Author: parasbovolos

It was a profound statement

That proceeded from Apostle Paul,

‘For when I am weak, then I am strong’

Sounding paradoxical after all.

But he had the revelation

That our strength comes from the Lord,

And the more we’re humbled we come to understand

The truth in His holy word.

We may believe that our physical strength

May put us to an advantage,

Or that our knowledge is superior

Or where our bank account is managed.

Illusions are filled with fantasy

Of how we’d like to be,

But when deceived to believe the lies

Where we clearly cannot see.

Samson was the strongest

But when temptation knocked,

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter

As his secret was unlocked.

When people use force to control

Or to manipulate as well,

It’s an illusion of strength with no foundation

Where disasters it will spell.

Our physical strength does crumble

And our knowledge will puff up,

Whilst our bank account may dwindle

As we all return to dust.

Through faith we are made strong

As the battles are subdued,

Where out of weakness we’re made strong

With a hope that is renewed.

Only God has the ultimate strength

And it’s found in His great love;

Unfailing and unshakeable

And pure from above.

(C) P.B. 2021

“For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:10

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’”  2 Corinthians 12:9

“For by strength no man shall prevail.”  1 Samuel 2:9

“We know that we all have knowledge.  Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”  1 Corinthians 8:1

“And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, ‘No razor has ever come upon my head…  If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.’”  Judges 16:16-17

“Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head.  Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.”  Judges 16:19

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”  1 John 4:8

“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.” Hebrews 11:33-34

“Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.”  Psalm 24:8

It’s the most virtuous character trait

Because it emulates the heart of love;

Under the Father’s full authority

As it acknowledges the Lord above.

As we confess to Him our sins

And thank Him for forgiveness too;

We submit to His authority

And to His sovereignty so true.

He always exalts the humble

As the exalted come tumbling down,

Because there is One who alone is worthy

To wear that sacred crown.

It’s not natural to be humble

Because the heart is deceitful indeed,

When we want to be acknowledged

With the desire to be seen.

But the way up is to bow down

To the holy and pure One;

As He blesses and guides in true justice

When His will is done.

By humility we fear the Lord

As He grants us life and peace;

Along with spiritual riches

That continue and never cease.

When we associate with the humble

We won’t set our mind on high things,

But have a low view of ourselves

With true wisdom this so brings.

Humility is obedient;

It is gentle and courteous,

With kindness and compassion

With the love it will disperse.

Humility is teachable

With a listening ear too;

It’s eager for good works

To benefit others in all we do.

Humility will seek forgiveness

And is not argumentative;

It will not attempt to prove it’s right

But serves others and it gives.

But the opposite of humility

Is pride and all its ways,

That looks down on others believing it’s better

Where quarrels can fill the day.

The epitome of humility

Was crowned with thorns and hung on a tree,

To demonstrate the meaning of love

So God’s grace we’ll truly see.

(C) P.B. 2021

“Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice.  Seek righteousness, seek humility.  It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.”  Zephaniah 2:3

“By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life.”  Proverbs 22:4

“The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.”  Psalm 25:9

“The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.”  Psalm 147:6

“Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 18:4

‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 14:11

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”  James 4:10

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”  1 Peter 5:6

“Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same.  Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.”  Ezekiel 21:26

“Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”  Proverbs 16:19

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”  Proverbs 16:18

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11

God gives and He takes

As it’s all in His sovereign hand,

And all according to His will

And according to His plan.

He’s gracious and so tender

And blesses far abundantly,

When He caters to the riches of our soul

So restoration we can see.

When His hand does take away

He’s seen the bigger picture,

And although it’s grievous at the time

We become spiritually richer.

Because we’re not in control of many things;

Life and death is one of them,

And it’s only by grace we wake each day

When His mercy He extends.

Our life is in His hands

Whether or not we acknowledge this,

And our conscience knows deep within

That the universe is His.

We may choose to suppress it

Or to ignore His providence,

But it will not change reality

Whether we see life through our lens.

He’s majestic in awe and wonder

And supernatural in all His ways,

But He humbled Himself to become one of us

But with no honour or any praise.

It was God’s wisdom to give us Jesus;

A humble servant who sacrificed,

Who gave His all – His entire life

Such a blessing is our Christ.

God gave us Jesus but took Him away

As it was all part of His plan,

To redeem our soul and to reconcile

So we’re placed in His safe hands.

(C) P.B. 2021

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Job 1:21

“The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.  The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.”  1 Samuel 2:6-7

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made”.  Romans 1:20

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”  Ephesians 1:17-19

“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), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-6

“For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined…We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfilment.”  Psalm 66:10-12

It’s none of our business

As to what people think of us,

Because it’s only their opinion;

It’s what God thinks we ought to trust.

It’s none of our business

As to what people do,

Because when vanity becomes a lifestyle

It conceals all that is true.

When we confide in God our plans

He already knows indeed,

But we find out if it’s in His will

As we rest and are set free.

It’s none of our business

If people really care,

Because the heart is eventually exposed

And if it’s not – it’s very rare.

It’s none of our business

As to what people think,

Because we all have a conscience

And because God does know all things.

We shouldn’t play the role

Of manager of the universe,

Because it’s God who is in total control

And His light He does disperse.

We can’t change anyone

It’s only God who touches the soul,

But we can faithfully plant good seeds

And watch God water them behold!

We can only pray for loved ones

As we sincerely intercede,

And wait patiently on God’s timing

So their salvation we may see.

But it does become our business

When the arrows they do pierce,

Our children and our loved ones

And when the battle becomes fierce.

It becomes God’s business

When the apple of His eye,

Is persecuted or abused

Or slandered with the many lies.

When we understand healthy boundaries

There is no need to stress,

Knowing God is sovereign and it’s all for His glory

As only He knows what is best.

Jesus went about

To do the Father’s will indeed,

With a special mission and a vision

Where God’s business He did see.

(C) P.B. 2021

“That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11

“He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears.”  Proverbs 26:17

“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.’”  Zechariah 2:8

“And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me?  Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’”  Luke 2:49

“But Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.'” John 21:21-22

When the tears fall like raindrops

And when the heavy heart does cry,

Your gentle touch will envelop us

So our sadness will subside.

You are there in troubled waters

And in moments of despair;

You will wrap Your kindness around our soul

To show You really care.

You are there in pleasant times

And although we may forget,

It’s Your grace that will protect us

As our steady safety net.

You are always there regardless

And from Your presence we can’t hide,

You’re our fairest and our best friend

When in You we do confide.

You’re our shield and rear guard

And under Your wings we take refuge;

You cover us with Your feathers;

Our humble prayers You won’t refuse.

Lord, You will always be there

With open arms that extend,

To comfort and to console us

To rescue us and to defend.

There’s no reason we should worry

Knowing that You’ll take good care,

Of our heart and soul forevermore

When we trust You’re always there.

(C) P.B. 2021

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.”  Psalm 139:7-8

“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.”  Psalm 91:4

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  Psalm 84:11

“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 I will praise Him.”  Psalm 28:7

“I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.”  Psalm 3:4

“O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colourful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires, I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones.” Isaiah 54:11-12

“…but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”  John 15:15

“And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’  And he was called the friend of God.”  James 2:23 

The battle is real

But God’s more real indeed,

And He comforts us and will protect

As we ask Him to intercede.

The battle is on for our heart;

Although it’s invisible we can see

That the enemy of our soul

Is as ruthless as can be.

He comes to kill and to destroy

And will rob us of our peace;

He has a perfect hatred towards us

And his deception he’ll release.

He comes to strip away our joy

And will lie that God’s not there;

He is envious of God’s creation

And sincerely does not care.

He sets his foot in many arenas

In order to infiltrate,

And although it’s masked as something good

There is underlying hate.

