Sunday's Message, 11-01-2015

Sunday's message - Enjoy!

Sunday's message - 10/25

Here's Sunday's message - Enjoy your week everyone!

The POWER of Prayer!

We don't see God acting in our lives, because WE DON'T ASK HIM TO.
That's right - big time OUR fault. God told us that if we called to Him, He would show us great & mighty things that we've never seen before. If that isn't happening in my life, it's because I FAILED TO CALL ON HIM! God has tremendous power waiting for us to grasp by trusting Him in PRAYER.
Here's a session from last year's retreat on that subject. It's so important to PRAY!

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

Here's another session from last year's retreat - and the subject: LOVE.

Entitled Diamond Session, this lesson taught by Valerie Bobo teaches about how God loves us, and we ought to love each other.

Sunday message 10-18-15

Here is yesterday's message on the 8th commandment - Thou shalt not steal.

Happy Monday!

Another Session from Last Year

Here's another session from last year's retreat, Treasured - this one is taught by Lori
Russell, entitled: Pearl

Sunday Morning Message

Here is the message from this morning's worship service, by Kevin Russell:

A Page from Last Year's Book

Enjoying this year's retreat has gotten me to remembering how great last year's was. Here's one of our sessions: 

In Case You Missed It...

Here it is folks! Our 2015 Elizaville Christian Church Ladies Retreat! If you missed it - while I can't replace the fun and fellowship or the great Spirit filled weekend we've just experienced, here are all of the sessions:

For Session One: Contentment in Christ (Speaker - Mary-Elizabeth Bobo), click here

For Session Two: What is Godliness (Speaker - Lori Russell), click here

For Session Three: Contentment with WHO We Are (Speaker - Michal Pfettscher), click here

For Session Four: Contentment Where We Are (Speaker - Valerie Bobo), click here

Thanks, Lori for the BEAUTIFUL decorations, and THANK YOU Wikerdoodles for the door prizes! They were appreciated (and gorgeous).

This past weekend was truly a blessing for all of us! - I hope it will be for you as well!

Eglon the Oppressor

Ok, I’ll ask - Why, the poop?

Judges 3:12-28

Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil. ¹³ Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms. ¹⁴ And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

¹⁵ But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. ¹⁶ So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot^[b] long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. ¹⁷ He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

¹⁸ After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute. ¹⁹ But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.”

So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

²⁰ Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, ²¹ Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. ²² The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied.^[c] 23 Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.^[d]

²⁴ After Ehud was gone, the king’s servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room,²⁵ so they waited. But when the king didn’t come out after a long delay, they became concerned and got a key. And when they opened the doors, they found their master dead on the floor.

²⁶ While the servants were waiting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols on his way to Seirah. ²⁷ When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehud sounded a call to arms. Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills.

²⁸ “Follow me,” he said, “for the Lord has given you victory over Moab your enemy.” So they followed him. And the Israelites took control of the shallow crossings of the Jordan River across from Moab, preventing anyone from crossing.

²⁹ They attacked the Moabites and killed about 10,000 of their strongest and most able-bodied warriors. Not one of them escaped. ³⁰ So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.

I have to ask – WHY GOD? Just, WHY???????

A friend said that this story was one that she had trouble understanding and I have to agree– this incredibly graphically nastily gross story. Why is it so descriptive? Why is it in here in such a way? What is the message that God is trying to get across to us by describing bowels being emptied in such a grotesque way.

It got me to thinking for sure. I had to wonder – why?

Now there is a sure fire way for learning the secrets to the Word of God: Ask.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matt 7:7-8

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

So that is exactly what I did. I prayed, and I asked the LORD what it was that He had for me to learn from super disgusting story.

And it dawned on me

Eglon – is the way we need to see our sin.

We see sin as pretty, attractive, alluring, desirable, and we long for it. We seek it. We look for ways to sneak it into our Christian lives, but to God, it’s as desirable as Eglon sitting there, excrement spilling out all over the ground, the leader of destruction and oppression.

We may not feel like sin is destructive or ugly, but it is. It takes over your life and fills it with the putrid filth of selfishness and nasty disdain for others. It takes captives mercilessly and oppresses the rights of the innocent.

