Help my students to know Him

Hello guys/gals, I teach at a univ. in Asia. This semester there have been 4 students who have been the most interested in learning about the bible. But they all have certain walls, especially the "the idea of a Gd is a silly idea" which they have been told and taught their whole life.

ALL of these say they do not yet believe in the idea of God.
The idea of the gospel is totally foreign to them, as it is to everyone I guess. The fact that their works cannot make them right with God is such a strange idea to them. I'll describe them in terms they have used to talk to me.

Loretta - I have had some hard times, my father is abusive, my grandmother was a christian and I want to be a christian but I don't know what that is and I enjoy my sin.

James - I had never thought about the possibility of there being a God but this book seems to be different than the philosophies I've read in the past, they seem so distant but this book seems to be living.

Daniel - I am a good person and I do many good things and the idea that our works can't save us is very discouraging for me since I work so hard to be a good person for that reason.

Wayne - I believe in algebra because it is truth and beauty. I believe that faith has been proved illogical and so it can't be true but I am surprised that the bible says things so differently than I have ever thought about them.

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If you could lift them up and ask for God to do His thing that would be wonderful.

I'll be praying with you for them.

Here is a sermon that you might find encouraging as you share Christ with your students:

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=18861&commentView=itemComments

It's called: God Uses Foolish Things by Jackie Pullinger

Thank you I have listened to that one before,but I will give it another listen, it is very encouraging for this place I live. Thanks for your prayers as well :)

i recommend listening to this sermon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0QePR44tZM

Everything Outside of Christ is Rubbish - Zac Poonen
...self righteousness is also rubbish
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"It seems with mere observation that the sun revolves around the earth, but it is otherwise. And did you know that the earth's rotation speed is about 450 meters per second (faster than sound!), yet we don't even feel it. "I don't feel God", well, it does not change the fact that HE IS what HE IS. Trust Him, don't depend on your "logic"."

Daniel says," I am a good person and I do many good things ant the idea that our work's can't save us is very discouraging for me since I work hard to be a good person for that reason"

O for the graceful revelation of our incredible God. He who obliterates all concept and notion of our goodness. May God reveal Himself to these students and give them a new education in the Spirit of Higher learning and may they in turn become professors who teach those around them the truth of God.

Madmatg,

I hope I'm not presumptious in writing the below. If so, pls forgive me. I know you asked for prayers, but I thought the below might be helpful to you

I have had some limited experience in doing devotions and sharing the gospel with students (although not university level) before. And even with that limited/short time, I have seen how God helped me and the students.

What I do is pray to God to teach me what to say, how to share, how to relate to their lives and so on besides just praying for the students. Its not about just changing the students, its also about changing/molding you, equipping you to do His work. Whenever, the student comes up with questions, you need to pray and find the appropriate bible verse to answer them and explain to them. Not only that, pray with them. That's the way I believe.

For example if Daniel were to say what you have written, I will say something like this :

[Daniel - I am a good person and I do many good things and the idea that our works can't save us is very discouraging for me since I work so hard to be a good person for that reason.]

You know Matthew 11:30 says my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Now, when Christ becomes your saviour and Lord, He will start changing you. You will find that you do want to do good things and you will pray to Him to help you do good things when you find it hard/lazy to do so.

Of course, you will also need to touch on that good works does not save us, only faith in Jesus does ...... However, when you are saved, you will find yourself changing to want to do good works and quote the relevant bible verses.

Ask him whether he's interested in knowing more about God, Jesus. If so, pray with him on asking God for help in opening his eyes. If he comes back to you again saying there have been no/hardly any changes, say that you must persist. When you seek God with all your heart, soul and mind, you will find Him........

If you have done things like this, pls forgive me for repeating what you already know.

Lord, I lift up madmatg and his students to you Lord. Please change and mold them. Open their eyes and teach them your ways so that they might know, love and honor you. In Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen.

I can associate my past life with Daniel and Wayne. When I was a Hindu I used to think like Daniel, I used to believe that my good will balance my evil. Though it sounds logical, it is not. By doing Good we can never change our inner being to love doing good. When the opportunity strikes we will do evil. If my good can balance out my evil then what is wrong in someone killing me and then distribute half of my wealth to poor? He has done enough good to wipe out his evil.

Regarding Wayne, all of us who have studied science at some point trend to believe the lies that Science teaches us, I was a firm believer in evolution when I was a Hindu. But now I know if evolution is true then God cannot exist. To such people we need to show the proof of existence of God visible in every creation of his (Romans 1). The arguments of creationism clearly shows us the probability of such complex beings formed out of mere coincidence is very less (almost 0) that only a fool will believe in them.

@joliboy11 - Thank you for the suggestion on the sermon I will do my best to listen to it this coming week.

@lylewise - amen friend

@learn - thank you very much for your guiding here, I have been taught most of these things before that you mentioned but if you knew me you will know that all the time I need reminders like yours :)

@sree - yes, yes very encouraging to hear a testimony from someone similar to my students! I hope they can one day say something very similar to what you have written here! :)

---- We had another meeting tonight and we are continuing to go through Luke, I was able to find a godly woman here to sort of hand loretta off to (not as though I was throwing her away, I just told her that she might be able to answer questions better since she was a woman also). As for Daniel, James, and Wayne they continue to want to learn about Him but have not come to a place where they are ready to repent and believe. If you have time please pray for them during this time, we have about 3 weeks left until the semester ends and they will go back home for about a month. I thank God for this ability to ask for requests from brothers and sisters all over the world!

Phil 4:4-7

You are welcome madmatg. And thank you for the gracious reply. I need lots of reminders myself and am always writing down what I need to know as I do not have a good memory, so can erfectly understand you.

Lord, I lift up the students to you Lord. Plant a seed in them, let it germinate. Even while they are still here or when they go back home, let them read the bible. Stir their hearts Lord, make them curious, make them ask and lead them to the right person/people that will bring them to Christ. I also pray for my brother-in-Christ here madmatg, Lord that you use him mightily. That you give him wisdom and discernment on how to guide the students and anyone that you bring to him. Let him not be discouraged but know your power and your love in ever increasing amounts. In Jesus's precious name amen.

You are welcome madmatg. And thank you for the gracious reply. I need lots of reminders myself and am always writing down what I need to know as I do not have a good memory, so can erfectly understand you.

Lord, I lift up the students to you Lord. Plant a seed in them, let it germinate. Even while they are still here or when they go back home, let them read the bible. Stir their hearts Lord, make them curious, make them ask and lead them to the right person/people that will bring them to Christ. I also pray for my brother-in-Christ here madmatg, Lord that you use him mightily. That you give him wisdom and discernment on how to guide the students and anyone that you bring to him. Let him not be discouraged but know your power and your love in ever increasing amounts. In Jesus's precious name amen.

You are welcome madmatg. And thank you for the gracious reply. I need lots of reminders myself and am always writing down what I need to know as I do not have a good memory, so can erfectly understand you.

Lord, I lift up the students to you Lord. Plant a seed in them, let it germinate. Even while they are still here or when they go back home, let them read the bible. Stir their hearts Lord, make them curious, make them ask and lead them to the right person/people that will bring them to Christ. I also pray for my brother-in-Christ here madmatg, Lord that you use him mightily. That you give him wisdom and discernment on how to guide the students and anyone that you bring to him. Let him not be discouraged but know your power and your love in ever increasing amounts. In Jesus's precious name amen.

Amen, amen

We will be having our next meeting tomorrow night, pry for their salvation. We will be beginning Jesus teaching and ministry this week in Luke so pray that they will find Him tomorrow night(your tomorrow morning if you are in america time.

Not sure whether the meeting is over or not as I have no idea the time and date shown here is based on what time. Guess, I will know when I post this as I'll look at the time printed,lol.

But, no I'm not in America. I'm in Asia.
Anyway, will say a prayer for them today. Luke is a good book. Any topics to do with Jesus is always good. God bless.

thanks for pryers, we studied and had good conversation about Gd and who/what He is like from Luke 4. Than you all for praying. :)

I did not read all the responses to your question but do have one suggestion.

Have you ever listened to Ravi Zacharias' talks? His mission is to intellectuals, ministers a lot on university campuses, majors in apologetics. He deals with issues like you mentioned.

You can go to Ravi's website and check on the broadcast archives and listen to his sermons. Ravi, BTW, was born in India and now lives in Atlanta, GA so he is familiar with the mindset of those that question God. I find his sermons intellectually inspiring.

God bless.

@ginnyrose - Thanks for the heads up, I have done a few messages with Ravi but I haven't studied from Him, I'll put it up in prayer and see what He says :)

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The study went well tonight, they had some good questions and hope that the answers I gave were what God will use to open their hearts to believe His gospel. Next week will be the last week for it until the next semester when they come back.

Thank you all again for praying!