How much truth do you speak to a friend in his dark hour?

[Richard King]

I have a friend who I will go see this weekend.
His wife has been dying of ALS for years. She is very near the end.

The problem is she is "believing for a miracle". This is so entrenched in their thinking that they have driven to TD Jakes to have him pray over her, and they just sit and listen to Olsteen tapes and tapes on healing from Hagee!
They refused to take Rilutek a med that slows down the progression of the disease because they thought it would show a lack of faith.

Would you merely sit with a friend and just acknowledge his pain and promise to pray and be there for them
...or would you venture into the realm of reality?

I want to ask if they have considered the possibility maybe God is teaching them and others something about life. I also wonder if I should say anything about my opinion of celebrity preachers whose prayers they think are more annointed. My buddy has been a friend for 35 years and we are pretty blunt with each other.

This is probably the last time I will see my buddy before his wife dies.
What is my duty here?

 

[fredtgreco]

Pray for him, and with him. And point him and his wife to the Lord Jesus Christ. That sounds simple, sounds like not doing much. But it is profound and it is very difficult in hard Providences.

 

[BJClark]

Share the truth, and maybe even share with them how sometimes taking medications that have been created are also a way of stepping out in faith.

And certainly pray with them..

 

[Hippo]

If someone really understands the gospel then they will see that illness in this life is not the problem and death is nothing to be scared of. It is Gods merciful will that all sorts of what we see as suffering takes place, if he wished to heal he will, if he wishes not to then he will not.

Christians have died through history and unless the Lord comes soon we too will all die, we should accept this as God's will. The miracle comes not in healing but in the Lord preparing many mansions for us in his house and in Christ bearing our sins.

The question is why is your friend not content with his wifes sins being forgiven if they truly believe in the gospel?

In my view it the basic gospel that needs to be understood, and if it is all this worry about healing will pass away. His wife needs the gospel (and both husband and wife need to understand it), not healing.

Being sperated from our wives by death is truly sad, but God is good and should be trusted. Such trust should never demand healing.

 

[Jimmy the Greek]

Pray with him and point him to our sovereign Lord, "He hath done all things well." (Mk 7:37)

 

[Iconoclast]

We have a living hope in Jesus Christ. We are confident that we can approach Him on His throne, through prayer.
Our bodies and life here are temporal as each one of us has a time appointed by God when we will depart this life- 2Cor4:13- 5:9
This living hope is also spoken of in Romans 8:14-26 in which the believer is said to groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption,or the redemption of our body.
Study these sections out,and prayer for an opportunity to speak of the glory of Jesus Christ with them. Do not let them languish seeking the false hope of false charasmatic teachers with their empty promises,and their self esteem, best life now, trinity denying, money grabbing gimicks.
Present the biblical image of the Lord upon His Throne,in control of whatsoever comes to pass- whether we are in this body or departed from it

 

[Leslie]

I have been in and out of the charismatic scene. Speaking with them on their own charismatic terms, you might point out that not everyone who is prayed for gets healed. Jesus went to the pool of Bethesda where there were many sick, but only one man got healed; He didn't clear out the place. Stress the sovereignty and goodness of God--He knows what He's doing. There is method to what seems to us to be His madness. If He chooses to take the wife, then that is best, no matter how much it hurts.

 

[Richard King]

Thanks to all of you for the very excellent counsel.

 

[Pergamum]

I wouldn't preach to them or chide them too much. After all, she's dying... Many folks pray for a miracle and when a dying person prays for a miracle telling them that miracles do not any longer exists since the closing of the canon is a poor choice of use of time.

I would, however, urge them to use all the means legitimately available - since these too are good gifts of God.

Stressing that God loves them (if they are believers) even as they are dying is key I think. Many feel abandoned by God or betrayed because God does not send them a healing. They feel that this is a sign of God's displeasure.

It is ironic a bit that people will seek out faith healers and yet not take FDA approved medicines. They will seek out teachers whom God has not appointed and have sketchy pasts but will ignore the God given gift of medicine and wisdom by which we research and look for the best medicines.

Praying with them and being with them is your key duty.