Cancer-stricken Christian apologist and author Nabeel Qureshi has asked for prayers that God would perform a miracle "within the next few days" as doctors have given up on treating his body and have recommended palliative care.
"Not the best news," Qureshi, a Muslim convert to Christianity who previously served with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, said a video update from his hospital bed.
"The doctors have pretty much given up on treating me. They think my body is in it's final stages of life and so they have suggested palliative care. That's what we're doing, we are just doing comfort measures. For example, right now, doctors have decided no more calories for me for a few days, and if that means that bad things happen, then bad things happen."
The 34-year-old "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus" author, who first announced his stage 4 cancer diagnosis last August, said things are looking "pretty grim."
"I could really use your prayers," he said. "If we want the Lord to come through and do a miracle, it needs to happen in the next few days. I know it's dire news, but I figured I'd share it with you so I can have your prayers."
The one thing he's been wrestling with through his illness, Qureshi said, is the question of "where does my faith need to be?" vs. "I, as a believer and a real person, where can I actually find my faith?"
"In other words, do I need to perform?" he explained. "Do I need to say, 'I'm going to have this level of faith right now?' And honestly I don't think so. I think God understands where I am right now, and He comes alongside us in that and He loves us and He gives us the strength for today."
Qureshi once again asked his followers to pray for him before concluding with prayer.
"Father, we come before you, trusting you even now for a miracle," he said. "We know that John 11 uses those exact words - even now, you can do a miracle. We saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead, we see the Lord in Genesis 22, rescue Isaac at the very last second. We see the dead girl raised from the dead. Luke 7, we see a boy raised from the dead. So, God is able, He is more than able. I'm just going to rest in that as best I can."
He added, "Lord, we know you are able. Please heal, please come through, but if it shouldn't be Your will, your sovereign will at the end of the day, then I trust You, and I love You anyway. We praise You, Lord. We pray in Jesus' name, amen."
Qureshi, who is now living in Houston, Texas, with his wife Michelle and daughter Ayah, has regularly updated fans regarding his progress via social media and YouTube videos. While he is unable to make public appearances, he also uses his video updates to share the Gospel with his followers.
In a blog post announcing his cancer diagnosis, Qureshi shared how his faith has comforted him throughout the ordeal.
'"In the past few days my spirits have soared and sank as I pursue the Lord's will and consider what the future might look like, but never once have I doubted this: that Jesus is Lord, His blood has paid my ransom, and by His wounds I am healed, " he wrote. "I have firm faith that my soul is saved by the grace and mercy of the Triune God, and not by any accomplishment or merit of my own."
"I am so thankful that I am a child of the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed in the Spirit," he continued. "No, in the midst of the storm, I do not have to worry about my salvation, and for that I praise you, God.
