March 31 Devotion - When We Feel Frustrated

 

The Webster Dictionary defines Frustration as: A deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs.

As humans even under ‘normal’ circumstances we sometimes experience a deep sense of frustration that derives from problems or unmet needs beyond our control. With the current abnormal situation of the pandemic Covid-19 virus in the world there is a worldwide feeling of frustration.

So how can we handle frustrations?

What we need to remember during any period where we are experiencing insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs is: God is in the process of revealing a great lesson to each one of us.

I believe He sometimes allows frustrations to build up so that we will be driven back to Him in prayer. I think His intent may be twofold:

1. He wants us to become stronger, lighter, and peaceful once we  start communicating with God through prayer
2. In that mode we can hear His voice better and understand His direction for us.

During these frustrated times where we sometimes don’t even know what to pray for, God has even got that covered through The Holy Spirit for He said:

So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.

Romans 8:26

 وكذلك الروح ايضا يعين ضعفاتنا. لاننا لسنا نعلم ما نصلّي لاجله كما ينبغي ولكن الروح نفسه يشفع فينا بأنّات لا ينطق بها.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, I need The Holy Spirit to meet my supplication and to plead on my behalf. Jesus, I need You to whisper words of hope and peace to my confused and frustrated heart. Only You God can offer the freedom I need to survive my frustrations. You are the only One who knows how to satisfy perfectly my every need. Jesus, come to me like You came to Your disciples walking on the water through the storm and help me to sail through the storm Jesus and strengthen me spiritually, emotionally, and physically and give me rest for in Your Holy name I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you, 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

March 30 Devotion - He who is mighty has done great things for me

 

In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul. When His lamp shone above and upon my head and by His light I walked through darkness; He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

يَوْمَ دَعَوْتُكَ اسْتَجَبْتَ لِي، وَشَجَّعْتَنِي إِذْ زِدْتَنِي قُوَّةً فِي دَاخِلِي. حِينَ كَانَ مِصْبَاحُهُ يُضِيءُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي، فَأَسْلُكُ عَبْرَ الظُّلْمَةِ فِي نُورِهِ. فَإِنَّ الْقَدِيرَ قَدْ فَعَلَ بِي أُمُوراً عَظِيمَةً، قُدُّوسٌ اسْمُهُ.

Psalm 138:3, Job 29:3, Luke 1:49

When we walk in the light of God's countenance, every outward comfort is increased, every trouble is diminished, and we pass cheerfully by this light through life. When we rely on His loving-kindness and truth through Jesus Christ, we will always find Him faithful to His word.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You Lord, for Your promise to guide me and to comfort me through the most difficult circumstances. In the day when I cried out to You God, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul. As I look back on my life, I see how You protected me God through the darkest hours and helped me walk in the light of Your countenance. I can boldly say that He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. Abba, I claim Your promises to continue to do great things for me and to give me wisdom, strength, and peace. Father God, I praise You, revere You, worship You, I stand in awe of You, I lift You up on high, and glorify Your Holy Name. Thank You Father for Your unfailing, inseparable, deep and everlasting love for me, Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. My 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

March 29 Devotion - Jesus Prays for All 'Believers' - Part 2

 

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

وَلَسْتُ أُصَلِّي مِنْ أَجْلِ هؤُلاَءِ فَقَطْ، بَلْ أَيْضاً مِنْ أَجْلِ الَّذِينَ سَوْفَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي بِسَبَبِ كَلِمَةِ هؤُلاَءِ،

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

 ²² إِنِّي أَعْطَيْتُهُمُ الْمَجْدَ الَّذِي أَعْطَيْتَنِي، لِيَكُونُوا وَاحِداً كَمَا نَحْنُ وَاحِدٌ.

 ²³ أَنَا فِيهِمْ، وَأَنْتَ فِيَّ، لِيَكْتَمِلُوا فَيَصِيرُوا وَاحِداً، حَتَّى يَعْرِفَ الْعَالَمُ أَنَّكَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي وَأَنَّكَ أَحْبَبْتَهُمْ كَمَا أَحْبَبْتَنِي.

 

John 17:20-23

 

Jesus asked for unity amongst believers. He desires that we have a deep connection with Him and The Father and also with other believers.

 

He gave us a new commandment:

 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

وَصِيَّةً جَدِيدَةً أَنَا أُعْطِيكُمْ: أَحِبُّوا بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً، كَمَا أَحْبَبْتُكُمْ أَنَا، تُحِبُّونَ بَعْضُكُمْ.

John 13:34

Both unity and love have the same purpose “that the world may know”. Jesus commands us to be united in Him. As believers in Jesus Christ, as Lord and Saviour, we need to be united with each other in every family, in every Church and across all denominations, churches and countries, and lift up ‘The Church’ as one church, because Christ loved The Church and gave himself up for her Ephesians 5:25.

 

The unity that Christ offers brings peace within and between believers. In the world system we may have tribulations and persecution, but we have Jesus’ assurance:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ بِهَذَا كُلِّهِ لِيَكُونَ لَكُمْ فِيَّ سَلاَمٌ. فَإِنَّكُمْ فِي الْعَالَمِ سَتُقَاسُونَ الضِّيقَ. وَلكِنْ تَشَجَّعُوا، فَأَنَا قَدِ انْتَصَرْتُ عَلَى الْعَالَمِ!»

John 16:33

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings.

Thank You Jesus for praying for me, to our Father.

Thank You Jesus for granting me eternal life through the Cross.

Thank You Jesus that You are in me and I in You.

Thank You Father for Your inseparable, deep, unfailing, and everlasting love.

Thank You Jesus for revealing God to me, because I have these wonderful resources, I can persevere in my faith.

Abba Father, please set me apart for Your service so that I may fulfill Your mission for me on this earth.

Help me Jesus to carry out Your commandment to love others and be united with all my Christian brothers and sisters.

Help me God to demonstrate unity with fellow believers through love, obedience, and commitment to Your will.

Thank You, Jesus for the peace You give me and the assurance that You have conquered the world.

“Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.” Amen. Ephesians 3: 20-21 AMP

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

March 28 Devotion - Jesus Prays for All 'Believers' - Part 1

 

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

وَلَسْتُ أُصَلِّي مِنْ أَجْلِ هؤُلاَءِ فَقَطْ، بَلْ أَيْضاً مِنْ أَجْلِ الَّذِينَ سَوْفَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي بِسَبَبِ كَلِمَةِ هؤُلاَءِ.

John 17:20

 

Jesus’ words, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their word”, should give us real comfort especially during times of adversity.

After praying for his disciples, Jesus prayed for all those who would believe in Him through their word. In a sense, everyone who has become a believer; a follower of Christ; has done so through the Apostles' messages. So, Jesus was praying for all the believers who would ever exist. He was praying for you and me and those He wants us to reach with His message of salvation.

Knowing that Jesus prayed for us should give us confidence as we work for His Kingdom.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Thank You Jesus for praying for me to our Father and that You are seated at the right hand of our Father interceding for me. Thank you, Jesus, for granting me eternal life through The Cross. Jesus, please teach me to pray. Father God, please strengthen my faith and give me peace and confidence that Your promises are coming true. Thank You, Father, for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life. Now to Him who is able to carry out His purpose and do infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Ephesians 3:20-21   Amen.

 Jesus loves you,                                                                                                                       

 In Him,

Wagdi Henein

March 23 Devotion - A Peaceful Heart

 

A heart at peace gives life to the body.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you.

الْقَلْبُ الْمُطْمَئِنُّ يَهَبُ أَعْضَاءَ الْجَسَدِ حَيَاةً

سَلامِي أُعْطِيكُمْ. لَكُم أَتْرُكُ سَلاماً

 

Proverbs 14:30, John 14:27

 

Today, let us choose to keep our hearts at peace by staying focused on God the Father. Let’s give life to our bodies by staying in agreement with Him. Let His peace guard our hearts so that we can be equipped to live the abundant life Jesus has promised us. Let us receive the peace that Jesus is offering us, His peace which He is giving us.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, thank You for Your Word which is life to my soul. I praise You Jesus because You are the Prince of Peace. Help me to stay focused on You today so that I can have Your peace in my heart and mind. I will rejoice because Your peace God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus; in whose mighty holy name I pray. To Jesus be the power, the majesty, the glory, and the authority forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein