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rainydaygirl
Member



Joined: 2008/10/27
Posts: 742


 Choosing not to have children

i believe children are wonderful and are a huge blessing from the Lord. The topic came up recently about if it would be best considering the times we now live in, not to have children? Some relatives of mine have chosen to purposely not have children because they believe the end times are either very close or we are now living in them already. Financially things are difficult and the world is becoming more and more vile all the time. I have been thinking of this, there are many older mature saints who all seem to be saying that we are about to go through really awful times, with persecution and so on. Having young children would make things so much harder for those who are going through these things. I was thinking about the schools systems already, and how filled with worldly sinful stuff is being pushed on little children. There is such a bombardment of this stuff now even and it will only get worse. Has this thought come to anyone else? If we are to have faith that God will care for us, shouldn't we trust Him to care for our little children to? Just wondering if this topic has come up with anyone else lately, especially in light of all the prophecy that has been put forward about the times we are in?

rdg

 2009/6/25 17:03Profile
kendall
Member



Joined: 2008/1/5
Posts: 11


 Re: Choosing not to have children

This is a good answer to your question. [url=http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2009/6/11_Is_An_Economic_Downturn_A_Good_Reason_to_Stop_Having_Kids.html]

 2009/6/25 17:27Profile
rainydaygirl
Member



Joined: 2008/10/27
Posts: 742


 Re:

Thank you for the article. The young woman that have shared with me about this are thinking that this is the end times and bases their choices on that assumption.

rdg

 2009/6/25 17:38Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: Choosing not to have children

rdg,

Choosing to have children or not is not a modern day question. It has existed a long time.
Now consider - since this is an old question, what would the world look like if all Christian people would have surrendered to this fear and not have had children? Consider also: sinful society would have produced children regardless of the future...Now this is the practical; let's consider some Biblical principles and perhaps this will teach us a few things which could help us deal with this issue.

What would motivate one to not have children? Is it not fear? What place does fear have in the life of the Believer? None, right? If your decisions are motivated by fear, you will need to take this to the cross and allow Jesus to take it. If you do not have the faith to have a family, then you just better not get married. Period. If you are married and are intimate with your spouse, you will [likely] conceive sooner or later. Then what will you do? Have an abortion?

Scripture tells us that children are a blessing from the LORD. So why would you want to refuse a blessing from the LORD? I will promise you one thing that children will do to an individual: it will help you grow up!!!! I asked our oldest son this one time, "I sometimes wonder who raises who: the parent the children or the children the parent?" He said he thinks it works both ways. And I agree. I hate to say this but most people who have never had children are just very different. Children teach adults a lot and one of them is patience...and this list goes on and on.

BTW, this question was discussed when we were having children and ours were born from 1968 - 1980....and our married children are having babies, also.

Does this help you any?

Blessings,
ginnyrose


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2009/6/25 18:03Profile
rainydaygirl
Member



Joined: 2008/10/27
Posts: 742


 Re:

Thank you ginnyrose, your post was very helpful. My first thoughts about this was that anyone who chose to purposely avoid having children was guilty of not trusting the Lord. I have heard from several young couples now and even a few single young women about this. Some seem very sincere in what they feel they are seeing about not having a family. One couple has already gone to the doctor and they will not be having children. Others are considering this. One woman, she is single has decided to remain single so she can be about the kingdom and feels strongly not to have any children. Most of them have the same thoughts in mind, that since we are now in the end times and tribulation is just months away they feel strongly to not have children. They all seem to agree that children are a blessing from the Lord, so its kind of confusing really. May I ask you, do you feel it is wrong/sinful for a couple together to prayerfully decided to not have children?(to go to the doctor to insure that there are no pregnancy?) Do you feel it is sinful for a young woman to decide to remain single in order to be able to be more about the kingdom? You mentioned that this topic was discussed when you were having your children, I was wondering what were the reasons then? Did everyone think that it was the end with lots of prophecy being shared about how this was it, Revelations about to happen kind of thing?
I guess having talked with them I do understand some, but at the same time, in some ways it almost seems like selfish behavior. Fear and a lack of faith may play apart in this as well. So many people out there saying that the sky is falling or about to fall, after awhile it does take a toll on you.

rdg

edit: To be really honest even some of the post here about pending doom as had me thinking about these things very seriously. So much talk about the end, and what is coming, but not a lot of encouraging to trust in the Lord at times? Any thoughts?

 2009/6/25 19:23Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

I will try to answer your question, rdg.

Quote:
that since we are now in the end times and tribulation is just months away they feel strongly to not have children.



Quote:
So many people out there saying that the sky is falling or about to fall, after awhile it does take a toll on you.





My response:
The end times have been ever since Jesus ascended to heaven. The times we are in today, as of June 25 is closer to the end then it was say 100 years ago. The point is we do not know whether the endtime as spoken of in Revelation is close as in tomorrow, or ten or twenty years. All this is pure speculation. Throughout all of history, the church has been the object of the devil's wrath. I am told more Christians have died for their faith in the 1900s then in any other period of history. And we are still here today.

Many godly people in countries that are hostile to Christianity went ahead and had children, like in Communist countries. They also did it during the Reformation era in which the Catholics and Reformers killed those who did not agree with them as well.

Quote:
One woman, she is single has decided to remain single so she can be about the kingdom and feels strongly not to have any children.



Paul said the same thing, so she is in good company.

Quote:
May I ask you, do you feel it is wrong/sinful for a couple together to prayerfully decided to not have children?(to go to the doctor to insure that there are no pregnancy?)



This is potentially a thorny question - regardless what I say, someone will take issue with it. I will say this: it would make a huge difference on the reason why sterilization would have been done. If there are children or simply do not want any. Some will say you should have as many children as nature will give you noting OT characters who had large families. Others say, yes, but you need to be responsible.

My answer to this point is that while the OT characters had large families they were not from ONE woman. If a fellow had twelve, how many mothers were in this mix? four, like Jacob? In my search Hannah had the largest family and that was six or seven children...

So, is it sinful to be sterilized? I would have to say "no" because the scriptures do not say "Thou shalt not.." However, I would consider it very unwise for a young childless couple to have this done. Too many who did have later regretted it and worked for a reversal. Too often these decisions are made based on current emotions which are always fickle.

Quote:
Do you feel it is sinful for a young woman to decide to remain single in order to be able to be more about the kingdom?



No.

Quote:
You mentioned that this topic was discussed when you were having your children, I was wondering what were the reasons then? Did everyone think that it was the end with lots of prophecy being shared about how this was it, Revelations about to happen kind of thing?



The reason people were scared to have children? Because Khrushchev was declaring they will bury the USA and it looked like they might. Never happened yet, and he has been dead for a while. AND people also thought the end was near. Christians have sounded the alarm for years when bad things were happening.

Quote:
To be really honest even some of the post here about pending doom as had me thinking about these things very seriously. So much talk about the end, and what is coming, but not a lot of encouraging to trust in the Lord at times? Any thoughts?



I agree. I, too, am concerned. I learned a lesson when our daughter was terminally ill: live each day to the fullest. Make life happen and then if or when she dies, God will be there to help us deal with that. I did it and this is exactly what happened. This insight came after I got into the WORD and confronted God about Regina's illness.

I hope my reply makes sense - I am in the process of dealing with interruptions.

Does this help any? any more questions?

Blessings,
ginnyrose


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2009/6/25 20:34Profile
shadyg
Member



Joined: 2009/4/28
Posts: 64


 Re: Choosing not to have children

I agree with ginnyrose. Children are a blessing from God. We have two girls under the age of 5, while it's sometimes overwhelming thinking about all of the things they will face, the blessing of having them out weigh any fears. We are not to live our lives based upon fear anyways. I can't imagine life with out them.

I know this is problably off topoic but lately God has really been dealing with my wife and I regarding orphans, the abused and the fatherless. We are praying for direction and discernment as we seek to follow him wherever he may lead. With that said maybe in this sinful world, more of us should embrace the idea of adoption and bringing some children into a Christian family.



 2009/6/25 21:20Profile









 Re:

Very good post Ginnyrose, my thoughts exactly.

I remember watching a missionary documentary about how a preacher went into a town to bring Christ to them. In each town he went everyone refused to listen, after 3 years of praying and seeking the face of God to minister to the people, he gave up talking to the adults and began talking to the children. The children received the message with gladness and that flowed into their families and then their parents wanted to know the truth. It was a powerful story but Children play a huge part in the lives of adults.

Thanks for posting that lovely post.

 2009/6/25 21:24
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

rdg,

Last night I reed an article in a magazine and immediately thought of you, thought that it may help you...

The magazine is "Country, Extra" published by Reiman Publications, Greendale, WI. The article is "We Didn't Know We Were Poor", Subtitle - "Farming Families survived the 1929 crash with hope, faith and love" written by Norma Strauss. If you do not have it, your public library might. I would encourage you to read this, it is a heartwarming article. Not only did I think of you but all others who may be struggling with prophecies of gloom and doom.

I should say this article does not get into the specifics of the spiritual dimension, more of the practical. But it is a worthwhile read, IMHO.

Blessings,
ginnyrose


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2009/6/26 9:51Profile









 Re:

We win people. We are the overcomers. I have 5 children and they are on fire for God. They are the light of the world, not afraid of the darkness.

Do what God tells you end of story. He told us all in Genesis to multipy. If He has told you specificly not to have children then don't. But the condition of the world is never the Head of the church.

The real problem is Christians need to raise up more Calebs, Deborahs and Joshua's. And less wimps that are afraid of everything. The key is we have trusted the Church to teach our kids. Deciples of Jesus are made at home. Your pastor is not the one that has to give an account for your kids!

marc mc

 2009/7/2 9:23





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