Often as humans, we associate being in trouble with doing something wrong.

You know, that's not always the case.

Sometimes we're in trouble of our own doings.

Other times, we're in trouble because we are living life on this broken planet.

Do you find yourself in any trouble today?

Are there any troubles you're facing? In Psalm 138, verses 7 to 8, the Psalm was declared,

even though I walk in the middle of trouble, you, O God, preserve my life. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. And this is the promise that we get to take with us today.

When trouble surrounds you, God will preserve your life.

Now, to preserve something means to keep it in its original state.

With this in mind, we're going to make some declarations together around trouble.

I want these declarations to come, not just from our mind,

but to come from somewhere in our guts and our hearts

as we declare this together.

Say this with me, say this trouble will not ruin me.

Let's say this trouble will not embitter me.

This trouble will not define me.

And this trouble will not overwhelm me.

I am preserved by God. Come on, let's say that together. I am preserved by God. That is who we are in this moment. We are those preserved by the incredible power of God.

Now, nature and science tell us that in order to preserve something, a preserving agent must be

used. For food, we often use salt or vinegar or alcohol. And that food must be soaked in that preserving agent, filled with it,

saturated in it. So for us, our preservation through times of trouble comes from the steadfast love

of God, as the psalmist declared, your steadfast o Lord endures forever so take a moment right now to

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