January 31 Devotion - A time to act and a time to wait

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.

لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَوَانٌ، وَلِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ تَحْتَ السَّمَاءِ زَمَانٌ.

Ecclesiastes 3:1             

As Solomon said: for everything there is a season.  Though not included in the list of appropriate seasons that followed, I believe this principle rings just as true: “There is a time to act—and a time to wait.”

How do we know if God wants us to wait upon Him, as in Isaiah 40:31:  But those who wait on the LORD

OR

God wants us to act as Jesus commented in John 9:4:

 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

and as God told Joshua in Joshua 7:

“Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?”

A way of answering that question could be that in general we should wait upon the Lord, however we may be prompted to act if we have fulfilled the following:

• We have submitted to Jesus’ Lordship

•   We have prayed and asked for God’s guidance

• We have searched God’s word for guidance and/or we have received direction from a Godly councilor

And 

• We feel the prompting of The Holy Spirit to act

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and Your deep everlasting love for me. Guide me God to seek Your desire and plan for my life. I pray that out of Your  glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can always submit to Your guidance for my life. Give me wisdom and teach me God to wait when necessary and to act when necessary. Help me to fully follow your plan with confidence, faith, and courage, for You O’Lord are the only one who knows the future and the only one who knows what is best for me and anyone I impact. I declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His Holy Name. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 30 Devotion - Give all your worries and cares to God

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

وَاطْرَحُوا عَلَيْهِ ثِقْلَ هُمُومِكُمْ كُلِّهَا، لأَنَّهُ هُوَ يَعْتَنِي بِكُمْ.

1 Peter 5:7

The Apostle Peter instructed us to cast the whole of our worries, our anxieties and our concerns on God.

God is sovereign; we can cast all our anxiety on Him. He created everything and has absolute control over every aspect of His creation. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever present. He knows absolutely everything about our situation and He cares for us. God loves all believers in His Son Jesus Christ; as Lord and Saviour; with an unconditional, unfathomable, immeasurable love.

Many believers know how to totally relax and depend on God to resolve their problems and never worry. I have improved a lot however sometimes I still tend to worry. I need to stop that now. I need God’s help.

Can you relate to that?

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Help me Lord to be able to cast all my worries and cares upon You Lord. Strengthen my faith Lord, diminish my pride. God I know that Your solution for my life is what is best for me, help me to let go of the need to resolve my own problems, and give me the wisdom to follow Your direction. Help me Father to not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present my requests to You. You are Holy, righteous, and infinite in wisdom. Thank You God that Your mercies never cease. Thank you Father for Your  omniscience—You know all my needs, for  Your omnipotence—You are able to help in all circumstances, for Your  omnipresence—You are involved in all aspects and details of my life. Help me God to totally depend on You, cast my worries and anxiety on You and enjoy Your peace. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 29 Devotion - -God Has a Plan, do not worry

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

فَمَنْ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا حَمَلَ الْهُمُومَ يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يُطِيلَ عُمْرَهُ وَلَوْ سَاعَةً وَاحِدَةً؟

Matthew 6:27

Are you worrying about something today?

To worry means to allow something to revolve in your mind over and over again.

God doesn't want us to live worried or anxious about anything. He knows that worry steals our peace and joy. It affects every area of our lives. Worrying affects our physical body. It affects our sleep.

We will never gain anything by worrying; in fact, we will lose precious moments that we can never get back again.

The good news is that God has promised that we can have victory over worry. It starts by making the choice to trust in Him. When we cast our cares on Him, He will give us His peace. Jesus said:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁸تَعَالَوْا إِلَيَّ يَا جَمِيعَ الْمُتْعَبِينَ وَالثَّقِيلِي الأَحْمَالِ، وَأَنَا أُرِيحُكُمْ.

Mathew 11:28

Decide today to put an end to worry in your life. Choose to feed your faith and fill your mind with God's promises. Come to Jesus and lay your burdens at the feet of His cross. As you trust Jesus and depend on Him and you focus on God's Word, you'll drive out worry and fill your heart with faith and expectancy; and you'll be empowered to move forward into the life of blessings He has in store for you.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that Your deep steadfast love for me endures forever. Lord, help me today to put an end to worry in my life. Thank You Father for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Strengthen my faith and teach me to feed my faith by studying Your promises and declaring Your Word over my life. Help me Jesus to totally trust in You today and every day. God I pray to You in the name of Your precious Son; my Redeemer and Saviour; the Lord of my life, Jesus Christ. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion before all time and now and forevermore. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 26 Devotion - Jesus is our Friend

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15

  لا اعود اسميكم عبيدا لان العبد لا يعلم ما يعمل سيده .لكني قد سميتكم احباء لاني أعلمتكم بكل ما سمعته من ابي .

A slave does not know the plans of his/her master or owner. He receives the commands of his master without knowing the reasons why they are ordered. Friendship on the other hand allows one to be made acquainted with the plans, wishes, and wants of the friend. This instance of friendship Jesus had shared with His disciples the reasons why he was about to leave them, and with His secret wishes in regard to them. As He had given them this proof of friendship, it was proper that He should not withhold from them the title of friends.

The reason why He calls us friends is that He treats us as friends. He has opened to us His mind; made known to us His plans; acquainted us with the design of His coming, His death, His resurrection, ascension, and second coming; and, having thus given us the clearest proof of friendship, it is therefore proper that He gives us this name.

We should always look at Jesus as our friend, even though He is also our Lord and master.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and deep everlasting love. Jesus You laid Your life for me and said: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13 Thank You Jesus  for loving me and treating me like Your friend. 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 continue to declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and Friend. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein