December 28 Devotion - Being Compassionate

For many people The Christmas Season and the New Year celebrations are connected to sad or lonely feelings. Maybe associated with loss situations, broken dreams and aloneness. Maybe some of you reading this now do associate this time of year with some pain. We need to be aware and supportive of others during this festive season. I searched the Bible for God’s relief, compassion and support for my and your scarred hearts and spirits and found God telling us:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9  The Lord is near to you because you have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:17-20 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9   All things will work together for good for you because you love God, Romans 8:28  Make sure to rejoice always, pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. Lord, I thank you for knowing every emotion I go through and for having an answer and support for me today. Strengthen me Lord to be of good courage. Thank You Lord that during my period of weakness Your strength is made perfect. Help me Lord to pray continuously and to always have an attitude of gratitude. I rejoice in the assurance that You are with me God wherever I am, that all things will work together for good for me, and that I will 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 Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you, 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

December 26 Devotion - Gloria in Excelsis Deo

 

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven,  that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Maryam and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Maryam kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Luke 2:11-20

“Glory to God in the highest” is only found once in the Bible in Luke 2:14.
That verse is so extraordinary; it’s been given a special name.  It’s called the Gloria in Excelsis Deo.  That’s from the Latin translation for “Glory to God in the highest.”
You might recognize it from the popular Christmas hymn “Angels We Have Heard on High.”  Maybe you didn’t know it, but when you sing that chorus you are singing in Latin, “Gloria, in excelsis Deo” “Glory to God in the highest”.

Listen to it sung by Bocelli: https://youtu.be/MLS6qZt9WLQ

There are other divine encounters in the Bible, but this is the only time the Bible says the heavenly host ('army' of good angels in Heaven) appeared to men, and this is the one sentence they left for us: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”

The Bible doesn’t say anything about the heavenly host singing, but what they said was understood by the shepherds, so either it was spoken in their own language, or the shepherds were given a supernatural ability to understand the heavenly language.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and inseparable love. Lord, I join the shepherds in glorifying You. I thank You and praise You for all the blessings You have bestowed upon me. Help me to be like Maryam, mother of our Saviour Jesus, in constantly pondering in my mind Your love, mercy and grace. I rejoice in Your birth Jesus. God let the birth of Jesus this year bring peace on earth and goodwill amongst us. Heavenly Father, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in Your grace. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. ‘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

فَقَدْ وُلِدَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فِي مَدِينَةِ دَاوُدَ مُخَلِّصٌ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ الرَّبُّ.

 ¹² وَهَذِهِ هِيَ الْعَلاَمَةُ لَكُمْ. تَجِدُونَ طِفْلاً مَلْفُوفاً بِقِمَاطٍ وَنَائِماً فِي مِذْوَدٍ».

 ¹³ وَفَجْأَةً ظَهَرَ مَعَ الْمَلاَكِ جُمْهُورٌ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ السَّمَاوِيِّ، يُسَبِّحُونَ اللهَ قَائِلِينَ:

 ¹⁴ «الْمَجْدُ لِلهِ فِي الأَعَالِي، وَعَلَى الأَرْضِ السَّلامُ؛ وَبِالنَّاسِ الْمَسَرَّةُ! »

 ¹⁵ وَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عَنِ الرُّعَاةِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: «لِنَذْهَبْ إِذَنْ إِلَى بَيْتِ لَحْمٍ، وَنَنْظُرْ هَذَا الأَمْرَ الَّذِي حَدَثَ وَقَدْ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ الرَّبُّ!»

 ¹⁶ وَجَاءُوا مُسْرِعِينَ، فَوَجَدُوا مَرْيَمَ وَيُوسُفَ، وَالطِّفْلَ نَائِماً فِي الْمِذْوَدِ.

 ¹⁷ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا ذلِكَ، أَخَذُوا يُخْبِرُونَ بِمَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ بِخُصُوصِ هَذَا الطِّفْلِ.

 ¹⁸ وَجَمِيعُ الَّذِينَ سَمِعُوا بِذلِكَ دُهِشُوا مِمَّا قَالَهُ لَهُمُ الرُّعَاةُ.

 ¹⁹ وَأَمَّا مَرْيَمُ، فَكَانَتْ تَحْفَظُ هَذِهِ الأُمُورَ جَمِيعاً، وَتَتَأَمَّلُهَا فِي قَلْبِهَا.

 ²⁰ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الرُّعَاةُ يُمَجِّدُونَ اللهَ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا سَمِعُوهُ وَرَأَوْهُ كَمَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6-7

لأَنَّهُ يُولَدُ لَنَا وَلَدٌ وَنُعْطَى ابْنًا، وَتَكُونُ الرِّيَاسَةُ عَلَى كَتِفِهِ، وَيُدْعَى اسْمُهُ عَجِيبًا، مُشِيرًا، إِلهًا قَدِيرًا، أَبًا أَبَدِيًّا، رَئِيسَ السَّلاَمِ. ⁷لِنُمُوِّ رِيَاسَتِهِ، وَلِلسَّلاَمِ لاَ نِهَايَةَ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ دَاوُدَ وَعَلَى مَمْلَكَتِهِ، لِيُثَبِّتَهَا وَيَعْضُدَهَا بِالْحَقِّ وَالْبِرِّ، مِنَ الآنَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ. غَيْرَةُ رَبِّ الْجُنُودِ تَصْنَعُ هذَا.

                                                                              

The Birth of Our Lord and Saviour

                                                                             

Click to hear a beautiful 4 minute rendition from Handel’s Messiah: http://youtu.be/MS3vpAWW2Zc

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

December 24 Devotion - Why was Jesus born?

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:1-12

While we are one day from CHRISTmas (meaning Christ sent), it may be a good time to reflect on the reasons why Jesus Christ had to be born. Let us remember that there are Christians following the Julian calendar who celebrate Christmas in January.

I know of 7 reasons why Jesus had to be born:

1. Jesus had to be born because of mankind's sin.

2. Jesus had to be born because God wanted to reveal His own character to humanity.

3. Jesus had to be born to remove the sins of humankind through a perfect sacrifice.

4. Jesus had to be born for mankind to have a Mediator to God.

5. Jesus had to be born to provide the promised Seed of Abraham.

6. Jesus had to be born for God to make His Spirit available to all humankind.

7. Jesus had to be born for God to redeem mankind.

Listen to: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing https://youtu.be/wKRC5Ikq44s

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that You so loved me before I was even born and that You sent Your only begotten Son so that I could have everlasting life through my belief in Him. God thank You that even though You hate sin, You redeemed me, a sinner, through Jesus the perfect sacrifice. Thank You Jesus for being my mediator and for sending The Holy Spirit to comfort me. Thank You Lord for Your abundant blessings and inseparable love. In the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit I rejoice in Your birth Jesus. God let the birth of Jesus bring peace on earth and goodwill amongst us. Heavenly Lord, I praise You, I glorify You and I rejoice in Your grace. I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His Holy Name. To Him be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

وَكَانَ فِي تِلْكَ الْمِنْطَقَةِ رُعَاةٌ يَبِيتُونَ فِي الْعَرَاءِ، يَتَنَاوَبُونَ حِرَاسَةَ قَطِيعِهِمْ فِي اللَّيْلِ

 ⁹ وَإِذَا مَلاَكٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ الرَّبِّ قَدْ ظَهَرَ لَهُمْ، وَمَجْدُ الرَّبِّ أَضَاءَ حَوْلَهُمْ، فَخَافُوا أَشَدَّ الْخَوْفِ.

 ¹⁰ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ الْمَلاَكُ: «لاَ تَخَافُوا! فَهَا أَنَا أُبَشِّرُكُمْ بِفَرَحٍ عَظِيمٍ يَعُمُّ الشَّعْبَ كُلَّهُ:

 ¹¹ فَقَدْ وُلِدَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فِي مَدِينَةِ دَاوُدَ مُخَلِّصٌ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ الرَّبُّ.

 ¹² وَهَذِهِ هِيَ الْعَلاَمَةُ لَكُمْ. تَجِدُونَ طِفْلاً مَلْفُوفاً بِقِمَاطٍ وَنَائِماً فِي مِذْوَدٍ».