JFA Blog

Reflections, studies and news for your walk with God.

August 05, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Apple of the eye

We are children of God, which means He will always have a fatherly gaze toward us, a gaze of care and protection. He knows how limited we are and how we err, knows that we are imperfect and defenseless, and that we need His love and care. I want to invite you to pray together to recognize the sovereignty of God. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer Father, we are grateful with all our hearts for Your unconditional love and infinite patience. We recognize that we are immature and often act impulsively, without considering the consequences of our actions, frequently disobeying Your word. Even amidst our failures and limitations, You love us and welcome us with open arms. We are beloved children and we know that Your eyes are upon us like those of a Father who loves and cares. We are small and defenseless and […]

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August 01, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Immature and loved

We have already talked about how dependent we are on the Father. No matter how much we know how to do certain things on our own, the best choice is still to follow His steps. He wants to be in control of our lives because He dreams of the best for us. Patient father “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:8-11 God knows everything, so He is by our side, already aware of our limitations and human mistakes. But He is patient with our childishness and immaturity. He knows our lack of knowledge and our difficulty in controlling ourselves. The Bible says in several verses how the Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in love. In all the ancient stories, we see God showing immeasurable patience with His people, guiding them through spiritual deserts and moments of darkness. He sees us as beloved children, […]

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July 29, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Dependent on the Lord

I want to take this moment today to pray together. May we recognize that no matter how much we know how to get by and how independent we are most of the time, we will always depend on God’s love and grace. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer Lord God, thank You for enabling me every day and strengthening me in all situations. Without You, I go nowhere. As much as I know how to do and decide things on my own, I depend entirely on Your wisdom and strength. Father, I know that in many moments of life I feel capable and independent, but I also know that without Your guidance, all my efforts are in vain. Lord, pour out Your divine wisdom upon me, which illuminates my path and teaches me the right direction. Teach me to always seek Your counsel before making decisions, […]

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July 25, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Independents

I don’t know the exact moment when you matured, when you realized that it was necessary to grow up. In each season of our lives, we learn something that shapes and transforms us. We learn so many things simultaneously and end up not giving everything its due value. Time to grow “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 I started working at 13 years old. I helped at a stationery store on the avenue near my house. It wasn’t my parents’ desire, and they only allowed it because they saw that it was my desire to have my own money and learn. As the owner of the place was a friend of theirs, I was able to go in to help her. I did various tasks, some days cleaning to maintain the environment, receiving new merchandise, among many other things that, even though they seemed small, made me grow a lot. I matured very early. Since that age, I knew the value of my money and my work, I had my responsibilities, […]

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July 23, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Don’t compare yourself!

You know that person you admire and look up to? I need to tell you something: she also has bad days, and her life is not perfect. Lives on screen These people will not go around shouting to the world that they have health problems, financial problems, or what struggles they are facing to everyone around them. Just like you don’t tell everyone that yesterday you went to sleep crying. What we see on social media or in person when we go out is a very small part of the lives of the people around us; there is no way to base it solely on that. God has been acting in your life too, delivering miracles and blessings every day. Don’t look around, don’t compare your path with others. Understand what He has done for you individually, with a measure made especially for you. You are loved You are no less loved because you are crying while others laugh. Just like it doesn’t mean God loves you more because you’re smiling now while others cry. Battles are necessary; struggles exist to make us grow and teach us, and we all go through them. We let the world see what suits […]

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July 18, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Deciding paths

God knows what is best for us and wants to have intimacy and freedom to act in our lives. To do this, we need to position ourselves in the face of situations so that there is real change and transformation in us and around us. Let’s pray together about this position? Prayer “Father, everything that You expect from us and dream for our lives is already written in Your book. I know that we need to seek answers from You and we ask for wisdom and direction on this path. Grant us the wisdom to form our opinions according to Your will. May we seek Your guidance in all the decisions we need to make, focusing on achieving Your dreams for us. May we have the courage to let go of the old self, allowing a real transformation in us and around us. God, we want to fully trust You as our guide. Help us to remain firm in the face of situations that arise and do not allow us to deviate from the paths that You have designed for us. Strengthen our relationship with You, granting us unshakable confidence in Your love and Your wisdom, showering us with discernment. […]

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July 16, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Stand firm!

