Emma's School Has Collapsed

Here's the news from Samuel I received over the weekend.

"Dear Bro Jason, on saturday morning, the supporting wall of our
Emma's home where we gather was collapsed with a loud voice. It was
arround 5 am in the morning.
A girl by name Mahabubi called to us and informed to us. Ohhhhh,it
was collapsed.. . but thank God, we were not there when this damage is caused..
So, me and vinod went to the place and removed fans, Tube lights.
Power was cut ..

We have brought mats , and other things from there... The pictures are taken..
Wait for another 6 hours to see these photos..
Ohhh, it has been heavily raining since a week...and the walls wet
with and become soft..

So Bro, yesterday ( sunday), we were there, but parents did not
send the children to us..It was watery and wet.. I am just praying
and thinking what to be done..
we thought it does not happen now, but happened.. Right now, no
houses are available even for rent in that locality..Pray for God's
direction.

Please tell our Family members about this Sad News..
Hoping GOd will revive this work for His glory..amen.
I will be here tonight to chat with you if you are available.( if rain stops).
in Hyderabad, yesterday, 2 houses were collapsed, and parents died,
but children survived.. so sad tragedy.. This is what we have in our
state.,.

Covetting your Prayers,
yours Brother in Praying for direction,
Pastor Kota Samuel

Just another drifter?

I sit in church and wonder "How do I allow myself to drift from Christ during the week?!"

He is SO good and it feels SO good when we come together to worship him.

On the other hand it feels kind of empty. We are just people and this is just a building. What I TRULY desire is not the church but Christ Himself!  I get frustrated with myself because I allow life to become SO important. I work so much that I worry about finding play time. When I play I work at playing hard. When I rest I work hard at resting as much as I can.

From time to time I throw in some lawn mowing, car repairs, home repairs... Not to mention trying to be a husband and father.
"You are either making much of Christ or making much of the world" Pastor Rick says. Well my life is filled with the world all day every day.

I hate that!

I find my life absorbed by something that will all quickly fade away. Other than my family I leave no legacy. I will die and none of the business of the day that absorbs my life will matter.

You see, that is where I was in the beginning when I came to Christ.
I knew my life didn't offer any lasting fruit. I knew I often had wrong motives. I knew I was living for a world that passes away rather than for a Kingdom that is eternal.

Why work and live for what is passing away when you can live your life for Jesus Christ through whom all things were created and FOR whom all things were created. (Colossians 1:16)

Oh I feel like such a fool when I live for the world!

Sometimes I dream of being in the ministry. I figure if Christ was my job each day, I would obviously be living for Him.

Ah, not so!

There are many pastors and people in ministry who's hearts are just as far from Christ as mine.

What is the problem and what is the solution?

The problem is the sin in our hearts that rejects Christ on a daily basis and follows after this world and the things of this world.
1 John 2:15-17 says "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (Verse 16) For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is NOT of the Father but is of the world. (Verse 17) And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

So again as Pastor Rick says "You are either making much of Christ or making much of the world"

If He is the Father than by faith you are His child. What kind a child are you?  You disobey, run away and don't come home to Him. You cause yourself all kinds of trouble and THEN you want Him to fix the trouble YOUR sin has caused only so you can run right back into the arms of sin and the world.

You think you can spend your life chasing the world?  When you die what will you say?  Let me come live in Your heaven even though I lived as your enemy?

OK what we will really say is "I tried to be a good person. My heart was always near you."

Yet our actions each day betray Him.

God is no fool and you can not fool Him.
We only fool ourselves.
Let's face the fact that we are just foolish children who think we have it all figured out.

OK the solution:
I know it begins in my heart.
I must pray that my heart would even be turned to pursue Him
Next, I must keep Gods word flowing through my mind. Scripture is an amazing thing.

It does amazing things to your heart and mind. In it you not only get to know God, but also the folly of mankind.

If you take in more scripture than you world, it will begin to make you think more like Christ and in turn make you act more like Christ.
I love my sin and so like a sick man who can not eat I push away the plate when Gods word is there to nourish me.

I must turn my heart to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I call Him my Lord, its time for me to act like He is my Lord!  (My master, my king, my LORD!)

Update from Pastor Samuel 8/17/10

Pastor Samuel has been preaching FAR away from home. On the other side of India. He is back and sends this update and greeting.

"Precious Brother Jason in the Lord,
Thank God for His enablement to do the ministry in Bhadravathi.. On
sunday, I gave baptisms for 6 people.. They used to believe in
Sprinkling.. but , they were immersed ..Praise God that this Lutheran
church took a stand for Immersion mode of Baptism.
And I have preached 3 sermons and I was reported that the church
was blessed by the sermons.. Praise God.. If God willing, I may
visit them again..
Brother, you are there in my mind always and I prayed for you..
And we thank you and Bro Adam and Bro Jeannie and MOm Louise for
sending Support. Each penny is used in the ministry and I will come up
with the update on Emma's ministry here..
We thank God for you all and keep praying for us.. And we wish you
to come soon to India and preach to us..
Bro Jason, I will try to be here on online tonight,
Regards to you and all,
yours Brother in the Lord,
Pastor Kota Samuel
B.Th.,M.Th.
# 7-6-1149/1, Sanjeevaiah Nagar Extension
Guntur-522002
Andhra Pradesh state
India

Latest Pics from India

I can't remember if I posted this video on this blog or not. I know I put it on facebook.

Anyway, here's some fairly recent pictures of India