Dick wants me to read this testimony so I won’t talk 3 hours. I was born in 1932, and I’d like to give my life’s story in 8 minutes. So you’d better listen quick. Actually I’m only going to cover the most important part. In 1991, after 8 years of witnessing unsuccessfully to my only brother and best friend, Bob, I sat with him in a nursing home in Ohio as he lay dying from cancer. As I was about to leave, the Holy Spirit led me to sing to him. Bob had never heard me sing. You see, I did not accept Jesus until I was almost 50 years old, and I was a senior citizen before I really started singing for the Lord. I had never sung a solo before, but I was not going to reject the Holy Spirit. So I sang 3 old gospel songs, and on the last song, Bob asked me to help him receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior. A few minutes later I left, never to see him again on earth. But I know I’ll see him in Heaven. The Holy Spirit again led me, and my wife, Jo, to start visiting people in the Suffolk nursing homes, just as I did with Bob. We started visiting regularly in 1994 after I retired from NASA, and are now, with help from some special friends, seeing about 40 precious friends in the Hampton Roads area. We started with members only, then we added members’ neighbors, friends and relatives. Occasionally nurses tell us of someone who has not been visited in a while, and we add them to our list. We go to their individual rooms where we take them things and talk, pray, ask them about their salvation, and sing a few old songs with them. I bet you can’t guess the song those in nursing homes request most often. Actually there are two they really like.

Imagine yourself in their position and this may be the last song you’ll ever hear - when each visit by a friend is precious. What song would you like to hear if you were in their condition? I’d like to sing one of their favorites for you now:

VERSE 1: I looked over Jordan and what did I see, coming for to carry me
home; A band of angels coming after me coming for to carry me home.

CHORUS: Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home;
Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home.

VERSE 2: Sometimes I’m up and sometimes down…coming for to carry me
home; But still I know I’m Heaven bound…coming for to carry me home.

VERSE 3: If you get there before I do.....Coming for to carry me home;
Tell all my friends I am coming too…(Dick, will you tell all my friends?

I bet I can identify every one of my friends in this room right now. Let me show you - - - I’d like everyone here who has been born again and know they’re going to Heaven to raise your hand - - - - Dick, my brothers and sisters in Christ.)

Now, where was I? OH!--- The other favorite song our nursing home friends want to hear is “Just A Closer Walk With Thee.” I ask myself, why would those near the end of their lives want to hear these old spirituals, instead of the usual favorites. Then I compared the messages in these songs with God’s word and found they both emphasize hope and assurance through salvation’s truth, that if we are born again we will go to God’s kingdom when we die. I can say from experience that nothing in this world is even close in importance to this. In fact, I think we only need to be born again, if we do nothing else in our lives. Let me explain how this became so clear to me. I’m sure many of you are cancer survivors or know someone who is, so you can relate to what I’m about to say. In 1982 cancer almost killed me, and I was terribly scared. I was not a Christian, even though I had been baptized and was a church member. But I was very scared, and I don’t scare easy. Then in 1999 cancer threatened me again, but I was not the least bit scared - - why? Shortly after my first cancer, I became born again, which means I was born of the Holy Spirit into a new life with Jesus Christ.

I must keep going in for cancer treatments, and the doctor said there’s a chance it may not continue to control my cancer. But you know what - - because I’m a born again Christian, nothing in this world is worth worrying about, because my time, and your time here on earth is just for a fleeting moment. I rejoice daily that I will spend eternity with my Lord and my fellow believers in Heaven, so that the only thing that really saddens me is that some of my loved ones to whom I’ve witnessed may not be there. Especially my 3 children, who are all now in their 40’s AND 50's. My wife and I feel we have done all the witnessing to them that we can do. All we can do now is never cease praying, which is the best thing we can do. This is true because my youngest son called us recently with the exciting news that he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior that very day - - Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! We will continue daily prayer for my other two children and my grandchildren as long as we walk this earth.

Something else that saddens me as I look out on different congregations almost every week, is that it reminds me of what Billy Graham said….that most people sitting in churches have never been born again. So I’ll also miss seeing many of these friends in Heaven because Jesus said in John 3: 3-6 “you must be born again” or your soul won’t go to Heaven. The Bible is very clear on this. Jesus said it is the most important thing we need to do in this life, and Jesus never lies. That’s why the Bible tells us many times we can be absolutely sure, if we do what Jesus says. Those of you here tonight who have worries or do not know positively, without any doubt, that you are going to Heaven when you die, need to listen to every word Dr. Curry says later in this program. It’s truly a matter of life or death. If you want more info, there are copies here in front of a Billy Graham handout explaining how to be born again. He gave me permission to share this with you. Thank you, Lord Jesus for saving me and my loved ones. Amen.

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