A new ministry opportunity

In case you weren't at FBC Marlow today . . . . sometime after Falls Creek I will be transitioning from Student Pastor to LIFE pastor. If you aren't connected to our church, that essentially means that I will be running the day to day operations of our gym (LIFE Center), working with small groups, & the adult Sunday School classes for parents of College students down to the college students themselves, as well as having a role in outreach. I am excited about this new ministry opportunity as it will allow me to do something I have always wanted to do in the Recreation ministry and a basketball gym!!!!! I will also be able to hang out with students in the LIFE center after school (STILL WORKING WITH STUDENTS!!!) Plus, through my 4 years+ here at Marlow, I have a burden for a few areas that I hope to help reach more people. God willing, we can begin a new singles ministry & strengthen up our College/Career area (most are my former students already!!!) You might be wondering how this affects our current LIFE pastor. Good question! He is going to be transitioning to our Senior Adult pastor as well. He is not leaving, and neither am I. What it does mean is that we will immediately begin the process of finding the best student pastor possible, and I will get to have a role in helping that happen. I have been a student pastor since 1996 minus the 4 years of seminary. So to leave this area of ministry was a step of faith for me, but it was one I could see coming. I didn't expect it to come so soon, but as I sit back and look, it just fits me where I am now-what God has brought me to, plus it allows me to serve in a church that is alive & that I love. It isn't like I was in trouble or in danger of losing my job if I didn't take it, the opportunity was presented and after praying through it, we are at peace about this and excited about it. When I looked at this, our pastor looked at this, the deacons looked at this, we all came to a similar conclusion. Why didn't we think of this sooner? It will cause my role with students to be different, but my role with students will not change in that I will working with them from a different vantage point in the LIFE center. I aim to help the next student pastor as needed and continue help students serve now as well as prepare for their future in being lifelong disciples of Jesus. I believe our student ministry will go higher & reach more students as we get the right person that God desires for this position. The students need that, the adult volunteers need that, and I believe that God will take us to places with students, their families, and enlarging the Kingdom in ways we can't imagine or even dream. I look forward to seeing that firsthand & being amazed at what God has done.

Can Satan influence Christ Followers?

Something hit me as I started reading the Word this morning. I am reading in 1 Chronicles 21:1. "Satan rose up against Israel" (as if Satan were ever for Israel, since Israel was chosen by God, but I digress) "and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel." I am reminded of how followers of God can be used by Satan for Satan's desires (which go against God's). God had already told Israel not to take a census. Satan got David to disregard God's Word. Isn't that how Satan gets me? He causes me not to believe God's Word or choose to ignore or "forget" it. Go to the New testament, it happened to 2 of the disciples. Judas was impacted by Satan and never recovered. Peter was also. No, I am not being heretical. Matthew 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Isn't that what happens every time we give in/fall/doubt God's Word/act of what Satan is tempting us with? We do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. Just had to share this thought from the Word. This was for me, but I hope it helps whomever reads this. For His Glory & Renown, Jeremy

A passage of Scripture I have struggled with until . . .

Ever had a passage of Scripture that you have read countless times and you just didn't get why God did what He did, and why? I have way too many, but on this day I actually did some research/reading in depth on one. 1 Chronicles 13:9-14. It is also in 2 Sam 6:6-7. David is moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The Ark is the representation of God's presence to the people of Israel. It is a time of celebration until . . . the oxen stumble. A man named Uzzah reaches out to steady the Ark of God. He doesn't it to fall and get damaged. His motives appear pure & right. David's motives appear to be pure and right until . . . . Don't you hate those . . . ? Why was God angry? Why did this guy have to die? I didn't get it until . . . 1 Chron 13:1 tells us that David consulted his officials. Sounds good, right. He sought wise counsel. But what I didn't see until today was that David didn't seek after God. He did in 2 Sam 5:19, 23. He sought his friends and not God. But wait before we go jumping on David, how many times do we (I) do the very same thing? We ask our close friends for counsel and fail to ask God? I am guilty! But there is even more that I missed and we miss unless we do the background. I discovered God gave specific ways to move the Ark. Numbers 4:4, the Ark must be covered with the veil or inner curtain of the Tent of Meeting. Numbers 4:15, they must not touch the Ark but use carrying poles, and it must be carried by the Kohathites clan of the tribe of Levi. The warning was that if you touch it, you will die. This isn't looking good for David right now or Uzzah. If we look in Numbers 7, the Kohathites were not given a cart or oxen to carry the Ark or sacred objects, but they were to carry them on their shoulders with the carrying poles. So my question is where did David come up with this idea of putting the Ark on a cart pulled by oxen? The answer is not good for David or Uzzah. It comes from their enemy, the Philistines. Go read 1 Sam 6. These people did not know God's law of handling the Ark. They used a new cart and had 2 cows that had just calved to pull the cart. David did the same thing as the Philistines, the people who did not worship God. I had always read that and thought, how could God do that? How could He be so mad over something so innocent? Yet it was David, the man after God's own heart who missed this. It was Uzzah, who didn't follow God's instructions. It wasn't just one sin, it was one sin leading to another. David did not seek God. It seemed right to the people, but no one sought after God. I wonder how many times have I sought man's approval and not God's, and I missed out or caused catastrophes in my life or other's. The issue was that David disregarded God's Word and God's warnings. Uzzah disregarded God's Word & warning. Consulting our peers is no substitute for following God's Word when He has clearly spoken. Good intentions with sinful human counsel interfere with the kingdom of God. Because God is holy and all-knowing, why don't I go to HIM, and listen/wait on His answer rather than going to a person who doesn't know all, see all, and have my best interest at heart. No wander Jesus said we are like sheep. Sheep are dumb, and I are dumb. Oh wait . . . there it is again. Maybe I will learn from this . . . . .