A Virtuous Woman- The Strange Woman part two

Now that we've met the strange woman, let's look into all the times she's mentioned in the bible.

The strange woman:

This term is mentioned 9 times in 9 verses

It is first mentioned in Judges 11:2-

(starting in verse 1) Now Jepthah the Gileadite was a mighty

man of valour, and he was the son of an

harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah

And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his

wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out

Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt

not inherit in our father's house; for thou

art the son of a strange woman.

Strange woman= Harlot

Word study: Harlot
Mentioned 42 times in 40 verses.
This word is interesting- it's not commonly used today like 'whore' is. 'Harlot' is found many times before the word 'whore' appears and God uses 'harlot' more than 'whore'. I will note that words containing 'whore'- whoredom, whoredoms, whores- combined mentions are more than 'harlot'.
First mentioned: Genesis 34:31-

And they said, Should he deal with our

sister as with an harlot?

This is actually an interesting story.

Jacob has a daughter named Dinah. She goes into the city one day and attracts Shechem, a prince of the city. He rapes her, falls in love with her, then asks his father to get her for him 'to wife'.

Jacob and his sons find out and aren't happy. Shechem's father tries to pacify them and make a deal to 'make marriages' between their family and the people of the town.

And the sons of Jacob answered

Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully,

and said, because he had defiled Dinah

their sister:

And they said unto them, we cannot do

this thing, to give our sister to one that is

uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

But in this will we consent unto you: if

ye will be as we be, that every male of you

be circumcised;

Genesis 34:13-15

So the men of the city all get circumcised and while they are recuperating Jacob's two sons Simeon and Levi 'came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.' They then wasted the city, taking the women and little ones as slaves, hoarding the wealth of the land and animals of the field for themselves.

Jacob is not happy about that at all and the verse above is Simeon's and Levi's response to their father's father's anger.

Harlot= defiled

Second mention: Genesis 38:15

When Judah saw her, he thought her to

be an harlot; because she had covered her

face.

And he turned unto her by the way, and

said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto

thee; (for he knew not that she was his

daughter in law.) And she said, what wilt

thou give me, that thou mayest come in

unto me?

This story gives us a definite example of what a harlot is: a woman who makes a living by selling her body. It is shameful- why else would she cover her face: Genesis 38:24

And it came to pass about three months

after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar

thy daughter in law hath played the harlot;

and also, behold, she is with child by

whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth,

and let her be burnt.

Being a harlot meant death

In conclusion: the first time the strange woman is mentioned, she is known as a harlot- a shameful, defiling trade worthy of death.

The next mention of the strange woman is analyzed in detail in my previous post found here

Third mention is in Proverbs chapter 5:

Proverbs 5:1-3

My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow

thine ear to my understanding:

That thou mayest regard discretion, and

that thy lips may keep knowledge.

For the lips of a strange woman drop as

an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother

than oil:

In case you haven't noticed, God keeps telling us to listen. He tells us over and over again to listen to his wisdom. It must be important.

God does not just put things in His bible to mess with us. He uses the exact perfect words in perfect sequence to give us the perfect way of doing things.

It is not a joke.

So He says to attend unto His wisdom- attend means to listen. If you look at all the times 'attend' is mentioned, you'll find that it is always in context of hearing. Think about it though, it's not just listening, it's being present. Have you ever, while reading, got to the end of a page and realize you haven't the faintest idea what you just read? I do that a lot. I get lost in my own thoughts while my eyes keep reading. God wants our attention- all of it.

Then He tells us to bow our ears to His understanding- bowing is a sign of humbleness and submission.    Submit to God's understanding, accept that when you disagree with it, you are wrong and need to make a change.

If you attend and bow you will regard discretion. I've looked at all the mentions of regard and I finally came up with a biblical definition: give place or give importance.
God is saying here that by listening and submitting to wisdom and understanding we will give importance to discretion and our lips 'may keep knowledge'.
That's an interesting thought- our lips keep things. That explains why we just blurt out things we have no business saying. Be careful what your lips keep.

Back to the strange woman: we already know that wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and discretion keep us from this woman. God contrasts the lips of those who heed him with the lips of a strange woman- they drop as an honeycomb.
Her lips are sticky. If you're not careful you get caught in them. She uses flattery, remember?
He goes on- her mouth is smoother than oil.
Oil is hard to wash off. Most things wash out with water but honey and oil- you need hot water and soap to get those off. The other thing about oil- it does not just wash out of clothing. (I rub chalk on the spot and wash as usual but do not tumble dry) My point is, unless you take special steps to get the oil stain out, it's not coming out.
This woman knows what to say and how to say it.

The interesting thing about the words God has chosen is that they are body parts. He does not say why she does these things- they appear to be in her flesh. When we say things, what is saying them? I tell my husband that I love him- I am speaking from the heart. My tongue, lips, and mouth are the vessels I use to convey this to my husband, but my words originate from my heart.
When talking about those who heed Him, God says if we attend, bow, and regard, our flesh will follow by keeping knowledge. The lack of these things in the strange woman result in flattery and all manner of evil kept in her lips.

Word study: Honeycomb
Mentioned 9 times in 9 verses
First mentioned: 1 Samuel 14:27

But Jonathan heard not when his father

charged the people with the oath:

wherefore he put forth the end of the rod

that was in his hand, and dipped it in an

honeycomb, and put his hand to his

mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

Honeycombs are a good thing. 

More to be desired are they than gold,

yea than much fine gold: sweeter also

than honey and the honeycomb

Psalm 19:10

Honeycombs are separate from honey. God's Word is the only thing on this earth that is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,

sweet to the soul, and health to the bones

Proverbs 16:24

This verse explains why Jonathan was enlightened by the honeycomb in 1 Samuel- honeycombs are not only sweet but healthy.

Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the 

honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

Song of Solomon 4:11

Now that verse is interesting.

I haven't studied the Song Of Solomon nor listened to anyone go over it in detail. From what I gather it is a book about Christ and His bride- the church.

This is a good woman- without spot (Song of Solomon 4:7)- and her lips are described exactly as a strange woman's are.

So it is possible to be sweet without using flattery. 

The strange woman uses good things to her own advantage. 

Word study: Smoother
Mentioned 2 times in 2 verses
First mention: Psalm 55:21

The words of his mouth were smoother

than butter, but war was in his heart: his

words were softer than oil, yet were they

drawn swords.

A person with smooth words is not to be trusted. 

The second mention of this word is in our text.

Word study: Smooth

Mentioned 6 times in 6 verses

First mention: Genesis 27:11

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother,

behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, 

and I am a smooth man:

A few verses down is the second mention: Genesis 27:16

And she put the skins of the kids of the

goats upon his hands, and upon the

smooth of his neck:

The first time this word is used in the bible, Rebekah is scheming to promote her favourite son. The first time it is used it is used for deceit.

This word is bad.

And he took his staff in his hand, and

chose him five smooth stones out of the

brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag

which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling

was in his hand: and he drew near to the

Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:40

The third time smooth is used, it is used to kill. Sure it's the enemy of the Lord that is dead, but God makes a point of telling us that a smooth stone killed Goliath.

Which say to the seers, See not; and to the

prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,

speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

Isaiah 30:10

Smooth is associated with deceit. Instead of 'right things', they wanted 'smooth things'.

Among the smooth stones of the stream is

thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to

them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou

hast offered a meat offering. Should I 

receive comfort in these?

Isaiah 57:6

The people were worshipping smooth stones and making offerings to them.
The last mention:

As it is written in the book of the words of

Esaias the prophet, saying, the voice of one

crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the

way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled, and every

mountain and hill shall be brought low;

and the crooked shall be made straight,

and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

And all flesh shall see the salvation of

God.

Luke 3:4-6

This is the only positive mention of smooth. The only thing I can note is that this is God's doing.

Note these verses:

That which is crooked cannot be made straight:

Ecclesiastes 1:15a

Consider the work of God: for who can

make that straight, which he hath made

crooked?

Ecclesiastes 7:13

The verse in Luke references Isaiah 40:4-

Every valley shall be exalted, and every

mountain and hill shall be made low: and

the crooked shall be made straight, and the

rough places plain:

Taking both verses into account- God flattens, straightens, and smoothes everything out. Likely the way the earth was before the flood.

From what we've read, the words smooth and smoother are associated with deceit, lies, and death. The positive mention is when God comes back and fixes everything Himself.

Word study: oil

Mentioned 202 times in 187 verses

First mentioned: Genesis 28:16-18-

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and

he said, Surely the Lord is in this place;

and I knew it not.

And he was afraid, and said, How

dreadful is this place! this is none other

but the house of God, and this is the gate

of heaven.

And Jacob rose up early in the morning,

and took the stone that he had put for his

pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and

poured oil upon the top of it.

Oil is clearly a good thing. I would hazard a guess that the majority of the mentions have to to with anointing (like in the first mention), sacrificing, and offering. It is also used in lamps for light (Exodus 39:27) and baking (Exodus 29:2).
Oil is associated with wealth:

There is treasure to be desired and oil

in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish

man spendeth it up.

Proverbs 21:20

I will not delve deep into the word 'oil'- just as far as our study takes us.

The words of his mouth were smoother 

than butter, but war was in his heart: his

words were softer than oil, yet were they

drawn swords.

