100:00:00,800 –> 00:00:08,100The godly woman is absolutely clear about the purpose of all her activity.200:00:08,100 –> 00:00:13,540She has an affective filter by which to decide what she should do and what300:00:13,540 –> 00:00:18,120she should not do and indeed to know why it is that she’s doing what she does.400:00:18,120 –> 00:00:22,780Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. Glad you500:00:22,780 –> 00:00:26,420could be with us today and Colin. Last time we heard about a man after God’s600:00:26,639 –> 00:00:32,279own heart and today we’ll hear about the woman from Proverbs 31. You’re right700:00:32,279 –> 00:00:35,939we’re in Proverbs 31 and I know that there will be some women who800:00:35,939 –> 00:00:40,320immediately say, oh no mercy on me. Right. Not the Proverbs 31 woman, you know.900:00:40,320 –> 00:00:44,700She’s impossible as an example, she’s beyond anything we can do.1000:00:44,700 –> 00:00:48,520Yet you know let’s give the Word of God an opportunity here. It is the Word1100:00:48,520 –> 00:00:50,799of God and it always comes to us with grace.1200:00:50,799 –> 00:00:56,320There are some wonderful, wonderful, practical helps that are so grace-filled1300:00:56,320 –> 00:01:02,000when we actually get a gospel-centred approach into Proverbs chapter 31.1400:01:02,000 –> 00:01:05,019That’s what we’re gonna try and do today. I hope that it’s gonna bring a lot of1500:01:05,019 –> 00:01:09,000encouragement for women who sometimes feel overwhelmed, as we guys often1600:01:09,000 –> 00:01:11,980feel overwhelmed, and yet God’s grace is sufficient.1700:01:11,980 –> 00:01:16,199It is. Let’s get into the message today, it’s called A Woman of Godly Character.1800:01:16,199 –> 00:01:18,500Here is Colin.1900:01:19,080 –> 00:01:24,760I’m going to do two things today. The first is to cast a vision of godly womanhood,2000:01:24,760 –> 00:01:28,139and then the second is to offer some encouragement2100:01:28,139 –> 00:01:30,620with regards to pursuing this.2200:01:30,620 –> 00:01:34,139And so for the women, I hope and have prayed very much this week2300:01:34,139 –> 00:01:39,620that seeing the broad sweep of God’s purpose for your life2400:01:39,620 –> 00:01:44,220will be a blessing and will be an encouragement to you.2500:01:44,220 –> 00:01:48,099And for the men, and especially for the husbands in the congregation,2600:01:48,099 –> 00:01:50,879I hope that we will be challenged today2700:01:50,879 –> 00:01:54,500about how we can help our wives flourish2800:01:54,500 –> 00:02:00,540with the kind of confidence that we see in this godly woman.2900:02:00,540 –> 00:02:02,099So let’s take a look at this together.3000:02:02,099 –> 00:02:08,580I want us to see first the boundaries of this godly woman’s life3100:02:08,580 –> 00:02:10,059and then having seen these,3200:02:10,059 –> 00:02:12,460as they’re very clear in the passage,3300:02:12,460 –> 00:02:15,279the freedom, the glorious freedom3400:02:15,279 –> 00:02:20,619that the godly woman has within these boundaries.3500:02:20,619 –> 00:02:22,380First then, the boundaries of her life.3600:02:22,380 –> 00:02:24,380Now I want you to notice that the godly woman3700:02:24,380 –> 00:02:29,339defines the boundaries of her life by two relationships.3800:02:29,339 –> 00:02:31,979The first is her relationship with her husband3900:02:31,979 –> 00:02:36,479and the second her relationship with the Lord.4000:02:36,479 –> 00:02:40,220Notice here the relationship with the husband in verse 12.4100:02:40,240 –> 00:02:44,479She brings Him good, not harm,4200:02:44,479 –> 00:02:47,679all the days of her life.4300:02:47,679 –> 00:02:49,759And then in verse 30 you will see4400:02:49,759 –> 00:02:51,940her relationship with the Lord.4500:02:51,940 –> 00:02:56,940A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.4600:02:56,960 –> 00:02:59,860Now these two relationships of this married lady,4700:02:59,860 –> 00:03:01,720their relationship with her husband4800:03:01,720 –> 00:03:03,600and their relationship with the Lord,4900:03:03,600 –> 00:03:07,039they stand like bookends at the beginning5000:03:07,039 –> 00:03:08,960and end of this great poem.5100:03:09,839 –> 00:03:13,160They established that the glory of God who she fears5200:03:13,160 –> 00:03:15,500and the good of her husband who she loves5300:03:15,500 –> 00:03:17,919are the boundaries of her life.5400:03:17,919 –> 00:03:19,800And within these boundaries,5500:03:19,800 –> 00:03:24,800the whole poem lays out a display of her marvelous freedom.5600:03:25,440 –> 00:03:27,919Let’s look then at these two boundaries,5700:03:27,919 –> 00:03:30,520first her relationship with the Lord, verse 30.5800:03:30,520 –> 00:03:33,880A woman who fears the Lord5900:03:33,880 –> 00:03:35,080is to be praised.6000:03:35,080 –> 00:03:38,300And here the poem speaks to all women,6100:03:38,300 –> 00:03:40,139whether married or single,6200:03:40,139 –> 00:03:44,860a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.6300:03:44,860 –> 00:03:46,059Now, what does that mean?6400:03:47,020 –> 00:03:49,320Well, fearing the Lord very simply means6500:03:49,320 –> 00:03:53,820that you let God’s Word have weight in your life,6600:03:53,820 –> 00:03:56,600that you submit yourself to it.6700:03:56,600 –> 00:03:59,660In other words, when your ideas and your desires6800:03:59,660 –> 00:04:03,100are in tension with what God has revealed in the scripture,6900:04:03,100 –> 00:04:06,460you reshape your ideas and your actions7000:04:06,460 –> 00:04:07,940to what He has said.7100:04:08,720 –> 00:04:12,820In other words, it is the commitment of your life7200:04:12,820 –> 00:04:16,059made in advance that you submit yourself to God.7300:04:17,140 –> 00:04:19,179And, of course, the only alternative to this7400:04:19,179 –> 00:04:22,059is that you imagine that God should submit Himself to you7500:04:22,059 –> 00:04:24,519and obviously that is not going to happen.7600:04:26,459 –> 00:04:28,899The fear of the Lord, and this runs right throughout7700:04:28,899 –> 00:04:30,700Proverbs and other places of the bible,7800:04:30,700 –> 00:04:33,700the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.7900:04:33,700 –> 00:04:35,179That’s Proverbs 1.7.8000:04:36,179 –> 00:04:39,459And this word wisdom can be translated life skills.8100:04:39,459 –> 00:04:42,540If you want to know how to put your life together.8200:04:42,540 –> 00:04:43,980Here’s where it begins.8300:04:43,980 –> 00:04:47,239The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.8400:04:47,239 –> 00:04:50,000Let me ask right at the beginning this morning,8500:04:50,980 –> 00:04:53,980is this commitment to fear the Lord8600:04:55,059 –> 00:04:57,720established clearly in your life?8700:04:59,040 –> 00:05:01,660Have you come to the place where you’re absolutely clear8800:05:01,679 –> 00:05:05,160that priority number one for you8900:05:05,160 –> 00:05:08,359is that you will actively pursue God’s purpose,9000:05:08,359 –> 00:05:09,700that you should be conformed9100:05:09,700 –> 00:05:12,160to the image of Jesus Christ, his son.9200:05:13,480 –> 00:05:16,720And are you ready as a point of principle and commitment9300:05:16,720 –> 00:05:21,200to say wherever, wherever my thinking, my behaving,9400:05:21,200 –> 00:05:25,040my attitudes are in tension with what God has said,9500:05:25,040 –> 00:05:26,459it’s my thinking, my behaving,9600:05:26,459 –> 00:05:28,359and my attitudes that have to change.9700:05:29,239 –> 00:05:31,440That’s what it means to live in the fear of the Lord,9800:05:31,440 –> 00:05:33,519and of course, that is how you grow.9900:05:35,160 –> 00:05:38,399The only alternative, and we do see it often,10000:05:39,239 –> 00:05:41,679is that you read the Bible through a filter10100:05:42,799 –> 00:05:44,600and you accept everything that agrees10200:05:44,600 –> 00:05:45,880with what you think already10300:05:45,880 –> 00:05:48,920and dismiss everything that is in tension with it.10400:05:50,279 –> 00:05:53,679And if you feel free to dismiss, reinterpret,10500:05:53,679 –> 00:05:56,679push to one side what God says in his word10600:05:57,239 –> 00:06:01,480because it does not fit with who you are or what you want,10700:06:01,480 –> 00:06:04,640then you do not fear the Lord.10800:06:06,880 –> 00:06:09,440You may put your life and your family together10900:06:09,440 –> 00:06:11,320in a way that you think is appropriate,11000:06:11,320 –> 00:06:13,600but at the end of the day, it will be, Jesus says,11100:06:13,600 –> 00:06:16,600like building a house on the sand.11200:06:17,480 –> 00:06:20,799If you hear my words and do not put them into practice,11300:06:20,799 –> 00:06:22,079that’s what it will be.11400:06:22,859 –> 00:06:26,040So let me give this encouragement11500:06:26,040 –> 00:06:28,040that is absolutely foundational11600:06:28,040 –> 00:06:29,799to pursuing a godly life,11700:06:29,799 –> 00:06:32,179indeed whether it be for men or for women.11800:06:34,119 –> 00:06:37,880If you want to build your life on a solid foundation,11900:06:38,720 –> 00:06:42,619the place to begin is the fear of the Lord.12000:06:42,619 –> 00:06:46,440The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,12100:06:46,440 –> 00:06:49,839and it is the defining mark of the godly woman,12200:06:49,839 –> 00:06:54,839a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.12300:06:55,440 –> 00:06:58,000And so Lamb well’s mother says to her boy,12400:06:58,000 –> 00:06:59,920son you’re gonna be a king one day,12500:06:59,920 –> 00:07:01,839and as you think about the woman12600:07:01,839 –> 00:07:04,399to whom you will trust your life,12700:07:04,399 –> 00:07:07,179the woman you will ask to marry you.12800:07:08,320 –> 00:07:11,220Make sure she’s a woman who fears the Lord,12900:07:11,220 –> 00:07:14,980in whose life the word of God carries weight,13000:07:16,140 –> 00:07:17,579because that’s the kind of woman13100:07:17,579 –> 00:07:21,559who will be able to build a marriage,13200:07:22,720 –> 00:07:27,720a life, family that is honoring and pleasing to God.13300:07:30,880 –> 00:07:32,459Now look at the second relationship13400:07:32,459 –> 00:07:33,920that defines the boundaries here,13500:07:33,920 –> 00:07:35,160her relationship with the Lord,13600:07:35,160 –> 00:07:38,299she fears the Lord and that’s something worthy of praise.13700:07:38,299 –> 00:07:41,399Secondly her relationship with the husband, verse 12,13800:07:41,399 –> 00:07:44,600her husband has full confidence in her, that’s wonderful.13900:07:44,600 –> 00:07:46,399And lacks nothing of value.14000:07:46,399 –> 00:07:51,399She brings him good, not harm all the days of our life.14100:07:53,959 –> 00:07:56,959Now bringing her husband good14200:07:57,959 –> 00:08:02,959is this woman’s first commitment under God, period.14300:08:02,959 –> 00:08:04,640That’s what we’re being told here.14400:08:05,980 –> 00:08:08,600And we’re going to see that14500:08:08,600 –> 00:08:13,600the range of this woman’s activity and her authority14600:08:13,720 –> 00:08:18,720is broad, wide, and I think perhaps surprising for some.14700:08:20,540 –> 00:08:22,380But before we get to that,14800:08:22,380 –> 00:08:26,739Proverbs is laying down this key principle14900:08:26,739 –> 00:08:31,260that in this wide range of what this woman is able to do15000:08:31,260 –> 00:08:32,739and capable of doing,15100:08:33,940 –> 00:08:38,219the motivating fountain for what she is doing15200:08:38,219 –> 00:08:42,219and for the choices she makes in her many activities15300:08:42,260 –> 00:08:44,219is that everything that she does15400:08:44,219 –> 00:08:47,140is an expression of her life commitment15500:08:47,140 –> 00:08:50,280which is to bring good to her husband.15600:08:51,200 –> 00:08:55,219She brings him good, not harm,15700:08:55,219 –> 00:08:57,940all the days of her life.15800:08:58,979 –> 00:09:00,700You see how verse 12 and verse 3015900:09:00,700 –> 00:09:03,059are the bookends to this whole passage.16000:09:03,059 –> 00:09:05,599Marvelous description’s gonna come in between,16100:09:05,599 –> 00:09:10,099but it is bounded by these primary commitments16200:09:10,159 –> 00:09:12,960of this remarkable woman’s life.16300:09:14,559 –> 00:09:17,380And I think this is very important, very practical for us.16400:09:17,380 –> 00:09:20,979There are many women today who are relentlessly busy16500:09:20,979 –> 00:09:23,979and have no idea as to why they’re doing what they’re doing.16600:09:25,039 –> 00:09:26,979And, of course, that is always a formula16700:09:26,979 –> 00:09:29,900for frustration and for burnout.16800:09:30,820 –> 00:09:33,940But the godly woman is absolutely clear16900:09:33,940 –> 00:09:36,299about the purpose of all her activity,17000:09:36,299 –> 00:09:39,539she has an effective filter by which to decide17100:09:39,619 –> 00:09:42,500what she should do and what she should not do17200:09:42,500 –> 00:09:46,099and indeed to know why it is that she’s doing what she does.17300:09:47,580 –> 00:09:50,080Her life falls within the boundaries17400:09:50,080 –> 00:09:52,460of two life commitments,17500:09:52,460 –> 00:09:57,460to fear the Lord and to bring good to her husband.17600:09:57,679 –> 00:10:00,539And there is nothing in all that she does17700:10:01,419 –> 00:10:02,739that falls outside of that.17800:10:03,820 –> 00:10:05,159You’re listening to Open The Bible17900:10:05,159 –> 00:10:06,580with Pastor Colin Smith18000:10:06,580 –> 00:10:09,739and a message called, A Woman of Godly Character.18100:10:09,739 –> 00:10:12,539Part of our short series, Godly Character,18200:10:12,539 –> 00:10:15,219and this message is based on proverbs 3118300:10:15,219 –> 00:10:18,940and the woman described in that passage.18400:10:18,940 –> 00:10:20,539If you ever miss one of our broadcasts,18500:10:20,539 –> 00:10:22,739it’s very easy to catch up or go back18600:10:22,739 –> 00:10:24,460and listen again by coming online18700:10:24,460 –> 00:10:27,799to our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk.18800:10:27,799 –> 00:10:30,619Or you can also find us as a podcast18900:10:30,619 –> 00:10:32,500on all the main podcast sites19000:10:32,500 –> 00:10:35,080by searching for Open The Bible U.K.19100:10:35,080 –> 00:10:38,039Or by following a link from our website.19200:10:38,039 –> 00:10:40,400Open The Bible is supported by our listeners19300:10:40,400 –> 00:10:43,200and we’re extremely grateful for the financial support19400:10:43,200 –> 00:10:44,520that you give us.19500:10:44,520 –> 00:10:46,719It enables us to stay on the air,19600:10:46,719 –> 00:10:48,200and on the internet.19700:10:48,200 –> 00:10:51,039Later in the program, I’m going to be talking to Colin19800:10:51,039 –> 00:10:53,039about this month’s special offer19900:10:53,039 –> 00:10:55,400for anyone who’s able to begin setting up20000:10:55,400 –> 00:10:58,280a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible.20100:10:58,280 –> 00:11:00,340So I hope you’ll stay with us for that.20200:11:00,340 –> 00:11:02,760Back to the message now, here again is Colin.20300:11:02,780 –> 00:11:06,520Now this phrase, to bring him good all the days of her life,20400:11:06,520 –> 00:11:09,340is a beautiful phrase, it’s a wonderful phrase.20500:11:10,179 –> 00:11:13,200It’s probably as clear a description20600:11:13,200 –> 00:11:16,580as you will find anywhere in the Bible20700:11:16,580 –> 00:11:19,659of what is meant by this word submission.20800:11:20,580 –> 00:11:22,260And I had some light on this20900:11:22,260 –> 00:11:25,919in a very different context today was, this week rather.21000:11:25,919 –> 00:11:27,880I was talking with one of the professors21100:11:27,880 –> 00:11:31,539at Trinity University earlier this week.21200:11:31,580 –> 00:11:34,059And he was speaking in the conversation21300:11:34,059 –> 00:11:38,760about how a large church has many ministries21400:11:38,760 –> 00:11:41,440and each one has its own particular mission.21500:11:42,780 –> 00:11:46,919But he said, the mission of each ministry21600:11:46,919 –> 00:11:50,940in the church has to support the mission21700:11:50,940 –> 00:11:53,200of the whole church.21800:11:53,200 –> 00:11:58,200Then he said, you see, that’s what submission is.21900:11:59,099 –> 00:12:04,099It is putting your mission under something or someone else.22000:12:07,500 –> 00:12:08,520I thought that’s brilliant.22100:12:08,520 –> 00:12:10,539I was speaking about this subject on Sunday22200:12:10,539 –> 00:12:11,479and wrote it down.22300:12:13,299 –> 00:12:15,140Now you see, think about it.22400:12:15,140 –> 00:12:19,419Without submission, without the ability22500:12:19,419 –> 00:12:24,340to place what I do under something larger,22600:12:24,340 –> 00:12:26,260without that principle being at work,22700:12:26,280 –> 00:12:30,559a family becomes a group of independent people22800:12:30,559 –> 00:12:32,919living at the same address, off the same checkbook.22900:12:32,919 –> 00:12:33,840That’s all it is.23000:12:34,919 –> 00:12:38,719Without submission, a church becomes23100:12:38,719 –> 00:12:40,400a group of independent ministries23200:12:40,400 –> 00:12:43,359operating at the same location and off the same budget.23300:12:44,820 –> 00:12:48,500Submission means that I take all that I could do23400:12:49,559 –> 00:12:52,159and the things that I might like to do23500:12:53,080 –> 00:12:55,960and I place them and I evaluate them23600:12:55,960 –> 00:13:00,960and I decided them sub under a higher mission23700:13:01,619 –> 00:13:04,099to which I have already committed myself23800:13:05,260 –> 00:13:08,359and the mission to which this woman has committed herself23900:13:08,359 –> 00:13:11,559that is the grid by which she is able to make decisions24000:13:11,559 –> 00:13:14,539about her life is that she fears the Lord24100:13:14,539 –> 00:13:16,599and that she will bring good to her husband.24200:13:17,520 –> 00:13:21,239Now you see, if you do not have submission,24300:13:21,239 –> 00:13:22,840you do not have unity.24400:13:22,840 –> 00:13:23,679You cannot.24500:13:24,539 –> 00:13:28,000Submission is the key to unity.24600:13:28,000 –> 00:13:30,280If you don’t have submission,24700:13:30,280 –> 00:13:32,059you don’t have unity in the family.24800:13:32,059 –> 00:13:33,500If you don’t have submission,24900:13:33,500 –> 00:13:35,159you don’t have unity within the church.25000:13:35,159 –> 00:13:36,440It is impossible.25100:13:37,880 –> 00:13:39,520I’ve been thinking about how this works out,25200:13:39,520 –> 00:13:41,780for example, in my own life.25300:13:41,780 –> 00:13:44,780I think about how it works in the relationship25400:13:44,780 –> 00:13:48,219that I have as a senior pastor with the elders.25500:13:49,219 –> 00:13:53,280See, there are many, many things that I am asked to do25600:13:53,280 –> 00:13:56,380and, frankly, many things that I’d like to do,25700:13:56,380 –> 00:13:58,780ideas that I have, all kinds of them.25800:13:58,780 –> 00:14:00,840Too many really.25900:14:00,840 –> 00:14:04,619So, how do I decide what I should do?26000:14:04,619 –> 00:14:07,039Well, I obviously use my own judgment26100:14:07,940 –> 00:14:09,380but then God has placed me26200:14:09,380 –> 00:14:11,599under the authority of the elders26300:14:11,599 –> 00:14:14,760so I submit my judgment to these men.26400:14:14,760 –> 00:14:16,760I’ve been asked to speak at this conference overseas.26500:14:16,760 –> 00:14:17,679What do you think?26600:14:17,799 –> 00:14:18,799I’d like to write a book.26700:14:18,799 –> 00:14:19,760What do you think?26800:14:19,760 –> 00:14:21,479I think I’ve found a person26900:14:21,479 –> 00:14:23,080who can help us move ministry forward.27000:14:23,080 –> 00:14:24,340What do you think?27100:14:25,539 –> 00:14:28,500Now, you see, in a healthy relationship,27200:14:28,500 –> 00:14:32,119a normal pattern will be one of enthusiastic partnership27300:14:33,440 –> 00:14:35,739but there have been times and there will be times27400:14:35,739 –> 00:14:37,140when the elders will say,27500:14:37,140 –> 00:14:40,400no, no Colin, that’s a wrong idea.27600:14:40,400 –> 00:14:41,760This is the wrong time.27700:14:41,760 –> 00:14:43,440Colin, you got too much on your calendar.27800:14:43,440 –> 00:14:44,520Colin, that doesn’t fit27900:14:44,520 –> 00:14:46,780with the big pieces of where we’re going.28000:14:48,619 –> 00:14:52,479No, submission means that I have decided28100:14:52,479 –> 00:14:57,479in advance to receive their word as the Lord’s word to me.28200:14:57,840 –> 00:14:59,719Of course, that’s not always easy28300:14:59,719 –> 00:15:04,020but it’s a good thing and it is God’s pattern.28400:15:04,020 –> 00:15:07,119It’s also a joyful thing for two reasons28500:15:07,119 –> 00:15:11,479because here are a group of men who care for me28600:15:11,479 –> 00:15:15,520and an environment of love makes this submission easy.28700:15:16,020 –> 00:15:20,159But what makes it easiest of all28800:15:20,159 –> 00:15:22,960is that their mission is my mission.28900:15:22,960 –> 00:15:27,960That’s what it is, it’s one mission that we share together29000:15:28,260 –> 00:15:33,080in which we are able to make decisions29100:15:33,080 –> 00:15:37,119because of clear agreement as to what it is29200:15:37,119 –> 00:15:38,520we’re trying to accomplish.29300:15:40,760 –> 00:15:43,440Now the Godly woman has a very simple definition29400:15:43,440 –> 00:15:44,719then of success.29500:15:45,520 –> 00:15:47,000It’s fearing the Lord,29600:15:48,719 –> 00:15:51,080and it’s bringing good to her husband.29700:15:52,900 –> 00:15:57,340And whatever is advancing these things29800:15:58,340 –> 00:16:03,340is within the wonderful freedom that is hers and his29900:16:05,440 –> 00:16:08,640within these great commitments that give direction30000:16:09,799 –> 00:16:11,760and wonderful boundaries to life.30100:16:11,799 –> 00:16:15,159An unbounded life is a terrible thing,30200:16:15,159 –> 00:16:17,159terrible thing, an impossible thing.30300:16:18,539 –> 00:16:20,380Now, notice before we move on from this,30400:16:20,380 –> 00:16:22,400and I think this is very important,30500:16:22,400 –> 00:16:25,960that the commitment is to the good of her husband30600:16:26,919 –> 00:16:28,760rather than the good of her children.30700:16:29,799 –> 00:16:33,280Now, that really needs thinking about carefully.30800:16:33,280 –> 00:16:35,000Of course she does good to her children,30900:16:35,000 –> 00:16:38,539but the commitment is to bring good to her husband31000:16:38,539 –> 00:16:41,400all the days of her life.31100:16:41,400 –> 00:16:45,679God created Eve as the partner for Adam.31200:16:45,679 –> 00:16:47,280Not for the children.31300:16:47,280 –> 00:16:49,080Not for Cain and Abel,31400:16:49,080 –> 00:16:53,159but as the partner and as the helper for Adam,31500:16:53,159 –> 00:16:55,719and that is very significant for strong31600:16:55,719 –> 00:16:58,320and for healthy families.31700:16:58,320 –> 00:16:59,419See, for this reason,31800:17:00,719 –> 00:17:04,640when children become the center of the family,31900:17:04,640 –> 00:17:06,760they soon begin to feel that32000:17:06,760 –> 00:17:09,560they are the center of all things.32100:17:09,660 –> 00:17:12,119And if your children grow up with this feeling32200:17:12,119 –> 00:17:15,479that they really are the center of all things,32300:17:17,420 –> 00:17:21,380they will soon imagine that God exists for them32400:17:21,380 –> 00:17:23,040just as you do,32500:17:23,040 –> 00:17:25,520and that will make them idolaters.32600:17:27,160 –> 00:17:28,880Now, it is Satan’s work,32700:17:28,880 –> 00:17:29,719think about this,32800:17:29,719 –> 00:17:34,280it is Satan’s the work to make your children think32900:17:34,280 –> 00:17:37,400that they can take the place of God.33000:17:38,359 –> 00:17:41,420And we need to be very careful33100:17:41,420 –> 00:17:44,819that we do not do Satan’s work for him.33200:17:45,839 –> 00:17:48,560So the godly woman’s commitments are very, very clear33300:17:48,560 –> 00:17:51,680in their foundational to healthy family life.33400:17:51,680 –> 00:17:53,319She lives for the glory of God33500:17:53,319 –> 00:17:54,939and for the good of her husband,33600:17:54,939 –> 00:17:56,839and everything that she does33700:17:56,839 –> 00:17:59,199is an expression of this life commitment,33800:18:01,520 –> 00:18:04,199the boundaries in which she thrives.33900:18:05,540 –> 00:18:07,199Now, I want us to take a look together34000:18:08,040 –> 00:18:12,099at the extraordinary life that this woman has34100:18:12,099 –> 00:18:15,920as she pursues this marvelous direction.34200:18:15,920 –> 00:18:16,760Are you ready?34300:18:16,760 –> 00:18:17,579Here we go.34400:18:17,579 –> 00:18:19,260Her freedom within the boundaries.34500:18:19,260 –> 00:18:22,300I want us just to take in the scope34600:18:22,300 –> 00:18:25,819of what this woman is free to pursue34700:18:25,819 –> 00:18:30,459as Lemuel’s mother gives counsel to her son.34800:18:30,459 –> 00:18:33,099It really is quite extraordinary,34900:18:33,099 –> 00:18:35,619it’s a poem so we’re going to move through it very quickly.35000:18:35,699 –> 00:18:37,739But I want us just to get the sense35100:18:37,739 –> 00:18:40,680of this woman’s life and of her freedom.35200:18:40,680 –> 00:18:43,040Look at her joy in verse 13.35300:18:43,040 –> 00:18:47,739She selects wool and flax and she works with eager hands.35400:18:47,739 –> 00:18:50,359The emphasis is on the word eager, willing.35500:18:50,359 –> 00:18:52,900There’s an enthusiasm, a joyfulness,35600:18:52,900 –> 00:18:55,560a fulfillment that she finds in her work,35700:18:55,560 –> 00:18:58,359a cheerfulness in all that she does.35800:18:58,359 –> 00:19:00,939Notice her creativity, verse 14.35900:19:00,939 –> 00:19:03,739She is like the merchant’s ships.36000:19:03,739 –> 00:19:05,420Said the Crown, I don’t know that’s a compliment.36100:19:06,380 –> 00:19:08,459She is like a ship, but what it’s speaking of here,36200:19:08,459 –> 00:19:10,699bringing her food from afar.36300:19:10,699 –> 00:19:12,819What she does is she brings variety.36400:19:12,819 –> 00:19:15,140That’s what it’s saying, creativity.36500:19:15,140 –> 00:19:19,680Freshness into family life and into her home.36600:19:19,680 –> 00:19:23,260Without her, life would be a dull routine.36700:19:23,260 –> 00:19:24,939But she brings color.36800:19:24,939 –> 00:19:26,219She brings warmth.36900:19:26,219 –> 00:19:31,219She brings life into, she turns a house into a home37000:19:31,339 –> 00:19:34,420and blesses all who come there.37100:19:34,459 –> 00:19:38,339There’s an old Chinese proverb I found that says,37200:19:38,339 –> 00:19:42,660a hundred men can make an encampment,37300:19:42,660 –> 00:19:46,660but it takes one woman to make a home.37400:19:48,939 –> 00:19:51,680Look at her discipline, verse 15 in verse 17.37500:19:51,680 –> 00:19:53,900She gets up while it is dark.37600:19:53,900 –> 00:19:56,579She provides food for her family.37700:19:56,579 –> 00:19:59,020Verse 17, she sets about our work vigorously37800:19:59,020 –> 00:20:01,939and her arms are strong for her task.37900:20:04,579 –> 00:20:06,920Now I want you to see her enterprise.38000:20:08,020 –> 00:20:13,020Verse 16, she considers a field and buys it,38100:20:14,979 –> 00:20:19,979and out of her earnings, she plants a vineyard.38200:20:21,619 –> 00:20:25,819So this woman, besides the homemaking that she has,38300:20:25,819 –> 00:20:27,819evidently is a knight of business.38400:20:28,859 –> 00:20:33,099She makes linen garments, verse 24, and she sells them.38500:20:33,140 –> 00:20:36,099She supplies the merchants with sashes,38600:20:36,099 –> 00:20:38,979in her hands, verse 19, she holds the distaff38700:20:38,979 –> 00:20:41,900and grasps the spindle with her fingers.38800:20:41,900 –> 00:20:44,300Talk about multitasking.38900:20:44,300 –> 00:20:46,020This woman is amazing.39000:20:47,140 –> 00:20:49,540Look at her compassion, verse 20.39100:20:50,579 –> 00:20:52,739She opens her arms to the poor39200:20:53,800 –> 00:20:56,339and extends her hands to the needy.39300:20:57,900 –> 00:21:00,699Look at her planning, verse 21.39400:21:00,699 –> 00:21:05,699When it snows, she has no fear for her household,39500:21:06,079 –> 00:21:09,939for all of them are clothed in scarlet.39600:21:09,939 –> 00:21:11,099She’s a planner.39700:21:12,619 –> 00:21:14,920If you look at her appearance, verse 22,39800:21:14,920 –> 00:21:19,380she is clothed in fine linen and purple.39900:21:20,380 –> 00:21:21,339She has, in other words,40000:21:21,339 –> 00:21:26,339the dignity of a woman who cares about her appearance40100:21:26,500 –> 00:21:29,339because she knows that she is called to greatness40200:21:29,380 –> 00:21:31,300as one who fears the Lord40300:21:31,300 –> 00:21:34,300and as one who brings good to her husband.40400:21:34,300 –> 00:21:36,540And it’s possible to make both too much40500:21:36,540 –> 00:21:39,099and too little of that point.40600:21:39,099 –> 00:21:41,739The Bible grants us wisdom40700:21:41,739 –> 00:21:44,420between these two opposite errors.40800:21:45,619 –> 00:21:47,699I’m very struck by this.40900:21:48,719 –> 00:21:51,819As the King’s wife, let’s face it,41000:21:51,819 –> 00:21:53,540she could have lived a life41100:21:53,540 –> 00:21:56,459of full-time leisure in the palace,41200:21:57,380 –> 00:22:00,060but what we’re being told here in this description41300:22:00,060 –> 00:22:02,380is that the woman of noble character41400:22:02,380 –> 00:22:06,979has the broadest imaginable sphere of activity41500:22:08,140 –> 00:22:10,219and of ministry,41600:22:10,219 –> 00:22:11,239and of life,41700:22:11,239 –> 00:22:12,260and of creativity,41800:22:12,260 –> 00:22:15,119and of work within the commitments41900:22:15,119 –> 00:22:17,140that she has made that guide her life,42000:22:17,140 –> 00:22:19,660that what she is about at its heart42100:22:19,660 –> 00:22:21,500is a woman who fears the Lord42200:22:21,500 –> 00:22:24,420and a woman who brings good to her husband.42300:22:25,280 –> 00:22:27,119You’ve been listening to Open the Bible42400:22:27,119 –> 00:22:28,939with Pastor Colin Smith42500:22:28,939 –> 00:22:29,780at a message called42600:22:29,780 –> 00:22:32,119A Woman of Godly Character.42700:22:32,119 –> 00:22:33,780It’s part of our series42800:22:33,780 –> 00:22:35,739simply called Godly Character42900:22:35,739 –> 00:22:38,420and this message is based on Proverbs 3143000:22:38,420 –> 00:22:41,319and the woman described in that passage.43100:22:41,319 –> 00:22:42,959If you ever miss one of our series43200:22:42,959 –> 00:22:44,219or if you simply want to go back43300:22:44,219 –> 00:22:45,160and listen again,43400:22:45,160 –> 00:22:46,000you can do that43500:22:46,000 –> 00:22:48,060by coming online to our website43600:22:48,060 –> 00:22:51,760OpenTheBible.org.uk.43700:22:51,760 –> 00:22:54,319Open the Bible is able to stay on this station43800:22:54,339 –> 00:22:55,599and the internet43900:22:55,599 –> 00:22:57,359and available as a podcast44000:22:57,359 –> 00:22:59,420because of the generous financial support44100:22:59,420 –> 00:23:00,439of our listeners,44200:23:00,439 –> 00:23:02,260that’s people like you44300:23:02,260 –> 00:23:04,660and if you already give to support the work,44400:23:04,660 –> 00:23:06,599thank you so much.44500:23:06,599 –> 00:23:07,859If supporting Ofen the Bible44600:23:07,859 –> 00:23:09,979is something you’d like to start doing,44700:23:09,979 –> 00:23:11,239this month we’re delighted44800:23:11,239 –> 00:23:13,319to offer a free gift.44900:23:13,319 –> 00:23:15,579When you set up a new direct debit45000:23:15,579 –> 00:23:17,219to the work of Open the Bible45100:23:17,219 –> 00:23:20,000in the amount of £5 per month or more45200:23:20,000 –> 00:23:22,739or a one off gift of £50 or more,45300:23:22,739 –> 00:23:24,079we’d love to say thank you45400:23:24,199 –> 00:23:26,300by sending you a free copy45500:23:26,300 –> 00:23:28,119of Pastor Colin’s new book45600:23:28,180 –> 00:23:29,739Hike Through the Bible.45700:23:29,900 –> 00:23:32,819Colin, where did the idea for this book come from?45800:23:33,380 –> 00:23:36,119Well, we have Fly Through the Bible45900:23:36,119 –> 00:23:39,180for those who are looking for a place to begin46000:23:39,180 –> 00:23:40,839then Drive Through the Bible46100:23:40,839 –> 00:23:42,839obviously takes people a bit further46200:23:42,859 –> 00:23:45,140but for everyone that wants to get serious46300:23:45,140 –> 00:23:46,739about the Bible Story46400:23:46,739 –> 00:23:49,140Hike Through the Bible is for you.46500:23:49,140 –> 00:23:50,500I mean, this is where you get46600:23:50,500 –> 00:23:51,859your boots on the ground46700:23:51,880 –> 00:23:53,920and really get to grips46800:23:53,920 –> 00:23:56,099with what the Bible is all about46900:23:56,099 –> 00:23:58,959and you’ll discover that the whole Bible is one story47000:23:58,959 –> 00:24:01,079that the whole of it points47100:24:01,079 –> 00:24:03,979to Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ47200:24:03,979 –> 00:24:05,439and I wrote this for people47300:24:05,439 –> 00:24:08,359who want to have a better grasp of the Bible.47400:24:08,359 –> 00:24:10,000I wrote it for people who want to have47500:24:10,020 –> 00:24:12,979a deeper love for the Lord Jesus Christ47600:24:12,979 –> 00:24:14,479and just by way of encouragement47700:24:14,479 –> 00:24:16,979If you think that hiking sounds like hard work47800:24:16,979 –> 00:24:19,380well you can hike at a gentle pace.47900:24:19,579 –> 00:24:21,619This is 50 chapters48000:24:21,619 –> 00:24:23,339and that’s designed so that48100:24:23,339 –> 00:24:24,400you can do one a week48200:24:24,400 –> 00:24:26,359a nice gentle hike through the Bible48300:24:26,359 –> 00:24:28,119so that at the end of the year48400:24:28,119 –> 00:24:31,339you really have grasped the Bible as a whole48500:24:31,339 –> 00:24:33,079and you’ve got a clearer grip48600:24:33,079 –> 00:24:36,000on what it is that God saying into your life.48700:24:36,280 –> 00:24:38,719Well, we’d love to send you Colin’s new book48800:24:38,719 –> 00:24:40,920when you set up a new direct debit48900:24:40,920 –> 00:24:43,500of £5 per month or more49000:24:43,500 –> 00:24:47,180or a one-off gift of £50 or more this month.49100:24:47,260 –> 00:24:49,859Full terms and conditions online at our website49200:24:49,859 –> 00:24:52,900openthebible.org.uk49300:24:52,900 –> 00:24:54,719and you can give online.49400:24:55,199 –> 00:24:57,380Don’t forget to leave your name and address49500:24:57,380 –> 00:24:59,459so we can send you your gift.49600:25:00,079 –> 00:25:02,599For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith49700:25:02,599 –> 00:25:03,859I’m David Pig49800:25:03,859 –> 00:25:06,560and I look forward to being with you again next time.49900:25:13,839 –> 00:25:16,420Find out how God’s plan for womanhood50000:25:16,599 –> 00:25:20,040can keep you from frustration and burnout.50100:25:20,040 –> 00:25:22,260That’s next time on Open the Bible.