February 7 Devotion - Jesus Prays for All 'Believers' - Part 1

 

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.

وَلَسْتُ أُصَلِّي مِنْ أَجْلِ هؤُلاَءِ فَقَطْ، بَلْ أَيْضاً مِنْ أَجْلِ الَّذِينَ سَوْفَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي بِسَبَبِ كَلِمَةِ هؤُلاَءِ

John 17:20

 

Jesus’ words, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their word”, should give us real comfort especially during times of adversity. After praying for his disciples, Jesus prayed for all those who would believe in Him through their word. In a sense, everyone who has become a believer; a follower of Christ; has done so through the Apostles' messages. So, Jesus was praying for all the believers who would ever exist. He was praying for you and me and those He wants us to reach with His message of salvation.

Knowing that Jesus prayed for us should give us confidence as we work for His Kingdom and as we face daily tribulations.

 

 I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Thank You Jesus for praying for me to our Father and that You are seated at the right hand of our Father interceding for me. Thank You Jesus for granting me eternal life through The Cross. Father, please strengthen my faith and give me peace and confidence that Your promises are coming true. I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, and I pray in His holy name. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion before all time, now, and forevermore. Amen.

 

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

February 6 Devotion - True Contentment

 

According to the Holman Bible Dictionary, contentment is:

“An internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances”

We achieve contentment when we can seek the things of God above the things of the world. When our relationship with Christ dominates our thoughts and Jesus is the true Lord of our lives.

Contentment is not something we have; it is something we learn.  In his message to The Philippians, The Apostle Paul writes:      

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. [12] I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. [13] I can do all this through Jesus Christ who gives me strength.

لَسْتُ أَعْنِي أَنِّي كُنْتُ فِي حَاجَةٍ، فَأَنَا قَدْ تَعَلَّمْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ قَنُوعاً فِي كُلِّ حَالٍ.

وَأَعْرِفُ كَيْفَ أَعِيشُ فِي الْعَوَزِ، وَكَيْفَ أَعِيشُ فِي الْوَفْرَةِ. فَإِنِّي، فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَفِي جَمِيعِ الأَحْوَالِ، مُتَدَرِّبٌ عَلَى الشَّبَعِ وَعَلَى الْجُوعِ، وَعَلَى الْعَيْشِ فِي الْوَفْرَةِ أَوْ فِي الْعَوَزِ.

إِنِّي أَسْتَطِيعُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، فِي الْمَسِيحِ الَّذِي يُقَوِّينِي.

Philippians 4:11-13

 

 Contentment is a choice. Not being content may be considered an insult to our Heavenly Father. Contentment does not mean settling for mediocrity. The Apostle Paul never settled for mediocrity. 

 

I believe that the secret to the Christian maturity of contentment is found in two ingredients:

1. Understanding who we are here to please, our mission is to serve God

2. Understanding where our strength comes from, our strength is from God

In order to learn to be content we need to learn to release control and surrender to God. 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father please help me to give You glory by being content in You. Give me Lord the quest of contentment by teaching me to be content. Help me Lord to always have an attitude of gratitude. Lord, increase my love for You, my trust in You, and my dependence on You. God please remove from me the desire of always wanting more and teach me contentment in every circumstance. I know that You promised to give me what I need. Help me Father to be released from the desire to get more and develop in me the desire to give more. Help me realize that I can do all things, if they ae according to Your will, through Christ who strengthens me. Thank You Father God 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. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Ephesians 3:20-21 Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

February 3 Devotion - New Vessels

 

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.

وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَجْعَلُ خَمْرًا جَدِيدَةً فِي زِقَاق عَتِيقَةٍ، لِئَلاَّ تَشُقَّ الْخَمْرُ الْجَدِيدَةُ الزِّقَاقَ، فَالْخَمْرُ تَنْصَبُّ وَالزِّقَاقُ تَتْلَفُ. بَلْ يَجْعَلُونَ خَمْرًا جَدِيدَةً فِي زِقَاق جَدِيدَةٍ».

 

Mark 2:22 

When we accept Jesus as our Saviour and make Him Lord over our lives, we should become dead to the old sinful nature and alive in the new life in Christ. We need to keep the self-life nailed to the cross so that the imputed life of Christ may be manifested in all we do. As Christians we believe that God will change our hearts to want to do what He wants us to do.

 

Please listen to the song and join in on the prayer:

https://youtu.be/3gOUijdNDJo

In the crushing

In the pressing

You are making new wine

In the soil

I now surrender

You are breaking new ground

So I yield to You into Your careful hand

When I trust You I don't need to understand

Make me Your vessel

Make me an offering

Make me whatever You want me to be

I came here with nothing

But all You have given me

Jesus bring new wine out of me

Jesus, bring new wine out of me

Jesus, bring new wine out of me

'Cause where there is new wine

There is new power

February 2 Devotion - Dealing with loneliness

 

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you and be with you always, even to the end of the age.”

¹⁰ لَا تَخَفْ لأَنِّي مَعَكَ. لَا تَتَلَفَّتْ حَوْلَكَ جَزَعاً، لأَنِّي إِلَهُكَ، أُشَدِّدُكَ وَأُعِينُكَ وَأَعْضُدُكَ بِيَمِينِ بِرِّي لَقَدْ نَقَشتُكِ عَلَى يَدَيَّ.

لَنْ أَتْرُكَكُمْ يَتَامَى، بَلْ سَأَعُودُ إِلَيْكُمْ.

وَهَا أَنَا مَعَكُمْ كُلَّ الأَيَّامِ إِلَى انْتِهَاءِ الزَّمَانِ

 

Isaiah 49:16, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:18, Matthew 28:20

 

There is a critical difference between solitude, aloneness, and loneliness:

• Solitude, is a time where we are alone and enjoy the peace and quiet and where we get in touch with our feelings and can meditate
• Aloneness, is a time when we enjoy doing things on our own, things that we really like that others may not care for and do not require having company 
• Loneliness, is a time when we are alone even though we need to fellowship with others

 

In normal times we may feel lonely.. When we feel lonely, we would be served to admit our emotions to God. He knows what we are going through, and He wants to be The One to fill that void. The reality of God’s constant presence with us is a fact, but we are not always aware of Him, especially in lonely periods. I have many times questioned, how come I cannot feel God’s presence even though I know He is with me, how come I feel so alone? When I feel that lonely, my courage diminishes.

I need to keep reminding myself that where God has begun the work of grace, He will perfect it. He will help those who, in humble dependence on Him, help themselves. Having our hearts and our hopes focused on God, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus. The truth is that He will never leave nor forsake those whom He has saved.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

O’God do not be far from me; O my God, hasten to my help! Psalm 71:12 Lord, please use my loneliness as a tool to draw me closer to You. I am comforted in the knowledge that I am so special to You God that You have inscribed my name on the palms of Your hands. Abba Father, thank You for Your unfailing, inseparable, deep, and everlasting love for me and Your abundant blessings in my life. Thank You Jesus that You will always be with me until the end of the age and that You have promised NOT to leave me as an orphan, and You will come and be with me. In Your name Jesus, the only intercessor, my Saviour and my Lord I pray to The Father. To Jesus be the glory, the power, the dominion, the majesty, and the blessings forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

February 1 Devotion - Do NOT put God in a box

 

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth…  

Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”.  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

 وَفِيمَا هُوَ مُجْتَازٌ رَأَى إِنْسَانًا أَعْمَى مُنْذُ وِلاَدَتِه⁶قَالَ هذَا وَتَفَلَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ وَصَنَعَ مِنَ التُّفْلِ طِينًا وَطَلَى بِالطِّينِ عَيْنَيِ الأَعْمَى. ⁷وَقَالَ لَهُ: «اذْهَبِ اغْتَسِلْ فِي بِرْكَةِ سِلْوَامَ» الَّذِي تَفْسِيرُهُ: مُرْسَلٌ، فَمَضَى وَاغْتَسَلَ وَأَتَى بَصِيرًا.

 

John 9:1, 6, 7

 

Jesus had healed people before by just touching them. So why did Jesus choose a new method? Why did Jesus spit and heal this blind man in this way? The reason is: this man had no eyes, not blind eyes.

 

Spit and dirt (clay) mixed and put on the face does not sound very nice. Do you agree?  The blind man could have reacted by saying something like ‘How dare you spit on me and make my eyes full of mud, I thought you were going to heal me, not make me worse’. But he didn’t, he totally trusted Jesus and went to wash.  I have learnt that Archeologists say that Siloam; where the blind man had to go and wash; is very big with wide steps on 3 sides and is very difficult to get into. One needs to be courageous and brave to go in and it is extremely difficult to go into when you cannot see. 

 

But the blind man went and washed and was healed and could see for the first time.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Some of my lessons learned:

 

• I should never put Jesus in a box, for His ways are totally different than our ways. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. Isaiah 55
• I need to Trust in the LORD with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding Proverbs 3:5
• What I want and pray for may not be delivered in the fashion I am thinking about.

 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for loving me with a deep and everlasting love. Help me to ‘see’ Your ways and understand Your thoughts. Lord, give me wisdom to not lean on my own understanding and strengthen me to trust You and follow You with all my heart and all my mind, soul, and strength. Thank You Father for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. God, I praise You, revere You, worship You, I stand in awe of You, I lift You up on high, and glorify Your Holy Name. In the Holy Name of Jesus, I pray. To Jesus be the glory, the power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 31 Devotion - All things work together for good

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

 ونحن نعلم ان كل الاشياء تعمل معا للخير للذين يحبون الله الذين هم مدعوون حسب قصده.

The persons in whose behalf all things work for good are those that love God, have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord over their lives, and consequently, who live in the spirit of obedience.

All tribulations, or afflictions, or persecutions that may arise, God uses them and converts them to contribute to the general good of the person who loves God, and who is led by faith under the direction and guidance of The Holy Spirit.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that You make all things, including tribulations and afflictions, to work together for my good. Lord, in my weakest moments, assure me that the power of Christ will rest upon me. Father God, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can always declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and Jesus may continue to dwell in my heart through faith. Thank You Lord for loving me with an unfailing, deep, and everlasting love. Thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Lord, I trust You, praise You, glorify You, lift You up on high and submit to Your wisdom in all things. In the name of The King of kings and Lord of lords, in the holy name of Jesus I pray. To Jesus be the glory, the power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 30 Devotion - We are God's co-workers and God's masterpiece

 

For we are both God’s workers and you are God’s field. You are God’s building. As God’s partners we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

1 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 6:1, Ephesians 2:10   

فَإِنَّنَا نَحْنُ جَمِيعاً عَامِلُونَ مَعاً عِنْدَ اللهِ، وَأَنْتُمْ حَقْلُ اللهِ وَبِنَاءُ اللهِ.

وَبِما أنَّنا نَعمَلُ مَعاً مَعَ اللهِ، نَحُثُّكُمْ عَلَى أنْ لا تُبَدِّدُوا نِعمَةَ اللهِ الَّتِي نِلتُمُوها.

 فَنَحنُ عَمَلُ يَدَيّ اللهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَنا فِي المَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ لِلسُّلوكِ في أعمالٍ صالِحَةٍ أعَدَّها لَنا مُقَدَّ 

 

We are to work together with God, in promoting the purposes of His glory, and the salvation of precious souls; and God will make sure that we do not labour in vain. We the believers; who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and made Jesus Lord over our lives; are employed by God and He will carefully look over us. We are his workmanship; He has saved us through His grace by letting His own son die in our place so that we may show forth the virtues of Him who has called us from darkness into His marvelous light. Although we definitely cannot be saved by our good works, yet we are saved that we may perform good works, to the glory of God.

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You God that I am Your co-worker and Your workmanship. Thank You God for saving me and creating me anew in Christ Jesus. LORD, I pray that You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can work together with You in promoting the purposes of Your glory, and the salvation of precious souls. Help me God to continue to declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour, and Jesus may continue to dwell in my heart through faith, and I may perform good works, to Your glory God and the benefit of mankind. Thank You God for loving me with a deep, inseparable, and everlasting love and for considering me a masterpiece. Thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life Lord, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. In the Holy Name of Jesus, I pray. To Jesus be the glory, the majesty, power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

 In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 27 Devotion - How can we approach God?

