May 7 Devotion - The Tribulations of Life

“…In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

فَإِنَّكُمْ فِي الْعَالَمِ سَتُقَاسُونَ الضِّيقَ. وَلكِنْ تَشَجَّعُوا، فَأَنَا قَدِ انْتَصَرْتُ عَلَى الْعَالَمِ!»

^{John 16:33}

Tribulations cause anxiety and sorrow and can lead to depression. When we experience tribulation in our lives we  need to turn to the one who has overcome the world. This sounds easier said than done. However practice makes perfect, and as we learn to turn to Jesus in the face of anxiety and sorrow in the little things we begin to develop our dependence muscles.

Learning that ‘Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow…but empties today of its strength’ (Charles Spurgeon) helps us realize that anxiety distracts the mind from communion with God. The Apostle Paul teaches us to:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

لا تهتموا بشيء بل في كل شيء بالصلاة والدعاء مع الشكر لتعلم طلباتكم لدى الله.

وسلام الله الذي يفوق كل عقل يحفظ قلوبكم وافكاركم في المسيح يسوع

Philippians 4:6-7

The word ‘nothing’ means it excludes any reason. No reason is exempt and we are not allowed to worry about anything. This means that we are to pray about ‘everything’. Through thankful prayer we can declare to God our anxious thoughts and have faith that He will fill our hearts and mind with His peace when we leave our anxieties at The Cross.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I never feel anxious and be always thankful. I pray that Your peace which surpasses all comprehension, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Father God, thank You for Your unfailing, inseparable, deep and everlasting love for me, Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life.   

Lord, You know exactly where I am emotionally and mentally and I know as per Jesus’ promise that You will comfort me. Father, I believe that sometimes You do allow the pressures of life to build so that I can learn to deal with them from a position of faith and not from a position of fear. Thank You for not condemning me for my fear, and for providing wisdom for all I face. Abba God I pray to You in the name of Your precious Son; my Redeemer and Saviour; the Lord of my life, Jesus Christ. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

May 4 Devotion - Jesus Sets Boundaries

Is it okay to set boundaries in relationships? Is it healthy to set boundaries in relationships? Did Jesus set boundaries in dealing with people? The answer to these three questions is a definite YES.

Many health professionals insist that one of the most vital components to creating a healthy and fulfilling relationship is to set clear and agreed to boundaries in relationships.  In simple terms, boundaries are the thing that keeps us separate from the other person.  The boundaries set the place between where you end and the other person begins.

Many people are sensitive-hearted and prone to take on other people’s problems. If they don’t have clear personal boundaries and limits they get weighed down and walked on. Eventually they start having problems with anger, resentment, stress overload, or burn out. They just can’t continue being so helpful and caring all the time!

Jesus had personal needs that he put priority on — sometimes even over the needs of other people — and he did so without feeling guilty. Primarily his personal soul care had to do with separating himself from people to be alone with God.

Jesus said no to inappropriate behaviour:

·     When the demands on Him from the crowd crossed His needs to be with His Father, He withdrew from the crowds…

But the news about Him was spreading farther, and large crowds kept gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their illnesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion].

عَلَى أَنَّ خَبَرَ يَسُوعَ زَادَ انْتِشَاراً، حَتَّى تَوَافَدَتْ إِلَيْهِ جُمُوعٌ كَثِيرَةٌ لِيَسْتَمِعُوا إِلَيْهِ وَيَنَالُوا الشِّفَاءَ مِنْ أَمْرَاضِهِمْ. 16 أَمَّا هُوَ، فَكَانَ يَنْسَحِبُ إِلَى الأَمَاكِنِ الْخَالِيَةِ حَيْثُ يُصَلِّي.

Luke 5:15-16

·     Jesus set a boundary and said no to Peter and the disciples who had an inappropriate agenda for Jesus as a political king or military warrior rather than a sacrificial lamb.

But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on things of God, but on things of man.”

فَالْتَفَتَ يَسُوعُ إِلَى بُطْرُسَ وَقَالَ لَهُ: «اغْرُبْ مِنْ أَمَامِي يَا شَيْطَانُ! أَنْتَ عَقَبَةٌ أَمَامِي، لأَنَّكَ تُفَكِّرُ لَا بِأُمُورِ اللهِ، بَلْ بِأُمُورِ النَّاسِ!»

