EMMETT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
October 2021
Discover Christ's Transforming Love
126 S. Hayes Ave. Emmett, Idaho 83617
Lance Zagaris, Pastor
Pam Hodges, Worship Director
A Word From the Pastor
Read Deuteronomy Chapter 28
In Deuteronomy 28, the LORD outlines how He will work with Israel in His covenant with them. When you read Joshua through Malachi, you can see how God was faithful to bless OR curse the nation based on their response to His commands. For example read 2 Chronicles 2:13-16; Isaiah 42:23-25. If they fully obey Him and follow all His commands, He promised to bless in every aspect of their lives (28:1-14): there would be blessings in urban and rural settings (3); they would have many children (4); their land, crops, herds, and flocks would be fruitful (4, 11); God’s blessings would follow them wherever they go (6). The LORD will give them protection and victory over enemies (7). Their barns and land would be blessed (8). The LORD will establish them as a leader internationally. They would be respected by all nations (10) and become prosperous (11) and nations will borrow from them (12). The LORD will cause climate to work in their favor (12).
But, if they don’t obey the LORD and follow His commands, God promised to send curses to overtake their lives (28:15-68)! Instead of experiencing God’s blessings in each of the above areas, they would face His curses (15-19). There will be negative consequences like curses, confusion, and rebuke for forsaking the Lord, leading to ruin (20). The Lord will plague them with diseases, with scorching heat and drought and with blight and mildew (21-22). The sky and the land will work against them until they are destroyed (23-24).
The LORD will turn the tables and cause them to be defeated by their enemies. They will lose all their international respect and favored nation’s standing and leadership (25-28).
The LORD will afflict them with incurable boils tumors, sores, and rashes (27). They will be afflicted with madness, blindness, and confusion (28). They will be failures, oppressed and robbed with no one to rescue them (28-29). (Perhaps law enforcement will be defunded).
Their plans will fail and greatly disappoint them! They will work to build relationships, homes, vineyards, herds, flocks, and families, but they will be taken away from them with cruel oppression (30-34). Instead of enjoying the fruits of their labor, they will experience great sorrow and anguish as they powerlessly watch on. It will drive them to madness (34).
They will ultimately be defeated and taken to another nation in captivity, where they will worship idols (36). They will become an object of scorn and ridicule internationally (37).
Locusts will devour their crops before they can harvest them (38). Worms will eat their grapes before they are picked (39). Olives will drop off the trees before their oil can be enjoyed (40). Their children will be taken into captivity (41). Locusts will overtake their trees and crops (42). The roles between Israel and the aliens among them will be reversed. Aliens will be the head and Israel the tail (43-44).
All these curses will result from not serving the LORD joyfully during prosperity. So, then Israel must serve the enemies God sends against them in hunger and thirst and dire poverty (45-48).
Moses prophecies the gory, shameful details of what being taken into captivity by a ruthless nation will be like (49-57). In desperation people will resort to shameful atrocities never imagined to occur in their lives.
He concludes by summarizing again the destructive consequences that come from turning to idols and turning away from the LORD, from disrespecting His salvation, and His way. “Among the nations you will find no response, no resting place for the sole for your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart” (28:65).
God wants to bless His people, the ones He has saved and come into covenant with. May we remember the many ways God has blessed us and seek to honor and obey Him by faith in Jesus Christ! The Happy Way Is To Obey! God loves us so much He will discipline us to encourage us to repent and return to Him when we stay!
Shepherding you with Christ’s love,
Lance
Suzi Morgan on Channel 2 News - ID School Nurse of the Year!
Leaders in Learning: ID School Nurse of the Year Susan Morgan 'It's all about the kids!'
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Suzan Morgan has worked in the Emmett School District since 2008.
While her main office is here at Carberry Elementary School, she also serves Emmett and Black Canyon High Schools.
She recalls just moments before the award was announced.
"I was sitting at my desk because we had our state meeting and they're doing a drumroll," Morgan shares. "And so I'm texting my friends saying, I know who it's going to be and they said my name! I was pretty surprised because I had no idea, being in a rural district you never expect it."
Morgan began in education, earning her Masters in Vocational Education.
She started as a LPN in 1982 and became an RN in 1992. Becoming a school nurse in 1994.
Most recently Morgan completed her term serving on the National Board as the Idaho Director for National Association of School Nurses.
Despite this long list of accolades, Morgan remains dedicated to her first passion, her students.
"It's all about the kids," Morgan shares, "It really is."
Morgan was nominated by her peers and selected by the School Nurse Organization of Idaho.
She will be honored next summer at a national conference in Atlanta.
"Near the end of my career this is kind of exciting, you know, the culmination of my career," Susan Morgan. "And I want to represent Idaho well and encourage school nursing."
Suzi was also featured on the news in May of 2021 when she was initially awarded this high honor:
Emmett School District nurse named Nurse of the Year for Idaho
by CBS2 News Staff
Wednesday, May 26th 2021
Emmett High School. (CBS2 file)
EMMETT, Idaho (CBS2) — Emmett School District’s nurse Suzi Morgan has been named School Nurse of the Year for Idaho.
The district on Wednesday said Morgan's nomination was reviewed by the School Nurse Organization of Idaho and a committee picked her as the winner. She will be honored next summer at a national conference in Atlanta.
“I didn't know I was nominated so it was a big surprise,” Morgan said. “I am humbled, believe me. It's been a tough year for all school nurses. There's no way I could do my job if I didn't have great office staff to work with and the amazing support from Carberry’s Principal Greg Alexander. School nursing is the best job I could ever hope to have and I absolutely love the challenges and successes as I help students deal with health maintenance and chronic health issues. Healthy students are ready to learn and I do what I can to make that happen.”
Morgan has been a school nurse in Emmett since 2008. She currently works at Carberry Elementary as well as Emmett and Black Canyon high schools.
https://idahonews.com/news/local/emmett-schools-nurse-named-nurse-of-the-year-for-idaho
Be strong when you are weak, Brave when you are scared and Humble when you are victorious!
WMO 2021: WHAT IS THE WORLD MISSION OFFERING?
Through International Ministries’ World Mission Offering, thousands across the country celebrate and support ministries that God is using to transform the world.
For more than two hundred years, International Ministries (also known as the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society), has combined resilience, adaptability, and creative approaches to cross-cultural ministry with faithfulness to Scripture. We serve together with and learn from our many local partners in ministry around the globe.
During the 2021 World Mission Offering, you can see highlights of the work of Global Servants Ketly and Vital Pierre in the Dominican Republic, as they provide education, Bible studies, language classes, a micro-loan program, legal counseling, and more for Haitian immigrants facing inequity and maltreatment in the Dominican Republic. You can hear from Global Servants Alise and Mark Juanes, as they talk about their ministry of practical care and love for the hill tribe children in Chiang Mai, Thailand. You can also see the impact of Global Servant Ricardo Mayol-Bracero’s ministry, as he serves and stands alongside communities in Latin America trying to access clean water and air.
Through these three ministries you will have a glimpse into what God is doing through International Ministries’ 120+ global servants, 900+ volunteers, home staff, and 250+ international partners in 70 countries.
As you explore the resources available to you here on our website, we hope you will make use of them to spread awareness of this opportunity to take part in the incredible work God is doing around the world.
Join with us, as we work cross-culturally to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God’s reign of justice, peace, and abundant life for all creation.
https://www.internationalministries.org/world-mission-offering/
You Are Not Alone
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (NLT)
I used to tell my friends that I was so introverted I could happily spend a year alone. Well, after that claim was put to the test in 2020, I take it all back.
In March 2020, I excitedly moved to northwest Arkansas from Nashville, Tennessee, for my dream job in Bible publishing. Because I had relocated across the country before, I figured I knew what to expect.
Enter the COVID-19 pandemic. I ended up spending the better part of 2020 and early 2021 completely alone in a new and very different place with just a little calico cat to keep me company.
I could only do so many Pinterest recipes, Marie Kondo-style closet cleanouts and DIY projects in an 800-square-foot apartment before even my introverted little heart longed for a meal out with a friend, a night with my book club, and a morning of worship in church with my Bible study group. To say it was a hard year feels like an understatement.
Early on in the pandemic, I wrote the sentence “You are not alone” on the letter board that hung in my cluttered and cozy living room. Throughout the next 12 months, I found my eyes drifting to this board every time my heart ached for the rich community I once knew.
One morning, as I bumbled through my quiet time and grew increasingly weary, I fell upon Psalm 46. Verse 1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” My heart lifted in a way it hadn’t for a while as I read that not only was I never alone, but also God was my refuge, my strength and my dependable and loving helper. What struck me most was that God was “always ready to help.” I felt lonely, discouraged and just plain over it — but God was there, ready to help as He always had been.
Things didn’t progress completely smoothly after that, but I will say that realizing I was not alone strengthened my heart in a way I hadn’t been expecting. Each time I had a pang of loneliness or a moment of sadness, I reminded myself that God was with me. He always had been, and He always would be.
No matter what you’re facing today, may the truth of God’s ever-present help bring you the peace, comfort and hope it brought me time and time again. Oh, and if you want to try a different recipe or are looking for a new hobby, just let me know — I’ve tried them all by now.
God, thank You that You are a God who never leaves us alone. How encouraging to be reminded that You are our refuge, our strength and our helper. Let us feel Your presence as we move throughout our day today. Continue to strengthen us with this promise of Your presence, and attune our hearts to hear Your comforting and hope-filled words. Thank You for who You are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” (NLT)
Joshua 1:9, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (NLT)
Do you believe that God is always there to help you in every circumstance?
How does it make you feel to know that you are never alone — that God is with you in each and every moment of every day? We’d love to know — share with us in the comments!
© 2021 by Ellen Wildman. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Tyndale House Publishers for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
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P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry!
National Collection Week is Nov. 15–22, 2021
Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes go to some of the most difficult to reach places on earth. That includes areas that are hostile to the Gospel, places where whole people groups are yet unreached, and hundreds of remote Pacific islands. Shoeboxes are used by local churches to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in all kinds of environments, from densely populated inner cities to deserts and jungles—even in places where the Name of Jesus has never been heard.
FBC will be participating again in support of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child (OCC)!
Supplies (boxes, labels, wrapping paper) are available at the church. We anticipate that we will have a packing party here at the church on November 21st. But don’t wait! Start planning, Start Packing!
You could even have your own packing party!
You can also Build a shoebox online! More information on building an online shoebox can be found at https://build-a-shoebox.samaritanspurse.org/view/93450ba9-50dd-4f95-94ab-97807c47489c. Please let Lance or Kathy know if you do the online box so we can track how many boxes are sent from our church.
In an effort to make things easier for all, we have order forms at the church for items you may want to include in your shoeboxes from The Shoe that Grows and Bear’s Knight Out Toy Store. Order now to ensure availability. Bear’s Knight Out items will be on display at the church.
Once you have your box packed and labeled, drop it off at the church – be sure to label it and include your information and $9 donation (labels/envelopes available at the church).
Happy Packing!
Chicken Stew with Dumplings
Original recipe yields 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 (3 pound) rotisserie chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced thin
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¾ pound new potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
¾ cup milk, or more as needed
2 tablespoons dried dill
Directions
- Step 1 - De-bone chicken and cut into chunks or shred. Set aside.
- Step 2 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir onion and celery until soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour and whisk continuously to make a thick roux, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking to remove any lumps. Add 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, basil, thyme, potatoes, and mixed vegetable. Cover and cook the stew over medium heat until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in chicken meat and continue to simmer.
Step 3 - Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; cut in 3 tablespoons butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and dill. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into the simmering stew. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover and cook until the dumplings are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Cook's Note:
I used my food processor to mix the dumplings. Be careful not to over-mix or the dumplings will get tough. If necessary, finish the dough in a mixing bowl and adjust milk to a very stiff consistency.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
464 calories; protein 29.7g; carbohydrates 37.9g; fat 21.3g; cholesterol 95.9mg; sodium 1161.2mg.
Chuckles
Late For Class
A little girl, dressed in her "Sunday best" was late and running to her Sunday school class. As she ran, she prayed, "Dear God, please don't let me be late. Dear God, please don't let me be late." Then she fell.
She got up, dusted herself off and saw that her dress was now dirty and had a little tear. She started running again, still praying, "Dear God, please don't let me be late." But this time she added, "But please don't push me, either!"