November 30 Devotion - Jesus Christ (Love) Does Not Dishonour Others

God is love.

^{1 John 4:8}

I and my Father are one.

^{John 10:30}

Jesus Christ (Love) is patient,

Jesus Christ is kind,

Jesus Christ does not boast,

Jesus Christ is not proud.

Jesus Christ does not dishonor others,

Jesus Christ is not self-seeking,

Jesus Christ is not easily angered,

Jesus Christ keeps no record of wrongs,

Jesus Christ does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth,

Jesus Christ always protects,

Jesus Christ always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres,

Jesus Christ never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

New International Version (NIV)

 Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love.

Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

طوبى للودعاء .لانهم يرثون الارض

Jesus was meek. A meek person would never dishonour another. The meek are among those so favoured that they will share in Jesus' inheritance of the earth.

There are so many words that I think I understand, but a deeper look reveals that I do not, because I am looking at what the world has taught me, not what Jesus meant and how He relates them to the Kingdom of God and in the depth and breadth of what He meant.

Meekness is considered one of the most difficult New Testament words to fully understand. This is so because Jesus elevated the word's common usage far beyond its normal application.
I find that I grew up resenting being meek because of the connotation given to being meek as being weak, needy lowly.  I grew up learning how the world worded Mathew 5:5: "Blessed are the strong, who can hold their own." The world favours the so-called heroic virtues. Those who are competitive, aggressive and assertive are the ones who receive recognition, admiration and reward. Do they not seem to end up on top of the pile, possessing the most and best despite flaws in their character?

I am learning that I need (and who knows maybe you too) to unlearn what the world has taught me, before I can learn what Jesus is teaching me and respect and accept being meek. I have a lot to gain when I do.   

Not to dishonour a person means to honour that person. According to the thesaurus, honour has these synonyms: "esteem, respect, pay homage to, assigning value to." In order to honour others we first need to start with an attitude of meekness.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in Your grace. Jesus, help me to unlearn the worldly beatitudes and teach me Your Beatitudes. Teach me to be meek and to honour You and my fellow man. Help me God to bring all my thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ and to become Christ-like.In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين

November 28 Devotion - Jesus Christ is kind

God is love.

^{1 John 4:8}

 I and my Father are one.

^{John 10:30}

 

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love.

Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 6:35

Romans 2:4

Ephesians 4:32

بل احبوا اعداءكم واحسنوا واقرضوا وانتم لا ترجون شيئا فيكون اجركم عظيما وتكونوا بني العلي فانه منعم على غير الشاكرين والاشرار

ام تستهين بغنى لطفه وامهاله وطول اناته غير عالم ان لطف الله انما يقتادك الى التوبة.

وكونوا لطفاء بعضكم نحو بعض شفوقين متسامحين كما سامحكم الله ايضا في المسيح.

 

What is kindness? Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines kindness as: ‘An attribute of God and quality desirable but not consistently found in humans.’ In The Bible we see many examples of Jesus’ kindness

and He leaves us with many lessons regarding how we should act in kindness following His example, in our quest to become Disciples of Christ.

 

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared Titus 3:4

ولكن حين ظهر لطف مخلّصنا الله واحسانه

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant kindness, love and mercy. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in Your grace. Lord, help me to be always kind to myself and others. Jesus I need the help of the Holy Spirit to be able to carry out Your teaching and example of being kind to my enemies and I pray that out of Your glorious riches You teach me, help me and strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can be kind to my enemies. Help me God to bring all my thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ and to become Christ-like, a son of The Most High. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فيناله المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين

November 27 Devotion - Jesus Christ is Patient

God is love.

^{1 John 4:8}

 I and my Father are one.

^{John 10:30}

 Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love.

But I obtained mercy for the reason that in me, as the foremost of sinners, Jesus Christ might show forth and display all His perfect long-suffering and patience for an example to encourage those who would thereafter believe on Him for the gaining of eternal life.

 1 Timothy 1:16

Amplified Bible (AMP)

لكنني لهذا رحمت ليظهر يسوع المسيح فيّ انا اولا كل اناة مثالا للعتيدين ان يؤمنوا به للحياة الابدية.

 

I understand the meaning of patience as described in the Bible to mean persevering towards a goal, enduring trials, and expectantly waiting for God’s will and His promises to be fulfilled in His time. Patience reveals our faith in God’s timing, omnipotence (unlimited power), and love.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in You. Thank You Jesus for being patient with me and allowing me to follow You in spite of my sins and shortfalls. LORD, bless me with the ability to be patient with myself, others and circumstances, and invigorate and strengthen me with all power according to the might of Your glory so as to exercise every kind of endurance and patience with joy. I rejoice because Your peace God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus; in whose Holy Name I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21 

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فيناله المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين

November 26 Devotion - Jesus Christ is...