He counterfeits all that God does

And masquerades as an angel of light,

And will try to influence those complacent

Who refuse to fight the fight.

The battle is definitely on

And targets every family,

To divide and cause much friction

So God’s abundance will not be seen.

But it’s the inner battle of the heart

That causes chaos and much pain,

When we blame everyone else indeed

And where faith does not remain.

We all suffer in different ways

But cannot blame God indeed,

Because most times it’s self-induced

Or perhaps self-centred ways we see.

The battle is real 

But are we prepared in our field?

Is our armor fastened for protection

And do we hold that faithful shield?

The enemy has lost the battle

Because Jesus is victor indeed,

And when Christ is Lord and Savior

For our soul He intercedes.

But we cannot be complacent

Or compromising in any way,

Because those fiery darts will target our mind

Where deception may remain.

Beloved, let’s not toy with eternity

Because it’s as real as the air we breathe,

There’s a reason Christ suffered so much for us

As it was God’s plan to intervene.

Jesus won the battle

At the cross at Calvary,

And nailed every sin upon that tree

So we can truly be set free.

(C) P.B 2021

“Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”  Ephesians 6:11-16

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

“And no wonder!  For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”  2 Corinthians 11:14

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…”. 2 Timothy 6:12

“Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”  John 8:36

Lord, You’re majestic in all Your ways

So creative in Your touch;

Like an architect You’ve sketched Your design

That you love so very much.

It’s outstanding and phenomenal

How You’ve orchestrated same,

With a unique beauty and a fingerprint

Where no seam it will remain.

Every creation has a story

And part of Your grand plan,

As it furnishes the earth somehow

And orchestrated by Your hand.

How marvelous are Your works

And our soul does know too well;

Every detail and embellishment

Your brilliance it does spell.

We’re in awe of Your beauty

And the majesty of all,

Where there’s a purpose for everything You’ve made

Particularly when our name You call.

How regal are Your masterpieces

Yet how humble are Your ways,

When you gave us Your only begotten Son

Who secures our eternal days.

When we stop to meditate

On the splendour of Your ways,

There’s a joyful fountain that’s released

When we sing to give You praise.

Our soul it dances to the beat;

To the melody of Your word,

It rejoices and it claps its hand

To the promises of the Lord.

Your beauty it surpasses all;

You’re the most brilliant in every way,

And we give You all the thanks and glory

As You enrich our every day.

You are rich and filled with wonder

But show no partiality indeed,

Since You view everyone equally

Where the heart and soul You see.

We glorify Your holy name

There is truly none like You;

So wonderful and pure as well

And inspiring in all You do.

You are the master designer

Where careful thought and consideration,

Has brought to life all Your abundance

A true and beautiful sensation.

(C) P.B. 2021

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”  Psalm 139:14

“In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”  Acts 10:34-35

“But as it is written:  ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him.’”  1 Corinthians 2:9

‘Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.”  Psalm 118:1

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”  Psalm 118:8

“For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.”  Jeremiah 10:7

“But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.”  Jeremiah 10:10

“He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heavens at His discretion, when He utters His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens: And He causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth, He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”  Jeremiah 10:12-13

When love is combined with grace

It is the richest it can be;

Like a pure flowing waterfall

And like a well nourished tree.

Its root system is established;

Firm and strong with much abundance,

And watered are those precious seeds

With its fruit and succulence.

Love is an action

And it’s manifested too,

In ways we serve, in hospitality

And the simple things we do.

Love flows from the heart

Via the fruit of the Spirit,

Where faithfulness and gentleness

And where much goodness dwells within it.

Grace is undeserved favour

Where a superior does bestow,

On someone looked upon as inferior

Or maybe sometimes as a foe.

We were all enemies of God

Until grace embraced the cross,

And took the place of our punishment

So we do not face eternal loss.

Grace is generous and it is kind

And totally undeserved,

But Christ is our example

When He washed the feet and served.

When grace and love do kiss

They form a sweet smelling scent;

A merciful blend of peace and joy

That’s purely heaven sent.

When love and grace are enveloped

Around the border of our soul,

We humbly serve in meekness of spirit

As God’s treasures they unfold.

(C) P.B. 2021

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  Amen.”  2 Corinthians 13:14

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”  Romans 5:8-9

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  1 John 4:9-11

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:18-19

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

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”  2 Corinthians 8:9

“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”  Colossians 4:6

“So all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.  And they said, ‘Is this not Joseph’s son?’”  Luke 4:22

“And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”  Exodus 34:6-7

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  John 13:34

“Jesus became what we are that we might become what He is.”  Irenaeus

When we play a game of darts

We aim for the bullseye,

And focus on this target

Each and every time.

But it’s very difficult to attain

And to actually obtain same,

Regardless of how hard we try

As we hardly win the game.

Many times it’s like a blindfold

That will cover the eye indeed,

As we aim amiss and aimlessly

When we cannot clearly see.

Because this bullseye is perfection

And in reality we’re not,

And irrespective of our diligence

It’s so hard to hit this spot. 

Similarly we cannot be too loving

And we can never be too kind,

Or even much too giving

And in certain areas are blind.

We fall short in many ways

Although it grieves us when we do,

And cry to the Lord as we repent

So we can be renewed.

Perfection is our goal

To press into holiness,

To live a life of purity;

To do what we know is best.

Because it’s the inner court

Where our heart should aim to be,

Near the Holy of Holies

Of God’s pure sanctuary.

Maturity is the aim

As we grow in love and grace,

So we run to win the race

And not in second place.

The game of darts is challenging

And we so desperately want to win,

To obtain the bullseye every time

When we’re delivered from our sin.

That spot is so significant

Because it’s the centre piece,

It’s where skill and patience is combined

So we do not go amiss.

It’s like the narrow gate

When we’re focused and on track,

As we win eternal life

And where we never will look back.

Our arrows are significant

When our armor we do wear,

And we hit the bullseye every time

When we’re focused and aware.

Because our enemy will throw his darts

To destroy and to kill,

Let’s be vigilant and awake indeed

So our mission we fulfil.

(C) P.B. 2021

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 3:23-24

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”  Ephesians 1:4

“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:15-16

“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, let us, as many as are mature, have this mind.”  Philippians 3:14-15

“Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  Ephesians 6:11

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  Hebrews 9:14

“We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.”  Hebrews 8:1-2

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:1-2

There is a distinction

Between God’s ways and society,

And depending which one we love

Will determine how we see.

Society places much emphasis

On the externals and career,

Whereas God looks upon the heart

And whether His ways we hold so dear.

Because what society considers as rich

Is not in God’s equation,

Because the richness of God dwells from within

And is filled with faith and patience.

Society makes us feel insecure

With the promotion of beauty indeed,

And it can instil covetousness as well

Coupled with much greed.

The flesh is slowly fading

And will return to dust,

Along with all the vanity

And the forbidden lusts.

But the one who focuses on the Spirit

Will reap the desired reward;

Much peace and joy with eternal life

When Jesus becomes our Lord.

The sparkling riches belong to the soul

Where grace and mercy abide,

When love and peace make their abode

With a joy that lives inside.

But when it’s the motive of the heart

To be seen in our giving ways,

There will be no true reward from God

When any form of pride remains.

There is one rich but is so poor

When focused on material things,

With the false promises and the empty deceit

And the heartache this so brings.

Because riches make themselves wings

And certainly fly away indeed,

But the riches that God places within

Will be well-nurtured living seeds.

Because there is one poor but is rich indeed

When God’s ways are a priority,

The poor in spirit who acknowledge that

It’s only through Jesus Christ we’re free.

(C) P.B. 2021

“There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.”  Proverbs 13:7

“For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:3

“Will you set your eyes on that which is not?  For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”  Proverbs 23:5

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”  Matthew 6:3-4

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”  Romans 8:5

“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.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”  Romans 8:1-2

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9