JFA Blog

Reflections, studies and news for your walk with God.

December 13, 2023·Rapha Abreu

An eternity to love

Eternity is something difficult for us to understand. This is because humans are destined to end, humanly and physically speaking. We get hurt, feel pain, are fragile, and mortal. But when we stop to think about this, we may ask ourselves, ‘But what will God do there?’ After all, a perfect place, with His full presence, without any evil, what will He do? Simple, what He has always done and continues to do in Eternity: to love. From the beginning “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.“ Genesis 1:3,4 The world has never been the result of an eternity filled with boredom and emptiness. God was not idle, just thinking of writing a simple story to fill His time. He is complete; everything needs Him to exist, it has never been the other way around. But He loved! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit already coexisted in perfection, and the creation of such a vast universe was always so that this perfect and complete love could overflow. The world is the full expression of God’s great love and, as it is so sovereign and complete, He invites us to also discover this lifestyle. God’s love […]

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December 12, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Bought by the blood

I spoke to you in the previous text about the price paid through the blood of Jesus to redeem our sins. Today, I want to pray about recognizing and remembering this sacrifice daily. We need to surrender and pour out our hearts completely and constantly. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank you. I express gratitude today because I can call you Father, all thanks to the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. I can now pray to the Lord wherever I am, without the need for sacrifices or grand temples. I acknowledge the sacrifice of Jesus, which allowed me to receive the Holy Spirit into my heart, granting me the privilege of living in Your love and care, even without deserving it, being Your home. Teach me to deeply understand the meaning of this redemptive act and to value the price paid […]

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December 07, 2023·Rapha Abreu

It wasn’t for free

It wasn’t free. Nothing Jesus did, nothing the Father poured out, was without value or cost. We hear the word “grace” so much that we confuse it with something that doesn’t have a value or that doesn’t need a price to be paid. However, I emphasize, nothing in the Bible was free, but everything came through grace and because of it. It is finished “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 You were bought at a price… The cross was a delivery, a payment, so that God’s grace could reach everyone. I’m not saying that we can buy God, but rather that a cross price was paid for us to reach the Father. We have so many mistakes, so many flaws and faults in our human configuration. Nothing we could do would be able to redeem and cleanse everything we have done, are doing and will still do. Nothing can purify us from our impure way of living except the grace of God. This grace represents unconditional love. If this love is unconditional, the name itself already says that it does not need conditions to exist. The mercy and unmerited favor given by […]

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December 05, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Promises that guide us

We are often frightened by new paths and only obey God when He explains every detail of what lies ahead to us. But most of the time, He won’t tell us where. He will just show us what we should do now, and as we obey, new paths will take shape in front of us. Today I want to pray for this so that we trust when there is light to see each step, but also (and even more) when everything is dark and abstract. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, in this moment of reflection and prayer, I open my heart to You. Help me recognize Your greatness and faithfulness more and more each day, placing complete trust in You. I don’t need to know the entire path, nor do I want to rely on my understanding of each step to be […]

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November 30, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Guided by a Promise

New beginnings are, in a way, endings too. Moving forward means leaving old steps behind. The difficulty in starting over lies both in the uncertainty of the unknown and in the nature of endings. A step in the dark “Truly my soul finds rest in God. My salvation comes from him.” Psalm 62:1 Many times, God calls us to start over, and we take a long time to take action, waiting for Him to tell us what to do after the first step. However, starting over is not necessarily linked to knowing what to do, but rather to continuing to sail even without knowing where the boat is going, resting in the truth that Jesus is in that boat. Noah didn’t know where the boat was going; nothing he knew before existed at that moment, everything was below his vision, flooded. However, he continued, for that was what the Lord commanded. You won’t have the answers at all times; The Lord is not a GPS that will constantly be telling you to turn or go straight. But His silence never meant His absence or lack. He put you on the boat, and He will take that boat to the right place, […]

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November 28, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: A good soldier

Whenever I hear the word “Missions,” I remember soldiers who are placed in front of tasks that must be completed in the best way, seeking excellence in carrying them out. We are those soldiers in the Gospel. In addition to being called as Children of God, we are also included in the mission of spreading the word, making it known and desired. Today, I want to pray about this Christian mission, about us as His soldiers. Remember that you don’t need to pray in the same way as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of talking to the Father, and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. Feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way, and, if you wish, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, I lift my heart to You at this moment, laying at Your feet my complete reverence and a full surrender to You. I desire to be a faithful instrument in Your hands, seeking to be an increasingly effective soldier in carrying out Your works. May my entire being be dedicated to proclaiming Your Gospel and truth, spreading Your […]

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November 23, 2023·Rapha Abreu

The Christian Mission

The Gospel continually teaches us about our mission as christians. This goes beyond what we can measure in distance or time. It doesn’t matter the geographical distance or the time it takes to fulfill this mission. What really matters is how deeply we carry it out and how our hearts are devoted to this purpose. Instructed by love “In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome” 1 John 5:3 The Bible instructs us in various ways and through various texts about the missionary role we have as christians. It invites us to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. When we think of missionary work, it’s common to think about trips to Africa or other countries. But Jesus urges us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, spreading the love of the Father and His message of mercy and grace. The ‘Great Commandment,’ revealed by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39, is the fundamental basis for the missionary call. This love that renounces our own desires and wishes is the driving force behind the Christian mission. When we love […]

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November 21, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Liberation

I invite you to join me in prayer today, seeking deliverance and the true freedom that comes from God. Our Father desires our hearts to be free from guilt, remorse, and the shackles of sin. Life with the Lord leads us to a healthy fear of Him, which, in turn, guides us to obey His will. Let not the weight of sin and guilt keep you at a distance from Him, preventing you from recognizing the intricate details of His work in your life. Keep in mind that you don’t have to follow my words precisely in prayer. Each person has their unique way of communing with the Father, and it’s crucial that we individually strive for intimacy with Him. So, feel free to speak to the Lord in your own manner. However, if you’d like, I’d be delighted to join you in this prayer. PRAYER God, thank you for never giving up on me. Despite my mistakes, Your love persists, and Your arms remain open to welcome me back. Open my eyes to see Your wonders and continuous blessings in every detail of my days. I want to avoid the risk of complaining about something that You, Lord, did […]

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November 16, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Message not sent

The word thrown can hurt, both those who receive it and those who say it. It is capable of dirtying our spirit. But it can also positively transform places and hearts. It is capable of hurting and healing. But what have your words done? Do you understand how important they are? Artificial world “Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.” Proverbs 10:19 Since I was a child, I was taught that we should control what we say, that this is part of self-control. It’s something difficult to do in moments of great emotions (good or bad), because at the time the feeling ends up taking over us, if we’re not focused. And we end up losing control of what comes out of our mouths. We are in a technological era full of different functionalities. We can communicate with someone miles and miles away as if we were right next to each other. This facilitates and unites, but if we don’t know how to balance the use of technology, we easily lose control in our real lives. Power of the word “From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled. With the harvest […]

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November 14, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Slaves of pain

Have you ever thought about losing all the things we complain about? If we were to lose our jobs because we complain about them, if we were denied access to places because of our complaints, or to people, situations, opportunities… Complaining about something is often connected to a lack of appreciation for it, even if only for a brief moment. It’s when something irritates me to the point of blinding my eyes to the value it holds in my life. Activate the faith. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance, character. And character, hope. 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 Many times, we complain about storms and difficult situations. We forget that it is precisely these adversities that activate our faith and lead us to new levels with God. It’s not about a bad life, but rather a challenging day, perhaps just a complicated hour that, if we dwell on for hours, can ruin the entire day. Then, we ruin weeks, months, and even years! The reality is that we […]

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November 09, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Overcoming

In the previous text, I spoke to you about the feeling of overcoming and renewal that the end of the year brings and how we should learn to use it to improve and grow, to fully trust in God. Today, I want to pray with you about this moment, about leaving the past behind and focusing on the future with hope for tomorrow. You don’t need to pray exactly as I will write here. I know that everyone has their own way of talking to the Father, and it is important for each of us to individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable to talk to the Lord in your own way. But if you’d like, I’ll be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Lord, how good it is to be able to trust in You and rest in the truth that You will do infinitely more than I have ever dreamed or asked. Lead me to reach even higher places than I’ve already reached. Remind me that nothing I’ve lost compares to what lies ahead; nothing matches what I will receive from You. However, I desire to focus on nothing more than Your presence. I may […]

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November 07, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Overcoming

I have a special affection for the story of Joseph. It speaks about overcoming, forgiveness, perseverance, dreams, and faith. Joseph suffered physically and psychologically. He was emotionally wounded, saw bonds being broken in all his relationships, and experienced God’s silence for a while. But in every moment, he remained steadfast in his faith and held onto his hope in the promises of the Lord. Focus on What’s to come “…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” Philippians 3:13 I don’t know if it happens the same for you, but when the end of the year approaches, I feel the need for overcoming. Overcoming the bad things that happened, learning from the difficulties, and leaving them behind, looking forward to the sense of renewal that a new year brings. At this time, I always remember the story of Joseph, which teaches a lot about overcoming, that is, about leaving the past behind and striving to achieve every dream we have. After everything Joseph went through, he was elevated to a position of great influence and power in Egypt, becoming an instrument to save his people from famine. The one who experienced hunger, poverty, forgetfulness, sadness, and the feeling of […]

