Praise Him in the pit

I would like to start out by giving all PRAISE, HONOR, and GLORY to my Heavenly Father who blessed me with LIFE and pulled me from the pit of sorrows. Not too long ago I was in a very dark place and did not see a way out. The despair was consuming and the defeat crushing but our Lord rescued me. His words of life and comfort saved me from the brink of a very dark path. Hosanna!!!

We need to learn to PRAISE HIM in the pit! I'm currently in Acts but time and again throughout the books God leads me to study in the Bible I see examples of God moving in the darkest of circumstances and when people are praising Him in the pit. Joseph was unjustly thrown into jail but rather than fall apart he trusted God and the Lord was with Him, so much so that pharaoh saw showed Joseph favor. Paul was constantly imprisoned and he praised God from his cell.

God has really allowed me to see that it is NOT about what is happening before us but within us. I can tell you that nothing but my heart has changed this week. From a perspective without God life still blows but my God is same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is MIGHTY TO SAVE, RESTORE, AND REDEEM!!!! That is a blessing in itself. The world can fall away or fall apart or be utterly destroyed before us but our Lord is who He says He is. He is FATHER, SAVIOR, COUNSELOR, PROVIDER, AUTHOR AND PERFECTER, HEALER, COMFORTER, and so much more. He longs for us to know that we know that. He longs for us to give Him our hearts and lives and trust Him completely to care for both. 

So please, even when it doesn't look like there is any reason to praise but every reason to give up, PRAISE the Lord. It may begin as a whisper but I promise God will move in you in mighty ways and it will end up as shout. May Hosanna and Selah be your battle cry in the pit.

Whether we are experiencing the biggest of blessings or the worst of trials the end result should be the same: Praise to our Beloved, Heavenly Father, Savior, Counselor. Every thing should bring us to our knees in Praise. This whole situation came about to get our attention. Does He have yours yet? It doesn't matter whether your prodigal just left, is being cruel, is on their way back, if life is falling apart or falling together. God is still with you. He is still fighting. And the best part is HE IS ALREADY VICTORIOUS. How cool is that?!

Remember this whole standing/restoration thing is bigger than our prodigals coming home. Its about Salvation. God is using this to RECONCILE & RESTORE us, standers and prodigals alike, back to Him; so all glory goes to our Lord. So PRAISE HIM in the pit!!!

Lord, 

Thank you so much for your presence. Thank you for your words. Thank you for blessings and trials. Thank you for the mighty work of reconciliation You are doing in our lives and the lives of our prodigals. Thank you for being so different from this world. Thank you for your beauty and strength. Thank you for my beloved. All praise, honor, and glory goes to You. Amen 

Hosanna! Selah!