Psalm 55:21

In conclusion: oil is soft, smooth, and rich people have lots.

Back to the verse we are studying:

For the lips of a strange woman drop as

an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother

than oil:

Proverbs 5:3

Based on our knowledge of oil I'd say this woman knows what to say: she's a charmer. She'll pull you in with her rich, smooth words.

There is a lot here. For me it taught me a lot about the bible. Since starting this I've paid closer attention to how God uses body parts in the bible. I've also been very interested in honeycombs and how healthy they are.

In all seriousness, though, what is our motivation for saying something? Are we using our words to gain an advantage or being sincere?
Do you know a man ensnared by a strange woman? Can you see right though her honey sweet words but he is blinded to it?

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:6

Remember, Judas kissed Jesus while he was betraying him. Real friends tell the truth, no matter how horrible, because they are faithful.

What a difference between a faithful friend and a strange woman.

Stay tuned for part three!

Godly Music- Jesus Help Me to Stand

The last few weeks have been very trying for me.

I had a bad stomach virus, then we had bed bugs, now I have the stomach flu. On top of it all, my son and I went away for a few days- it was fun- but my son was in a bad mood and did not nap the whole time.

That's why I haven't written as much as I've wanted to.

My husband once told me this was one of his favorite songs.

It's lovely- especially as it's sung by Allison Krauss. She has the lovliest voice ever. My son just loves to hear her sing. It can calm him right down when he's fussy.

I just found this youtube video of the song. This song is also available on itunes. I hope it gives you strength and encouragement.

Jesus Help Me to Stand:

Careful and Troubled

I did not mean to leave this blog for as long as I did.
Last week was a very very busy week for us and I was not able to write.
Fortunately things should slow down a bit and I can get back to normal.

Yesterday during Sunday School my pastor was talking about growing in the Lord and he touched briefly on this passage in Luke 10-

Now it came to pass, as they went, that

he entered into a certain village: and a

certain woman named Martha received

him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, which

also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much

serving, and came to him, and said, Lord,

dost thou not care that my sister hath left

me to serve alone? bid her therefore that

she help me.

And Jesus Answered and said unto her,

Martha, Martha, thou art careful and

troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath 

chosen that good part, which shall not be

taken away from her.

Luke 10:38-42

As my pastor was reading this yesterday I felt God's hand heavy on my heart- conviction. I relate very strongly with Martha in this passage. She's got people over, she needs to serve! Her actions are not sinful but they are not wise.

So let's look at Martha:

God said she's cumbered about much serving- she was burdened by serving. She clearly was not happy about it. 

I suppose putting pita and hummus out for people to munch on was not an option.

Jesus and the disciples were just on the road, they must have been tired, dusty, thirsty, and hungry. Martha, as a housekeeper, saw that and wanted to help.

Whatever she was doing, it was not with the right heart. We know it was not with the right heart because she complains to Jesus that Mary is not being helpful.
A cheerful person who is willing to serve doesn't care about the work- they are happy to do it.

I know exactly what this is like. I've had a rough day with my son then my husband comes home after working for 12 hours and he just sits on the couch or lies down.

I see that and my flesh rushes into action, anger flares, frustration builds up- can't he play with our son or read him a book so I can get a break?

At that point I remember that he's been working 12 hour days 5 days in a row and he really needs a break and the Spirit conquers the flesh.

My initial reaction is like Martha's- why aren't they thinking of me?

Me, me, me. See, I'm considerate because I'm making dinner for YOU but YOU aren't considerate because you're not doing anything for ME.

Did you know that real love is not about what the other person does for you but what you do for the other person?

Real love is loving someone even when they're actions are not very loving towards you. That's why real love- God's love- is called charity. It is selfless. (read 1 Corinthians 13) The new bibles muck it up by replacing 'love' with 'charity' but I will not go into that now.

Finally, Jesus, who knows the thoughts and intents of the heart tells Martha 'thou art careful and troubled about many things:'

I am careful and troubled about many things.

Careful as in 'full of care' (see Pilippians 4:6)

I need to make dinner tonight, the laundry needs folding, does M have enough work pants, how is my sour dough starter coming, what am I going to wear to that thing tomorrow, what will I make for the potluck on Sunday, what do I need at the grocery store, and on and on and on.

Full of care and troubled.

Do not get me wrong, those things need to be taken care of, but what is really important?

Jesus says 'but one thing is needful' and that is sitting at Jesus' feet and hearing his word (Luke 10 39).

As women we feel we need to please everyone. We are caretakers, nurturers, and it is in our nature to get things done.

My husband appreciates a clean house, warm meals, and clean clothes. Even more, he loves it when I have a loving spirit and a sweet heart towards him.

What good does a clean home do when my attitude is rotten?

He wouldn't care to stay home with me if I treated him like dirt.

What good does his favorite dish do him if I'm nagging him all through dinner?

No. Good. At. All. That meal would be poisoned.

My best days involve a good dose of the Word and a heavy prayer time. The best time for me is as soon and my son goes down for his nap. I struggle with that.

Sometimes I'm so bent on cleaning up that before I know it, nap time is over, the house is clean, but I have not spent any quiet time with the Lord.

The most important thing anyone can do is spend time with God. That must be our first priority.

If you put God first, everything else will fall perfectly into place.

Having trouble with your spouse?

Love God more, get to know God more, talk to God more and you will make a difference in your marriage.

Having trouble organizing yourself?

Spend time with God before you do anything else. Read your bible and pray then see how your priorities shape themselves and you will be more productive.

Things in life pile up. My husband has a busy job. He is not guaranteed two days off a week. That gets hard. I feel like I'd like a day to myself or a few hours without worrying about our son. I do not have that privilege.

Talking to God is the biggest stress reliever. What's more, He gives me the grace and strength to have the right attitude and heart when I feel I'm going to melt.

I hope to post part two of the Strange Woman in the following days.

I hope this post was a blessing and a help to you.

Preach the Word- Bible Believers Baptist Church

Today while my son was napping, I was prepping dinner and listening to Dr. David Peacock preach this message: Before You Request
The wonderful thing about preaching is that God uses it to enforce the things He's teaching us in our private lives.
For example, someone said some things to me that have left deep scars. Certainly I've forgiven that person but the scars remain and I have a hard time trusting that person. Often times I wondered if my feelings were right, that my feelings of distrust were merited. Last week my pastor was talking about the affect our words have on people and he mentioned that our words break relationships, even if there is forgiveness, we do a lot of damage with our words (see James 3). I went away feeling fed and knowing it was okay that those scars are there. They are a reminder- I learned lots from those words- and a wall against that person who uttered them. Our relationship is not ruined, by God's grace, and I am armed with knowledge and a wall of defense.
Not only did God show me that it is okay to be wary of people who hurt you in the past, but to be careful what I say and how I act. Some of those things never leave you.

So in this sermon pastor Peacock said somethings that enforced things God has taught and is teaching me:
1) Don't measure God's goodness by what he's done for you- did you know that the breath you are breathing at this exact moment is because of God's goodness?
Did you know that you were born in a free country because of God's goodness?
Did you know that the things you have, people you love, places you go are all there because of God's goodness?
Did you know you can go to heaven because of God's goodness?
If God does not answer a single one of your prayer requests with a 'yes' He is still good.
Did you know the Holy Spirit goes before us to protect us?
Those little 'coincidences' we could not have known to pray about are the Holy Spirit watching out for us.
God does so much for us without us even asking. Just because He does not let you win the lottery does not mean He is not good. It would probably ruin you anyways.
You will get more out of life if you are grateful for the things you have and not greedy for the things you want.

2) You can't change your husband- Please don't get me wrong, I love my husband and I would not change him for the world. When he said this it occurred to me that I can't change anyone. There are people in my life who are going down bad paths. Sometimes I think about what I can say or do to change them.
The fact is I can't.
All I can do is talk to God about it.
By talk to God about it, I don't mean ask Him to change them. I mean vent your feelings, worries, concerns, things you see, things you want to say. Everything you would say to that person, tell it to God.
Doing this changed my life.
I cannot hold things in. My feelings are too strong and I am a very passionate person. It would get me into trouble a lot.
I realized one day that no one would listen. No one wants to listen- unsolicited advice is never heeded. God wants to listen. He wants us to unburden ourselves on Him. His dealings with others are no concern of ours. If you take it to Him, He will take it from us and bandage us up.

3) Spend time adoring God- Try it one day- just pray an entire prayer just adoring God. Praise and thank Him for His goodness. Make it known why you love Him. Thank Him for the verses that carry you throughout the day. Praise Him for Jesus Christ. Thank Him for Israel and how it's existence is proof that God exists. Praise Him for the sun, moon, starts, and all creation. Thank Him for all those who He used to write hymns. Thank Him for the sacrifice people made to make our country great. Thank Him for His tender mercies. Thank Him for the rapture/ catching away/ translation.
There is SO much to praise God for. If you're having a rough day, praise God, it will make a difference.

Dr. David Peacock is a wonderful preacher. He's very good at pointing out things we do not like to think about but need to be said. For more from him go to www.biblebelieversbaptistchurch.org

If you find yourself working in the kitchen, folding laundry, or tidying up, let me encourage you to play a sermon. You'll learn something and your thoughts won't run away from you and get you into trouble.

