Psalm 71 - 1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed. 2In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline Your ear to me and save me. 3Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. 4Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man, 5for You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth. 14But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. 15My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them. 19For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? 20You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21May You increase my greatness and turn to comfort me.
Psalm 108 - 1My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul. 4For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the skies. 5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth.
Psalm 109 - 26Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your lovingkindness. 27And let them know that this is Your hand; You, LORD, have done it. 30With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; and in the midst of many I will praise Him. 31For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.
Psalm 111 - 1Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. 2Great are the works of the LORD; they are studied by all who delight in them. 3Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. 4He has made His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. 5He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. 6He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. 7The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. 8They are upheld forever and ever; they are performed in truth and uprightness. 9He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name. 10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.
Psalm 112 - 1Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments. 4Light arises in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious and compassionate and righteous. 7He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8His heart is upheld, he will not fear, until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.
Psalm 116 - 1I love the LORD, because He hears my voice and my supplications. 2Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. 3The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. 4Then I called upon the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!" 5Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is compassionate. 6The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 17To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the LORD.
Hebrews 3:6 ... but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house – whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 14For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end ... 12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Andrew, I’m so proud of you and the choice you’ve made. You’ve taken a big, commendable step and I think the journey you’re embarking on is incredible. This is your own story, the unfolding and unwritten chapters no one has seen yet. But you know the Author of your story and He is to be trusted. He’s never made a mistake yet and He knows you intimately. He’s crafted your interests, your talents, your abilities, your heart and your brain. He knows how much you can handle and where your breaking point is. He may take you to the edge of that breaking point but He’ll never push you beyond. He offers the exact amount of grace you need for each day, no more, no less. His joy is your strength - rely on it. Trust His wisdom. Go to Him daily for guidance. Remember that the only person who can keep you from receiving God’s daily blessings and provision is yourself. Be an asker. Every day ask Him for what you need. A heart of gratitude is the most receptive kind of heart for what He has to say. A heart that is grateful for who He is, what He’s done and what He will do is a heart that is ready to receive what He wants to speak into your life. He enjoys your conversation and He loves it when you come to Him in prayer. Nothing is too big or too small. He awaits your conversations with Him. He is delighted with you and holds no displeasure in His heart towards you. He knows you long to please Him and serve Him and He’s honored by your desires. As you get to know Him better and discover His true nature and character for yourself He’ll begin to put His heart in yours. He will begin to shape your mind like His. You’ll start to think like Him and sound like Him. You’ll look like Him and His name and reputation will go before you. Remember that you have every confidence to enter into His throne room and be in His presence because of what Jesus did on the cross. No matter what you do or say, you can still enter with confidence because the blood of Jesus covers you. His redemption of your life covers everything you’ve done and will do. He honors a heart of sincerity and humility, of complete honesty and transparency, but in your humility do not forget that you have every right as a child and heir of God to come before Him with confidence. The Hebrews passage speaks of that confidence. Steadfast. Unwavering. Holding fast. Firm. No flicker of doubt. No shadow of unbelief. A light undimmed of absolute faith and trust in Him. God is always good, He is always faithful, He is always worthy, He is always love. As you continue to know God better you will be more and more Jesus with skin on to the people around you. You might be the first Jesus they’ve ever met. Represent Him well. As you come to a real and intimate understanding of your need of His grace and mercy for each day you will learn how to offer that to the people you come across. Jesus knows the road you walk and He walks it with you. There’s nothing you will see, hear or experience that He has not already seen or does not understand. He feels your pain, He’s familiar with your struggles and He offers the strength and the encouragement that you need. He is extravagant in His graciousness and mercy, abundant in His love and forgiveness. There’s nowhere you’re about to go that He will not go with you. He goes before you and He is your rear guard. There’s not a corner of your life that is not covered, guarded or watched over by Him. You’re gonna do awesome, Andrew. This will stretch you and grow you and as you get bent into shapes you’ve never been before, as you get pulled, pushed and maxed out, He goes it with you. And the Andrew that will come out on the other side will be a deeper, wiser, more trusting and solid man of God who knows what it is to be truly dependant on Him. I love you Andrew and you’re gonna kick butt! Can’t wait to see the Andrew that’s gonna come out on the other side of this thing .... Erika
See you in April!!
