WEBVTT - Proverbs 31

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening

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<v Speaker 1>to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge,

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<v Speaker 1>and today we're in Proverbs chapter 31, and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>reading from the English Standard Version. The words of King Lemuel,

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<v Speaker 1>an oracle that his mother taught him. What are you doing,

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<v Speaker 1>my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?

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<v Speaker 1>What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not

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<v Speaker 1>give your strength to women, your ways to those who

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<v Speaker 1>destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it

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<v Speaker 1>is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers

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<v Speaker 1>to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what

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<v Speaker 1>has been decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

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<v Speaker 1>Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and

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<v Speaker 1>wine to those in bitter distress. Let them drink and

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<v Speaker 1>forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more. Open

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<v Speaker 1>your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all

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<v Speaker 1>who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the

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<v Speaker 1>rights of the poor and needy. An excellent wife, who

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<v Speaker 1>can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The

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<v Speaker 1>heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will

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<v Speaker 1>have no lack of gain. She does him good and

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<v Speaker 1>not harm all the days of her life. She seeks

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<v Speaker 1>wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is

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<v Speaker 1>like the ships of the merchant. She brings her food

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<v Speaker 1>from afar. She rises while it is yet night, and

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<v Speaker 1>provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.

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<v Speaker 1>She considers a field and buys it. With the fruit

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<v Speaker 1>of her hands, she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself

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<v Speaker 1>with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that

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<v Speaker 1>her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out

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<v Speaker 1>at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and

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<v Speaker 1>her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to

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<v Speaker 1>the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

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<v Speaker 1>She is not afraid of snow for her household, for

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<v Speaker 1>all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed

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<v Speaker 1>coverings for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

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<v Speaker 1>Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits

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<v Speaker 1>among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments

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<v Speaker 1>and sells them. She delivers sashes to the merchants. Strength

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<v Speaker 1>and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the

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<v Speaker 1>time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and

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<v Speaker 1>the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks

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<v Speaker 1>well to the ways of her household and does not

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<v Speaker 1>eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and

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<v Speaker 1>call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her.

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<v Speaker 1>Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.

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<v Speaker 1>Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman

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<v Speaker 1>who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her

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<v Speaker 1>of the fruit of her hands and let her works

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<v Speaker 1>praise her in the gates. Let's pray. Lord, we thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for your word and we thank you for the

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<v Speaker 1>privilege of being able to look at this portion of

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<v Speaker 1>Scripture today and for the wisdom that you give to

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<v Speaker 1>us through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. And Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>there's a variety of things that we see here in

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<v Speaker 1>this passage that are immediately applicable to our lives. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>you give us an example of the fact that it

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<v Speaker 1>is unwise to become drunk. It's unwise to give our

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<v Speaker 1>senses over to things that have the opportunity to alter

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<v Speaker 1>our ability to think justly or to think fairly. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>you also show us in this portion of Scripture the

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<v Speaker 1>virtue of being a godly woman, the virtue of being

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<v Speaker 1>the kind of woman who esteems her husband, and Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we know that this reminds men of the kind of

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<v Speaker 1>women that they should seek to marry. And it reminds

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<v Speaker 1>women of the kind of people that they should seek

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<v Speaker 1>to be. Lord, we see a great example of that.

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<v Speaker 1>And we're grateful, Lord, for the fact that you have

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<v Speaker 1>outlined this for us in this portion of Scripture. Help us, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>to take this counsel to heart and help us to

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<v Speaker 1>walk with you faithfully. We love you, Lord, and we're

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<v Speaker 1>grateful for the privilege of knowing you and walking with

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<v Speaker 1>you each and every day. And we pray, Lord, that

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<v Speaker 1>we would honor you in all circumstances of life. We

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<v Speaker 1>give you the praise for this all in Jesus' name. Amen.