April 7 Devotion - Becoming Christ-like

 

…since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus… For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power

من اجل ذلك نحن ايضا منذ يوم سمعنا لم نزل مصلّين وطالبين لاجلكم ان تمتلئوا من معرفة مشيئته في كل حكمة وفهم روحي

10 لتسلكوا كما يحق للرب في كل رضى مثمرين في كل عمل صالح ونامين في معرفة الله

11 متقوين بكل قوة بحسب قدرة مجده

Colossians 1:9-11

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your unfailing, inseparable, deep and everlasting love for me and Your abundant blessings in my life. Abba, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can discern Your will for my life and be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Strengthen me through Your Holy Spirit Lord, so that that I may walk in such a way that is fully pleasing to You and is fruitful in every good work. Lord, I desire and need to increase in Your knowledge. Help me Father to pray for others and to be Christ-like, fully pleasing You and being fruitful toward others through Your glorious strength. In the holy name of Jesus, I pray to You Father God. To Jesus be the glory, the power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

April 3 Devotion - Parakletos

 

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever.

 وَسَوْفَ أَطْلُبُ مِنَ الآبِ أَنْ يُعْطِيَكُمْ مُعِيناً آخَرَ يَبْقَى مَعَكُمْ إِلَى الأَبَدِ،

 

John 14:16

 

In the original Greek, the word used to describe the Holy Spirit is the word Parakletos, or “Comforter.” It suggests the giving of aid much like a legal counselor or advocate would do.

The sense in which Parakletos is used means “to come alongside another while giving strength and encouraging support.” The Holy Spirit is God’s personal representative here on earth. He is the third person of the Trinity. 

Jesus knew the void within the hearts of His disciples would be great after He returned to the Father. Therefore, God in His greatness and compassion sent the Holy Spirit to comfort the followers of Christ, and He is still with us today. He is our Guide to all truth and our personal Advocate and Comforter before the throne of God. 

This is our peace and strength—knowing that whatever we face, God faces it with us through the Holy Spirit.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for sending me The Parakletos the spirit of wisdom to aspire the things that are eternal, and to enlighten my mind to Your divine teachings and fill my heart with Your divine council, comfort strength and aid. Thank You Father God for loving me with a deep, unfailing, and everlasting love. Thank You Abba Father for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life.  Father God, I praise You, glorify You and lift You up on high. In the holy name of Jesus, I pray to You. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

April 2 Devotion - ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

 

“So, I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

 فَإِنِّي أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: اطْلُبُوا، تُعْطَوْا؛ اسْعَوْا، تَجِدُوا؛ اقْرَعُوا، يُفْتَحْ لَكُمْ

Luke 11:9

 

A S K

 

Those who Ask will receive answers. Those who Seek will find. Those who Knock will find the door opened for them.

 

The Lord wants us to pray to Him, not only because it honours Him, but also because it helps us to grow in Him. Furthermore, prayer taps us into His work in the world. At any given moment, we can pray for anyone anywhere on earth and have confidence that the Lord of the entire universe will hear us and respond in the most effective fashion.

For this reason, prayer is one of the best ways to get involved in God’s mission. What a wonderful privilege it is to be able to participate in the expansion of God’s kingdom by asking the Lord to help His children and impact His creation. 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please teach me to ask, seek, and knock—to persevere in prayer until I receive Your answer. Thank You for all the good and advantageous gifts You gave me, are giving me, and will give me in the future. Thank You for Your inseparable, deep, unfailing, and everlasting love. Father God, I praise You, revere You, worship You, I stand in awe of You and glorify Your holy name. Lord God, please teach me to seek Your face and help me to grow in Your word. I knock on the door of Your peace that surpasses all understanding. In the holy name of Your only begotten Son Jesus, I pray to You Father. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

April 1 Devotion - Part 5 - The Fruit of The Spirit - Gentleness (Meekness) and Self-Control

 

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

 واما ثمر الروح فهو محبة فرح سلام طول اناة لطف صلاح ايمان

وداعة تعفف.

Galatians 5:22–23

 

 

Gentleness (Meekness) is love as an expression of humility, considering the needs and hurts of others before one's personal goals.

 

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

 بِكُلِّ تَوَاضُعٍ وَوَدَاعَةٍ وَطُولِ بَالٍ، مُحْتَمِلِينَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً فِي الْمَحَبَّةِ،

 Ephesians 4:2

 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

 وَأَمَّا أَنْتَ، يَا إِنْسَانَ اللهِ، فَاهْرُبْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأُمُورِ، وَاسْعَ فِي إِثْرِ الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَالإِيمَانِ وَالْمَحَبَّةِ وَالصَّبْرِ وَالْوَدَاعَةِ.

1 Timothy 6:11

 

Self-control is love to be Spirit led so as not to indulge our sinful nature

 

 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control

 

مَنْ لا يَضْبُطُ نَفسَهُ يُشبِهُ مَدِينَةً مَفتُوحَةً بِلا أسوارَ.

 

Proverbs 25:28

 

A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back.

 الأحْمَقُ يُظهِرُ كُلَّ غَضَبِهِ، أمّا الحَكِيمُ فَيَضبُطُ نَفسَهُ.

 Proverbs 29:11

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, teach me, help me, and strengthen me to be completely humble and gentle; to be patient, bearing others in love. Strengthen the walls of my spirit and body Lord by gifting me with self-control. Thank You Father God for Your abundant blessings and Your unfailing and deep love for me. O’ gracious and merciful God, fill my heart with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. Father God, I pray in the mighty name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour to whom be power and glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein