100:00:00,920 –> 00:00:02,160JULIUS perishs200:00:02,420 –> 00:00:05,120I’ve said, well what you gonna preach on on Sunday?300:00:05,120 –> 00:00:10,160Well, it’s going to be proverbs 31 and you know what folks have said this has happened 3 or 4 times?400:00:10,160 –> 00:00:12,160Oh, no!500:00:12,160 –> 00:00:16,559Not the Proverbs 31 woman!600:00:16,559 –> 00:00:19,320No one can live up to that!700:00:19,320 –> 00:00:24,600Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and Colin, I love that reaction.800:00:24,600 –> 00:00:28,240No one can live up to being the Proverbs 31 woman.900:00:28,940 –> 00:00:30,719Mercy on us!1000:00:30,719 –> 00:00:36,779So, for those who may have that initial reaction listening today how can you encourage them to stay here?1100:00:36,779 –> 00:00:42,680Well let’s take a fresh look, a gospel centered look, a Christ-centered look at Proverbs chapter 31.1200:00:42,680 –> 00:00:48,840You see, if you come to the Bible looking at it as a list of demands it will always seem overwhelming,1300:00:48,840 –> 00:00:52,720Not just in this chapter, just about every chapter you’re going to say I can’t do that!1400:00:52,740 –> 00:00:58,900But coming to it with a perspective of God’s grace gives an entirely different picture.1500:00:58,900 –> 00:01:04,220And actually I’ve found that women who’ve come to this passage of Scripture in that way1600:01:04,220 –> 00:01:07,059Have found it the most liberating chapter in the world.1700:01:07,059 –> 00:01:14,360Start looking at it not as a list of demands but as a staking out of the scope of ministry and life1800:01:14,360 –> 00:01:20,459That God opens to the godly woman and it starts to be something that’s compellingly attractive.1900:01:20,980 –> 00:01:25,040If I can go down this avenue and that and can do that all within the will and the purpose of God2000:01:25,040 –> 00:01:28,080and that God’s grace would make such a life possible.2100:01:28,080 –> 00:01:33,339This is maravilous and I hope that some of the excitement, the encouragement2200:01:33,339 –> 00:01:37,839Of what God lays before the godly woman would be really helpful today2300:01:37,839 –> 00:01:40,660As we’ve looked at what God lays before godly men.2400:01:40,660 –> 00:01:44,599And in addition to that we have a great surprise at the end the broadcast2500:01:44,599 –> 00:01:46,300I hope you’ll stay with us.2600:01:46,339 –> 00:01:50,099Now join us in Proverbs 31 as we continue the message2700:01:50,120 –> 00:01:53,080A Woman of Godly Character. Here is Colin.2800:01:53,080 –> 00:01:58,459The godly woman is absolutely clear about the purpose of all her activity.2900:01:58,459 –> 00:02:02,779She has an effective filter by which to decide what she should do3000:02:02,779 –> 00:02:08,119And what she should not do and indeed to know why it is that she’s doing what she does.3100:02:09,580 –> 00:02:12,800Her life falls within the boundaries of two3200:02:12,800 –> 00:02:16,179life commitments to fear the Lord and3300:02:16,919 –> 00:02:19,500to bring good to her husband.3400:02:19,500 –> 00:02:22,160And there is nothing in all that she does3500:02:23,080 –> 00:02:25,080That falls outside of that3600:02:26,300 –> 00:02:32,740Now this phrase to bring him good all the days of her life is a beautiful phrase. It’s a wonderful phrase3700:02:33,720 –> 00:02:39,759it’s probably as clear a description as you will find anywhere in the Bible of3800:02:39,919 –> 00:02:43,320Of what is meant by this word submission3900:02:44,119 –> 00:02:46,160Now you think about it4000:02:46,160 –> 00:02:48,320without4100:02:48,320 –> 00:02:54,179submission without the ability to place what I do under something larger4200:02:55,160 –> 00:02:58,199without that principle being at work a family4300:02:58,899 –> 00:03:04,639Becomes and in a group of independent people living at the same address off the same checkbook. That’s all it is4400:03:06,000 –> 00:03:07,500without4500:03:07,500 –> 00:03:08,880submission a4600:03:08,960 –> 00:03:13,860Church becomes a group of independent ministries operating at the same location and off the same budget4700:03:16,419 –> 00:03:19,800Submission means that I take all that I could do and4800:03:20,899 –> 00:03:23,419the things that I might like to do and4900:03:24,179 –> 00:03:28,740I place them and I evaluate them and I decide them5000:03:29,419 –> 00:03:35,199sub under a higher mission to which I have already committed myself and5100:03:35,720 –> 00:03:39,080And the mission to which this woman has committed herself5200:03:39,279 –> 00:03:43,860That is the grid by which she is able to make decisions about her life is5300:03:44,380 –> 00:03:47,119That she fears the Lord and that she will bring good to her husband5400:03:49,820 –> 00:03:56,320Now the godly woman has a very simple definition then of success it’s fearing the Lord and5500:03:58,179 –> 00:04:00,179It’s bringing good to her husband5600:04:01,059 –> 00:04:03,059and5700:04:03,639 –> 00:04:06,699Whatever is advancing these things is5800:04:07,860 –> 00:04:09,399within the5900:04:09,399 –> 00:04:11,399wonderful freedom6000:04:11,419 –> 00:04:13,419That is hers and his6100:04:14,580 –> 00:04:18,260within these great commitments that give direction and6200:04:19,739 –> 00:04:26,459Wonderful boundaries to life and unbounded life is a terrible thing terrible an impossible thing6300:04:27,579 –> 00:04:29,660Now notice before we move on from this6400:04:29,980 –> 00:04:35,000This is very important that the commitment is to the good of her husband6500:04:36,079 –> 00:04:38,079Rather than the good of our children6600:04:38,899 –> 00:04:44,279Now that really needs thinking about carefully, of course, she does good to her children6700:04:44,279 –> 00:04:49,239But the commitment is to bring good to her husband all the days of her life6800:04:50,579 –> 00:04:54,100God created Eve as the partner for Adam6900:04:54,839 –> 00:04:57,480Not for the children not for Cain and Abel7000:04:58,279 –> 00:04:59,660but as the7100:04:59,660 –> 00:05:03,279partner and as the helper for Adam and that is very7200:05:03,959 –> 00:05:06,519significant for strong and for healthy families7300:05:07,420 –> 00:05:09,420See for this reason7400:05:09,799 –> 00:05:12,980When children become the center of the family7500:05:13,720 –> 00:05:17,660They soon begin to feel that they are the center of all things7600:05:18,579 –> 00:05:24,200And if your children grow up with this feeling that they really are the center of all things7700:05:26,480 –> 00:05:34,500They will soon imagine that God exists for them just as you do and that will make them idolaters7800:05:36,220 –> 00:05:40,279Now it is Satan’s work think about this it is Satan’s work7900:05:40,959 –> 00:05:46,260To make your children think that they can take the place of God8000:05:47,920 –> 00:05:54,200And we need to be very careful that we do not do Satan’s work for him8100:05:55,059 –> 00:06:00,679So the godly woman’s commitments are very very clear and they’re foundational to healthy family life8200:06:00,920 –> 00:06:04,380she lives for the glory of God and for the good of her husband and8300:06:04,899 –> 00:06:08,720Everything that she does is an expression of this life commitment8400:06:10,640 –> 00:06:13,299The boundaries in which she thrives8500:06:14,119 –> 00:06:17,100now I want us to take a look together at the8600:06:18,100 –> 00:06:19,940extraordinary life8700:06:19,940 –> 00:06:24,500That this woman has as she pursues this marvelous direction8800:06:24,980 –> 00:06:31,339Are you ready? Here we go her freedom within the boundaries. I want us just to taken the scope of8900:06:31,839 –> 00:06:37,459What this woman is free to pursue as Lamel’s mother gives9000:06:38,100 –> 00:06:41,399Counsel to her son. It really is quite9100:06:42,019 –> 00:06:43,119Extraordinary it’s a poem9200:06:43,119 –> 00:06:44,739So we’re going to move through it very quickly9300:06:44,739 –> 00:06:49,640But I want us just to get the sense of this woman’s life and of her freedom9400:06:49,760 –> 00:06:52,140Look at her joy in verse 139500:06:52,179 –> 00:06:58,660She selects wool and flax and she works with eager hands. The emphasis is on the word eager9600:06:59,019 –> 00:07:01,019willing there’s an9700:07:01,019 –> 00:07:04,940enthusiasm a joyfulness a fulfillment that she finds in her work a9800:07:05,260 –> 00:07:10,040Cheerfulness in all that she does notice her creativity verse 149900:07:10,140 –> 00:07:14,619She is like the merchant ships said Akira. I don’t know. That’s a compliment10000:07:14,619 –> 00:07:15,980She is like a ship10100:07:15,980 –> 00:07:23,019But but what it’s speaking of here bringing her food from afar what she does is she brings variety. That’s what it’s saying10200:07:23,760 –> 00:07:25,100creativity10300:07:25,100 –> 00:07:32,320Freshness into family life and into our own without her life would be a dull routine10400:07:32,359 –> 00:07:36,779But she brings color. She brings warmth. She brings life10500:07:37,420 –> 00:07:40,739Into she turns a house into a home and10600:07:41,440 –> 00:07:47,100blesses all who come there, there’s an old Chinese proverb I found that says a10700:07:48,239 –> 00:07:50,899Hundred men can make an encampment10800:07:51,720 –> 00:07:55,619But it takes one woman to make a home10900:07:58,019 –> 00:08:02,399Look at our discipline verse 15 and verse 17. She gets up while it is dark11000:08:02,959 –> 00:08:05,239She provides food for her family11100:08:05,660 –> 00:08:10,700Verse 17 she sets about our work vigorously and her arms are strong for her task11200:08:13,619 –> 00:08:15,619Now I want you to see her enterprise11300:08:17,140 –> 00:08:23,600Verse 16 she considers a field and buys it and11400:08:24,839 –> 00:08:26,839Out of her earnings11500:08:27,779 –> 00:08:29,779She plants a vineyard11600:08:30,779 –> 00:08:32,780so this woman11700:08:32,840 –> 00:08:36,719Besides the homemaking that she has evidently as a night of business11800:08:37,820 –> 00:08:39,820She’s into real estate11900:08:41,340 –> 00:08:46,000She is a shrewd investor buying and selling she turns a field over12000:08:46,619 –> 00:08:50,859she considers a field and buys it and12100:08:51,460 –> 00:08:56,780When she turns over the investment we are told that out of the profit with her earnings12200:08:56,780 –> 00:09:01,179She then plants a vineyard. So this is two businesses. She’s got going on the site12300:09:02,859 –> 00:09:04,859Real estate in a soft fruit farm12400:09:06,219 –> 00:09:08,599Now some other people are feeling uncomfortable I know12500:09:10,799 –> 00:09:16,619She makes linen garments verse 24 and she sells them she supplies the merchants with12600:09:17,140 –> 00:09:20,059Sashes this looks to me suspiciously like a third business12700:09:20,960 –> 00:09:23,479In which besides making clothes for her family12800:09:23,739 –> 00:09:30,979She turns in a tiden little profit on the side by supplying linen sashes to the merchants in her hands verse 1912900:09:30,979 –> 00:09:36,020She holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers talk about13000:09:37,059 –> 00:09:39,299Multitasking. This woman is amazing13100:09:40,979 –> 00:09:44,380Now take a look at her management skills first 1813200:09:45,000 –> 00:09:51,960She sees that her trading is profitable. So this woman is into financial management and13300:09:52,760 –> 00:09:57,859Her lamp verse 18 does not go out at night hourly surprising sharing in mind all that she’s doing13400:09:57,859 –> 00:09:59,260only13500:09:59,260 –> 00:10:06,140Verse 27 she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness13600:10:06,419 –> 00:10:09,919No, remember we’re talking about the king’s wife here13700:10:10,739 –> 00:10:13,840So when it says she watches over the household, what does that mean?13800:10:14,460 –> 00:10:18,799she runs the budget and the staff of the entire palace and13900:10:20,419 –> 00:10:26,260Why does she do that because verse 11 the king has full confidence in her14000:10:26,260 –> 00:10:27,780He recognizes this woman14100:10:28,219 –> 00:10:31,280extraordinary ability and he says you can’t do this and14200:10:32,140 –> 00:10:34,479I’ll give you all the authority that you need14300:10:36,059 –> 00:10:38,059She runs the whole show14400:10:38,700 –> 00:10:41,280Look at her compassion verse 2014500:10:42,179 –> 00:10:44,820she opens her arms to the poor and14600:10:45,780 –> 00:10:47,820Extends her hands to the needy14700:10:49,440 –> 00:10:53,640Look at her planning verse 21 when it snows14800:10:53,640 –> 00:10:55,099she14900:10:55,099 –> 00:11:01,500Has no fear for her household for all of them are clothed in scarlet15000:11:01,640 –> 00:11:03,320She’s a planner15100:11:03,320 –> 00:11:05,080She’s not ahead15200:11:05,080 –> 00:11:07,080She’s anticipated winter15300:11:07,080 –> 00:11:14,780She has already provided the clothing that her family and the servants need so that they are clothed and warm15400:11:14,820 –> 00:11:16,820Throughout the bitter part of the year15500:11:18,599 –> 00:11:20,979If you look at her appearance verse 2215600:11:21,799 –> 00:11:25,780She is clothed in fine linen and purple15700:11:26,739 –> 00:11:28,739She has in other words the dignity15800:11:29,179 –> 00:11:30,539of a woman15900:11:30,539 –> 00:11:35,900who cares about her appearance because she knows that she is called to greatness as16000:11:36,020 –> 00:11:40,559one who fears the Lord and as one who brings good to her husband and16100:11:41,159 –> 00:11:47,500It’s possible to make both too much and too little of that point the Bible grants us wisdom16200:11:48,039 –> 00:11:50,299between these two opposite errors16300:11:51,919 –> 00:11:54,179I’m very struck by this as16400:11:55,280 –> 00:12:02,739The king’s wife, let’s face it. She could have lived a life of full-time leisure in the palace16500:12:04,239 –> 00:12:10,000But what we’re being told here in this description is that the woman of noble character has the broadest16600:12:10,940 –> 00:12:13,359imaginable sphere of activity16700:12:14,340 –> 00:12:16,200and of16800:12:16,200 –> 00:12:20,200ministry and of life and of creativity and of work16900:12:20,979 –> 00:12:27,400within the commitments that she has made that guide her life that what she is about at its heart is a17000:12:27,479 –> 00:12:29,880Woman who fears the Lord and a woman who brings good17100:12:30,679 –> 00:12:32,679to her husband17200:12:33,640 –> 00:12:36,739Now I say this is an extraordinary vision and17300:12:38,419 –> 00:12:41,219There’s enough here to challenge everybody17400:12:44,059 –> 00:12:49,280Obviously it challenges this vision the broad liberal ideas of womanhood17500:12:49,599 –> 00:12:54,440That are about autonomy and self-definition, and I17600:12:55,000 –> 00:12:57,000me and mine17700:12:57,280 –> 00:13:01,619By placing primary commitments that are expressions of love17800:13:02,580 –> 00:13:04,580She fears the Lord17900:13:04,979 –> 00:13:06,979She does good to her husband18000:13:07,239 –> 00:13:12,559It challenges that very broad liberal kind of view it also challenges narrow18100:13:13,119 –> 00:13:19,659restrictive views of womanhood by giving freedom of activity her husband is full confidence inner and18200:13:20,799 –> 00:13:24,840Encourages her to thrive in all the areas of her gifting18300:13:26,500 –> 00:13:29,239Boundaries to give direction to life you can’t live without that18400:13:31,140 –> 00:13:33,260Marvelous wonderful freedom18500:13:34,380 –> 00:13:35,840within these boundaries18600:13:35,840 –> 00:13:41,320You’re listening to open the bible with pastor Colin smith and a message called a woman of Godly character18700:13:41,679 –> 00:13:43,719based on Proverbs 3118800:13:44,159 –> 00:13:45,760part of our short series18900:13:45,760 –> 00:13:46,739Godly character19000:13:46,739 –> 00:13:50,419And if you’ve missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again19100:13:50,580 –> 00:13:54,140You can do that by coming online to our website open the Bible19200:13:54,440 –> 00:14:01,320dog dog UK or by going to your favorite podcast site search for open the Bible UK and19300:14:02,200 –> 00:14:09,039Subscribe if you want to receive regular reminders you’ll find all Colin’s messages there, which have already gone out on air19400:14:09,539 –> 00:14:11,539Well, it’s our last program of19500:14:12,080 –> 00:14:17,5802025 and at the end of the year many people review the Christian work that they want to support19600:14:18,140 –> 00:14:22,440Financially if you’ve been considering supporting open the Bible in that way19700:14:22,760 –> 00:14:25,640We’d like to encourage you by sending you a free gift19800:14:26,059 –> 00:14:31,340I’ll be talking to Colin about that at the end of the program. So I hope you’ll stay with us for that19900:14:31,719 –> 00:14:34,599Back to the message now here again is Colin20000:14:35,219 –> 00:14:38,940Now I see that the sheer breadth of this vision is absolutely20100:14:39,340 –> 00:14:44,979Staggering and the result is that I think it does make some women stagger that it is in effect20200:14:45,359 –> 00:14:49,739Discouraging for some and I have actually picked that up even this week when folks have said well20300:14:49,739 –> 00:14:51,380What are you going to preach on on Sunday?20400:14:51,380 –> 00:14:52,020And I said, well20500:14:52,020 –> 00:14:56,440it’s going to be Proverbs 31 and you know what folks have said this has happened three or four times oh20600:14:57,020 –> 00:14:59,020No20700:14:59,659 –> 00:15:02,359Not that Proverbs 31 woman20800:15:03,059 –> 00:15:05,059No one can live up to that20900:15:06,059 –> 00:15:07,239now21000:15:07,239 –> 00:15:11,380there is the danger of course that this remarkable woman may21100:15:12,119 –> 00:15:15,679Make other women feel like a total failure21200:15:16,599 –> 00:15:21,159so I think that some significant encouragement is needed here and21300:15:22,239 –> 00:15:24,859So let me briefly just say three things21400:15:25,960 –> 00:15:27,960The first is this21500:15:28,080 –> 00:15:31,440that Proverbs chapter 31 is about scope21600:15:32,260 –> 00:15:33,539Not21700:15:33,539 –> 00:15:36,000Expectations it is about scope21800:15:36,580 –> 00:15:37,760not21900:15:37,760 –> 00:15:43,099Expectations in other words the woman who is described here is clearly an exceptional and22000:15:43,760 –> 00:15:45,559remarkable woman22100:15:45,559 –> 00:15:46,280in fact22200:15:46,280 –> 00:15:48,239If you look even at the beginning of the poem in verse22300:15:48,239 –> 00:15:55,38010 that’s made clear when lamel’s mother says a wife of noble character who can find she is worth more than rubies22400:15:55,380 –> 00:15:57,679So make it very clear this is a very rare22500:15:58,200 –> 00:16:01,099Unusual and indeed remarkable woman22600:16:02,239 –> 00:16:08,260Most of us can do some of what she did very few will be able to do all of what22700:16:09,340 –> 00:16:11,340she did and22800:16:11,900 –> 00:16:17,500The point of the proverbs 31 passage is not that the godly woman has to do all of these things22900:16:19,539 –> 00:16:22,979But that the godly woman is free to pursue all of these things23000:16:25,460 –> 00:16:27,380So guys please don’t go home and say to your wife23100:16:27,380 –> 00:16:30,099I hope you were listening to that sermon this morning that godly woman23200:16:30,520 –> 00:16:33,979Businesses on the side, and what are you doing I’ll say that23300:16:37,820 –> 00:16:41,580This is a wonderful picture about the scope of life23400:16:43,140 –> 00:16:50,140That God has opened up for godly women who fear the Lord and are committed to doing good to their husbands all the days of their23500:16:50,140 –> 00:16:52,140life I23600:16:52,260 –> 00:16:59,299Do think it’s remarkable. You know that of course the the wife of the King could have lived in leisure all her days23700:17:01,080 –> 00:17:05,819But she has a bigger view of the usefulness of her life23800:17:07,020 –> 00:17:09,020Than that23900:17:10,060 –> 00:17:16,319Second comment is just to say this that proverbs 31 is obviously as everything in the Bible about growth over time24000:17:17,400 –> 00:17:21,040Christian life is in its nature one of growth over time so24100:17:21,859 –> 00:17:24,020Let’s this be a vision to inspire24200:17:24,660 –> 00:17:26,099you24300:17:26,099 –> 00:17:28,880Don’t let it be a weight that would crush you24400:17:30,020 –> 00:17:35,140Let this be for you today a picture of the dignity of your calling24500:17:36,020 –> 00:17:39,660The freedom and joy of God’s design for your life24600:17:40,900 –> 00:17:44,020the glory of fulfilling a god-given purpose24700:17:45,180 –> 00:17:50,300The range of what may be pursued within the calling that God has given to you24800:17:52,380 –> 00:17:55,500And if you feel a sense of failure this morning24900:17:56,619 –> 00:18:02,439Then take a step forward by recommitting yourself to the central priorities25000:18:04,819 –> 00:18:06,880To fear the Lord and25100:18:07,959 –> 00:18:14,479If you’re married to bring good to your husband that will guide you in what it is25200:18:15,040 –> 00:18:17,040That you should now pursue25300:18:18,939 –> 00:18:23,000Then the last thing that I want to say this morning before we come to prayer is that25400:18:23,579 –> 00:18:25,579Proverbs 31 is a25500:18:26,180 –> 00:18:32,040remarkable picture of what God’s grace can do in a woman’s life25600:18:33,319 –> 00:18:38,619now I said that we would come back to the identity of Lamoille’s mother and25700:18:39,520 –> 00:18:41,739I quote here from dr.25800:18:41,739 –> 00:18:42,699Lewis Goldberg25900:18:42,699 –> 00:18:49,859Who is the professor of theology or was the professor of theology and Hebrew at the moody bible institute it is always?26000:18:49,900 –> 00:18:56,979A safe principal if in doubt quote a higher authority, so that’s what I’m doing here26100:18:57,500 –> 00:19:00,520Now in his book the practical wisdom of Proverbs26200:19:01,739 –> 00:19:05,819Goldberg has a section on the identity of Lamoille in26300:19:06,000 –> 00:19:10,979Which he points out that this could be the name of a king who would otherwise be unknown26400:19:10,979 –> 00:19:17,699We have no other identification for Lamoille or he says it could well be a26500:19:18,500 –> 00:19:23,239Description and his reason for saying that is that Lamoille means26600:19:24,780 –> 00:19:26,780Dedicated to God and26700:19:28,020 –> 00:19:30,619Goldberg thinks and makes the case I think well that26800:19:31,219 –> 00:19:37,859Solomon is the most likely candidate he points out that as a child Solomon was dedicated to God26900:19:38,099 –> 00:19:40,160He was given the name Jedidiah27000:19:40,560 –> 00:19:43,939in this dedication meaning loved by God and27100:19:43,939 –> 00:19:51,180He says and I quote therefore Lamoille could very well be a reference to Solomon27200:19:52,500 –> 00:19:56,900When I read that I said to current now, I know why Solomon had seven hundred wives27300:19:57,520 –> 00:20:01,439His mother set such a high expectation it took 700 women to fulfill it27400:20:05,260 –> 00:20:07,260But seriously think about this I27500:20:08,180 –> 00:20:08,739I27600:20:08,739 –> 00:20:10,739Think Goldberg is right27700:20:10,880 –> 00:20:16,339for this reason that there were a limited number of people who were given the great privilege of27800:20:17,640 –> 00:20:23,219Writing scripture under the direct inspiration of the Spirit of God and clearly Solomon was one of them27900:20:23,219 –> 00:20:25,479it just makes sense to me for that reason, but28000:20:27,339 –> 00:20:30,219If lemon well is indeed Solomon28100:20:31,420 –> 00:20:36,260Then what we have is something I think absolutely fascinating right here28200:20:37,500 –> 00:20:39,780Because these are the words of28300:20:40,800 –> 00:20:42,800Lemuel’s mother28400:20:44,079 –> 00:20:47,099Who was the mother of Solomon28500:20:48,959 –> 00:20:50,959Bath Sheba28600:20:51,719 –> 00:20:59,660The woman who in her younger years turned the head of the king and caused him to stumble28700:21:02,300 –> 00:21:04,939If that is the case as I believe it to be28800:21:05,780 –> 00:21:13,020Then what we have here is an extraordinary work of grace in a woman’s life over time28900:21:15,500 –> 00:21:17,500Early in her life29000:21:18,380 –> 00:21:21,560Bath Sheba blew it Big Time. I29100:21:22,739 –> 00:21:27,979Mean, what was she doing bathing out there on the roof in full view of the king’s palace?29200:21:29,579 –> 00:21:33,880But God’s grace has been at work in her life over the years29300:21:35,099 –> 00:21:37,099and think of it29400:21:37,339 –> 00:21:44,339the woman who once was a stumbling block to the king became in God’s redeeming grace the29500:21:44,459 –> 00:21:47,819model of Godly wisdom for her son29600:21:50,300 –> 00:21:56,199And if God’s grace can make bath Sheba the woman of noble character29700:21:58,099 –> 00:22:02,719Then think of what God’s grace can do for you29800:22:02,719 –> 00:22:10,459you’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called a woman of godly character based on proverbs 3129900:22:10,959 –> 00:22:15,380it was part of our short series godly character and if you’ve missed any of the series30000:22:15,640 –> 00:22:20,060It’s easy to catch up or go back and listen again by coming online to our website30100:22:22,239 –> 00:22:25,780Or find us as a podcast on all the main podcast sites30200:22:25,780 –> 00:22:28,579search for Open the Bible UK30300:22:28,900 –> 00:22:32,680Search for Open the Bible UK or follow the link from our website30400:22:33,520 –> 00:22:38,660Open the Bible is able to stay on this station and the internet and available as a podcast30500:22:38,880 –> 00:22:41,959because of the generous financial support of our listeners30600:22:41,959 –> 00:22:46,239that’s people like you and if you already give to support the work30700:22:46,400 –> 00:22:52,339Thank you so much. If supporting open the Bible is something you’d like to start doing this month30800:22:52,339 –> 00:22:54,339We’re delighted to offer a free gift30900:22:55,060 –> 00:22:58,660When you set up a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible31000:22:58,979 –> 00:23:04,020In the amount of five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more31100:23:04,500 –> 00:23:08,739We’d love to say thank you by sending you a free copy of pastor31200:23:08,739 –> 00:23:14,420Colin’s new book hike through the bible Colin. Where did the idea for this book come from?31300:23:15,060 –> 00:23:21,140Well that goes back a long way actually 30 years to a conference I attended in the uk and at lunchtime31400:23:21,219 –> 00:23:23,859I just happened to sit next to a man31500:23:24,339 –> 00:23:31,300Who had given his life to serving as a pioneer missionary to an unreached tribal group in northern. Thailand31600:23:31,780 –> 00:23:34,520His story was absolutely fascinating31700:23:35,140 –> 00:23:37,699He told me how he had met the tribal chief31800:23:37,859 –> 00:23:42,739How he built his own home having been invited to live among these people learned their language31900:23:43,060 –> 00:23:45,560I mean i’m listening to his story. It was amazing32000:23:46,420 –> 00:23:48,819And then I asked him over lunch Tony32100:23:49,459 –> 00:23:56,819I said where in the world would you begin in explaining the gospel to people who don’t even know who god is32200:23:57,699 –> 00:23:59,060and he said32300:23:59,060 –> 00:24:05,859We tell them the bible story and that really started me on a journey that’s gone over many many years because32400:24:06,579 –> 00:24:09,219god has introduced his son to us32500:24:09,699 –> 00:24:14,839Through an unfolding story that begins in genesis and it ends in revelation32600:24:15,319 –> 00:24:22,859And actually if we follow the contours of the bible story, we have the best possible introduction to understanding32700:24:23,319 –> 00:24:28,599Who jesus is why we need him what he’s able to accomplish what he’s done for us32800:24:29,079 –> 00:24:31,500And so hike through the bible is very simply32900:24:32,040 –> 00:24:35,000An introduction to the whole of the bible story33000:24:35,079 –> 00:24:38,439It shows how it’s all pointing towards the lord jesus christ33100:24:38,599 –> 00:24:42,280And I hope that it’s going to be helpful and encouraging for many many people33200:24:42,520 –> 00:24:49,319Well, we’d love to send you colin’s new book when you set up a new direct debit of five pounds per month or more33300:24:49,719 –> 00:24:52,920Or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more this month33400:24:53,479 –> 00:25:00,680Full terms and conditions online at our website. Openthebible.org uk and you can give online33500:25:01,319 –> 00:25:05,319Don’t forget to leave your name and address so we can send you your gift33600:25:06,199 –> 00:25:12,680For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick and I look forward to being with you again next time33700:25:20,040 –> 00:25:22,780We all know what it’s like to be out of shape physically33800:25:23,400 –> 00:25:25,819But what’s it like to be out of shape spiritually?33900:25:26,680 –> 00:25:28,699Find out next time on Open The Bible