We were a multi-racial gathering of men and women ranging in years of age from about 50 to about 95. All were ambulatory except for about a dozen members in wheelchairs. John Parker was one of the the "wheelchair members" who "parked" along the wall; so it was easy for me to have him clearly in view as I ministered to them. For some time I had been noticing the movement of John's lips as I read or quoted Bible passages. He seemed to have many of them memorized. So I knew that he had been earnestly reading and studying his Bible for quite some time.

On one of my mid-week visits with members of the "Fellowship", I found John sitting out in the broad hallway in his wheelchair, and I stopped to visit a while with him. We had conversed only a few minutes when John abruptly asked in a very urgent tone: "Reverend Christian, I want to know. Am I saved or am I not saved?". I suddenly realized that I had been mistaken in believing that John had already been born again, as his manner seemed to indicate. At that moment I realized that, at the best, John may have been one of those many threshhold Christians spiritually standing at the foot of the cross of Jesus desiring to be unified with Him, but being uncertain about reaching up to receive God's unspeakably wonderful gift of salvation that our Lord Jesus has already purchased for all of us who diligently seek it.

I told John how surprised I was to find that he was not already born again, considering how well fortified with the life-giving word of God he seemed to be. I asked, and he was eager to discuss the matter right then and there. In such cases as John Parker's, I observe the manner and responses of the person while building the conversation around the salvation elements and essentials to see if he is really ready to proceed. If I find that a person is insincere, I proceed no further. If he is just not yet ready, I often furnish Bible passages for his use to ready himself through study, meditation , and prayer. It became increasingly evident that John was sincere and ready as our discussion moved through the matters of our adamic sin nature, the need to confess our personal sins, the love and power of God, godly sorrow, true repentance, forsaking worldly values, loving God, the power of believing, and suffering under a deep heart-aching desire to become unified in Christ through an unconditional surrender of one's self.

During our discussion John's explanations and descriptions of how these matters had been manifesting in his life left me with no doubt that his only remaining need was for an agreeing friend to help him through that final need --- to ASK. As our Lord Jesus assured us: "Ask, and ye shall receive". So John Parker agreed when I asked if he wanted me to take him to our Lord in prayer for his salvation. The prayer was brief and simple. That's all it takes. The prayer does nothing. It just asks. The rest is in the hands of Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. It is they who do the works. So I laid my hand upon John's head and spoke to the Lord. "Lord Jesus, I come to you with my friend John Parker, agreeing with him to ask you out of love for the Father to baptize him with the Holy Ghost into everlasting life in the body of Christ. Amen."

Nothing spectacular seemed to happen at that moment. However, I did notice a heavy sigh come from John Parker. He seemed relieved that he had finally gotten the matter out in the open and dealt with. I wasn't there when the great evidence of the power of the Holy Ghost came forth as a witness to all. I found out about it at the next Friday evening "Living Word Crusade Fellowship" meeting. Many were laughing and rejoicing over how John Parker was suddenly going in his wheelchair all over that large 5-story nursing home praising God and telling everyone about the love of God and His great salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.