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If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 12:21:17 PM
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stampinlady
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*** I know we are always to pray, "Thy will be done." ***
When we pray for those who are believers is it ever ok to pray that they go home(heaven)? I know it's hard to think of life without certain loved ones, but when they are sick or in a bad way isn't Heavn the better place? And do our prayers keep people here on Earth instead of going to Heaven? I remember reading about Hezekiah and when he was on his death bed he aske dGod to live, God allowed him to live, but the rest of his reign wasn't good.
_____________________________
Deb
There is no "cosmic dog whislte. It's gonna be loud folks !!!
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 12:55:28 PM
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rcjames
Posts: 8201
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From: Oklahoma
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quote:
ORIGINAL: stampinlady
*** I know we are always to pray, "Thy will be done." ***
When we pray for those who are believers is it ever ok to pray that they go home(heaven)? I know it's hard to think of life without certain loved ones, but when they are sick or in a bad way isn't Heavn the better place? And do our prayers keep people here on Earth instead of going to Heaven? I remember reading about Hezekiah and when he was on his death bed he aske dGod to live, God allowed him to live, but the rest of his reign wasn't good.
A person can pray anyway they want, but Scripture says (! John 5:14) that if we pray within God's will that he hears us and will give us what we ask.
God's ways are not our ways, and he may have a plan for a person lingering on, even if in pain.
If a person is ready to go; then refuse any life extending medical treatment (breathing machine, heart machines, etc.); and let nature and God take their course.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 1:10:46 PM
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LCannon
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The praying for a 'healing/a miracle', the[our]answer in other words, isn't the point sacrifice(obedience). The point of sacrifice is obedience to His obedience despite the[our]answer. God is Sovereign and part His sovereignty is He knows the 'end from the beginning' thus God knew and was fully aware of Hezekiah's future. The fact Hezekiah's future turn ugly wasn't God's fault; it's was Hezekiah's(man's)risk to disobey however the nation Israel was spared annihilation and shame to His Glory. Although loss is usually painful and indeed sometimes shameful on many fronts loss is part of life but 'Heaven is the better place' rarely soothes the sharpness of the pain; only time can dull that and never totally removes that sense of loss.
_____________________________
'No man can do a great and enduring work for God who is not a man of prayer and
no man can be a man of prayer who doesn't give much time to praying.' E.M. Bounds
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 1:14:38 PM
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stampinlady
Posts: 3124
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quote:
The fact Hezekiah's future turn ugly wasn't God's fault;
I wasn't implying it was.
Can our prayers keep someone here on Earth in stead of going to Heaven?
_____________________________
Deb
There is no "cosmic dog whislte. It's gonna be loud folks !!!
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 1:47:43 PM
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LCannon
Posts: 760
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From: Lebanon, OR
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Well, if that were the case His Sovereignty for the future would depend on the the whims and wishes of other then His Sovereign will. His Sovereignty isn't conditional; it is what it is. We tend to think lineally in a sense of start/finish and cause/effect mode. Indeed, generally, we cause our effects by obedience or not in our personal circumstance, crisis or pleasure. The Eternal economy doesn't work like that. The Eternal economy will be accomplished regardless whether we cooperate(obey)or not and it's to our advantage to cooperate whoever painful the circumstance is.
_____________________________
'No man can do a great and enduring work for God who is not a man of prayer and
no man can be a man of prayer who doesn't give much time to praying.' E.M. Bounds
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 2:09:00 PM
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19ramman85
Posts: 712
Joined: 4/10/2008
From: Sandusky, MI
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stampinlady ...........
"Can our prayers keep someone here on Earth in stead of going to Heaven?"
Only if God allows it.
-charles
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/14/2009 5:10:00 PM
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Liveloved
Posts: 2028
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quote:
ORIGINAL: stampinlady
*** I know we are always to pray, "Thy will be done." ***
When we pray for those who are believers is it ever ok to pray that they go home(heaven)? I know it's hard to think of life without certain loved ones, but when they are sick or in a bad way isn't Heavn the better place? And do our prayers keep people here on Earth instead of going to Heaven? I remember reading about Hezekiah and when he was on his death bed he aske dGod to live, God allowed him to live, but the rest of his reign wasn't good.
Absolutely. It is not only OK. It is praying His will in some situations. So that is exactly how you should pray.
Hezekiah got 15 more years and you're absolutely, right, they weren't good. That's why we need to desire HIS will above our own.
If we or those we are praying for are believing people, there should be no better prayer than to pray to be ushered into glory.
_____________________________
Liveloved
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/15/2009 3:04:44 PM
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Focusing
Posts: 2977
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quote:
When we pray for those who are believers is it ever ok to pray that they go home(heaven)?
Yes. In fact, I currently have a few people who are widowed (and quite elderly ... in fact, all of whom landed in the hospital in the past couple days) who are soooooo ready to go home, and I have joined them and others in prayer. However, we also all realize that God is ultimately in control and pray for their comfort, strength and encouragement while they are still here doing His will for their lives.
_____________________________
. . . when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/16/2009 5:01:35 PM
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Phulish
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My grandmother has dementia, just recently was diagnosed with cancer and is on numerous anti-depressants and pain meds. She started seeing people in the mirror a few years ago. She always talked about "her friends" and how some weren't nice but she always seemed attached to them. Every time I visit she's always upset about people missing, afraid because she doesn't know where she is, is scared to fall asleep for fear of dying. She says weird stuff about people coming and taking her away and not being ready to leave.
I know what you're thinking. Such is the fate of the heathen. Guess again. Both her and my grandfather are devout Assemblies of God. They believe in Christ's sacrifice for sins, that they are forgiven and that scripture is God's Word. They've built more than one church with both mortar and prayers. They worked with the Jesus movement youth in the 60's in coffee houses and were a blessing to many pastors. They're strong in prayer and have an obvious burden for souls. When my grandmother was still getting around well she was taking kids to evangelistic crusades, and as of a few years ago, she was hand-making dresses for girls in Haiti at the request of missionaries there. I'm 37 and I can tell you I've been very close to my grandparents on this side of the family. I've never heard her cuss or say anything bad about anyone. Her life has been to please her God, her Church and her husband and the rest of us.
So why does she end this way? It's not scriptural right? I know she may have some unresolved issues in her life. She had many miscarriages early in her marriage. She always seemed to just accept bad things as that generation is so good at doing. "Just do your duty and don't complain", seems to be their motto. I say this to maybe bring some clarity to the presumptiousness of this thread. Can we do this or can we do that with prayer? Life does what it wants. Some believe that God's holds the steering wheel, some don't. I think maybe we suffer more because of ignorance and refusal to submit to the big picture that we're a part of. I certainly don't have it figured out although I've decided that I won't let my grandmother's situation make me retreat but rather spur me on in my search for meaning and truth in life.
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/16/2009 6:13:56 PM
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19ramman85
Posts: 712
Joined: 4/10/2008
From: Sandusky, MI
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Phulish ....... quote:
I've decided that I won't let my grandmother's situation make me retreat but rather spur me on in my search for meaning and truth in life.
Good for you! (and I'm sure your Gram's would agree if she was in her right mind!)
-charles
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/16/2009 6:26:01 PM
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stampinlady
Posts: 3124
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: Northern IL
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quote:
I know what you're thinking. Such is the fate of the heathen. Guess again. Both her and my grandfather are devout Assemblies of God.
Why would anyone assume she was a heathen??? God has never promised his own that they won't have struggles, contrary to some false teachers.
My grandmother was a believer and was in a home for some years before she died. Some think God kept her around because she was a prayer warrier. I wasn't close to her so I just assumes God had His own reasons, but I always prayed she'd go home quickly.
_____________________________
Deb
There is no "cosmic dog whislte. It's gonna be loud folks !!!
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/17/2009 10:58:32 PM
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Reform_Dave
Posts: 897
Joined: 6/14/2009
From: Where the mountains touch the sky.
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rcjames
quote:
ORIGINAL: stampinlady
*** I know we are always to pray, "Thy will be done." ***
When we pray for those who are believers is it ever ok to pray that they go home(heaven)? I know it's hard to think of life without certain loved ones, but when they are sick or in a bad way isn't Heavn the better place? And do our prayers keep people here on Earth instead of going to Heaven? I remember reading about Hezekiah and when he was on his death bed he aske dGod to live, God allowed him to live, but the rest of his reign wasn't good.
A person can pray anyway they want, but Scripture says (! John 5:14) that if we pray within God's will that he hears us and will give us what we ask.
God's ways are not our ways, and he may have a plan for a person lingering on, even if in pain.
If a person is ready to go; then refuse any life extending medical treatment (breathing machine, heart machines, etc.); and let nature and God take their course.
Thanks
RC
Cant argue with that.
_____________________________
If the Gospel were more clearly and faithfully preached, fewer would profess to believe it.- A.W. Pink
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 12/18/2009 11:17:53 PM
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walkbygrace
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Very interesting forum. Very encouraging posts, but I get the impression that some think of passing from this life as some kind of "end-point." We can all agree that heaven will be better than what we might be stuck with here on earth. For a long time I was afraid to die or I worried "how" I might die in this life. After reading the Scriptures and pondering for many years I finally understood that to die in this life isn't an end at all, but a new beginning. The soul is eternal unless God chooses to destroy it. I also thought that I might just be walking along for eternity with Our Lord until it was called to my attention that even there there is work to be done. The Bible tells only "some" things about heaven but not really enough to really grasp it. I am no longer afraid of death but rather I have a real curiosity about it and I see it as a whole new chapter in my life. If I would say this in public I might be accused of being weird or morbid or both. Or I might be considered a little strange. But I know the people who frequent these forums are able to understand which makes this a really cool place to come to. When I think of death and how some people might fear it I think of myself when I had to go to school for the very first time in first grade. I was terrified. I didn't know any of those people and I wanted to stay at home to watch cartoons. My sister took me to the school and just left me there. I was convinced that I was being disposed of and I was being betrayed by my own sister. After a while I found out that it wasn't really a bad place and I could have a whole lot of fun there with all my new friends. Might we find out the same things and feel similar emotions when our turn to leave this life finally comes?
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 1/11/2010 9:09:13 PM
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ColoradoLady38
Posts: 339
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From: Somewhere near Pikes Peak
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This topic was last hit on Dec. 18, but I wanted to add something to this. I do agree with the respondors that it is okay to pray for someone to go to Heaven, and vica versa. I also believe that all decisions lie in the hands of God. He is the one in supreme control over everything. I work in a long term care facility, and I see death on a daily basis. I care for them as they lie dying slowly. Sometimes it is the hardest thing to do to clean up and turn a resident that I have come to love. I do pray that God releases their soul. I even talk to them, I pray with them. The hearing is the last sense to go, so I know that they hear me. I will often talk about their husband/wife who has passed on before them. I will talk about their homecoming with them. More often than not a slight smile will spread across their lips. Though no words will be spoken. Sorry for the rambling here folks.
_____________________________
God loves me even though....
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 1/29/2010 12:50:27 AM
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Saved34
Posts: 867
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quote:
I'm so looking forward to heaven and when my time comes, I would be really mad if someone prayed to keep me here. You and me both,Kath. I find my heart racing at the thought of finally seeing my Father and my Lord and Savior face to face. Sometimes I can't take the waiting but I know the Lord is longsuffering for many who have not been saved.
_____________________________
2Ti 2:3 Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
2Ti 2:4 No one serving in the military gets mixed up in civilian matters, for his aim is to please his commanding officer.
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 1/29/2010 1:52:25 PM
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CMT8808
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When I had visited my mother last month and saw her condition (she was deteriorating) that I prayed and asked the Lord not to let her suffer regardless of what our relationship had been like.
She died peacefully in her sleep on Dec.25th, so I beleive He answered my prayers.
CMT
_____________________________
formerly Delete 123
Never Underestimate the Power of God
Romans 8:28, Proverb 3:5
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 1/31/2010 8:14:23 AM
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gralan
Posts: 2021
Joined: 1/29/2010
From: RV in Texas
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Saved34
quote:
I'm so looking forward to heaven and when my time comes, I would be really mad if someone prayed to keep me here. You and me both,Kath. I find my heart racing at the thought of finally seeing my Father and my Lord and Savior face to face. Sometimes I can't take the waiting but I know the Lord is long-suffering for many who have not been saved.
Paul also preferred to go then to stay, but knew that God has plans for each of us and those plans will come about.
Jesus prayed in the garden, and only the part of "Thy will be done" was answered.
I believe to pray and not include you hopes and dreams for yourself and others is to not pray honestly.
We are clothed in Christ, but we are exposed before God in all our being. I hope we can at least privately learn to be comfortable with that.
Did you know that God actually delights in you?
_____________________________
suffering servant,
gralan,
BTh student TGSAT
//TrinityTheology.org/
check out:
//freecourses.trinitytheology.org/
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 3/1/2010 11:36:26 PM
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gralan
Posts: 2021
Joined: 1/29/2010
From: RV in Texas
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I'm helping a widow estranged from her family who is dying of cancer in her house in a little town along a lake here in Texas.
She wants to go home. She wants the constant pain to stop. She hates her life ebbing away a little at a time, every day seems a step closer noticable to me who comes by every day, all week.
She can hardly stand up, let alone walk more than 10 steps or so.
She's ready to leave, and asks God why she's still here.
She thinks maybe the idea of purgatory is actually what happens at the end of one's life here. I'm sorry she feels that way. I try to redirect her focus back to Jesus gently, or say nothing.
It would not be correct to pray for her continued health, IMO. There is no health for any of us here, we are all dying.
Praise be to God who doesn't promise to take things away from us here in this life, just to be there with us through our experiences here.
The cost of our rebellion against God is pain and death.
_____________________________
suffering servant,
gralan,
BTh student TGSAT
//TrinityTheology.org/
check out:
//freecourses.trinitytheology.org/
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 3/2/2010 11:34:28 AM
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stampinlady
Posts: 3124
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: Northern IL
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Gralan, thank you for showing her Christ and walking her through this.
_____________________________
Deb
There is no "cosmic dog whislte. It's gonna be loud folks !!!
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RE: If they're ready to go home ..... - 3/2/2010 4:32:05 PM
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Eutychus
Posts: 9201
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Dothan, AL
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quote:
ORIGINAL: gralan
Did you know that God actually delights in you?
We've had a "Thirst" Conference this week and the revivalist, Ryan Loveing, has used a phrase when contrasting how we live in comparison to what we're called to be: "The lover of your soul, Jesus Christ..." That phrase, like the one you used above, reminds me how cheaply we sometimes treat His marvelous grace.
BTW, the conference is being held by Life Action Revival Ministries (and it's revival in the true sense of the word-for believers). Check them out if you get a chance:
http://www.lifeaction.org/
_____________________________
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." -John 6:29
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