Hi bob, Thank you for sending me more to read! I also checked out the third watch website and I think it’s great what you’re doing for students like me. I read the story about the wooden people and I thought it was a great example of what you explained to me about God and how we are the ones to allow Him into our lives and that He will be there, loving us, because He made us. One day, I hope to have the confidence that Lulia has though. I will try to come on Wednesday if I am not working. Thank you, Jordin
Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Above is an email note I got from Jordin in response to a story and a Bible Study I sent her after she had prayed to receive Christ at College of DuPage. You can hear the story I sent her here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15QuHygLwFU
I don’t often hear back from students who pray with me. I bump into many at school and chat them up. But being an evangelist for our calling proves to have only a few we disciple and hang out with, though most are already going to church. The real life of ministry we have practically has turned out to be much like Phillip the Evangelist in Acts 8. In verse 39 it reads, “And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.” The Holy Spirit leads me to many who would know Him, but I do not have the pleasure of teaching them much after going through the Gospel and explaining to them about the Holy Spirit’s work in their life thereafter. I feel a bit snatched away at times, though nothing quite like the Star Trek experience Phillip had in Acts 8. Since doing Evangelism for a while beginning in 2002, I have realized God would not be asking me to disciple the majority of those I preached to who received Christ. And I could not. But God, through His Holy Spirit, is able to keep them, having entered them if they have genuinely believed on Jesus’ work on the Cross to save them. I explained the work of the Holy Spirit to one girl, Sabrina, this year that did not believe. She said her problem with Christianity was the sacrifice of Christ for her sins. She thought the details of Christ’s horrible sacrifice seemed like too
much to cover her meager infractions like “being unkind to her sister.” I explained her real problem was ontological. “Ontology is the study of being in Philosophy,” I told her. “Your problem is your being does not match God’s being. It’s like Heaven is water and you do not have the gills you need to exist there. Christ’s sacrifice can cleanse you of all sin so God could enter into you and like is says in the book of Ezekiel ‘change your heart of stone for a heart of flesh’. The crucifixion is horrible and covers horrible crimes. But it happened that way because Jesus said He would fall into the hands of sinful men and they would do to Him whatever they wished. [Matt. 17:12, Luke 24:7] Lambs were not tortured to cover sin in the sacrificial system and all that was necessary for Christ to do was to die, life for a life.” I told her God could then enter her and make her able to breathe in Heaven. I persuaded her to take the Student Edition of The Case for Christ to read in the hope she might turn and I pray for her.
Christianity is Being, Knowing and Doing. All of these are part of the Christian life. But all come from God and first, before anything else, there must be a change in Being. Only the Holy Spirit can do this, and without Him an unbeliever will not be convicted of their sin and need for a savior [John 16:8]. Are you sometimes surprised or a bit shocked by the godless behavior of other people you read about or are talked about in media? It is possible they do not think they have done anything wrong, but your own being is changed if He lives in you, so it is different. [1Cor. 6:10,11] Then God can begin to transform our knowing [2Cor. 3:18, Eph. 1:17,18. 3:19]. Then our knowing begins to transform our doing and visa versa. In the following verses you can see this process. First God transforms their being, filling them then with Knowledge, which can only happen because the Holy Spirit can now fill a life cleansed by the Grace of Christ’s blood through faith. This spiritual wisdom and understanding comes through Paul’s prayers for them, and so I also pray each night for those who have prayed to receive Christ. Then having this knowledge they can do what pleases God, “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”. Colossians 1:9&10 “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Our piece of this is primarily to preach the Gospel, that God might change their being. From there, through His power, we hope and pray they might be transformed to live the Christian life, guided by His Spirit if they have truly believed. I talk to some through the year and there are people who attend Bible study each week at school. I have gone through the Gospel with about 190 students this semester. I often pray there would be more students at bible study, but I have to trust in God’s plan to preach the Gospel as Ellen and I don’t have the stamina to disciple so many. We both continue to work part-time at other jobs to help provide for our needs and God works, as He will, in His good pleasure.
These are the students who have come to Christ this semester:
Berto, Jake, Kaichelle, Kayla, Jose, Arielle, Dustin, Matt, Kiara, Jevante, Kiera, Rashundra, Lonie, Aleena, CJ, Burnelle, Lorn, Andrew, Daniella, Ana, Chelsea, Maria, Caitlan, Zam, Nettie, Courtney, Christian, Daniela, Kayla, Adriana, Ruby, Leesha, Paola, Cody*, Atche(H) , Sabrina, Sheridan, Mackenzie, Dannielle, Jason, Dontate, Michael, Kialah, Ryan, Jordin, Phabian, Jeanna, Paul, Eden, Loni, Jake, Michael, Deonte, Zachary, Sandra, Angela, Alex, Sean, Allie*
We are grateful for another semester to serve the Lord with our ministry. Thank you for your prayers and financial support. May you be blessed this Christmas season.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
email: bob.thirdwatch@sbcglobal.net
In Him, Bob & Ellen website: www.thethirdwatch.org
To donate online to our college ministry:
http://www.razoo.com/story/Third-Watch-Ministries-Nfp