It is well with my soul

On Saturday, August 13^th, my 83-year old dad fell in the middle of the night and broke his hip, and so began another faith-testing adventure for me and my family.

My father has had some serious health battles over the past 6 years – starting in 2005 with a heart attack that resulted in a triple bypass and a pacemaker, and then most recently, surgery to remove malignant melanoma on his back and arm, and then inside his ear.  He’s completely lost his hearing in his left ear and partially in his right, he fights stroke-level bouts of high blood pressure, and the tremors, weakness and choking that comes from Parkinson’s disease. He is a precious, precious man, a lover of God, and one who played a major role in leading me to Christ. The hip break was the last thing his already frail 6’1”, 145 pound body needed.
 
Every day of every week this past month has been a real test of faith for me, as I sat beside him in the hospital, helplessly watching him as he moaned in pain; when he reacted adversely to pain meds the hospital gave him and became so delerious, he thought I was his wife and he didn’t recognize my husband at all; when he fell from the bed, injuring his head and cutting his hand; and when the rehab facility told us 10 days ago he would need to remain in their care for at least another month, while others expressed their opinion he would never leave the facility at all.  All of this, though, was offset by beautiful moments when, as I sat in his room, Dad sang hymns of praise to Jesus while he was asleep; when he held my hand and told me how proud he was of the woman that I’ve become; and when he told me he’s ready to go home to be with Jesus and he thinks it will be very soon. 

During all of this, the Lord has continually reminded me that he is always “ahead of the game” in every one of our situations.  Revelation 1:8 says: “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.” 

Think about that!  The One who created us, our loving Heavenly Father, is the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end.  And He is already there in our tomorrows and He knows exactly what we’re going to be facing before we even get there.  Who better to be there before we even arrive? Psalm 46:1-3 says: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

In Habakkuk 3:17-19, it says: “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, yet I will rejoice in the Lord!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.  The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.”  Habakkuk’s vision ended with a beautiful word picture:  No matter what happens, I will find joy in the Lord, and he will make me as surefooted as a deer.  Habakkuk does not say that the Lord will make his way easy, but, rather, that the Lord will sustain him along his path.

And so Matthew 6:34 makes perfect sense when it says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself”, and Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”, and Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Dark, billowing clouds overtake the sky.
United, they block the sun.
Gloomy shadows are cast upon the earth
and it seems as though night has come.
Where once the light glittered amongst the leaves
… and bright rays danced upon the ground;
where once the sun shone with such clarity,
now only storm clouds abound.
Why did the clouds choose to gather here?
How long will the darkness endure?
Powerless to cause them to dissipate,
how I long for the sun to return.
Helplessly I glare at the threatening forms,
when slowly, so silently,
a small ray of light filters through the mass,
disrupting its unity.
Though the sun itself has not yet appeared,
that tiny ray is a lifeline for me –
an assurance of things that are hoped for;
a conviction of things unseen.
Life.
I can’t control it,
direct it,
correct it,
or perfect it;
but when I submit it,
commit it,
and to the Lord give it,
the burden becomes His and not mine
And whatever the situation that lies ahead,
He’ll give me the grace to endure it,
and someday quite soon,
I won’t even recall it
When the reality of eternity is mine . . .

and there’s great peace in the knowledge of that.

Oh, and also by the way . . .  three days ago, Dad was released from the nursing rehab facility and he is now home recuperating. He’s still very frail and doesn’t have his strength completely back, but his witty sense of humor and that beautiful sparkle in his eyes have returned. We are so thankful to have him home and are praying he will improve day by day.  He will one day be going home to Jesus . . . but not today!

There’s a beautiful old hymn that some of you may or may not be familiar with called, “It is Well with my Soul”.  It was written by a Chicagolawyer, Horatio G. Spafford, in 1873. You might think to write a worship song titled, ‘It is well with my soul’, you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicagolawyer. But actually the words of the song were not written during the happiest period of Spafford’s life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.

Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because of Horatio’s legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords’ only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.

Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest — DL Moody needed the help. He was traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French steamer ‘Ville de Havre’ across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. He would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: “Saved alone.”

On November 2nd 1873, the ‘Ville de Havre’ had collided with ‘The Lochearn’, an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people.  Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up.

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out ofNew York to join his bereaved wife.  During the voyage, the captain of the ship called him to the bridge. “A careful reckoning has been made”, he said, “and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep.” Horatio then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the same God who sustained Mr. Spafford and his wife also sustains us.  Mr. Spafford’s song reveals a man who had an unwavering trust in the Lord and who was able to stand with great peace and strength in the wake of horrific tragedy.  The source of Mr. Spafford’s strength was found through the precious blood shed by His Savior, Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of his sins, and the sure hope of his resurrection.  The hope of reunion with loved ones and the joy of seeing our Lord face to face should supply us with strength enough to face all of life’s trials and fill us with “joy unspeakable and full of glory”.

So for whatever trial you may be going through right now or may face in the future, always remember the One who loves you most is already there and knows what you’ll need to stand strong.  1 Peter 6:9 speaks well to the trials that we face where it says:   ”In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an unspeakable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

And so my prayer for you and me is this:

Heavenly Father, we love you and praise your name above all names. Many of us our experiencing different kinds of trials in our lives, Lord, and we ask that you please hear the cry of our hurting hearts. Oh Lord, sometimes the circumstances we face are hard to comprehend, let alone bear. Please surround us with your presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to stand in strength and peace. We ask for patience and courage to wait upon you with faith and trust. We want to see through spiritual eyes full of faith in the face of all these trials and troubles.  Lord, let us see your truth of what lays beyond these troubles. Let us keep our minds and hearts focused upon you and Heaven to come. We love you Lord and give you all the glory.  And we ask all these things in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

–Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

Injured

When you’ve been dissed again
and you don’t understand
why you keep getting stabbed in the heart,
just remember there’s One
who was dissed more than you
…and He loves you more than anyone else.
Your anger, your hurt
will only end up hurting you,
so find your solace in Jesus and smile.
The self-focused one likely doesn’t have a clue,
so just forgive ‘em and let Jesus hone their life. 
 
– Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

YARDSTICKS

 
  
Have you ever thought about all of the defining characteristics that society uses to categorize, label or evaluate the people on this planet . . . and how easy it is to get caught up in measuring ourselves by society’s yardsticks? 

Single or married, female or male,
my level of education, the clothes that I wear,
how much I weigh,  the shape that I’m in,
the length of my hair, the color of my skin,
youthful and vibrant or slow and aged,
my recreational toys, where I vacation,
the number of people who call me friend,
the area or neighborhood that I live in,
the make/model/year of the car that I drive,
the achievements of my children whether adult or child,
my place of work and what I do each day,
my spouse’s success and his level of pay,
my religion, my church, my spirituality,
my language, my genetics, my nationality –
all characteristics that should define me
if I lived by the standards of a shallow society,
but I’m a Christian and I am living for an audience of One
and, thank God, He doesn’t measure me by any of the above.
His yoke is very easy and His burden is very light;
worldly pressures to conform matter not when my Savior’s Jesus Christ  . . .
God accepts me on the basis of Jesus’ life and sacrifice.
The Life that is truly life has become my life.

“As He is, so are we in this world.” – 1 John 4:17

Kinda takes the pressure off a bit, doesn’t it, to know that we don’t have to try to impress the world or win the approval of men?  Instead, as Christians devoted to Jesus Christ, we’re living for an Audience of One and we march to the beat of a different drummer, the Divine Drummer.