God is love.

^{1 John 4:8}

I and my Father are one.

^{John 10:30}

 

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love.

 

Jesus Christ (Love) is patient,

Jesus Christ is kind,

Jesus Christ does not boast,

Jesus Christ is not proud.

Jesus Christ does not dishonor others,

Jesus Christ is not self-seeking,

Jesus Christ is not easily angered,

Jesus Christ keeps no record of wrongs,

Jesus Christ does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth,

Jesus Christ always protects,

Jesus Christ always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres,

Jesus Christ never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

New International Version (NIV)

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in You. LORD, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You teach me, help me and strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and become Christ-like. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فيناله المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين

November 23 Devotion - What we Choose to Think

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

كل ما هو حق كل ما هو جليل كل ما هو عادل كل ما هو طاهر كل ما هو مسرّ كل ما صيته حسن ان كانت فضيلة وان كان مدح ففي هذه افتكروا.

Philippians 4:8–9

When we choose to think about those things that inspire us, encourage us, teach us, and build us up emotionally, we find that we want to follow God’s will and we will desire to remain faithful to Him.

 

When we choose to think about the majesty and glory of God, we rely upon Him with increasing faith and trust.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in You. LORD, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can be changed by the renewing of my mind. Help me Lord to think the way You want me to think, to constantly think positive and pleasant thoughts of people & circumstances. Help me to concentrate on Your love for me and feel your joy in my heart. Help me to think thoughts of obedience and discipleship. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21 

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين

November 22 Devotion - A Change of Plans

For You are my rock and my fortress;

Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.

لان صخرتي ومعقلي انت. من اجل اسمك تهديني وتقودني.

Psalm 31:3

 

Recalculating…….If you use a Global Positioning System (GPS) you are probably used to hearing this phrase. If you do not follow the exact route or there is construction on the way, or a roadblock, the system senses your position (location) and starts sending you new ways to reach your destination.  While we are used to this we sometimes face: cannot find satellites and we feel lost.

In our life, I believe we need to be open to a change in plans if we sense God moving us in another direction and follow God’s Planning System (GPS) for He will lead us and guide us, and all we need to do is just trust Him because He is our rock on which we stand and He protects us in His fortress. We connect to Him through our prayers and we never need to feel lost with Him guiding us.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in You. Lord, please help me become flexible and obedient. I sometimes feel confused between what I desire and what You may want, as I sense that You may be guiding me to move in another direction. Help me to stay connected to You, to hear Your voice and to know for sure Your plan for me and the direction You want me to follow. I need Your wisdom God, please sort out the truth in my mind and heart and lead me and guide me to do Your will for You are my rock and my fortress. Jesus, in Your Holy name I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21 

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

 

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين

November 20 and 21 Devotion - Joy Fulfilled

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. ¹⁰ And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹³ But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world,

 that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves….

 ²⁰I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.”

John 17:9-20

 

9 من اجلهم انا اسأل .لست اسأل من اجل العالم بل من اجل الذين اعطيتني لانهم لك .

10 وكل ما هو لي فهو لك .وما هو لك فهو لي وانا ممجد فيهم .

13 اما الآن فاني آتي اليك .واتكلم بهذا في العالم

 ليكون لهم فرحي كاملا فيهم .

20 ولست اسأل من اجل هؤلاء فقط بل ايضا من اجل الذين يؤمنون بي بكلامهم

Jesus is praying for you and me and for all other believers who have declared Him as their Lord and Saviour. He is requesting from The Father that we may experience Jesus’ delight fulfilled in us, and that Jesus’ enjoyment be perfected in our souls. He requests that our hearts be filled with His gladness.

Why do some followers of Christ feel this joy so strongly and others do not? That is a question that has been intriguing me for years! Do you have an answer? If so please post it on the comment section of my blog, so that we can all see it.
Feeling joyful is what everyone wants, and we believers should be the most joyful, for our salvation is guaranteed through Christ. The Apostle Paul said
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

افْرَحُوا فِي الرَّبِّ دَائِماً، وَأَقُولُ أَيْضاً: افْرَحُوا.

Philippians 4:4

 

In a previous devotion regarding joy, I wrote: … ‘now I understand that the Apostle Paul felt God’s grace so powerfully that it overshadowed all the negative feelings of being chained in a Roman prison to the point that he actually felt joy.’

