting; but the woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Proverbs 11:13 Write: “The wicked is proud; his desires are not good; but the righteous shall live by his faithfulness. Habakkuk 2:4 I have found that all work and all achievement arise from the competition that exists between people. But that too is absurd, it is chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4 Remember that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I […]

prayer

August 18, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

word-of-god

August 16, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

prayer word-of-god

August 13, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

word-of-god

August 11, 2021·Nicole Leão

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 […]

prayer word-of-god

August 09, 2021·Nicole Leão

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”, […]

word-of-god

August 06, 2021·Nicole Leão

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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