To my friend Rico

[Sister Alvear]

I hope you do not think in any way I am jabbing or making fun of you. It is fine to have convictions or even what we may feel as bible do and do not’s but it is wrong when we cannot be nice to those who differ with us.
I will cite an example here. Brother Epley and I disagree about women preachers but he is nice about it and I hope I am nice about how I feel about women preachers. We are ALL human everyone of us. We all depend on the mercy of our Lord to be saved. We are not saved by our good works and deeds of penitence if we are saved at all it will be because of His mercies.
Brother Blume and I differ especially on the coming of the Lord but he is a gentleman to me and I hope I am considered a kind person to him.
My dear friend Sherri and I are different on some things but we are friends. We talk, we send e mails in fact we confide in each other. We respect each other. I was so blessed to receive a picture of a pastor from Africa she sent me of a pastor that our Brazilian church sent money to buy a bike. I wept…Sherri has helped us on several occasions just as you have.
That is my friend, Amazing Grace is my friend, Atlanta Bishop is my friend…so many friends…
Some people seem to feel like if we differ with someone we must destroy them. That is wrong. Even Jesus taught us that when the disciples complained about some others that were not in their clique. Jesus told them if they are not against us they are for us.
Would we play God to say who is against and who is for? Would we actually say that someone who has a tree is dammed to eternal hell? That is a mouthful and by what judgment we judge we shall be judged.
As long as we are in this world there will be many opinions, many views even the ones that walked with our Lord had their different opinions at times.
You are very sincere and remember that pastor you so disagreed with that we both knew? Why did you really disagree? He was overbearing. He may have been right about some things but he was overbearing and sometimes we might be right but if we are harsh and overbearing we drive people away.
Some people have a warped sense and like to be beat but not the normal person. Some churches are full of a person that are abnormal and feel secure under a belt but that is not God’s way. He may punish us but it is in love not overbearing and demanding and egoist. He does not threaten up he puts before us choices and we choose.
Did you notice what sister Newman done for me? Her son just bought us a nice camera for the Brazil work. After exchanging e mails I find out that her kin folks baptized my father in law and brother in law many years ago in Jesus name in Chile thus taking the Jesus name message to all that area.
We need one another. If we cannot fellowship then be friends, be kind and let others see Jesus in us.
I was at a church not too long ago and the pastor got up and told all his anti women congregation sister Alvear is a preacher and a Bible teacher and he had listened to me speak at a minister’s meeting and was very blessed. He did not have to say that…we have known each other for 35 years and he has never believed in women preachers…however in the course of life he saw the calling, the burden and whether he ever lets a woman on his platform he called me up there and gave me liberty to say whatever I felt to say. Needless to say I did not bang on the pulpit or swing from the chandeliers and was invited back.
I am friends with people from the far right to the far left. I just live what I feel God requires of me and teach that to our people and hope if I am wrong mercy will be shown on that day.
Rico, you are a precious person. You have much to give to the kingdom of God. So when you differ with people and doctrines do it in love…love is a language understood by everyone( I ask forgiveness for mentioning name here on the forum)

Rico, may God bless you and encourage you and may your heart be filled with overwhelming love...
Let it be said of us that we loved everybody...for HE that called is a God of love.