T-R-O-U-B-L-E

No matter where you go, trouble will find you. You can be sailing along through life with everything going as you planned, and then trouble shows up. Trouble can take on any form, come in any size or shape, and most assuredly will attack you when you are at your peak. You expect it when you are at the bottom, so to speak, but not when you're sailing high. That's why so many get into messes they can't get out of because they assume that because of their position or posture in life they are untouchable. Just because you have reached your zenith doesn't mean that trouble will forsake you. Look out-danger ahead!

Trouble can come to a pastor in so many ways I can't even describe them. Even for a child of God trouble seeks to take advantage in certain areas of your life. Again, you don't expect when you're on the mountain, but trouble can tunnel through and cause your mountain to collapse. How many people do you remember that you grew up with that have succumbed to trouble in their life time? How many times has trouble overtaken you when you least expected it? How many of your loved ones have faced trouble head-on and lost? Think about it-trouble attaches itself to every person at one point in their life. How they handle it determines their destiny in life.

You can analyze trouble, and really find no set pattern. You can avoid trouble, but it always seems to find you. You can ignore trouble, but it doesn't make it go away. So how can you deal with trouble each and every time it attacks you and tries to drag you down?

-Don't let trouble overtake you unaware-John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."

-Don't let trouble deprive you of your identity-Romans 8:16, 17 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

-Don't let trouble lead you into a bad place and keep you there-Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

-Don't let trouble steal your joy-Psalm 30:5 "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

-Don't let trouble become a stumbling stone-1 Peter 2:8-10 "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."

Trouble will come to your house one day, but if you're prepared for it you can overcome it. Don't live your life looking for it, but always be on guard against its attack. If you are then you know where and who you can find deliverance in.