EMMETT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
October 2022
Discover Christ's Transforming Love
126 S. Hayes Ave. Emmett, Idaho 83617
Lance Zagaris, Pastor
Pam Hodges, Worship Director
A Word From the Pastor
Dearly Beloved,
One of the signs of health, both physically and spiritually, is that we have an appetite. Physically, we need to have & sustain an appetite to eat nutritious food. Spiritually, we need to develop and maintain an appetite to feed off the Word of God. People who lose their appetite to eat food lose weight and eventually incur problems to their health and can die if they do not experience a turnaround. Likewise, people who lose their spiritual appetite for God and His Word will experience challenges in their relationship with God and with people.
In Dt. 8:3, the LORD used Israel's hunger for food to teach them a vital lesson on the necessity of being fed spiritual by God's Words: "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." We need to eat to stay alive physically, but what is of greater importance is this: taking in what comes out of the LORD"S mouth! Pay more attention to what comes out of God's mouth than what goes into yours! When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil, He quoted Dt. 8:3 (Mt. 4:3-4).
In Mt. 5:6, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Jesus wants us to develop and maintain healthy spiritual appetites - to desire and pursue righteous living.
Concerning food, this means cutting out foods that are harmful to our well-being and replacing it with food that is nutritious. Cut back on junk food. Add proteins and vegetables.
Concerning our spiritual intake, it means spending more time in the Bible, reading & studying and less time on social media, phones, televisions, and surfing the internet. It means more time memorizing scripture and meditating on its significance and its application to life and less time doing other things. It means attending church and small group. Heb. 10:25 says, "let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." It means talking about God's Word in your marriage and family. Dt. 6:7 says, "Impress them (the commands) on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Developing and maintaining a healthy spiritual appetite takes time and effort and intentionality. It requires sacrificing time with other people and hobbies. But your time developing and maintaining a strong spiritual appetite will transform you life and your relationships. Ps. 1:2-3 says: "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Shepherding you in Christ’s love,
Lance
Christianity is more than a faith system; it is a way of life.
Good News Club
Our Good News Club has started at Carberry Elementary. We are entering our 3rd week. We have approximately 26 kids signed up, with 20 attending.
Our six week bible unit is Jesus: God Who Care for People. It includes lessons on the Cana Wedding, Nicodemus, the Samaritan Woman, the Nobleman's Son, & Bartimaeus. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to be teaching these lessons to kids at public school. The lessons always present the gospel and give an invitation for kids to receive Chirist. Last week three fifth graders came forward to receive Jesus.
I've always had a heart for Child Evangelism because I came to know Jesus as a six year old child. Someone invited me to Vacation Bible School and I heard about Jesus for the first time. I remember going forward to receive Jesus. I remember thinking, "I've never heard this before, nobody has ever told me about God or heaven." Learning about Jesus changed my life, and changed my brother's life.
Please pray for this ministry. Pray that the Holy Spirit would be preparing the kids to hear the gospel. Pray for receptive hearts. Pray for the kids that are coming from abusive backgrounds, neglect, & foster homes. Pray that they will find a friend in Jesus. Pray for us as workers that God will give us wisdom & love as we share Jesus.
~Jolene Zagaris
To find out more about Good News Clubs, visit Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) at https://www.cefonline.com/ministries/goodnewsclub/
Planning Session
Connie Walker
Jolene Zagaris
Jolene was teaching the story of Jesus telling Nicodemus he had to be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. Here she is illustrating the phyllacteries the Pharisees sometimes wore.
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry!
“Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:14, ESV
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations To see more information and the history of Operation Christmas Child visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/mission-and-history/
Emmett FBC will be sending boxes again this year. A shoebox packing party will be held on Novemeber 13 at 6pm in the FBC Fellowship Hall. Start planning, start packing! Plan to join in on the party! Watch your Sunday Bulletins and email for more information.
Surrender Found at Rock Bottom
Surrender Found at Rock Bottom
ELIZABETH GROFF
Lee en español
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (ESV)
Ukraine, my birthplace. This country has seen the day I lost everything, and miraculously, it has seen the day hope entered my life again.
How could God teach me surrender in such circumstances? Who else but God could use a shoebox to show that surrender is exactly where freedom is found?
My father died when I was only 1 year old. Unable to financially support us, my mother decided to move to a small village in the heart of Ukraine with my grandparents. The grief of losing my dad was too much for her, and she soon coped by turning to alcohol.
When my half-sister, Tanya, was born, my mother’s presence in our lives grew scarce, so I had to grow up faster than other children my age. I found myself responsible for doing all the chores, helping with the livestock and raising my little sister.
Tanya was my whole world. Deep in my heart, I knew she deserved a better life than the one we were living. So at 7 years old, I grabbed her hand and we ran away.
We were quickly placed in an orphanage. For a while, we at least had each other. But Tanya’s biological father eventually found us. He decided to take my little sister with him — but I wasn’t his daughter. I was left behind. As her father took Tanya by the hand, her eyes flooded with hope and happiness. I realized the best I could do for her was to let her go. But in that abandonment, my world came crashing down.
That day, the day I lost everything, I was launched into dark devastation. It was hard to believe I could be loved after experiencing so much heartbreak and rejection. For two years, I lived hopeless at rock bottom — and that is where Jesus met me.
I still remember the day when I smiled again. All the orphans gathered in a big room, and here we were told how God loves us, and we were each given a shoebox gift with unique and colorful items inside. No strings attached. Hope entered my life through this unexpected, unconditional love shown to me. God wasn’t leaving me at rock bottom; He met me right where I was, inviting me to become part of His family.
That was the moment when God began transforming me into the person He designed me to be. All I needed to do was trust Him by surrendering everything I was to Him. In that surrender, He nurtured my broken heart to renew it for His glory, replacing my bitterness with His tenderness.
Often in this world, we find ourselves at rock bottom, lacking all hope for goodness and joy. There are people all over the world who find themselves with nothing left to give. But God does not want to leave us there. He can use the simplest things — a prayer, a friend, a shoebox gift — to remind us that He meets us exactly where we are, ready to show us true joy in our surrender to Him.
Today, that shoebox I received still reminds me of God’s calling on my life. He still reminds me that before His power can work through us, we must give up our reliance on the world and human abilities, stepping completely into His presence. Only when we deny ourselves and leave our worldly burdens at Jesus’ feet are we able to live the life Christ has called us to live.
Wherever we are on life’s journey, we can surrender at any time to our gentle Savior. Jesus came that we might “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Jesus transformed my rock bottom into an abundant life. He did miracles in bringing a family to adopt me, in directing my story toward His glory and in using a simple shoebox gift to bring hope into my life. Through all of this, I have realized that by surrendering my life for His sake, I have truly found life!
Often God uses us as instruments for His hope. May we be surrendered to Him and remind each other that even if we find ourselves at rock bottom, our God brings rivers from deserts, life from death, and turns shoebox gifts into gospel opportunities.
God, You are merciful to meet us where we are and invite us to surrender every aspect of our lives to You. We thank You for the promise of Your transforming love! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Receiving an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift was a defining moment in Elizabeth Groff’s life as she began to see that God loved her and that surrendering her life to Him would lead to restoration. Since receiving her shoebox gift, Elizabeth went on to lead college classmates to pack shoeboxes, and she packs boxes with her family today.
Consider packing a shoebox through Operation Christmas Child and sharing God’s love with children around the world. Help Proverbs 31 Ministries reach our goal of sending the gospel to 400 children through a simple shoebox gift — pack a shoebox online here!
ENGAGE
Keep up with Operation Christmas Child on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
FOR DEEPER STUDY
2 Corinthians 12:9a, “… My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (NIV)
What can you fully surrender to Jesus today?
How can you be an instrument of God’s hope this week? Share your ideas with us in the comments!
© 2022 by Elizabeth Groff. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Will you share your story?
This is very simple - it usually involves being interviewed by Kathy and reviewing the article prior to it being posted. You can tell as much or as little as you want. It is a great way for the congregation to learn a little more about each other. Your story may help someone else. It could also be a keepsake for your children or grandchildren.
Please contact Kathy or Lance if you are willing to share and schedule a time for an interview!
"What's Your Story?" (Click to hear Matthew West's song)
The Language of Love is Understood by all
God's Promises
God never promised there'd be no trouble
No hardship for you and me,
But He promised to always be with us
Whatever the trial may be.
He never promised sunshine only
Freedom from storms and rain,
But He promised the difficult times
Would work for our spiritual gain
He promised to be our Shelter,
And cover us with His hand;
The Rock upon which our feet are planted
Stability in a weary land.
He promised to be our Light in darkness,
And guide our steps each day;
Our tender loving Comforter
When heartaches come our way.
He promised to be our Teacher
Revealing His will and plan,
Teaching us to trust Him
When we fail to understand.
The lessons we learn through suffering
Qualify us for the Highest Degree,
As we become more like Jesus
Prepared for eternity.
Cathedral Pines Update
Dear Church,
August and September have been prayerful months due to the Ross Fork Fire, just over the Galena Summit (10 miles away). A hardy “Thank You” goes to the firefighters who were about to keep the fire at the bottom of Galena Summit. There are now only a few hot spots within the boundary of the burned area. The Blaine County Sheriff, the Forest Service, and daily briefings kept us informed.
We held very exciting age-graded camps this last summer. With enough staffing we were able to receive all campers who registered. No one was turned away. The most exciting part of camp were the decisions campers made to follow Jesus deeper. In Teen Camp we had an assortment of decisions; Accept Jesus as Savior, desire baptism at church, regularly read the Bible, follow Christ in daily life decisions, have more Christian friends, learn more about Jesus, follow Jesus’ lead. In Kids Camp campers decided; to accept Jesus as Savior, rededicate to follow Jesus, read the Bible more, sing more “Jesus” songs, be kind to others, work at talking with God.
Everyone is looking forward to the Fall Rally (grades 6-12), October 14-16, registration is $85. Registration is online, www.cathedralpines.org/register.
A.C.T.S. (work) Camp is being held October 1-2. At this fall event we set ourselves to get camp ready for the winter. We have panting & cleaning jobs. The buildings and grounds will be prepped for the winter sleep or winter use. If so gifted with volunteers we’ll have a simple carpentry job, install bunk beds. You can come Friday night. Meals will begin with Saturday breakfast at 8:30am. Sign up to help at www.cathedralpines.org/events.
After all of this year being without property insurance the Board was approached by Farm Bureau offering property insurance coverage. The Camp and Easley Hot Springs now has property insurance with a coverage value of $5,760,000.
The financial prospect winding up this year looks like it will be very slim. We do have three events scheduled for October and November. These will be very good events to share Jesus. The 2023 winter looks very good for returning and new groups using Cathedral Pines.
Please pray that God will direct church groups to Cathedral Pines Camp that He wants here; Pray for the upcoming events that Jesus would be lifted up; Pray that ACTS Camp will be productive and safe; Pray for the Search Committee looking for a new Executive Director.
Thank you so much for your continued support of finances and prayers.
Rev. Rudy Bauder, Executive Director
Cathedral Pines Camp
Easley Hot Springs
HC 64 Box 8296
Ketchum, ID 83340
208-726-5007
2023 EVENTS
Jan 27-29 2023 - Winter CampWinter Retreat for 6-12th Graders
Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 center-cut bacon slices, diced
- 1 ½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
- 2 teaspoons salt-free garlic-and-herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
- 2 cups thinly sliced leek (from 2 large leeks)
- 1 cup sliced carrot (from 2 large carrots)
- 1 cup sliced celery (from 2 large stalks)
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson), divided
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 12 ounces baby potatoes
- 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
Directions
- Step 1 - Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.
- Step 2 - Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Transfer chicken using a slotted spoon to a 6-quart electric slow cooker, reserving any drippings in pan. Add leek, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add leek mixture, bacon, remaining 3 cups stock, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours. Add potatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 2 more hours or until potatoes are tender.
Step 3 - Remove chicken from slow cooker with a slotted spoon; discard thyme sprigs. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Return chicken to slow cooker; add spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.
174 calories; fat 4.3g; saturated fat 1.4g; mono fat 1g; poly fat 0.7g; protein 19g; carbohydrates 14g; fiber 2g; cholesterol 69mg; iron 2mg; sodium 521mg; calcium 32mg; sugars 2g.