Andy's Inspiration Box

But He expects us to rest in His wisdom. In the thick of the fight, in the midst of the smoke and din of battle, we may fail to see the wisdom of all God's ways. When we cannot see, it is then that we must rest in His wisdom. Let us have confidence in His power, and be obedient to His commands. - Springs in the Valley (November 30)

"Serenity is that inner peace that comes with the certainties of knowing in whom you believe, what you believe, who you are, and where you are going." - Gigi Graham Tchividjian

Isaiah 51:1-6 King James Version (KJV) 51 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. 2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. 3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. 4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. 5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish awa...

1 John 3:1 New King James Version (NKJV) 3  Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! [ a ] Therefore the world does not know us, [ b ] because it did not know Him.

God never forgets His Word. Long ago He promised a Redeemer; and although He waited fouir thousand years, the promise at last was most surely fulfilled. - Springs in the Valley (November 28) Romans 10:11 Good News Translation (GNT) 11  The scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”

"I shall not come this way again, May wisdom guide my tongue and pen, And love be mine, that so I may Plant roses all along the way." - Springs in the Valley, Nov 27.

"Faithfulness today is the best preparation for the demands of tomorrow." - Elisabeth Elliott

God's command is "Take now" not presently. To go to the height God shows can never be done presently. It must be done now. - Springs in the Valley (November 25)

"What if we lived knowing that all that makes us unique - our talents, love, passions, and resources - are to bless others?" - Take My Heart, Oh God. (July 18)

“According to my judgement the most important point to be attended to is this: above all things see to it that your souls are happy in the Lord. Other things may press upon you, the Lord's work may even have urgent claims upon your attention, but I deliberately repeat, it is of supreme and paramount importance that you should seek above all things to have your souls truly happy in God Himself! Day by day seek to make this the most important business of your life. This has been my firm and settled condition for the last five and thirty years. For the first four years after my conversion I knew not its vast importance, but now after much experience I specially commend this point to the notice of my younger brethren and sisters in Christ: the secret of all true effectual service is joy in God, having experimental acquaintance and fellowship with God Himself.” ― George Muller

Romans 14:17-18 NLT For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Proverbs 3:5-6 New Living Translation (NLT) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 New King James Version (NKJV) 2  Then the  Lord  answered me and said: “Write the vision And make  it  plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3  For the vision  is  yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.

Give me the trouble without the glitter, O Lord! Let others lead! I am content to follow. Help me to serve Thee in the background! Is it not written they that tarry at home divide the spoil ? I cannot fight Thy battles, but I can nurse Thy wounded. I cannot repel Thy foes, but I can repair Thy fortress. I cannot conduct Thy marches, but I can succor those who have fainted by the way. Write my name amongst those who follow Thee ! - Springs In The Valley (November 23)

Jeremiah 29:11-13 New Living Translation (NLT) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Acts 17:26-28 New King James Version (NKJV) 26  And He has made from one blood [ a ] every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27  so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28  for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

"Do you say that your plans have been crushed? Then know this: Jesus Christ is a matchless life-mender." - Janes H. McConkey

John 4:13-14 The Message (MSG) 13-14  Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”

"I can never have perfect rest or true happiness, until, that is, I am so attached to him that there can be no created thing between my God and me." - Julian of Norwich

Lamentations 3:22-23 New Living Translation (NLT) 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends![a] His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

"If a son, then an heir." Heir of a mighty King, heir to a throne, Why art thou wandering sad and alone? Heir to the love of God, heir to His grace, Rise to thy privilege, claiming thy place. Heir of a Conquerer, why dost thou fear? Foes cannot trouble thee when He is near. Child of the promises, be not oppressed, Claim what belongs to thee, find sweetest rest. Heir by inheritance! Child of they God! Right to thy sonship is found in His word; Walk with the noble ones, never alone; Prince of the Royal Blood, come to thy throne. Heirs! We are joint-heirs with Jesus our Lord! Heirs of the Covenant, found in His word! Rise to thy privilege, heir to His grace! Heir to the love of God, rise, claim thy place! - Springs in the Valley (November 19)

Luke 11:9-13 New Living Translation (NLT) 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “You fathers—if your children ask[a] for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

"Take then, the threads, O my Father, Let them Thy mind fulfill, Work out in love a pattern After Thy holy will." - Charlotte Murray

John 16:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV) 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 asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 New International Version (NIV) Generosity Encouraged 6  Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.   7  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,  not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.   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.   9  As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts  to the poor;      their righteousness endures forever.” [ a ] 10  Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food  will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.   11  You will be enriched  in every way so that you can be generous  on every occasion, and through us ...

"The Saviour can solve every problem, The tangles of life can undo, There is nothing too hard for Jesus, There is nothing that He cannot do." - Springs in the Valley

Ephesians 3:19 New Living Translation (NLT) May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

“I believe God has heard my prayers. He will make it manifest in His own good time that He has heard me. I have recorded my petitions that when God has answered them, His name will be glorified.” ― George Muller, Autobiography of George Muller

Isaiah 60:1-9 Good News Translation (GNT) 60  Arise, Jerusalem, and shine like the sun; The glory of the Lord is shining on you! 2  Other nations will be covered by darkness, But on you the light of the Lord will shine; The brightness of his presence will be with you. 3  Nations will be drawn to your light, And kings to the dawning of your new day. 4  Look around you and see what is happening: Your people are gathering to come home! Your sons will come from far away; Your daughters will be carried like children. 5  You will see this and be filled with joy; You will tremble with excitement. The wealth of the nations will be brought to you; From across the sea their riches will come. 6  Great caravans of camels will come, from Midian and Ephah. They will come from Sheba, bringing gold and incense. People will tell the good news of what the Lord has done! 7  All the sheep of Kedar and Nebaioth Will be brought to you as sacrifices And o...