Balcony Gardening and my Plant of Choice

While I'm working on my next Strange Woman post in my Virtuous Woman series and I thought I would share a little about one of my favorite things- my garden.

I live in an apartment so I have to make do with a little balcony garden. Still, I'm very thankful for it.

Sorry for the bad angle- I can't really get a good one

my husband brought home a discarded pallet for me

I'm attempting to grow green beans this year

My rose and strawberry table- I look out for roses to propagate

Besides strawberries, roses, and green beans, I am growing thyme, oregano, rosemary, mint, sunflowers, raspberries, blueberries, and a few different flowers.

When I first started gardening I thought I would be more of a 'practical' gardener growing only edible plants. However, I love roses too much not to grow them, and frankly, not all edible plants are practical.
Gardening is something I do after my baby goes down for his nap. It's very relaxing to prune, water, and weed- yes they find their way into my potted plants- for a few minutes each day. It's exciting to see seeds sprouting, new buds forming, and fruit ripening.
Fruit tastes best when it's tended by your hand. My strawberries and raspberries taste like candy- my son won't eat store bought berries when mine are in season.
Freshly cut herbs add tasty dynamic to my cooking. They also make lovely gifts if you plan a head to dry them.

My Alpine strawberries early last year

If I could only grow one plant it would be oregano.

Very easy to care for, it is the only herb that is more potent dried than fresh (according to various sources on the internet and my own experience). It is a very versatile herb that goes in almost anything- particularly pastas.

I dried lots of it last year and was able to give jars of it to people as gifts- people who love to cook especially appreciated it.

Not only practical, it looks and smells lovely.

Out of control and ready to be cut

Yesterday I was finally able to bring my bursting oregano plants inside to prune and harvest. Last year I found that pruning helps the plant grow more lush and gives you a steady supply. I have two full grown pots of oregano at the moment and one pot I've recently planted. I'm hoping to plant a fourth pot this year for a large supply and Christmas stocking stuffers.

Oregano on my coffee table

I am not an expert at this so please go to a reliable source to learn the whole process of growing, harvesting and drying for yourself. I've found this method works for me in my mild west coast climate.

I cut the oregano at about 4 inches.

I shake them in case there are bugs on them

I lay the oregano carefully on a cooling rack that I've placed on a cookie sheet:

I put this in the back of a low kitchen cupboard and leave it for ten or twelve days. Once completely dry I place it in a jar and use as desired.

I hope this was an encouragement for you in some way. 

The Purl Bee

Please excuse my absence over the last few days. My husband and I got very sick and I haven't had the energy to even think about doing anything.

Jack the Alpaca Octopus- one of the more fun projects I've ever knitted.
Find the pattern link below

The Purl Bee is my favourite knitting website.
I mean, it has it all- knitting, crochet, sewing, and more.
I've done a few of their crochet and sewing projects but I have knitted quite a few of their knitting patterns.

Here are a few of my favourites:
Knit Octopus- A really huggable octopus that gives me joy every time I look at it. I had so much fun knitting it I did not mind knitting eight identical arms- usually that would bore me. I particularly love it because of the use of techniques I had not come across before.

Long Lovely Mittens: I actually did these with the thumbs cut off so I could text without having to take the mittens off. A very nice relaxing project that has served me well this winter.

Garter Ear Flap Hat: This I knitted for my little niece or nephew expected to arrive in June. I don't think a cuter hat has ever been designed. I used a silk/bamboo blend which made it even more fun to knit. I'm looking forward to seeing my sister's baby in it. I definitely recommend it as an introduction to short rows if you haven't done that already.

Baby Bonnet: I knitted this last summer for my own daughter- whenever God gives her to us. The pattern was too cute for me not to knit. I did find this a little technical for my level of knitting last year. A very precise pattern- don't bother winging any part of it. I enjoyed it, learned lots, and fully intend to knit another one in a better yarn.

Big Herringbone Cowl: I knitted this for my sister a few years ago. Herringbone is, apparently, the hardest knitting technique. It did take a little while for the pattern to flow smoothly but I managed. Its a very beautiful, luxurious peice once you're done.

Currently I'm working on this bobble sheep pillow. I love the look of it on their website and I'm excited to finish my own. It's not my number one project at the moment so I'm taking it slow.

Anyways, take a look at their site. They have a ton of gorgeous free patterns to choose from. They also sell lots of beautiful yarn but as a Canadian, it would cost me way too much to purchase.

If you look at the side of my page there is listed a few sites for knitters. If you're a Canadian and like good, quality, beautiful yarn take a look at eweKnit, Espace Tricot, and Pitanga. I've recieved good service from each on of those online stores and I love their yarn selections.

As much as I appreciate Michael's, most of their yarn selection makes me cringe. I'll probably post on good yarns they sell at a later date.
I hope this was a blessing to you in some way.

The Joy of the Lord

I got some bad news today.

Heartbreakingly bad.

I was crying a lot this morning and my heart still weeps even now.

It is a private matter and I do not want to give any details. I only spoke to one person about it besides my husband and it broke my heart even more having to talk about it.

In times of heartbreak there isn't much you can say to yourself to make it better.

The fact is, you wish things happened differently.

Nothing can change that.

As much as we can quote verses like Romans 8:28, it does not change the fact that we've been hurt deeply and irreparably.

What we do need is strength. Strength to get through each second, minute, hour, day. Strength to do the things we need to.

As I was searching for ways to feel better this morning I remembered this passage: Nehemiah 8:9&10

And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha,

and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the

Levites that taught the people, said unto all

the people, This day is holy unto the Lord

your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the

people wept, when they heard the words of

the law.

Then he said unto them, Go your way,

eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send

portions unto them for whom nothing is

prepared: for this day is holy unto our

Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the

LORD is your strength.

That phrase 'the joy of the Lord' sounds like something we can all just know what it means- but what does it mean?

That is the only time it occurs in the Bible.

I've always wondered but I never looked into it. This morning it finally occurred to me what it means.

God's joy is His perfect will.

Nehemiah is about the people turning from their wickedness, growing in the Lord, and rebuilding Jerusalem. That gave joy to the Lord because it was His will. That time was not easy for Israel. It took lots of work and some heartache but, you know, that is the only place in the Bible where it talks about the joy of the Lord.

In my situation now, I am not happy the way things turned out, but I am strong in the fact that it was God's will. I am strong in that God has a plan, He is teaching us something, and clearly, now is not the time. I am strong in that God knows everything, He hears my prayers, Christ is interceding for me, and He knows absolutely what is best.

God knows our situation, He knows what I want, need, desire, hope, pray for. He knows.

Sure, I am still sad, but the joy of the Lord, His perfect will, gives me strength.

I hope that makes sense and helps you in some way.

God bless.

A Virtuous Woman- The Strange Woman Part One

Proverbs 2 begins the way chapter 1 began, encouraging you to listen.
Not simply listening though, applying your heart to it, crying after it, and searching for it.
God promises:

Yea if thou criest after knowledge and

liftest up thy voice for understanding;

if thou seekest her as silver, and

searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Then shalt thou understand the fear of

the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:3-5

The most encouraging thing about that passage is that you do not have to be smart to get wisdom.

You can be as dumb as a rock but if you earnestly and relentlessly seek God's knowledge, God will give it to you.

That's a wonderful promise.

To keep on track I'll jump down to verse 10:

When wisdom entereth into thine heart,

and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

Discretion shall preserve thee,

understanding shall keep thee:

Proverbs 2:10&11

Preserve and keep you from what?

To deliver thee from the strange woman,

from the stranger which flattereth

with her words;

Proverbs 2:16

And so we meet the first woman in this study (other than Wisdom): the strange woman.

Topic Study: Strange woman

Right away we can discern a few things from the passage:

-Wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding keep us from this woman- she's bad.

-This woman entices with her words.

Let's continue in the passage:

Which forsaketh the guide of her youth,

and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

For her house inclineth unto death, and

her paths unto the dead.

None that go unto her return again,

neither take they hold of the paths of life.

Proverbs 2:17-19

Reading this reminds me of the last line in Proverbs 8:

All they that hate me love death.

This woman's house- where she makes her life- inclines unto death. Her life favours death. She is a deep pit- once you are in you cannot get out.

We all know what a woman is so let's look into the very first thing we know about her:
Word Study: Strange
This word is mentioned 76 times in 73 verses.
First mentioned: Genesis 35:2

Then Jacob said unto his household, and

to all that were with him, Put away the

strange gods that are among you, and be

clean, and change your garments:

This word is first used negatively regarding gods. We are told that people will be made clean by putting away these gods.

Clearly God is showing us that strange is not a good description. 

The third mention gives us a clear definition of the word: Genesis 42:7

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he 

knew them, but made himself strange unto

them, and spake roughly unto them; and

he said unto them, whence come ye? And

they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

Joseph, in making himself strange, made himself unrecognizable to his brethren.

I know this seems like a simplistic definition of a word we all know well but a good bible study is completely borne out of the bible. You define the bible with the bible.

Anyways, God shows us here that strange is something unfamiliar, unrecognizable.

I will not go into every mention of the word strange but a few things do need pointing out:

-Strange is used negatively every time (in keeping with the Law of First Mention).

-Ezra 10 gives an account of the Israel and the strange wives they took. In order for God to move for them they had to make a confession to God and separate themselves from those wives. 

Word study: Stranger

This word is mentioned 131 times in 125 verses

First mentioned: Genesis 15:13

And he said unto Abram, know of a

surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a

land that is not theirs, and shall serve

them; and they shall afflict them four

hundred years;

Right away we see: strangers are treated differently than non strangers, a stranger is in a place that does not belong to them.
A few key points about strangers:
-Israel was a stranger to the land they were promised- Genesis 17:8
-Abraham, Moses, and Ruth professed to be strangers- Genesis 23:4, Exodus 2:22, Ruth 2:10
-God protects strangers in Israel- Exodus 22:21, 23:9
-Strangers were required to keep the sabbath if they were in Israel- Exodus 23:12
-Strangers were not allowed to eat blood if they were in Israel- Leviticus 17:12
-Strangers were not allowed to eat of the 'holy thing'- Leviticus 22:10
-Strangers were required to keep the law- Numbers 15:16
-God called the Israelites to love the strangers- Deuteronomy 10:19
-Solomon asks God to hear the prayer of strangers if they pray from the temple- 2 Chronicles 6:32&33

I noted all that to say this: strangers aren't bad. They can be bad, it is not ideal to be a stranger, but generally it is not a bad thing.
Considering God's use of this word I think we can safely stick to this definition: someone you do not know.

Word study: Flattereth
For words like this I like to look into all forms to get the right definition. I'll start with the word in the verse:

This word is mentioned 6 times in 6 verses- One time in Psalms and five times in Proverbs.

It is first mentioned here:

The transgression of the wicked saith

within my heart, that there is no fear of

God before his eyes.

For he flattereth himself in his own eyes,

until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

Psalm 36:1&2

If you'd like to do an interesting word study, look up the wicked. You'll find it is actually referring to one person rather than a group of people.

Anyways, the first time 'flattereth' is mentioned, it is referring to 'the wicked'. Not just any wicked- THE wicked. 

There is no fear of God there so there is no knowledge and wisdom. Remember God's warning about rejecting wisdom in Proverbs 1?

The second time it is mentioned is the verse in Proverbs 2:16

The third time is in Proverbs 7:5 which is almost identical to the verse in Proverbs 2. It repeats the strange woman's talent for flattering with her words.

The fourth time warns about talebearers revealing secrets:

therefore meddle not with him that

flattereth with his lips

Proverbs 20:19

Another very self explanatory verse.

The fifth mention tells us that flattery will not make us more liked.

The sixth mention warns that:

A man that flattereth his neighbour

spreadeth a net for his feet.

Proverbs 29:5

From all six verses here is what we have on flattereth:

1. It is a tool of the wicked (Ps 36:1)
2. There is no fear of God when it is involved (Ps 36:1)
3. It is hateful (Ps 36:2)
4. Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, discretion will protect us from those who use it (Prov 2:16, 7:5)
5. We are warned against trusting those who flatter (Prov 20:19)
6. It is a trap (Prov 29:5)

Word study: Flatter
This word is mentioned 2 times in two verses:
First mentioned: Psalm 5:9

For there is no faithfulness in their

mouth; their inward part is very

wickedness; their throat is an open 

sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue

'Their' in the above verse is talking about the enemies of David.

Second mention: Psalm 78:36

Nevertheless they did flatter him with

their mouth, and they lied to him with

their tongues.

'They' are the children of Israel and 'him' is God.

For their heart was not right with him,

neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

Psalm 78:37

They needed God but they did not want to turn their hearts towards him and repent.

Bad heart= flattery+lies+usery

From these two verses we glean:

1. wicked and faithless people flatter (Psalm 5:9)
2. flattery comes from the same place as dead things (Psalm 5:9)
3. flattery comes from the condition of one's heart (Psalm 78:36)
4. flattery is associated with lying (Psalm 78:36)

Word study: Flattering

This word is mentioned 8 times in 8 verses.

The first and second mention are in the same passage: Job 32:21&22

Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's

person, neither let me give flattering titles

unto man.

For I know not to give flattering titles; in

so doing my maker would soon take me away.

This is Elihu talking having waited for everyone to speak before he weighed in. He says this to convince the others that he is not biased in his evaluation of Job's situation.

Third and fourth mentions: Psalm 12:2&3

They speak vanity everyone with his

neighbour: with flattering lips and with a

double heart do they speak.

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips,

and the tongue that speaketh proud things.

The fifth mention speaks of the strange woman- we will look into this passage in depth later

Sixth mention: Proverbs 26:28

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted

by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin

I don't feel it necessary to go into the seventh mention so here is number eight: 1 Thessalonians 2:3-5

For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor

of uncleanness, nor in guile:

but as were were allowed of God to be put

in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;

not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth

our hearts.

For neither at any time used we flattering

words, as ye know, nor a cloke of

covetousness; God is witness:

From the verses mentioned above here is what we have on flattering:

1. God does not tolerate flattering (Job 32:22, Psalm 12:3)
2. Flattering comes from a double heart (Read 1 Chronicles 12:33-38) (Psalm 12:2)
3. Flattering another person ruins them (Proverbs 26:28)
4. God does not use flattery to bring people to him (1 Thess 2:3-5)

Flatter and all it's related words are interesting because I find no clear cut definition in the bible.

We can all easily agree that it is bad but what is it?

It seems to be that it is using lies and deceit to get what you want.

It seems to be making someone else feel good for your own benefit.

Since delving into this word I've been forced to evaluate the things I say to others.

I'm not a gushy, super positive, hug everyone, love everything kind of person but I've seen myself flatter others in very subtle ways.

At church the other day a four year old girl was sitting on the floor crying because her brother had accidentally hit her in the head.

I know fake crying when I hear it so I told her she was still pretty despite getting hit in the head.

She stopped crying immediately.

My actions in that situation were wrong for a few reasons:

1. She wasn't really hurt, she just wanted attention
2. I did not teach her anything- children need to know what is worth crying over and what isn't, also what is worth getting attention over and what isn't
3. I had no good reason to tell her she was pretty- just puffing her up
4. I did not strengthen her in any way- I weakened her by increasing her vanity

This happened before I started this study but God has used it to make me evaluate what I say and why.

If you have any doubts ask yourself why you want to say something. If your motivation is anything other that charity, strengthening, and edification then you probably shouldn't say it.

I have more to say on this but I will leave it here. I'm sure it will come up again in this study.

I hope this was as edifying to you as it was to me.

Conclusion:
Are you a strange woman? Even blood bought Christian women can go down the strange woman path if they are not careful.
Already I've seen that I flatter. That is a big deal- it is the first thing that God tells us this woman employs.
This study is not about learning the differences between Christian women and worldly women. It is about showing the potentials holes all women can fall into.
Please don't read this and dismiss the evil women like you have nothing in common with them. We all do. That's why it is written there: to give us discretion and help us avoid these wicked paths.

This is just the tip of the strange woman ice burg.

So far we know that this woman is bad.

To avoid becoming her we must seek God. We must run to his Word, pray diligently, and stop doing the things God hates.

Stay tuned for part two!

A Virtuous Woman series- Introduction part 2

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting

the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple.

The statutes of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart: the commandment of

the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring

for ever: the judgments of the Lord are

true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than

honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant

warned: and in keeping of them there is

great reward.

Psalm 19:7-11

Before I post any teaching in this series I want to make one thing clear: the Bible is the only source.

For precept must be upon precept,

precept upon precept; line upon line, 

line upon line; here a little, and there

a little:

Isaiah 28:10

The bible defines the bible.

I do not use my own definitions, dictionaries, commentaries, the 'originals' to define the bible. If I want to know what a word means I look at how God uses it throughout the bible.

God's definition is the only definition I'll use.

Another thing: prove what you believe.

Just because someone is a great leader does not mean they are right on all their doctrine and teachings. You need to be fully persuaded in your own mind (Romans 14:5) through your own growth and study.

I fully intend to do an in depth study of each woman described in Proverbs. I will be looking into every verse they are mentioned, the words associated with them, and the context they are put in.

There will be times I look at a word that is very common to us and easily defined. The more armed you are with knowledge of how God uses a word, the more you will learn from passages containing that word.

Please be patient with me and bear these things in mind.

Remember, this is the Word of God. Every word is pure (Proverbs 30:5) and placed for a divine reason.

I pray this study is a blessing to everyone who comes across it.

Godly Music- Gospel Plowboys

I am currently working on part one of my Virtuous Woman series. It's been a busy few days for me and  studying the Bible is not something I want to rush and take lightly.

So for today I thought I'd share one of my favorite discoveries last year: The Gospel Plowboys
I heard a preacher mention the hymn Brethren We Are Met to Worship and decided to look it up on Youtube.
I came across this:

I fell in love with this group and their music.
I found their website here: gospelplowboys.com
I ordered their CD over Christmas and it's regularly played in our van.
They sent me a sweet thank you letter as well as three tracts along with the CD. I fully intend to purchase more of their CD's to pass along to my family.

I cannot recommend them enough. You can find more of their music on youtube and sample their CD on their website.

Something that is incredibly important to me is that my children grow up listening and loving music that praise and honour God. It made a huge difference in my youth and I want that for my little ones.