At the memorial service for the legendary baseball player, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Thompson, who was Mickey’s friend and former teammate, shared that Mickey had been really uncomfortable with being considered a role model, especially in light of his personal struggles with alcohol.  In his concluding comments at the memorial service, Bobby shared the victory that Mantle experienced when he confessed his sins to Jesus Christ and received God’s forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. Bobby then closed the memorial service with the following poem:

Your name may not appear down here in this world’s hall of fame.
In fact, you may be so unknown that no one knows your name.
The trophies, and honors, and flashbulbs here may pass you by with lights ablue,
but if you love and serve the Lord your God, then I have news for you.
This hall of fame is only good as long as time shall be,
but keep in mind, God’s hall of fame is for eternity.
This crowd on earth, they soon forget the heroes of the past.
They cheer like mad until you fall, and that’s how long you last.
But I tell you, friend, I’d never trade my name however small
that’s written there beyond the stars in that celestial hall
For every famous name on Earth or glory that they share
I’d rather be an unknown here and have my name up there.

The world defines success as possessions, power and position. Advertisers promote success in terms of material possessions: expensive automobiles, fine jewelry, large mansions, luxury yachts and the latest electronic gadgets. But physical possessions, power and position don’t produce lasting happiness, do they?

Unfortunately, I have to admit that when I was young, I got caught up in the “designer jeans” mentality (Gloria Vanderbilt and Calvin Klein were my jeans of choice), and I always had to have the newest, most popular clothes, hairstyles, shoes, jewelry, and music albums (for the younger readers, these were the large vinyl records that preceded CD’s and iTunes).  As I got a little older, it became sporty little convertibles and other more expensive things, and essentially I walked around trying to compete with and impress my co-workers, friends, and family with my “cool” things and my “cool” appearance”. 

But I discovered that materialism and always wanting more are like a large glass of water with a pinhole leak.  You can’t see the water disappear, but your cup is never full.  And after I surrendered my life to Christ, the Holy Spirit began to show me how deeply caught up I was in materialism and the stifling, stressful, competitive spirit of the world, and I  began to understand the greater meaning of putting my treasure where my heart is.  “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Luke 12:34.  And when you walk in that, it takes the pressure off!

Granted, it’s a continuing, daily process for me, but the Word of God is a continual reminder of what He has to say about it.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel: 16:7b-8

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” –  1 John 2:15–17 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” – Matthew 6:19-20

“And do not keep striving for what you are to eat, what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.  For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things . . . Instead, strive for his kingdom” – Luke 12: 29-31

So I have to constantly check myself to be sure I’m making decisions and operating as a citizen of God’s Kingdom, who is striving for the Kingdom, and that I’m not reverting back to being a self-centered, flesh-gratifying consumer, who is trying to compete with and impress the world.

A self-centered consumer is mostly concerned with bettering their place in society by getting what they think they need.  Their identity and value are grounded in their possessions, and merely having enough is never enough when others have more.  Having a standard brand is never enough when others have superior brands.  And having the old model is never enough when the “new, improved model” is now available! 

But a kingdom person does not store up things that will rust, break and be eaten by moths.  A kingdom person doesn’t worry about what his neighbor has.  A kingdom person lives for an Audience of One.

And when my Audience of One looks into my heart, I want him to see someone who longs for His pleasure, not someone who hungers after her own.

Who owns my heart? Who has my passion?
If I were forced to part with every possession?
My jewelry, my car, my money, my mansion?
Could I count it all joy because my life’s true passion
transcends earthly things?

Surrounded by so many wonderful things,
my home, my car, my necklaces and rings,
perhaps a camper, motorcycle, a new ATV,
a swimming pool, hot tub, a wide-screen TV -
all quite enjoyable I really must say,
but wood, hay and stubble at the end of the day,
nice to have around, but someday I’ll “leave town”
and none of these things will go with me.

And so the thought is sobering to me
that my purpose, my life’s passion can never be
wood, hay and stubble . . . to gain and to keep
because if it does . . .  than it’s become my god . . .
and my heaven . . .  oh so brief . . . is here and now.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” –  1 Timothy 1:6-8

Content with little, content with much;
how can this possibly be?
Because if my love, my devotion, my focus, my passion
is Jesus . . . then that makes me happy.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace . . .
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone are more than enough
for me to be totally grateful.

What more do I need? What more could I want?
Dare I moan about things I have not?
Should my contentment be based upon commodities and wealth
or the treasure of my friendship with God?
A Redeemer who died in my place for my sin
deserves all I have, all that I am.
If I devote my attention to earthly success,
it dilutes my devotion to Him.

He’s the One I was created to glorify;
not my self, my desires, my fulfillment.
If He is my focus, I need nothing more ~
because He is the source of contentment.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace,
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone should be more than enough.
They are. And He is. And I’m grateful.

Let’s pray.

Father, I desire your pleasure more than anything.  You and you alone are worthy of my adoration, and your opinion of me is the only one that matters. Please forgive me for the times I’ve tried to “keep up with the Joneses” and seek the approval of others over your applause through things I’ve bought or the things I’ve done or said. Your blessing means more to me than anything this world has to offer.  Father, you give the best gifts and I desire only yours.  Please give me the wisdom and grace I need for this journey and let everything I do bring only you the glory.  I ask all these things in the name of your precious son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

–Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

Defining Characteristics

Single or married, male or female,

my level of education, the clothes that I wear,

how much I weigh, the shape that I’m in,

the length of my hair, the color of my skin,

youthful and vibrant or slow and aged,

my recreational toys and where I vacation,

the number of people who call me friend,

the area, the neighborhood that I live in,

the make/model/ year of the car that I drive,

the achievements of my children whether adult or child,

my place of work and what I do each day,

my spouse’s success and his level of pay,

my religion, my church, my spirituality,

my language, my genetics, my nationality –

all characteristics that should define me

if I lived by the standards of a shallow society,

but I’m a Christian and I am living for an audience of One

and, thank God, He doesn’t measure me by any of the above.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light;

worldly pressures to conform matter not when my Savior’s Jesus Christ  . . .

God accepts me on the basis of Jesus’ life and sacrifice.

The Life that is truly life has become my life.

“As He is, so are we in this world.”  (1 John 4:17)

Kinda takes the pressure off, now doesn’t it?

– Cheri Henderson, http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

Livin’ in the USA

Since the 4^th of July is just around the corner, I’ve been thinking about how incredibly fortunate we are to live in the United States, one of the most prosperous, blessed countries in the world.  The majority of us live in modern homes with most of the comforts of the 21st century – microwave ovens, televisions in several rooms with satellite or cable services, wireless computers, cell phones, ipods . . . you name it and we likely have it . . . or plan to get it! We have transportation to take us anywhere we want to go, plenty to eat and a variety of choices.  And most importantly we’re free to make choices about our belief in God and to worship where we wish. For what more could we ask?

On this Independence Day, Lord, I will lift my praise to you
because I’m free; yes, truly free to love and worship you,
to read your word, to share my faith, to openly speak your truth
without fear of torture, chains, or death, I can praise and honor you!
I am free from failure because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I am free from want because my God supplies everything I’ll ever need.
I am free from doubt because God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
I am free from weakness because the Lord is my strength; of whom shall I be afraid?
I am free from sin because the blood of Jesus cleanses me from all sin.
I am free from worry because He said to cast all my worries upon Him.
I am free from fear because I walk in the Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
I am free from defeat and failure because my triumph is always in Christ.
I am free from every sickness because I’m healed by the stripes of Christ.
I am free from death, because I believe in Him; He is the resurrection and the life!
Yes, on this Independence Day, I rejoice in the fact that I’m free.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty! For freedom He has set me free!
Oh, Father, I praise and I thank you for providing me with this blessing,
and while it is still day in the USA, let me always be confessing
my dedication to you and your gospel of truth at every opportunity -
as others are dying in foreign lands today, someday here it might not be so easy.

As I’ve continued to reflect on how blessed I am to live in this country, I’ve also begun to think about other Christian brothers and sisters who are, this very day, suffering persecution, torture and death in foreign lands because of their devotion to Jesus.  It’s really convicted me about how I often take my blessings for granted . . . and worse yet, how I whine and complain about such unimportant things.

A long, hard day at the office,
then I fix dinner, wash the dishes, do some laundry;
it seems my days, from beginning to end,
are filled with such tiring activity!

I glance at the clock – it’s 11:00 p.m.,
and once again I’m too exhausted to pray.
Perhaps tomorrow I’ll have a little more time,
but for now I must call it a day.

In comparison, a story on the “Voice of the Martyrs” website reported:  “Following a death threat delivered to the Canaan Fellowship Church in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, 34 year old Pastor Vasu Sritharan was brutally murdered by three young men who laid in wait for him. The pastor, after a night of prayer, entered his room and encountered his assailants. The killers slit his throat and he bled to death. Some of the Hindu groups were trying to curtail Pastor Vasu’s work with the Hindus. Another man from this same church was found with his throat cut almost a month later.”

It’s Sunday morning (the second service)
as I sit down with my bible in hand -
third row, aisle seat, middle section  -
pastor and friends always know where I am.

But the music’s all wrong, the sermon’s too long,
and the air conditioning’s on the fritz.
How will I ever concentrate on the Lord?
How can I possibly “enter in”?

In another story, Voice of the Martyrs stated: “Last week it was reported that Chinese police hauled another 50 believers in Wuhan, China to jail. Most of the arrests happened while believers worshipped in house churches.  One hundred thirty members of another Protestant house church were also recently imprisoned. Many believers are now secretly gathering together in rooms with windows closed and shades drawn so authorities will not see or hear them. They whisper their prayers and praises as temperature in these rooms often exceed 100 degrees.”

People in the marketplace are just faces,
mixed together in a hurried blur.
Some I might notice, but others I do not;
I’m so busy, I can’t be concerned.

I don’t have time to get to know them;
they have their lives, and I have mine.
Besides witnessing to strangers is awkward;
evangelists are supposed to share Christ.

And in another report: “Firing squads recently massacred more than 20 new believers in North Korea.  They were executed on grounds of ‘criminal charges.’ Other recent killings include two Christian women who were publicly executed. They were faithful believers who were spreading God’s Word. The women were charged with ‘illegal smuggling’.  In another case, two believers were shot to death in public. North Korean officers broke the teeth of one of them, and as they dragged him to the place where he would be killed, he continued to tell them about his Savior, Jesus.”

I whine and complain about such little things!
When am I gonna get it?
This walk’s not about me, my petty needs,
or all my creature comforts.

It’s about Jesus and what He’s asked of me –
the plan He’s established for my life.
Am I gonna heed His call and give Him my all,
or am I just gonna live to “get by”?

Several weeks ago, I was sitting in the congregation at a ladies’ retreat and happened to look down at a purse I’d bought that day at Wal-Mart.  Unexpectedly and powerfully, I felt the urge to pray – right that moment – for the person who had made the purse.  It was such a strong leading, it literally dropped me to my knees and I immediately began to intercede.  Later when I looked at the tag in the purse, I discovered that it was made in China.

Because of this experience, one more report I read this week really tugged at my heart.  “Pastor Cai Zhuohua was imprisoned for three years for ‘illegally printing’ Christian literature. He was tortured with a cattle prod, held in a cold and cramped cell with 27 other prisoners and forced to make soccer balls for 10-12 hours a day in a Chinese sweatshop.” 

I just recently learned that many of the items we purchase here in the United States, marked “made in China”, are actually made in Chinese sweatshops by prisoners.  Many of these prisoners are, in fact, our brothers and sisters in Christ whom the Chinese government has arrested and tortured because they’re considered “dissidents”.

Hebrews 13:3 says “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.”

The Voice of the Martyrs ministry says the plea of persecuted Christians is always the same: “Please, pray for us”.  And so, I’ve made the decision that in the midst of my “activity-filled” days, at the very least, I am going to pray for my brothers and sisters who are suffering in foreign lands . . . and I hope that some of you will also join with me.

Let’s begin now.

Lord, we ask that you have mercy on your people who are persecuted and afflicted around the world – those who have heeded the call of Jesus to take up their cross daily and follow him. Their path has been difficult, full of trials and hardships, yet they refuse to deny you, Lord.  Please stand by them and strengthen them as you did the Apostle Paul, so they can earnestly say, “Your will be done.”

In your Word, we’ve read about the rescue of Peter from prison and we know you can turn the heart of any government official, including those with authority to release your people from prison.  Father, you rescued Peter in response to the prayers of the Church, and we now ask you to do the same for your disciples everywhere who have been imprisoned because they preach Christ. Deliver them from the hands of their executioners so that through them, your message can continue to be proclaimed to the people of their lands.

Lord, we’ve also read in your word about your servant, Stephen, who was stoned to death. We know that many others since that day have been executed because they would not deny their faith, and for those in our generation who will suffer this same fate, we ask that you would strengthen their faith so they can say with Paul, “To die is gain.” Expand their vision, Lord, so that they see what Stephen saw: Jesus standing at your right hand.

And Lord, we pray for ourselves and other believers here in this country. Help us to recognize and appreciate the freedoms we have here and the incredible blessings you’ve provided.  But in the midst of this prosperity and abundance, give us wisdom and strength to resist the temptation to put other things ahead of you because anything that becomes a distraction and detriment to our walk with you is no longer a blessing.  It’s a curse.  And, Lord, help us to always be spiritually ready for whatever tomorrow brings; that in the wake of whatever faces us, we will stand strong and never turn away from you.

We ask all of these things in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

–Cheri Henderson
http://www.cherihenderson.wordpress.com

Hero Worship

For the one who sings with a voice that melts hearts . . .

the one who leads countries into peace and ends wars . . .

the one who finds a cure for a horrific disease . . .

the one who is athletic with gold medals achieved . . .

the one who has written many best-selling books . . .

the one with great stature and incredible good looks . . .

the one who orates with charisma and power . . .

the one who gives all to the need of the hour . . .

monuments will be built and awards will abound,

stadiums will be filled with adoring, great crowds;

they’ll cheer and applaud, giving honor and glory,

but when the honored ones die, they’ll be dead:  end of story,

to be replaced by a new, living hero of the day

as their legacy fades and their bodies decay.

Temporary heroes on a temporary globe

will never compare to the Hero I know,

who instills every gift that makes lowly men recognized;

the true One to be worshipped, applauded and glorified.

He is Jesus. He is God. He’s every hero’s Creator.

The Healer, the Comforter, the Provider, the Shelter,

the Savior, the Deliverer, a Friend closer than a brother.

There is no hero like the great I AM.

–Cheri Henderson

http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

Queen of the Beans

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 2 Samuel 23:11-12:

I AM “The Lady of the Lentils” . . .

“The Queen of the Beans”!

And when faced with a hungry enemy

though it may seem it’s only me

defending my ground all alone

in truth I am clothed in armor

as Jesus intercedes and the Spirit indwells me

with a mighty, overcoming power

to stand and defend my lentil patch

even though they are only beans

and may seem inconsequential

but the enemy has a scheme

that if I hand them over as no big deal

he will invade and possess my field

then my land . . .

then my house . . .

then my family . . .

He’ll take it all . . . if one bean I would yield.

Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile . . .

give him a bean and he’ll take it all.

I will protect and defend my fields!

–Cheri Henderson

http://www.cherihenderson.wordpress.com