January 23 Devotion - Joy and Grace

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This is the day the LORD has made;
         We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

هذا هو اليوم الذي صنعه الرب. نبتهج ونفرح فيه

 

Today is a gift. That is why they call it the ‘present’. Let us rejoice in it.

The Greek word in the Bible for ‘joy’ is ‘chara’ and the verb is ‘charein’ which is often translated ‘to rejoice’. Closely related is the word ‘charis’ which is translated to be ‘grace’.

I explore this to present my point that I believe it is ‘Charis’ that produces ‘Chara’ or in English, it is ‘Grace’ that produces ‘Joy’. Understanding the word of God increases our appreciation of His Grace, and our feeling of Joy.

 I always wondered and struggled for years to understand how the Apostle Paul was feeling joy while being held prisoner in a dungy Roman prison cell and how from there he told us to:

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
افْرَحُوا فِي الرَّبِّ دَائِماً، وَأَقُولُ أَيْضاً: افْرَحُوا.

Philippians 4:4

My belief is that The Apostle Paul probably felt God’s grace so powerfully that it overshadowed all the negative feelings of being chained in a Roman prison to the point that he actually felt joy.

Jesus said:

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

كلمتكم بهذا لكي يثبت فرحي فيكم ويكمل فرحكم

John 15:11

All through the Bible we see evidence of God wanting us to be joyful, irrespective of the situation. Let’s concentrate on God’s grace and the magnitude of His love for us expressed through His grace and that on its own is reason enough for quantum joy.

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 that You gave me today as a present for me to rejoice in. I praise You, I thank You, I glorify You and I rejoice in You. Fill me God totally and envelop me with Your Grace, so that I can feel an inner joy independent of circumstances. Jesus I long for and pray that Your Joy remain in me and that my Joy be full and that I may always have the Fruit of The Spirit, Joy, bubbling within me. Hallelujah. In the Holy Name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 21 Devotion - Part 5 The Fruit of The Spirit - Gentleness (Meekness) and Self-Control

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 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.

Ephesians 4:2

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

Proverbs 25:28

 

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. O gracious and merciful God, fill my heart with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. Father God, 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. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour to whom be power and glory forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 20 Devotion - Part 4 The Fruit of The Spirit - Goodness and Faithfulness

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

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

Galatians 5:22–23

 

Goodness is love choosing to do what is right … in God’s eyes.

 

"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power"

2 Thessalonians 1:11

 "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth"

Ephesians 5:9

 

Faithfulness (faith) is love in keeping commitments in relationships. Only The Holy Spirit can produce the quality of loyalty no matter the cost.

 

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth

Isaiah 25:1

 

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.

O gracious and merciful God, fill my heart with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. God please count me worthy of this devotion ministry calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of Your goodness, and the work of faith with power. I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I always exalt You Lord, and praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things for me. Your counsels to me have always been faithful and true. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour to whom be power and glory forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

January 17 Devotion - Part 3 The Fruit of The Spirit - Longsuffering and Kindness

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

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

وداعة تعفف.

Galatians 5:22–23

      Longsuffering (patience) is love waiting for God to reveal to you and in you what He desires to reveal.

 We are strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

Colossians 1:11

 

With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

Ephesians 4:2

Kindness is love reacting to those around you. Kindness and goodness are joined with patience to teach that a sweet disposition and doing good toward people is the way to stay with them in love.

 

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.

O gracious and merciful God, fill my heart with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. Help me Lord to be patient and to find Your joy in longsuffering situations. I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I may bear others in gentleness and love and be able to do good toward them.

I pray in the mighty name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour to whom be power and glory forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 16 Devotion - Part 2 The Fruit of The Spirit - Joy and Peace

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

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

وداعة تعفف.

Galatians 5:22–23

 Joy is love enjoying all of the goodness of God. The first result of true love in relationships is the evidence of joy.

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

 

Peace is love resting on the promises of God.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 5:1

 

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit"

Romans 15:13

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.

O gracious and merciful God, fill my heart with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. Let me enjoy all Your goodness Lord so that my heart will be filled with joy and let your strength be manifested in my life.

My God of hope, I trust in You, fill me with all joy and peace so that I may overflow with hope by the power of The Holy Spirit. Lord I rest on Your promises, fill me with Your peace which is above my comprehension.

