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Women And Wives God Will Bless

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Women And Wives God Will Bless

God has inspired two pictures in Proverbs. One is the Proverbs 31 woman; the other is the Proverbs 14 woman. In contrast to the elegantly resourceful, humbly beautiful, woman of wisdom in Proverbs 31 is the Proverbs 14 woman. She is the antithesis of excellence and virtue. She destroys and troubles, and lacks wisdom.

 

A godly woman and a godly young lady learn their manners from the Word of God. They look like Proverbs 31. Sounds like a good idea. This morning join me as we look over the shoulders of the great Biblical women of the faith. Throughout the centuries they have poured over the Scriptures and looked for God’s truth.  A great place to start is in Proverbs 14:1-9 with special emphasis on v. 1.  In these verses we find the Proverbs 14 woman.

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. (NKJV)

 

What a contrast. The wise woman is a builder of a godly home. She is a model of godly conduct. The foolish woman is a destroyer. That is what the words “tear down” mean. She destroys her home, her family and eventually her own life. Word by word, person by person, her evil stifles, chokes and eventually destroys people and relationships. What is her outcome? Look back at Proverbs 11:29

 

He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, and the fool [will be] servant to the wise of heart. (NKJV).

 

There is a classic American Tale[1], Gone with the Wind that so vividly portrays this idea. The movie is based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel about a slice of Southern Living in the strife torn Civil War Era. The key themes of the movie are very similar to those we find as we meditate on the warnings of God’s Word.

  • It was a life nearly oblivious to the world around it.
  • It was a vividly selfish, indulgent life. The central character is well known to us – the enticing southern belle, Scarlet O’Hara. A cunning and crafty woman who knew what she wanted and always tried to get it. Her self-centeredness is in stark contrast to the servant hearted Melanie. So Solomon, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, contrasts the selfish and indulgent Foolish woman to the sweet and selfless Wise woman.

 

The outlook for a joy filled lifelong marriage is about as bleak without the Lord as those tragic warn torn scenes of devastation from the Civil War! But that is not God’s Will. He doesn’t want strife torn lives and homes. He doesn’t want empty lives and hearts. He wants marriage to be life long and joy filled. So to prepare us, God has left a colorful guide to marriage; it is a timeless list of godly character qualities that we who know and love the Lord should seek. God’s Word says much about men and women. The Lord goes so far as to even identify what type of person we should avoid, stay away from, and especially never consider as a viable marriage partner. The list is timeless, and can be your guide to a joyous Biblical marriage.

 

How about taking a look at some of those 200 verses with me this morning? Let’s open to Proverbs chapter 1.

 

How do we cultivate godliness in our daughter? By knowing, sharing, praying, and most of all – LIVING the portrait God has painted of a GODLY WOMAN.

 

We are studying Prayer as the key to raising, nurturing, and launching children that please the Lord. We are learning how to pray for our children.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR REALITY IN THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE:

  1. SEEING THEM GENUINELY SAVED.
  2. SEEING THEM LOVING GOD’S WORD.
  3. SEEING THEM LIVING IN VICTORY.
  4. SEEING THEM THINKING OF HEAVEN.
  5. SEEING THEM FINDING SIN REPULSIVE.
  6. SEEING THEM STAY TENDER TOWARD GOD.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR INTEGRITY IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE:

  1. SEEING THEM MAINTAINING A CLEAR CONSCIENCE.
  2. SEEING THEM LEARNING TO STAND ALONE.
  3. SEEING THEM SEEKING TO STAY PURE.
  4. SEEING THEM CULTIVATING A SERVANT’S HEART.
  5. PERSONAL INTEGRITY MEANS SEEING THEM NEVER BECOMING BITTER IN TRIALS.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR STABILTY IN THEIR RELATIONAL LIFE

  1. RELATIONAL STABILITY MEANS SEEING THEM CULTIVATING A LOVE FOR THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
  2. RELATIONAL STABILITY MEANS SEEING THEM LEARNING TO TRUST GOD WITH HARD SITUATIONS AND NOT TO REBEL.
  3. RELATIONAL STABILITY MEANS SEEING THEM EACH LOVING THE WAY GOD MADE THEM AS MEN AND WOMEN.
  4. RELATIONAL STABILITY MEANS SEEING THEM WAITING TO MEET GOD’S CHOSEN LIFE PARTNER FOR THEM.
  • A HUSBAND/WIFE IS A GIFT FROM THE LORD. Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. (NIV)
  • A GOOD HUSBAND/WIFE IS REALLY A GIFT FROM THE LORD. Proverbs 19:13-14 A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping. 14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.
  • A GOOD HUSBAND/WIFE IS PRICELESS. Proverbs 31:10-12 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. (NKJV)
  • BUT – WE MAY ONLY MARRY A BELIEVER. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

 

Remember you only get one chance in life to start with a wonderful Biblical marriage. It is worth the wait. Don’t squander one of the greatest areas of life by doing your own thing instead of God’s! Think about the end of life this morning.

 

BAD GIRLS AND WOMEN LOOK AND ACT LIKE THIS

  1. Beware of the Immoral woman (2.16; 5.3; 5.20; 7.5)
  2. Beware of the Evil woman (6.24)
  3. Beware of the Adulterous woman (6.32; 30.20)
  4. Beware of the Harlotrous woman (7.10)
  5. Beware of the Loud and Foolish woman (9.13)
  6. Beware of the Lovely but indiscreet woman (11.22)
  7. Beware of the Foolish woman (14.1)
  8. Beware of the Contentious woman (21.9; 25.24; 27.15)
  9. Beware of the Angry woman (21.19)

 

GOOD GIRLS AND WOMEN LOOK AND ACT LIKE THIS:

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE MODEST IN HER DRESS.

Proverbs 7:10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. (NIV).

  • Her clothing points to her not to her Father in Heaven and His holiness. Remember the words of Paul in the New Testament Gallery of beautiful women? God emphasizes a beauty of the unseen character, the flesh flaunts the body, God beautifies the spirit!
  • 1 Timothy 2:9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, (NIV)

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE HOLY IN HER CONDUCT.

Proverbs 7:13-14 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: 14 “I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows. (NIV).

  • A godly woman fears the Lord. She seeks His well done over the approval of anyone else on earth. Her fear of God makes her aware of the future consequence of her choices. A godly woman avoids any present situation that would be destructive for her future usefulness to God.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (NIV)

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE TRUTHFUL IN SPEECH AND MOTIVES.

Proverbs 7:21-23 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. 22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, 23 Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it [would cost] his life. (NKJV)

  • This deceitful woman is an ugly woman because she is self-driven and wants her way. A beautiful woman wears heavenly beauty as God’s Word describes it.
  • 1 Peter 3:4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. (NIV)

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE GENTLE AND QUIET.

Proverbs 9:13 The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. (NIV)

  • Proverbs 7:11 (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; (NIV) This includes disrespect, hostility, aggressiveness and cunningness. All of these qualities are bad news.
  • 2 Timothy 2:24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. (NIV)
  • James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (NIV)
  • 1 Peter 3:1-7 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. 7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
  • Moms and dads, what are you raising? A wise woman or a foolish one? Bring your daughters up to the X-Rays of God’s Word and see what He finds.
    1. Is she loud, assertive, boisterous, and whiney or the center of attention? Or is she quiet, submissive, gentle and humble?
    2. Does she dress in a way that draws a young man to think about her body and its enticements or her spirit and its beauty?
    3. Does she have a holy hatred of sin or does she have a desire to watch sinners [TV and Movies] as they live out their fleshly fantasies?
    4. Does she use all her powers to get her own way? Does she manipulate by tears, looks and whatever it takes to accomplish her ends?
    5. Is she argumentative, easily quarreling and fighting with you or her brothers and sisters? Or is she peaceable, gentle and easily entreated? If these symptoms are present in any degree or amount the prognosis for the future bleak.
    6. One gifted expositor in writing about these verses said, “ …we may say with a surgeon’s frankness, her home will be like Scarlett’s – troubled, torn down, and literally Gone with the Wind.”

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE A HOMEMAKER.

Proverbs 31:13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.  (NKJV)

  • As Paul said, she is a worker at home in Titus 2:5. She loves to tangibly serve others with food and skills, she has a home that is open and hospitable, she is given to ministry to the sick and needy and less fortunate.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO SERVE OTHERS!

Proverbs 31:15, 20 She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. 20 She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. (NKJV)

  • She has learned the love of Christ for others.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE A PERSON THAT CAN BE TRUSTED.  Proverbs 31:11-16 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE PRUDENT IN FINANCIAL MATTERS.

Proverbs 31:16, 24 She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. 24 She makes linen garments and sells [them,] and supplies sashes for the merchants. (NKJV)

  • She is a saver not a spender. She can see beyond today alone.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE A HARD WORKER.

Proverbs 31:17,19 She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms. 19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle. (NKJV)

  • God puts a premium on hard work and so she moves toward it not away. There is no slothfulness, indolence or lack of motivation.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE A PERSON WHO HAS A GOOD REPUTATION.  Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 1 Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO INTERNALIZE BIBLICAL WISDOM.

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue [is] the law of kindness. (NKJV).

  • The Word is in her heart and life and so it comes out of her mouth. And when it does it is dressed in the clothes of the Spirit, gentle and kind.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO LIVE THESE SECRETS OF GODLY WOMANHOOD.

  • As Solomon said Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honor [are] her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. (NKJV) the future smiles at her and her children bless her.
  • Is there any comparison? This kind of woman and daughter is a blessing to all. A Builder of the home and family. This is our goal as parents.

 

A GODLY WOMAN ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE A PERSON WHO CAN BE PRAISED FOR DOING THE RIGHT THINGS. Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 

 

[1] Ideas found in Swindoll, You and Your Child, p. 90.

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