August 31 Devotion -HAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD?

Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

احمدوا الرب ادعوا باسمه. عرفوا بين الامم باعماله.

Psalm 105:1

 

When we face problems or tribulations we frequently try to figure out the solution ourselves or call someone to ask for a solution. We may be also seeking sympathy and support from othersto help us feel better.

How would you react if that someone you called instead of listening and/or offering you a solution said “While I appreciate you calling me, let me ask you: have you talked to God about it? Have you prayed?”

God’s word is telling us:  Call upon His name. God loves to hear His name on our lips, and He promises to respond to the prayer that follows.
 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. I praise You and glorify You. Lord, guide me and strengthen me to seek You first and pray to You first before seeking human intervention. God bless me with the gift of always having Your name on my lips. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you.
Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

يَارَبُّ ارْحَمْنَا. إِيَّاكَ انْتَظَرْنَا، كُنْ عَضُدَنَا فِي الصَّبَاحِ، وَخَلاَصَنَا فِي أَثْنَاءِ الْمِحْنَةِ.
Isaiah 33:2

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 30 Devotion - PEA-SIZED CHRISTIANITY

 

He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لِخَطَايَانَا، لاَ لِخَطَايَانَا فَقَطْ، بَلْ لِخَطَايَا الْعَالَمِ كُلِّهِ.

1 John 2:2

 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

فَتَقَدَّمَ يَسُوعُ وَكَلَّمَهُمْ قَائِلاً: «دُفِعَ إِليَّ كُلُّ سُلْطَانٍ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَعَلَى الأَرْضِ.

 ¹⁹ فَاذْهَبُوا إِذَنْ، وَتَلْمِذُوا جَمِيعَ الأُمَمِ، وَعَمِّدُوهُمْ بِاسْمِ الآبِ وَالاِبْنِ وَالرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ؛
 ²⁰ وَعَلِّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا بِكُلِّ مَا أَوْصَيْتُكُمْ بِهِ. وَهَا أَنَا مَعَكُمْ كُلَّ الأَيَّامِ إِلَى انْتِهَاءِ الزَّمَانِ! ».

Matthew 28:18–20

 

In his book “In the Gap”, David Bryant coins a term to identify the Christian’s reluctance for missionary involvement:

Underneath disinterest in world outreach, underneath small missions budgets or limited personnel and the scandal of billions yet unreached, hides a culprit I call “pea–sized Christianity.”

 

There is a pea–sized box called convert Christianity—life in Christ gets no bigger than making it safely inside the kingdom.

 

Or there’s character Christianity—life in Christ gets no bigger than pulling one’s own spiritual act together.

 

When life in Christ is no bigger than the warm, secure fellowship I have each week with my good Christian buddies, I’m in a box of cloister Christianity.

 

Or when life in Christ is no bigger for me than getting nicely settled in a good paying job after graduation, then I’m trapped in career Christianity.

 

Many of us are groping around the box of church Christianity—the Sunday school picnic, the choir’s Christmas pageant.

 

In summary, when my Christian experience expands no further than my salvation or small group or church or future, it’s pea–sized. When my activities don’t link me to the reaching of the earth’s unreached people, I’ve succumbed to pea–sized Christianity.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Dear Lord, deliver me from pea–sized Christianity. Expand my focus, and bring me into harmony with Your divine purpose of reaching the world with the good news of the gospel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” Psalm 16:2
قُلْتُ لِلرَّبِّ: «أَنْتَ سَيِّدِي. خَيْرِي لاَ شَيْءَ غَيْرُكَ».

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

 

August 28 Devotion- Moving from failure to success

Wealth and riches are in His house; and His righteousness endures forever.Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Bblessings and prosperity will be yours.

رغد وغنى في بيته وبره قائم الى الابد‏.
واثقا بهذا عينه ان الذي ابتدأ فيكم عملا صالحا يكمل الى يوم يسوع المسيح.

 

طوباك وخير لك.

Psalm 112:3, Philippians 1:6, Psalm 128:2

 

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” That approach is taught all over the world. As Christians, we tend to integrate this attitude into our walk with Christ.

If we fail to conquer certain habits, or disobey key Scripture verses, we keep trying on our own strength. Although perseverance is necessary, determination alone will not cure our problems.

We need to admit our failure and realize that we can do nothing apart from the support and strength of The Holy Spirit. Failure can be a catalyst that converts our methods from trying to trusting.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord forgive me for my weaknesses and strengthen me to make the transition from trying to trusting. Lord I know that Your house is full of riches; and that Your righteousness endures forever.

I am confident that if You set me on a direction or path You will complete it in spite of the trials and snares that are in my way; and that blessings and prosperity will be mine. Lord, I know that without The Holy Spirit acting on my behalf I cannot accomplish Your will. I trust and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, my redeemer.

 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

هادمين ظنونا وكل علو يرتفع ضد معرفة الله ومستأسرين كل فكر الى طاعة المسيح

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 27 Devotion - In The Son, not under the Sun

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
      And on the labor in which I had toiled;
      And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
      There was no profit under the sun.

ثم التفت انا الى كل اعمالي التي عملتها يداي والى التعب الذي تعبته في عمله فاذا الكل باطل وقبض الريح ولا منفعة تحت الشمس

Ecclesiastes 2:11

 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

قال له يسوع انا هو الطريق والحق والحياة .ليس احد يأتي الى الآب الا بي .

John 14:6

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, please give me wisdom to learn from Solomon who ‘became great and excelled more than all who were before him’, yet found everything under the sun to be ‘vanity and grasping for the wind’.

Change my focus O’Lord from earthly glory to spiritual glory IN Your Son Jesus. I come to You Father in the name of Your Son Jesus acknowledging, declaring and confessing that Jesus is The way, The truth, and The life and that no one can come to You Father except through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Strengthen me Jesus and teach me to be content under all circumstances as You taught the Apostle Paul and to be able to face any situation with the belief that ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’. In Your holy name Jesus’, I pray. Amen.

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you.
Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.
يَارَبُّ ارْحَمْنَا. إِيَّاكَ انْتَظَرْنَا، كُنْ عَضُدَنَا فِي الصَّبَاحِ، وَخَلاَصَنَا فِي أَثْنَاءِ الْمِحْنَةِ.
Isaiah 33:2

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 24 Devotion- Intercession

Intercession is not just praying for someone else's needs. Intercession is praying with the real hope and real intent that God would step in and act for the positive advancement of some specific other person(s). It is trusting that God will act, even if it's not in the way or timing we seek.

The best gift we can give each other is to intercede for each other. Praying for another person not only helps that person find God in the midst of trouble, but also helps us recognize the blessings that God gives us daily.

 

Jesus prayed for us to The Father, and the apostle Paul prayed for others to Jesus and God.

 

 Let us pray for each other.

 

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

 

I invite you to pray along with the Apostle Paul for others in your lives:

‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.’

 

أُصَلِّي مِنْ أَجْلِ الَّذِينَ سَوْفَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي بِسَبَبِ كَلِمَةِ هؤُلاَء

 ²¹ لِيَكُونَ الْجَمِيعُ وَاحِداً؛ أَيُّهَا الآبُ، كَمَا أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ فِيَّ وَأَنَا فِيكَ، لِيَكُونُوا هُمْ أَيْضاً وَاحِداً فِينَا، لِكَيْ يُؤْمِنَ الْعَالَمُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي.

لِكَيْ يَمْنَحَكُمْ، وَفْقاً لِغِنَى مَجْدِهِ، أَنْ يُمِدَّ الرُّوحُ الكِيَانَ الدَّاخِلِيَّ فِي كُلٍّ مِنْكُمْ بِالْقُوَّةِ الْمُؤَيِّدَةِ،
 ¹⁷ لِيَسْكُنَ الْمَسِيحُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ بِالإِيمَانِ؛ حَتَّى إِذَا تَأَصَّلْتُمْ وَتَأَسَّسْتُمْ فِي الْمَحَبَّةِ،
 ¹⁸ تَصِيرُونَ قَادِرِينَ تَمَاماً أَنْ تُدْرِكُوا، مَعَ الْقِدِّيسِينَ جَمِيعاً، مَا هُوَ الْعَرْضُ وَالطُّولُ وَالْعُلْوُ وَالْعُمْقُ،
 ¹⁹ وَتَعْرِفُوا مَحَبَّةَ الْمَسِيحِ الَّتِي تَفُوقُ الْمَعْرِفَةَ، فَتَمْتَلِئُوا حَتَّى تَبْلُغُوا مِلْءَ اللهِ كُلَّهُ. وَلْيَهْدِ اللهُ قُلُوبَكُمْ إِلَى مَا لَدَى اللهِ مِنَ الْمَحَبَّةِ وَلَدَى الْمَسِيحِ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ!

John 17:20-21

Ephesians 3:16-19

2 Thessalonians 3:5

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

يَارَبُّ ارْحَمْنَا. إِيَّاكَ انْتَظَرْنَا، كُنْ عَضُدَنَا فِي الصَّبَاحِ، وَخَلاَصَنَا فِي أَثْنَاءِ الْمِحْنَةِ.
Isaiah 33:2

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 23 Devotion - When we feel depressed

When we feel depressed we need to ask The Father to show us the purpose of what we are facing, and to pray that He covers us with His Divine grace, wisdom and strength, to handle the situation according to His will in our lives, and to remember His promises.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, thank You that when I feel depressed I always have the choice to convert my feelings to joy by concentrating on Your promises, for You have said:

Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength Nehemiah 8:1

The righteous cry and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles, weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. Psalms 34:17, Psalms 30:5

The ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful shouting and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 51:11

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. Isaiah 43:2

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 1 Peter 4:12-13

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8

I pray to You Father in Jesus’ name, to whom be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 22 Devotion - In times of weakness

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

فقال لي تكفيك نعمتي لان قوتي في الضعف تكمل.فبكل سرور افتخر بالحري في ضعفاتي لكي تحل علي قوة المسيح.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Our prayers are not always answered in the form in which we desire; however they are answered in the assurance of grace sufficient to support us. Grace signifies the good-will of God towards us, and that is enough to enlighten, strengthen and comfort us in all our afflictions and/or distresses.

