The Inspired Box - May 2

 

PSALM 27:1

The LORD is The Strength of my life:

of whom shall I be afraid? 

    We are to be bold as lions when we testify of God's amazing grace on our lives (Proverbs 28:1). Though we are like sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16), we are to be shrewd/wise/sensible/cunning (strategic thinking) as serpents and innocent/sincere/blameless/unsophisticated as doves. On a side note, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance describes sheep as "easily led, forward walking". 

    When we follow our Shepherd faithfully, it is entirely possible to be not only a sheep in His flock, His pasture, but also a lion following The LION OF JUDAH (Revelation 5:5). When Christ spoke to the crowds surrounding Him, He told them He could only speak what His Father was speaking. When we hear Him speak to us, we hear our Father speaking His Word over us and into us. This is our STRENGTH. What, indeed, do we have to fear from anyone? 

    Since we see that God's people are likened to sheep, we also see that the places we will go when we speak God's Word into the ears of those who hear us, will be the territories of they who will try to kill us, for that is what wolves do:they are predatory and viciously attack when least expected. Our weapon in overcoming these wolves are the same as David's: his faith in God to give him strength to defend his position and his flock.  Sometimes the wolves will be allowed to win and overcome the Christian, at other times The Word of God will cause the wolves to cower and slink away. Psalm 27:2. 

    Let us kneel before God in the privacy of our prayer closets/war rooms and find strength in His presence, seeking only to be with Him in His kingdom. And in these times of prayer with our God, let us also pray to be filled with His Light, His Word and His Spirit that we may truly walk as lions in a world filled with wolves. 

THIS IS THE AIR I BREATHE - Michael W. Smith 

CONSUMING FIRE - Hillsong    

 

The Lord Is Strength to The Upright

 

Proverbs 10:29

The Way of The LORD is Strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Who are the upright? and What is this Way wherein is our strength?

THE UPRIGHT 

    To be upright is to be a person of integrity. Such people are not given to hypocrisy. What they speak, they also live. The intent behind their actions is neither malicious nor malevolent; it is love which motivates them. 

      To be upright is to live a life of good reputation. It is to be known even without knowing those who hold us so. The Bible tells us that a good name is better than riches. Proverbs 22:1. 

        To be upright is to live in wisdom, the wisdom of The LORD. Proverbs 1:1-7; 10:8,9. 

    Uprightness is righteousness. Righteousness is gained when we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior to us; only then is His righteousness applied to our hearts; only then is He covering us with Himself, for Christ Jesus IS Righteousness. Therefore the upright are they who believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son; that He died on the cross; that He rose from the dead and walked out of the grave and ascended into heaven forty days later. (for it was fifty days or seven weeks after the Passover feast that the disciples of Christ were gathered together in the upper room to receive The Holy Spirit). 

These are the upright. 

THE WAY OF THE LORD

    What is this Way of The LORD which is our Strength? He is The Way. John 14:6 'Jesus said to him, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." The Way is a His life applied to our life, which is an undertaking we cannot do alone but The Holy Spirit of God can, which is why we need both Christ and The Spirit working in us. 

     The Way is life. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am The Resurrection and The Life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies."

    The Way of The LORD is a lifestyle change. It is a spiritual road which takes us to our final destiny: eternal residence in God's kingdom. Isaiah 35:8 (the road) and John 14:2 (the destination). 

    

    As The Holy Spirit of God works in our lives, changing us and molding us into the pattern of holiness which God has prepared for us, we walk The Way of Holiness. It is the sanctification process by which we are changed from a carnal nature to a holy nature; from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.

     I'm not perfect, nor do I consider myself a 'holier-than-thou' person. I am walking in The Way of Holiness and The Way of Holiness is living in me. 

The Lord Is Strength

 

The LORD is STRENGTH

Proverbs 10:29

The Way of the LORD is Strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Hosea 14:9

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.

Isaiah 30:21

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is The Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Isaiah 35:8

A road will be there and a way; it will be called the Holy Way. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for the one who walks the path. Even the fool will not go astray.

To walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk in The Way of Holiness; it  is to allow God's Holy Spirit into our lives to sanctify us and make us holy: without blemish, without stain that we may be presentable to God and remain in His presence. For our God is a Holy God and His very self demands holiness in His people. We cannot make ourselves holy, just as the pot on the potter's wheel does not make itself a beautiful useful pot. 

To walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk in integrity, maintaining a constant vigil and remaining consistent in our faith that our words would match our actions. To walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk humbly before The LORD and surrender ourselves to His Way. 

To Walk in The Way of The LORD is to live in His Strength and His Wisdom, knowing that He keeps His Word, that His words are True and Faithful. Revelation 21:5.

To Walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk the acknowledgement of His Strength and the admission of our weakness, our inability to walk the way He wants us to walk, to live out our daily lives. 

The LORD is MY STRENGTH 

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

AUTHOR/PERFECTOR - Rivers & Robots 

SO IN LOVE - Isla Vista Worship

Heart & Soul - - A Heart That Rejoices

 

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices: and with my song will I praise Him.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5937

Greatly Rejoices: exults, triumphs, is joyful

From the Hebrew word 'alaz' (pronounced aw-laz'). 

    Because of Who The LORD is to me, my heart trusts in Him and He helps me. Because of Who The LORD is to me, my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will give Him praise.

Psalm 13:5 I rejoice in His salvation  

Psalm 33:21 Our hearts rejoice in Him 

Psalm 105:3 Seekers' hearts rejoice  

Zechariah 10:7 Their hearts will rejoice in the LORD

    The LORD is a personal LORD, a personal GOD. God wants to know as Friend to friend, as Savior to saved, as Father to child. This relationship is to be valued above all other relationships that we may have. Matthew 10:37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." 

    A heart that rejoices in the God of its salvation, rejoices to its betterment. For a heart that loves God above all else will also be able to love others with the Love of God, a far greater Love than mere familial love or brotherly love.

    A heart that rejoices in its God knows the value of the wisdom of loving God. It is more able to fulfill the second commandment when it has already obeyed the first. (Matthew 22:36-39).

    A heart that rejoices delights itself in the nearness of its God (Psalm 37:4). This heart begins each day in the company of its God. We start with a greeting, "Good Morning, LORD. Welcome, Holy Spirit." Some mornings I wake up with a song in my heart and on my lips. I can't help it, nor would I want to; for the Joy of the LORD is my Strength and He carries me through the day, one day at a time.

    A heart that rejoices celebrates God when the way is rough going, through sorrow and pain, through trials and tribulations, through the shadowiest parts of this valley (Psalm 23:4). For the heart that rejoices in the valley knows that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). 

    So, even the hard places we traverse in life are necessary to grow in the LORD. A heart that rejoices trusts in its LORD and in the knowledge that Father knows best. 

    A heart that rejoices knows the LORD is its Creator and its Redeemer. Isaiah 43:1-2 "Now this is what the LORD says—He Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze."

     A heart that rejoices in its LORD spends time with its LORD in prayer. The heart speaks not only verbally, but with tears and groans and the Spirit, who speaks for us when words cannot form themselves in our mouths (Romans 8:26). Prayer is the lifeblood of the heart that rejoices. 

    A heart that rejoices declares God is its God, testifies on the goodness of God, blesses God with the songs of its heart.

    Psalm 63:1-8

 O God, You are my God.

Earnestly I seek You;

my soul thirsts for You.

My body yearns for You

in a dry and weary land without water.

So I have seen You in the sanctuary

and beheld Your power and glory.

Because Your loving devotion is better than life,

my lips will glorify You.

So I will bless You as long as I live;

in Your name I will lift my hands.

My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

When I remember You on my bed,

I think of You through the watches of the night.

For You are my help;

I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.

My soul clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.

A heart that rejoices in the God of its salvation beats inside of me.

