October 27 Devotion - Our Intensely Caring God

 

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

 

تيهاني راقبت. اجعل انت دموعي في زقّك. أما هي في سفرك

 Psalm 56:8

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.

لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَوَانٌ، وَلِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ تَحْتَ السَّمَاءِ زَمَانٌ

واعوض لكم عن السنين التي اكلها الجراد

Ecclesiastes 3:1, Joel 2:25

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that You care so much about every detail of my life. Through Your grace and mercy, You feel for me and record every sorrow and collect every tear I have shed. You see the longings and desires of my heart. Thank You Father that You have my best interest at heart. 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 keep standing, keep believing, and keep doing the right things because the One who collects my tears and repays for the years the locusts have eaten will restore every area in my life in His perfect timing. Father God thank You that Your deep steadfast love for me endures forever. Thank You Father for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon 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

October 24 Devotion - JESUS UNDERSTANDS

 

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

فيملأ الهي كل احتياجكم بحسب غناه في المجد في المسيح يسوع.

Philippians 4:19

 

Jesus loves us unconditionally. His love for us is infinite and merciful. Jesus accepts us just the way we are. He never expects us to “get good” before we “get God”—to the contrary, He desires for us to receive Him so He can help us in every area of our lives.

Jesus understands each one of us and cares for us. There isn’t any situation in your life that is beyond His awareness, His concern, and His tender care. Jesus understands your hurts and cries with you. He shares your pain and sorrow. He never abandons you in a time of trial or suffering.

 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

واثقا بهذا عينه ان الذي ابتدأ فيكم عملا صالحا يكمل الى يوم يسوع المسيح.

Philippians 1:6

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, I place my confidence in You, and I am sure that You will help me and carry me to complete all the work that was started in accordance with Your will. Father, keep me in this confidence and increase it daily. Father God, I trust and believe that You will supply all my spiritual, eternal, emotional, physical and financial needs according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. May the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing through the experience of my faith that by the power of The Holy Spirit I will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in God's promises. Romans 15:13 Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. 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

 

October 11 Devotion - God's Spiritual Gift for Your Life

 

You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words.   

               أَنْتَ يَارَبُّ  نَصِيبِي، فَأَعِدُكَ بِطَاعَةِ شَرِيعَتِكَ.

Psalm 119:57

 

Sometimes we look at other believers and wish we had their spiritual gifts or their life message. God builds a life message in many different ways. Each one of us has a different message. Though you may gain many insightful lessons from those who are strong in their faith, your life is unique and special before God. God has assigned you a message that no one else can share.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please give me a love for Your Word. Teach me to study Your Word and to keep it. You are my portion, O Lord; help me to develop spiritually. Guide me God in meditation and worship. Help me Lord to bring all my thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ and to become Christ-like. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.  Thank You Father God for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Lord, I praise You, I glorify You, I lift You up on high and I rejoice in Your grace. In the Holy Name of Jesus, I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

October 10 Devotion - The Humble Christ

 

but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

 بَلْ أَخْلَى نَفْسَهُ، مُتَّخِذاً صُورَةَ عَبْدٍ، صَائِراً شَبِيهاً بِالْبَشَرِ؛

⁸ وَإِذْ ظَهَرَ بِهَيْئَةِ إِنْسَانٍ، أَمْعَنَ فِي الاِتِّضَاعِ، وَكَانَ طَائِعاً حَتَّى الْمَوْتِ، مَوْتِ الصَّلِيبِ.

Philippians 2:7-8

Being made in the likeness of man, Jesus laid himself as low as possible laying aside the brilliance of His glory. He took upon Himself human form assuming the lowest character, that of being the servant of all. He accepted to die for us, and He accepted to die the lowest and most disgraceful kind of death, the death of the cross, the punishment of the meanest of criminals.

‘What must sin have been in the sight of God, when it required such humiliation in Jesus Christ to make atonement for it and undo its influence and malignity!’ (Adapted from Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.)

We learn from the above scriptures that Jesus was obedient, humble, and loving. He loved us and died on the cross in our place, to offer us the opportunity to be forgiven, redeemed, and declared righteous in the eyes of God.

Humility frees us to love and serve others selflessly, for their sake, rather than our own. 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Lord Jesus, thank You that You humbled yourself to die in my place and to grant me the forgiveness of my sins. Jesus, You became a servant for my sake to set me free from the bondage of sin, selfishness, and conceit. Jesus, 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 humble and love others freely and graciously. Abba Father please teach me Lord to be ‘kind and compassionate to others, forgiving them, just as Christ God forgave me.’ Ephesians 4:32 Abba Father, thank You for Your deep and everlasting love, Your abundant blessings, and for the riches of Your grace in my life. I declare Jesus as 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 forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

October 9 Devotion - Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day

 

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonderful acts to the children of men! ⁴ For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; ⁵ for it is sanctified [set apart, dedicated to God] by means of the word of God and prayer. Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

⁸فَلْيَحْمَدُوا الرَّبَّ عَلَى رَحْمَتِهِ وَعَجَائِبِهِ لِبَنِي آدَمَ. ⁴لأَنَّ كُلَّ خَلِيقَةِ اللهِ جَيِّدَةٌ، وَلاَ يُرْفَضُ شَيْءٌ إِذَا أُخِذَ مَعَ الشُّكْرِ، ⁵لأَنَّهُ يُقَدَّسُ بِكَلِمَةِ اللهِ وَالصَّلاَةِ.

شَاكِرِينَ كُلَّ حِينٍ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فِي اسْمِ رَبِّنَا يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، ِللهِ وَالآبِ.

Psalm 107:8 (AMP), 1Timothy 4:4-5 (AMP), Ephesians 5:20

 

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving Day. Best wishes to all my Canadian friends and family and to the whole country.

Some of us today are experiencing bright circumstances, and some of us are facing bleak circumstance. Let us remember that everything that God has created is good and is to be received with gratitude giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving thanks in all things (no exceptions) is only possible when we understand that every situation is used by our loving Father to further our dependence on Him and make us more like His Son Jesus. God is determined to conform us to the image of Christ through the inevitable afflictions that accompany life. Having, cultivating, and maintaining a grateful heart that continues to pulsate with thanksgiving, even in trials, presents a big challenge to me and maybe to you too. Thanking God in the trials is difficult, however I believe that when we do, His purposes and presence will illuminate our path and carry us through any trial.

 

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 in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Lord, please help me to always see Your hand in my life and to be grateful for Your wisdom. Lord, give me a grateful heart that continues to pulsate with thanksgiving, even in trials. Lord, I ask that through my gratitude during trials that Your purpose and presence will illuminate my path and carry me through. Thank You God that You are determined to conform me to the image of Christ through any tribulations in my life. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence. Psalm 140:13 I give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: Psalm 136:3In Jesus’ mighty name I pray to You Father. To Jesus be the majesty, the power, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.                                                                   

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

October 6 Devotion - Charge your spirit

 

Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. 5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

4اُثْبُتُوا فِيَّ وَأَنَا فِيكُمْ. كَمَا أَنَّ الْغُصْنَ لاَ يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِثَمَرٍ مِنْ ذَاتِهِ إِنْ لَمْ يَثْبُتْ فِي الْكَرْمَةِ، كَذلِكَ أَنْتُمْ أَيْضًا إِنْ لَمْ تَثْبُتُوا فِيَّ. 5أَنَا الْكَرْمَةُ وَأَنْتُمُ الأَغْصَانُ. الَّذِي يَثْبُتُ فِيَّ وَأَنَا فِيهِ هذَا يَأْتِي بِثَمَرٍ كَثِيرٍ، لأَنَّكُمْ بِدُونِي لاَ تَقْدِرُونَ أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا شَيْئًا.

John 15:4-5

 

We all have cell (mobile) phones that need to be recharged daily. We make sure we charge our phones because if we don’t, they will turn off due to a ‘dead’ battery. What about our spirits? They need to be charged too. The electricity that charges our spirits is the Word of God, and spending time with God praying, meditating, and listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He is the vine, we are the branches. We need to be nourished through the sap that runs from the vine to the branch so that we can continue to be charged. Just as we make sure that our phones are charged, we need to make sure we charge our spirits.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please help me to develop the habit of spending time with You daily so that I may be nurtured and sanctified. Lord Jesus strengthen me to remain in You so that You remain in me. Jesus, I need to bear fruit and I know that I cannot bear fruit by myself without remaining in You Jesus because You are the vine, and I am the branch and without You I can do nothing. Father God, thank You for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. In the mighty name of Your only begotten Son Jesus; my Lord and Saviour; I pray to You Father. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein 

October 4 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 to 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 Jesus be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

October 3 Devotion - The Compass versus the Clock

 

The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light; their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike). 131 I opened my mouth and panted [with anticipation], because I longed for Your commandments.

Psalm 119:130 - 131

Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

فَتْحُ كَلاَمِكَ يُنِيرُ، يُعَقِّلُ الْجُهَّالَ. ¹³¹فَغَرْتُ فَمِي وَلَهَثْتُ، لأَنِّي إِلَى وَصَايَاكَ اشْتَقْتُ.

 

Do you prioritize your schedule, or do you schedule your priorities?

 

When you look at your schedule and put priorities to what is outlined for you, you are using time management and you are using the clock. When you identify what is important in your life or work and make sure you are scheduling your priorities, you are using the compass and are making sure your mission in life is coming to fruition.

Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the obligations of everyday life and we are so busy doing so many good things that there isn't time for the most important thing, having a personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through reading God’s word, meditating on it and praying.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and Your deep, everlasting, and inseparable love. Lord, I need Your wisdom to help me schedule Your priorities and the most important of which is my personal relationship with You. Lord, please help me to surrender to You and to give You my attention, time, mind, will and emotions. Lead me Lord in all my decisions and actions. Let the unfolding of Your words give me light, discernment and comprehension. 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 Jesus may continue to dwell in my heart through faith. God, I praise You, glorify You, and lift You up on high. In the name of the King of kings and Lord of lords, in the holy name of Your only begotten Son Jesus, I pray. To Jesus be the majesty, the power, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein