God calls us all to serve

Robert H. Gray Jr.

May 16, 2008 10:20 am

— Have you ever heard it said: "God does not call women to preach?"
Well, do you think that God appointed men here on earth to advise Him of what He does and does not do? God calls whom He pleases to call.
In part, what we have here is a lack of study of God's word. Let's look at what His word says 'concerning the woman preacher, starting with the first woman God called to preach.
"Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances."
"And Miriam answered them: Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!" (Exodus 15:20,21)
In the Book of Judges we have another woman preacher. Now this woman God set over ALL the people of Israel! "Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time." (Judges 4:4)
In II Kings 22:14, we have Huldah, and in Isaiah 8:3, we find Isaiah's wife. God's people belong to Him. He calls, He anoints, He appoints.
"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity." (Luke 2:36)
Please note here: I am by no means saying that because a woman is a preacher, she is also a prophetess! Yet, one cannot be a prophet or prophetess, without first being a preacher. Ephesians 4:11 states: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers."
If you lack understanding here, check the meaning of the word 'prophet' and the word 'prophetess' in the original Hebrew and Greek (for Old and New Testament).
In Acts 21:8,9 we read: "On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with Him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied."
(Scriptures in this article are from the New King James Version.)
God tells us in II Corinthians 3:6, that it is He "who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." (John 1:12)
"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" (Galatians 4:6)
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him" (I John 3:1)
II Corinthians 13:1, tells us: "...By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established."
Our relationship with Jesus, be you male or female is "brethren." "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: "I will declare your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to you." (Hebrews 2:11,12)
If we continue to look at the spirit of the word, we find that all believers operating in spiritual matters are 'sons.' The Church is the Body of Christ, and the Church represents the body of the Son of God, not a daughter of God. And so, the Body of Christ functions as 'sons' of God.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Romans 8:14)
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)
If we stay with the spiritual, we find that God uses those He desires to use. With Him it does not matter about nationality of race, neither does it matter if one be male or female.
Our God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) Yet, He is a respecter of faith. (Hebrews 11:6) If one has faith toward God to do His will, God will use that one to fulfill His purpose.
Question: "Is much of the problem that many men are just jealous of women in ministry?"