Andy's Inspiration Box

“Those who serve God must serve Him in His own way, and in His strength, or He will never accept their service. That which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the earth He casteth away; He will only reap that corn, the seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that thou hast before He will put His own into thee; He will first clean out thy granaries before He will fill them with the finest of the wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in His battles but the strength which He Himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give thee victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.” – Charles Spur...

"God can make you anything you want to be, but you have to put everything in His hands." - Mahalia Jackson

Place of repair: O blessed place of refuge! How gladly will I come to meet Him there, To cease awhile from all the joy of service To find a deeper joy with Him to share. Place is repair: for tired brain and body! How much I need that place just out of sight Where only He can talk, and beside me, Until again made strong by His great might. Place of repair: when trials press upon me And God permits the unexpected test, 'Tis there I learn some lesson sweet and precious As simply on His faithfulness I rest. Place of repair: the place to take my sorrow, The thing that hurts and would be hard to bear, But somehow in the secret place I'm finding That all the hurt is healed since He is there. Place of repair: to wait for fresh enduement I silently wait with Him aloe would stay Until He speaks again, and says, "Go forward To help some other sheep to find the way." Place of repair: O trysting-place most hallowed, The Lord Himself is just that place to me, ...

"...when trials press upon me And God permits the unexpected test. 'Tis there I learn some lesson sweet and precious As simply on His faithfulness I rest."  - Springs in the Valley Philippians 4:5-7 New International Version (NIV) 5  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  6  Do not be anxious about anything,  but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  7  And the peace of God,  which transcends all understanding,  will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. *Photograph copyright 2012 R. Harriott

"Heal my heart and make it clean, Open up my eyes to the things unseen, Show me how to love like you have loved me" - Brooke Fraser (Hosanna) Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

1 Peter 1:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV) ...though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ... 1 Peter 2:21 New King James Version (NKJV) For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps... *Photograph copyright R. Harriott 2012

Proverbs 3:26 New King James Version (NKJV) 26 For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught. Psalm 73:26 New King James Version (NKJV) 26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Ephesians 3:14-19 New Century Version (NCV)   14   So I bow in prayer before the Father 15   from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name. 16   I ask the Father in his great glory to give you the power to be strong inwardly through his Spirit. 17   I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18   And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. 19   Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strengths" - Corrie Ten Boom Philippians 4:4 NCV Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

"Breathe on me, Breath of God, 'Til I am wholly Thine, Till all this earthly part of me Glows with Thy fire Divine." - Springs in the Valley, (July 26)

Matthew 6:34 NKJV Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There are those to whom no visions come, no moments upon the mount suffused with a glory that never was on land or sea. Let not such envy the men of vision. It may be that the vision is given to strengthen a faith that else were weak. It is to the people who can live along the line of what others call the commonplace, and yet trust, that the Master says, "Blessed." - Springs in the Valley Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

"Bring to God your gift, my brother, He'll not need to call another, You will do; He will add His blessing to it, And the two of you will do it,  God and you."  - R. E. Neighbour

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Hebrews 1:4-14 New Life Version (NLV) The Son Was Greater Than the Angels 4 The Son of God was made greater and better than the angels. God gave Him a greater name than theirs. 5 God did not say to any of His angels, “You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.” And He did not say to any angel, “I will be a Father to Him. He will be a Son to Me.” 6 But when God brought His first-born Son, Jesus, into the world, He said, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” 7 He said this about the angels, “He makes His angels to be winds. He makes His servants a burning fire.” 8 But about His Son, He says, “O God, Your throne will last forever. Whatever You say in Your nation is right and good. 9 You have loved what is right. You have hated what is wrong. That is why God, Your God, has chosen You. He has poured over You the oil of joy more than over anyone else.” 10 He said also, “Lord, You made the earth in the beginning. You made the heavens with Your hands. 11 They will be destroyed but...

Isaiah 42:1-9 GNT The LORD says, “Here is my servant, whom I strengthen— the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased. I have filled him with my Spirit, and he will bring justice to every nation. He will not shout or raise his voice or make loud speeches in the streets. He will not break off a bent reed nor put out a flickering lamp. He will bring lasting justice to all. He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.” God created the heavens and stretched them out; he fashioned the earth and all that lives there; he gave life and breath to all its people. And now the LORD God says to his servant, “I, the LORD, have called you and given you power to see that justice is done on earth. Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples; through you I will bring light to the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind and set free those who sit in dark prisons. ...

  John 16:19-24 New King James Version (NKJV) 19  Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them,  “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?   20  Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.   21  A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.   22  Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23  “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.   24  Until now you have ask...

"It is His wings that heal our pains,  And sooth the serpent's poisoned stings;  Close to His bosom we must press To feel His healing wings."  - Springs in the Valley , July 22 (208). Malachi 4:2 New King James Version (NKJV) But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow...

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Psalm 51:6-11 New King James Version (NKJV) 6  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden  part  You will make me to know wisdom. 7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8  Make me hear joy and gladness, That  the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9  Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11  Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

2 Peter 3:9 GNT The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

"You cannot think of prayer so large that God in answering it, will not wish that you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches, but for wings!" - Phillips Brooks, Springs in the Valley

Lamentations 3:19-32 GNT The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison. I think of it constantly, and my spirit is depressed. Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing: The LORD's unfailing love and mercy still continue, Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The LORD is all I have, and so in him I put my hope. The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him, So it is best for us to wait in patience—to wait for him to save us— And it is best to learn this patience in our youth. When we suffer, we should sit alone in silent patience; We should bow in submission, for there may still be hope. Though beaten and insulted, we should accept it all. The Lord is merciful and will not reject us forever. He may bring us sorrow, but his love for us is sure and strong. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

1 John 4:18 There is no  fear  in  love ; but  perfect   love  casts out  fear , because  fear  involves torment. But he who  fear s has not been made  perfect  in  love .

2 Corinthians 1:18-20 NKJV But  as  God  is  faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by usby me, Silvanus, and Timothywas not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him  are  Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

Psalm 86 New King James Version (NKJV) Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the  Lord A Prayer of David. 86  Bow down Your ear, O  Lord , hear me; For I  am  poor and needy. 2  Preserve my life, for I  am  holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You! 3  Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long. 4  Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5  For You, Lord,  are  good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. 6  Give ear, O  Lord , to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. 7  In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me. 8  Among the gods  there is  none like You, O Lord; Nor  are there any works  like Your works. 9  All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall g...

Isaiah 55:1-5 GNT The LORD says, “Come, everyone who is thirsty— here is water! Come, you that have no money— buy grain and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk— it will cost you nothing! Why spend money on what does not satisfy? Why spend your wages and still be hungry? Listen to me and do what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all. “Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David. I made him a leader and commander of nations, and through him I showed them my power. Now you will summon foreign nations; at one time they did not know you, but now they will come running to join you! I, the LORD your God, the holy God of Israel, will make all this happen; I will give you honor and glory.” Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

"Help us with the grace of courage that we be none of us cast down while we sit lamenting over the ruins of our happiness. Touch us with the fires of Thine altar, that we may be up and doing, to rebuild our city. "   - Robert Louis Stevenson *Photograph copyright R. Harriott 2012

We may forget; God does not! God's time is never wrong, Never too fast nor too slow; The planets move to its steady pace As the centuries come and go. Stars rise and set by that time, The punctual comets come back With never a second's variance, From the round of their viewers track. Men space their years by the sun, And reckon their months by the moon, Which never arrive too late And never depart too soon. Let us set our clocks by God's, And order our lives by His ways, And nothing can come and nothing can go Too soon or too late in our day. - Annie Johnson Flint Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

"The more I am spiritually exercised, the more strength I have to cope with the sudden stresses brought about by adverse circumstances or attacks from the enemy."  - Evelyn Christenson 1 Timothy 4:8-10 New Living Translation (NLT) 8  “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”   9  This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.   10  This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, [ a ]  for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

James 1:2-8 New King James Version (NKJV) Profiting from Trials 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. *Photograph copyright 2012 R. Harriott

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Job 14:7-15 New King James Version (NKJV) 7 “For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. 8 Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, 9 Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant. 10 But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? 11 As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up, 12 So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep. 13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. 15 You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands. *copyright R. Harriott 2...

1 John 4:9-21 New International Version (NIV) 9  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son  into the world that we might live through him.  10  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us  and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11  Dear friends,  since God so loved us,  we also ought to love one another.  12  No one has ever seen God;  but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13  This is how we know  that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  14  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  15  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  16  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  17...

Hebrews 4 Good News Translation (GNT) Jesus the Great High Priest 14 Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God—Jesus, the Son of God.15 Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin.16 Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.

Psalm 16:1-11 GNT Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety. I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; all the good things I have come from you.” How excellent are the LORD's faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be with them. Those who rush to other gods bring many troubles on themselves. I will not take part in their sacrifices; I will not worship their gods. You, LORD, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands. How wonderful are your gifts to me; how good they are! I praise the LORD, because he guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me. I am always aware of the LORD's presence; he is near, and nothing can shake me. And so I am thankful and glad, and I feel completely secure, because you protect me from the power of death. I have served you faithfully, and you will not abandon me to the world of the dead. You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me ...

2 Peter 1:3 New International Version (NIV) 3  His divine power   has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him   who called us   by his own glory and goodness. 2 Corinthians 9:8 New International Version (NIV) 8  And God is able  to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,  you will abound in every good work.

Hebrews 5:4-10 (GNT) 4 No one chooses for himself the honor of being a high priest. It is only by God's call that a man is made a high priest—just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, Christ did not take upon himself the honor of being a high priest. Instead, God said to him, You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 6 He also said in another place, You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek. [a] 7 In his life on earth Jesus made his prayers and requests with loud cries and tears to God, who could save him from death. Because he was humble and devoted, God heard him.8 But even though he was God's Son, he learned through his sufferings to be obedient.9 When he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him,10 and God declared him to be high priest, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.

"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch  that she feels bending beneath her,  still she sings away all the same,  knowing she has wings..." - Victor Hugo *Photograph copyright 2012 R. Harriott

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"Faith is a thread Slender and frail, Easy to tear; Yet it can lift The weight of a soul Up from despair."  - Matthew Biller

Psalm 121:1-8 GNT I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let you fall; your protector is always awake. The protector of Israel never dozes or sleeps. The LORD will guard you; he is by your side to protect you. The sun will not hurt you during the day, nor the moon during the night. The LORD will protect you from all danger; he will keep you safe. He will protect you as you come and go now and forever. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

“The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith,  for to have faith is to have wings.”  ―  J.M. Barrie ,  The Little White Bird Deuteronomy 32:9-12 Good News Translation (GNT)      9   but Jacob's descendants he chose for himself.   10  He found them wandering through the desert,        a desolate, wind-swept wilderness.      He protected them and cared for them,         as he would protect himself.   11  Like an eagle teaching its young to fly,         catching them safely on its spreading wings,         the Lord kept Israel from falling.   12  The Lord alone led his people        without the help of a foreign god. *photograph copyright R. Harriott 2012

"Oh, beautiful rose, please tell me, For I would like to know, Why must I crush your petals That sweet perfume may flow. Oh, that life is clothed in beauty, Perhaps like that beautiful rose, You will need to be crushed by suffering Ere you give out your best; who knows? A life that is crushed by sorrow Can feel for another's grief, And send out that sweet perfume of love That will bring some heart relief. Oh, do not refine at your testing, When called to pass under the rod, It is that life might the sweeter be, And comes from the hand of God. He knows how much we are needing, Of sorrow, or suffering, or test, And only gives to His children The things that He knoweth are best. Then let us rejoice when He sendeth Some sorrow or hardship that tries, And be glad to be crushed as the rose leaf, That sweeter perfume may arise." - Flora L. Osgood Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

"A wounded deer leaps the highest." - Emily Dickinson Psalm 42 New Living Translation (NLT) For the choir director: A psalm [ a ]  of the descendants of Korah. 1  As the deer longs for streams of water,      so I long for you, O God. 2  I thirst for God, the living God.      When can I go and stand before him? 3  Day and night I have only tears for food,      while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,      “Where is this God of yours?” 4  My heart is breaking      as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers,      leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks      amid the sound of a great celebration! 5  Why am I discouraged?      Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!      ...