Does God Have a Gender?

This is an email I received today:

...One aspect of God that is very prevalent in the churches in Northern Virginia (a hotbed of cultural diversity as I am sure Atlanta was) is the aspect of God being feminine. Gender is quite the issue in many churches, praying to "God, he or she, which ever you prefer." Certainly there are references to God's nature as feminine characteristics, (sheltered under wings...etc.) and certainly God references himself as a "male" time and time again. He does describe His characteristics as gender specific so that we may have better understanding. That does not mean He is either male nor female. An understanding of what spirit is helps clear this up.

Once a person has allowed him/her self to distort the scriptures in one area (i.e. the trinity) then it is so much easier to distort and paste his/her own issues on God and who He is - such as making Him female. Instead of looking at the images of femaleness as ways of understanding God's relationship with us, it is taken to a deeper level of His essence.

This is surely nothing new. Ashera and other female gods were worshipped and still are...Gaia, etc. Delusion upon delusion seem to heep upon one another. That is why I am with you wanting to just know the truth because that is what I want to believe. It is scary sometimes because I don't want to be in that deluded catagory and have been at times, and still probably am in some areas... But that darkness is not wanted and God knows that and will teach me as He has continued to do through the years.

my response is below:

This is difficult to determine because God is not a human being and therefore does not necessarily have a gender. However, the Scriptures say that grace & truth came through Jesus. Thus the Son would know the best about the Father since he has the most intimate relationship with him. Jesus referred to God as "my Father" (not Mother) approximately 50 times. Thus, if we are to trust that the one who has "fully declared God" (John 1.18) knows best, then we should refer to God as our Father (in the masculine).

What do you think? Is God masculine/feminine/neuter?