Editor's Note: Kerry was admitted to Palliative Care in November 2021, where he remains with his wife Julie constantly at his side. His cheerful spirit, accepting attitude and wonderful peace, as well as his love and care for all who attend to his hourly needs, beautifully reflects the love and grace of his Saviour - the Lord Jesus Christ.
My Personal Testimony
Salvation is a real thing! It means everything to me: knowing Christ as my own personal Saviour! I was saved at 17 years of age on July 31, 1976, and here is my story.
I had the blessing of being born and brought up in a Christian home in PEI (Canada). I went to Sunday School every Sunday, as well as other meetings. The Bible was opened and read to us daily, and our parents always prayed with us before we went to school, but that didn’t fit me for Heaven!
I knew I was a sinner and needed to be saved, but I never thought much about salvation. I never really considered my sin. At one time, I professed faith in Christ, but I had never acknowledged my sin before God; I didn’t have lasting peace or joy. In the summer of 1975, that all changed. I began to think more about God and my soul.
I often went to western PEI to help my aunt and uncle on their farm. While visiting one weekend, I got a scare. God was speaking to me! As they pushed a load of hay into the barn, it suddenly came rolling backward. I had been holding a piece of wood between the tractor and the load of hay, but when the wood dropped, I was pinned between the two. The Spirit of God was speaking to me: I thought to myself, had I been killed, my soul would be in Hell forever. It was quite a solemn realization!
In the summer of 1976, there was going to be a baptism. My Mom asked if any of us were going to be baptized. I was the first one to say that I was going to be. I think she was happy to hear that, but I knew that I was not right with God – my sins were not forgiven! I knew that if I was not born again, I would not be baptized with water but with fire:
And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:15.
I went to bed that night, yearning to be saved. I had made up my mind that I wanted salvation more than anything else! I went over many verses in my mind – verses I had learned in Sunday School, but I didn’t know how to “believe.”
Enjoy another personal testimony – Peter Orasuk: From Drugs to Christ
I deeply wanted to be saved! Genesis 6:3 came to mind, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” I thought that if the Spirit of God was dealing with me, and I continued to put it off, He might stop striving with me forever. That’s when a lovely verse came to my mind:
For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly” Romans 5:6.
It was then that I realized I was helpless and could not save myself. I acknowledged, before God, that I was a sinner on the road to Hell, and I just cried out to Him at that moment, asking the Lord to save me. The Bible says:
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” Romans 10:13.
“I” was the ungodly sinner that Christ died (on the cross) for: He died for “MY” sins!!! So, on July 31, 1976, at 5:30 in the morning, I trusted Christ as my own personal Saviour! At that moment, I was sure of Heaven! Now I can say that I have real peace and joy that I never had before! For the first time in my life, I thanked God for sending the Lord Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Have you ever thanked Him?
In September 2013, at the age of 54, I was diagnosed with Brain Cancer. Though this was a very difficult time in my life and experience, there has always been — and continues to be — comfort in knowing that I am born again: my sins are forgiven, and I know Heaven as my eternal home. Sure, life has its challenges along the way — for all of us — but there is great peace and satisfaction in knowing that when it comes time for me to leave this world, I’ll be with my Saviour forever!
Friend, don’t put off YOUR salvation: it’s too important! It’s not about any religion: the Bible tells us that religion (or anything else) cannot fit us for Heaven. You, nor I, could ever be good enough to deserve Heaven: our best efforts can’t earn us salvation; it’s only through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.
Are YOU ready for the next life? You don’t know what tomorrow will bring — none of us do: you, too, might get such a diagnosis, though I certainly trust you won’t. The Bible says:
Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” Proverbs 27:1.