A position defines your limits and ideals. We are generally afraid to take a stand, as it brings many changes. Change is scary, and the beginning is uncomfortable. But you are not alone! Free in Christ “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 Often, when making the right decision, we get the impression that everything is going wrong around us. This happens because the light turns on and reveals everything. What you previously couldn’t see in the dark is now clear and visible, fixable. When we do not position ourselves in the face of a situation, we allow it to remain covered in uncertainty and fear, generating trauma within us. We get stuck in situations that make us sick. God offered you freedom and wants to introduce you to a lighter way of living life. Allowing changes “Whoever watches the wind will not plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” Ecclesiastes 11:4 There will be times when your positioning will make you lose people, or it will be necessary for you to say goodbye to places and dreams. In other situations, He will not move you from place to place or keep you […]

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July 11, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Building tomorrow

Previously, I spoke to you about being grateful for everything we have today. The Father pours blessings upon us every day so that we can build our future with Him. Shall we pray about this gratitude? You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, the Lord pours so much upon us! Unique blessings and wonders, things that we only achieve by being in You, for the Lord is the source of everything! Help us to recognize and value everything You have already placed in our hands, to live a life of gratitude, even without having yet reached the place we dreamed of, but recognizing that the Lord places us in a place of honor every day, before Your grace and majesty! May our eyes be open to see each of the blessings we have already received, for it is through what we have and are now that the Lord […]

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July 08, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Where does the future begin?

You know that dream you have? That goal you work so hard to achieve? God is working on it today! Molded now Many times we want something so much that we can only look forward, forgetting today. But don’t belittle what you’re experiencing now, because this is when God is working. He is using what you have today so that you can achieve what you want and need tomorrow. He wants who you are today to transform and shape who you will be tomorrow. For the next day to come, you need to wait for today to end. So, make this day count! Creating today What you have may seem little to you now, because what we dream of is usually greater than what we already have, and what God has for us is even greater. This makes us look forward to tomorrow and close our eyes to the present. But God will use what you have now. Everything He has already placed in your hands is crucial so that you have the tools necessary to build the future. Everything you will experience begins based on the way you live today, the choices and directions you take now. Don’t forget […]

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July 04, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Too busy for Christ

When we choose to listen to the Lord, we take the best path. Spending our time at the feet of Christ is the best choice, and nothing else matters when we have this closeness to Him. In Luke 10, we see God clearly express this truth to Martha and Mary. Hear Him now! “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” Luke 10:38-39 Mary left behind everything that had to be done in the house, as she knew what a great opportunity it was to have Jesus there with them. They could hear the Master, face to face, sitting with them. We don’t encounter Jesus in the flesh, like they did. But we have Him with us every day and at all times. He lives in our hearts, and we can talk to Him at any time of the day. The Lord knocks on the door to sit with us too and invites us to be at His feet, listening to everything He has to teach. All […]

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July 01, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Unconditional Faith

God does not measure your faith by its size; He just wants your complete surrender. All your faith placed in Him. I want to invite you to pray together so that the Lord teaches us more and more about this faith and surrender. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, I know that life’s journey often includes difficult paths and challenges that seem insurmountable, but I choose to focus on You, because I know that Your presence is all I need. Help me understand that facing difficult times does not mean that my faith is small, but that it is an opportunity to grow in trust and dependence on You. Strengthen my heart and mind so that I can face each challenge with the certainty that You are with me, guiding me and supporting me at every step. Teach my heart to place all my faith […]

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June 27, 2024·Rapha Abreu

How do I measure my faith?

Difficult times do not mean little faith. Walking with God does not make us immune to difficulties and pain. But God taught us in the Bible the difference it makes to be with Him, walking in His footsteps. Faith in the lion’s den “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” Matthew 7:24-26 The storm comes for everyone, both for those who built their house on the sand and for those who built their house on the rock. Difficulties will always exist; the difference is in the foundation, where we are built. Our trust cannot be in something volatile; we need to establish it in God. Just as in the story of Daniel, when he was thrown into a pit full of hungry lions, he stood firm, not in his […]

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June 24, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Directing dreams

There are dreams that are aligned with God’s, others that walk outside of God’s footsteps, and even those that are blessed by the Lord but become wrong dreams because we seek them incorrectly, far from God’s teachings. I want to invite you to pray together at this moment so that our dreams and paths align with those of the Father. Only in this way can we bear fruit for the Kingdom and experience everything that God desires for us. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank You for everything You give to me. Be the Author of my dreams and the guide of my paths. May my dreams and projects be in perfect harmony with Yours, so that I can live according to Your purpose and Your will. Teach my heart to discern the desires that You have, and may my plans be in accordance […]

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June 20, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Cursed dreams

I’ve read a lot about frustrated dreams, when we think that God doesn’t care about what our heart desires and does everything to do the opposite. Only later do I realize how this is a response from a spoiled child. We do not seek to understand the Father’s will and where it will lead us. We spend our time questioning why our dream didn’t happen, without seeing the wonders that were possible to be experienced in place of that interrupted plan. Zealous Father No, God doesn’t want to see you cry. In fact, I believe that it hurts the Lord, as a Father, to see His children suffering for something that did not happen. But He knows what’s best for you. Not only does He know what is best for us, He also knows the best way. I’m talking about this because there is a big difference between not getting what you want and not getting it the way you want. Sometimes God is not denying you what you dream of. But He may be saying “no” to the way you are trying. There are dreams that are not good for you, even if you don’t see any dangers in […]

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June 18, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Creating foundations

Previously, I talked to you about focusing on the structure of the building, laying the foundation, and strengthening the house. Shall we pray about this today? So that we can stand on the firm rock that is Jesus. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, we know that true transformation begins from the inside out. The search for it must be in secret, in our intimacy with You, where we are molded and renewed in Your image. Teach us to focus on what is within us. Enable us to seek Your face in prayer, meditating and studying Your Word, allowing Your Holy Spirit to work deeply in our hearts. May we grow spiritually in secret, away from the eyes of the world, being transformed according to Your will, forgetting the spotlight that our ego seeks and just wanting to be under Your gaze. Lord, we want […]

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June 12, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Structured by the Creator

Human beings have always cared about what can be seen. We have observed beauty standards for people and places being imposed since ancient times, and we tend to focus more on that than on who we are inside and what we do when no one is watching. But who are you inside? What is your identity? What is its structure? Surface base “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:24 Nowadays, with technology and so much information, appearance and what you are like on the outside have become an unhealthy concern. We think we know people because of what they seem to be, and we choose to go to places because of what they appear to be. Then we get frustrated when we get to know the inside; we place a lot of expectations on what we form from such a superficial characteristic. I don’t know about you, but I love home decor. Seeing an organized, clean, and beautiful environment is something I really appreciate. The look always catches our attention. We are dazzled by what adorns us and, most of the time, we are led to focus more on it. In the end, what matters least […]

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June 11, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Fire that purifies

God wants to purify us like gold, making us a mirror of who He is. To do this, we need to allow Him the freedom in our lives to act as He desires. Shall we pray together about this? Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, thank You for all You do in our lives. We give You complete freedom right now to do whatever You want, however You want, whenever You want. Prepare me for everything I have prayed for and align my dreams with Yours. We want to be purified and shaped into the image of Christ. Lord, we ask that You purify us as gold is refined in fire; burn with Your fire in us. Remove from us all impurities, all sins, and imperfections that prevent us from reflecting Your glory. May Your Holy Spirit work deeply in our hearts, transforming and renewing […]

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June 06, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Purified like gold

The Bible tells us in several passages that God fashions us like new vessels and purifies His people like gold and silver. While studying and listening to some sermons on this, I found a deeper meaning on the subject: the way gold looks after going through the fire. Separated For gold to be purified, it is placed at a high temperature for a certain time. This metal is not found pure in nature; it is common to find it mixed with silver or other materials. Therefore, this purification becomes necessary. It’s the same with us. We were created by God and received the identity of Christ in our lives. But we are in the world and we are human beings with flaws. God needs to separate us from what makes us unclean. We need to go through a long process of purification and refinement. These steps hurt and don’t happen on our schedule. They occur at the right time and the correct temperature. It is not easy to be refined, and it is not painless to be purified, but God strengthens us at each moment of the process and promises us His protection. Becoming a mirror “So God created mankind in his […]

