November 7 Devotion - The Holy Spirit

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.”

وَأَنَا أَطْلُبُ مِنَ الآبِ فَيُعْطِيكُمْ مُعَزِّيًا آخَرَ لِيَمْكُثَ مَعَكُمْ إِلَى الأَبَدِ، 17رُوحُ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ الْعَالَمُ أَنْ يَقْبَلَهُ، لأَنَّهُ لاَ يَرَاهُ وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ، وَأَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَتَعْرِفُونَهُ لأَنَّهُ مَاكِثٌ مَعَكُمْ وَيَكُونُ فِيكُمْ.

John 14:16–17

We need the Holy Spirit; whom Jesus sends to live in every believer; to:

1. Comfort us when we experience pain and sorrow. 

2. Guide us into the full truth about Jesus Christ.

3. Direct our steps daily, and to help us make wise choices and Godly decisions.

4. Remind us of God’s commandments and the truth of Jesus Christ so we will know what to do and what to say in any situation in which we find ourselves.

5. Convict us of our sins and errors so we can repent and make positive changes in our lives.

6. Defeat evil on our behalf.

7. Conform us to the image of Christ Jesus.

8. We need the Holy Spirit to make us whole.

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. Lord, I praise You and glorify You and lift you up on high. Lord, I want to be so intimate with You that I can hear Your voice and have divine wisdom for every decision. Heavenly Father, I know Your way is best, no matter how good the other options appear. Attune my ears and heart to the voice of Your Holy Spirit. Make me willing to obey. 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

November 6 Devotion - Trusting God

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

Joshua 1:9, 2 Samuel 7:28, Psalms 9:10, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 13:5

There are many reasons why we can trust God:

•     He is the one, true God (2 Samuel 7:21–22)

•     He is the essence of truth (Hebrews 6:17–18)

•     He is absolutely faithful (Lamentations 3:23)

•        He has all power (Matthew 28:18)

•        He loves you unconditionally (John 15:9)

•       He never changes (Hebrews 13:8).

When I am afraid, I will put my trust and faith in You. ⁴ In God, whose word I praise; In God I have put my trust; I shall not fear. What can mere man do to me?

فِي يَوْمِ خَوْفِي أَتَّكِلُ عَلَيْكَ. 4 تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللهِ الَّذِي أَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى كَلاَمِهِ، فَلَا أَخَافُ. مَاذَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَصْنَعَ بِي الْبَشَرُ؟

Psalm 56:3-4

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

Abba Father, great is Thy faithfulness. 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 trust You with an unconditional trust that allows me to have the patience to wait for Your deliverance. Jesus teach me to repose all my cares and my load onto Your shoulders. Lord I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. Help me to trust in You Lord with all my heart, and not to depend on my own understanding. Hear my prayers O’Lord, In Jesus’ name I pray. 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

November 5 Devotion - When justice and mercy seem absent

Over 215 Million Christians are persecuted around the world because of their faith. Last Friday there was an attack on a bus transporting Christians to a monastery in Egypt killing 7 and wounding 14. Egypt is rated #17 amongst the list of 50 countries where Christians are facing extreme to high levels of persecution. A rise in violent attacks in Egypt caused the death of 128 Christians in 2017 and left many wounded. Several churches were destroyed. Every time the church has faced persecution, it has also been purified and made stronger. God never intends for suffering to defeat us. Rather, His purpose is for it to make us holy and effective witnesses for Christ.

Jesus said: Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

أليس عصفوران يباعان بفلسوواحد منهما لا يسقط على الارض بدون ابيكم

Matthew 10:29

To all the Christians who are persecuted because of their faith, or are in fear of persecution, to all who have reasons to be afraid; let us put our trust in our God and remember that He is in control and Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

مِنْ إِحْسَانَاتِ الرَّبِّ أَنَّنَا لَمْ نَفْنَ، لأَنَّ مَرَاحِمَهُ لَا تَزُولُ. 23 تَتَجَدَّدُ فِي كُلِّ صَبَاحٍ. فَائِقَةٌ أَمَانَتُكَ.

Lamentations 3:22-23

God we pray to You as Asaph prayed to You in Psalm 74:

20Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. 21Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name. ²² Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. ²³ Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.

ذْكُرِ الْعَهْدَ الَّذِي قَطَعْتَهُ لَنَا، فَإِنَّ الظُّلْمَ كَامِنٌ فِي كُلِّ رُكْنٍ مُظْلِمٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ. ²¹ لَا تَدَعِ الْمُنْسَحِقَ يَرْجِعُ بِالْخِزْيِ، بَلْ لِيُسَبِّحِ اسْمَكَ الْفَقِيرُ وَالْبَائِسُ. ²² قُمْ يَا اللهُ وَدَافِعْ عَنْ دَعْوَاكَ. اذْكُرْ كَيْفَ يُعَيِّرُكَ الْجَاهِلُ طُولَ النَّهَارِ. ²³ لَا تَنْسَ أَصْوَاتَ خُصُومِكَ، فَإِنَّ ضَجِيجَ الثَّائِرِينَ عَلَيْكَ يَتَصَاعَدُ دَائِماً.

Let us seek encouragement despite the awful reality as Asaph did when he wrote in verse 12:

But God is my King from long ago; he brings salvation on the earth.

إِنَّمَا اللهُ مَلِكِي مُنْذُ الْقَدِيمِ، صَانِعُ الْخَلاَصِ فِي وَسَطِ الأَرْضِ.

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

Abba Father, great is Thy faithfulness. God You care so much about the sparrows, how can I even think that You will not take care of Your people. Lord, I pray for all those who are mourning and in fear and worry, fill their hearts and mine with trust in You and a deep knowledge that Your compassions fail not, and they are renewed every morning. Strengthen us all God that we may say: When I am afraid, I will put my trust and faith in You. ⁴ In God, whose word I praise; In God I have put my trust; I shall not fear. What can mere man do to me? Psalm 56:3-4   Abba Father, thank You that Your deep steadfast love endures forever. I pray In Jesus’ name and I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.  

فِي يَوْمِ خَوْفِي أَتَّكِلُ عَلَيْكَ. 4 تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللهِ الَّذِي أَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى كَلاَمِهِ، فَلَا أَخَافُ. مَاذَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَصْنَعَ بِي الْبَشَرُ؟

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

November 2 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 up 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, the only begotten Son of God, I pray. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty and the dominion forever and ever and unto ages of all ages. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein