Proverbs 31 | The Virtuous Woman

anyway here we are proverbs chapter 31 and well do the entire chapter and so we'll begin here in proverbs chapter 31 at verse 1 a read verse 3 and get into our study proper 31 beginning at verse 1 reading 2 verse 3 the words of King Lemuel the utterance which his mother taught him what my son and what son of my womb and what son of my vows do not give your strength to women nor your ways to that which destroys Kings so as we begin here notice with me the obvious it begins with the words of King Lemuel the utterance which his mother taught him now LEM well the word LEM well is translated dedicated to God that's what Lemuel means but there's nothing known of this particular king by the name of Lemuel when you look into commentaries Jewish legend describes LEM well the name LEM well Jewish legend ascribes this to Solomon and would say that this is Solomon's mother bathsheba giving him advice but the problem is is that's just tradition so there's no way of really knowing that at all and so it's safer to say this is an unknown king that has given proverbs and though there are those who would ascribe the name Lemmy well speaking of the fact that he was dedicated to God there are those who would say no this would be in reference to solomon and bathsheba would be given the advice but that's not scriptural that's simply tradition with that said verse 2 says what my son and what son of my womb and what son of my vows do not give your strength to women nor your ways to that which destroys Kings notice she uses the word what three times what my son what son of my vowel rather womb what son of my vows he uses the word what three times so that would help us to know that she has a great desire to give her son good advice in other words she's basically saying what advice can I offer you that will guide you through life and through life's challenges when she says what my son my son she is saying you are the gift that God has given to me you are you're my baby and it's interesting how how mamas are with their their children in that this is a woman speaking to more than likely an adult and yet even as she's saying it she's speaking to him as if she is still her child her baby my mom even in her old age used to tell me that all the time you're still my baby you'll always be my baby and at first you know I thought you know that's uncomfortable but over time I came to realize how precious that really was to her to refer to me no matter what my age might have been as her baby so my son in other words you are the gift God has given to me you are my son you're my baby you are the son of my womb when she says that that's an interesting thing son of my womb is saying you are my natural born blood son I didn't adopt you I didn't find you you are mine and then she refers to him and this is another interesting thing son up my vows so when she says son of my vows remember that the word vows that she's speaking here and I'll rather as she's speaking about dedication and all because that's what he does the son of my vow is really a dedication she's saying I've dedicated you to serve the Lord remember that lemo else speaks concerning the fact that that he's a dedicated one and so she's saying you are the son of my vows and so that refers to the fact that she had dedicated her son to the Lord you still see this practice by the way on Sundays when we do baby dedications there's that sense of offering the child to God for God's service in First Samuel in chapter 1 verses 27 and 28 when samuel was born hannah his mother said for this child I prayed and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of him therefore I also have lent him to the Lord as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord I've dedicated him to God's service when the Lord gave to Murray my wife and me our children we had our Corinne and then we had our David and those were exciting times for us as as new parents and all and and I still remember the joy that we had as the Lord had given to us these babies and and yet on the day that my son Joseph was born that there was something unusual that took place in the in the room that day I was there as Marie gave birth to Joseph and and as this baby was born and mahad's ildren you know the general procedure they he parted the womb the doctor took the baby the nurse in the room attending took Joseph put him under some some warm little booth of some sort and put some drops in his eyes and dried him up and everything and he was crying and all of that and there I was in that room witnessing this amazing thing called childbirth and when they brought the baby to me and handed him to me we already knew his name would be Joseph and as he was handed to me I remember something that I have to believe was the Holy Spirit touched my heart and I still remember taking this brand-new newborn infant and holding them up before the Lord kind of like Kunta Kinte behold the only thing greater than yourself no I I took him and I held him up like this before the Lord and I prophesied over that one child and I said this one shall serve the Lord I still remember that there's that dedication that act of dedication and so here we have the words of King Lim well the utterance which his mother taught him what my son what son of my womb what son of my vows the one who has been dedicated to service to God my natural-born child my baby I'm giving you advice verse 3 do not give your strength to women nor your ways to that which destroys Kings that's her mama's advice what is this mother's advice what is the warning his mother is giving well she says do not give your strength to women do not give yourself over to lust do not give yourself over to sensuality when it speaks of giving your strength the word strength speaks of the hearts appetites the hearts direction the things that the heart pays attention to when it speaks of giving your strength that's your ability that's your efficiency it could even speak of your wealth do not give these things over to sensuality when it says nor know your ways to that which destroys Kings the word ways speaks of your energy or your course of life again this might even refer to his sexual vigor or strength and what does the mama's advice here well remember that power opens the door to many things that can draw you away from your duties and not the least of these distractions will be sexual temptation remember that power is attractive and some will be drawn to it including women who might want to use that as an opportunity to further themselves and so she's warning her son against giving himself over to somebody who will use him she's saying that this kind of woman is one who will be the ruin of you she could be the ruin of a king so avoid this kind of woman at all costs now interestingly enough when we think of Solomon the Solomon loved many women and the scripture speaks of a thousand women in his life and he loved many women and the scripture in first Kings chapter 11 tells us in his latter years his wives turned his heart away from the Lord and so the woman has an influence and can have an influence for good or for evil so those mothers advise to her son is be careful who you yield yourself to be careful who you pursue and for us in our day if this was a mother speaking to a son she might say it in a different way I don't even know if this is a phrase that would be used anymore but the concept is still there son be be careful with the office flirt be careful with the woman that when you walk in seems to bat her eyes at you and ask you how your weekend was and what have you been up to and this and that be careful with that because you can end up entering into a relationship that could hurt you remember we saw in proverbs chapter 5 verses 8 through 11 how the advice the counsel was keep to a path far from her do not go near the door of her house lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel let strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enriches another man's house at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent so it's good advice be careful who you yield to be careful that you don't give your strength to someone that you ought not to be giving it to because this is the stuff that destroys kings and then going on in verse 4 it is not for Kings olam well it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Prince's intoxicating drink lest they drink in forget the law and pervert the justice of all the afflicted give strong drink to him who's perishing and whine to those who are bitter of heart let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more and so in verse four and five he says it's not for Kings to drink wine and this is another temptation that has toppled Kings intoxication and and basically the advice is simple craving intoxicants is not for a king why because intoxicants cloud judgment and the one who gives themselves over to intoxicants oh those things that encourage them to become drunk is really revealing a weak character remember we already looked at this in Proverbs in chapter 23 verses 29 to 30 the questions were asked who has woe who has sorrow who has contentions who has complaints who has wounds without cause who has redness of eyes and then the answer was supplied those who linger long at the wine those who go in search of mixed wine it isn't wise for Kings to give themselves over to intoxicants no we need to remember something as Christians God has created us in order that we might serve Him and as believers God has called us to live as children of a holy God in Revelation chapter 1 verse 6 it says there that he God has made us kings and priests to his God and Father to him be glory and Dominion for ever and ever we are kings and priests we we have that royalty if you will we are children of God children of the king it is not for Kings to give themselves over to intoxicants in Romans 12 verse 1 Paul said I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service rather than giving yourself over dedicating yourself over to that which causes you to lose self-control yield yourself to the one who gives you self-control because in the book of Ephesians 5:18 Paul had said do not be drunk with wine which is dissipation the word dissipation is a word that we don't use in common language everyday it simply means a lack of self-control and a person who gives himself over to wine it becomes drunk with wine is losing self-control and he says do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation be filled with the spirit why because the Holy Spirit gives you self-control that's the fruit of the Spirit and so rather than giving yourself over to something that is not what Kings ought to be give themselves over to make sure that you yield yourself to the power of the Holy Spirit in verse six continuing he had said give strong drink to him who's perishing wine to those who are bitter of heart let him drink and forget his poverty remember his misery no more well there are those who are dying there are those who are in anguish and they would cloud themselves with strong drink in order to dull the pain or to forget what they were sorry about and so it would be used in some ways as a medication it would stupefy them it would deadened their pain and those who are impoverished would they would forget for a time their poverty but obviously when the effects of the wine would wear off and that person was no better off than before now they do this because they're not strong enough to deal with what they're experiencing but again this isn't for Kings who have a nobler character and those who know who they are in verse 8 open your mouth for the speechless in the cause of all who are appointed to die open your mouth judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy speak for the ones that are certain to perish if they are left without help in Proverbs we saw in chapter 24 verse 11 rescue those being led away to death hold back those staggering towards slaughter so speak up for the ones who are going to perish if they're left without help in verse 9 you are to open your mouth and judge righteously you're to plead the cause of the poor and the needy in other words as a righteous individual champion the cause of the poor and those