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June 04, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Be available

In the previous text, we talked about being free from ties and things in our hands that take up space, making it impossible for us to receive what God has for us. Today, I want to pray with you about this, to be available to God. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, we are here at this moment with sincere and humble hearts. Today, we want to place ourselves entirely at Your disposal, desiring to fully live out Your purposes and plans for our lives. Lord, help us to identify and remove from our lives everything that binds and hinders us, preventing us from being completely available to You. May we discern what occupies the place that belongs only to You in our hearts and minds. God, may we free our hands from unnecessary worries, material attachments, toxic relationships, and dreams that are not […]

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May 29, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Unbind Yourself!

We hear a lot about being available for what God is going to do. The Bible says in several passages that we need to open our hearts and allow the Lord to act in our lives. But, after all, what does this mean? Be aware “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 Being available does not mean being idle but being open and attentive. To be available, you can’t be tied to something; it is necessary that we are not entangled in any situation. When we try to embrace the world, we lose focus, and that puts us in a spider’s web. We make our lives so busy that we don’t have free time to pay attention to what the Lord wants to do. This makes us miss opportunities because we are too busy and miss the blessings of heaven because we are distracted by things that take us nowhere and just take up unnecessary space. Make room for “yes” “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries […]

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May 28, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Blessed to Bless

The Lord has a calling for each of us, with a personal and individual direction. But this calling is for the Kingdom, not for oneself. In the word of God, we are encouraged to love as God loved us, caring for one another and being channels of blessings to those around us. The answer to someone’s prayer could be you! Today, I want to invite you to pray together for this sense of community and body, so that we may understand that, in addition to our calling to serve the Kingdom, we must also serve people. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, I want to thank You for Your blessings upon my family and friends. I ask that You use me as a channel, so that I can be an answer to prayer in their lives, bringing Your love and light. Illuminate our paths […]

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May 23, 2024·Gabriela Angerami

We should take care of each other

We often assume that caring for people within the church is solely the responsibility of leaders or pastors. However, the Gospel instructs us to love our neighbors as God does and to emulate the example of the Good Shepherd, Jesus. I believe that if we grasped the concept that caregiving and shepherding aren’t exclusive duties of ordained pastors, the entire church would function more effectively. If individuals understood their call to care for one another in a compassionate manner, conflicts might be less severe, and many situations could be managed more adeptly or with greater empathy. We all need to learn to view circumstances through a lens of compassion and caring. How Jesus Demonstrated Care Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. – Luke 4:38-40 Your text is clear and well-structured, but […]

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May 21, 2024·Gabriela Angerami

Blessing your family

Last year, during one of the meetings at my church, we discussed how parents’ generosity blesses their children. Each person shared a different experience that, in some way, highlighted this idea. David’s Great-Grandparents Do you know who King David’s great-grandparents were? Some biblical narratives teach us about generosity and its blessings for families. I’d like to emphasize the story of Ruth and Boaz here. They were King David’s great-grandparents and are also mentioned in the genealogy of Christ, as we see in the Gospels, where Jesus is depicted as a direct descendant of King David. The book of Ruth narrates their story. Ruth, an incredibly generous woman, chose to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi after losing her husband, despite having the option to return to her family. She famously declared, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16). Together, they returned to Naomi’s homeland, Israel. Ruth committed herself to caring for her mother-in-law and started working in the fields to support them both. It was there that she met Boaz, a man who showed kindness to them. Boaz had heard of […]

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May 14, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Becoming unrecognizable

The journey of faith needs to make us unrecognizable. This does not mean forcing ourselves to look like something we are not, but truly being transformed. Processes “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 Nothing changes who God is; no situation or person holds such power. But nothing remains the same wherever God passes. His presence needs to kill who you are so that you become more and more like Him. At times, we try to change the Lord without realizing it. We want to teach Him how to do something, aligning His desires with ours, not the other way around. The problem is that this frustrates us and keeps us away from our promises because we are the ones who need change and direction. Change hurts; the refinement process is painful at some points. We need to let go of who we are used to being. And the secret to getting through all this stronger is to focus on who we will become while walking with Christ. […]

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