NEVER LET THE CUSTOMER WALK!

Week Nineteen, 2024

But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)..

One of my first jobs was at a new car dealership. We had shined and polished models on the showroom floor, always ready for sale. Customers walked by and were lured in by the sparkle of those cars. Others drove to the dealership in search of a new vehicle.

As customers walked in, the first salesman on deck greeted them to find out what they needed, what they had to trade and anything else to begin the march to close the sale. Most of the time we knew that a visit to our dealership was not the first dealership and would not be the last unless we made the sale.

But there was one tantamount rule: Never let the customer walk! If they did, we would probably never make the sale to them. Sell now, was our goal. We told them everything we could to entice them to buy. We wanted to have them believe that we had the best car on the market at the best price.

There is a spiritual parallel. When interfacing with others how would we “sell” the Gospel. The Bible tells us to “Always be prepared.” Before you begin sharing the gospel with someone, it’s important to take a moment to pray for guidance. Ask God to give you the words to say and the wisdom to know when and how to share your faith. Pray for the person you will be sharing with, that they would be receptive to the message you have to share.

Think about someone in your own life who desperately needs the gospel.

3 Tips for Sharing the Gospel

• Have a personal relationship with God.

• Living in a way that is consistent with the faith they profess.

• Be able to point people to God.

How does God tell us to spread the gospel? It’s a divine call to action, urging believers to venture beyond their comfort zones in spreading the Gospel. Upon embracing the free gift of salvation, it’s time to share our testimony of love, devotion, and transformation with others, believing we too will witness a similar change in the lives of others as well.

Remember: When sharing with a potential believer, never let the person walk.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Know this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His [Christ’s] coming?” 2 Peter 3:3-4

A scoffer is one who speaks contemptuously or with derision. Whenever you speak the truth, especially that Truth found in God’s Word, they will deny it and say whatever contradicts it and makes them look or feel good. They are on opinion shows (true news is rare). They are in our workplace. They are in our schools. They are in the halls of government. Indeed, they are everywhere.

Take heart. Although they are running rampant these days, they will one day be silenced by the Truth. In the meantime, always be ready to give a defense for the hope in you, but with kindness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15) Truth will free you. (John 8:32) The Truth of God’s Word will not return void. (Isaiah 55:11)

Ignore the scoffers. Truth wins. Rich Jensen

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In a new interview, a Catholic Cardinal who headed up one of the top Vatican offices says Joe Biden is “nominal” Catholic and should be excommunicated for supporting abortion.

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, who previously led the Vatican’s highest doctrine office, called abortion “infanticide” and saying those politicians who actively support abortion like Biden should be “excommunicated.”

“The word ‘abortion’ is too much a soft word. The reality is killing, murder of a living person,” said Gerhard Cardinal Müller. “There’s no right to kill another person. It’s absolutely against the Fifth Commandment..”

Trying to grasp the incredible gift of eternal life is like trying to understand the generosity of our Creator… watching a sunrise and sunset in just a twelve-hour period is a good way to start. Dwight Short

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

How closely does your life line up with the Gospel you profess? Brenden Schlappi

Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results.

Forgiveness is Biblical and it is costly. The greatest act Jesus did for me was to make me a child of God by forgiving our sins. When we sin, we sin against God and only he can forgive our sins. When Jesus says your sins are forgiven, He is saying He is ready to pay the price for our sins. Be a great friend and bring others to Jesus. Warren Wiersbe

There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human, are created, strengthened and maintained. Winston Churchill

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business. Michael J. Fox

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. John C. Maxwell

To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun? Katharine Graham

Cell phones are a digital pacifier.

What we think, say and do is what we are. Chris Dodson

Though we may not understand the timing, good will always win out, and our prayers will be answered. So don’t stop praying. Be patient. God’s timing is always perfect.

Only one-fourth of America’s preteens believe the Bible is the Word of God and only one-fifth believe in absolute truth, according to a new survey that warns the nation’s preteens are “following in the unfortunate spiritual footsteps of the generations that have preceded them.” Michael Faust

The one who will judge us is Jesus who saved us. Edgar Aponte

If you refuse God’s remedy, there is no other cure. Dan Shock

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Frank Becker

NEVER LET THE CUSTOMER WALK!

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