08/11/2026
Struggling to say anything Jerry began our time together with, "I'm going to hell."
I responded with, "Jerry, do you want to go to hell?" He nodded 'No'.
I then asked him, "Do you want to go to heaven, Jerry?" He gave no obvious response. So, I simply asked Jerry if I could pray, to which he nodded saying he did not mind if I prayed.
In my prayer I asked God to help Jerry receive Christ as his Savior. I then asked Jerry a second time if he would like to go to heaven. He nodded 'yes' which opened the door for me to lead him in a word by word prayer asking Christ to come into his heart.
To close out our time I showed Jerry a photograph of my daughter who went to heaven 22 yrs. ago. I explained that she was very young when she got saved. I asked Jerry if he would make me a promise to which he indicated hesitation. I then changed the word 'promise' to 'do me a favor' which he nodded 'yes'.
I said, when you get to heaven would you tell my daughter that I love her and miss her and look forward to seeing her again when I go home. Jerry nodded 'yes.'
As my leaving time came I gave Jerry a gospel tract with the name 'JESUS' in bold letters on the front. I asked Jerry do you know why God has you here today? He nodded 'no'. Because Jerry wouldn't be able to talk about his conversion, I told him just to point the name JESUS on that tract while showing it to other people.
This text is not a moment-by-moment unfolding of our conversation, but it is a brief explanation of what prayer is able to do.
Jerry had received gospel witnesses from other saints and there were many Christians praying for his salvation. Let us all thank God for providing Jerry with witnesses and prayers leading him to receive Christ as his Savior during the final days of his life.
