Author: parasbovolos

THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST Our Jesus our sweet Savior How Your body bore the pain, To satisfy God’s wrath So man’s sin cannot remain. The crown of thorns it pierced Your precious holy head, To eradicate our evil thoughts And the unfitly words we’ve said. The nails driven in Your hands This symbolised so much, It crucified the things we do Of unclean things we touch. Your feet they felt the sting As the nails were driven in, To remove ungodly pleasures Where our feet walk towards sin. And the soldiers gave You vinegar To quench Your very thirst; To heal our wicked tongues And all the bitter of outbursts. The soldiers pierced Your side Perhaps close to Your heart, To spear our desires Which keep God and us apart. And Your blood had to be shed To wash away transgressions; To heal our broken souls And to wipe all our pretensions. And You rose after three days As Your mission was complete, You made our bodies whole So we do not taste defeat. Your resurrection speaks aloud As we rise to life anew, And dead to sin once and for all To give glory back to You. (C) P.B. 2011 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaian 53:5 “Christ is hated because sin is loved.” Matthew Henry

Our teddy bears in our childhood

Provided comfort and cuddles too,

And although they could not see or hear

We believed the bond was true.

Our real-life teddies are our dogs

And are inspiring as can be,

Because the life that is instilled in them

Reveals God’s glory that we see.

They are loving and compassionate

Without conditions and are true,

They warn us and protect us

And would lay their life down for us too.

They are gentle and are fluffy

And their sweetness it remains,

They are tender and so cuddly;

A dear blessing every day.

They are loyal and understanding

And when we cry from the heart,

They feel our pain and lick our tears;

They’re a remarkable work of art.

It’s the life inside that is from God

That makes them beautiful,

And our childhood teddies can never compare

To our dogs, so adorable.

They are authentic and so pure

And most look like teddy bears,

But they’re genuine, so clever and wise;

They’re the wheat among the tares.

When we’re dead in sin and trespasses

And where God’s Holy Spirit does not dwell,

We’re like our childhood teddies

Merely made so they can sell.

Because society’s ways are conditional

Filled with labels and much stuff,

Where the outside looks so lovely

But where we never have enough.

Jesus died and rose again

So we can be reconciled,

To the Father as we’re new creations

Where His Spirit will abide.

God’s glory is pure and beautiful

And His creation is so fine,

And when new life is breathed within

It is splendid and divine.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.  The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’”  1 Peter 1:23-24

“You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You…”. Psalm 56:8

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  John 15:13

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”  Ephesians 2:1

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).  Ephesians 2:4-5

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,”  Ephesians 1:7-8

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”  Galatians 5:22

“To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever.  Amen.”  Romans 16:27

Oh butterfly how sweet and tender

Is your precious little frame,

So delicate and so petite

Where your beauty does remain.

From a caterpillar you became

A wonder and a delight,

From the dark enclosure of your chrysalis

You are precious in our sight.

But the struggle it was real

As the exodus occurred,

And needed to remain untampered

When the butterfly was birthed.

Likewise when God convicts us

The struggle is very real,

But prepares us unto repentance

So to His beauty we will yield.

Oh butterfly your specks of color

Are beautiful and perfect too,

You simply are a masterpiece

And so gracious in all you do.

Your life span is so very short

But indeed a reminder too,

That our new birth is imperative

When God makes all things new.

From the depths of darkness you were born

But you flourish in all your ways,

And your beauty is a constant reminder

Of the sweetness in every day.

Oh butterfly how remarkable;

You encourage us so well,

Since your gentleness and purity

God’s goodness it does spell.

Your liberty is evident

And you’re free in every way,

Oh butterfly you’re so inspiring

As you bring color to our days.

We thank you for your life

And although you may feel insignificant,

Your presence it speaks volumes

Since you’re truly heaven sent.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”  2 Corinthians 3:17

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”  Psalm 29:2

What will it profit if we gained

Every aspect on this earth,

But neglected the most important fact –

Our spiritual rebirth?

What will it profit if we gained

All the respect in all we did,

Unless we gave all the glory to God

And sincerely did thank Him?

What will it profit if we became

The most notable in our field,

But where arrogance became our necklace

And to God we did not yield?

What will it profit if we were wealthy

And rich in every way,

But didn’t realise we were poor and naked

Where deception did remain?

It will not profit us at all

Whether we drove a fancy car,

Because unless Jesus was in our driver’s seat

We couldn’t travel far.

And it certainly will not profit us

If our mansions were idolised,

Because it’s the humble and the poor in spirit

That’s precious in God’s eyes.

There’s nothing wrong with having all the above

But unless God is our first love,

Our priorities and our focus

Will not be on Him above.

It will not profit us in the end

Because all that we did achieve,

Will turn to rubble and be burnt

Unless in Christ we did believe.

True dividends are found in Jesus;

There simply is no other way,

Because it was He that died for us and rose;

A fact that will remain.

(C) P.B. 2022

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”  Matthew 16:26-27

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19-21

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.”  Matthew 6:24

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”  John 14:6

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”  John 3:3

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked…”  Revelation 3:17

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.”  Psalm 51:17

How can it possibly be

That the seeing eye can see,

Or the heart that beats two billion times

Is found in you and me?

How can it possibly be

That the hair follicles so fine,

Create like a foliage as an ornament;

Could it be absolutely divine?

How can it possibly be

That our exquisite frame as well,

Is made from a tiny sperm and egg

Yet brilliance it will spell?

How can it possibly be

That the brain inside our head,

Can calculate, think and to create

With the ideas it is fed?

It really is a miracle

And when the eyes of our heart will see,

It points to a marvellous Creator

Who made us all exquisitely.

He deposited so much of Him

Since in His image we are made,

And in His likeness He created us

But where no two will be the same.

He instilled feelings and emotions

So we can love from the heart,

To make wise decisions and to serve as well

From where His grace shall not depart.

A brilliant heart and soul

Is responsible indeed,

Since His touch is purely magnificent

Where masterpieces we do see.

We will never understand

From the beginning to the end,

Of how this phenomenon

Could possibly be sent.

But through faith we can see

To perceive and understand,

That all creation is from the Holy One

And constructed by His hand.

We are a walking miracle

And let nobody rob your soul,

Because it is Jesus Christ who died for us

To make us spiritually whole.

And the greatest miracle of all

Is when Jesus rose from the dead,

As His mission was accomplished

On the cross in which He bled.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come…” Ecclesiastes 12:1

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…”  Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no-one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

“For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”  Psalm 139:13-14

“Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.  His understanding is unsearchable.”  Isaiah 40:28

“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations…”. Luke 24:46-47

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love…this is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  John 15:9-12

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”  Revelation 22:13

There will be a banquet;

The wedding feast of the Lord,

A reconciliation

As promised in His word.

And many will be invited

But they will refuse to attend,

Because other matters will grip the heart

Where distractions will be sent.

And there will be excuses

One upon the other,

Whether it’s property issues or marital requirements

Or commitments to be covered.

But the anger of the master

Will become aroused indeed,

Because the many invited to the great banquet

Refused to partake or to take heed.

So, the poor, the lame and crippled

Will be invited ultimately,

Whilst those who refused shall never taste

His banquet in eternity.

It’s those with a contrite heart

That realise their need for a Savior,

By accepting His sacrifice on their behalf

For salvation, and not their behaviour.

Our thoughts can be crippled

By fear and anxiety,

But Jesus says to those who labor

And are heavy laden ‘Come to Me’.

And without Christ we are poor

In the spiritual realm so true,

But God’s calling desires to make us rich

When we’re totally renewed.

This parable is a sober warning

That when idolatry grips the soul,

We neglect our greatest calling

To eternal life behold!

As we repent sincerely from the heart

For our indifference as well,

May the Lord grant us mercy

And rescue us from hell.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Then He said to him, ‘A certain man gave a great supper and invited many…but they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.’  And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.”  Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”  Luke 14:16-20

“Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.”  Luke 14:21

“For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.”  Luke 14:24

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

How beautiful from the core

As it extends far and wide;

The scent of a rose so wonderful

With a beauty it cannot hide.

Birthed from the soil below;

How could this possibly be?

Wrapped in manure at its inception

Becoming a wonder to smell and see.

The scent of a rose is a miracle

Along with its floral head,

That creates a beauty that surpasses all

In its precious garden bed.

The scent of a rose is a testament

That a creator does exist,

And that from the depths of darkness in the soil of the heart

God’s hand is in our midst.

From ashes to beauty it’s a reminder

That nothing is impossible with the Lord,

And that many treasures will burst forth

As His sovereignty unfolds.

The scent of a rose is beautiful;

One of the sweetest we can smell,

As we reflect on God’s goodness and His kindness

And on His miracles as well.

But every rose has its thorn;

It’s a reminder to take care,

To admire but not to ever abuse

Since there’s a mission that it shares.

Our Jesus wore the crown of thorns

But His beauty He did reveal,

And the sweetest aroma of His sacrifice

When our eternal life He sealed.

He rose again and defeated the grave

Along with every darkness and sin;

Our Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior

Who saves our soul within.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth’, and it was so.”  Genesis 1:11

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

“To give them beauty for ashes…the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”  Isaiah 61:3

“When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand.  And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’”  Matthew 27:29

“That Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”  1 Corinthians 15:3-4

“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!”  Psalm 8:9

When they set forth to harm you

Or wish to take revenge,

God will turn it around for the good

Whilst you’re enclosed in His hedge.

When they set forth to harm God’s own

Without any cause at all,

There will come a time if they still persist

That they’ll encounter a great fall.

Because envy is a spider’s web;

It encapsulates the soul,

And traps it in its misery

That becomes a firm stronghold.

God cannot be mocked

And when the apple of His eye,

Is tampered with or tormented too

His wrath can’t be denied.

‘Vengeance is Mine’ says the Lord

As we leave it in His hands,

And although we’re tempted to take control

He works in ways we don’t understand.

When they set forth to harm you

They will fall in their own trap,

Because when wicked intentions brew in the heart

They come and fall in their own lap.

When they set forth to harm you

Just know that they’re doing the will,

Of the wicked and rebellious one

So his plan will be fulfilled.

When they set forth to harm you

You’ll have the support of those around,

Who will intercede and pray for you

So Satan’s tactics will be bound.

It is never in God’s heart

To plan evil things for us,

But instead to give us a future and a hope

When in Him we sincerely trust.

But the devil comes to kill and destroy

And to steal whatever he can,

Because he hates us with a perfect hatred

In ways we’ll never understand.

But God’s love does prevail

And when they set forth to harm us,

His loyalty and sincerity 

Keep us covered as we trust.

When they set forth to harm you

There’s no forgiveness in their heart,

But only the desire to ruin your reputation

And to tear your life apart.

They hated Christ without a cause;

He was the perfect one on earth,

But their jealousy and evil intents

Could not see His precious worth.

When they set forth to harm you

Just know that God is in control,

And that the plans of your enemies will be defeated

As God afflicts their mind and soul.

(C) P.B. 2022

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good,”  Genesis 50:20

“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.  The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.”  Psalm 34:21-22

“Woe to the wicked!  It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”  Isaiah 3:11

“And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, whose confidence shall be cut off, and whose trust is a spider’s web.”  Job 8:13-14

“Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.  The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.”  Isaiah 59:7-8

“For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.  The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.”  Psalm 10:3-4

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay’ says the Lord.”  Romans 12:19

“But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul desolate.  Keep me from the traps of the workers of iniquity, let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I escape safely.”  Psalm 141:8-10

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  1 Peter 5:8

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”  John 15:18

“But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’”  John 15:25

“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.”  Matthew 10:22

“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, and hating one another.  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”  Titus 3:3-5

Dressed in fine linen;

Bright and pure are the saints,

As the marriage of the Lamb has come

When the Bride is embraced.

It’s a marriage in the heavenly realm

As we’re reconciled to the Father;

Our Creator and the Holy One

To worship Him forever after.

His robe is dipped in blood;

The Word of God is His name,

And His sacrifice is remembered forever

When in eternity He reigns.

The King of kings and Lord of lords;

The One who overcame,

And is seated at the right hand of the Father;

Jesus Christ is His name.

The holy city is so perfect

Like the rarest of all jewels;

Clear as crystal, like a jasper

Adorned with beryl and with pearls.

The tree of life will yield its fruit

And its leaves will heal the nations,

As His servants worship the Lord forever

With joyful anticipation.

A multitude of thrones

To whom authority is committed,

And also the souls of those beheaded;

Near the Father will be seated.

But those who rejected the Lord on earth

Will stand before the throne,

The great white throne as books are opened

Where no sin will be condoned.

But forgiveness will take place

For those whose trust was in the Lord,

Who repented for their transgressions

And who had reverence for His word.

The Book of Life will contain

Those names whom belong to Him,

And will be judged according to their works

But delivered from their sins.

The second death will have no power

And blessed are those souls,

Who take part in the first resurrection

And will reign with Christ behold!

No more heartache, no more pain

And not another tear ever,

As former things have passed away

And where there will be joy forever.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”  Revelation 19:7-8

“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.”  Revelation 19:13

“And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:16

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgement was committed to them.  Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.”  Revelation 20:4

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.  And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.”  Revelation 20:11-12

“And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”  Revelation 20:12

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.  Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”  Revelation 20:6

“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones; the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire…the eighth beryl…the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each individual gate was of one pearl.  And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”  Revelation 21:19-21

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”  Revelation 22:1-2

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”  Revelation 21:4

When they love us they’ll project

The truth that is at hand,

Where sincere motives will abound

So God’s ways we understand.

When they love us they will pray

To intercede for our needs,

And whilst God is working in our heart

He waters all those seeds.

Whey they love us they take risks

And are honest and they’re true,

And although the truth will hurt at times

We need to hear it through and through.

When they love us they’ll correct

In a gentle loving way,

Knowing that God’s grace reveals the truth

When we humble ourselves and pray.

When they love us they’ll protect

And avoid all evil too,

They are sober and they’re self-controlled

And take care in all they do.

When they love us they will serve

Wherever there’s a need,

And do so gladly and with kindness

Not only through words but via deeds.

When they love us they will share

The good news of God’s salvation,

Knowing that the days are increasingly evil

And we need to build on God’s foundation.

When they love us they will not slander

Or hate us in any way,

But pray that God’s will be done in our lives

When they seek God’s face and pray.

But it’s only through God’s Spirit

And His strength that we can achieve,

Or do anything remotely good

Since we all have sinned indeed.

And when they love us they’ll introduce

The most beautiful Savior indeed,

And the sacrifice that was made at the cross

When for our sins He did intercede.

(C) P.B. 2022

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  John 15:13

“Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”  Romans 12:9-11

“For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.”  Proverbs 3:12

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.”  John 15:18-19

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:1

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:28

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”  1 Corinthians 3:7

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”  Romans 2:23-24

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”  Titus 2:13