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What to Do When A Friend is in Danger

My blog yesterday reminded me of one of a difficult decision I once had to make concerning a difference of opinion. Some years back I received a letter from a friend who’d been a faithful Christian and a member of the church and a bible study group I attended.

She moved interstate. We kept in touch but she didn’t mention having hooked up with a new church since the move. Then one day I got a letter that alarmed me. She had become meeting with a sect that came to the door with their literature. This was more than just a difference of opinion. What they were teaching was clearly against God’s Word. She was in spiritual danger. What could I do and how could I help her when I was so far away?

I prayed about the situation and felt God telling me to write and warn her of the dangers of listening to these people. The thought of doing this, terrified me. I didn’t want to lose a friend. But she was in spiritual danger. God would not let the matter rest. I knew I had to obey, regardless of the consequences.

After much prayer I sat down to write, having asked God to give me the right words to say. It was the hardest letter, I have ever written. But I believe God gave me with words. I reminded my friend she needed to check any teaching against what the Bible said, and not rely on other books and other people’s opinions of what the Bible said. Meanwhile, I prayed God would open her eyes to the truth.

For a long time I heard nothing. The thought crossed my mind more than once that by voicing my concerns and warning her, I had lost a good friend. I continued to pray.

Then, after some time I received another letter saying as she checked what these people said against God’s Word, God showed her their errors. She cut off association with them and linked up with a church where she got back into studying God’s words in a regular way. The church she linked up with wasn’t the same denomination as she had attended previously. That didn’t matter. All that mattered was it was a bible believing church which followed God’s teaching. I rejoiced with her in the way God had been at work.

Sometimes God uses unorthodox methods to bring people back to Himself. He may even call us to do things which are hard and uncomfortable, things which threaten the status quo. Will you choose to obey next time He asks you to do something that is hard or which could prove costly? Then wait and pray and see how in His time, the Lord will bring good out of it.

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