Author: parasbovolos

It is compassionate and lenient

And it’s shown towards an offender;

Its forbearance is gracious indeed

And emanates from a heart that’s tender.

It’s to suppress a punishment

But one that is truly deserved;

It’s to display patience and love

And its sincere in deed and word.

To show mercy is better than sacrifice

Since it reveals an inner depth;

A strength embedded in our character

That is willing to forgive all debt.

Mercy and love cover a multitude of sins

Since they’re gracious in their ways,

And are willing to suffer great loss and pain

But where faithfulness will remain.

Our merciful God shows great mercy

To us all who have offended Him;

He is slow in anger and rich in grace

And forgives us of our sins.

Mercy was displayed on the cross

When love and grace they kissed;

Where undeserved favor and compassion

Were foremost on the list.

When God forgives us we need to forgive

And we must display mercy to others…

If we don’t forgive then God will not forgive us

And we will certainly not be covered.

Mercy is extended in many ways

When we have a heart to forgive,

And trust that God is in control

And when peace in our soul it lives.

(C) P.B. 2020

“I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

“For if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.” Romans 11:31

“Then his master, after he had called him said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'” Matthew 18:32-33

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

It’s where effortless beauty and charm

Along with being refined,

Contains pleasing characteristics

That are graciously defined.

It’s where unmerited assistance

From a nature purely divine,

Offers regeneration and sanctification

When the soul with God is aligned.

God’s grace is benevolent

Combined with love and mercy;

He truly loves the unlovely

And to the restless soul peace He’ll give.

He delivers us from enemies

From all afflictions and adversities,

As His favor is compassionate

When our enemies His hand can see.

His common grace is accessible

To each and every one,

Since acts of kindness, love and goodwill

Can be displayed by everyone.

But God’s grace is a gift

And on merit is never based,

Since our good works can never qualify

And all efforts without Christ are abased.

God’s grace is favor towards man

And is precious and so priceless;

It stems into the forevermore

And our soul it gives true rest.

God’s grace is found through Jesus Christ

Who was tormented for our sins;

To pay a debt only He could pay

To save our soul within.

(C) P.B. 2020

“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. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Ephesians 4:7

Why do we exist today

In a world full of confusion,

Where every mind it battles thoughts

Which some end in delusion?

And how did all of life begin

From a seed into a flower;

The cells and structure so complete

Full of wisdom made with power?

The mind deceived to believe

That mankind came from apes;

Our conscience so intense it knows

This theory our soul it rapes.

We are too occupied to discover

The truth of our existence;

The heart so full of stubborn pride

To the truth it is resistant.

To remove the veil from our eyes

Can be so difficult a task,

As our attitudes need to be refined

As our face is covered with mask.

How long can we pretend to be

Good people who dwell forever,

Who take our own path in life

And with God our ties we sever?

How does the soul discover why

This void always remains,

That deep set hole inside the heart

For truth it cries in pain?

And how does love so deep and true

Exist within the soul?

The peace we find so full of joy

As the mystery is told…

Forget the vanities of this life

As all are fleeting pleasures;

This stress to have material gain

To spend on abundant leisures.

Search deeper in your heart to find

The answer in your core,

As it guides you and directs you to

Its creator who shows you more.

Let’s stop to think and meditate

On our simple purpose indeed,

To enjoy true fulfilling fellowship

With our creator whom we all need.

He gave His only Son to us

To die for all our sins;

He exhibited His love so true

To save our soul within.

This man is Jesus Christ our Lord

Who eradicates all confusion,

To reconcile us back to God

Through faith the true conclusion.

And this is why we all exist…

To choose Christ and live forever,

As He receives our eternal soul

Redeemed with love forever.

(C) P.B. 2002

“He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” John 5:12

We tend to groan and grieve

When hardships come our way…

But God always sees the bigger picture

And works through us in our dismay.

When we’re hanging by a thread

And where the road is a dead end;

He gently lifts us in His palm

And our broken heart He mends.

The emotional pain can be intense

And it’s something we all endure;

We experience it in different ways

But there’s always a hope and cure.

When our world around us crashes

And there’s great loss and pain;

We can only cry out to God

With the little strength that remains.

The cure to all our problems

Is found in Jesus Christ,

Who renews our soul and transforms our mind

So all battles we can fight.

He helps to restore our sanity

When we place our trust in Him;

He refreshes us with a new hope

And ignites a love within.

He is the restorer of everything

And in every sphere of life;

He replenishes our broken dreams

And eliminates all strife.

When we’re doing it tough let’s be assured

That there’s always a hope within;

That better days are on the horizon

When we overcome and win.

(C) P.B. 2020

“He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3

“To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock. Do not be silent to me.” Psalm 28:1

“The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

“Many are the afflications of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19

When they hate…

There’s nothing right you can do,

Since their filter will blind them

When they project their hatred onto you.

When they hate you…

They actually destroy their own soul,

As they have intense bias

And are absorbed with their end goal.

When they hate you…

They reveal the depths of their heart;

To kill, steal and destroy your reputation

They really are a ‘work of art.’

It’s a spider’s web and a trap

To be enveloped with such hate,

And the darkness interwoven into their heart

Leads to a dangerous and dire fate.

When they hate you…

They’ll pretend you’re the hater,

And twist everything you say and do

So to their carnal ways they cater.

When they hate you…

They’re truly hurting within,

Perhaps from bitterness, jealousy or unforgiveness

But a destitute place to be in.

When they hate you…

Forgive them for they don’t understand,

And pray that they see the light

Before God extends His correcting hand.

When they hate you…

Just know that God will protect you,

And He always reveals the truth indeed

And will expose their darkness too.

Do not fear when they hate you

As great is your reward in heaven;

Particularly when you’re hated for Christ’s sake

For not conforming to their leaven.

Christ was hated by them

Although He was perfect indeed;

The most honorable man to walk the earth

But they despised His pure seed.

Pray that their hatred is bound

And that love is replaced in their heart,

And that saving faith is revealed to them

So they seek a brand new start.

(C) P.B. 2020

“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

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

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven.” Matthew 5:11-12

“Then Jesus said to them. ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.'” Matthew 16:6

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” Jeremiah 17:9

“Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34

We hear of pain and tragedies

Every single day,

And it breaks our heart to see and hear

When evil has its way.

Most of it though is self-induced

Stemming from a stony heart,

When the seed of anger encourages murder

To destroy and tear apart.

Childhood cancers and sex slaves;

The thought is too much to bear…

Particularly when our youth of today

Is neglected from love and care.

Family violence and tensions in households

Emanating from lack of respect;

Where broken lines of communication

Have caused frustrations and neglect.

False friends and acquaintances

With an opportunity to use,

And abuse the relationship for their gain

And where tensions are not diffused.

It’s really a sad state of affairs

When we really think of same,

And so tragic when lives are at risk

And are put to an open shame.

Unfortunately this brokenness

Will always be in existence;

Since greed, corruption and pride itself

Causes friction and problems intense.

However there is very good news indeed

And as we grasp same there is hope,

When Jesus Christ comes to heal our pain

To give us a future and a scope.

His kingdom was not of this earth

But He preached on eternal life;

To reconcile us back to the Father

To heal all pain and strife.

When our hope and faith is for eternity

It gives us a strength to endure;

With a love to share the good news of Christ

With correct motives that are pure.

(C) P.B. 2020

“My kingdom is not of this world..” John 18:36

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

“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

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

How can we discover a deeper love

Until we first encounter rejection?

How can we appreciate true friendships

Until we’ve been denied love and affection?

How do we know we’re truly lost

Until we’re truly found?

How do we discover true freedom indeed

Until at first we’re bound?

How can we know we’re correct

Until we’ve been wrong for so long?

How can we discover the absolute truth

Until being deceived all along?

How can we know darkness from light

Until God opens our eyes,

And our mask no longer is used to disguise

So we discern the truth from lies?

How do we know we’re hypocrites

Until exposed by God’s word?

How can we find true lasting peace

In a world so confused and absurd?

How can we know we’re depraved

Until compared to God’s glory?

And how can we speak the godly truth

Until we reject all fabricated stories?

How can we express true motives

Until our heart is changed?

How can we learn to be selfless

Until pride no longer remains?

How can we really truly know

That we love God with our heart,

Until we’re born again by His incorruptible seed

And are truly set apart?

How can we learn to truly forgive

Until we know we’ve been forgiven?

How do we know our faith is genuine

Until we believe that Christ has risen?

How can we be absolutely sure

That when our final breath arrives

That we’ll spend eternity with our maker

Since our soul remains alive?

Our answer is always Jesus Christ

And that’s how we can be sure;

He reveals absolute truths indeed

And has the key to heaven’s door.

He alone can make us worthy

Since our nature is tainted with sin,

And He alone paid the ultimate price

To save our soul within.

(C) P.B. 2020

“having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:23

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” Ezekiel 36:26

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.” John 10:9

LOVE – So pure and so priceless as it never seeks its own, cultivated to perfection from good seed it’s always grown.

JOY – An overwhelming pleasure always welcome with delight, with a heart full of surprises a smiling soul so fresh and light.

PEACE – So still and very tranquil like a crystal pond so clear, its fruit is calm and sweet so precious and so dear.

LONGSUFFERING – In the scheme of eternal it’s a temporary pain as our nature is perfected so much fruit will remain.

KINDNESS – So giving and so selfless a treasure full of open arms, it is worthy and so virtuous revealing all its precious charms.

GOODNESS – With all the right intentions it’s a treasure from the heart, it shares and shows respect it is purely set apart.

FAITHFULNESS – It originates from loyalty and it comes with hope and love, it endures to the end full of wisdom from above.

GENTLENESS – The softness of its touch with a texture that is sweet, like a lovely tranquil dove it’s where peace and beauty meet.

SELF-CONTROL – It is practiced well throughout until much fruit appears, it refrains from wrong direction, will respond when truth it hears.

(C) P.B. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

We worship knowledge and success

Bow down to gods of status;

Love information overload

And all the worldly matters.

Negativity lines our string of speech

And we’re quick to criticize,

But what we fail to observe

Is the plank in our own eyes.

Slander, gossip, lustful thoughts

Are necklaces we wear,

As angry words and disputes

Become too much to bear.

We repay evil for evil

Revenge becomes an art,

Till our consciences are seared

And we cannot feel our heart.

Amidst all this we do believe

That we’re pure in our own eyes,

But the fact is all these things belong

In our hearts and are disguised.

A contrite and repented heart

Is the medicine we need,

As we avoid all foolish talk

And all wrong types of seed.

As we feed on all things pure

This will cultivate our minds;

Renew and cleanse our precious hearts

And leave the past behind.

God gives us much peace and joy

And great power to overcome,

As we surrender all to Him

New creations we become.

This is the hope we are to share

As truly there’s no other;

To place our trust in our heavenly God

To love Him and one another.

(C) P.B. 2013

“If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from you own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5

“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits.” Proverbs 16:2

A blessed pure eternity

Awaits as you depart;

Where angels’ outstretched arms

Will lead you to God’s heart.

A place of joy and beauty

Where no tear will ever shed;

A place so indescribable

To fathom in our head.

As God can never ever lie

He has prepared this place for you,

And awaits till you respond to His call

So your desires become His too.

All glory and all honor

Belongs to the King of kings,

As He has our names in His book

Much joy and hope this brings.

There’s a window of opportunity

To surrender our arrogant pride;

To realise our ideologies are pointless

And that to our hearts satan has lied.

The days are darkening too soon

And times of crisis are ahead,

But the Holy Spirit is here to help

And to remove the tares of dread.

Eternity is far and wide

And time on earth so short;

Let’s encourage one another every day

As we lovingly exhort.

(C) P.B.

“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

“..but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27