Chatting with Emmy

Sept 29, 2009

I chatted tonight online with Emmy. She needed prayer for her son, and sins shes struggling with. She wants to luve rightly and be a good witness for her adult son too. May it encourage you and help you as you reach out to people you know or meet.

Born Again Christian: Greetings. I'm here to help you with information on this site, help you get to know God better, and assist you with learning why you need Jesus and how to obey the gospel.
emmy has joined.
Born Again Christian: Good evening Emmy, How may I assist you
emmy: good afternoon!
emmy: lol
Born Again Christian: lol
Born Again Christian: Different times for different people
Born Again Christian: Where are you located?
emmy: its 12 mid day here in Japan
emmy: how are you
Born Again Christian: Im well. thank you.
Born Again Christian: I know someone in Japan
emmy: wow! where about?
Born Again Christian: Good question. LOL. She was in a city I cant pronounce (hehehe) but recently moved with her sister to another area there.
emmy: I am a Tanzanian living here in Japan
Born Again Christian: neat
Born Again Christian: So How Can I help you tonight with knowing God better?
emmy: i dont have much Christian company here. so i always grab chances like this one to chat online.
Born Again Christian: I see.
Born Again Christian: Ok,
Born Again Christian: So tell me, when did you see your need for Jesus?
emmy: well, i have always seen the need for Jesus but one thing or the other was holding me back
Born Again Christian: What do you believe is the "need" people have for Jesus?
emmy: this year i said no. i will go Jesus way. i failed after a few days because i put my strength in myself.
Born Again Christian: Would you agree that "sin" or a sin that someone really doesnt want to give up, is the reason that someone is "held back" or "holds them back"?
Born Again Christian: In my experience (in talking with others) that is the case
emmy: exactly
emmy: but i later realized that i had to put all my luggage in one pack and bundle them at the cross and let Him do the rest
Born Again Christian: What is the “luggage” you left at the cross?
emmy: lots!. adultery to start with
emmy: judging others
emmy: anger
emmy: bad speech
emmy: unforgiving others
emmy: lots… but the main was adultery
emmy: i was so misserable
Born Again Christian: Are you married? [going use this to Q to define adultery]
emmy: wanted to give him up. couldnt. feeling pitty for him. doubting how life could be without him ......
emmy: no iam not married
Born Again Christian: so how do you know you committed adultery?
emmy: but was living with a man who was married back home. he has been alone. i met him years ago and been living with him
Born Again Christian: I see.
emmy: is that adultery, or is it sexual immorality?
Born Again Christian: Actually (and to much shock to most people) adultery (in its original language meaning from the Bible) means so much more....
emmy: what does it mean?
Born Again Christian: It includes sexual thoughts, looking at things sexually (so magazines and movies would certainly be able to be included here), having sex before marriage,
Born Again Christian: also, it includes being with someone who is married, and your not the spouse,
it also includes sex with animals, with someone of the same gender, and so much more
Born Again Christian: Its not just connected with marriage
Born Again Christian: that's a misconception from church teachings, trying to make it simple for those they teach, their definition is more like a kindergarden definition that is never fully explained to an older person who goes to church. So they fail to do that correctly when the people get older. And so society thinks it only means one thing, when it totally means so much more
emmy: that doesnt exclude me does it :(
Born Again Christian: Most everyone (not just men) are guilty of doing that. And you’re right, it doesn’t exclude you.
Born Again Christian: We are each responsible for our own actions before God
emmy: certainly
emmy: yes...we both are guilty. unfortunately he hasnt seen that it is wrong to do either. im praying for him to see to see the truth i have seen
Born Again Christian: well its something to hope for and pray for, but not everyone will agree about the truth of it. People have treasured sins that they couldn’t imagine to give up for anything
emmy: i know. but we keep our hope that they wont perish
Born Again Christian: on that note, can i ask you some things about your conversion - turning to Jesus?
emmy: yes
midou has joined.
Born Again Christian: Midou, welcome. Please hold your questions a minute
Born Again Christian: (Please be as specific as possible), What was the reason you believe you needed Jesus?
emmy: i am not sure i can be specific enough. but the thought that i was breaking Gods commandments kept me uneasy.
Born Again Christian: So do you believe that your need for Jesus was to save you from your crimes against God (against His Law)?
midou has left.
emmy: at that time my mind is that my son is stuck on alcohol. there was a time i cried on the phone and told my son he doesnt love us otherwise he would stop drinking.
Born Again Christian: well addiction is something that people slowly let control them. they seek comfort in it instead of in God who promises to comfort and care for us
Born Again Christian: it's unfortunate that people get involved with alcohol.
emmy: you know what, for a while was a voice telling me......”but you are also on the same boat with your son. why do you keep on breaking my laws”
emmy: that if you yourself can not get out of adultery, how culd i think my son could. it became worse. i was miserable. then it said...you should repent before you can ask others to repent
Born Again Christian: Everyone is in the same boat, if we dont take the rope of rescue that Jesus offers us, then we are under God's wrath and our sins make us enemies of God.
Born Again Christian: ok. well. lets look at a few points here then. Just to go over it and give you something to think about today. Would that be ok?
emmy: ok
Born Again Christian: ok
Born Again Christian: Can you tell me what it means to "repent". do you know the definition? (give it a try, if you cant get it out right - I'll explain it)
emmy: i dont think i know. but for me it meant...there was nothing i could do by myself. but i should confess all my sins i know of and those i dont know. and ask Jesus to be in control of my life
Born Again Christian: you’re on the right track…
Born Again Christian: Repentance means to Call out to God, to not only admit your a sinner, but to ask Jesus to forgive you for all your sins. When you cry out to God, your hearts desire is to forsake any and all sin (from that day forward). To no longer want to sin (even though you'll make mistakes and do it again, but you will struggle against it and temptation to do what is displeasing towards God).
Born Again Christian: Is that your understanding of the word Repentance also?
emmy: yes
Born Again Christian: Your right that there's nothing you can do by yourself. God is the one who redeems us through Christ Jesus, based on his work on the cross. We need to receive the free gift and God applies it to our debt account/court case.
Born Again Christian: Do you believe that Jesus Christ has paid your debt (sin debt) to God, by His work on the cross? that your debt is paid in full by Jesus blood and death?
emmy: yes. thats the basis of salvation of what I know
Born Again Christian: To obey the gospel command is to (1) Repent and (2) Trust in Jesus.
Born Again Christian: When Jesus started his ministry the first warning he gave and thing he said regarding salvation was: “Unless you repent, you will perish.” Luke 13:3
Jesus stated this more specifically: “Jesus told them, it is written, that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations.” Luke 24:46-47
Born Again Christian: Have you had a talk with God where you repented of your sins and trusted in Christ? (its a one time event)
emmy: meaning??!!
Born Again Christian: oh...
Born Again Christian: I mean have you ever prayed to God (somewhere just between you and God) where you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, for God to forgive you, and at that time you placed your trust in Jesus Christ's work on the cross (his shed blood and death) to pay your fine in full.Born Again Christian: Its something you only do once
Born Again Christian: like a "come to God" conversation with God
emmy: yes
emmy: i went to God and said...here i am. i have failed miserably for depending on myself and in the process sinned against you. Please forgive and im so sorry. and take over. help me to obey you. help me to listen when you talk
Born Again Christian: So when you talked to God, you realized your serious situation before God, that God as a Just and Holy and Righteous God must by nature punish sin, and that sin's wages is death and eternity in Hell
Born Again Christian: you talked to him and in that conversation not only told him you were sorry for depending on yourself (like any works or trying to be better to get God’s approval, by what is called self-righteousness) but that you repented of your sins. Sins are crimes you have committed against God, violating the 10 commandments.
Born Again Christian: reflecting on that: God tells us in James that if we break one commandment we break the whole law.
emmy: yes, true
Born Again Christian: Sin is transgression of the Law
emmy: yes
Born Again Christian: But that God, by Jesus Christ, by his sacrifice on the cross, offered you a way to be rescued from the judgment and eternal punishment.
Born Again Christian: God's Grace and Mercy was extended to you by The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
emmy: yes. i asked for forgiveness cause the wages of sin is death
Born Again Christian: wonderful.
Born Again Christian: So even though you have problems in this life, and temptations just as any other human does, you can rest in the promises of God (for He is not a liar, and always does what He says He will). Philippians 3:13, we, through Jesus Christ, are to "Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." God has created us a new person with new and right desires that are "God-ward" not self centered. Our desires are to be towards God and no longer to the former ways and desires of our life before we came to Christ. à2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come.” And the Bible says that we now "have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 1:16).
emmy: yes & Amen
Born Again Christian: That’s Great Emmy. Praise the Lord
emmy: we are new. the old person is dead
emmy: a new one have been created
Born Again Christian: Exactly!
Born Again Christian: You know, not many people realize Jesus said we have to Repent and trust in His Work on the Cross (nothing else).
emmy: we have to. without repenting there is no forgiveness. Dont matter how much we try to follow the rules and regulations we need Jesus.
emmy: we have to be born again
Born Again Christian: Exactly. That's also what Jesus said.
Born Again Christian: And we are born again by obeying the Gospel message
Born Again Christian: the gospel command is what God commands us to obey
emmy: yes
Born Again Christian: so as Phillippians 3:13 says above, “we are to look forward to what lays ahead” such as our eternity with Christ. On earth we persevere in the godly things in this life, center our life on Christ, do our best to show our gratitude towards Christ and love Him "Because He first loved us."
emmy: we know who God is and what God wants...from his Word. the Bible. and his purpose for mankind
Born Again Christian: That is absolutey true.
emmy: the more we read the bible the more we know God
Born Again Christian: In The Old and New Testament God has revealed special information to us, and it helps us to live a godly life and follow Jesus example!
emmy: yes.
Born Again Christian: So is there anything Else I can help you with tonight?
emmy: please pray for my son. i dont think you have much time that i can explain his problem to you
Born Again Christian: Its ok. God knows the situation. I will pray about it, and for your patience and love during all that situation too
emmy: Amen
Born Again Christian: A website you may find helpful, Emmy, as you live for Christ
is http://www.sbcfellowship.com/
emmy: thank you so much
emmy: God Bless, & thank you for listening
Born Again Christian: You're welcome. Have a blessed evening, and I look forward to meeting you in Heaven!

I thanked the Lord for this chat I had with a professing Christian tonight. I rarely run into anyone who appears to be a born again believer (protestant). I hoped that I was able to encourage her in the Scriptures, in the things of Christ, and through all the things she encounters in life, now and in the future. I hope that the way I explained things to her will help her share the gospel with others; articulate it, and explain it to those she meets. Please pray for Emmy's situation with her son, and that she will resist temptations to get involved with/date anyone in the future who is not "single" and that she will grow strong in the knowledge of Scripture and her trust in the Lord will never waiver but always grow more and more until the Lord returns or calls her to heaven.

Entitled: "A Day with Youth", or, "Any good tract will do"

Friday, April 18. 2008

I love daylight saving time. The sun is up longer and I get to go out and talk to people about the Lord, whom wouldn’t be out and about if the sun was already setting. The young people are still out and it seemed I ran into them more than adults, though there were a few there; including an African woman with her children who said she was saved. And some older Jewish or Catholic people on a bench who received tracts from me.

There were people lined up by the hundreds to see a new movie, and I walked down the line handing out two different ones that I had from FellowshipTractLeague. While these fail in comparison to the artwork that pops from the Living Waters tracts, they are still useful in reaching people with the word of God. Whenever people asked me what they were, I would say “They are gospel tracts about Jesus”. Some took them and some did not, (probably thinking it was cult materials), and only a couple of them gave it back. I gave out probably a hundred or so tracts in the line. I would say “Ladies, here’s something to read while you are in line. And I’ll give you [a friend standing with them] a different one.” That seemed to help get them into people’s hands.

I finished with that and then walked down the sidewalk to the furthest light handing out tracts. Again, many people reject them because they think it is material coming from a cult, or religious people. When I got to the light I ran into three 21 year olds, who were gathered around a bench. We had a conversation based on the question on the front of the tract “Are you a good person?” We went through the gospel and spoke about a few good questions. I reiterated that they need to do two things – Repent and Trust in Jesus work on the cross. I said this a few times towards the end and encouraged them to not only think about this and read the tract, but also to do it, since we are not guaranteed another day. These guys are the typical young men in the downward spiraling current generation. Please pray that they will see their sins as God does and that they need to get right with Him - and do it now.

Ran into three small pre teen boys who were on little push scooters, as I stood next to the rose lady. I asked if he had got one of the tracts and he said no. He asked what it was about. I told him and we started a conversation into discussing about the after life. He said he was afraid of Hell and doesn’t want to go there. The one boy was very interested in what I was saying,. I was able to get some important thoughts into the kid to consider in all seriousness. He asked some good questions - bright for such a young kid. His friends were going towards an alley on their scooters (cause they couldn’t afford a rose from the lady selling them) and the other friend lost interest in what I was saying. However about a minute after the other kids had left, this kid was still there, but was starting to look like he should take off and stay with his friends. At one point during the conversation the tract I gave him had fell to the ground. He picked it up quickly and held onto it. After the friends were gone, I wrapped up what I was saying and told him the information in the tract will tell him how to get right with God and how he can get into heaven. And then told him to go catch up to his friends. *I didn’t want him to be in trouble for not sticking with his friends, and didn’t want them to pick on or tease him for talking about religious things. I believe he will read the tract. Please pray for him.


I then saw, near where the line was for the movie, three other guys (they looked very similar to the ones I just spoke to). As I got closer I realized these guys were younger and were not the same people. LOL. So I talked to them as I offered them tracts. One of the guys said He KNOWS he is a good person. That was a great entrance (to the gospel) if I ever saw one! We had a good conversation about the fact that we are not good, and that we need Jesus. He had a few questions but because the Law always does its work, there were no objections to what was being said. However, he thought he was a good person and I took him down the road to show him again that he wasn’t. When we ended the conversation I told him to not only consider these things and repent and trust in Christ, but also encouraged him to see that he isn’t good and that is why he needs Jesus. I questioned him and said “You are what?” and he seemed perplexed for a minute and then I said (to put it in his head as reality) “Your not a good person, you’re a bad person just like the rest of us.” And he had the look of ‘oh yeah, that’s true’ on his face as we parted. Please pray for him too.

I talked to a group of kids who were coming from around an alley way (in a different area than the last kids I spoke to) that leads through the open mall area. I took a leap of faith and handed one a gospel tract. The others were not really interested at the time. He stopped to ask me about it, and the other kids stopped and stayed to listen. While I did not think they would be open to talk to me, they were. This was probably one of my best conversations with young people about spiritual things. We talked about things from Creation and creator, Heaven and Hell, what Hell is really like, The universe and any possibility of life on other planets, aliens and the scene from the movie The Last Mimzy where the people unzipped themselves from alien looking outfits designed to help them breath and live on a toxic planet, how the scientists are traveling the universe. How there are 3 heavens and how interesting it would be if the reached that third one in the outerspace area and “boing” hit the wall where God is behind. A discussion about were Homosexuals that way by choice, what about scientology (the religion of those who live lives of make believe in Hollywood). We also talked about how we cant earn our way to heaven by works or making up for bad things, talks of history and archeology matching what Scripture already said, Nostradamus & false prophets, scripture and fulfilled prophecy, God’s word preserved through the ages as History, The number of manuscripts (42,000 and pieces) compared to the next best preserved piece of literature in antiquity (ancient history) which is the Illiad with a mere 600 copies. As well as a lot of other things. *Not all of this in the exact order as mentioned, but each question seemed to lead them to the next questions until they seemed to have all their questions answered.

The older boy didn’t seem too interested at first and kind of silently flippant about the conversation, but they were all pulled into the conversation (by themselves) a couple of times, and each of them had some questions that left them with thought provoking answers from God’s perspective scripturally. They asked about whether I believe Jesus is really coming back some day. I started to explain about how it will happen and how it could be any time. Some believers think in the next 50-80 years. One of them did not really know anything about the rapture and I said “really? Are you pulling my leg or do you really not know?” he said he honestly didn’t know. “I said ok, well I don’t want to explain something in a dumbed down way as if you don’t know something. So that is why I asked.” And he appreciated that I said that and felt that way. I probably gained some respect from him at that moment, but believe I had it before then anyway. It just solidified his feelings towards me at that moment.

We talked about one of the most misunderstood truth’s about judgment day – that not all people will stand before God. “Christians will not be judged, because our sins were already judged and dealt with when Jesus die don the Cross. Only those who die without Jesus (repenting and placing their faith in Jesus alone) will be the ones who stand before God on Judgment Day. So if you end up there, you know where you are “going” after you stand before Him”. They also got to hear the Law and Grace and saw their need for Christ. I encouraged them that if they all made that decision to get right with God they could all read the Bible together and help each other be the people God wants them to be. And its not like they will be religious crazy people if they become Christians, they will simply be people who don’t need to cuss, or commit the sins God says is wrong. They can live right by God because He will empower them to do what is right, by the Holy Spirit. I told them the importance of getting right today, before they go to bed, and that just as kids get killed in school shootings, by drunk drivers, or any other tragic and unexpected way, so too could each of them, as we are not guaranteed a long life on earth. So we ended the conversation and we all shook hands. One of the guys said that he “learned more today than he has in a whole year of high school.” Hopefully they all took the conversation to heart, and get right with God. I noticed that even the one older kid who didn’t really believe in God, seemed to see at the end of the conversation that God is real and he is the one in Scripture, based on the evidence in truth that I shared. And I know the gospel which has the power in itself to convict people and convert them to faith in Christ will keep this conversation in them (even as a seed) that is able to produce salvation if they repent and trust in Christ. Please pray that they do, and will grow in solid biblical faith and holiness.


I then went back through the main area and started handing out tracts. Some older high school girls were coming towards me in goth / rock and roll style clothes, and a guy friend (much older than they) was with them. He had tattoos everywhere visible. While the girls took the tract, the guy gave it back, and said he cant take it because of his belief’s. I started to inquire about that, and then he saw some security police coming towards him as he was showing me his neck and ear area (that had a tattoo what looked like a version of God or Jesus) as he proclaimed “but I do believe in God”. I was about to move into the conversation on that segue when the guards came up to him to escort him about 3 more feet away, off the property. I did not realize I was holding him up from leaving. Oops! It was by their direction he was to leave. Apparently they were going to have him arrested for smoking marijuana and causing problems down near the theater. The dark clothed girls were there slightly stunned standing in place. I asked what happened and they told me. I said in a concerned and honest way (as I gave them another tract) “well if he goes to jail he will certainly want to have this. Please give it to him.” And they emphatically said they would. I am sure they were concerned about him, but so goes our current generation of young people. No guidance, discipline, and good teachings in school or at home and laxed or changed laws lead them to be the worst rebellious generation in our nations history.

I walked away towards a small pack of friends gathered and talking, between the area I was tracting earlier and an ice cream shop. A 12 year old girl was hanging out with these who were a little older than she was. At first I thought she was a boy because of her haircut and undeveloped body. I approached the group and offered them tracts, and told them what it was about. I asked if any of them thought they were good. She did. And so began our conversation.

This young girl listened intently as I shared spiritual things with her, discussing the Law and how God sees her. I did not have any objections but she sure was taking it all in. She of all her friends, in particular, seemed quite moved by the message, and stood there firmly taking in what I was saying. And when the friends were walking away about, 4 minutes later, to go associate with some other friends (to my surprise, it happened to be the older gothic girls who were with the older boy who got into trouble a while back). She stood there wanting to continue hearing how she is not good according to the Law and that she would stand before God. She looked back to see how far her friends were from her, as they started calling her. I told her "go catch up with your friends, but read that tract to learn what else I wanted to tell you." Please pray for her as well as everyone else I spoke to, (and tracted!), tonight.

And remember, even if you don’t have the best looking gospel tracts, they can spark great conversations – just look at the ones I had tonight for proof of that. The Spirit will work with the Word of Truth to convict and convert. And the tracts can stay with them longer than we can. They serve as reminders, as do our conversations and those seeds can sprout into salvation of souls.

Have you shared a gospel tract with someone today?

*If you do not have some, you can get free ones at www.FellowshipTractLeague.org or low cost ones of YourMomentofTruth (these are popular and great tracts that will not only spark great conversations in a one on one situation, but they offer a solid and complete gospel message even if they are left holding a cash tip for a waitress, or simply handed out). Or nicely designed ones at LivingWaters

.