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November 02, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Prepared for the return

Since I can remember, most people talk about the return of Christ in a frightening way, filled with fear. I have reverence for that day, but the fear has ceased to be a part of my heart when I truly understood that it’s just anticipation for His return. I long at every moment for the time when He will come, so I can meet Him and know Him face to face. The only thing that scares me about this is my lack of action on the matter. I’m afraid that my lack of attention will increase and I will become distracted, forgetting Jesus’ return. Now that can fill my head with thoughts I’m afraid of. Today I want to pray with you about this, about turning our attention and goals to His return. About preparing ourselves and having an open and transformed heart for this long-awaited arrival. We need to act at all times for the return of the Son. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of talking to the Father and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking […]

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October 31, 2023·Rapha Abreu

The sign of return

The Bible is full of details, and the more we study and get to know it, the more we realize those that make all the difference. Today, I want to talk about the death of Jesus and how the tomb was left when the promise is fulfilled. Folding the cloth When Jesus died, a cloth was placed over his face at the time of burial. In John 20:7, we can see that the cloth was not just left aside when He rose, as all the cloths were left in the tomb: “…while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.“ At that time, while the master was eating, the servant would stay out of his sight. When he finished, he would crumple the cloth and set it aside, which meant the servant could clear the table, as the master would not return. If the master got up but, before doing so, folded the cloth, it meant he would come back, and the servant should wait for him. Other studies also suggest that if a man went to eat at the house of his intended bride’s family and folded the cloth when […]

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October 26, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: A Worship Heart

It all starts within us. God first plants a seed in our heart, prepares it, and then this tree grows and can be seen by other people, making us a channel of God’s word and blessings. Today I want to pray with you about this order. So that we can understand the importance of first contemplating God’s grace and love, and only after worshiping Him in spirit and truth, we express this externally in words and praise. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. Each one has a specific way of talking to God and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. I want you to be comfortable talking to the Lord in His way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank you for offering me a heart like Yours every day. Thank you, because even though I am a failure, the Lord shapes me every day. Teach me to worship You first, within my heart, with my being and spirit, so that later I can express it in words and actions. May people see the shine of Jesus in me […]

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October 24, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Start with your heart

Everything we express comes from our heart, everything we do flows from it and God knows it deep down. That’s why we first need to fill ourselves to be able to overflow. This is being a channel, because we can’t take people around us to a place we haven’t been to yet. Born from within “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 When we fill our heart with gratitude, worshiping the Lord becomes a natural response from our body. Praising Him is in our essence. Our body needs to worship the Creator, but this needs to start first in our heart. I’ve always heard that first we need to introject, and only then can we project. You can never lead a person to worship if you have never worshiped in Spirit and in truth. Many times, even before you minister over someone’s life in words, people will see God in you, in your actions, and in your lifestyle. When you are filled with the Spirit, you exhale it naturally, without having to strain. It overflows from within and reaches hearts, without needing words in sermons. Jesus, even without speaking, on several occasions healed and […]

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October 19, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Decoding messages

In the previous text I brought you a phrase that appeared several times in some dreams I had. Today I want to use this space to pray for clarity. Just as I sought answers from God, I want to pray that He gives us an open heart to receive and understand the messages He has to give us. Furthermore, I would also like to ask for patience in the process, so that we respect the right time for each step along the way. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of talking to the Father and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. Feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank you for always speaking to me, for guiding me and comforting me with Your sweet voice. Make my ears attentive to everything You want to tell me. Give me courage and boldness to follow everything You tell me and wisdom to understand and respect each process. I don’t want to skip steps, God. I don’t […]

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October 17, 2023·Rapha Abreu

First, put your feet on

Always before going to sleep I pray that, in addition to protection and rest during the night, the Lord visits me in my dreams to speak to me. Sometimes He comes, and I know when it’s Him because I remember every detail of some specific parts, and those parts don’t leave my mind. In 2022 I had a special dream where a person brought me a phrase and, since then, I have dreamed more times with the same phrase brought in different ways in each dream. I didn’t understand it very well, but now it’s clear to me and I want to share it. Seeking answers in Him “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 In dreams, this phrase was always delivered through people or appeared printed in places. When I understood it, it never appeared to me again. The sentence in Portuguese said something like: “We must not eat salt until it is on our feet and coating our steps.” To me it seemed like an enigma and, whenever I tried […]

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October 11, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Focused on the miracle

In the last text I talked about some small miracles in our days that we let go unnoticed because we are focused on other situations, waiting for big signs while God does small things every day. Today I want to use this space to pray together for open eyes and a vision focused on the Father and His small and great wonders. Focused on the small and powerful clouds of the Lord that bring renewing rains. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to write here. Each one has a specific way of talking to God and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. I want you to be comfortable talking to the Lord in His way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. PRAYER Father, I want to thank You today for Your daily and wonderful actions. From the small details to those actions that easily catch our attention and make our eyes shine. May my vision be focused on each of these events. I want to have my eyes open to contemplate everything the You do and worship You from the small cloud to the […]

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October 10, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Unnoticed Miracles

Even though I am a very observant person who pays attention to the smallest details, there are times when I let events go unnoticed. When it seems like we’ve been stagnant for a long time and that our life is stuck in the same place, it means we need to pay more attention to something. There may be miracles that are not receiving due attention. Grains that become beaches “Go and look toward the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked. ‘There is nothing there,’ he said. Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.” 1 Kings 18:43-45 Guimarães Rosa, a Brazilian poet, one day wrote a sentence that really impacted me: “When nothing happens, there is a miracle that we are not seeing.” If for a year you’ve felt like your life is going nowhere, you’re definitely not paying attention to small miracles every day. God is always doing. On some days something big, which easily captures our attention, and on other days small grains of sand that gradually fill in and form a large beach. Small miracles deserve our attention and gratitude. God doesn’t just do what you can see from miles away. But also things […]

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October 05, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Right Intention

In the last text I talked about how our heart needs to be focused on the correct intention. We must follow God’s paths and desires, always working with the intention that His work is done everywhere through our lives and in the best possible way. We will never be perfect channels, but we are the imperfect instruments that He perfects at each new stage in the process of building His work. He doesn’t want you to be perfect so that He can use you, He just wants your heart to be generous and humble, totally focused on His voice. And that’s what I want to pray with you about right now. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to pray here. I know that everyone has a specific way of talking to the Father and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. I want you to feel comfortable talking to Him in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, I am embarrassed to remember how, even without me deserving it, You use me and shape me in Your love. Instruct and teach my heart […]

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October 03, 2023·Rapha Abreu

What is your real intention?

Generosity is something difficult to put into practice, as most of the time it is accompanied by sacrifice. Whether it’s sacrificing part of our time to serve someone or even donating material resources, which we often don’t have spare, but we do so to share with those in need. Therefore, serving and being generous is an act of courage and gratitude. Surrender and devotion “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless, I will show my salvation.” Psalm 50:23 We need to be generous, because through this action, in addition to serving other people, we express our gratitude through giving, whatever the scope. More than give material resources or donate our time, we need to look at everything we have, all areas of our lives, in a generous way. Because generosity is at the essence of the Gospel. Pastor Tim Keller said something interesting in one of his sermons: Jesus Christ was the only human being who was not simply born, but who was delivered. God gave, donated His son out of love for us. Christ gave himself out of love for us. He became poor so that we could become rich. Through this surrender of Christ we […]

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September 28, 2023·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Peace beyond the rain

Having the peace that passes all understanding means being at peace on rainy days as well as on sunny days. Whether in difficult times or when everything is going well. It goes beyond all the reasons that surround us for being good or bad in a situation, it goes beyond everything we have within us and around us. Today I want to pray with you about this peace, so that we can ask God to fill us with it and that it is not just an emotion in our hearts, but a lifestyle. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has a specific way of talking to the Father and it is important to have our intimacy with Him. I want you to feel comfortable talking to Him in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, even though there are reasons to cry, I know that I have even more reasons to smile, through the joy of the Lord that was deposited in my heart. Open my physical and spiritual eyes so that I can focus on the reasons […]

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September 25, 2023·Rapha Abreu

How does the glory reveal itself?

Anyone who has never tried to take control out of God’s hands should throw the first stone… I often thought that my way was better and closed my ears to what He had to say to me. I closed my eyes to His ways and followed a direction that I invented and judged to be sensible. In some moments when I decided for myself and for myself, everything worked out right away. But then I saw everything falling apart, becoming almost impossible to hold. He’s not like us “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 If miracles happened as we imagine and according to our dynamics of faith, those miracles we see in the Bible would be different and much less impactful. This is because often, in our prayers, we plead for deliverance, and not for more structure and strength to face a given situation. But the glory of God is revealed in the midst of trials. We would not recognize the Father’s grace if it were equal to our thoughts and actions. We would easily think that a certain event occurred due to our strength […]

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