JFA Blog

Reflections, studies and news for your walk with God.

June 28, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

God has chosen the foolish things

We can often feel small and think that what we have to offer to God is little and insufficient. But remember that Lazarus received new life when he died, when he could no longer offer anything to God, it was at that moment when the Father resurrected him and acted on him. That’s what I want to talk to you about today, about how God will use the least likely, where you least expect it. Where there is no more path, in the valley of dry bones, God forms flesh, sinew and new life! Pouring wisdom in place of misinformation and giving a clean look in place of blurred vision. He chooses the despised “Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world — what is viewed as nothing — to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 When we read the text of 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, we see that God chooses those we least expect. Often, people who never thought […]

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June 23, 2022·Rapha Abreu

[Series: Miracles of Jesus] Outstretched Hands

For the penultimate miracle in this series I chose the story of the man whose hand was withered and Jesus healed him. This was yet another healing that Jesus performed on Saturday, a day when non-emergency medical assistance was not allowed. But He always put the human need and the doing of good above this law, showing once again how mercy and generosity are above traditions. Is there a day to heal? The passage begins in Matthew 12, from verse 9. The priests who were working in the temple where Jesus was spending that day wanted to accuse Him of healing on the Sabbath, questioning Him if healing was allowed on the holy day. If the priests were allowed to do active work on the Sabbath inside the temple, Jesus could act too, for He is greater than the temple! Mercy should also be greater than such a doctrine. The Pharisees did not understand that the Sabbath was created for the good of the people, not to burden them. In verse 7, Jesus also mentions the passage in Hosea 6:6, in which God says that he desires the practice of love and mercy above the offering of sacrifices. Even knowing […]

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June 21, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Called to Influence

The word influence, these days has been used a lot. Influencing has even become a profession. But do you know the meaning of that word? “In” is a prefix that brings the sense from within. And fluency comes from the word to flow, therefore, in short, it means to flow from the inside out. But what does it affect us? We were called to influence Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:25-16 Recently I heard a phrase that goes like this: “What I have inside me is so powerful that when I get somewhere, something changes inside others”. What do you carry inside? It can change where you are and others around you. You have been called to influence, regardless of whether you will open your mouth to speak or not. Influencing is not bringing attention to yourself We are like the salt described in Matthew 5:13-16. When salt comes in contact with food, it does not […]

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June 16, 2022·Rapha Abreu

[Series: Miracles of Jesus] Restoring the walk

Today I brought you a thought about the miracle of healing the paralytic for our series of miracles of Jesus. We can often see this story focusing on one person and how Jesus restored his ability to walk, but I want to encourage you to look beyond that. The story The Word says in the book of John, chapter 5, that there was a tank in Jerusalem. In a few moments an angel came down, stirred the waters and the first one who entered the tank was healed. One man in the crowd was paralytic. When Jesus saw him, He asked if he would like to be healed, but because of his difficulty in moving, he never arrived in time to be the first to enter the tank when the water moved, so he thought he would not be able to receive the cure. Christ then said in verse 8, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk“. And in that moment the man was healed. The Generosity of Christ What draws attention in the text above is that even though in some parts of the Bible we read that to be healed we need to have faith in God. […]

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June 15, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Prayer: Where will I go?

Sometimes we feel in our lives that we don’t have anywhere to go or we don’t know what to do regarding ministerial, professional, family and personal issues. Probably in the face of some important decision, you spent a few days reflecting on one of these questions: What is my vocation? What do I have to do in relation to my work? How should I proceed with college? Should I end my relationship? Not finding the answer easily makes us feel lost. It is at times like these that we can and should turn to God to ask Him to bring clarity to our thoughts and decisions. May we consecrate to Him everything we feel, think, plan and do. Remembering that you don’t need to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m 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 own way. Prayer “Lord my God and Father, we thank you for this day and for another breath of life you have given us. Father, we have a hard time deciding so many things, where […]

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June 09, 2022·Rapha Abreu

God unites people…

…through a commom purpose. This weekend is Valentine’s Day in Brazil. So I would like to talk about relationships. Not specifically about love relationships, but about whatever connection we can have with others. There is a well-known phrase in Portuguese that says “God does not unite people, unites purposes”. But does it make biblical sense? Let’s reflect together. About Purpose he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. – Ephesians 1:9-10 In the dictionary, purpose means intention. When two people’s intentions, pursuits, and desires are aligned, it’s the moment when bonding becomes natural. God has bring unity to all things in Christ. And He unites our hearts around His good pleasure, goals and will. In this way, by adding our strengths, we can express His Kingdom together. For a body to be a body, each member needs to be aligned and focused on being functional. Two legs only get us somewhere when both are aligned with the same goal, which is to move in the […]

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June 06, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Waiting for the Bridegroom

Our life is made of meetings, those remarkable, those not so much, some good and some bad. The meeting with the first job, with the person you love, the first day at school or at the college you dreamed of… Anyway, these are meetings that mark our journey, but today I want to talk to you about one in particular. The Parable of the Ten Virgins Jesus begins Matthew 25 with a parable, where He talks about 10 women, who were waiting for the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and the other five were foolish. It turns out that the bridegroom took a long time to pass and they all fell asleep. At midnight, a cry was heard declaring that the bridegroom was passing by: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ (v.6) The foolish ones began to ask the wise women for some of the oil as theirs had run out and they had not bought any more. However, the wise could not give of their oil. After all, it wouldn’t be enough for everyone. When the foolish ones went to look for oil to buy, the bridegroom passed and together with the wise ones He entered […]

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June 02, 2022·Rapha Abreu

[Series: Miracles of Jesus] Restoring sight

In the next 4 weeks I want to bring you some texts about the miracles of Jesus. I chose for today the miracle of restoring the sight of blind Bartimaeus, a beggar from Jericho who cried out for Christ to have mercy on him and heal him. Clamor out loud In the passage of Jesus through the city of Jericho, in the texts of Matthew in chapter 10, the blind man became aware of his presence and began to cry “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”. Many around him told him to shut up, but he continued to cry out loudly, as he didn’t care what the people around him thought, he just wanted to get closer to the Only Begotten. Then Jesus, hearing him, commanded that he be called to himself. At that moment, verse 50 says that he threw his cloak to the ground and ran to meet Jesus. The cover message The cover at that time showed the level of a certain person in society, so this Bartimaeus cover told everyone that he had a disability and was a beggar. She was different from the covers of people at a higher social level. Even before […]

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May 30, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Prayer: God’s Plans

Many times the Lord gives us promises and shows us His plans for our lives, but as time goes by we seem to lose faith that they are really going to happen or that they are in fact true. I encourage you to pray with me today, so that the Lord will renew hope in your heart, and that you will remember all the plans He told He has for your life. Remembering that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m 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 own way. Prayer Lord my God and Father, we thank You for this day of life, for Your goodness and also for Your love. Father, bring to our remembrance the plans and promises You have given us. Renew our hope for them to happen in our lives. May we walk by faith, trusting You and believing Your Word never fails. The days have been bad, but we know that You Lord is faithful and just to fulfill what You have promised […]

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May 26, 2022·Rapha Abreu

The power of discernment

“Discernment” comes from the Latin “Discernere”, which means: to separate, divide, recognize. This word in the Bible is placed as the intelligence of knowing how to distinguish things, like recognizing the voice of God, separating the good way from the bad, dividing what we should or should not do wisely. A well resolved life Having this wisdom in our lives is what determines whether we will have a successful life, as our choices and planning will be thought out with prudence and prudence. We gain this kind of intelligence through a relationship with God. For from Him comes all wisdom, as we see in Jeremiah 10:12: “But God made the earth by his power. He founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding“ The best advisor The closer we are to God, the more we perceive His voice guiding us. There is no better and greater guide than the Creator himself! And He is available to you at any time. God with all His wisdom and understanding proposes daily to share them with us, to teach us like a good master. He desires for each of us a snare-free walk in which we walk with balance and […]

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May 23, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Choose your priorities wisely

Currently, we have many priorities: work, studies, personal projects, among others. But have you ever stopped to think about YOUR priority? Are you prioritizing things wisely? God and wealth Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 The “treasures” that Jesus talks about in the above passage are not just money or possessions, but can be anything that is really important to us: desires, work, studies, personal projects, etc. It refers to what can even take the place of God in our lives. Concerning these things, the Lord directs us not to “store up”. After all, the Bible itself says that everything is fleeting. The truth is that we have to focus, first of all, on what produces results for eternity. Also in that same chapter, Jesus says in verse 33: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. […]

devotional priority

May 19, 2022·Rapha Abreu

Praise X Worship

These days I was reading about exaltation and I felt a desire to seek more about the difference between Praise and Worship. Also, is there a distinction? In grammar… Looking in the dictionary found these two meanings: Praise The act of extolling and glorifying something. Exalt the action of someone or a deity. We can see it as the act of talking, praising, putting out what you feel or think about something or someone. It’s about announcing something. An example text in the bible:Psalm 9:1-2: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High“. Worship Worship a superior being, a deity. Expression of affection, affection, homage or submission. Excessive love. Here it does not necessarily involve words, but it has to do with action, with doing and expressing. It’s about recognizing the greatness of something and acting in awe of it. An example text in the bible:Psalm 95:6: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker”. A mix of the two They are not contrary, they are complementary to each other. It is the […]

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May 16, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Prophesy Life

In Ezekiel 37, we are told a curious story: the Lord led the prophet to a valley of dry bones. And then in verse 3 a short dialogue is narrated. Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I replied, “Lord God, only you know.” Ezekiel 37:3 Ezekiel’s response was basically a “Thy will be done”, and that’s what happened. Then the Lord commanded the prophet to prophesy life on the bones. There was no hope there, but still, the prophet began to prophesy life over that valley, and the situation reported in verses 7 to 10 happened. So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!” So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they […]

devotional life prophesy

May 11, 2022·Rapha Abreu

The Christian as the Cedar of Lebanon

The Cedar of Lebanon is a common tree in mountainous regions and Mediterranean climate. This tree grows slowly, but reaches a great height, being considered one of the largest trees, reaching 40 meters. A curiosity about this tree is that, in the first 3 years of life, its root reaches almost 2 meters deep, even though its height is about 5 cm at that time. Only when its root is well-grounded and secure does the tree begin to grow in height. And that’s the point I want to bring up today. Don’t worry about the external This tree doesn’t need to show everyone at first how big it will be. This period is dedicated to her firmament, so that she stays strong at the base. The well-founded root is what prevents it from growing fragile, only then will it reach its final height with safety and strength. In Psalm 92:12 we find the following passage: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon” Christ wants us to grow like her, grounding us in His Word, focusing on the inside and strengthening our hearts so that, from there, our growth becomes visible without it melting […]

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May 05, 2022·Rapha Abreu

The gift of motherhood

It’s Mother’s Week and I couldn’t come here with a different subject. I want to honor them and remember the value of their role. Remember that when a child is born, with it is born a mother and her strength. A Strong mother Today I want to talk about Jochebed. At that time the King of Egypt, with the desire to prevent the growth of Israel, ordered that all boys born from the Hebrews should be killed or thrown to the crocodiles in the Nile River. Jochebed gave birth to Moses, who, by the law of the government, was to be given into the hands of soldiers to be sacrificed. But she was a woman of faith and made a basket, put Moses in it, and left him by the river, hoping the Lord would guide him to safety. This mother’s attitude could lead to her death, for disobedience to Pharaoh’s orders. But Jochebed trusted, surrendered everything to God and the heavens heard! The rest of the story you should already know, right? Across the river the basket reached the palace. The king’s daughter found the baby and felt sorry for him. Then Moses’ sister asked if the princess would […]

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May 04, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

What love is that?

There are people who dream of a super declaration of love, after all, this is a feeling that constantly affects our hearts, not only in romantic matters, but in general. It turns out that we often don’t think we’ve already received the greatest declaration of love we could ever receive. The incomprehensible love “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 We forget that He SO loved us. And we often say phrases like: “nobody loves me”. Jesus’ Sacrifice was so strong, so painful. Every pain He suffered, every drop of blood shed, was for me and you. And yet, many times we don’t surrender before Him when we remember that sacrifice, we talk like if it was just a small fact. So today let’s pray that the Father will bring us close and turn our heart of stone into a heart warmed by His love. Remembering that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m going to leave it here, because each of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to […]

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May 03, 2022·Gabriela Angerami

Prayer: Opening the Door to the Lord

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. – Revelation 3:20 As this passage reveals to us, the Lord desires to eat with us. I particularly like to have people over at home. I’m not the best person to decorate the table, but I like to separate my best glasses, cutlery and plates when I receive someone. That’s because my husband and I invite dear friends or people we want to be closer to to dinner at our house. Sharing a meal is a symbol of friendship or alliance. Jesus wants to be with us. He has already chosen to love us and reconcile us to the Father. Before we chose Him, He chose us (John 15:16), bought us and forgave us. Direct communion with the presence of God was re-established in the work of Christ. He made us worthy to sit at the table with the Lord. But for that, first we need to choose Him and open the door to Him. So let’s pray together making an invitation. May we open the door to every area of […]

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April 28, 2022·Rapha Abreu

What does it mean to be the ‘salt of the earth’?

Have you ever eaten a food without salt? If the answer is yes, you know how bland and totally different flavor it is without it. And that’s what I want to talk to you about today: Being the salt of the earth First, the salt in the dish In Matthew 5:13 we see the phrase “You are the salt of the earth…”. This condiment has the power to change the entire flavor of the food and enhance the qualities of the food. In this way, you were called to change the flavor of things. You can transform people’s lives, the world around you, highlight for each one how the Father’s love is present around us. For a long time I focused on this verse thinking it was too difficult. It felt like a lot of responsibility and something far away to be the salt for the whole earth. That’s because I forgot that the salt of the earth starts out being the salt of the dish. With every pinch I don’t need to be a person with all the talents and wisdom in the world to be able to salt something. I don’t need to charge myself to do something […]

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April 26, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Prayer for peace

During this time that we have lived, it has been difficult to feel peace. There are so many wars, fights among other circumstances that have caused us anguish and afflictions. Of course, we cannot hide from these situations, after all, the Lord told us that we would go through difficult times, but He also advises us in His Word to take heart (John 16:33). Through Philippians 4:7, we can believe that in Jesus we receive the peace that transcends all understanding. In Romans 5:1, the apostle Paul says that, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, on this day I invite you to pray with me for that peace that is promised in the Holy Scriptures. Remembering that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m 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 own way. Prayer Lord my God and Father, I thank you for this opportunity to be in your presence, for this breath of life that you have given us […]

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April 21, 2022·Rapha Abreu

The power of God’s touch

I was studying the book of Daniel these days and I found a passage that caught my attention. The main image of this message was the intensity of God’s light touch. That sounds a bit contradictory, right? But I will explain. The incessant search In Daniel 10:10 the prophet says: “A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees“ This verse refers to the touch that Daniel received from the messenger who was sent by God. The phrase “a hand touched me” makes us think of something serene. But the meaning is much greater! God’s touch on him, through the messenger, was so intense, so powerful, that it made Daniel, trembling, kneel down and lean on his hands. The extraordinary vision that Daniel had received before that touch had already made the other men hide, while he remained without strength, almost fainting, with his face on the ground (verse 8 and 9). Do not misunderstand me. God is a sweet and loving Father, but His touch is powerful. As smooth as it sounds, it’s brash and leaves nothing standing. Daniel says in verse 8 that there was no strength left in him. But will I fill that […]

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April 18, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

The Secret Place

You’ve probably heard of the expression “secret place”. When we are children we have places that we consider safe and hidden, and when it comes to our life with God it is not much different. God, me and the Secret Place When we go to the Bible the Lord is very clear to us: 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 6:6 “Going into our room” and praying is our Secret, the place we have to develop intimacy with God. It is also our Safe Place where we can rest and be ourselves. Before the Father we can show our worst side, because we know that He will take care of our wounds. In the Secret Place we can open our hearts The Word says: But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16 That is, Jesus also had his moments in the Secret with the Father. When Christ went to Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-36), he was sad and distressed. The moment was near when He would face the cross. He withdrew from […]

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April 14, 2022·Rapha Abreu

Where is your foundation?

Do you know what “Angular stone” is? The angular stone was the cornerstone used in ancient constructions. It was characterized by being the first stone placed in the corner of the building. From this stone, it was defined where the other stones would be placed. She was the beginning and foundation of the building, a specific stone. In the bible this stone is not something, it is someone! Psalm 118:22: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone“. But who is this stone? After this passage from Psalms we see in Ephesians 2:20: “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.“ Jesus is the cornerstone, it is from Him that it was possible to build a stronger construction, it’s for Him and through Him that we had the privilege of becoming the other subsequent stones. Today we can be the body of Christ! The miracle of the cross It was by the resurrection of Jesus that the veil that separates us from the presence of God was torn. That’s why today, we can be so close to Him that we are part of His body. Before He was God of a specific room, the Holy […]

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April 11, 2022·Ana Julia Luiz

Prayer for wisdom

Wisdom is about looking through God’s eyes and acting as such. This is a gift that we should all have. We understand its importance when we search the Scriptures and see that Solomon asked for it in his life. On that day, I invite you, as King Solomon did, to ask God for wisdom. Remembering that you don’t need to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m 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 my pleasure. Feel free to speak your own way. Prayer “Lord my God and Father, we thank you for this day, for another breath of life that you have given us. Father, on this day we ask You to give us wisdom to act in accordance with Your will and what You would do. During our days, we have to deal with many situations and make many decisions that we don’t know how to proceed, but we ask You Lord to give us wisdom so that we can live according to Your will every day. Holy Spirit, You are welcome into our lives to help us […]

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April 07, 2022·Rapha Abreu

How to protect your heart?

In Proverbs 2, the value of wisdom and how it helps us to have discernment is described in some verses. This discernment protects our hearts so that we can make choices based on God’s will, which is always good, perfect, and pleasing. What is it to be wise? To be wise is to look at life through the eyes of God and act according to what He says. The famous question “What would Jesus do?”. This leads us to have a worthy life in Him, learning to value life and everything that is given to us as an undeserved gift. This discernment received through a life with wisdom allows our eyes to see the real value of things, the opportunities, the paths that come from the Father… You need to seek that gift Wisdom is a gift from God that can only be obtained through Him (Proverbs 2:6: For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.). The search for it in the Lord must begin with us. When we know what the truth is, the false becomes obvious to us. It protects our heart. As it is counseled in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything […]

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