BEAUTIFUL

He makes all things beautiful

In His appointed time;

He renews, restores and replenishes

And hearts He will refine.

He is the master craftsman

The universe’s architect;

He’s in full and total control indeed

And His plan is always best.

We may question whether He does exist

With all we’re surrounded with;

The depravity and the depths of evil

Is He real or just a myth?

But when He calls and draws us near

We discover He is true;

He lifts us from the miry clay

And makes everything beautifully new.

And when we see many lives transformed

It’s a living testimony,

Of how His love and precious grace

Has made the spiritually blind to see.

He has so many riches in store

To bless us all spiritually;

An abundance of beauty for His glory

To be all we’re created to be.

He’s the only God and He’s so beautiful

So pure, holy and true;

Who sacrificed His only Son

To spend eternity with me and you.

(C) P.B. 2019

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord.” Psalm 27:4

“Out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.” Psalm 40:2

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him…He also will hear their cry and save them.” Psalm 145:18-19

OUR PASSPORT

When we enter a foreign country

There is a necessity;

It is mandatory and it’s a requirement

It’s our passport that sets us free.

It’s an admission to a particular place

And it’s an official document;

It certifies our identity

And our citizenship cements.

How do we expect heaven to enter

Without the legal requirement,

The official stamp upon our heart

And the seal that’s heaven sent?

God does not accept visas

As they’re a temporary admission;

They smell like a passport but ain’t indeed

As they have a different mission.

Jesus made enormous claims

Of being the only way;

The truth, the life and access to the Father

With a heavy price He paid.

Is Jesus our passport or just a visa?

We need to challenge ourselves,

As the road is long and narrow indeed

Where very few saints do dwell.

Our true passport to success

Is only found through Christ,

And when our soul departs from our flesh

His covering will suffice.

So before we take our final trip

To our eternal destination…

Let’s ensure our passport is valid and stamped

To be sure without hesitation.

(C) P.B. 2019

” 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

“Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me though he may die, he shall live.” John 11:25

LAWYER

If we decide to ever transgress the law

There are serious implications;

Ranging from police intervention

To courtroom administrations.

In order to prove our innocence

A lawyer is required;

A mediator with power to set us free

From the line of fire.

A lawyer would plead and intercede

To make a valid case;

To gather all the evidence

Regardless of creed or race.

But when we’re found to be guilty

The jail term awaits,

As the verdict is final and complete

Without further debate.

We all fall short of God’s glory

And have all transgressed His law,

And the wages of sin is eternal death

With the lake of fire in store.

But there is someone who paid the price

Crucifying our sins to the cross,

And whoever pleads guilty in humble submission

Will face no eternal loss.

Our Jesus became our lawyer

Who intercedes on our behalf;

He buried the keys to our well-deserved cell

And saves from the aftermath.

There’s always a price to pay

For all wrongdoing we commit,

And the judge’s fury must be appeased

With a sentence that best fits.

Thank God for our Jesus Christ

As we’re acquitted from our sin,

And covered by His precious blood

So our soul is saved within.

(C) P.B. 2019

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6

“For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

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

THE EXCELLENCE OF WISDOM

When wisdom builds her house

It’s where diligence will dwell,

And where foolishness is much forsaken

So ultimately all runs well.

It’s where instruction and understanding

And where learning is increased;

Having the fear of the Lord

And where faith is thus released.

When wisdom lifts up her voice

It’s so the simple become prudent,

And when excellence flows from her lips

It’s a truth that’s heaven sent.

All who seek her diligently

Find knowledge and discretion,

And hate all pride and arrogance

And all evil ways unmentioned.

Riches and honour are her necklace

And her fruit is better than gold,

Since wisdom is timeless and everlasting

She never will grow old.

Wisdom is better than rubies

And produces much righteousness,

And the counsel emanating from her lips

Knows how to answer best.

Whoever finds wisdom finds life indeed

And much favor from the Lord,

And blessed are those who keep His ways

Where peace and joy is stored.

In wisdom the foundations of the earth

Were created at His demand,

And when He drew a circle on the face of the deep

Waters wouldn’t transgress His command.

Wisdom is personified

In our Lord and Savior,

Who perfectly fulfilled the Law

And in God’s eyes found favor.

(C) P.B. 2019

PROVERBS CHAPTER 8.

YOU ARE LOVED

You are beautiful, you are loved

And God understands your pain,

But the rainbow cannot appear

Until after the heavy rain.

Your trials are not forever

And there’s always a hope within;

It’s phases we all go through

But we overcome and win.

You have a beauty and a strength

You’re unique and special too;

God has a wonderful plan ahead

To bless many people through you.

The setbacks are temporary

And they last just a while,

But there’s patience and a lesson

To be learned through every trial.

All our tears are bottled

And all registered indeed,

And God sees our brokenness

And provides for our every need.

You’re created for a purpose

With meaning and for depth,

To have a relationship with Jesus

When in your heart His love is kept.

You are loved so very much

More than you’ll ever know…

By Jesus who died and rose again

So the Father’s love He’d show.

God bless you and sustain you

And fill your heart with hope,

And an overwhelming love

So with life’s struggles you will cope.

(C) P.B. 2019

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

A LOVE LETTER

It’s a timeless and best seller

A love letter from the heart;

Written by various prophets and disciples

Through God’s inspiration and set apart.

The theme is God’s undying love

Throughout every single book,

As it exposes all evil with its consequence

And Christ’s sacrifice that it took.

Love is patient and long suffering

And much deeper than we know,

But we tend to romanticise

And conjure up ideas as we go.

Love is kind and gentle too

And in evil it never rejoices,

But it leads to deliverance and total healing

So we’re encouraged to make wise choices.

God’s Word is love personified

As it points to life eternal,

Through the wonderful Prince of Peace our Jesus

Who transforms our heart internal.

This love letter should be cherished

And stored in our chest of drawers;

In our bosom and held so tightly indeed

As it convicts us of our flaws.

Love exposes yet it expresses

The most beautiful of life’s gifts;

It reveals the depth of a person’s heart

And all falseness it will sift.

To desire the best interests of others

Is a beautiful heartfelt blessing,

And God’s Word will transform our soul

Which is truly worthwhile investing.

The most precious letters ever written

Are comprised in the Holy Bible;

Revealing purity and purging evil

Truly it’s unrivalled.

It points to the necessity

To appease God’s wrath of our sin,

And the most precious gift is Jesus indeed

So our soul is cleansed within.

No other letter will convict us of sin

But God’s Word does so with love;

It reveals the depths of God’s pure motives

It’s a masterpiece inspired from above.

(C) P.B. 2019

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

“Love suffers long and is kind; loves does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government shall be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

ETERNAL HOME

Amidst the lilies and fields of roses

My dear heart it yearns to see,

The light’s reflection and sheer beauty

It’s our precious home I’d rather be.

The trees of fruit they yield forever

No sorrow or no hunger pains;

The rolling hills and sacred valleys

My heart and soul in awe remain.

Precious vine leaves, rows of violets

Ponds so fresh and crystal clear;

Rainbow colours, walls of fountains

Gems and hues so very dear.

The Father’s everlasting presence

Fills my soul with pure joy…

His full provision, never-ending

Eternal promises to enjoy.

(C) P.B. 2012

“Eye has not seen nor ear heard nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

PEACE

Like a pure dove and spotless lamb

Like flowers in a meadow;

With rolling hills and crisp fresh air

And the stillness of a shadow.

A mind at ease and uncluttered too

A heart filled with simplicity;

A humbleness with much contentment

It’s where we’d rather be.

Harmonious friendships with pure love

Where sincerity abounds;

Where words are filled with integrity

As pleasant musical sounds.

Peace is priceless and perfect indeed

To be bought it cannot be;

It’s the still and calmness of our soul

Where its fruit is clearly seen.

We are called to be peacemakers

To restore all circumstances;

To bring unity, love and compassion

When joy our heart enhances.

We can still have peace amidst the chaos

When we trust in God Almighty;

With a faith and a love unmovable

As we grasp materialism lightly.

Our silence can be loud indeed

When our soul is truly restless,

aAd although our mouths are mute

Our eyes can never hide distress.

Only God can give us pure true peace

When we’re reconciled to Him;

Where the debt is paid and our guilt washed away

And we’re born again within.

(C) P.B. 2019

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

LOST BUT FOUND

When we consider something to be lost

There’s no hope of its return…

It’s forever gone, forgotten or stolen

But for a miracle we do yearn.

When someone is lost it grieves our heart

In the physical realm or mental,

Since their absence leaves a void within

When circumstances are detrimental.

But when something is lost it can be found

When our hope is grounded indeed,

As we focus on God’s bigger picture and plan

And with faith our soul we feed.

We were once all lost but now we’re found

As our Creator interceded,

And called us out of the miry clay

So no longer are we defeated.

To acknowledge that we’re lost indeed

Reveals a deep humility,

And a hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness

Where the depth of our heart God sees.

Our pride will tell us otherwise

That we’ve never really been lost;

That we’re strong and independent

And to focus on self at any cost.

But God tells us clearly and plainly

That Jesus came for the lost,

For those who acknowledge their wretched ways

And for those who count the cost.

Unless we’ve been lost we can’t be found

Since we need to be adopted and saved,

And reconciled to Almighty God

Through Christ’s sacrifice that was made.

(C) P.B. 2019

“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11

“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:24

“Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.” Proverbs 10:6-7

“And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, and of Your praise all the day long.” Psalm 35:28

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out ‘Abba, Father’.” Romans 8:15

DIE TO LIVE

Every living creature

Is certainly destined to die,

And the question in our heart

And on our lips is ‘Why?’

From birth to grand old age

Every life tells a story…

But the chapter that really counts

Is whether we gave God His rightful glory.

We ultimately live to die

As it’s the natural inclination,

But when we die to live and be with God

It’s the ultimate destination.

The culture of society

Usually dictates how we should live,

But it’s God who should take the reign

So our heart pure love it gives.

Unless we’re prepared to die

To our self-centred and carnal ways,

We will continue to be deceived

And by societal norms be swayed.

Our old nature needs to be crucified

So new life can manifest,

As we’re raised with Jesus unto eternal life

To choose the road that’s best.

If we die with Christ we shall live with Him

And the life we now present,

Is hidden with Jesus Christ our Lord

At the point we all repent.

It’s through repentance and through faith

We are then baptised indeed,

As we recognise the importance

Of new beginnings with His seed.

When we die to live we understand

That eternal life awaits,

And when our soul departs from this earth forever

We will see Him face to face.

(C) P.B. 2019

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

“..buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” . Colossians 2:12

“..even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” Ephesians 2:5

“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” Colossians 3:9-10