Another Telemarketing Success

I subscribe to a magazine which often costs $17 a year. However, I received a telemarketing call from an organization that is able to sell the subscription for $13 a year. I decided to go ahead and renew my subscription (I’ve ordered through this telemarketing company in the past).

I’ve been a little discouraged in my recent phone conversations because so many have been “busy” that they haven’t wanted to take time for the test.

This time it was nice to receive the telemarketing call after work hours when I had plenty of time to share! After we talked through the magazine options and I was all squared away with my subscription, she asked if there was anything else she could help me with – a perfect question!

I said I had two questions, but they were not related to the magazine and were only if she had time. She was curious, and said to go ahead. The first question was whether her accent was from Texas or the south – and she said it was from Tennessee. We talked about accents for a minute, and then I moved on to the good person test.

I again said it was only if she had a minute (which she did), so we started into the test. I asked if she felt she was a good person, and she said yes. I asked if she was familiar with the ten commandments, and she said yes. I asked if she felt she had kept the commandments, all, or some, or none – and she said most of them.

As we started into the commandments, she was hesitant to admit ever lying (perhaps because the call was being recorded?) – but she did come up with the word “liar.” She was also hesitant to admit stealing (she couldn’t recall a specific time but “must have at some point”). She never has taken God’s name in vain (“well, probably accidentally sometime”). When we discussed murder – I started by asking if she had ever killed someone – she said no. She’s the first one that then turned around and asked me if I had ever killed someone (I had admitted to the previous violation’s of God’s commandments so perhaps she thought I had also committed murder?!?). The conversation was still light-hearted at this point, and when I mentioned that God knows our hearts and thoughts, and that Jesus said that if we are angry with someone we commit murder in our heart, she said she had never been “that” angry with someone. I said that Jesus didn’t say “how” angry we had to be, just: angry.

I summarized her condition by saying that others would look at her as a nice person that is friendly, a good magazine salesperson, but when God looks at her, He would see someone that is a lying, thieving, blaspheming, murderer at heart. I said this was the moral to the story (I had mentioned at the beginning that the test had a “moral” at the end – although I need to come up with a better term than “moral” because I don’t like to in any way equate the gospel to a “moral”), if she were to die tonight, and God judged her based on the ten commandments, would she be innocent or guilty? She said she’d like to be innocent, but based on the ones we just talked about, she’d be guilty. I reminded her that we only looked at four out of the ten – and then asked where God sends guilty people – to heaven or hell. She said she knew the answer but couldn’t say it because it would be against their language rules – but that it was OK for me to say.

I then shared some of the ways people try to deal with their guilt before God (confessing their sin, trying to be good, and doing “good works” for God) and how ineffective each of those would be in a regular court of law. I then shared the story of my grandfather paying the fine for a person that caused an accident and was guilty before the court. The telemarketer was touched by the story, and agreed that an innocent person can pay the fine for a guilty person.

I then summarized the gospel, and shared how Jesus had given His life for her, and that He wanted her life in exchange. He didn’t want another hypocrite, but someone that will truly give their life to Him.

I was very encouraged because, despite her not sharing a tremendous amount with me, I truly feel it was because she felt constrained by the rules at her work, and yet she was open to me sharing. At times she reminded me it was OK for me to keep sharing, but that she couldn’t say too much. I encouraged her to read her Bible in the book of John, and to visit www.NeedGod.com for more information.

At the end, she thanked me for sharing with her, and I thanked her for helping me with my magazine subscription.

I was very encouraged to be able to share with someone that was open, and considered this a tremendous success – not because the person immediately repented and gave their life to Christ – but because I was able to share the Gospel with someone that appeared to have a soft heart of “good soil” – the result is up to her.

Another Trip to the Mission

Went to the rescue mission in the nearby large city this afternoon. We helped with a church service, and also did some music.

As we were unloading the van at the mission, I noticed an older gentleman sitting across the street with a crutch. I play the upright acoustic bass and was holding that, but I went across the street to talk with him. I asked how he injured himself and found out his back had problems – and that a few days before he hadn’t even been able to walk at all. He asked about my instrument, and I shared what it was, what it was for, and invited him in to the service. He declined, as he was waiting for friends to pick him up (interestingly enough, when we left, he was still out side but in a different location).

I gave him a tract (Ticket to Heaven) which he was receptive to, so I started into the good person test with him. He was open and interested as we discussed the different commandments. He admitted breaking them, and was quick to come up with the proper terms (“liar”, and “thief”). After summarizing his condition before God, he admitted he would be guilty of breaking them, that he would likely spend an eternity in hell, and that it concerned him. I was able to share the gospel with him, and he was open and listened for several minutes. He was familiar with the gospel (he has likely attended church before) – so I wondered if his heart was somewhat hardened to it (something like “Oh, I’ve heard that before”).

Inside, the group of men seemed a bit colder than usual. After the service, I was a bit disappointed with the conversations (especially considering the last time I was there I had been able to share the gospel with three men who were very receptive!).

I was able to give out a few “ten commandment pennies” (and the accompanying tract that explains it), but the conversations weren’t going anywhere. A fellow at a nearby table called me over, said he knew more about the Bible than I, and started asking questions. It became VERY obvious, VERY quickly, that his favorite verses are ones that are out of context, misapplied, and misunderstood.

He believed that Paul, when he said that he becomes ‘as those without the law in order to win those without the law’ – he feels Paul wasn’t talking about the ceremonial Jewish law, but rather the law of God (do not murder, do not steal, do not commit adultery). He also believed that when Paul said in Romans 7 that he does the things he doesn’t want to do, and doesn’t do the things he wants to do, that Paul was admitting to having committed adultery and fornication numerous times (since Paul had used the analogy of marriage at the beginning of the chapter to illustrate how the law has power over a person while they are alive to the law).

I shared with him regarding his interpretation of those Scriptures, but he was so focused on using grace as an occasion for the flesh and to justify and excuse his sin, that he wasn’t open.

The liberty we are called to, is liberty from sin and from the ceremonial law – NOT freedom to commit sin!

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Eventually, when he saw that I wasn’t agreeing with him but was becoming more direct in discussing salvation and his need for Jesus, he got up and left.

I also had an opportunity to meet the most angry, bitter, and closed person I have ever met at the shelter. While the men were coming through the line getting their meal, we offered them each a large, homemade cookie, as well as a gospel tract. This one person accepted a cookie but was very upset that I would offer him a tract. He said he was unhappy with having to already hear an hour of that stuff, he didn’t need more, and he believed in freedom of religion (interestingly enough, I believe his actual comment should have been “freedom FROM religion”).

Later, after the meal was over I was walking by as he was throwing his plate and napkin away. I asked him why he came to a Gospel Mission if he was so upset with the gospel message. Instead of responding to my question he again expressed his anger, his frustration at having to listen to an hour of stuff he didn’t agree with, and even how he hated our superior “better than others” belief. I said that was not true, and said to the contrary, we believe we are ALL sinners (and such a statement had been made several times during the message!). He didn’t want to hear it and simply said I could do him a big favor by leaving him alone – at which point he turned and walked away.

My heart was saddened by someone with so much obvious anger and bitterness. I would have love to have heard his story – but he wouldn’t consider talking with me because he wouldn’t have wanted me to share anything with him. I’m praying the Holy Spirit will work in his heart, as he is obviously at a point in his life where he has many needs.

A Quick Pizza Discussion

I took a young relative out for pizza today. Two ladies were at the pizza place in front of us, and they were told their pizza would be ready in a few minutes. When we placed our order, we were told it would be just a minute (the type of pizza we ordered was just coming out of the oven – whereas the pizza ordered by the ladies was just being put into the oven). While I was paying for the pizza, my young relative offered the two ladies a million dollar bill tract. She was then explaining to them what it was as I finished paying and joined the conversation.

I knew I wouldn’t have long, so I explained that it was a form of the good person test on the back of the million dollar bill, and asked if they felt they were good people. I was surprised that they both felt they weren’t. I said it was important to deal with because it impacted our eternity in heaven or hell. The one lady asked which church I went to, and after I answered I asked about the two of them (one attends a Lutheran Church and the other is Catholic). After asking the Lutheran (who was raised Baptist and was familiar with salvation and had been saved) if she was living as the Lord would have her to live, she said she was trying. I was a little bold and encouraged her that trying might be good, but we can live as He wants us to if we are obeying Him.

The Catholic at some point made a comment about everyone being headed for hell, and so I took the opportunity to say that that was an unfortunate aspect to being a Catholic – not ever knowing where they will spend eternity. How not even the Pope himself knows if he will enter heaven or hell. I said it was very unfortunate because the Bible is VERY clear that a person that is headed for heaven can know it for sure.

I encouraged her to get her Bible out and read I John 5:13: (KJV) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

What is interesting to note, is that even the Catholic Bible uses a somewhat similar translation for I John 5:13: (NAB) I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

I didn’t share this with them, but Dave Hunt points out in his book “A Woman Rides the Beast”, that any Catholic that believes that their sins are forgiven and that they will for sure enter heaven when they die, that person is anathema (meaning “cursed”). The Council of Trent, Six, XVI, Canon 13 states: If anyone says that in order to obtain the remission of sins it is necessary for every man to believe with certainty and without any hesitation arising from his own weakness and indisposition that his sins are forgiven him, let him be anathema.

I John is written so that we may know we are going to heaven (something which is only possible if our sins are forgiven – because sinners cannot enter heaven).

We only had a minute or two of conversation until the pizza’s were ready – but I pray the Lord will use that time in their lives.

Ordering a Chair from a "Semi-Concerned" Person

We needed a new chair in the office and had recently received a catalog from an office furniture supply company. They had a number of nice-looking ergonomic chairs, as well as an extended warranty. I gave them a call to confirm the length of their warranty (15 years!) and to see about ordering a chair.

I talked with a customer service representative who was helpful and answered my various questions. I then placed a chair on order. In the midst of the call she had to put me on hold to answer another line, so I knew they were a bit busy.

Following the order, I said it sounded like she was fairly busy, but if she had another minute I had a quick off-topic question for her. She was curious, and said to go ahead. I asked if she had ever taken the “good person” test – and she said she hadn’t. She was up for it, so we started into it.

She had fun with the test, and we looked at lying, stealing, and blasphemy. She readily admitted each offense. I had told her up front that there was a moral to the story – so, after summarizing her results (she laughed as we went through the results), I said, here is the moral of the story: if you were to die tonight and God judged you based on His ten commandments, would you be innocent or guilty? She quickly said “I’d be guilty.” I then said, “and where would you spend eternity, in heaven or hell?” She replied, “Hell, I guess.”

I asked if that concerned her, and she said ‘yes.’ After I asked if she had heard the gospel before and if she had a Bible, I once again asked how she was doing time-wise. She said it was a little longer than she had expected (I thought I was going fairly quickly – and had left out the illustration about the car accident and the court of law!) and she would probably need to go. I was surprised that a moment ago she had expressed concern over spending an eternity in hell, but here she was too busy to hear the solution to her problem! I said I understood she was busy, thanked her for helping me with the chair order, and for taking the test, and then encouraged her to think about those ten commandments and her relationship with God, and to visit NeedGod.com for further information.