who cannot speak for themselves be willing to stand up and speak and so with those verse first verses we close the first section and then we move to the second the second is what I have called as you know the impossible dream what we're looking at we're looking at the virtuous wife the virtuous woman one of the most poetically beautiful portions of Scripture that you're going to find in your entire Bible the virtuous wife the one who finds a good wife obtains favor of the Lord and so they're finding a good thing and what we have here is the description of of the virtuous woman the woman of Valor and so let's begin looking at this particular portion of Scripture looking at this wife of noble character that has come through come to us traditionally as the virtuous woman in verse 10 who can find a virtuous wife for her worth is far above rubies the heart of her husband safely trusts her so he will have no lack of gain she does him good and not evil all the days of her life and so he begins with what is called an acrostic each each line of this particular portion of Scripture begins with the letter of the Hebrew alphabet and they would put it in that way because it made it more possible for memorizing this passage traditionally was recited by husbands and children at the Sabbath table and it's a poem that reveals the value of a woman with godly character it's interesting that you'll see that it's her character that gives her the ability to be a blessing to her family and she's a blessing to her family as we'll see in a moment because she's a godly woman and a godly wife and so what she does as she epitomizes the ideals of wisdom that have been written throughout the book she's intended to set the standard for godliness for all generations she is not simply some man's dream woman she is woman as God intends her to be and that's what we see here is a blueprint for a godly woman and so who can find a virtuous wife her worth is far above rubies when asked the question who can find a virtuous wife the word virtuous speaks of efficiency it speaks of strength it's a woman of noble character and he's saying such a woman is not easily found but when you have a woman of noble character she is far above material wealth because material wealth does not automatically bring joy and it never really has resulted in contentment this is a woman who has worth that as far above materialism that's why it says her worth is far above rubies you could have millions of dollars he's basically saying you can have all these precious jewels in all but if you don't have a woman that has a great character then you don't have what you really need in life because in verse 11 the heart of her husband safely trusts her so he will have no lack of gain and so he begins to speak about this woman it's interesting how the virtuous woman inspires confidence notice how her husband trusts her she's a woman that that the man has a hundred percent trust for that that there's not a sense in him that she's going to be unfaithful there's not a sense in him at all about her that he has to be concerned about her there's nothing in her that would make him distracted and concerned and worried there's nothing in him that makes him think that one day there may be another man that enters into her life that can steal her affection from him his his his heart safely trust in her he has a hundred percent trust in this woman without any fear without any concern that she will ever do him harm when Marie my my girlfriend at that time who is now obviously my wife of many years when when she and I were dating I was real slow to begin to feel the feelings that I ultimately gained and all in and I can still remember that I was nervous about committing myself to her I just just didn't didn't want to I didn't have a lot of trust for women and and and I remember I remember when I finally realized that this is a woman that I loved that I did love I you know as corny as it sounds and men may not understand that some of you women may appreciate it I don't know it's kind of a vulnerable thing for me to even open up and say to you but it's true you know I I I was very hard-hearted I was not one that you would know how I felt about you I didn't tell you I wouldn't say anything I was very quiet about my my feelings I'm quite different now than I was then quite different so Marie didn't know where she stood with me she never did I wouldn't tell her I wouldn't say anything to her that would give her any impression that I had any interest in her other than as a friend to go out with once in a while and that went on for several months of our dating relationship never said anything with affection never never never gave her any impression that there was anything in my heart towards her other than a friendship kind of thing but I knew that I was beginning to love her and then one day I still remember and I'm sure she does too how that I was with her and I and I I said listen I I said I'm gonna I'm gonna do something and and I said and this is how I did it I said Marie in my hand right now is my heart I said see I get emotional that's why I shouldn't say it but I said Marie and I'm I have in my in my hands my heart and I want to give it to you I said but you need to know something it breaks easily and I'm afraid but I trust you and I'm giving you my heart the only thing I'm asking please don't break it she never has she never has she's a woman that I can trust and so this is what he's speaking about he's saying the heart of her husband safely trusts her and he will have no lack of gain she inspires confidence in her and he trusts her deeply and he lacks nothing in verse 12 she does him good and not evil all the days of her life she consistently loves him not just in the good times but also in the difficult times because it's her desire to do him good and this desire to do him good covers an entire lifetime we know that every marriage has their stormy seasons and you have some seasons that are are just a lot of fun and then you have some darker seasons every marriage has that it's not a surprise to anybody shouldn't be and yet she has remained in love with him and has been good to him and her desire for him is one that lasts not just through the good but also through the bad so again the heart of her husband trusts her she does him good and not evil all the days of her life now it speaks concerning her industry she seeks wool and flax and willingly works with her hands and so when it speaks of her seeking wool and flax wool is obvious it's used for clothing flax is not a word that we use today it's what is used for linen and so wool and flax speaks materials that were used for clothing and a domestic youth what it's saying is she's a homemaker she's inventive she's creative she's industrious her attention to the details of her home are seen in its effects on the family it speaks of her seeking wool and flax so that gives us the understanding of her concern a concern that her her family is properly cared for it actually gives an insight in the fact that she wants to make sure that they they dress right that's Marie - it's not that I can't dress myself she doesn't think I can so she's the one who goes out and makes sure that I have a shirt this shirt here she bought she bought me this shirt you know was my birthday last week and so she bought me a birthday present you know with my money as God intended but you make sure that they dress properly you know the woman who looks at you and you're about to walk out the door and says you're not wearing that are you you know that kind of thing to make sure that you're dressed properly and all that's what she does she makes sure that the family is taken care of and she has attention to the details of her home and it ministers to the family she makes sure that they have their needs met to make sure that they're all cared for and clothed properly in verse 14 she's like the merchant ships she brings her food from afar she goes to the she goes shopping at the store she shops for the family in order to make sure that they're cared for and while she's there she looks for the best prices and and even because notice how it says it by the way so you'll see this she's like the merchant ships brings her food from afar she may have a place you can buy something close by but she's willing to compare prices and so if it takes more time and a bit of a distance ago to save something that's worth saving she'll do that so somebody that looks for the best price even if she has to shop further away from home meaning she wants to take care of the family income and all and be a good steward of it verse 15 she also Rises well it is yet night and provides food for her household and a portion for her maid servants she rises early to provide food for the family because she's concerned for them she's not a woman who just sleeps in and tells her husband you know when you finish making yourself some breakfasts I'd like a couple of eggs myself she doesn't do that she does she doesn't habitually sleep in she makes sure that she cares for her family she doesn't make them care for themselves and it says in verse 15 and she even provides a portion for her maid servants that means that she's generous to other people who aren't her family as far as businesswoman verse 16 she considers a field and buys it from her profits she plants a vineyard and so she's a wise businesswoman she's somebody who knows how to use money she can turn a profit she's a woman who was financially responsible she's thoughtful in her purchases and long-range in her plans I still remember a woman who whom I I met many years ago now probably over 30 35 years or so ago that really impressed me with one thing and that is that every year she would take take some money and she would redo her entire house all the furniture everything would be changed out every year every year and and I thought that she is spending her husband into bankruptcy and that's what she was doing because she wanted new things all the time she had him working all the time to pay for all of those things she wasn't satisfied with the things that she had she didn't look for the best prices she wasn't frugal in her approach to life and she put pressure on her husband that was something that wasn't proper then it's not proper now but this woman on the other hand she she is somebody who takes care of the family she's wise in and trust worthy with the finances and she's thoughtful about her purchases and she makes sure that she thinks things ahead in verse 17 she Gerdes herself with strength and strengthens her arm she goes to the gym she works out she got yoga pants no I said that again she takes care of her health she makes sure that she's a healthy woman she doesn't let herself become an unhealthy person verse 18 she perceives that her merchandise is good her lamp does not go out by night she works late she makes sure she has properly fulfilled her duties of the day she's organized she stretches her hand to the distaff her hand holds the spindle verse 19 in other words she spins that flax that was mentioned earlier into thread and she sews so for her domestic duties how they're called they're not beneath her dignity I still remember a woman a vice the president's wife I won't mention Hillary's name how how when her husband was elected she said I'm not one of these women who you know stays woman bakes cookies as if that was something that that was a bad thing to do and and I remember when she said that and I know I kind of figured what she intended to say she was trying to say that she had a job she wanted to work she wanted to produce and and all of that but in the way that it was said I still remember when it was said how it impacted quite a number of women because it demeaned them it demeaned the woman who wants to be at home it demeaned the woman who wants to raise a family it demeaned the woman who to bake cookies my wife bakes cookies all the time and they're amazing you know she it demeaned a woman who found joy in caring for a family and and I have to tell you you know we need we need more in this society more of that heart for a home more of that desire to care for children more of the you know the the greatest job a woman has and I know that some can argue with me and it's all right you're wrong because because the greatest job you have is you're raising your children if you have them that's your greatest job it's the hardest job it's the hardest thing it's the job you can't quit it's the job that you get no break from you can't schedule illnesses for your children you can't say you can have a fever during the day but not at night you can't say to that child if you have you know explosive diarrhea is going to have to be between the hours of 12:00 and 4:00 because that's when I'm at my best you can't do that you you can't do that and so it takes a heart of sacrifice it takes a heart of priority it takes somebody who sees the value of raising children and and caring for a home to actually make the United States a much better place to live in she's somebody who cares about these kinds of things domestic duties are not beneath her dignity in verse 20 she extends her hands her hand to the poor yes she's out her hands to the needy and so she cares for others she is lovingly generous to those who are in need I remember it said in proverbs 21:13 whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard and in its in Hebrews 13 16 it says do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices God is well pleased well she's a generous heart she's one who was touched by people's need she reaches her hand out and she cares she's a loving and compassionate woman verse 21 she's not afraid of snow for her household for her household is clothed with scarlet she doesn't neglect her family she plans ahead she makes sure that they are cared for it's interesting how it says here and I'll just touch this for a moment that all our household is clothed the scarlet now there's a couple of a couple of applications to that scarlet they are clothed with scarlet scarlet it was a was a material that was used to make robes or outer coverings and all and it was would be double thick so it was real warm and so she's speaking it's speaking here concerning the garments that that her her her family would wear and they were warm and that's why she would not be afraid of snow for her household because even when it was cold she made sure that they were cared for but there's another application with that word scarlet let me touch it for just a moment but you'll find it interesting I think all her household is clothed with scarlet the first explanation she doesn't neglect the family she makes sure they're cared for she gives them double thick garments to keep them warm in the cold but the word scarlet well the word in Hebrew translated scarlet has an interesting route the word speaks of an insect and it's a it's it's a particular insect that the dried body of this particular insect yields coloring a coloring or a dye from which was used it was used to make scarlet dye that would be used to dye cloth and so it speaks of a particular insect that when it had died and began to dry out they would crush it and as they crushed this particular insect they would use it for die and then they would die something scarlet so this is where it gets kind of interesting because in the Psalms the psalmist in Psalm 22 used the same word in what is called a messianic Psalm in it says in Psalm 22 verse 6 I am a worm and no man a reproach have been and despised by the people when it says in Psalm 22 verse 6 I am a worm the word wormed there speaks of the die that was made from the dried body of the female of the worm the it's called Co casillases the die is produced by this the body and when collected it was crushed and it produced the red which was used in dying a cloth now the Bible says in Isaiah 53 verse 5 he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities and it could be a picture of how she makes sure that the children have religious instruction that she cares for the spiritual needs of her family because when Jesus in Psalm 22 6 is really recorded of his death on the cross I am a warm and not a man speaking of his crucifixion then you look at the word worm and you realize that it's the worm that is used to make scarlet and scarlet is used to cover people and so there are those who would look at this and say that this could be a picture not just to the fact that she cares for her for her children and her husband making sure that they're warm when it's cold but it could also be an implication that she takes care of her children's spiritual needs and again you know as a husband and as a wife I know that my responsibilities in my home whether I was a pastor or not whether I was driving a truck as I desired to do or whether was pastoring a church as I do I knew and Marie knew that my responsibility as the husband and father was for the spiritual well-being of my family I knew that I knew that I was what would be called a priest in the home because God has given to us a priest to it and I knew that I had the responsibility to give devotions to my children and I knew that I had the responsibility to teach them how to pray and I had the responsibility to teach them to read the word and that was my responsibility to teach them basic essential doctrine that's what I did and I taught them the value of service and I taught them the value of generosity and and giving to the Lord I taught them those things because that's my job but as I as a minister on occasion would leave sometimes for 16 days because I went to China and I went to the Philippines and I and I went to two just various places throughout the world India and I could be gone sometimes a week or two weeks at a time South America my wife took the responsibility and my wife would gather our small children and my wife would pray and she would put them to bed in the morning when my kids went to school there was never a day in their in their school that that I didn't touch them and say in Jesus name remember who you are and may God be with you today every day and even with that my kids went through their ups and downs no I didn't raise any perfect children some of you know my kids in yo y'all a man I didn't I didn't I didn't but my wife and I made every effort that we as parents could do to give them Jesus every day we still do we still do I still do that with my grandchildren to this day when one of them's near me and like today one of my grandchildren had a fever and I saw her and I put my hand on her little head and I prayed in Jesus name father touched this baby that's what we do but that's what the virtuous woman does to but let me say it like this we husband's have the responsibility we father's have the responsibility to raise our children in the knowledge and nurture of Jesus Christ that's our responsibility but wife if your husband refuses for whatever reason do it yourself make sure you pray with them make sure you read with them make sure you impart to them clothe your family in scarlet teach them of the blood of Christ that covers them and cleanses them from all sin and daddy husband take the responsibility seriously you only have your children as small children for a short time and what feels like oh are you never going to grow up are you ever gonna get out of here they don't but if you get into that mindset you're 18 you're out of the house I don't know anywhere in the Bible that says I stop being a father I don't know it to you I don't know anywhere in the Bible that says I stop being a father I remain a father until I go home to be with Jesus I am always there father and this woman here my wife is always there mama always we need to understand that and even when they're older they will still come up to you and say I'm thinking about something all they change the way they're speaking you know they're acting as if they've already got it thought out but you know just in case you know from an ancient wisdom what would you do they still do that they find ways to ask advice now I don't want to be the one who makes up their mind they must stand before God themselves and they must learn to hear his voice on their own I'm not here for that but I am still here to cover them in scarlet my wife is still here to cover them in scarlet through our prayers there were advice through our exhortation and encouragement there were our way of life and our expressions of our faith we still are covering them with scarlet and so she's not afraid of snow for her household for her household his clothe the scarlet she makes tapestry for herself her clothing is fine linen and purple when it says she makes tapestry for herself she the tapestry here is speaking of bedspreads she she takes care of it she she actually shows these things she makes her own bedspreads and she makes sure that it's beautiful she's just a very creative in that way and then it goes on to speak about her husband verse 23 her husband is known in the gates when he sits the elders of the land interesting her husband is known the word known is an interesting word it speaks of this one being listened to her husband's counsel is respected is what it's saying here her husband is known in the gates the gates was a place of judgment it's where the elders would be in order to judge the cases within the community they would go to the gates to speak to the eight ancient or the aged or The Wise Ones and so she's saying it's saying here that her husband has known her husband his his counsel is respected so part of this open honor that he has when it speaks of him being known in the gates part of this open honor is the result of the character of his wife because he has a good wife people respect him people respect him because they believed that he must have a good influence upon his wife they would look at him and they would think what a virtuous woman he must have something about him that has inspired her he must be a good leader she's such a godly person and and even to this day in general men are more greatly respected when they have a good wife in the church spiritual leadership hinges on this aspect of the marital relationship you see because a man's home is not in order that man will be disqualified but if his home is in order and is excellently managed I actually give to him honor and because of that his counsel and his judgment would be respected because of her excellence we need to remember 1st Corinthians chapter 11 verse 7 woman is the glory of the man now she was made from Adam's rib she was created to complete him and she was created as a helper so she's there as an assistant or to assist but she brings glory to her husband in general and I don't want to pretend to be somebody who does this I I'm not one who who looks around to make judgment on people believe me when I say that because it's true yet at the same time I have known man who wanted to be in ministry and when they start speaking about wanting to serve and wanting to be in ministry one of the greatest evidences of their ministry is their family it's their it's their wife it's it's her why it's the wife and so when I have had people who said you know I want to be a pastor eventually what happens is I will meet the wife and as I meet the wife I'm able to see whether or not this man can can can run his home whether he's a good leader by the wife it's it's it's one of those telling things because my church my number one church is is not what I'm doing right now my number one church is not just my kids my number one church is my wife it's my wife because she is my number one priority outside of Christ himself and so a husband who washes the water washes the wife with the water of the word who who sacrifices himself for her even as Christ sacrificed himself for the church a husband who respects and honors that woman you can tell and that woman is blossoming because she's been loved and ministered to and that is something that even in the Old Testament they're saying this man is honored at the gate because the virtue of his wife reflects well on him for the woman is the glory of the man and that's why we can't neglect our homes that's why it's so important to take care of that which God has given to us she furthers her husband's advanced Society she doesn't hinder it he's been freed of problems in the home he's able to seek ways to contribute to his society the fact that his home is in order because he has a great wife puts him in a position of respect and leadership amongst the elders it says in verse 24 she makes linen garments and Salim supplies sashes for the merchants she's a capable businesswoman she contributes to the income of the home verse 25 strength and honour are her clothing she shall rejoice in time to come strength and honour are her clothing the word strength speaks of her character her moral strength it speaks of her purity her integrity it speaks of her her honesty her character strengths minuses honor the word honor speaks of her being respectable of being modest of being serious minded of being respectable there's a phrase that that I think has been tarnished over the years but it speaks of men are gentlemen and and the women are our ladies and I was reading something today and this quote and a woman said there's a woman said being a female is a matter of birth being a woman is a matter of age but being a lady is a matter of choice I like that that's good that's good I wish I'd have made that up but that's true and so she's a lady she's a lady she has strengths and she has honor and she's the kind of woman that other young women will look at and say that's what I want to be like I want to be like her it says she shall rejoice in time to come this is interesting because as I was studying today looking at this she does not concern herself with aging and is not worried about her future because in her later years she reaps the benefits of what she has sown in her earlier years so she has looked ahead she has prepared for her future as a beautiful young woman perhaps she realized that beauty is passing but character remains so she put her attention on becoming a virtuous woman a woman of honor a woman of nobility a woman of Valor that's what she chose to do it's like we had seen in proverbs 30 verse 25 that aunt while she prepared herself for her future she doesn't fear aging someone said she lives in peace with a joyful expectation of her future because she has the comfortable memories of a well-spent life and genuine confidence in God's gracious promises that he has made to those who put their complete trust in him in verse 26 she opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness when it says she opens her mouth with wisdom she is well read and as she has spent time reading and growing that has enabled her to live in grace but it also has taught her to speak gracious words to whether others on her tongue is the law of kindness she speaks graciously to other people her time in personal study and devotion has produced within her humility as a result she's not arrogant in the way she speaks to other people proverbs 16 24 says pleasant words are like a honeycomb sweetness to the soul and health to the bones she's that woman with the gentle speech and a gracious way of speaking to you in verse 27 she watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness she doesn't eat bonbons all day in front of the TV she is an alert watchman over her home she guards her home against the enemy she monitors what enters into her home she watches over her children she's vigilant because she knows that the enemy is finding ways to influence the family to evil so she's aware she's aware of what her children are reading what her children are watching who her children are hanging around with she's a vigilant person guarding her family she watches over her household and she never sleeps this is something she's aware of constantly and somebody who says I don't know that doesn't sound oh that sounds tough well verse 28 her children rise up and call her blessed her husband also and he praises her when when I finally got to the point where I was willing to admit that I was in love with a young woman named Marie I I asked some friends of mine who had been part of a Bible study because I met her in the Bible study I asked some friends of mine if they would if they would join us on a Friday night and it came to the location of that Bible study and I used to sit in a small chair and there were only a few people that would come to the study and I used to sit in a chair and Marie who became my girlfriend and there's now a girl that I would in love with Murray would actually sit at the base of that chair she would sit there I was in this little small easy type chair and she would sit right here literally sitting at the feet of her master ha ha no she would sit there and so we came to the house and we sat down and the people who could come that day came and she didn't know why they were there and I opened up proverbs 31 and I read it and when I read it I looked at Murray and I said to her Murray does you this is you and I said to her my father when he asked my mom to marry him gave her this ring the ring I wear to this day I said this was their engagement ring I said myrin I'm asking you to marry me will you be my wife and I handed her this ring right here that I still wear all these years later she put it on her hand she forgive me well I can say this and I'll say it like this many daughters have done well but you excel them all you I love you babe thank you so much I can say that I can say that I can say that can you imagine higher praise coming from a husband there are beautiful women gifted women great women but on the face of the earth he is saying you're tops you're the best you are a woman of Valor you are a woman of virtue you are the virtuous woman and so charm is deceitful beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own work praise her in the gate openly honor her for being such a noble woman for she has earned it and thus we close our study in Proverbs

Channel: Calvary Chapel Chino Valley

Views: 13,438

Rating: 4.847826 out of 5

Keywords: Bible, Pastor David Rosales, cccv, Church, Teaching, Worship, God, Christians, Bible Study, Jesus, A Jesus People Community, Calvary Chapel Chino Valley, David Rosales, Pastor, Calvary Chapel, Holy Spirit, Gods Word, Chuck Smith, Teacher, Pastor David, End Times, Rapture, Trinity, Antichrist, A Sure Foundation, Prayer, Pray, Proverbs 31

Id: yqWQJP9aOlQ

Length: 56min 50sec (3410 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 06 2018