Word for Life World Ministries – Minute Messages

There is nothing worse than being bullied. Especially is this true when it is coming from someone who is “a public servant.” My granddaughter came home for Thanksgiving along with her roommate. When she went to get on the plane for her return trip in Eugene, the woman gave her and my wife a terrible time. It was stressful to say the least.

Two things people lust for more than anything else. The first is money. The more the better. They will do most anything to achieve financial security. The apostle Paul once wrote “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” History has borne this out. Simply read history and you will see how one’s lust for money played its part in all sorts of evil things that took place. The second thing people lust for is power. Give someone a little power and you will not recognize them. They take on a whole new persona that had been lying dormant. The woman at the airport had been given power and she loved it to the point of harassing an innocent teen girl returning to school and her grandmother.   Jesus [even] had this problem with His disciples, so it is not new. However, Jesus said if you want to find greatness, become a servant. Servants are not bullies.

Please come and worship with us Sunday, and remember: EVERYONE is welcome here.

Norm

Rick Bourbois shared this on Facebook: ” A son and his father were walking in the mountains. Suddenly the son falls, hurts himself, and screams “Aaahhhhhh!” To his surprise he hears the voice repeating some where in the mountains, “Aaahhhhhh!” Curious, the boy yells, “Who are you?” The answer is, “Who are you?” Angered at the response, the boy screams, “Coward!” The answer is, “Coward!” The boy turns to his father and asks, “What’s going on?”The father smiles and says, “Pay attention.” He then yells, “I admire you!” The voice answers, “I admire you!” Again the father yells, “You are a champion!” The answers is, “You are a champion!” The boy is surprised, but does not understand. His father explains, “People call this an echo, but really it is life. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This applies to everything in all aspects of life. Life will give you back everything you have given it. Your life is not a coincidence, it’s a refection of you.”

Written by Norm Russell, North Bend Oregon USA Church of Christ:

It saddens me to hear people talk about experiences with churches and, in some cases, preachers who have left them seriously damaged spiritually. Some have sworn to never return to church, and others have said they worship God their way.

I truly do not know how to reach such individuals. When someone has been so scarred and damaged by others who are supposed to be representing God, the damage is, in many cases, beyond healing. Having said that, there are some things that I wish to bring to your attention. First, if you claim to be a child of God, then talk and act like God wants you to. When you use foul and abusive speech, it destroys any good you might have done and will forever taint your witness. Secondly, remember wherever you are God is there. He is the silent listener to your conversation and the unseen observer of your actions. King David thought his sin was a secret,but God sent His prophet to inform him that his actions “caused the name of God to be blasphemed among the nations.” Would you want that said of you? Then I implore you, let Jesus shine through you, not Satan.

  Please come and worship with us Sunday, and remember: EVERYONE is welcome here.

Norm

While you’re on the web each day, please take a moment each day to help feed the hungry. There is a place called “The Hunger Site” located at http://www.thehungersite.com that provides cups of staple food to those starving in exchange for you clicking on an icon once a day. The sponsors pay for the food in exchange for your click. You don’t get any junk mail. You don’t have to sign up for anything. You  won’t get any other requests. You just click!

Also on the page, you’ll find other click-to-support pages such as breast cancer research, rain forest preservation, AIDS, and a landmine victim site

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This next week people across America pause to give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. We have all heard the term “a self-made man.” However, in spite of the popular belief that one can pull him/her self up by their bootstraps, God is involved every step of the way. There is nothing we enjoy in life that has not come from our creator. Even our very existence is from Him.

Being thankful is something that comes from within the person. They recognize that in our world we not only need each other, we also need to help others along the way. Because of that I am thankful for those who make an effort to feed those who do not have the resources to feed themselves. Our community may not be able to make a life better, but it can make one day better by filling an empty stomach. Millions of dollars and millions of hours have been spent in an effort to eliminate homelessness to no avail. Some are homeless because of bad choices others because of circumstances. We do not need more money or more organizations. We simply need tender hearts who will help another person in their need.

Norm Russell

This coming Thursday is the official beginning of the holiday season in much of the world, particularly in the USA. Who cannot be thankful in our time? I am glad that we have Thanksgiving as a special day set aside to recognize that we are a people most blessed. Each of us, no matter how few our resources have many reasons to thank God.

If we were to list all that we were thankful for, how much of a page would we fill? Or, how many pages would we fill? What we are grateful for is very much dependent on who it is that provided us the blessings. If we are self-reliant and believe that all we have is a result of our effort, there is not much gratitude expressed. If, however, we see God as the one who provides us with everything then expressing our thanks will be an endless expression.

All of us are a product of our environment. We look back over the years and we can see things that really mattered to us. The first thing that comes to

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I have no idea who Zachary Haugland is. He is not someone you would know because he is not a “mover and a shaker.” He has not made the headlines as someone who has altered the events of all humanity and neither is he some kid who finds it difficult to avoid the police. No, Zachary is none of that but his name appeared recently on a Fox news website. On October 22, 2015 this young man who runs cross country track for his high school literally destroyed his competition. He crossed the finish line and into the record books as the Davis County High Schools first district champion. He was excited and he and his coach exchanged congratulatory high fives.

It was during the celebration that Zachary turned around and saw a competitor in trouble. His face was turning white and he was holding his chest and looked about to fall. Read the rest »

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