September 24 Devotion - We have been redeemed and forgiven. We have been adopted as God's children

 

    

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

 

Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:5

 

الذي لنا فيه الفداء بدمه غفران الخطايا.

5 اذ سبق فعيّننا للتبني بيسوع المسيح لنفسه حسب مسرة مشيئته

 

Forgiveness (Gk. aphesis) speaks of a canceled debt. You and I can be forgiven because Christ went to the cross and shed His blood for me and for you. Our debt has been cancelled because Jesus died in our place.

We are forgiven when we accept that He has died in our place, for our sins. Salvation is not something we earn through good deeds or bargain for, in exchange for promising to improve. God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ, whom He loves.

The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture. When we surrender our lives to Christ and accept the fact that He bore our sins in His own body at The Cross, and when we declare Him as our Lord and Saviour, at that moment we are born again through the spirit and become children of God.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your inseparable, deep and everlasting love for me and Your abundant blessings in my life. Thank You, Lord, that I am a child of God and I was purchased with the precious blood of Christ. Thank You, Lord, that You redeemed me and granted me forgiveness of my sins, according to the riches of Your grace. Thank You, Jesus, that You paid for my sins and they have been canceled. You paid a very high price for me: Your blood. 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 forgive others and forgive myself. Please help others to forgive me. Strengthen me Lord so that I continue to declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and Jesus may continue to dwell in my heart through faith. In the name of The King of kings and Lord of lords, in the mighty name of Jesus I pray. To Jesus be the glory, the majesty, power, and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 

 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

September 23 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, 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

September 14 Devotion - When We Feel Frustrated

 

 

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

 

وَكَذلِكَ الرُّوحُ أَيْضًا يُعِينُ ضَعَفَاتِنَا، لأَنَّنَا لَسْنَا نَعْلَمُ مَا نُصَلِّي لأَجْلِهِ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي. وَلكِنَّ الرُّوحَ نَفْسَهُ يَشْفَعُ فِينَا بِأَنَّاتٍ لاَ يُنْطَقُ بِهَا

 

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 we sometimes experience a deep sense of frustration that derives from problems or needs beyond our control. We need to ask God to help us and maybe seek the help of Godly psychologist to help us resolve the reason of these frustrations as some of them may be childhood issues.

 

What we need to remember during the 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 think that maybe God allows frustrations to build up so that we will be driven back to Him in prayer. His intent may be twofold:

1. He wants us to become stronger, lighter, and peaceful once we get on our knees and pray
2. In that mode we can hear His voice better and understand His direction for us.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and inseparable love. Lord, I need the Spirit Himself to meet my supplication and to plead on my behalf. Jesus, I need to survive my frustrations. You are the 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 mighty name I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.

 

In Him,

Wagdi Henein