John 6:53-65 Good News Translation (GNT) 53  Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves. 54  Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day. 55  For my flesh is the real food; my blood is the real drink. 56  Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. 57  The living Father sent me, and because of him I live also. In the same way whoever eats me will live because of me. 58  This, then, is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread that your ancestors ate, but then later died. Those who eat this bread will live forever.” 59  Jesus said this as he taught in the synagogue in Capernaum. The Words of Eternal Life 60  Many of his followers heard this and said, “This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?” 61...

“After the Lord has tried our faith, he, in the love of His heart, gives us an abundance. For the glory of His name and for trial of our faith, He allows us to be poor and then graciously supplies our needs.” - George Muller

"The potter never sees his clay take on riches of silver, or red, or cream, or brown, or yellow, until after the darkness and burning of the furnace. These colours come - after the burning and darkness. The clay is beautiful - after the burning and darkness. The vase is made possible - after the burning and the darkness." - Robert G. Lee

"The habit of discernment is a quality of attentiveness to God that is so intimate that over time we develop an intuitive sense of God's heart and purpose in any given moment. We become familiar with God's voice." - Ruth Haley Barton

Matthew 6:28-33 New King James Version (NKJV) 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 11:25-30 Good News Translation (GNT) 25  At that time Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. 26  Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen. 27  “My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28  “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. 30  For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”

"How I ascertain the will of God: I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of it's own in regard to a given matter....Having surrendered my own will, I do not leave the result to feeling or simply impressions...I see the will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with the Word of God...Next I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God's will in connection with His Word and Spirit. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of His Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgement, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly." - George Muller

Romans 8:12-17 New King James Version 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.” ― Mother Teresa

Job 37:5-6 New International Version (NIV) 5  God’s voice thunders  in marvelous ways;      he does great things beyond our understanding. 6  He says to the snow,  ‘Fall on the earth,’      and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’

"The experience of being engulfed in darkness can either make or break us. Some it shatters; others it strengthens. When our souls are open to the grace that constantly flows towards us from heaven, then every limitation, every difficult situation, every perplexing circumstance can be the setting for a new discovery of God and a new revelation of His love." - Selwyn Hughes

“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.” - C. S. Lewis

"God never strikes the wrong note; never sings the wrong song. If God makes music, the music will provide medicinal" - Joseph Pearce

1 Peter 1:22-23 New King James Version (NKJV) The Enduring Word 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit[a] in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever...

"Jesus, Thy life is mine! Dwell evermore in me; And let me see That nothing can untwine Thy life from mine." - Frances Ridley Havergal

Ephesians 1:9-10 Good News Translation (GNT) 9  God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. 10  This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Hebrews 3:13 Hebrews 3:12-13 New King James Version (NKJV) 12  Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13  but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.  

Israel Assured of God’s Help 41 “Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, And let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; Let us come near together for judgment. 2 “Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow? 3 Who pursued them, and passed safely By the way that he had not gone with his feet? 4 Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’” 5 The coastlands saw it and feared, The ends of the earth were afraid; They drew near and came. 6 Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, “Be of good courage!” 7 So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, “It is ready for the soldering”; Then he fastened it...

The surrender of Benjamin, their dearest possession, was the key to all the treasures of the kingdom - yes, even to the recognition of Joseph by the brothers and Jacob. The surrender of the costliest possession of my life is the key to the treasures of the Kingdom for me - yes even to the full recognition and appropriation of Christ as my whole and only life. - Springs in the Valley (November 5)

"There are miraculous possibilities for the one who depends on God." - Springs in the Valley

John 14:17 says, “The world cannot accept him, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he lives with you and he will be in you.”

Luke 10:25-28 GNT A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”  Jesus answered him, “What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?”  The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”  “You are right,” Jesus replied; “do this and you will live.”

A Christian woman woke up one morning in the dead of winter with the words ringing in her mind, 'Next summer's apples are already on the tree.' How strange, she thought, for as she looked out through her window, she saw nothing but snow and ice. Then the Spirit said, 'You may not see the apples yet, but they are there, nevertheless. And in the same way, the treasures of summer are already in the tree of life, caught at this moment in the darkness of the winter's cold. Be patient, for love will soon bring them out.' - Selwyn Hughes

Isaiah 45:5-8 Good News Translation (GNT) 5  “I am the Lord ; there is no other god.      I will give you the strength you need,      although you do not know me. 6  I do this so that everyone      from one end of the world to the other      may know that I am the Lord      and that there is no other god. 7  I create both light and darkness;      I bring both blessing and disaster.      I, the Lord , do all these things. 8  I will send victory from the sky like rain;      the earth will open to receive it      and will blossom with freedom and justice. I, the Lord , will make this happen.”

Isaiah 40:30-31 New King James Version (NKJV) 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

"I know enough about my Father to realise that when I cannot see or understand the reason for His actions, He is pursuing a way that makes perfect sense." - Selwyn Hughes

Dear Child, God does not say today, “Be strong;” He knows your strength is spent; He knows how long The road has been, how weary you have grown, For He who walked the earthly roads alone, Each bogging lowland, and each rugged hill, Can understand, and so He says, “Be still, And know that I am God.” The hour is late, And you must rest awhile, and you must wait Until life’s empty reservoirs fill up As slow rain fills an empty upturned cup. Hold up your cup, dear child, for God to fill. He only asks today that you be still. - Grace Noll Crowell