Matthew 16:23

There are many more examples of Jesus setting boundaries in The Bible and we need to learn that it is an acceptable and encouraged behaviour for us Christians to set boundaries and protect ourselves and our emotions, and teach others (children, friends, coworkers, loved ones, parents) their boundaries so as to set the place between where you end and the other person begins. Setting boundaries creates mutual respect, protects against being controlled, and teaches others and yourself to respect other people’s rights and privacy.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself

Abba Father, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can learn to set boundaries in my life and in my relationships with others. Help me to be prepared through the guidance of The Holy Spirit to answer all accusations or attempts to make me feel guilty because I am setting healthy boundaries. Teach me to be firm but courteous and respectful in my answers, explaining to others that setting boundaries is a win for them as well and we can live in a win-win relationship with respect. Help me Lord to push back those who have by force pushed on my boundary line during the years; without allowing my emotions to be in play; but to let The Holy Spirit think for me and speak through me. Father God I thank You for Your abundant blessings and Your unfailing, deep, everlasting, and inseparable love for me.  Lord God I pray to You in the name of Your precious Son my Redeemer, Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, the power, the dominion, the majesty and the blessings forever and ever and unto ages of all ages.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

May 3 Devotion- Intercession - Praying for each other - Today is International Prayer Day

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 a positive effect for some specific other person(s). It is trusting that God will act, even if it's not in the way or timing we seek. Always asking for: “God’s will be done”.

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.

LET US PRAY FOR EACH OTHER

 

“I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, ²¹ that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.”

John 17:20-21

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.’

Ephesians 3:16-19

2 Thessalonians 3:5

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!

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

May 2 Devotion - Sharing our Faith

But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.

وَإِنَّمَا كَرِّسُوا الْمَسِيحَ رَبّاً فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ. وَكُونُوا دَائِماً مُسْتَعِدِّينَ لأَنْ تُقَدِّمُوا جَوَاباً مُقْنِعاً لِكُلِّ مَنْ يَسْأَلُكُمْ عَنْ سَبَبِ الرَّجَاءِ الَّذِي فِي دَاخِلِكُمْ

Mais sanctifiez dans vos coeurs Christ le Seigneur, étant toujours prêts à vous défendre, avec douceur et respect, devant quiconque vous demande raison de l'espérance qui est en vous,

1 Peter 3:15

We know that God wants all people to be ‘saved’ and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We have a responsibility according to Jesus’ Great Commission to share our faith regarding God’s salvation plan through Jesus to everyone we can. So according to the advice given to us by the Apostle Peter whenever we share our faith with others we need to be prepared to give an explanation and we need to do it in a courteous and respectful manner. We need to realize that some people may reject the message and can be offended or feel threatened by it.

Some of us have members of our families that are not believers. We must never give up based on the rejection of the message but leave the work to The Holy Spirit and focus on the joy we will feel when we see anyone and especially those we love birthed into God’s family.

“there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

De même, je vous le dis, il y aura plus de joie dans le ciel pour un seul pécheur qui se repent, que pour quatre-vingt-dix-neuf justes qui n'ont pas besoin de repentance.

 

أقُولُ لَكُمْ، هَكَذا تَفرَحُ السَّماءُ بِخاطِئٍ واحِدٍ يَتُوبُ أكثَرَ مِمّا تَفرَحُ بِتِسعَةٍ وَتِسعِينَ بارّاً لا يَحتاجُونَ إلَى التَّوبَةِ.

Luke 15:7

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, Adonai, thank You for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Help me Lord so that I can share my faith with those who do not believe in Jesus as their Saviour. Help me to be prepared to answer their questions through the guidance of The Holy Spirit. Teach me Lord to be courteous and respectful in my answers, not letting my emotions be in play but to let The Holy Spirit think for me and speak through me. Thank You Father for Your unfailing, inseparable, deep and everlasting love for me, and Your abundant blessings in my life. God I pray to You in the name of Your precious Son; my Redeemer, Lord and Saviour; Jesus Christ. To Him be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein