November 4 Devotion - Lasting Happiness

 

    

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

طُوبَى لِلْمَسَاكِينِ بِالرُّوحِ، لأَنَّ لَهُمْ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ

 

Matthew 5:3

 

Since the original language of the Gospel of Matthew was written in Greek (although Jesus spoke Aramaic), the word used for blessed is ‘Makarios’ which means deep contentment and lasting happiness.

Real happiness is found when we realize that happiness is in the spiritual realm that is interior to ourselves. In our spiritual realm we are designed to know, experience and enjoy God.

In the same way that man designed a car to run on gasoline (or electricity); I believe God designed us to run on Himself. He is the fuel our spirits were designed to run on.

I had always pondered on why being ‘poor in spirit’ is a good thing, until I learnt that it means: it is when I realize my spiritual bankruptcy and depend on God who is the real food and fuel to my spirit and He comes to live within me that I can have Makarios. When I accept God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, I receive The Holy Spirit and I can have The Kingdom of God within me and be guaranteed eternity with God.

For me it is straight forward, if  anyone wants everlasting happiness, Makarios, it is only found in Jesus.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, I realize that I am poor in spirit and You are the fuel and food for my spirit. Thank You that You sent Jesus to redeem me and grant me salvation and life eternal as a pure act of grace which I do not deserve. Thank You, Father, for Your abundant blessings and deep inseparable love. God, I praise You and glorify You. Help me Father to sink the message that lasting happiness is not found in worldly things, deep in my heart. Thank You for revealing to me that You are the source of my ‘Makarios’. I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His mighty name. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

November 3 Devotion- Ordered Steps

 

    

 The steps of a good man/woman are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his/her way.

من قبل الرب تتثبت خطوات الانسان وفي طريقه يسرّ.

Psalm 37:23 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

اعلّمك وارشدك الطريق التي تسلكها. انصحك. عيني عليك.

Psalm 32:8

 

We all need God’s support; even the most powerful must be supported by the Lord, without His support our strength and courage will be of no avail.

When we seek God and surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour; our steps are established by The LORD, and we will delight in His choice for our lives. God will teach us and guide us with His eye upon us.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:                                                                                                                                                             

Abba Father, by Your grace and The Holy Spirit, establish and guide my steps. Help me to stay in faith and put You first in my life. I trust that You are at work in my life even during times when I don't feel it. I am confident that Your guidance has placed me where I am supposed to be right now. Give me the strength and courage to do what is right in Your sight, to Your delight. Thank You that through Your grace and mercy You care so much about every detail of my life. Thank You, Father God, for Your deep and everlasting love for me, Your abundant blessings, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Father God, I praise You, glorify You and lift You up on high. I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I pray to You Father in His mighty name. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

November 2 Devotion - God chose us in Christ

 

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

 

Ephesians 1:4, John10:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

كما اختارنا فيه قبل تأسيس العالم لنكون قديسين وبلا لوم قدامه في المحبة

انا فقد أتيت لتكون لهم حياة وليكون لهم افضل .

 

As believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour; according to the above scripture; God chose us before the world was formed, He knew us.

We are called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of our earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God.

 

Not only has He chosen us, but He has equipped us with everything we need to live His abundant life. In order to be all that God has called us to be, we have to see ourselves as chosen, valuable, and victorious.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that You have picked me as Your own in Christ even before the foundation of the earth and that through Christ’s blood You consider me blameless in Your sight. Help me Lord to understand my value as it stems from You and to rise higher and higher into the abundant life of victory and joy You have prepared for me. Father, help me to see myself as chosen, valuable and victorious. Lord, show me Your ways that I may be holy (consecrated and set apart for You) and walk with You in confidence and trust all the days of my life. In the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus The Christ, the only begotten Son of God, I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

October 30 Devotion - Living Water

 

    

Jesus had to go through Samaria. Jesus sat down by Jacob’s well in a town called Sychar as He was thirsty. His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus spoke to her even though at the time Jews did not associate with Samaritans. He asked her for a drink of water. She was astonished that Jesus spoke to her and Jesus responded by saying:

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

¹¹ “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered,

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

فَأَجَابَهَا يَسُوعُ:

لَطَلَبْتِ أَنْتِ مِنْهُ فَأَعْطَاكِ مَاءً حَيّاً!»«لَوْ كُنْتِ تَعْرِفِينَ عَطِيَّةَ اللهِ، وَمَنْ هُوَ الَّذِي يَقُولُ لَكِ: اسْقِينِي، 

فَقَالَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ: 

: «وَلكِنْ يَاسَيِّدُ، لَيْسَ مَعَكَ دَلْوٌ، وَالْبِئْرُ عَمِيقَةٌ. فَمِنْ أَيْنَ لَكَ الْمَاءُ الْحَيُّ؟

¹² هَلْ أَنْتَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَبِينَا يَعْقُوبَ الَّذِي أَوْرَثَنَا هَذِهِ الْبِئْرَ، وَقَدْ شَرِبَ مِنْهَا هُوَ وَبَنُوهُ وَمَوَاشِيهِ؟» 

فَقَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ:

كُلُّ مَنْ يَشْرَبُ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَاءِ يَعُودُ فَيَعْطَشُ.

¹⁴ وَلكِنَّ الَّذِي يَشْرَبُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ الَّذِي أُعْطِيهِ أَنَا، لَنْ يَعْطَشَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَبَداً، بَلْ إِنَّ مَا أُعْطِيهِ مِنْ مَاءٍ يُصْبِحُ فِي دَاخِلِهِ نَبْعاً يَفِيضُ فَيُعْطِي حَيَاةً أَبَدِيَّةً».

 John 4:10-13

 

The Samaritan woman looked at the natural possibilities. How can this man give me water when he does not even have any utensil to put water in or method to draw water from the well. 

Unfortunately, some of us are still doing the same today. We sometimes look at the natural even though we know who Jesus is. The Samaritan woman did not know who Jesus was when she asked the question. We know who Jesus is but sometimes we still fall into the same trap.  We know that God can do miracles but sometimes we do not believe Him when He says He will do great things in our lives.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your deep, everlasting, and inseparable love and for Your abundant blessings. Lord, I do not want to look at the natural. I want to look at the supernatural, the realm You operate in. Help me Lord to focus on You, not on my circumstances. Increase my faith O’Lord and show me Your ways. Help me to believe beyond any doubt all Your promises. Jesus, please give me Your water and make it become in me a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Jesus, please help me to become more and more Christ like on a daily basis. In Your mighty name Jesus, I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

In Him,

Wagdi Henein