Hi Carol Ann

 

Good on you for your response (copied below)!  I have been thinking along the same lines. I have cringed when seeing (very briefly) some websites that criticise just about everyone who preaches. Some scandalous and unfounded things are said - dangerous ground! These people making the claims would do much better to pray for anyone they think is "off track in their eyes", to seek more of Jesus for themselves (we must decrease so that Christ can increase within us - John 3:30), and encourage others to seek the Holy Spirit direct for discernment - He (the Holy Spirit) is after all the only one capable of true discernment.

 

After reading the post you refer to, I took up a pen and made my own scrawled initial - and found that I could find a "6" in that too - and I am sure not connected to the Antichrist!

 

Actually I have found Joyce's occasional "struts on stage" quite hilarious - she has a sense of humour and we all need some of that. She is used to motivate people and some of her books have helped people enormously in their Christian walk, such as "Where the mind goes, the man follows" and "The Battlefield of the Mind".

 

The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the human vessel holy and He chooses whomever he likes - whether it is a man, woman, boy, girl, or donkey! Once a person is led by the Spirit, there is "Greek nor Jew, bond nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:28)

 

All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Rom 8:14)

To even things up a bit, Paul always mentioned Pricilla first, in Priscilla and Aquila second, when commending them to the church (Acts 18:18).

Phoebe (in Greek) is "Diakonos" or "deacon" (not deaconess or helper) *

Deborah (wife of Lapidoth) was a prophetess and judge in the nation of Israel [a very good one too] (Judges 4:4) - over both male and female.

 

And there was even a female apostle (so conveniently overlooked!) - Junia (Rom 16:7). Paul says, "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me". They were both "outstanding apostles". The commentary in one of my Bibles suggests that maybe these two were husband and wife, but there is no evidence to support this. Some later translations have even altered the "Junia" to the male form of "Junias", because it doesn't fit in their theology to have a woman apostle! Oh boy!

 

That is just to name a few...... I could go on...

 

And then, of course, there was the donkey in Numbers 22: 25). ... and hey, the donkey was female! In v 28: And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey and she spoke to Balaam (note: just the words God gave her and no more)... Then after Balaam's protests and bad behaviour, the angel of the Lord told Balaam that if he had persisted in forcing the [female] donkey to go where the angel was forbidding, the angel would have spared the donkey and slain Balaam).

 

(* The Ministry of Women in the Church by Lorri MacGregor and Charles Trombley, published by Jubilee Resources)

 

And of course, not to forget Abigail of the Old Testament.....! The Holy Spirit used her and Nabal (who was evil and stubborn and would not repent) was slain by God.

 

I sometimes think that it have been much easier if God had just created just donkeys, instead of humans!

But He is so much more loving... and wiser... and more tolerant!

 

As a recent very short and wise post said recently (by a woman, if I recall correctly!)... let's keep the focus on Jesus and look neither to the right nor the left!..... Prudent advice!

 

Yours in Christ

Abigail, NZ

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Carol Ann (20 Feb 2012)
"post regarding Joyce Meyer"

Greetings to the Five Doves,

I've been an avid watcher with the Doves since the '90's and have written a few times. I feel led to make a comment about the recent post regarding Joyce Meyer.

It's with love that I say that one should refrain from casting stones at God's chosen. Joyce Meyer has done nothing but teach millions about God's salvation plan, the Father's love for us and the restorative love of our Savior. When she meets Jesus, I imagine He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Please really give much thought about this before posting or talking about something that tears down the Body and makes Believers look foolish, petty and paranoid to the unsaved world.

In Christ,
Carol Ann