When we face the obstacles of our faith, often we feel like we’re turning down delicious options that we wish we could have, like dessert trays that we almost can’t turn down.

But sin isn’t dessert! It’s wrong. It’s choosing to do something that is destructive and hurtful instead of what is morally pure and good.

In a word – it’s EGLON.

So the next time you’re faced with a decision of what to do, ask God to help you see sin the way it TRULY it is – not disguised by Satan, but in the light of God’s Word. As ugly as that terrible oppressor, Eglon.

May we all have the same bravery that one left handed judge did, and just as he cut down his oppressor through the power of God, may we have the same victory over the sin that oppresses us!

The Poor Widow

The Poor Widow

the woman who gave all

Depending on God

Mark 12:41-44 Luke 21:1-4 1 Peter 5:6-7

One thing I loved, learning about Job, was that he was such a Godly man, that the LORD Himself, used Him as an example.  God “bragged” on him a little you might say.  It is truly something, to have pleased the Holy God, Creator and Sustainer, to that degree.  Here, we see a similar person.  From a worldly perspective, this woman couldn’t have less in common with Job.  He was well-known, rich, a philanthropist, and wise man – sought for counsel daily, a great leader among men.  And this widow, well, we don’t even know her name.  She had no social standing, no political power, no family, and definitely no wealth.  But what she (and our good buddy Job) had was that she pleased God.  She depended on Him.  She was devoted to Him, and trusted Him with EVERYTHING. When Jesus describes this widow, He uses the Greek word, ptochos, which means reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms.  A second definition listed is destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour.  She had NOTHING.  This woman had no means to take care of herself.  At this time in history, women couldn’t just go out and get a job.  Your standing in life was dictated by your marriage.  She had no husband to look after her, and she had to literally beg for food.  She was left with only grief.  Her circumstances are hard to imagine for us ladies who live in luxury, freedom, and a society where women can be self-reliant.  This woman was every day, every moment, at the mercy of others.  She truly had NOTHING. Except two mites. Two measly mites – even for that time, two mites was equivalent to less than a penny today.  But when you have nothing – two mites is a lot.  It is the difference of being hungry and having bread.  Of feeling worthwhile, and feeling like a failure.  But to this special, extraordinary woman, it meant something else – it meant having something to give God.  And she didn’t give Him part of what she had.  She gave Him ALL. And that’s what caught the eye of Jesus. There were plenty of people giving that day, and they were giving much more substantial amounts than this woman.  These would be the kind of people we like to see come to church.  People who dress nicely or say the right things.  (Imagine how you would treat a smelly, homeless person who walked in off the street to participate in Sunday Morning worship – maybe fearful, avoiding, etc.)  They give handsomely when the plate is passed round.  But that’s not what Jesus asks.  He does want (and expect!) our tithe (which rightfully belongs to the LORD), but He also wants our ALL.  This woman threw everything she had in the offering.  Everything.  Doing so, she was saying, LORD I depend on You for all my needs.  How many of us, give God ALL?  Not many.  We would rather give some – maybe even a lot… but not all.  We hold back things that we don’t trust God to take care of, and we feel we are better suited to handle ourselves.  I like to call these – “the things with a plan”.  For example, if I have a plan on how to meet my need for my breakfast this morning (maybe I have food at work or at home, or I have cash to pick something up at a restaurant), since I have a plan as to how to provide that need, I might tend to forget that I’m still dependant on God for every meal.  Sure, when I say grace before I eat, I thank Him for my pancake, but I may not truly mean that.  I’m not depending on God, but my $5 bill and the McDonald’s drive thru.  Jesus needs us to remember that every breath we take, every beat of our heart is at the mercy of our Creator, and He will do a much better job providing for our needs than we will.  By giving to the Lord EVERYTHING, including – “the things with a plan”, relying on Him rather than our own means of doing things, that’s how we please Christ.   God is ready and willing to provide all of our needs, but He wants all of our hearts to be dependent on Him.

Life Lesson:  God wants our ALL, not just our tithe, or surplus.  He wants us to count on Him to provide all our needs.

Just like the widow gave her ALL, and counted on God for her needs, we need to always give God everything and trust Him to provide.

The wealthy who cast in their surplus, made a favorable impression on many that day, but not Jesus.  God is not pleased by getting our “extra”, He wants our ALL.

A good way to examine your own heart, is to compare your behavior with the Bible’s clear instructions.  Sin is just another way for us to say, I know better than You do, Lord.  Anytime we choose to base our decisions (no matter how small) on our own methods and not the Bible, we are counting on ourselves, and not God.  Jesus says, I want your ALL.  Trusting His methods means trusting His Word.  Try and think of an area of your life where you struggle with sin – How does the Bible say to handle that situation?  Show God that you are depending on Him, by following His methods and not your own in that particular situation in your life.  (This is how we taste and see that the LORD is good!)

Prayer:  Lord, I pray that You would be my Sustainer in all areas of my life.  I beg that You would be in charge of my money, relationships, moods, possessions, talents, abilities, and desires.  I pray that you would help me to give You ownership of all these things.  Help me to learn Your Word and obey It, so that I might be the example that this widow was.  Help me, LORD, to give You ALL. Amen

First Plagues, Then Freedom

"Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out." Joshua 24:5

Have you ever had moments in life where it felt like your struggles would never end? Or have you ever had a difficulty, a situation so devastating that you think you'll never get out from under it? The children of Israel did. They had come to Egypt a single family escaping a deadly famine, and had grown into a great nation living peacefully with the people who had helped and protected them. But then came a king who didn't know about Joseph, who didn't know the history of how the Israelites had come to his land. He only had paranoia and fear. He allowed this to drive God's chosen people into slavery. He even attempted gendercide to bring them down. That kind of life - being forced to labor endlessly, being treated with cruelty, and having no rights, even over the life of your own baby. That. Sucks. The children of Israel were living a nightmare, and they dreamed of a light at the end of the tunnel - a day when they would be free from oppression and fear. Enter Moses and Aaron - two men sent by God to free the slaves.

One thing I almost never think about when I examine this story - it was 10 LONG plagues. It is very tiring to hope in something that you see appear to fail almost 10 times in a row. And all the while your situation is worsening. Everything your supposed emancipators are doing is only causing greater cruelties on an already arduous existence. That's what they were facing. A long trial that didn't seem to end. A struggle where the solution seemed always just out of reach. Sound familiar?

But God said, "I plagued Egypt... and afterwards I brought you out." I've always thought about this as just being chronology. God was stating the order of how things happened. Then I realized there was more (There's always more! How awesome is that??!). God, Who loves order, the omniscient, omnipotent One, could have performed one plague. He could have started with the last one. He could have brought the children of Israel out first, BUT He had a purpose in every single one of those ten plagues!

Did you know that for every plague that God sent, one or more false Egyptian idols were demolished? And why did God do this? For the benefit of the Egyptians who would believe. There were so many by the end of the last plague who believed in the God of Israel. You see, God was removing His children from their land, and with them, His witness. Who would tell the people about the one true God with Israel gone? And being a land of wealth and power, the people didn't think that they needed the one true God. They felt that they could take care of themselves. (Sound familiar again?) The plagues were not just about punishment - they were about salvation.

God had to give the Egyptians every chance to know that He was greater than their false idols, that He was the source of their wealth, and it is God and God alone, who can grant salvation. He had to give them one more chance, and He had to leave a witness. He was taking away all of His people, so He left the legend of the Passover Lamb.

Even though those 10 plagues felt like a long process, by doing it His way, God accomplished something great. He saved more than just His people, and left a witness that spread to more than just the Egyptians. (Don't forget the people like Rahab. She became a believer from that witness, and later was in the lineage of Christ!)

So when you are facing a trial, you're under difficult circumstances, or you feel the light at the end of your tunnel is too faint, remember that God is accomplishing something bigger than you, though you may not see it right now. God has not forgotten you. Just like He heard the cries of the children of Israel, He hears you, and He will accomplish His will in your life. Only trust Him!

Online Registration

Are you ready for the retreat??  Register now to reserve your spot!

Click here to register online, or contact me to have a paper registration emailed or mailed to you.

Looking forward to seeing you, there!

God's Answers to our Needs

Have you ever thought to  yourself : if I could just ... Then I'd be happy! We all have moments when we feel that way, but did you know that the Bible answers the question - how can I find contentment? God gave the answer of how to fulfill the unquenchable need in your life thousands of years ago in the Bible. Join us the weekend of Oct 2nd - 3rd as we examine what God says & discover the blessing that He has for you!

This Year's Study...

We see the word "blessed" a lot in the Bible. So much so, we sometimes forget what it means. Blessed, especially in the Bible, is another word for "happy". Try substituting Happy for Blessed as you read verses.
For example:

"How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

Whose hope is in the LORD his God," Psalm 146:5

Ultimately in life, we want to feel complete and satisfied. We seek this through many avenues: relationships, accomplishments, religion, etc. Then we measure our success by means that are not prescribed in the Bible: i.e. comparing ourselves to others, personal ideas of what we should be, adopting whatever idea of success that society tells us. The truth is that we will never be truly fulfilled unless we are right with God. Join us this year we will be exploring what it means to find contentment in Christ. 

For more information about our upcoming retreat stay tuned to this blog or contact me at maryebobo@gmail.com. We look forward to sharing this time of study with you!

Also, a big thank you this year to Jeremy Thompson, for providing our artwork!

Meet the Speakers, Part 1

Here's a glimpse at the ladies who will be speaking this year. Since I came up with the idea of writing bios it's only fair that I go first. 

My name is

Mary-Elizabeth Bobo (yes, that’s really my last name), and I’m a member of Elizaville Christian Church near Lebanon, IN.

(This is me.)

Favorite things

·        ·         COFFEE
·         COFFEE
·         COFFEE
·         COFFEE
·         COFFEE
·         COFFEE

I     

(I probably like other things, but I can't remember them once I start thinking about coffee.)

My Ministries

I LOVE my church, and a lot of the ministries that we have going there.  I teach Sunday School & Junior church, sing (mediocrely - yes, I made up the word) in the choir, and head up our Women of Faith Group. I LOVE our WOF – we have some amazing ladies serving in our church, and I learn a lot from them.

Before coming to Elizaville I served in various other churches and ministries, including being an overseas missionary in Paris and Limoges, France.  (Where else could you get these fantastic pics? J)

With my amazing friend, Christina

I attended l’Insitut Biblique Baptiste de Paris (Paris Baptist Bible Institute) while serving overseas for three years, and graduated with my Bachelors in Missions from Indiana Baptist College, right here in Indiana. God has blessed me with a wide variety of cultures and experiences over the years, and I’m grateful for them all.

How I Became a Christian

I grew up in a Christian home. Both my dad and granddad were pastors. I was given the plan of salvation in the delivery room (Thanks, Dad!), so I thought I understood what that meant even at a very early age. One afternoon while playing with my brother, Johnny, and cousin, Matthew, the subject of heaven came up. This isn’t surprising as we all had been in church all of our lives. Matthew asked how to get heaven, and being a know-it-all at even my youngest of years, I began to spout off an incredibly incorrect list of things “to do” to earn salvation (i.e. go to church, read your Bible, etc.) My brother, only a year older than I, interrupted my heresy to explain that the ONLY way to be saved was to realize you’re a sinner and ask Jesus to save you.

Now a lot of children at very young ages say the sinner’s prayer. Because what kid wants to go to hell? And sometimes, there is no real conversion, because the poor child doesn’t really understand that they’re a sinner and need Jesus. That wasn’t the case with me. All that day, I kept thinking, IF I DIE, I’M NOT GOING TO HEAVEN. IF I DIE, I’M GOING TO HELL. I realized something important (that all know-it-alls need to grasp at some point), all the things I did which made me believe I was good enough for Heaven were NOT good enough. Jesus did not have my heart. It bothered me so much that I couldn’t sleep, and I woke my brother up, so he could explain salvation again. He prayed with me to accept Jesus as my Savior. That night a true sinner got truly saved, and I’ve never been the same.

My Favorite Verse

Save the Date for 2015!

Our retreat has been set in motion, ladies! We will be meeting on October 2nd - 3rd this fall!

We will be meeting again among the trees of the beautiful Goldman Union Camp (same locale as last year).  9349 Moore Rd., Zionsville, IN 46077