The Righteousness of God

 These are my notes from my sermon last Saturday.  Hope you enjoy :)

Romans 1:15-17

 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Introduction:

Paul is anxious to preach the Gospel in Rome. Why? Because he is proud of it! Why is he proud of the Gospel? Because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes! How does it bring salvation? Because it makes known the righteousness of God and His righteous requirements. What is the righteousness required by God? Faith!

1. Paul is anxious to preach the Gospel in Rome.
   Paul eagerly wanted to go to Rome to preach the Gospel. He was so determined to go that he was even willing to go in chains! That is what he did! Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome from Corinth and after this he was headed to Jerusalem to bring money that had been collected from the Gentile churches to help the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. On the way to Jerusalem he was told, “Don't go, they will imprison you!” But Paul was sure that this is where God wanted him to be. In Jerusalem he was indeed arrested and spent THREE YEARS in jail and traveled as a prisoner in chains to Rome. On the way he was ship wrecked and snake bit, but he arrived in Rome and was finally able to preach this Gospel. But why was he eager to preach this Gospel to those who had already believed?
   ( Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 ESV) )
   The Gospel is not just how we come to know God, but also how we live in God! We are saved through the Gospel and we are daily being saved by the same Gospel.
   ( O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?  Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?(Galatians 3:1-6 ESV))
   We start into this life with Christ by faith and we stand in it by faith, faith in the same Gospel!
2. Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel
   This is the Gospel which Paul is not ashamed to proclaim. He is eager to proclaim! Why? Because he is proud of it! This Gospel of the Christ and Him crucified is a scandal to the Jews and it is foolishness to the Greeks, but Paul knows that it is truly the wisdom of God and powerful to save those who will believe. “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18)

3. The Gospel is the power of God for Salvation
   God's power to save is not only looking back to His delivering us from slavery and bondage to sin, but also looking forward to the time when Jesus will come back with great power and glory and deliver us from this world of sin. First, when we think of God's power, we cannot think too big! We cannot over exaggerate His power and might. It was with a mighty hand and outstretched arm that God, Himself, delivered the Israelites from the hand of Pharaoh. It is by this same mighty hand that He has delivered us from the “hand” of sin. It is this same hand that Peter tells us to “humble ourselves so that at the proper time He may lift us up” (1 Peter 5:6)
4. The Gospel reveals the righteousness accepted by God
   We must humble ourselves and submit to this power if we are to be saved. What is the righteousness that God has required? Your righteousness? My righteousness? No! “Not a righteousness of my own that comes from works of the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” Philippians 3:9 Our own righteousness is not only not good enough, but it is repulsive and offensive to God. In Isaiah our own righteousness is compared to filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and Paul compares all of his righteous accomplishments, apart from Christ, as trash! (Philippians 3:8) This is the righteousness accepted by God: Jesus Christ!
5. The Righteous will live by Faithfulness
   Jesus is our righteousness! It is only by faith in Him that we can be saved! There is no righteousness, apart from that of Christ, that God will find acceptable! The righteous shall live by faith! Do you want to live? Then stop relying on your own righteous deeds and rely on Christ's. Do want power to live a life acceptable in the sight of God? Stop trying to impress Him with your good works and rest in Christ's righteousness! Jesus is our righteousness, and those who will live in Christ, must live in Him by faith is Him and His works. He has already accomplished our salvation! We must rely on Him for everything! Cease from your works and rest in Christ!
   Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
   (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

Grace Bible College Update

Namaste Y'all!

     Well, we have been here nearly two and a half weeks now and things are finally starting to run smoothly!  Thanks to the generosity and faithfulness of a few everything is going well at home. (a huge answer to my prayers)  And aside from a little upset stomach here and there, Daniel and I are doing great! 

     Our usual day goes like this: I wake up about 5:45 am, shower, go to the kitchen and make a pot of coffee, make Daniel breakfast and go and study in my office until my wife comes online on Skype and She and Autumn and Daniel and I all video chat for a little while and then about 8:00 Daniel starts math and I get ready to go down for classes in the sanctuary. 

     Classes start at 8:30 with Praise and Devotion.  Then a little after 9:00 I start my first class on the Doctrine of the Word of God.  So far in this class we have discussed the different forms of the Word of God (as a Person (Jesus), as speech, personal address, and written form (Bible))  Now we are finishing up the Canon of Scripture; how we can know that the books we have in our Bible are the right books.  Next week we start to discuss the authority, inerrancy, clarity, necessity, and sufficiency of Scripture.  A little after 10:00 we start our Doctrine of God class.  In this class so far we have discussed the existence of God and the knowability of God.  Tomorrow we will start with the Attributes of God both communicable and incommunicable.  After this Pastor Tika teaches a class on a Survey of the Scriptures and we have lunch.  After lunch we start in again with a Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Exodus!   Once a week Amit teaches on worship during this time.  The last hour of the day (usually 3-4) we have an open study period and this is also a chance for Q&A.  This is a good time for the students to ask questions about what we have covered that day or whatever is on their mind. 

     After classes are over, Daniel and I try to get out and walk around the neighborhood a bit.  Go hunt for food and explore!  This is usually just some good exercise and a chance for Daniel and I to talk.  After dinner, I am usually in my office studying and Daniel is in his room playing or watching cartoons (as long as the electricity holds out :) )

     So there is our average day!  We are having a great time and I am personally getting stretched and grown in all kinds of ways!  God is blessing us in so many ways. 

     To all of my food fans out there:  Daniel and I have been eating momos everyday.  We say that we are attempting to eat them everyday for three months, but seriously they are just good!  Buff Momos are the best!  We have also been eating all kinds of other great foods.  Momita, one of our friends here at the church, is an amazing cook!  She has made me and Daniel some foods that would drive you wild!  If you tried some of these dishes you would be ashamed of me for the stuff that I served you!  It is that good, trust me!  Homemade momos, Buff Choila, Chicken Chili so many good dishes!  She has been stuffing us so much for the last four nights that I cannot eat breakfast in the mornings!  So good!  If we open a restaurant in the States we have to get her a ticket and a visa and put her in charge in the kitchen!

     Thanks to all who have already started giving their pledges!  However, there are some that have not come in yet.  I know that it is still early and I know all those who have pledged and know your faithfulness, but this is just a reminder, because we all get busy and forget sometimes.  So far everything is going well in that area, and God has blessed and has used some faithful people to help in the areas where we were lacking.  Please just keep praying for my family (in both places).

     Sorry this is so long, but I haven't written in a while!  Thanks again (so many times over) for your prayers and support and generosity and faithfulness! 

Dhanyabad Esu!
Steve and Daniel

pictures from nepal central zoo (This is supposed to be on Daniel's Blog, but he put it on here by mistake)

Welcome to my second part sorry we didnt put a video in here because theres just 1 video the same one. 

God of Creation

"His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So that they are without excuse."  Romans: 1:20

     God's signature is written upon everything that He has created.  Look to the sky.  The stars, the moon, the planets, the infinite nature of space itself down to the simple yet ingenious system of the water cycle: evaporation - condensation - precipitation - collection.  Thousands upon thousands of gallons of heavy water is transported across miles of land to water crops and grass and trees and animals, caring for God's creation.  If the contents of one rain cloud were released all at once it might crush its recipients below, but instead it is gently released in the form of rain drops and is allowed to saturate the ground below usually without harming even the most delicate flower. (Acts 14:15-17)

     Now look to the ground.  Down to the ant and it's tightly organized society, up to the beauty and intricate nature of even something as common as grass, not to mention all the varieties of plants and trees and flowers.  Then to the depths of the oceans and all its marvelous creatures.  And lastly to the human body itself, God's crown jewel of creation, with all of its complexities.
     So corrupted is man's sanity by sin that the more his wisdom in these matters is increased, the more of God's glory is seen, the more man's denial of His existence.

     We have telescopes in space that can see further than we have ever been able to before, sending back gorgeous photographs screaming to man the name of their Creator. (Psalm 19:1-6)  The deeper we go into the oceans, the more the creative mind of God is displayed, and though we can now explore the depths of man down to the very DNA of which he is constructed and the intricacy of life never more manifested, man continues to deny their Creator.  This could only be the result of a fallen mind, so corrupted by sin, that unless this same gracious Creator God intervenes, we would never be able to see His glory.

     Open your eyes!  See the handiwork of your God!  Acknowledge Him!  Bow to Him!  And He will show more of Himself to you than you have ever known.  He has sent His Son Jesus Christ to become a sacrifice on your behalf that you might escape the wrath of a Holy God for the very sin that clouds your eyes. 

      Open your eyes!  See your sin and your need for salvation from that sin and repent and put your trust in the One who has died for your sins.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

Water Buffalo Burgers and Hindu Holidays

   

  It has been a very busy week so far, and I am not sure what I have accomplished!  Oh yeah!  I figured out how to make a tasty burger from water buffalo!  Not an easy task I assure you.  Water buffalo tends to be a bit chewy.

     Seriously though, it has been very good to be here in Nepal so far.  We have had a wonderful time of fellowship with great friends.  This is my fourth trip to Nepal and it feels much like home.  Daniel is having a good time, but he gets quite frustrated with the heavy traffic in the afternoon.  Today he got to sit up front with me on the way to Logenkhel (I'm sure I slaughtered the spelling)  It is always an exciting place to be when driving in Kathmandu. 
     We start school on September 5th, next Monday.  My brain has finally cleared from the trip and I have been able today to start preparing for my classes.  I am very excited to get started and meet my students for the next four months.  I met one yesterday.  Her name was Pramilla (I hope I spelled that right).  She is from Gorkha from the village of Tati Pokari (spelling?). 

     Tonight on the way back from the market we came through a vegetable market and I found some wonderful looking mushrooms.  They looked like Shitake mushrooms but they called them something else.  I bought a huge bag of them for about $2 and Pramita fried them and we ate them with our Water Buffalo Cheeseburgers and Nepali style mustard greens and lentils and rice.  It was a very delicious and diverse meal.

     Tomorrow they have a big ladies meeting planned that goes from 8:30 in the morning until 4:00 in the evening.  I have been invited to attend, but I have been assured that I will not be the only man there at the event.  Tomorrow is a very big Hindu holiday (don't ask me what it is called) and this is an alternative for the ladies in the church to be able to come and worship and invite their friends.  From what I understand there will be lots of food and music (and probably dancing if I know my Nepali friends, and I think I do) and games.  Evidently, I might be called upon to bark like a dog, or so I have been told.  I am sure it will be a lot of fun and I will get a chance to see a lot of my friends that I have not had the opportunity to get with up until now.  I will try to get some pictures tomorrow and put them up soon.
     Daniel is still getting settled in and he really likes his room, maybe a little too much.  His blog is unpluggedinnepal.blogspot.com but he really hasn't been as unplugged as I had hoped.  There is much electricity here and he has found a few Indian cartoons that he really likes.  He can't understand what they are saying, but he finds them hilarious nevertheless.  I am about to pull the plug on him though and put a fire under him to get on his blog.  He starts school next week and that will keep him pretty busy.  He has really taken up with Pramita and Prajowl and Momita, as well as they with him.  I will let you know when he finally posts anything.  His summer vacation is just about over!

     Keep praying for our health and for my ability to give all I can to the students over the next few months.  I am super excited about the work and looking forward to the challenge.  Also, please remember my dear wife and daughter who are left behind in Arkansas.  Stormie just got her driver's license, and I could not be more proud!  I am also a little scared :)  That is not a commentary on her abilities, but my own lack of faith in God, at times, to care for my family while I am seeking His kingdom.  Pray for them and if you are near, check in on them from time to time.

     I will try to blog again sooner than last time (and with more pictures), but the internet has been down here for the last day or so, and I haven't been able to get online.  I look forward to sharing with you in the future all that the Lord is doing in this beautiful country!

Jaimashi!
Steve

So Far

As I sit here, tired and sore, in the New Delhi Airport; it all seems like one long excruciating day blurred together with vignettes of long lines, uncomfortable seats, miserable sleep and more long lines. Ahh.. the romance of international travel!

Daniel has done great! It has been hard on him at times, but he has taken it all in stride and has even offered to carry my bags to help out at times. (He has always been a good traveler) He was upset that the airplane had a sorry movie selection. He watched Kung Fu Panda 2 and the new Pirates of the Caribbean and then just watched the flight path channel for the next 14 hours.

For all who prayed for our safety and convenience on this trip, I thank you and tell you the Lord has answered your prayers. It really has been pretty uneventful, and though we were assured that we would have to claim and check our bags in Delhi by two different AA representatives, Jet Airways took care of everything and got us our tickets for Kathmandu and got us on in to the main airport in less than three hours. (A very good time considering we just sit there and others have had to wait much longer on past trips)

So we are lounging here in the airport about 11 pm on Saturday night (Delhi time) and waiting for our plane to board at 5:30 am. Fun stuff!

Daniel had Domino's pepperoni pizza for dinner, and I had a veg curry combo platter from the Curry Kitchen. Good stuff!

Thanks for all of your prayers and support so far. Please continue to remember us and pray for Stormie and Autumn back home. By the time you read this we will be safe and sound in Kathmandu.

Jaimashi!

Steve and Daniel

The Lord is at Hand

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phillipians 4:6

   At group the other night someone quoted this verse in relation to a situation they were going through.  Their use of the verse was appropriate and in context with what they were going through.  (I'm a stickler for context)  But as they were quoting this verse I happened to look it up and noticed something that I had never seen before.  The sentence doesn't begin in verse 6.  Actually, the first part of this sentence (thought) begins at the end of the previous verse.  There is a reason given why we are not to be anxious.  Look at it:

"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. " Phillipians 4:5b-6

     We are not to be anxious because, "The Lord is at hand;"  Wow!  Now there's a reason not to be anxious!  Now, while I do believe this speaks to the Lord's proximity to us, it really is speaking more to His soon return. (I see no reason why both can't be taken as true from this verse) 

     Not only are we not to be anxious because He is near to us and watching out for us, but we are to consider our ultimate end.  True, things may look shaky now and everything is going wrong and you might even be scared for your very life, but "The Lord is at hand!"  Don't worry!  Jesus is coming back and we will reign victorious with Him FOREVER!  It will ultimately end for His glory and our good!  (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:11)

     David when pondering why the righteous suffered and the wicked prospered said, "until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." Psalm 73:17 

     If David can take heart considering the destruction of the ungodly, surely we must take great hope realizing our ultimate glorious salvation; in our departure from the presence of sin and it's cruel effects and our eternity glorifying the One who has rescued us from it. 

     This, I believe, is a wonderful reason not to be anxious!