 

Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

فَقالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: 

أنا هُوَ الطَّرِيِقُ وَالحَقُّ وَالحَياةُ. لا أحَدَ يَأْتِي إلَى الآبِ

 إلّا بِي.

John 14:6 Amplified Bible

 

 ^….is in accordance with [the terms of] the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him [that is, our faith gives us sufficient courage to freely and openly approach God through Christ].

وَفْقاً لِقَصدِهِ الأزَلِيِّ الَّذِي حَقَّقَهُ فِي المَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ رَبِّنا. 12 فَفِي المَسِيحِ، وَبِالإيمانِ بِهِ، لَنا امتِيازُ الدُّخُولِ إلَى حَضرَةِ اللهِ بِجُرأةٍ وَثِقَةٍ.

 

 

Ephesians 3: 11-12 Amplified Bible

 

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

إذاً فَلْنَتَقَدَّمْ بِجُرأةٍ إلَى عَرشِ نِعمَةِ اللهِ، لِكَي نَنالَ رَحمَةً وَنَجِدَ نِعمَةً تُعِينُنا وَقتَ الحاجَةِ.

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

 

Jesus said:

                                                     

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

فَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ تَطْلُبُونَهُ بِاسْمِي أَفْعَلُهُ لَكُمْ، لِيَتَمَجَّدَ الآبُ فِي الاِبْنِ. 14 إِنْ طَلَبْتُمْ شَيْئاً بِاسْمِي، فَإِنِّي أَفْعَلُهُ.

 

John 14:13-14

 

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

حَتَّى الآنَ لَمْ تَطْلُبُوا بِاسْمِي شَيْئاً. اطْلُبُوا تَنَالُوا، فَيَكُونَ فَرَحُكُمْ كَامِلاً.

John 16:2

 

Christ is the only way of access to God. Through Jesus’ mediation we, who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour; can approach and have audience with God. We can come to The Throne of God with boldness, meaning we have been given liberty of speech to The Father, such as children use in addressing a generous father. We can ask of God directly through Jesus our mediator with confidence and boldness. It is on the basis of such scriptures as these that it becomes obvious that we need to conclude all our prayers in the name, and for the sake of, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

We are to follow the commandments and words of Christ and apply Jesus’ way and method of praying by praying to God our Father in the name of Jesus.

 

 

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You God that I am Your child because I was purchased with the precious blood of Christ. Thank You God that I may approach You with freedom and confidence through Jesus Christ. Thank You my gracious God that I can come boldly to Your throne and receive Your mercy and I will find grace to help me when I need it most. Abba Father, please strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can continue to declare to the world that Christ is my Lord and Saviour and Friend. Thank You Father God for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life, and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. In the holy name of Jesus, I pray to You Father. To Jesus be the glory, the authority, the power, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.        

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein

January 25 Devotion - LET GOD HANDLE IT

 

Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him].

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

فَمَادَامَ لَنَا رَئِيسَ كَهَنَتِنَا الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي ارْتَفَعَ مُجْتَازاً السَّمَاوَاتِ، وَهُوَ يَسُوعُ ابْنُ اللهِ، فَلْنَتَمَسَّكْ دَائِماً بِالاعْتِرَافِ بِهِ.

 فَلْنَتَقَدَّمْ بِثِقَةٍ إِلَى عَرْشِ النِّعْمَةِ، لِنَنَالَ الرَّحْمَةَ وَنَجِدَ نِعْمَةً تُعِينُنَا عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ.

  Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 4:16

 

Adversity can be handled in one of two ways. Either we can deal with it on our own, or we can allow God to carry our burden for us.

The wiser course of action is to allow God to handle our adversities. His ability to provide goes beyond our greatest imagination. He is The God who has the ability to calm every storm.

^{I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:}

^{Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings. Thank You God that in Your divine love, wisdom, grace and mercy You have allowed me to come directly to You through our High Priest Jesus Christ; my Lord and Saviour. Thank You that I do not need anyone else to intercede for me. Thank You that You instruct me to come boldly to Your throne of grace and find help when I need it the most. Jesus in Your name I pray, help me to hold fast to my faith in You and to leave my troubles at the foot of Your cross for You to handle for me. Amen.}

 

 Jesus loves you,

 In Him,

Wagdi Henein