August 28 Devotion - God's ways Are Greater

Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

فَقَدْ مَكَثَ حَيْثُ كَانَ مُدَّةَ يَوْمَيْنِ بَعْدَ عِلْمِهِ بِمَرَضِ لِعَازَرَ .

John 11: 6

Lazarus’ family was thinking of a healing. Jesus was thinking of a resurrection. God’s ways are so different than ours. We may be praying for something but He may be preparing something much greater.

 

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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

Isaiah 55:9

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord please help me to release all of my cares and concerns to You knowing that You have a greater plan prepared for me. Teach me to be patient and to trust You fully. Help me realize that having extreme needs presses me closer to You and provides me an opportunity to see Your glory. In Jesus' name I pray. To Him be the power, the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 27 Devotion - God Shall Supply All Your Need

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

وَإِنَّ إِلَهِي سَيَسُدُّ حَاجَاتِكُمْ كُلَّهَا إِلَى التَّمَامِ، وَفْقاً لِغِنَاهُ فِي الْمَجْدِ، فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

Philippians 4:19

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, You know all my needs and You have promised to provide them when I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Teach me not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Help me to transfer my anxieties to Christ and to ‘help’ You by letting You be God and I Your faithful servant and friend. I rejoice in the victorious thought that You are taking care of me and You have never failed to keep any of Your promises. God, I leave all my present and future needs at Your alter for I know You are faithful, omniscient, and love me perfectly. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

 ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  

Matthew 6:25–34

25 لذلك اقول لكم لا تهتموا لحياتكم بما تاكلون وبما تشربون .ولا لاجسادكم بما تلبسون .أليست الحياة افضل من الطعام والجسد افضل من اللباس .

26 انظروا الى طيور السماء .انها لا تزرع ولا تحصد ولا تجمع الى مخازن .وابوكم السماوي يقوتها .ألستم انتم بالحري افضل منها .

27 ومن منكم اذا اهتم يقدر ان يزيد على قامته ذراعا واحدة .

28 ولماذا تهتمون باللباس .تأملوا زنابق الحقل كيف تنمو .لا تتعب ولا تغزل .

29 ولكن اقول لكم انه ولا سليمان في كل مجده كان يلبس كواحدة منها .

30 فان كان عشب الحقل الذي يوجد اليوم ويطرح غدا في التنور يلبسه الله هكذا أفليس بالحري جدا يلبسكم انتم يا قليلي الايمان .

31 فلا تهتموا قائلين ماذا نأكل او ماذا نشرب او ماذا نلبس .

32 فان هذه كلها تطلبها الامم .لان اباكم السماوي يعلم انكم تحتاجون الى هذه كلها .

33 لكن اطلبوا اولا ملكوت الله وبره وهذه كلها تزاد لكم .

34 فلا تهتموا للغد .لان الغد يهتم بما لنفسه .يكفي اليوم شره

 

Jesus loves you

In Him,

Wagdi He

August 26 Devotion - When no one else seems to care

Did you ever have a time when your friends and/or relatives seemed to be too busy with their daily life, that you felt that you dropped through the cracks and were of less importance? Did you feel that no one seems to care? Well I have, and if you haven’t you probably will. Sorry.

At that time when no one else seems to care, you realize that you can always depend on God. He always cares, and cares so much more than any human being can care about/for you.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and care. Abba may your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76 Lord I cast my burden on You Lord, and I know that You shall sustain me. Psalm 55:22

I believe your promise that You Yourself go before me and will be with me; I trust Lord that You will never leave me nor forsake me. I am neither afraid nor discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8.  I feel safe, cared for, loved and at peace because Jesus told me: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27. . In Jesus’ name I pray.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 23 Devotion - When we don't know what to do

".....He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths...."

فَيُعَلِّمَنَا طُرُقَهُ، وَنَسْلُكَ فِي سُبُلِهِ،

Isaiah 2:3

 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: أُعَلِّمُكَ وَأُرْشِدُكَ الطَّرِيقَ الَّتِي تَسْلُكُهَا. أَنْصَحُكَ. عَيْنِي تَرْعَاكَ.

Psalm 32:8

For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ يَهَبُ الْحِكْمَةَ، وَمِنْ فَمِهِ تَتَدَفَّقُ الْمَعْرِفَةُ وَالْفَهْمُ.

Proverbs 2:6

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

وَخَاطَبَهُمْ يَسُوعُ أَيْضاً فَقَالَ: «أَنَا نُورُ الْعَالَمِ. مَنْ يَتْبَعْنِي فَلاَ يَتَخَبَّطُ فِي الظَّلاَمِ بَلْ يَكُونُ لَهُ نُورُ الْحَيَاةِ».

John 8:12

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

وَأَمَّا الرُّوحُ الْقُدُسُ، الْمُعِينُ الَّذِي سَيُرْسِلُهُ الآبُ بِاسْمِي، فَإِنَّهُ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَيُذَكِّرُكُمْ بِكُلِّ مَا قُلْتُهُ لَكُمْ.

John 14:26

We all face situations where we do not know what to do. We also face troubles in our lives. I realized that my first reaction was to think about what to do myself and to seek counsel from friends and relatives. However I am learning to change my ways and first go to God and seek His guidance through The Bible, to pray and meditate on His word to listen to the prompting of The Holy Spirit and to only seek the counsel of Godly people. 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for all Your blessings and for watching over me. Lord I want to change my ways and depend on You totally through Your Word, the guidance of The Holy Spirit and Your message which You may inspire true believers to tell me. God guide me and strengthen me to change my ways so as to rely on Your wisdom and walk in Your path by following Jesus; the light of the world; and to receive counsel through the comforter; The Holy Spirit; whom You sent to me in the name of Jesus. Lord, I repeat the words of the psalmist: "Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

I want to proclaim the words of the apostle Paul “All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles”. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 22 Devotion - Rejoice before God

But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

 ³ أَمَّا الأَبْرَارُ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَفْرَحُونَ وَيَبْتَهِجُونَ أَمَامَ اللهِ وَيَغْتَبِطُونَ سُرُوراً.

فَلْيَرْفَعُوا الشُّكْرَ لِلرَّبِّ عَلَى رَحْمَتِهِ وَعَلَى عَجَائِبِهِ لِبَنِي آدَمَ.
 9 لأَنَّهُ أَشْبَعَ النَّفْسَ الْمُتَلَهِّفَةَ وَمَلأَ النَّفْسَ الْجَائِعَةَ خَيْراً.

 Psalm 68:3

Psalm 107:8-9

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love. I praise You and glorify You. Lord, thank You for the gift of salvation and unfailing love through Jesus Christ Your Son, and my Lord and Saviour. Lord fill my heart, soul, and mind with your joy, help me to know an internal peace and gladness. Teach me to have an outward expression of joy and love and caring for others that depicts Your spirit and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 21 Devotion - In The Son, not under the Sun

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
      And on the labor in which I had toiled;
      And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
      There was no profit under the sun.

ثم التفت انا الى كل اعمالي التي عملتها يداي والى التعب الذي تعبته في عمله فاذا الكل باطل وقبض الريح ولا منفعة تحت الشمس

. Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon, known for His God given wisdom came to the conclusion after trying all the earthly pleasures that every earthly pleasure, when unconnected with higher blessings, leaves the mind as eager and unsatisfied as before.

 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.

[I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

Matthew 11: 28 Amplified Bible

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

قال له يسوع انا هو الطريق والحق والحياة .ليس احد يأتي الى الآب الا بي .

John 14:6

I realize that the humble person who allows himself/herself to be disciplined by God is the really happy one - not the one who lives for ‘number one’ - for self. The first person is God-centred, and worships God; the second person is self-centred and appears to really only worship self.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, please give me wisdom to learn from Solomon who ‘became great and excelled more than all who were before him’, yet found everything under the sun to be ‘vanity and grasping for the wind’.

Change my focus O’Lord from earthly glory to spiritual glory IN Your Son Jesus. I come to You Father in the name of Your Son Jesus acknowledging, declaring and confessing that Jesus is The way, The truth, and The life and that no one can come to You Father except through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Strengthen me Jesus and teach me to be content under all circumstances as You taught the Apostle Paul and to be able to face any situation with the belief that ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’. In Your holy name Jesus’, I pray. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 20 Devotion- Intercession

Intercession is not just praying for someone else's needs. Intercession is praying with the real hope and real intent that God would step in and act for the positive advancement of some specific other person(s) or country. It is trusting that God will act, even if it's not in the way or timing we seek.

The best gift we can give each other is to intercede for each other. Praying for another person not only helps that person find God in the midst of trouble, but also helps us recognize the blessings that God gives us daily.

 Jesus prayed for us to The Father, and the apostle Paul prayed for others to Jesus and God.

 

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

 

I invite you to pray along with the Apostle Paul for others in your lives:

‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.’

أُصَلِّي مِنْ أَجْلِ الَّذِينَ سَوْفَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي بِسَبَبِ كَلِمَةِ هؤُلاَء

 ²¹ لِيَكُونَ الْجَمِيعُ وَاحِداً؛ أَيُّهَا الآبُ، كَمَا أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ فِيَّ وَأَنَا فِيكَ، لِيَكُونُوا هُمْ أَيْضاً وَاحِداً فِينَا، لِكَيْ يُؤْمِنَ الْعَالَمُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي.
لِكَيْ يَمْنَحَكُمْ، وَفْقاً لِغِنَى مَجْدِهِ، أَنْ يُمِدَّ الرُّوحُ الكِيَانَ الدَّاخِلِيَّ فِي كُلٍّ مِنْكُمْ بِالْقُوَّةِ الْمُؤَيِّدَةِ،
 ¹⁷ لِيَسْكُنَ الْمَسِيحُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ بِالإِيمَانِ؛ حَتَّى إِذَا تَأَصَّلْتُمْ وَتَأَسَّسْتُمْ فِي الْمَحَبَّةِ،
 ¹⁸ تَصِيرُونَ قَادِرِينَ تَمَاماً أَنْ تُدْرِكُوا، مَعَ الْقِدِّيسِينَ جَمِيعاً، مَا هُوَ الْعَرْضُ وَالطُّولُ وَالْعُلْوُ وَالْعُمْقُ،
 ¹⁹ وَتَعْرِفُوا مَحَبَّةَ الْمَسِيحِ الَّتِي تَفُوقُ الْمَعْرِفَةَ، فَتَمْتَلِئُوا حَتَّى تَبْلُغُوا مِلْءَ اللهِ كُلَّهُ. وَلْيَهْدِ اللهُ قُلُوبَكُمْ إِلَى مَا لَدَى اللهِ مِنَ الْمَحَبَّةِ وَلَدَى الْمَسِيحِ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ!

John 17:20-21

Ephesians 3:16-19

2 Thessalonians 3:5

Jesus loves you

In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 19 Devotion - God's Healing Power

The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.

 ³ يَعْضُدُهُ الرَّبُّ عَلَى فِرَاشِ الأَلَمِ، وَيَرُدُّ عَافِيَتَهُ.

Psalm 41:3

 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. ¹⁵ So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

وَذَهَبَ يَسُوعُ إِلَى بَيْتِ بُطْرُسَ، فَوَجَدَ حَمَاتَهُ طَرِيحَةَ الْفِرَاشِ تُعَانِي مِنَ الْحُمَّى.
 ¹⁵ فَلَمَسَ يَدَهَا، فَذَهَبَتْ عَنْهَا الْحُمَّى، وَنَهَضَتْ وَأَخَذَتْ تَخْدِمُهُ.

Matthew 8:14-15

 We know that Jesus has the healing power and that He performed many miracles when He was on earth. The question many of us sometimes ask is: Does He still heal today? The answer is in the following biblical truth:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 ⁸ يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ هُوَ هُوَ أَمْساً وَالْيَوْمَ وَإِلَى الأَبَدِ.

Hebrews 13:8

 

Jesus did not want those who were healed to go and announce about His miracles because, I believe, He wanted us to concentrate on Him and His message of Salvation, rather than the miracles themselves.
 

He also told many of those He healed ‘your faith has healed you’. Jesus is still healing.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourselves and others:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, give us enough faith to receive Your healing. Lord, I pray for all those who are sick and afflicted and for their families. God, give them health and perseverance, help them to go through the tough times knowing You are carrying them. As You taught us Jesus, in Your prayers to The Father, Your will be done. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

August 16 Devotion - Praying during persecution and suffering

There are many Christians feeling persecution today in many countries. One of these countries is Egypt. Again over the last couple of days, many churches were set on fire in Egypt and Christians killed and hurt by Islamic fundamentalists. August 15^th was the saddest day in modern Christian history. You can read about it at the following website.

http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c2eaf6afddb7f87586e752295&id=e300ecaf33&e=43175592f3

Our first reaction may be anger, and thoughts of revenge, however let us remember what God Himself said:

Vengeance is Mine

Deuteronomy 32

What we can do is to pray for all Christians in suffering, and the Christians of Egypt, and seek the Lord’s guidance and wisdom and comfort to our feelings and actions, for we know that:

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

طُوبَى لِمَنْ يَتَحَمَّلُ الْمِحْنَةَ بِصَبْرٍ. فَإِنَّهُ، بَعْدَ أَنْ يَجْتَازَ الامْتِحَانَ بِنَجَاحٍ، سَيَنَالُ «إِكْلِيلَ الْحَيَاةِ» الَّذِي وَعَدَ بِهِ الرَّبُّ مُحِبِّيهِ!

James 1:12

We listen to the words of the Apostles James and Paul as they tell us:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him… James 1:2-5

 

 

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, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

 

Colossians 1:9-12

 احسبوه كل فرح يا اخوتي حينما تقعون في تجارب متنوعة

3 عالمين ان امتحان ايمانكم ينشئ صبرا.

4 واما الصبر فليكن له عمل تام لكي تكونوا تامّين وكاملين غير ناقصين في شيء. لِذَلِكَ نَحْنُ أَيْضاً، مِنَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي فِيهِ سَمِعْنَا بِأَخْبَارِكُمْ، مَازِلْنَا نُصَلِّي وَنَتَضَرَّعُ لأَجْلِكُمْ، لأَنْ تَمْتَلِئُوا مِنْ تَمَامِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ لِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ فِي كُلِّ حِكْمَةٍ وَإِدْرَاكٍ رُوحِيٍّ،

 10 لِكَيْ تَسْلُكُوا سُلُوكاً لاَئِقاً بِالرَّبِّ وَمُرْضِياً فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، مُنْتِجِينَ الثَّمَرَ فِي كُلِّ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ وَنَامِينَ فِي مَعْرِفَةِ اللهِ إِلَى التَّمَامِ،

 11 مُتَشَدِّدِينَ بِكُلِّ قُوَّةٍ مُوَافِقَةٍ لِقُدْرَةِ مَجْدِهِ، لِتَتَمَكَّنُوا تَمَاماً مِنَ الاحْتِمَالِ وَطُولِ الْبَالِ،

 12 رَافِعِينَ الشُّكْرَ بِفَرَحٍ لِلآبِ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ أَهْلاً لِلاشْتِرَاكِ فِي مِيرَاثِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ فِي (مَلَكُوتِ) النُّورِ،

 

To all Christians who are in suffering let us rejoice in the prayer and promise:

 ²⁴ “The LORD bless you and keep you;

 ²⁵ The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;

²⁶ The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,  And give you peace.”’

يُبَارِكُكَ الرَّبُّ وَيَحْرُسُكَ.

 ²⁵ يُضِيءُ الرَّبُّ بِوَجْهِهِ عَلَيْكَ وَيَرْحَمُكَ.

 ²⁶ يَلْتَفِتُ الرَّبُّ بِوَجْهِهِ إِلَيْكَ وَيَمْنَحُكَ سَلاَماً.

Numbers 6:24-26

 

  The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Psalm 121:8

August 15 Devotion- Transforming failure to Success

Wealth and riches are in His house; and His righteousness endures forever.Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Blessings and prosperity will be yours.

رغد وغنى في بيته وبره قائم الى الابد‏.

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

طوباك وخير لك.

 Psalm 112:3, Philippians 1:6, Psalm 128:2

 

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” That approach is taught all over the world. As Christians, we tend to integrate this attitude into our walk with Christ.

If we fail to conquer certain habits, or disobey key Scripture verses, we keep trying on our own strength. Although perseverance is necessary, determination alone will not cure our problems.

We need to admit our failure and realize that we can do nothing apart from the support and strength of The Holy Spirit. Failure can be a catalyst that converts our methods from trying to trusting.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord forgive me for my weaknesses and strengthen me to make the transition from trying on my own to trusting in Your power. Lord I know that Your house is full of riches; and that Your righteousness endures forever. I am confident that if You set me on a direction or path You will complete it in spite of the trials and snares that are in my way; and that blessings and prosperity will be mine. Lord, I know that without The Holy Spirit acting on my behalf I cannot accomplish Your will. I trust and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, my redeemer.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein