Andy's Inspiration Box

" Do not wait until the moment  becomes but a memory — to see that it’s a monumental gift." - Ann Voskamp

2 Timothy 2:15 English Standard Version (ESV) 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[a] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

The battle is not yours, but God's; Therefore why fight? True faith will cease from struggling, And rest upon His might: Each conflict into which you come Was won on Calvary, Tis ours to claim what Christ has done, And "hold" the victory. H. E. Jessop

1 John 4:19 New International Version (NIV) 19  We love because he first loved us.

Philippians 1:6 New Living Translation (NLT) 6  And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Hebrews 4:12 New Living Translation (NLT) 12  For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

"Today is the point to which all your yesterdays have been leading since the hour of your birth. It is the point from which all your tomorrows will proceed until the hour of your death. If you were aware of how precious it is, you could hardly live through it. Unless you are aware of how precious it is, you can hardly be said to be living at all…..All the other days have either disappeared into darkness or oblivion or not yet emerged from them. Today is the only day there is." - Frederick Buechner

Ephesians 5:19-20 New Living Translation (NLT) 19  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.   20  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 43:3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!

"Your whole life is composed by the choices you make: the turnings you move toward or lean away from, the way you deal with your fear or don't. And in the process, you make life." - Ken Robinson

James 1:5-6 English Standard Version (ESV) 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Matthew 4:18-22 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Calls His First Disciples 18  As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20  At once they left their nets and followed him. 21  Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22  and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Psalm 27:14 New Living Translation (NLT) 14  Wait patiently for the  Lord .      Be brave and courageous.      Yes, wait patiently for the  Lord .

Matthew 5:8 New International Version (NIV) 8  Blessed are the pure in heart,      for they will see God.

Psalm 40:16-17 New Living Translation (NLT) 16  But may all who search for you      be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation      repeatedly shout, “The  Lord  is great!” 17  As for me, since I am poor and needy,      let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior.      O my God, do not delay.

" There are places and times when we feel we need extra wisdom, insight, guidance and strength. We long for understanding in situations that seem confusing. We need revelation when truth is being hidden or skewed. God provides all these things to His children through the Holy Spirit. Paul the apostle, prayed for believers to receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so they could know God better. This prayer is still for us today. It reflects what is available to believers … to you and me." - Gail Rodgers

Colossians 3:15-17 Good News Translation (GNT) 15  The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body. And be thankful. 16  Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts. 17  Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father.

Psalm 37:4 New Living Translation (NLT) 4  Take delight in the  Lord ,      and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Proverbs 2:6 English Standard Version (ESV) 6  For the Lord gives wisdom;      from his mouth come knowledge and understanding

Psalm 27:7-8 New Living Translation (NLT) 7  Hear me as I pray, O  Lord .      Be merciful and answer me! 8  My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”      And my heart responds, “ Lord , I am coming.”

"The dream God has placed in your heart may look impossible, but God promised it. Now be bold enough to ask for it." - Leona Clausing

"Here's my heart, Lord. Speak what is true." - I Am They

Mark 16:15-18 English Standard Version (ESV) 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Isaiah 41:13 New Living Translation (NLT) 13  For I hold you by your right hand—      I, the  Lord  your God. And I say to you,      ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

"Blessed is the one who perseveres and does the hard things. Tough times never last but those who hang on tight to God always do." - Ann Voskamp

Psalm 86:8-11 There is no god like you, O Lord, not one has done what you have done. All the nations that you have created will come and bow down to you; they will praise your greatness. You are mighty and do wonderful things; you alone are God. Teach me, Lord , what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully; teach me to serve you with complete devotion.

Romans 12:2 New Living Translation (NLT) 2  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 14:7-9 New Living Translation (NLT) 7  For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8  If we live, it’s to honour the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honour the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9  Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

"You can’t change yesterday, but you can do something about tomorrow. Put God’s plan in place." - Max Lucado

"Wouldst thou not rather call forth Mine omnipotent doing  by thine asking, if to this I have called thee, than even be busy with thine own doing?" - James H. McConkey

Hebrews 13:5 New Living Translation (NLT) 5  Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you.      I will never abandon you.”

Psalm 94:12-13 Amplified Bible (AMP) 12  Blessed [with wisdom and prosperity] is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord , And whom You teach from Your law, 13  That You may grant him [power to calm himself and find] peace in the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked and ungodly.

Jeremiah 29:11 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."

Zephaniah 3:17 New Living Translation (NLT) 17  For the  Lord  your God is living among you.      He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness.      With his love, he will calm all your fears. [ a ]      He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Footnotes: 3:17   Or  He will be silent in his love.  Greek and Syriac versions read  He will renew you with his love.

Ephesians 2:4-9 English Standard Version (ESV) 4 But[a] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Psalm 19:8 New Century Version (NCV) 8  The orders of the Lord are right;      they make people happy. The commands of the Lord are pure;      they light up the way.

2 Corinthians 11:30-31 New Living Translation (NLT) 30  If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.   31  God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying. 2 Corinthians 12:9 New Living Translation (NLT) 9  Each time he said,  “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

"The great Father above is a Shepherd Chief. I am His and with Him. I want not. He throws out to me a rope, and the name of the rope is love, and He draws me to where the grass is green and the water is not dangerous. Sometimes my heart is very weak, and falls down, but He lifts it up again and draws me into a good road." - Springs in the Valley (October 7)

Psalm 63:1 New Living Translation (NLT) Psalm 63 A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah. 1  O God, you are my God;      I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you;      my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land      where there is no water.

"Beware of missing out on God in the so-called ordinary events of life and assuming he only turns up in certain more ‘spiritual’ situations. He is ever present in the world he made and his blessings are constant even if sometimes veiled. His presence in all circumstances means we can be thankful in all circumstances." - David Reay

"If it stops one from moving closer to God, then it’s best to be stopped." - Ann Voskamp

"Every stage of life through which we pass has something peculiar to itself in possibility and achievement. Youth is not the only stage of possibility; each stage of life is crammed with achievement and beauty." - Dr E. Stanley Jones

Isaiah 55:6 New Living Translation (NLT) 6  Seek the  Lord  while you can find him.      Call on him now while he is near.

Psalm 85:12 New Living Translation (NLT) 12  Yes, the  Lord  pours down his blessings.      Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 English Standard Version (ESV) 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

Matthew 13:31-32 New Living Translation (NLT) Parable of the Mustard Seed 31  Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.   32  It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Trust in the Lord...

Isaiah 55:6-9 New International Version (NIV) 6  Seek  the  Lord  while he may be found;      call  on him while he is near. 7  Let the wicked forsake  their ways      and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn  to the  Lord , and he will have mercy  on them,      and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8  “For my thoughts  are not your thoughts,      neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . 9  “As the heavens are higher than the earth,      so are my ways higher than your ways      and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV) 5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart      and lean not on your own understanding; 6  in all your ways submit to him,      and he will make your paths straight. "This passage tells us that the key to following God is putting ourselves at his disposal, trusting he knows what he is doing even when we don’t know what he is doing. We get a bit lost when we try to live independently of God and then invite him to nudge us in the right direction. The writer of Proverbs tells us that God will direct our paths, but only as we allow ourselves to be so directed. Trusting the guide and getting to know him is the key to guidance." - David Reay

"When we do not allow time to rest, cracks in our spirit can leave us emotionally and spiritually fragile." - Karen Ehman

"In Christ, you are free to be ordinary because Jesus has been extraordinary for you. So go ahead and embrace your ordinary life, for the good of others and for the glory of God. In the end, that’s what will make you extraordinary." - Jonathon Kroeker