Andy's Inspiration Box

Revelation 21:5 English Standard Version (ESV) 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

"Our skies are dotted with little clouds, faint beginnings of God's mercies. They assure the waiting heart of greater clouds just beyond the horizon, laden with His blessings." - Costen J. Harrell

Acts 17:26-28 Contemporary English Version (CEV) 26  From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. 27  God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn’t far from any of us,  28  and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. “We are his children,” just as some of your poets have said.

Psalm 121 New King James Version (NKJV) God the Help of Those Who Seek Him A Song of Ascents. 121  I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? 2  My help  comes  from the  Lord , Who made heaven and earth. 3  He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4  Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5  The  Lord   is  your keeper; The  Lord   is  your shade at your right hand. 6  The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7  The  Lord  shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8  The  Lord  shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

1 Timothy 6:6-9 ESV But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Lamentations 3:22-26 New King James Version (NKJV) 22  Through  the  Lord ’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23  They are  new every morning; Great  is  Your faithfulness. 24  “The  Lord   is  my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” 25  The  Lord   is  good to those who wait for Him, To the soul  who  seeks Him. 26  It is  good that  one  should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the  Lord .

"The joy of which C.S. Lewis speaks is not the joy of fulfilment or satisfaction but rather the joy of unfulfilment - the glimpse of something far off. One writer describes it as 'news from a country we have never visited'. This might sound strange, but even Christians are never perfectly satisfied in this world. We are satisfied with an unsatisfied satisfaction. We are in this world as exiles and all our senses cry out, 'This is not your home.' And strangely, we are glad." - Selwyn Hughes

Deuteronomy 12:5 New King James Version (NKJV) 5  “But you shall seek the place where the  Lord  your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.

"During the years that I have been a Christian I have sometimes wondered to myself if anyone really rises to the exhilaration and truth of the Christian faith who he's not felt first its incredibility, impossibility and sheer unbelievability. When one realises it is all true then truly it is glory. Doubt sets up assaults but faith brings about their defeat." - Selwyn Hughes

Luke 4:10-11 Contemporary English Version (CEV) 10-11  The Scriptures say: ‘God will tell his angels      to take care of you. They will catch you      in their arms, and you will not hurt      your feet on the stones.’”

Romans 13:8 English Standard Version (ESV) Fulfilling the Law Through Love 8  Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for  the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'." -  Erma Bombeck

Matthew 1:23 English Standard Version (ESV) 23  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,      and they shall call his name  Immanuel  (which means, God  with us)."

Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

"Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there's no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again." - Max Lucado

"Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering." -  Steve Maraboli

"Has Jesus the keys to your life? Has He the key to the Library of your life, or do you just read what you please? Has He the key to the Dining room of your life - do you feed your soul on His Word? Has He the key to the Recreation compartment, or do you just go where you please? Have you give Christ the Master Key to your life? We may have all of the Holy Ghost, but has He all of us? Are there spaces yet to be filled with the Holy Ghost - space, places, rooms and closets in our spiritual house into which He has not "fully come" , because we have not yet given up all the keys from cellar to attic of our spiritual homestead?" - Springs in the Valley (December 23)

Ephesians 1:18 My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people.

Hebrews 10:14-24 (MSG) 14 It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. 15 The Holy Spirit confirms this: 16 This new plan I'm making with Israel isn't going to be written on paper, isn't going to be chiseled in stone; This time "I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts." 17 He concludes, I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins. 18 Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them. 19 So, friends, we can now - without hesitation - walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place." 20 Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. 21 The "curtain" into God's presence is his body. 22 So let's do it - full of belief, confident that we're present...

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 New International Version (NIV) 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

“When my daughter was a toddler, I used to take her to a park not far from our apartment. One day as she was playing in a sandbox, an ice-cream salesman approached us. I purchased her a treat, and when I turned to give it to her, I saw her mouth was full of sand. Where I had intended to put a delicacy, she had put dirt. Did I love her with dirt in her mouth? Absolutely. Was she any less of my daughter with dirt in her mouth? Of course not. Was I going to allow her to keep the dirt in her mouth? No way. I loved her right where she was, but I refused to leave her there. I carried her over to the water fountain and washed out her mouth. Why? Because I love her. God does the same for us. He holds us over the fountain. "Spit out the dirt, honey," our Father urges. "I've got something better for you." And so he cleanses us of filth; immorality, dishonesty, prejudice, bitterness, greed. We don't enjoy the cleansing; sometimes we even opt for the dirt over the ice c...

1 Chronicles 28:8-9 New King James Version (NKJV) 8  Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the  Lord , and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the  Lord  your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever. 9  “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

Revelation 21:3 English Standard Version (ESV) 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold,   the dwelling place [ a ]   of God is with man. He will   dwell with them, and they will be his people, [ b ]   and God himself will be with them as their God. [ c ]

"God has built certain systems into the design of the brain to help us cope with stress, which become activated when we help each other." - Dr Caroline Leaf

Psalm 100 English Standard Version (ESV) His Steadfast Love Endures Forever A Psalm for   giving thanks. 100  Make a joyful noise to the   Lord , all the earth! 2       Serve the   Lord   with gladness!      Come into his presence with singing! 3  Know that   the   Lord , he is God!      It is he who   made us, and   we are his; [ a ]      we are his   people, and   the sheep of his pasture. 4  Enter his gates with thanksgiving,      and his   courts with praise!      Give thanks to him;   bless his name! 5  For the   Lord   is good;      his steadfast love endures forever,      and his   faithfulness to all generations.

Colossians 3:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV) 23  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,  24  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for   you serve the Lord Christ.

Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord, Burn and wear out for Thee; Don't let me rust, or my life be A failure, my God, to Thee. Use me, and all I have, dear Lord, And get me so close to Thee That I feel the throb of the great heart of God, Until I burn out for Thee. - Bessie F. Hatcher

1 Timothy 1:12-17 English Standard Version (ESV) Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners 12  I thank him   who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful,   appointing me to his service,   13  though formerly I was a blasphemer,   persecutor, and insolent opponent. But   I received mercy   because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14  and   the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the   faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.   15  The saying is   trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus   came into the world to save sinners,   of whom I am the foremost.   16  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.   17  To   the King of the ages,immortal,   invisible,   the only God,...

Colossians 3:17 New King James Version (NKJV) 17  And whatever you do in word or deed,  do  all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

"Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God." -  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Psalm 147:10-11 English Standard Version (ESV) 10  His delight is not in   the strength of the horse,      nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 11  but the   Lord   takes pleasure in those who fear him,      in those who   hope in his steadfast love.

" Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver. "  -  Barbara de Angelis  

"All of us have a donkey. You and I each have something in our lives, which, if given back to God, could, like the donkey, move Jesus and his story further down the road...Whichever, that's your donkey..." - Max Lucado

Psalm 56:12-13 New King James Version (NKJV) 12  Vows  made  to You  are binding  upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, 13  For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You  not  kept  my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

1 Timothy 6:12 NLT Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.

Psalm 36:5-10 King James Version (KJV) 5  Thy mercy, O   Lord , is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 6  Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O   Lord , thou preservest man and beast. 7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. 9  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. 10  O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

"Dwell deep, and rest your head on the heart of God." - Springs, Dec 13

Job 34:29 King James Version (KJV) 29  When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

Hebrews 10:23 New King James Version (NKJV) 23  Let us hold fast the confession of our  hope without wavering, for He who promised  is  faithful.

Love grows stringer when assailed; Love conquers where all else has failed. Love ever blesses those who curse; Love gives the better for the worse. Love unbinds others by it's bonds; Love pours forgiveness from its wounds. Lord, let me love like Thee! - Springs in the Valley (December 11)

Isaiah 30:26 New King James Version (NKJV) 26  Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the  Lord  binds up the bruise of His people And heals the stroke of their wound.

Psalm 102:18-28 Good News Translation (GNT) 18  Write down for the coming generation what the   Lord   has done,      so that people not yet born will praise him. 19  The   Lord   looked down from his holy place on high,      he looked down from heaven to earth. 20  He heard the groans of prisoners      and set free those who were condemned to die. 21  And so his name will be proclaimed in Zion,      and he will be praised in Jerusalem 22       when nations and kingdoms come together      and worship the   Lord . 23  The   Lord   has made me weak while I am still young;      he has shortened my life. 24  O God, do not take me away now      before I grow old. O   Lord , you live forever; 25  long ago you created the earth,   ...

2 Corinthians 5:7 New King James Version (NKJV) 7  For we walk by faith, not by sight.

"Andrew, I have only five barley loaves left and a couple of fish, but the Master shall have most of it. Here are three loaves, four - but one loaf I should like to keep. You know, Andrew, it is a long way home, but the four loaves and the fishes I will give to Him." As Andrew explains that the Master would like to have all , a struggle goes on in the boy's heart. he looks repeatedly, first at the fifth loaf, then at the Master. "Andrew, take all," he exclaims joyously as the light breaks. "Take all five, and the fishes, too." What is the fifth loaf that you have not yet surrendered? Let me plead with you to let Him have it ALL. - Pastor Dolman

Nehemiah 6 New King James Version (NKJV) ...Now therefore,   O God,   strengthen my hands.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV) 13  Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  14  Let all  that  you do be done with love.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 New Century Version (NCV) Paul’s Work in Thessalonica 2  Brothers and sisters, you know our visit to you was not a failure.  2  Before we came to you, we suffered in Philippi. People there insulted us, as you know, and many people were against us. But our God helped us to be brave and to tell you his Good News.  3  Our appeal does not come from lies or wrong reasons, nor were we trying to trick you.  4  But we speak the Good News because God tested us and trusted us to do it. When we speak, we are not trying to please people, but God, who tests our hearts.  5  You know that we never tried to influence you by saying nice things about you. We were not trying to get your money; we had no selfishness to hide from you. God knows that this is true.  6  We were not looking for human praise, from you or anyone else,  7  even though as apostles of Christ we could have used our authority over you....

"I have had many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have been able to place in God's hands I still possess." - Martin Luthur

Psalm 10:17-18 Good News Translation (GNT) 17  You will listen, O  Lord , to the prayers of the lowly;      you will give them courage. 18  You will hear the cries of the oppressed and the orphans;      you will judge in their favor,      so that mortal men may cause terror no more.

Acts 20:28-31 New International Version (NIV) 28  Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock   of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.   Be shepherds of the church of God, [ a ]   which he bought   with his own blood. [ b ]   29  I know that after I leave, savage wolves   will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30  Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples   after them.   31  So be on your guard! Remember that for three years   I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Psalm 72:12 New King James Version (NKJV) 12  For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and  him  who has no helper.

Tenderness of spirit...is a supernatural work throughout the whole spiritual being. It is an exquisitely inferior fountain of God's own sweetness and tenderness of nature, opened up in the inner spirit to such a degree that it completely inundates the soul, overflowing all the mental faculties and saturating with its sweet waters the manners, words, and tones of the voice; mellowing the will, softening the judgement, melting the affections, refining the manners, and molding the whole being after the image of Him who was infinitely meek and lowly in heart. - Springs in the Valley (December 4)

"God may be invisible, but he's in touch. You may not be able to see him but he's in control. And that includes you - your circumstances. That includes what you've just lost. That includes what you've just gained. That includes all of life - past, present, future."  - Charles Swindoll

"God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son." - Jerry Bridges

Ephesians 4:32 New King James Version (NKJV) ... be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Revelation 21:6 English Standard Version (ESV) 6  And he said to me,   “It is done!   I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Job 42:1-6 The Message (MSG) 42  1-6  Job answered  God : “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.      Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water,      ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me,      made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking.      Let me ask the questions. You  give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you;      now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise!      I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”