I Declare

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."
Jeremiah 17:5-8 NLT

Psalm 63:3-4 NKJV reads, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name."

I declare that my hope and trust are in the Lord, my God.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your promises of provision and protection. Help all of us who are called by Your Name to humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, so that You then will fulfill Your promise to hear from heaven and forgive our sins and restore our land. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* The History of His Stories

So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21 NLT

When my kids were little, I used to read to them. And like all kids, they loved it. But what they loved more was the stories I used to tell them about other family members - pieces of the history of their lives. Most every family has them - even if your childhood wasn't Ozzie and Harriet - stories they tell over and over because the kids love to hear them. I was reminded of our text and this very thing tonight as my granddaughter, Amelia, and I sat talking about life and how God puts us all together for a reason and a purpose. His stories intertwined in ours.

I used to wonder why it always seemed like it was the older ladies who told the best stories. But tonight, I experienced the God-given "Aha! moment" as to why that is the case. When I was a young mother, I just tried to hang in there well enough to get through life and do what I had to do to keep my head above water. And most days seemed like they came in like a flood. I knew God was out there and I knew somehow He would see me through because His Word said so.

When I was young and declared, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken or God's seed begging bread." I was declaring it by faith! Now that I am older, when I say the same thing, I am testifying of the proven goodness of God!

When I was young and declared, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." I was declaring it by faith! Now that I am older, when I say the same thing, I am testifying! You see, I've got many completed stories. It's the history of His Stories completing our stories.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us enough to bring all of us together, as only You can. Bind our hearts and souls together to You with your love, Lord, and bring all things to our remembrance, so that we don't forget anything You have done for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen