JUMP!

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." - Saint Augustine

'Faith', is primarily putting your trust in a person. Looking at it in this light, it has more semblance to love. Every loving relationship involve some degree of trust. Faith basically, is trust in God that transforms all of your other relationships in one way, or another.

During World War II, in the terrible days of the Blitz, a father, holding his small son by the hand, ran from a building that had been struck by a bomb. In the front yard was a shell hole. Seeking shelter as quickly as possible, the father jumped into the hole and held up his arms for his son to follow. Terrified, yet hearing his father's voice telling him to jump, the boy replied, 'I can't see you!' The father called to the silhouette of his son, 'But I can see you. Jump!' The boy jumped, because he trusted his father. In other words, he loved him, he believed in him, he trusted him and he

HE IS, RISEN! III

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." - Saint Augustine

Ever heard that, "he who laughs last, laughs best"? Well, while one is going through the "being laughed at" seasons of his life it can be a really daunting task to remain calm. It's easy to get frustrated especially when one does not understand the intricacies of the challenge. But, when one is fully in the know, it's easier. With understanding, one can even smile though an ordeal.

In Story telling: Imagination and Faith, William J. Bausch shares: "In the Greek Orthodox tradition, the day after Easter was devoted to telling jokes...They felt they were imitating the cosmic joke that God pulled on Satan in the Resurrection. Satan thought he had won, and was smug in his victory, smiling to himself, having the last word. So

CHRIST, IS RISEN

"At the heart of Christian faith is the story of Jesus' death and resurrection." - John Ortberg

It was Ravi Zacharias that said, "Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity. Wherever you go, ask God for wisdom on how to get that Gospel in, even in the toughest situations of life."

It's May Day, 1990. The place, Moscow's Red Square. "Is it straight, Father?" one Orthodox priest asked another, shifting the heavy, eight-foot crucifix on his shoulder. "Yes," said the other. "It is straight." Together the two priests, along with a group of parishioners holding ropes that steadied the beams of the huge cross, walked the parade route. Before them was passed the official might of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: The usual May Day procession of tanks, missiles, troops, and salutes to the Communist party elite. Behind the tanks surged a giant crowd of protesters, shouting up at Mikhail Gorbachev. "Bread!...Freedom!...Truth!" As the throng passed directly in front of the

THE WORD HOUSE EASTER SUMMIT 2016

#TWHEasterSummit2016 - YOUR TIME TO REIGN with Edwin Biayeibo

KING HENRY III

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go." - Hermann Hesse

When we get tired, or frustrated about the way things are, there's a possibility we need another orientation. When our lives becomes a routine chore, then there's something missing. Something vital.

In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. "Your Majesty," said Prior Richard, "do you understand that the pledge here

NEED A PUPPY?

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future." - George Bernard Shaw

If you are a parent, this might be familiar: "Mommy, Daddy, can we get a puppy?" And, if you are smart, you responded with the following: "You know puppies are a lot of trouble. You would have to walk it at least three times a day and make sure it is fed. You would have to bathe it at least twice a week and brush it every day. You would also have to train it and take it outside to use the bathroom. And if it ever poo-poo’s or tee-tee’s in the house, it would be your responsibility to clean it up." Although the above lecture is normally used as a doggie deterrent, most children respond by saying, "I don’t care. I wouldn’t mind doing all that as long as I had a puppy!" So we break down and buy the puppy, and a month later we are stuck feeding, walking and cleaning up

DON'T JUDGE

"When I look at a person, I see a person - not a rank, not a class, not a title." - Criss Jami

Don't Judge

Cesar Chavez said, "Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures." Everyone, irrespective of our origin or religious inclination on his own is flawed, in some way. No one of us is perfect yet. That's what the Spirit of God in the life of anyone regardless of colour, race, class or orientation. We are all 'faulty' on our own.

As Christians, we have no right to look down our noses with disdain at unsaved people. We can, and should be offended at sin, not be personally - offended for God and His holiness. If we can get it in our heads and in our hearts that when we were dead He gave us life; when we were unknowing He gave us faith; when we were enemies He came all the

ARE YOU, ZIETERN?

"Obedience is an act of faith; disobedience is the result of unbelief." - Edwin Louis Cole

How so much true, I find this quote by Edwin Louis Cole. Disobedience is a result of unbelief. Take for instance, Eve. Her unbelief in God's command caused her to eat the forbidden fruit.

In the first war of Silesia, King Frederick decided on a crucial alteration of war plans. So he ordered that under pain of death, neither fire nor candle should be burning in the tents after a certain hour. He went round the camp himself, to see that his orders were obeyed. As he passed by Captain Zietern’s camp, he perceived a light. He entered, and found the captain sealing a letter, which he had just written to his wife, whom he tenderly loved. "What are you doing there?" asked the king: "Do you not know the orders?" Zietern threw himself at his feet, and begged for mercy. "Sit down," said the king, "and add a few words

HEARD, OR SEEN GOSPEL?

"I actually think that the most efficacious way of making a difference is to lead by example..." - Misha Collins

Some time ago an 18-year-old girl from Washington state attended a worship service. For the first time in her life she heard the gospel message (Mark 16:15). The next week the church received a letter from her. It read: Dear Church members: Last Sunday I attended your church, and I heard your preacher. He said that all men have sinned against God. Because of their sin they all face eternal separation from God. But then he also said God loved men and sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to redeem men from their sins and all those who believe in him would go to heaven and live with God eternally. My parents recently died. I know they did not believe in Jesus Christ. If what you believe is true, they are damned. You compel me to believe that you yourself either don’t believe this message, or that you don’t care. You see, we live only three blocks from your church, and no one ever told us.

We're supposed to be living examples of God: that others can physically see - relate with. As a matter of fact, we're supposed to 'live' the Gospel, not just preach it.

THE MISSING NOTE

"Expectation is the mother of all frustration." - Antonio Banderas

A great man once said that, "that thing that irritates you, is what you were made to change, or correct." To a very large extent, I believe in that statement because I have realized that we all don't get irritated or frustrated, or even weep over the same things. Very true, I must add.

It is said of one of the famous composers that he had a rebellious son who used to come in late at night after his father and mother had gone to bed. And before going to his own room, he would go to his father's piano and slowly, as well as loudly, play a simple scale, all but the final note. Then leaving the scale uncompleted, he would retire to his room. Meanwhile the father, hearing the scale minus the final note, would writhe on his bed, his mind unable to relax because the scale was unresolved. Finally, in consternation, he would stumble down the stairs and hit the previously un-struck note. Only then would his mind surrender to sleep once again.

There's a certain irritation you're feeling at the moment, and the reason could most definitely be because there's

THE LIGHT IS BETTER HERE

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." - Helen Keller

Have you ever wondered about - or been in a terrible situation yourself of - trying to search for something in the dark? There's an adage that says, "search for the black goat, before it gets dark." The reason, being that it's almost an impossible thing to do.

There’s an old story of a man who was walking at night, and saw another man searching for something near a lamp post. Approaching, he asked the man what he was looking for, and the man, without looking up, replied, "My watch." The first man asked, "Well, precisely where were you standing when you dropped it?" Continuing his search, the man pointed a finger in the distance and said, "Over there somewhere." Incredulous, the first man said, "Well then sir, why are you looking for it here?" Finally looking up in frustration and meeting the first man’s gaze, the searcher replied testily, "Because sir, the light is better here!"

Have you lost anything that you want back? Light is essential in carrying

THE DIFFERENCE?

"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness." - Napoleon Hill

There is a difference between hell literally, and hell physically. However, both instances aren't palatable or admirable in anyway: ironically majority of us, through our selfishness live in hell daily.

C. S. Lewis once provided a powerful image of the difference between heaven and hell. He described hungry people sitting at a huge banquet loaded with delicious food. Every person had a meter-long fork and knife attached to their hands (about three feet long). The scene in hell was one of anger, frustration, and fighting as people scrambled to feed themselves. They could reach the food with the long knives and forks, but they were too long to feed themselves. The conflict, screaming, and unfulfilled hunger continued for eternity--that is hell. But the scene in heaven was quite different. The same tables were loaded with food, and the people had the same long forks and knives attached to their hands. But instead of chaos and conflict, there was joy, laughter, and pleasant

BIG BAD WOLF

 "My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me." - Winston Churchill

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. The first little piggy built his house of straw, and the big bad wolf came and huffed and puffed and blew that house down. The second piggy built his house of sticks, and the big bad wolf came and huffed and puffed and blew that house down. But the third built his house and bricks, and the big bad wolf came and huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and could not bring down that house…Because he had built with the right stuff.

Marital relationships today are constantly under fire, from the big bad wolf - Satan and his goons - hence, anyone built with the wrong materials - fornication, unbelieving partners et cetera - will not last, because the big bad wolf will huff and puff against it.

A WEEPING HAND

"Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself." - Mohsin Hamid 

Once during Queen Victoria's reign, she heard that the wife of a common labourer had lost her baby. Having experienced deep sorrow herself, she felt moved to express her sympathy. So she called on the bereaved woman one day and spent some time with her. After she left, the neighbours asked what the queen had said. "Nothing," replied the grieving mother. "She simply put her hands on mine, and we silently wept together."

Somewhere, a little girl came home from a neighbour's house where her little friend had died. "Why did you go?" questioned her father. "To comfort her mother," said the child.

THE ROAD SIGNS

"All warfare is based on deception." - Unknown 

In our world today, 'deception' is the order of the day. Companies, in their product adverts employ some level of deception - in varying degrees - with the sole aim of 'seducing' viewers to purchase such items. In the garden of Eden, it's what led to the fall of man. So, today we're either being deceived or we're deceiving others. What side are you on?

In World War II, during the Battle of the Bulge, there was a group of German soldiers who dressed themselves in the uniforms of the Allies. These German soldiers used American military vehicles and went through the German countryside changing the road signs. When the American troops came to the various crossroads, they were often fooled, and led off in the wrong direction.