Some of the reasons why our prayers are not answered in the way we requested may be:

(1)                The grace that will be received if the calamity is not removed will be of greater value to the individual than would be the direct answer to his/her prayer.

(2)     It might not be for the good of the individual who prays that the exact thing should be granted.

(3)     God has often some better thing in store for us than would be the immediate answer to our prayer

(4)     It would not be well for us, probably, should our request be answered exactly as requested.

When we feel that we are weak in ourselves, we need to go to Christ, and enjoy His supplies of Divine strength and grace.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, please teach me to respond prayerfully in times of weakness. Show me the purpose of what I am facing, and shower me with Your Divine grace, wisdom and strength, to handle the situation according to Your will for my life. I pray to You Father in Jesus’ name, to whom be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. 

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.
يَارَبُّ ارْحَمْنَا. إِيَّاكَ انْتَظَرْنَا، كُنْ عَضُدَنَا فِي الصَّبَاحِ، وَخَلاَصَنَا فِي أَثْنَاءِ الْمِحْنَةِ.
Isaiah 33:2

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 21 Devotion - Surrendered to God

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

رَآهُ يَسُوعُ رَاقِداً هُنَاكَ فَعَرَفَ أَنَّ مُدَّةً طَوِيلَةً انْقَضَتْ وَهُوَ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ، فَسَأَلَهُ: «أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تُشْفَى؟»

John 5:6

Jesus’ question was probably a strange one, since everyone would want to be made well, but Jesus wanted the sick man to learn to surrender to God.

I find that surrendering is not an easy process. Because it involves self-will, it can be painful. However, it is essential to spiritual growth, internal peace, healing, and contentment.

God wants us to know Him on an intimate level. But this rarely happens when we are caught up in the distractions of the world.

 If there is anything in our life that keeps us from being totally committed to the Lord, then God will reveal it. When He does, we benefit by asking Him to give us the strength to let go of it.

Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart."

جربني يا رب وامتحني. صفّ كليتيّ وقلبي.

Psalm 26:2

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love.  Heavenly Father, please reveal to me anything that is keeping me from being totally surrendered to You, then give me the strength to let go of it. I know that You will never leave me nor forsake me. I want to be have Your peace and I want to be made well. I come to You Father in the name of Your only begotten Son Jesus, to whom be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. 

O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.” Psalm 16:2
قُلْتُ لِلرَّبِّ: «أَنْتَ سَيِّدِي. خَيْرِي لاَ شَيْءَ غَيْرُكَ».

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 20 Devotion - I take refuge in You, LORD

God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you

اللهَ يَقُولُ: «لاَ أَتْرُكُكَ، وَلاَ أَتَخَلَّى عَنْكَ أَبَداً!»

Hebrews 13:5

As true believers we have the gracious presence of God with us in our lives, at death, and for ever. This comprehensive promise assures us of help from God

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love.  Thank You that  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121

Let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in You. Psalm 5:11Those who know Your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge. Psalm 16:1 I come to You Father in the name of Your only begotten Son Jesus, to whom be honour and everlasting power. Amen.

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

You can read today's devotion and my prior devotions on my Blog: http://joysus.blogspot.com

 يَأْتِي عَوْنِي مِنْ عِنْدِ الرَّبِّ، صَانِعِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ.

وَيَبْتَهِجُ جَمِيعُ الْمُتَّكِلِينَ عَلَيْكَ. إِلَى الأَبَدِ يَتَرَنَّمُونَ، لأَنَّكَ تُظَلِّلُهُمْ بِحِمَايَتِكَ، فَيَفْرَحُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ اسْمَكَ.

وَيَتَّكِلُ عَلَيْكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْرِفُونَ اسْمَكَ، لأَنَّكَ يَارَبُّ لَمْ تَخْذُلْ طَالِبِيكَ

احْفَظْنِي يَااَللهُ ، فَإِنِّي مُتَوَكِّلٌ عَلَيْكَ

August 17 Devotion - True Contentment

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

واما التقوى مع القناعة فهي تجارة عظيمة.

1Timothy 6:6

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content

ليس اني اقول من جهة احتياج فاني قد تعلمت ان اكون مكتفيا بما انا فيه.

Philippians 4:11

What really is contentment?

According to the Holman Bible Dictionary, contentment is:

“An internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances”

We achieve contentment when we can seek the things of God above the things of the world. When our relationship with Christ dominates our thoughts and Jesus is our Lord.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Teach me Lord to be content under all circumstances. Help me to put my relationship with You Jesus above all others and to draw contentment from the richness of Your love and grace.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
هادمين ظنونا وكل علو يرتفع ضد معرفة الله ومستأسرين كل فكر الى طاعة المسيح

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein