Last Sunday began like any other Sunday, off to church early and a visit with Keith’s dad. Little did we know just how special that day would turn out to be in our hearts. We gave Keith’s dad a new Bible, which was a New Living Translation for easier understanding and larger print.

At some point in our visit as we were discussing the different seasons of life and the changes a person with dementia goes through, both mentally and physically, he made some kind of reference to wishing that he would soon be in God’s presence and wondering if God knew when a person would die. And so I grabbed his new Bible and turned to Psalm 139 and began to read one of my favorite passages which proves that everyday is ordained by God.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

–Psalm 139:13-16, NLT

We explained that this passage of God’s Word is saying that God knew the day he would be born and that God also knows the exact day that he would die. Even better, that day would not be a surprise to God since it is already written in His book. (God is outside of time and therefore knows the beginning and the end.)

As we were reading this passage and talking about it, Keith was taking the photos which are shown below. You can see in the order of the photos the peace and joy that God was speaking to his heart.

Four hours later we received a call that he went home to be with the Lord. We are so thankful to the Lord that He gave us this precious time with him and even captured it on film.

We know, that we know, that we know that he is now in the presence of the Lord. He is in a better place where there is no more suffering and no more sorrow. We know this because on August 9, 2010 at just about 11am (that’s 8/9/10 and 11) he said a prayer to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior just like God’s Word says we all must do if we wish to spend eternity with Him. But not only that, we saw the fruit of this in his life over the last year and a half.

If you don’t understand what Keith and I are talking about concerning accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior take a moment to enjoy the photos of the transformation upon Keith’s dad’s face as we once again shared with him the truth of God’s Word and then read the verses below as we share God’s own Word about what a person must do to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior which would then give them entrance into heaven for all eternity.

 

 

 

 

 

 The Free Gift of Salvation

You too can have this same peace and joy in your heart concerning your own death and your own salvation. Just read here to learn how.

• Salvation is a free gift of God—you can’t buy it or earn it by anything you try to do for Him.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. —Ephesians  2:8-9

• Every person is born a sinner because of Adam’s disobedience.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. —Romans 5:12

• The word “all” includes you and me. Every person has sinned. Sin includes our wrong thoughts, our wrong attitudes and our wrong actions. Sin separates us from God since God is a holy God and cannot look upon sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. —Romans 3:23

• The penalty for sin is death, which is eternal separation from God (in other words you do not get into heaven without accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior).

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 6:23

• The Good News is that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. He was our Substitute. He wants to be our Savior.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8

• A person is saved when he or she believes the truth about sin and a Savior within his or her heart and confesses this truth with his mouth.

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. —Romans 10:9-10

• God promises salvation for the sinner who comes to Him.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. —Romans 10:13

• If you want to accept God’s plan for salvation, and join Keith’s dad in heaven, simply pray something like the following:

Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner. I know that there is nothing I can do on my own to be saved. I believe You are God. I believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ. I trust that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and through His sacrifice I am forgiven. I believe that Jesus rose bodily from the dead and by accepting Him I can have eternal life. I accept Your gift. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Savior. I thank You for this wonderful free gift You have given me. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

We want to thank everyone who has prayed for us and Keith’s dad over the last few years as we helped to care for him. And we especially want to thank everyone who prayed for Keith’s dad’s salvation when we asked for prayers. You all have rewards in heaven for taking part in the harvest.

We are looking forward to your comments. Or if anyone has any questions concerning salvation please feel free to ask them in the comment section. God bless, Keith and Cherie

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