A HEART THAT REJOICES

    

 

 

 

Guard Your Heart - - Watch Your Ways

 

Jeremiah 17:10

I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3629

Reins: kidney

From the Hebrew word 'kilyah' (pronounced kil-yaw'). Figuratively speaking, considered the seat of emotion and affection; where the character of a person is thought to originate; the mind, the interior self. 

THE LORD IS MY JUDGE

Psalm 26:2

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Jeremiah 20:12

O LORD of Hosts, who examines the righteous, who sees the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause. 

    Even before I meet Him face to face, God judges my heart and my mind now to see if I have been faithful to Him. He knows my thoughts, He sees my heart. Therefore, in my decision to follow Christ, I must also control not only what I think, but how I think. 

    Cursing the person who cuts us off in traffic is not Christ-like. And, yes, calling them names is not Christ-like either. Just roll with it. Getting angry at rude people is not Christ-like. Where is the compassion? Where is the mercy? Why condemn when we can forgive? 

    I am a slow-moving woman. While I do not drive any more, I am a passenger. And I have the tendency to be frustrated at other drivers. So, I need to watch myself. I need to be more prepared to be in the midst of rude, selfish, inattentive people and not be one of them. 

    This includes indoor traffic. Like, say, grocery shopping. People whip around me like I'm not even there. Because I'm slow. And my little scooter irritates them. Even here I need to show compassion and understanding. Why? That my witness, my testimony not be tainted. The Lord Is My Strength. He hears my thoughts. He knows my heart. And because I belong to Him I am accountable for both aspects to Him.

MY REINS

    I don't always know what I'm thinking. I used to do things without thinking. Scary thought! Careful thought is given to how I may serve God and others, but seldom do I think carefully on how best to take care of myself. I'm still learning to not only think for myself, but to make wise choices after careful thought.

    Psalm 19:12 "Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults." Hidden faults. There are hidden thoughts in me. Not always knowing my own mind how can I know what is hidden in my reins, my mind? So say I, too, "Lord, cleanse me from my hidden faults." 

    Job 13:23 "How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin." Show me, Lord, where I am doing You wrong, where my errors lie. Reveal the sin in me and remove it far from me. For I do not want anything to separate me from You. 

MY HEART

Psalm 17:3 "You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress."

Psalm 39:1 "I said, "I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present."

    What is in the heart comes out of the mouth. Again, many times without us even thinking about it. It is another reason we need The Lord to fill us with His Word, that His Word would take root and grow in us: filling our hearts and our minds with Himself. For He is a patient God. A loving God. A forgiving God. A just God. A compassionate God. A merciful God. A faithful God.     

    When God looks on our hearts, what does He see? Does He see His own image or does He see a deceitful heart? When God listens to our thoughts, can He hear us glorifying Him or are we displeasing to Him, causing Him to turn His face away from us?

    David wrote in Psalm 26:1 that he had walked with integrity, that he had trusted the Lord without wavering. Have we walked with integrity, with uprightness of heart? Have we faithfully obeyed God, trusted in Him with all of our hearts, our minds, our souls the way He wants us to trust Him?

    Deuteronomy 6:4, 5

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

All our hearts. All our souls. All our strength. Is to be dedicated to loving The Lord our God. All of His people. All of the time. 

THE LORD REWARDS

Job 34:11

"For according to a man's deeds He repays him; according to a man's ways He brings consequences."

Isaiah 40:10

"Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him."

Matthew 16:27

"For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done."

Revelation 22:12

"Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done." 

    Think on this: will we be rewarded for our faithfulness and enter into the joy of The Lord? or will we be found wanting and sent into utter darkness, away from the presence of The Eternal God?     It's actually our decision. We have free will, the ability to choose. Our decisions, what we think and how we behave, are ours to make. Let us watch and pray. Watch not only ourselves, but for His return. Let us open ourselves up to God completely, allowing Him to show us the error of our ways and surrendering completely to His ways.

My Portion by Mark Barlow

Let This Heart Not Wander by Young Oceans

Jesus At The Center by Darlene Zschech

I Give You My Heart by Hillsong