Originally Posted by Falla39

Dear Sis. Alvear,

Exactly, that's what I am speaking about. WE have learned to trust God

for those things man does not have the answer for. Timothy watched his

grandmother and mother. His father was a greek, an unbeliever. Paul saw

this faith in young Timothy's mother and grandmother and he figured it was

in Timothy. He was Timothy's father in the gospel. There are some things

you can't learn until you've been there, done that. A daughter learns from

her mother and sons learn from their fathers, OR THEY SHOULD, especially

if they are the fathers and mothers they should be. We learn to be people

of GOD by seeing people of God live a Godly life. Many years ago we went

to a denominal church to view the late Francis Schaffer's films on "Where

Have All The Children Gone". The reason they were gone was because of

abortion. I wonder where all the Mothers and Fathers in Israel have gone.

I hate to think where I would be, had it not been for my godly parents,

grandparents, great aunt and uncle, and their daughter, who influenced

mine and my siblings lives in our earlier years. It took years to bring us to

the place in life we are today. On the other hand I see young people get

out of high school, go to Bible School for three or four years, get out, with

no previous experience, and are ready to take on the churches at large.

They are not willing to learn from the elders, men or women, but feel God

has set them in place with no advice from anyone. Especially the ones who

had been a part of the work for decades. They start changing everything

and dare anyone to challenge their actions. Paul said you better be careful

how you build on another man's foundation, because the storms and the

fire is going to try that work you have added and if it is not as it should be,.

there will be loss. Reminds me of young women who were not raised with

a lot of children. She gets married and has a baby every other year for a

while and then falls apart. She wasn't prepared for such a load. She cannot

bear up under it many times. My mother birthed eleven children in 20 yrs.

She came from a family larger than her own. She was conditioned to be

around children. So she survived. I was the oldest daughter in our family of

eleven children. Before I had my own children, I mothered and nurtured my

younger siblings, learning from my mother. When I had my children, my mom

was there to support and help me with advice from her years of experience.

I appreciated it so much. Our oldest daughter has five fine sons. She helped

mother and nurture her younger siblings and had plenty of experience before

she had hers. Do we get the picture. And no wonder we have this mindset

today that the man in the pulpit must be obeyed like God. The fear of man

bringeth a snare (trap). I, for one do not like to feel or be trapped. That is

what bondage is. When we are trapped. In one place in the Bible it states,

"Their fear was taught by the precepts of men". That means in the way

men perceived it, not God. There are a lot of things out of order from the

house where men live to the church house, to the White House, the school

house and a lot of it should be taken to the outhouse. I don't think there

are many, if any of those still around. LOL!!!

Men's hearts failing them because they try to take on the things that

belong only to God. Every man should be bearing his OWN burden, that

which he has birthed. The seed he has sown. If every man would take the

responsibility for their own, it would be a big job. But on top of their own,

to take on several others responsibilities, enabling them to unload on some-

one else. Point them to Jesus. He took on the whole world at Calvary.

I see men and women taking their children to the preacher for him/her to

correct, to discipline, etc. Raise your own crop. When I hear those who

want to have hundreds or thousands in their church, I know they are ex-

pecting the church to come up with the support to take care of them.

I personally believe God never puts more on us than we can bear. We take

on more than we can bear or allow it to be put on us by others. For instance

you will find no one in the Bible having more than two children at a time. And

not many of them. Have you ever heard of anyone in the Bible having triplets,

or multiple births? No, that is what happens when men mess with God's way

as He set it up.

My late pastor father worked a full time job for many years, fathered eleven

children, served in WWII, on the front line in the Phillipeans and Japan, and

fathered a church that still stands and today is a place of worship for some

of his own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Where are all the

fathers and mothers gone. If you haven't fathered and mothered, you might

should wait until you get some experience in those areas. Then you might be

able to stand the heat!!!

This is not said in unkindness not to condemn anyone but to stir up our

thinking. Something is dreadfully wrong when they tell me that we are losing

70 to 75% of our UPC children to the world. That came from a District Supt.'s

wife a few years ago. Since then a missionary that came to our church said

it was now 80 to 85%. If we don't have mothers and fathers in Zion, after

while there will be no births in Zion. God help us!

Yes, it is enough to make our hearts hurt!!

From my heart,

Falla39