So if we need to feel God’s grace in order to feel joy what is stopping us from feeling it since Jesus requested that we feel it.

The only answer that I have come up with is that we are somehow blocking it. Blockers may be: fear, wrong paradigms, and wrong programs running in our still “un-renewed minds”.

We need to “see” ourselves joyful so that we can unblock this state and feel the joy Jesus intends for us to feel. Jesus said:

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Mark 11:24

We need to believe that we will/are/can be joyful, and we will be joyful, and Jesus’ joy will be fulfilled in us. We need to visualize and meditate on seeing ourselves joyful all the time.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You, I thank You, I glorify You and I rejoice in You. Thank You Jesus for praying for me to The Father. Heavenly Father I long to experience Jesus’ delight fulfilled in me, and Jesus’ enjoyment perfected in my soul. I long to have my heart filled with His gladness. Fill me God totally and envelop me with Your Grace, so that I can feel an inner joy independent of circumstances. Jesus You said: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

Jesus I long for and pray that Your Joy remain in me and that my Joy be full and that I always rejoice in You. Jesus, in Your Holy name I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

Listen to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JOgRBml9M4I

كلمتكم بهذا لكي يثبت فرحي فيكم ويكمل فرحكم

November 19 Devotion - Amen (so be it)

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter1:5-8

 

ولهذا عينه وانتم باذلون كل اجتهاد قدموا في ايمانكم فضيلة وفي الفضيلة معرفة

6 وفي المعرفة تعففا وفي التعفف صبرا وفي الصبر تقوى

7 وفي التقوى مودة اخوية وفي المودة الاخوية محبة.

8 لان هذه اذا كانت فيكم وكثرت تصيّركم لا متكاسلين ولا غير مثمرين لمعرفة ربنا يسوع المسيح.

 

I read the above scripture as a roadmap to be fruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter outlines that we should make every effort to complement our faith with several dimensions, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. We start with complementing our faith with good character and moral excellence; and in exercising moral excellence we should develop our spiritual knowledge and intelligence. As we apply our spiritual knowledge we should develop alert discipline and self-control. By applying our self-control we develop patience and endurance and thus develop reverence and piety. As we exercise reverence, we develop warm friendliness and brotherly affection toward others. In exercising brotherly affection and friendliness toward others we develop Christian love.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You and glorify You. LORD, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I am fruitful unto the knowledge of my Lord, Jesus Christ. Please Lord give me moral excellence so that my character is seen as good in your eyes; sharpen my spiritual and emotional intelligence; help me master my self-control and grant me an acute ability for discipline. Help me to be patiently impatient to develop piety and reverence for You. Lord, I long to develop warm friendliness and brotherly affection and Christian love toward others. Jesus, in Your Holy name I pray.

To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Jesus loves you

In Him,

Wadi Henein

 

 

November 15 Devotion - Everlasting Life

The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. ³⁶ He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

الآب يحب الابن وقد دفع كل شيء في يده.

36 الذي يؤمن بالابن له حياة ابدية. والذي لا يؤمن بالابن لن يرى حياة بل يمكث عليه غضب الله

John 3:35-36

 

When we have faith in, cling to and rely on Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, we possess eternal life. But whoever is unbelieving toward Jesus and refuses to trust in Him, disregards Him or is not subject to the Son will never experience life, but instead the wrath of God abides on him.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You and glorify You. Lord, may Your love endure forever in my heart. Help me Lord to regulate my life and conduct myself in union with and conformity to Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Strengthen me Lord to have the roots of my being firmly and deeply planted in Jesus and to be fixed and founded in Him and be continually built up in Him. Help me Father to become increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

 

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين .

November 13 Devotion - God's Glory

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works—

Psalm 104:31

يكون مجد الرب الى الدهر. يفرح الرب باعماله.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You and glorify You. Lord, may Your glory endure forever in my heart and on my lips, in my soul, mind, actions, feeling and spirit. Help me God to follow Jesus and become Christ- Like so that Your heart will rejoice in what You have done in me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

 

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين .

 

November 12 Devotion - Absolute dependence on God

For in Him we live and move and have our being

Acts 17:28

لاننا به نحيا ونتحرك ونوجد

We have a constant and absolute dependence on God and He is continually sustaining us.
Our absolute dependence in God is such that we owe to him the ability to perform even the slightest motion. We owe to Him our continued and prolonged existence.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I praise You and glorify You. Lord, thank You for Your gifts from the lowest pulsation of life to the highest powers of action and of continued existence. God, I acknowledge my constant and absolute dependence on You for in You Lord I live and move and have my being. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

 

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين .