JFA Blog

Reflections, studies and news for your walk with God.

October 18, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Going through trials with faith!

Today we will pray for a theme recently written here on the blog… as it is known, in this world we will have afflictions, as Jesus said in John 16:33, but in the same verse He also says: “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. How good it is to know that our King has already conquered all the evil that we could face, isn’t it? Sometimes it seems that we will not be able to cope, as I told some of my testimonies, but it happens that in Christ we are strengthened, we find shelter, salvation, healing, care, and much more when we believe that there is no way out, but He is the solution, He sends resources and people from where we never imagined He would come. So today let’s pray together for the strengthening of our faith and for His provision in the midst of all the trials we are going through! Here are some passages especially for you today: 3 Not only so, but we[a] 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 […]

prayer uncategorized-en

October 18, 2021·Nicole Leao

God takes care of the sick!

Today I will begin this text by telling you that God holds our hand at all times, but especially when there is no one around. This weekend I had my four wisdom teeth removed and what an agony this surgery was, as soon as I arrived at the clinic I found out that nobody could enter the room with me, which was a torment to me at first. As I spent a lot of time in the hospital in my childhood, I used to get very nervous when I saw a needle. So there I found myself, in an operating chair, with three dentists surrounding me, putting a cloth to protect my face during the surgery, and then they started to administer the local anesthesia, with a needle that for those who don’t feel very comfortable, looks twice the size it really is. I was scared, feeling alone and uncomfortable, but then I remembered that I was not alone and that my Lord is the doctor of doctors. It was a 3 hour surgery and during this time I prayed from beginning to end, which kept me firm and strong in that chair, because I would have stopped at the […]

devotional uncategorized-en

October 15, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Based on Colossians 3

Today we are going to pray based on Colossians 3, a text that carries very special teachings and values for our lives, among them the need to mortify our flesh, ridding ourselves of fornication, impurity, inordinate affection, vile concupiscence, and greed, which is idolatry. 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 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 Beloved God, I want to seek the things above, to think about what comes from above. I ask for help to put to death my earthly nature, namely impurity, lustful passions, evil desires, and greed. I know that my sinful nature drives me away from You, and I ask forgiveness for my sins. Pluck from me all the anger, indignation, malice, slander, and foul language that may be in my speech. Forgive me for the lies I have told in the course of my life, for I know that You are a God of truth, that I may walk according to Your […]

prayer

October 13, 2021·Nicole Leao

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart

Today I want to bring here on the blog a story that is to fill our hearts with emotion and happiness. This weekend I had the opportunity to meet Anderson Novais, his wife and their little boy, a blessed family full of faith. Now you may be wondering, who is this young man and why was this an opportunity, and for this I will tell you how my family met him. But first, I ask you: are you faithful in little? A servant at the traffic light Last week my mother was taking my cousin to an appointment when the traffic light closed, and they were surprised to see a young man with a neat beard, suit and tie, selling candy at the traffic light. An unpredictable scene in the city of São Paulo, where we are usually approached by beggars and small children who should be at school. The young man approaches the car, very politely offers the candy he is selling and hands over a card with his phone number, Instagram, and professional information, such as the college he is attending. My mother is intrigued by the scene, praises his posture and asks why he is so dressed […]

devotional love-of-god love-your-neighbor

October 11, 2021·Nicole Leao

The Children of Today

Building Alliances In one of our schools, we made a street with a round-trip track that surrounds some of those big plastic toys. For a parent meeting, I was visiting this unit in the evening and came across some beautiful (and well made) parked cars and trucks, neatly made out of cardboard by the parents of the small students, for a traffic education activity that would take place the next day. At the moment I thought of the pleasure and joy that both parents and children were feeling: one making the cars and the other playing and learning with something made by their parents. Seeing that, I remembered that a little over 20 years ago I was unemployed and had no money to buy presents for my twin sons…I had no doubts: I got some cardboard and Styrofoam…I took the two tricycles they had and turned them into two beautiful airplanes, with wings and tails. On the street at home (where no cars go) I drew a runway on the ground and we played all afternoon. This is how I see commemorative dates as Children’s Day (in Brazil, October 12nd): a great opportunity to celebrate the fact that we have […]

devotional

October 08, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: Understanding your value as a child of God!

Today we are going to pray for something that can be so basic, but is sometimes so forgotten by us, the value that we have as children of God. We are more valuable than birds to Him, but sometimes we put ourselves in the condition of being forgotten by the Lord, we believe that He is not looking after us and seeing our pains, but do you know what? He is, He sees your pain, He knows your needs and as a loving Father will satisfy them when the time is right! I leave here a passage especially for you today: “No one can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money.” “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your own lives, as to what to eat or drink; nor about your own bodies, as to what to wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or store in barns, yet their heavenly Father feeds them. Are […]

prayer

October 06, 2021·Nicole Leao

Are you not more valuable than the birds of the air?

On a Wednesday I wake up more than calm, enjoying all the peace that those who believe in God should enjoy, until I get to the living room and my mother is making bills with a very worried face, I ask her what happened and she answers me: “I wanted to do so many things, but this month will be tight, we won’t be able to buy the water filter I wanted, or clothes for your brother. Let’s see, it’s not that we wouldn’t be able to pay the bills we had, but that we wouldn’t be able to buy these necessary things, but they could wait a little longer or be bought in other stores than the ones she wanted. My brother is at the peak of his growth, in puberty, so he won’t stop growing any time soon and soon he would have to buy clothes again, so the better brand clothes she wanted wouldn’t fit for long and he would soon lose them. The same with the water filter, ours had broken down and we thought about buying a better one that we have wanted for a long time, but the better one is not only better, […]

biblical-study

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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October 01, 2021·Nicole Leao

Prayer: I am a beloved child!

Last week we talked a little bit about favoritism and God being things that don’t go together, our Father is just and loves his children equally, and then maybe you ask yourself: why does my brother have this or that, or is better off than me? Does God love the other more than He loves me? These seemingly harmless questions are doubts planted by the enemy in our minds and hearts, and we can’t let them take root, because soon we will be far from the glory of God, feeling unjust, and that our Father gave his only begotten Son to die for us all. So counter such lies with a single truth: you are a beloved child! God is no respecter of persons, He loves all His children equally, but each one chooses whether to live in this love. Each one chooses his or her own way, our Father has given us freedom, we have the right to choose to walk by His side in an upright way or not. The Gospel is not easy, for it demands surrender. Everything is achieved through effort and sacrifice. It is difficult to live like this in a world where everything seems […]

prayer

September 30, 2021·Nicole Leao

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 Leao

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 Leao

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 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 […]

bible biblical-study word-of-god

September 20, 2021·Nicole Leao

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 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 […]

bible word-of-god

September 15, 2021·Nicole Leao

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 Leao

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 Leao

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 Leao

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 […]

love-of-god love-your-neighbor

September 03, 2021·Nicole Leao

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 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 […]

devotional word-of-god

September 01, 2021·Nicole Leao

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 Leao

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 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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