I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour to whom be power and glory forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 15 Devotion - THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

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

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

Galatians 5:22–23

 

"Fruit of the Spirit" is a Biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one ninefold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing through The Holy Spirit. The way to the fulfillment of the law is not to live under the law like slaves, but to live by the Spirit as children of God.

 

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is first and foremost love. All of the other qualities associated with having the Holy Spirit flow from the presence of God’s love in us.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:16

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings nd love. I praise You and glorify You.

O gracious and merciful God, fill my heart with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Fill me Jesus with the moral qualities produced by the Spirit. Teach and strengthen me to love those who hate me; to pray for those who despitefully use me; so that I may be a child of God, my Father, who makes the sun to shine on the evil and on the good and send rain on the just and on the unjust. Fill my heart dear Lord with Your unconditional Agape love.I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think, according to the power that works in me, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

والقادر ان يفعل فوق كل شيء اكثر جدا مما نطلب او نفتكر بحسب القوة التي تعمل فينا

 

له المجد في الكنيسة في المسيح يسوع الى جميع اجيال دهر الدهور.آمين 
Jesus loves you

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 14 Devotion - How do I get to see The Kingdom of God?

 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:1-17

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Thank You God that by accepting Jesus as my Lord and Saviour I am now born again of the Spirit. I declare that I want Jesus to live in me, and that I want to become Christ-like. Thank You Lord for Your grace and mercy. Lord, please strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can always be aware that I am saved through Your grace and that I can never be worthy on my own of being Your child except through the atoning blood of Jesus. Thank You Jesus that through You I can see The Kingdom of God and live within it. In Your  Holy Name Jesus I pray. To Jesus be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 13 Devotion - The New Covenant

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

فَإِنَّ هَذَا هُوَ دَمِي الَّذِي لِلْعَهْدِ الْجَدِيدِ وَالَّذِي يُسْفَكُ مِنْ أَجْلِ كَثِيرِينَ لِمَغْفِرَةِ الْخَطَايَا.

Mathew 26:28

 

 

According to Bible professor Charles Ryrie, “The word covenant meant an arrangement made by one party which the other party involved could accept or reject but not alter.”

It is an arrangement made by God which we can accept or reject, but we cannot alter the arrangement that we are only saved through the shed blood of Jesus. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour we are born again, a spiritual birth, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit and sealed forever as children of God.

 

The word testament—as used in the biblical Old and New Testaments—originates from the Greek word for covenant.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, thank You for loving me so much that You sent Jesus to die for my sins. I accept Your Son as Lord and Saviour. I accept Your new covenant joyously and thank You for Your grace and mercy. Lord, please strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can always be aware that I am saved through Your grace and that I can never be worthy on my own of being Your child except through the atoning blood of Jesus. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 9 Devotion - Our Sufficiency is from God

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.

ليس اننا كفاة من انفسنا ان نفتكر شيئا كانه من انفسنا بل كفايتنا من الله

2 Corinthians 3:5

All that we are is a gift from God. Our intelligence, success, abilities, health, etc. are a gift from God lest anyone should boast or become arrogant. We are not perfect yet and need God to constantly help us grow. We need God to do what He alone can do for us, in us,and through us.

When we feel less than adequate; our chant should never be ‘I cannot’ but our chant should be ‘With God’s grace and support, I can”

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life. Lord, my sufficiency is in You.

Lord, help me to always say in confidence and strong faith: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13 In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus Loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein
 إِنِّي أَسْتَطِيعُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، فِي الْمَسِيحِ الَّذِي يُقَوِّينِي

January 8 Devotion - Wisdom

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 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.

لِذَلِكَ لاَ تَكُونُوا أَغْبِيَاءَ، بَلِ افْهَمُوا مَا هِيَ مَشِيئَةُ الرَّبِّ.

5. وَإِنَّمَا إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ تُعْوِزُهُ حِكْمَةٌ فَلْيَطْلُبْ مِنَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يُعْطِي الْجَمِيعَ بِسَخَاءٍ وَلاَ يُعَيِّرُ، فَسَيُعْطَى لَهُ.

Ephesians 5:17, James 1:5

Wisdom means to me:

v     That I seek God’s will for my life and follow His plan

v     That I always act according to the spirit of the Biblical Commandments 

v     That I understand the consequences of my actions and words before I act or speak

v     To have the knowledge and understanding to recognize the right course of action and to have the will and courage                                 to follow it.

I find that many times I fail to act with wisdom. I realize that I need the guidance and conviction of The Holy Spirit to act wisely.

 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, help me to clearly see Your plan and will for my life. Holy Spirit, I need Your wisdom to guide all my actions. Lord, help me to listen to the direction of The Holy Spirit within me. Strengthen my faith to clearly realize that You are my rock in whom I take refuge. You are my salvation and my stronghold. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.’ Ephesians 3:20-21

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 7 Devotion - Transformation

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;

وَلِي ثِقَةٌ فِي هَذَا الأَمْرِ بِالذَّاتِ: أَنَّ الَّذِي بَدَأَ فِيكُمْ عَمَلاً صَالِحاً سَوْفَ يُتَمِّمُهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

Philippians 1:6 

When we were born again by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit came to live within us. 

When we try to live the Christian life depending on our own strength, we fail.

 When we come to the conclusion that we cannot succeed on our own and surrender to The Holy Spirit, that is when we move from trying to trusting; and that trans-form-ation helps us to start flourishing in our Christian faith journey as we change internal spiritual form. Transformation as defined in the dictionary is the act of changing form. The Holy Spirit will continue to transform us to help us become more and more Christ-like till the day we meet Jesus in person.

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for your abundant blessings. Lord, I trust that The Holy Spirit within me is the only force that will make me able to live according to Your commandments. I acknowledge that I can do nothing apart from Christ. I trust that Jesus, who has started this Christian growth journey in my life, will continue to work in me to make me more like Him every day. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the power and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

January 3 Devotion - Your Name is Inscribed on God's Palm

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

 15 هَلْ تَنْسَى الْمَرْأَةُ رَضِيعَهَا وَلاَ تَرْحَمُ ابْنَ أَحْشَائِهَا؟ حَتَّى هَؤُلاَءِ يَنْسَيْنَ، أَمَّا أَنَا فَلاَ أَنْسَاكُمْ.  16 انْظُرُوا هَا أَنَا قَدْ نَقَشْتُكِ ُ عَلَى كَفِّي.

Isaiah 49:15-16

For thus says the LORD of hosts:… “For he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.”

فَإِنَّ الرَّبَّ الْقَدِيرَ يَقُولُ ...'لأَنَّ مَنْ يَمَسُّكُمْ يَمَسُّ حَدَقَةَ عَيْنِهِ.'

Zechariah 2:8

 

 

God loves us so very much. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 and now the eyes of the Father are forever focused on us because of Christ’s atoning death on the cross for us.

God will never forget us; the followers of Christ; for He has inscribed our names on the palms of His Hands. Neither will He forget the church, the body of believers.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Lord, forgive me if at times I feel that You have forgotten me. Increase my faith so as to know, believe, and trust that You never forget me. I am privileged and thankful that as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ; Your only begotten son; that I am so precious to You, that my name is written on the palms of Your hands. Thank You Lord for loving me so much that You consider that whoever touches me touches the apple of Your eye. I thank You, praise You and glorify You, in the name of Jesus my Lord and Saviour, to whom be honour, glory and power forever and ever . Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein

January 2 Devotion - The Abundant Life - A prayer for 2014

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

أَمَّا أَنَا فَقَدْ أَتَيْتُ لِتَكُونَ لَهُمْ حَيَاةٌ، بَلْ مِلْءُ الْحَيَاةِ!

John 10:10

Jesus came into this world in human nature, to give his soul and body, for the life of these persons, who would declare Him as their Lord and Saviour so that they may live spiritually in this world, and eternally hereafter.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. I praise You and glorify You for Your unequaled greatness. I know, when Love came to the manger in Bethlehem, He came for me, so that I would be saved and have a more abundant life.

God of my yesterdays, today, and my tomorrows; God of new beginnings and wonderful surprises, thank You for the gift of this New Year, 2014.

God please crown 2014 with Your goodness. Lord make 2014 to be a year of grace and blessing for me, a time to grow in faith and love, a time to renew my commitment to following Your Son, Jesus. 

Lord, please walk with me in every day and every hour of this New Year; make me hear your voice directing my path that the light of Christ would shine through me, in spite of my weaknesses and failings.

My heavenly Father, please help me to bring all my thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ and to continue my journey to become Christ-like. In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you
In Him,
Wagdi Henein