July 31 Devotion - The Spirit of Truth

 

When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

واما متى جاء ذاك روح الحق فهو يرشدكم الى جميع الحق لانه لا يتكلم من نفسه بل كل ما يسمع يتكلم به ويخبركم بامور آتية .

John 16:13

In his popular book ‘Experiencing God’, Former Pastor Henry Blackaby writes:

When you enter into an intimate love relationship with God, you will know and do the will of God and experience Him in ways you have never known Him before. Only God can bring you into that kind of relationship.

The relationship comes first. If you have received no clear direction about how to serve the Lord, perhaps it is time to deepen your fellowship with Jesus. The Christian life is a marathon that begins with a walk.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:0

Abba Father, I long for the Holy Spirit and the Word to lead me to an intimate love relationship with You. Jesus, please increase my faith and teach me to be Your friend, deepen my fellowship with You Jesus. I pray in Your name Jesus for The Holy Spirit to instruct me to know Your timing and what You want me to accomplish in Your service. I want You to use me to accomplish The Father’s will that ‘all men be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth’. Thank You Lord for Your deep, unfailing, and everlasting love for me, Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. 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 3:20-2

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

 

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 28 Devotion - The Life of God

 

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

السارق لا يأتي الا ليسرق ويذبح ويهلك .واما انا فقد أتيت لتكون لهم حياة وليكون لهم افضل .

 John 10:10

 Think about your best friend for a moment. Try to remember your very first meeting. What if your best friend had handed you a long list of do’s and don’ts, telling you any violation would lessen his care for you? Obviously, your relationship would never have progressed. Who would want such a friend? 

Yet many Christians act as if this is their view of Jesus. But He did not hand you a list of conditions when you accepted Him. What He gave you was His life.

In the New Testament, there are several Greek words for life. Bios (origin of biology), generally translated, means “lifestyle.” Another Greek word for life is Zoe, which means “life as God has it.” 

In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” أَمَّا أَنَا فَقَدْ أَتَيْتُ لِتَكُونَ لَهُمْ حَيَاةٌ، بَلْ مِلْءُ الْحَيَاةِ

In John 11:25, He stated, “I am the resurrection and the life.” أَنَا هُوَ الْقِيَامَةُ وَالْحَيَاةُ

In both cases, Jesus used the word Zoe. How awesome to hear from our Lord Himself that the “life as God has it” is within us, the followers of and believers in Jesus Christ. It is a magnificent gift of His unconditional love. 

Since we have this life, His life, we already have the very best. He dwells within us to encourage and empower us. As long as we are within God’s will, sustaining energy will flow through us from His eternal wellspring. Within His will, we will never tire of living for Jesus.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Lord, through Your Word and the guidance of The Holy Spirit help me to learn from Jesus and to take the Yoke Jesus offers. Father God, I pray that You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I believe and can help others know that You Jesus are the resurrection and the life, and that life as God has it is within us. Father 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

July 26 Devotion - A Double Portion

 

Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

عوضا عن خزيكم ضعفان وعوضا عن الخجل يبتهجون بنصيبهم. لذلك يرثون في ارضهم ضعفين. بهجة ابدية تكون لهم.

Isaiah 61:7

 

God sent these promises and words of encouragement to His people when they were going through a very difficult time in the Old Testament.

The question I asked myself was: do these words apply to us; the believers in His Son and our Redeemer; today? Do they apply to the Christians who are persecuted and killed because of their faith all over the world today? Do these words apply today to any Christian believer who is facing personal challenges?

I believe they do because our Lord is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. God is always faithful to His Word. Let us rejoice then because our God will give us restoration and make all things better above and beyond our expectations.

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

 28 ونحن نعلم ان كل الاشياء تعمل معا للخير للذين يحبون الله الذين هم مدعوون حسب قصده.

Romans 8:28

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please strengthen my faith and help me to stay obedient to You so that I can receive what You promised as a double portion of blessings for my challenges in every area of my life. O’ Lord guide and direct my steps to Your everlasting joy. Lord, I pray for all The Christian believers in the world who are being persecuted because of their faith. Let all things work together for good for all believers Father God and grant them a double portion of peace and joy. I thank You God for Your abundant blessings and for Your deep inseparable love. Thank You Father for Your faithfulness and wisdom. In Jesus’ 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

July 25 Devotion - Reap what you Sow

 

For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.  For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

لأَنَّ مَنْ يَزْرَعُ لِجَسَدِهِ فَمِنَ الْجَسَدِ يَحْصُدُ فَسَادًا، وَمَنْ يَزْرَعُ لِلرُّوحِ فَمِنَ الرُّوحِ يَحْصُدُ حَيَاةً أَبَدِيَّةً.

 

Galatians 6:8 Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

In the same way as a farmer expects a crop from the seeds he/she sows, today, we should be planting good seeds for the harvest in our future.

We therefore must constantly evaluate our actions to make sure we are depositing good spiritual seeds and deeds so that we can reap a good harvest in the future.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please uproot any negative seeds that I have sown in the past and search my heart and mind and guide me to sow only good seeds that are pleasing to You. Lord help me to plant Your Word in the soil of my heart and to sow to the Spirit so that from the Spirit I reap eternal life. 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. To Him who is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 24 Devotion - I am free from any charge against me

 

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Romans 8:31-34

 

فماذا نقول لهذا. ان كان الله معنا فمن علينا.

32 الذي لم يشفق على ابنه بل بذله لاجلنا اجمعين كيف لا يهبنا ايضا معه كل شيء.

33 من سيشتكي على مختاري الله. الله هو الذي يبرر.

34 من هو الذي يدين. المسيح هو الذي مات بل بالحري قام ايضا الذي هو ايضا عن يمين الله الذي ايضا يشفع فينا

 

  God justified us, which means He declared us not guilty, because by the gift of faith we have accepted Christ as Saviour. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that as a follower of Your Son Jesus I am free from any charge against me. Thank You God that You now see me through Christ’s righteousness instead of through my sin. Thank You God that Your justifying love allows me to stand accepted before You. Thank You God that You are for me, and whoever is against me does not even compare to You. Thank You Jesus for Your crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and for Your intercession on my behalf to God. God, I praise You, glorify You and lift You up on high. Abba Father, thank You for Your deep and everlasting love of me, Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. To Him who is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore. Amen. Jude 1:24-25  

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 21 Devotion - While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

 

When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, "Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?" 17And hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

 فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْكَتَبَةُ وَالْفَرِّيسِيُّونَ يَسُوعَ يَأْكُلُ مَعَ الْجُبَاةِ وَالْخَاطِئِينَ، قَالُوا لِتَلاَمِيذِهِ: «لِمَاذَا يَأْكُلُ مَعَ الْجُبَاةِ وَالْخَاطِئِينَ؟»

 فَسَمِعَ يَسُوعُ، وَأَجَابَ: 

«لَيْسَ الأَصِحَّاءُ هُمُ الْمُحْتَاجُونَ إِلَى الطَّبِيبِ، بَلِ الْمَرْضَى. مَا جِئْتُ لأَدْعُوَ أَبْرَاراً بَلْ خَاطِئِينَ! »

Mark 2:16-17

 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ أَثْبَتَ لَنَا مَحَبَّتَهُ، إِذْ وَنَحْنُ مَازِلْنَا خَاطِئِينَ مَاتَ الْمَسِيحُ عِوَضاً عَنَّا.

Romans 5:8

With God, through Christ, there is mercy to pardon the greatest sins, and grace to change the greatest sinners, and make them holy. Jesus came to help us sinners, and while we were still sinners, He died for us.

Living the Christian life is impossible on our own. Trying to live the Christian life by our own efforts is like a ship on dry land…just doesn’t work very well. For the ship to get anywhere, it needs to be resting on the water. And to enjoy the Christian life, we need to learn how to rest in God. Paul knew this:

 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

إِنِّي أَسْتَطِيعُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، فِي الْمَسِيحِ الَّذِي يُقَوِّينِي.

Philippians 4:13

 

Some people believe they must be good first before coming to Christ and they must be ready not to sin once they come to Christ. Jesus is telling us He came for us sinners and while we were still sinners, He died for us. We can only live the Christian life through Jesus strengthening us. We have been given someone to enable us to live the Christian life – the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Christ – come to live in the body of every believer who has accepted Jesus as his/her Saviour and Lord over their life. Do not wait to be perfect to invite Jesus into your heart, it is through Jesus that you can be perfected.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, through Your Word and the guidance of The Holy Spirit help me to learn from Jesus and to take the Yoke Jesus offers. Jesus, come to me like You came to Your disciples walking on the water through the storm and redeem and strengthen me spiritually, emotionally, and physically and give me rest. Lord, I choose to see Your loving arms wrapped around me lifting me up to safety, provision, and peace. I thank You that You are a reliable and trustworthy God and You promised that You will never leave me nor forsake me, and I know that You are faithful. I choose today to concentrate on You, to hold fast my confession that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. Jesus, I trust and pray in Your Holy name. To Jesus be the power, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever . Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 20 Devotion - Getting Pruned

 

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit].

كُلُّ غُصْنٍ فِيَّ لاَ يَأْتِي بِثَمَرٍ يَنْزِعُهُ، وَكُلُّ مَا يَأْتِي بِثَمَرٍ يُنَقِّيهِ لِيَأْتِيَ بِثَمَرٍ أَكْثَرَ

John 15:2 AMP

 

We tend to resist the process of being pruned because it is usually painful. In agricultural terms the result of pruning a fruit tree is a more plentiful crop. Pruning out our habits that are not pleasing to God is a process that God applies to believers because His grace and love for us causes Him to sanctify us. We need to trust God that His pruning process will cause us to bear more fruit for His Kingdom.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that You continue to prune me, cleanse me, and set me apart unto Yourself for Your purpose and Your will. Abba, thank You that You sanctified me when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I realize that sanctification is an ongoing process while I am on earth, please continue to sanctify me to make me a clean vessel properly prepared for Your good works and the advancement of Your Kingdom. Abba Father, thank You that You love me and that Your love is unfailing, steadfast, deep, and everlasting. Help me Lord to respond in faith and obedience to Your pruning and guidance in my life so that I may bear more fruit. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 19 Devotion - You are the salt of the earth - Part 2

 

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people

 

Matthew 5:13 (AMP)

 «أَنْتُمْ مِلْحُ الأَرْضِ، وَلكِنْ إِنْ فَسَدَ الْمِلْحُ فَبِمَاذَا يُمَلَّحُ؟ لاَ يَصْلُحُ بَعْدُ لِشَيْءٍ، إِلاَّ لأَنْ يُطْرَحَ خَارِجًا وَيُدَاسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ.

Please note that Jesus said you are the salt of the earth. Not try to be, or you may become.

 

Salt enhances the flavour of the food it seasons. We the followers of Christ are given the role of those who “enhance” the flavour of life in this world. As Christian believers living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ, we will inevitably positively influence the world for good, as salt has a positive influence on the flavour of the food it seasons.

We are given the responsibility to act in a Christ- like way: where there is strife, we are to be peacemakers; where there is sorrow, we are to be the ministers of Christ, binding up emotional wounds (as salt binds physical wounds); and where there is evil, we are to act as preservatives (similar to salt) preserving the world from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly people.

 

Salt that lost its ‘saltiness’ was used in Jesus’ time as an insulator for kilns and then thrown out into the streets, where people trampled on it. Jesus is pointing out to us to remain in the faith so as not to lose our salt-like properties.

You shall season every grain offering with salt so that the salt (preservation) of the covenant of your God will not be missing from your grain offering. You shall offer salt with all your offerings.

 

Leviticus 2:13(AMP)

 

¹³وَكُلُّ قُرْبَانٍ مِنْ تَقَادِمِكَ بِالْمِلْحِ تُمَلِّحُهُ، وَلاَ تُخْلِ تَقْدِمَتَكَ مِنْ مِلْحِ عَهْدِ إِلهِكَ. عَلَى جَمِيعِ قَرَابِينِكَ تُقَرِّبُ مِلْحًا.

Salt is also seen as a sign of friendship and a sign of the covenant we have with God.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, strengthen me to “enhance” the flavour of life in this world. Strengthen me to always live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ. Father guide me and give me wisdom to be a peacemaker, to help bind up people’s emotional wounds (as salt binds physical wounds); and where there is evil to act as a preservative (similar to salt) preserving the world from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly people. I declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His Holy Name. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 18 Devotion - You are the salt of the earth - Part 1

 

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people

 «أَنْتُمْ مِلْحُ الأَرْضِ، وَلكِنْ إِنْ فَسَدَ الْمِلْحُ فَبِمَاذَا يُمَلَّحُ؟ لاَ يَصْلُحُ بَعْدُ لِشَيْءٍ، إِلاَّ لأَنْ يُطْرَحَ خَارِجًا وَيُدَاسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ.

 

Matthew 5:13 (AMP)

 

At the time of Jesus salt had the following purposes:

 

1. Salt was used to preserve food, especially meat which would quickly spoil in the absence of refrigeration
2. Salt was used for cleansing and healing wounds
3. Salt was used then, as now, as a flavour enhancer
4. Salt was very valuable. Roman soldiers were paid in gold and salt
5. Salt was a symbol of friendship
6.  Salt was used to bind a covenant.
7. Salt was used to line kilns as an insulator

 

Jesus is calling you and me to be SALT in the lives of others. Our faith in Christ must be lived so others can see that our faith is real. The world continues to rot and putrefy due to sin. Christian believers are Jesus’ church on earth, and we are to preserve what Jesus brought to the world and to help ‘save’ those who do not know Jesus. We are also called to be cleansing and to help people thirst for the truth.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can fulfill the responsibility of being the salt to everyone I contact in my everyday life. Give me wisdom O’Lord to say words and do deeds that help in cleansing the wounds of others. Help me enhance the flavour of their life by telling them about the saving grace of Jesus and to thirst for Your word. I declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His holy name. To Jesus be the glory, the majesty, authority, the power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 17 Devotion - 'Good' is the enemy of 'Best'

 

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways.

 9 فَكَمَا ارْتَفَعَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ عَنِ الأَرْضِ، كَذَلِكَ ارْتَفَعَتْ طُرُقِي عَنْ طُرُقِكُمْ، وَأَفْكَارِي عَنْ أَفْكَارِكُمْ.

 

Isaiah 55:9

We often pray for things that we believe are ‘Good’ for us and/or our loved ones. In His wisdom God has a much broader perspective and gives us only the things that are truly beneficial for our growth as His children; and that are beneficial for the advancement of His Kingdom on this earth, and ‘Best’ for us through all eternity. The way God gives us what is ‘Best’ for us is often very different than what we imagined, and the timing may not be what we wanted, but His timing is always the ‘Best’ for us. Many times, unfortunately, we go ahead and do what we believe is ‘Good’ for us and do not involve God and we miss out on God’s ‘Best’ for our lives. We do not realize that the ‘Good’ is preventing us from having the ‘Best’.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. God help me to pray for what is ‘Best’ from Your perspective for me and those impacted by what I am praying for. Help to have the discernment and wisdom to know what to pray for. Help me to pray for those things that will help me grow in the likeness of Your Son Jesus Christ, and for the advancement of Your Kingdom. I trust that you will only give me what is ‘Best’ for me, and that your timing is what is ‘Best’ for me. Lord, give me the patience and the wisdom to wait upon Your timing. In the holy name of Jesus, I pray. To Jesus be the glory, the power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

July 13 Devotion - You raise me up

 

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

 

Isaiah 40:29, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 33:18, Deuteronomy 31:6

 

 يَهِبُ الْمَنْهُوكَ قُوَّةً وَيَمْنَحُ الضَّعِيفَ قُدْرَةً عَظِيمَةً.

الرَّبُّ نُورِي وَخَلاصِي، مِمَّنْ أَخَافُ؟ الرَّبُّ حِصْنُ حَيَاتِي مِمَّنْ أَرْتَعِبُ؟

هُوَذَا عَيْنُ الرَّبِّ عَلَى خَائِفِيهِ، الْمُتَّكِلِينَ عَلَى رَحْمَتِهِ،

 ⁶ تَقَوَّوْا وَتَشَجَّعُوا. لَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَلا تَجْزَعُوا مِنْهُمْ، لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ إِلَهَكُمْ سَائِرٌ مَعَكُمْ، لَا يُهْمِلُكُمْ وَلا يَتْرُكُكُمْ».

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, I pray that You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit, so that I keep my focus on the person, power, and presence of Jesus Christ in my life instead of the circumstances of my life. I come to You Jesus as per Your call “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28-29 Thank You Jesus for raising me up and carrying me on Your shoulders through the stormy seas. In Your holy name Jesus, 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