Here is some edifying content for you- some Christian women from the Bible and from church history that added to the glory of the name of Jesus with grace and truth. You can read about them in the following:
FROM THE BIBLE
Twelve Unlikely Heroes, by John MacArthur, contains a bio of Miriam, Moses’ sister. Book.
Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You, book by John MacArthur. Includes bios of – Eve: Mother of All Living Sarah: Hoping Against Hope Rahab: A Horrible Life Redeemed Ruth: Loyalty and Love Hannah: A Portrait of Feminine Grace Mary: Blessed Among Women Anna: The Faithful Witness The Samaritan Woman: Finding the Water of Life Martha and Mary: Working and Worshiping Mary Magdalene: Delivered from Darkness Lydia: A Hospitable Heart Opened Ruth & Esther: There is a Redeemer & Sudden Reversals
WOMEN FROM CHRISTIAN HISTORY
Reformation Women: Sixteenth-Century Figures Who Shaped Christianity’s Rebirth by Rebecca VanDoodewaard. Book
Susannah Spurgeon: Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon.Book
Jonathan Edwards’ wife, Sarah Edwards, in Marriage to a Difficult Man, by Abigail Dodds. Book description-
What was Sarah Edwards doing while her husband navigated ministry difficulties and pressures, traveled often to preach, nursed his delicate health, and spent long hours in his study composing sermons and writing books? She was busy mothering their 11 children, caring for the household, warmly welcoming the many guests who came to talk to and study with her famous husband, and providing a rock of stability and sociability for her introverted husband—one of America’s most influential intellectuals and theologians.
A must-read for any ministry wife or wife who’s husband is necessarily very busy with work or travel, this book gives us an intimate glimpse into the Edwards’s home life, where Sarah shines as a model of motherhood, marital and ministry support, and hospitality.
Lady Jane Grey:
Lady Jane Grey was queen for just nine days, as part of an unsuccessful bid to prevent the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor. The great-granddaughter of Henry VII, Jane inherited the crown from her cousin Edward VI on 9 July 1553.
She arrived at the Tower of London to prepare for her coronation, but within a fortnight she was back as a prisoner of her Catholic cousin, Mary I who had claimed the throne as rightfully hers. While Mary was reluctant to punish her at first, Lady Jane proved too much of a threat as the focus of Protestant plotters intent on replacing Mary.
“On 12 February 1554 Jane was executed on Tower Green. She was 17 years old. Did she die an innocent victim of the men plotting around her? Or as a willing Protestant martyr? We may never know. This is her story.” From, Tower of London History.
The Little Woman, autobiography of missionary to China Gladys Aylward, By Gladys Aylward and Christine Hunter. While many lone women going afield on mission seem to have been proto-feminists, Gladys seems not to have been. I recommend her story. Book
This is about the times I almost died. It’s also about being immortal until God sovereignly saves us and finishes His work through us. We all have a number of days.
Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass. (Job 14:5).
God determines who is born, where we are born, IF we are born, and how long we may live after we are born. He decides when we die and how we die. We are totally in God’s hands from eternity past to eternity future.
He chose to tell Peter by what manner he was to die. (John 21:19) In John 21:22 He told Peter about John, “Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!“
I have lived a careful life. Nothing reckless. I don’t bungee jump or skydive or even drive on Los Angeles freeways. I lived on a sailboat for two years, sailing up and down the Atlantic seaboard and across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. It’s not especially dangerous to live on a sailboat, no more than driving around or slipping in the bathtub. Accidents make only the 4th leading cause of death. Heart attacks is number 1.
I wasn’t saved when I lived on the sailboat. I never thought about death for long. Or Jesus or God or eternity. I didn’t know at all about the Bible or salvation.
We used the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) for part of our journey up and down the coast. This is an “inside” waterway of connected lakes, seas, canals, and rivers that allow for barge traffic up and down the coast. It also allows for mariners on motor or sail vessels to go up and down the eastern seaboard without having to make a foray into the Atlantic Ocean.
Aerial photo of the East End of the Cape Cod Canal & Scusset Beach State Reservation in SE Massachusetts. Public Domain
It’s actually a roadway similar to the Interstate. On any given day, especially in populated areas, all sorts of marine traffic will be plying the Intracoastal waters. In some ways, it’s more difficult to navigate the ICW when it’s crowded because there are so many boats. You have to time it for the tide AND the bridges. (Bridges will lift to allow sailboat masts to go under). There are a thousand ‘rules of the road,’ protocols for travel, right of way, passing, bridge tenders, speed limits, navigation markers, horn or sound signals, ranges…
There are parts of the ICW that are shallower than others. We were on a sailboat and had to be aware of the ‘draft’ under us and be precise about whether there was enough water under our keep for us not to touch bottom and get stuck. Because of the shifting nature of sand, the Army Corps of Engineers are constantly dredging to ensure safe passage for vessels of reasonable draft.
As we motored up the river in northern Florida, a tug pushing a barge came up behind us. (Or a tug pulling one, I forget which). I do remember the tug was Tug Green Cove and he was going to take a left at the St. Johns River while we were going to proceed north past Amelia Island up to Georgia.
We knew this because we were in a constricted area, and he contacted us on VHF radio. He needed to pass us since he was motoring at a faster speed than us at our 5mph. We communicated about the complexities of us moving a bit to the side so he had enough room to pass us safely, what speed to do it, and when.
A few of the antenna towers of the Cutler VLF Transmitter. Long range early warning system established by the Navy in 1960. Public Domain
When we saw no southbound traffic coming at us, we started the passing maneuver. We did the maneuver carefully. Steering a boat is not like a car, it is susceptible to currents, waves, and sudden wind gusts to push your vessel where you don’t want it to go. We didn’t want to run into the barge/tug and he didn’t want to run into us.
I stayed above on deck to watch and help if needed. When we finished and the barge was ahead of us and not behind us, I went below to finish making the sandwiches. That’s when I heard a BANG. I though we had run into something. But no, we had run aground. A shoal got us before we could move to the center of the narrow ICW waterway again.
It took a bit of backing and filling and use of an anchor to pull us off but we got off the sandbar.
I thought about this incident long and hard. It happened sometime in 1992 or 1993. So, thirty years ago. I was not saved by the grace of God then. But even before I was saved, it does a soul good to ponder the near death experience one has just undergone. And especially now that I’m saved, I think about death, life, afterlife.
You see, if the timing had been just 15 seconds prior when we went aground, the barge would have run us over. We’d be dead. Just like that. The tug operator certainly wouldn’t have had time to stop. And our grounding was so quick that we wouldn’t have had time even to jump off the boat and swim away.
So now that I’m saved and understand the sovereignty of God, His sovereign election of His sheep, I think about the fact that I am immortal till I am saved and immortal after that till His work through me is done.
EPrata photo. People who come to faith are His sheep from the foundation of the world. We aren’t goats that turn into sheep.
I wasn’t saved until age 43. I am sure that incident on the Florida Intracoastal Waterway was not the first or only time I was nudged from a track of death to near-death. I often chuckle at the angels God must have sent to push me or pull me from this or that oncoming disaster so that I would remain alive until the appointed time of my salvation- and after.
Do you ever think about that? How God in His sovereignty keeps us alive until the appointed day of salvation and then afterward? And he does so for each and every of the 8 billion people on earth, saved or unsaved, future sheep or present goat. He orchestrates the moves of each person so He will receive maximum glory.
I’m sure if we ponder this for a while we will fall down in unabashed humility for God’s greatness.
We read much of fasting in the Old Testament. We read a bit in the New Testament. In Matthew (4x), Mark (3x), Luke (5x), Acts (4x). We are told that Anna fasted, the disciples fasted before a big decision, and Jesus mentioned fasting. He explained how to pray, but did not explain how to fast.
EPrata photo
In any narrative, if there are blanks or gaps, people will tend to fill it in with their own notions and opinions. With Bible concepts they fill it in with false notions. A “Daniel Fast” for example is often used as a diet, or it’s used as a way to gain favor with God, or it’s used as a way to lord it over peers. Yet, Daniel fasted because the king’s food was not kosher, and he fasted another time because he was in mourning over the vision given to him.
Fasting is a serious discipline, just as praying is. In fasting, when mentioned in the Bible, it’s always lined with prayer. People seemed to have prayed without fasting, but when fasting, prayer is always mentioned.
Fasting is not a huge Christian book topic. There aren’t many resources explaining what it is or how to do it I’ve found that are solid. Paul Washer did write about fasting, in this book that I own and I’ve read,
Understanding the Discipline of Fasting (Biblical Foundations for the Christian Faith), Part of: Biblical Foundations for the Christian Faith (5 books) by Paul David Washer.
There is also The Doctrine of Fasting and Prayer, and Humiliation for Sin by Arthur Hildersham.
Why Should I Fast? – Cultivating Biblical Godliness Series, by Daniel R. Hyde.
The Duty, the Benefits, and the Proper Methods of Religious Fasting by Samuel Miller, unavailable at present as a short pamphlet but can be read online here.
Paul Washer answers the question “How Should I Fast?” in this 20 minute video.
Fasting is an important spiritual discipline. I hope these few resources and encouragement has prompted you to try it on occasion- and always WITH prayer.
Sisters, I want to take a moment to speak from my heart, and directly. I have two points here today. First, Lori Alexander The Transformed Wife gave out some advice to a questioner that was sad, pitiful, error-ridden, and unwise. Again.
Lori Alexander
The “advice” was regarding marital relations. This is a topic on which she seems to be fixated, and talks about it much too often publicly. I’ve said this before on social media. I say it again. Lori lacks discretion, modesty, and self-control.
Yes, it IS an important topic, but…here is my 2nd point:
My 2nd point is this: as I said, personal discussions of marital relations isn’t a topic for a social media influencer to bring up so frequently, but if it needs to be discussed, do so one-on-one privately. And NO ONE should be giving sex advice or health advice through a screen to anonymous online people she doesn’t know.
source wikimedia commons
IF a woman has an intimate question, she should ask someone who is close to her, who knows the her, knows her context, her history. She should ask the godly older woman in her life. THAT person is more likely to be knowledgeable enough to give health and sex advice. This would be her older sister, mother, grandmother, mentor, pastor’s wife, gynecologist…etc.
In addition, shame on the women who seek out Lori’s advice on the subject, too. Asking such intimate and personal questions of a random person online, no matter how large her platform, is unwise and not recommended.
Do not follow Lori Alexander “@godlywomanhood”. It is best NOT to ask her for advice. It is best NOT to follow any advice she gives. She is a false teacher.
There’s weakness, and then there’s weakness. It depends on which kind you’re talking about.
Christian women are noted as the weaker vessel. (1 Peter 3:7).
As for Christian weakness in general, we’re all weak, we are supposed to be. Paul said that Jesus replied to him,
‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
There’s weak because we’re laden with sin that makes us weak. That is one reason we strive not to sin. We pick up our cross daily and slay sin. When we do sin, it’s important to address it by repenting to Jesus and making things right with the other person, if you had involved another person in your sin. Sin is one reason we become weak and ineffective.
There’s weak because we understand our depravity and seek the Spirit’s strength. There’s weak when we see how powerful Jesus is, and understand our own powerlessness in the face of His omnipotence. There’s physically weak, due to illness temporary or permanent.
In some cases, God gives us weakness. He gave to Paul a “thorn in the side” both to keep Paul humble, and to demonstrate that all we need is His grace (not our own strength). (2 Corinthians 12:7)
In America where I’m from, strength is valued. Strength, bravado, and self-sufficiency are nationally recognized attributes, idols, even. In addition, American Feminism has also contributed to a national consciousness that we woman are supposed to have it all together and be capable of all things at all times. “I can bring home the bacon AND fry it up in a pan” as the old TV advertisement alleged.
The attributes of weakness, meekness, and humility aren’t as valued as they are in other nations. But it’s OK to be weak. It’s good. Why?
It’s God who strengthens us. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).
Wouldn’t you rather have His strength than your own strength, anyway? 🙂
The Bible says some women are weak, and it is meant in a bad way. The Bible also says Christians are to be weak, but it’s meant in a good way. Let’s look at the two ways.
Weak in a bad way
For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions (2 Timothy 3:6)
The Greek word for weak here is gunaikarion, a contemptuous term meaning a silly, foolish, little woman.
Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown Commentary says,
laden with sins—(Isa 1:4); applying to the “silly women” whose consciences are burdened with sins, and so are a ready prey to the false teachers who promise ease of conscience if they will follow them. A bad conscience leads easily to shipwreck of faith (1Ti 1:19).
Weak woman is strong. She prays and relies on Jesus.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Gill’s Explains it this way:
for when I am weak, then am I strong; when he was attended with all the above mentioned infirmities, when laden with reproaches, surrounded with necessities, followed with persecutions, and brought into the utmost straits and difficulties, and was most sensible of his weakness in himself to bear and go through all these things; then was he upheld by the divine arm, and strengthened by the power of Christ; so that he was not only able to sustain the conflict, but became more than a conqueror, and even to triumph in the midst of these adversities;
The difference is that silly weak women are loaded down with unrepented-of sin, which clouds their mind and they fall prey to untruth. Weak women who rely on the glorious Divine Arm to lift them are wise, strong, and in His power. They know the truth and see Him clearly. They possess virtue and radiate calm wisdom.
Repent often. Pray frequently. Consult the Word repeatedly. Then we will not be silly, foolish, or an embarrassment to the faith.
I mentioned earlier that there was a disruptive conversation/argument on Twitter this summer sparked by Dale Partridge concerning whether women can or should teach theology to other women. I dealt with that in my essay blog here, and also reposted Chris Hohnholz’ conclusion within it.
In my opinion this discussion is important because the conversation seems to be part of a growing segment of the faith, edging ever more to the fringe of the faith (and perhaps soon to creep OUT of the faith?) which is hyper-conservative and hyper-focused negative aspects on women. Not the feminist side but the reaction to feminists that is swinging the pendulum toward the extreme other end of the spectrum.
Some men, like Dale Partridge, and women, like Lori Alexander, (The Transformed Wife), harp on the fact that women are more susceptible to error than men, and that this is why men must lead.
This isn’t true. The hierarchy of men leading and women helping was established before the Fall of Man into sin. Eve was specifically created to be a helpmeet. Adam was told to work the garden.
The ever thoughtful, ever articulate, Chris Hohnholz rebutted this idea of women being more susceptible than men to doctrinal error. Here is his response to that erroneous concept being touted by unlearned people online:
“Today’s #PointToPonder: In the Garden, Eve was deceived and transgressed. Adam was not deceived and transgressed. This is biblical truth. However, before you jump to making an argument about how the deception of Eve is characteristic of her being, thus consigning all women to being susceptible to deception, remember Adam was not deceived yet he transgressed.”
“Why is this important? Because some are saying that men are to lead because they are less prone to deception and were made, in their being, for such things. However, Adam’s transgression was willful and purposeful. In other words, he knew it was wrong and did it anyway.“
“Therefore, if women are susceptible, in their being to deception, men are then susceptible to rank disobedience and rebellion, in their being. Neither are by nature of their being, better for leadership. To assert otherwise is to commit a selective reading of Scripture.”
“Authority and leadership are rooted first and foremost in God who has determined our purposes and roles in accordance with His sovereign will. He has created us and gifted us uniquely for those roles and purposes. Yes, men are things women are not and women are things men are not. And it is a glorious gifting of God that it is this way. The question of what makes a person suited for authority and leadership is “What does Scripture command” not “What is the nature of our being”. So, let’s stop being cocky and attributing something to women that somehow makes them less and men more.”
—end Chris Hohnholz comment
I believe, sadly, that some of the people promoting this view enjoy making women less and men more. I believe this about Lori Alexander. Far from being an advocate of women, or a support for women, her comments seem to constantly berate women.
The other day Christian journalist Megan Basham @megbasham asked @Phil_Johnson_ on Twitter about this new stance we are seeing pop up. She said,
“I’m trying to understand what’s happening in some circles right now. Overcorrection? New hybrid strain of sharia law and evangelicalism?“
I’ve seen an increasingly strict emphasis on modesty, a narrow interpretation of women must wear head coverings. As a result, more than one person has referenced in response to these highly strict, women-submission type comments, that what next? should we be wearing Muslim hijabs, and under sharia law? (“In Islam, Sharia Law refers to the divine counsel that Muslims follow to live moral lives and grow close to God”, says the CFC.) In fact, when Lori Alexander The Transformed Wife promoted something for women that went beyond the Bible (and lacked grace) a Muslim women ‘liked’ the comment and mentioned sharia law positively.
Sisters, when your comments about women bring to mind strict Muslim culture and you have Muslims who promote Sharia law approve your posts, it is time to step back and take a look at not only what you’re posting, but what you believe.
Women and men both have strengths, both have vulnerable points. We glory in the creativity and wisdom of God who made us to complement each other in our gender roles, and who also complement each other in our churches with the Spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has dispensed.
Please watch out for and reject this hyper-submission, extra-biblical narrow and negative view of women. Both women and men are precious to God, neither are less than the other and neither are more than the other. God is great and He loves us humans, all we frail, sinful, sheep.
This past April there was a social media discussion that erupted after a man named Dale Partridge posted a podcast or two or three, claiming that it is unbiblical for women to teach theology even to other women. This was a new take on the verses he founded this thought from, some of which are Titus 1:9, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Timothy 2:11-14, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Ephesians 5:24-27, and so on.
Was he right? Or was he going too far? It threw a lot of people into confusion during the summer, including me. Diligent Christian women WANT to do the right thing, and many of us who emulate the Bereans (Acts 17:11) went back to double check.
My own conclusion after searching the scriptures in context, is that this man was wrongly applying scripture. I then did a deep dive into Dale’s Christian life and teaching and concluded his theology was not to be trusted. He went beyond scripture, his life was one flip to another both in employment and in doctrinal stances. He is a serial plagiarist (which alone disqualifies him from leading), and fails to tell the truth more frequently than can be attributed to an accidental slip of the typing. As more people focused on him who did the same, and compared his ‘teaching’ to the Bible, their conclusion also was that his life and his doctrine didn’t stand up.
Nick Campbell was one of these who presented a detailed conclusion to Partridge’s life and doctrine, and at that time I obtained permission to re-post his conclusions on this blog. It is here-
Why should we care about what one guy is saying about women teaching theology? Because he has a big following. Because influencers are called influencers for a reason- they influence. And when it’s a Christian, or someone professing Christianity, they can influence the faithful for good or for ill. It’s incumbent upon us to discern which.
Then during the summer of 2023, someone with a bigger following than Partridge, Lori Alexander, “The Transformed Wife” AKA @godlywomanhood, passed Dale’s teaching on to her female followers, which number in the millions.
Lori Alexander
Women began coming to me with this, asking What? Why? Huh?
The disruption lasted all June and July, and still iterates now in August. The always articulate, the always careful, and always thoughtful Chris Hohnholz, came out with his own conclusion to the question ‘Can women teach theology to other women?’
Here is what Chris wrote. I have his permission to repost:
“So, after seeing the kerfuffle surrounding Dale Partridge and his comments regarding women learning theology, I am now listening to part 1 of his podcast on this. Despite his assertions to the contrary, I honestly do not believe this helps his cause.”
“Dale rightly makes a case about the authority structure between husbands and wives (and their daughters) and the authority structure in the church (pastors over congregants, pastoral role reserved to men). However, he then extends that authority to say that women ought ONLY receive certain kinds of theological teaching from ONLY their father, husband, or pastor. That those certain theological teachings are not permitted for women to teach.”
“He also extends to authority of the Christian father over his daughter while she is out of the home, as an adult, unmarried. It his job to shepherd her, or it is ONLY the pastor’s job/authority if there is no Christian father or husband.”
“While this may sound like it has a ring of truth, you have to extend the passages he uses beyond their context to create this scenario. He also tries to distinguish between what he calls “devotional theology” (basic understanding of the gospel, Christian life and application, etc) which all Christians can learn and talk about, from “systematic theology” which is essentially the exclusive realm of pastors, elders, etc, because it is what they need to teach Christians.”
“Dale gives a passing comment that Christians “can” study systematic theology but it isn’t needed for them because that really is more for informing the pastors so they can teach and address things the average Christian doesn’t have to face or have the responsibility to address.”
“And here is where the rubber meets the road. [According to Dale Partridge] Women can teach “devotional theology” to other women but systematic theology is verboten because it is teaching that which is reserved to the role of the pastor, therefore, she is assuming authority that is not hers. This is a massive stretch and not consistent with the teaching of Scripture. Partridge simply is wrong.”
—end Chris Hohnholz comment.
Indeed, the notion that there is such a thing as ‘devotional theology’ vs. ‘systematic theology’ is a tier that Dale has invented then put into the conversation. It does not exist. There is no such thing as devotional theology.
“Devotional theology” is not devotions we might be reading in the morning
When Chris posted his thoughtful and biblical conclusions to the kerfuffle Mr Partridge caused, Dale Partridge replied with a concerning tweet. The story isn’t over. Now, remember that 38-year-old Dale is the President of Reformation Seminary as well as a pastor, author, podcaster, and influencer.
“Chris, I would appreciate you reading this as it is the conclusion of those three episodes on the topic. Naturally, I was working through this topic and episode one is not the most clear representation of my view. But this is. Let me know your thoughts.“
No. Just no. When one is supposed to be a trusted source for the words of God, one does not ‘work out’ one’s theology in public. Leaders are supposed to study and study until coming to a settled conclusion, and THEN assert “This is what God says in His word” or “This is what the Bible means when it says XYZ”. God’s word is precious. It is not to be flung about in public, slippery and amorphous. It is the most solid thing in the universe. We don’t play with it.
A qualification for leaders is that they must be “able to teach”. (1 Timothy 3:2). That mean they should have an ability to communicate the truth of Scripture with clarity. It does not mean the teacher issues successive videos clarifying then clarifying more then clarifying the clarification. It also doesn’t mean he should “work out” his stance and appeal to confusion as the reason for the questions. Indeed, Mr Hohnholz replied,
Chris Hohnholz replied, “You sounded pretty clear to me, sir. And, I pulled these episodes straight from this article. You make clear delineations and make clear statements about realms of authority and who should teach what. I’m already into the second episode and I’m not hearing any significant difference. You are simply asserting more than Scripture commands and are attempting to couch that in terms of what is “ideal.” It would be better for you to simply state you were wrong on this matter, pull the episodes and article, study Scripture without your presuppositions in place and try again. I’m going to be honest with you, I often see A LOT of “I’ve been misrepresented” on this here bird site, so I tend to make it my task to interact directly with a person’s material. The “I know you interacted directly with exactly what I said but it’s still not what I really meant,” is not a good look for you. Take care.”
It is a blessing to have so much Christian material available to us at the touch of a button! But with it comes caution. Satan works his evil everywhere, and he is online too. He influences people and their teaching. As Paul said, false teachings “spread like gangrene“. And if you are a medical professional or a movie watcher of old westerns, you know how fast gangrene spreads. FAST.
Tips for following people online
Be influenced well, not poorly.
What to watch out for online: people whose positions change frequently, one moment they are Amillennial and the next they are posmillennial and the next they are dispensational. Not that people can’t change, RC Sproul changed from old earth to young earth, John MacArthur changed from believing that Jesus was temporarily subordinate to God to permanently subordinate to God. But these big changes in doctrine come with an explanation, and a lot of thought and prayer after years. And they didn’t “work it out” online in public.
Watch out for people who claim they are leaders but are unteachable and uncorrectable. These people are often not humble, either.
Watch out for people who are always and constantly involved in some controversy, or worse, starting one. The truth will stir up controversy, but with discernment you can detect the difference between someone starting one to get clicks, and someone who has controversy thrust upon them due to speaking God’s light to a dark world.
Watch out for influencers who seem unattached to a church or unaccountable to their pastor. If they are a Seminary Professor, they are accountable to the Trustee Board. Many famous female celebrity teachers are loose cannons who seem unattached to any church or accountability structure.
On the positive side, watch for: men who are thoughtful and who avoid ‘hot takes’. Who avoid jumping into the fray. They are measured and calm, remembering that they represent Christ. Men who are solid in doctrine, yet attentive to other positions (if even just to be gracious). Men who use a lot of scripture in their posts or tweets. Men who are loving to their wives online, praising them and being kind.
Ladies, I hope you glory in His word and study it with joy. All of it. It is ALL there to edify you and is profitable for correction, reproof, and growth to do every good work!
We worship an orderly God, whose prophecies, whose seasons, whose mankind progresses according to His will. What a blessing it is to know we submit to a God who is perfect, whose mighty hand is outstretched to make Himself known and His works, including the animal world, are a wonder.
Below is a poem by Kay Cude. Right-click to enlarge in new tab. Or read below-
“Foamy crystal drops of damp, and he alights with ease; to rest upon a liquid bed, his heart content and pleased; To linger there and end his day, the journey hard and long; the banks call out to lay upon, his heart by rest made strong.”
1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven— 2A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. Ecclesiastes 3:1-3
