Tag: Christian Women

Biblical Womanhood Bible Study

Imperishable Beauty: Lesson 3- The Most Beautiful Girl in the World…er…Bible (Part 2)

Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2

Read Proverbs 31:1-31

Questions to Consider

1. Briefly review lesson 2 (link above) to refresh your memory on the context and background of this passage.

2. Considering the context of chapter 31, the person who spoke these words, and the person to whom they were spoken, were verses 10-31 originally meant as instructions to godly women? If not, how would you characterize the purpose and intent of this section?

3. Verse 10 introduces the passage as being a description of what kind of woman (her station in life)? Look carefully at the attributes of the ideal wife described in 10-31. Are these attributes that only characterize married women? Why or why not? What is the foundation of being an “excellent wife”? How does this foundation apply to all Christian women?

4. List the actions which typify a godly wife/woman (13-22, 24,26). In what ways are you performing similar actions in your own life?

5. Describe the attitudes and attributes displayed by a godly wife/woman (12-18, 20-21, 25-27). In what ways has God grown you in these attitudes and attributes? Which of these attitudes and attributes do you feel God needs to grow you in the most? Why?

6. How do a godly wife’s/woman’s actions, attitudes, and attributes affect others? Those dearest to her (11-12, 21,23,26-29)? Those she is responsible for (15,21,26-27)? Her community (2,23)? How does affecting others correlate with the concept (from lesson 2) of stewarding our influence over others in a godly way?

7. What is God’s assessment of a godly wife/woman? (10,29-31). (Notice where these verses giving God’s assessment are situated in this passage. How does this strategic placement of these verses help emphasize the godly value of the woman’s actions, attitudes/attributes, and affecting others contained in the verses in between?) Step back and take a “flyover” view of God’s Kingdom: why does God consider a woman’s godly actions, attitudes/attributes, and affecting others to be so vital, precious and praiseworthy? Some think God (and the Bible) treat women as “second class citizens” or less valuable than men. What does this passage have to say about that?

8. How does this passage – these actions, attitudes/attributes, affecting others, and God’s assessment – point us to Christ?

9. In lesson 2, we learned that many scholars believe Lemuel was actually Solomon himself. Compare 1 Kings 11:1-10 with Proverbs 31:10-31. What were the actions and attitudes/attributes of Solomon’s wives, and how did they affect him? What was God’s assessment of Solomon for letting them affect him this way? How does the 1 Kings passage support and prove the Proverbs passage?

The “Proverbs 31 Woman” is often considered the icon of biblical womanhood, and in many ways she is. But how do we get there from here? Next week, we’ll start at the very beginning…a very good place to start!

Homework

Most of the attributes in 10-31 are not exclusive to married women. Imagine you’re teaching this passage to a women’s Bible study class in which all of the women are single, divorced, or widowed. How would you apply each of these verses to their lives? For example, in verse 28, the women in your class may not have children or a husband to “call her blessed”/”praise” her, but who would?

Suggested Memory Verse

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

Christian women, Church

The 5 Church Ladies You Don’t Want to Be

Michelle Lesley

It’s just as easy to fall into a ditch on the right side of the road as it is to fall into a ditch on the left side of the road.

The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I see how true this is in the Christian life. We can be legalistic or antinomian. Crushed by guilt over our sin, or hard-hearted about our sin. Extending too much grace to unrepentant sinners, or not extending enough grace to repentant sinners.

Abandoning the church altogether, or taking ownership of the church and using it for our own purposes.

The purpose of the local church is to glorify God through worship and discipling the saints. Proper, biblical church membership is not optional for Christians. It is not to be treated as unnecessary by “Lone Ranger” Christians, nor is it to be used as a means toward our own ends. We are to be faithful, invested church members, but we’re to do so in a humble, loving, serving, “others first” way.

I’ve talked about the “left ditch” of abandoning the church:

Basic Training: 7 Reasons Church is Not Optional and Non-Negotiable for Christians

Six Ways Not to Forsake the Assembly

You Don’t Need the Internet, You Need a Pastor

Today, let’s talk about avoiding the “right ditch” of doing church the wrong way. Here are five church ladies who use the church for their own purposes- to build their own little empires, to impress others, or to make themselves feel better. Church ladies you don’t want to be, and the Scriptures they need to embrace and obey:

Part-time Paula– Paula is involved in lots of different pursuits: travel, hobbies, volunteer work, her kids’ sports/activities/clubs, social events, political events, family gatherings, civic projects…and church is just one more activity on the list. And it’s not even at the top of the list. Paula comes to church when she has time, when she feels like it, and when church doesn’t conflict with one of her other activities, but she doesn’t have any leftover time, energy, or desire to get plugged in, commit to a place of service, or fellowship with her brothers and sisters in Christ. Paula keeps just enough of a foot in the door at church to assuage any guilt she would feel for quitting altogether, or to be able to keep it on her “resume” of activities to impress others.

Paula’s Scripture: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Screechy Sheila– Sheila knows how this church ought to be run: her way. And if you step out of line – not with Scripture, but with her personal preferences and methods – she’ll let you know. Sometimes she’s loud and vehement. Sometimes she’s quiet and threatening. Sometimes she’s nicey-nice and just educates you on the “right” way to handle things. But you’d better get with the program – her program – or else. Sheila uses the church as a platform for being bossy and exercising control.

Sheila’s Scripture: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4

Cotton Candy– Forget the meat and potatoes of church – sound doctrine and theology, studying the Bible, serving others, and giving sacrificially – Candy is only there for the fluff. She’ll be there for every fellowship, day trip, and fun-filled women’s ministry event, but she wants her “sermons” chock-full of jokes and stories, and her “Bible” studies to be positive, encouraging, self-esteem builders. Candy uses the church as entertainment or to make herself feel good.

Candy’s Scripture: But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3a

Que Será Katie– Katie is a founding member of this church, doggone it, and she’s not going anywhere. Some Katies have been known to say to their less-favorite pastors, “I’ve been here for fifty years, and I’ll be here long after you’re gone.”. Others are more placid, unfazed by unbiblical pastors, faulty doctrine, or spiritually unhealthy practices in the church. They just go with the flow. There’s a lot to be said for a faithful church member who doesn’t cut and run at the least little problem and works hard to help the church become healthier. But that’s not why Katie sticks around. There are biblical reasons Katie should have left this church in the past, but her friends are here, her memories are here, she’s comfortable in these surroundings, and those things are more important to her than whether or not the church is operating biblically. So she stays, loving the church for sentimental reasons.

Katie’s Scripture: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25b-27

Ulterior-Motive Ursula– Ursula has an agenda and the church seems like a convenient gathering of good-hearted people to use for reaching her goal. Maybe she needs volunteers for a community project. Or she’s trying to get out the vote for the candidate she’s campaigning for. Or she needs a client base for multi-level marketing. Or she’s trying to become the next American Idol and needs a pre-fab audience. Whatever the end game, coming to church where a crowd of people is already assembled is easier than staging a rally or phone-blitzing or setting up a free concert. Maybe Ursula is a faithful member of the church. Maybe she isn’t. But she’s using the church to further her own goals.

Ursula’s Scripture: And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:12-13

 

The purpose of the local church is not to salve our emotional wounds, or to fill a void in our lives, or to further our own agenda. The purpose of the church is to focus our attention on Christ – how He gave His life for us, forgave us, and made us His disciples. It’s where we come together to praise Him, honor Him, worship Him, serve Him, serve our brothers and sisters, and get equipped in His Word. We’ve probably all been guilty of being Paula, Sheila, Candy, Katie, or Ursula at times. I know I have. But let’s strive to be the godly women at church – and everywhere else – Christ commands us to be.

False Doctrine, False Teachers

Throwback Thursday ~ Audacious

Michelle Lesley

Originally published September 12, 201712973105_1070863252960443_6289054134204793871_o

au·da·cious
ôˈdāSHəs
adjective
1. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.
2. showing an impudent lack of respect.

Audacious. It’s a hot new buzzword that false teachers like Steven Furtick and Beth Moore like to throw around, and “average Jane” Christians are starting to pick up.

“Pray audacious prayers!”
“Live an audacious life!”

Sounds great, right? Rah! Rah! Let’s get out there and be audacious for Jesus!

The only problem with that is… well…the Bible. The Bible doesn’t tell us to live or pray audaciously in either sense of the word. In fact, I checked seven or eight of the most reliable English translations, and the word “audacious” isn’t even in the Bible. (Even The Message doesn’t have it!)

The Bible says nothing about being willing to “take surprisingly bold risks.” Quite the opposite, in fact.

But we urge you, brothers, to [love one another] more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
1 Thessalonians 4:10b-12

Love one another, live quietly, mind your business, go to work, walk in a godly way before a watching world, and be self-supporting. How bold, risky, or audacious does that sound?

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Titus 2:2-10

Self-control, dignity, reverence, submission, good works. Nope, nothing about risk-taking there either.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

Hmmm….still nothing about being audacious….

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:9-13

Honoring God, asking Him to help us obey, to provide basic food, to forgive us. This is how Jesus Himself taught us to pray, and there’s not a hint of risk or audaciousness to be found.

The Bible doesn’t teach us to be audacious. That’s false doctrine dreamed up in the minds of false teachers. The Bible teaches us to live in humility, patience, kindness, love, and obedience to God’s word.

Biblical Womanhood Bible Study

Imperishable Beauty: Lesson 2- The Most Beautiful Girl in the World…er…Bible (Part 1)

Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1

Read Proverbs 31:1-31

Questions to Consider

1. Choose one of the resources from my article Bible Book Backgrounds and familiarize yourself briefly with the book of Proverbs. What type of biblical literature is this book? Who is the author? At what time in history was this book written? What is the theme or purpose of this book? How does this book point us to Christ?

2. Carefully examine verses 1-2. Who is King Lemuel? Must we know his identity in order for the content of chapter 31 to make sense? Who originally gave the instructions and counsel in chapter 31? To whom did she give them? What area of Lemuel’s life did his mother advise him about in verses 1-9? In verses 10-31?

3. Notice that this is a woman admonishing a man. A man who was also the ______ as well as her ______. And this was at a time in history when women were not always highly regarded. Think about what that means in terms of having an official position of authority versus the power of influence. Do you have to occupy a high position in a job, your church, or your family in order to influence people?

4. What can you surmise about the character of Lemuel’s mother from reading Proverbs 31? How did her character impact her son/the king, and how did she steward her influence over him? If Lemuel heeded all of her advice in Proverbs 31, who else was she influencing through him? What might the results of heeding her advice have looked like if Lemuel’s mother had been a woman of ungodly character?

5. Think about your own character and those you influence. What are some specific ways your godly character has influenced others in the last month? Can you think of any specific times during the last month when you’ve exhibited ungodly character? How might that have influenced others? Take some time to thank God for any growth in Christlike character you’ve seen in your life. Repent of any sin that comes to mind – both to God and to anyone you’ve influenced in an ungodly way.

6. Look carefully at each of Lemuel’s mother’s admonitions in verses 3-9. What is the broad, generally applicable to all people, biblical principle behind each of her instructions?

3-

4-5-

6-7-

8-9-

What are some ways you can carry out these biblical principles in your family, church, job, or community?

The “Proverbs 31 Woman” is often considered the icon of biblical womanhood, and in many ways she is. Next week, we’ll look at part 2 of Proverbs 31.

Homework

Although Lemuel’s mother didn’t hold an official position of authority, she still had a powerful influence on the king (and her son, even if he hadn’t been king). Make a list of the five people you have the potential to influence the most. In what ways can your words and behavior influence them for the gospel and toward godliness? For the next week, commit to pray for these five people each day, asking God to help you to be a godly influence on them.

Suggested Memory Verse

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

Biblical Womanhood Bible Study

Imperishable Beauty: Lesson 1- Introduction

Michelle Lesley

Welcome to our new study, Imperishable Beauty: A Study of Biblical Womanhood! The title of our study is taken from 1 Peter 3:4 (one of the passages we’ll be studying):

but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

What does it look like to live “a godly life in Christ Jesus” as a woman in the 21st century? Over the next several weeks we’ll take a look at the topic of biblical womanhood, examining the Scriptures that teach us how to live as godly women. Young or old, married or single, if you’d like to grow in Christlikeness in your God-given role as a woman, this study is for you.

Many thanks to those who worked so hard on their entries for our title pic contest. You ladies really made it hard on me to choose just one design! I’ve selected the lovely image above, by Kasandra Shanholtz – who took this beautiful photo herself – as the official title picture for this study.

Thanks also go to these “honorable mention” entries. They are so creative and colorful!

You may wish to review my philosophy of Bible study at the “Bible studies” tab at the top of this page. My studies are designed to teach you how to study the Bible for yourself, which is why I don’t provide answers to the questions in the lessons.

My studies are also designed to be very flexible. You may answer all, any, or none of the questions in each lesson. All of my studies are self paced, so take as long or as short of a time in the passage and with the questions as you like. If, as you’re studying the text, the Holy Spirit leads you to focus on an aspect of the passage I haven’t addressed in the questions, awesome! Park yourself there and learn what He wants you to learn. These lessons are meant to be a tool for you to use as you see fit during your personal study time, not a school project where points are taken off if you don’t complete it the way the teacher wants.

As with all of my studies and articles, I use hyperlinks liberally. The Scriptures for each lesson will be linked either at the beginning of the lesson or in the lesson questions. Whenever you see a word in red, click on it, and it will take you to a Scripture, article, or other resource that will help as you study.

Introduction to Imperishable Beauty

My philosophy of Bible study is that our main “diet” should be systematic, expositional study of the text. In other words: pick a book of the Bible, start at the beginning, and study it through to the end. Then, pick another book and start again. This method of studying helps us understand passages in their context and correctly apply them to our lives, and helps us avoid eisegesis, taking passages out of context, and incorrectly applying them.

However, there is a place for the study of a biblical topic such as peace, sin, the family, God’s wrath, or biblical womanhood. For example: if you’re struggling to trust God because of a sudden circumstance in your life, you don’t have time to study through every book of the Bible to learn what the Bible says about trusting God. You may need to spend some time in focused study on passages from various books that deal specifically with the topic of trusting God, and that’s OK. My goal with this study is not only that you learn what the Bible has to say about the topic of biblical womanhood, but also to demonstrate how to do a topical study properly so you can do topical studies on your own when the need arises.

Normally, in the introductory lesson to my studies, we take a look at the author of the book of the Bible we’re studying, the audience he wrote it to, the historical setting of the book, and other “backstory” issues. But because this is a topical study, and we’ll be examining passages from various books of the Bible, we’ll have to briefly address those issues as needed in each lesson.

So in the introduction to this study, I’d like to address two items in your “backstory.”

Salvation

If you’re not saved, this study isn’t going to be very helpful to you. You’ll probably find it confusing, frustrating, even angering. First Corinthians 2:14 says:

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Only saved people are able to accept, embrace, and carry out biblical living because they have become new creatures in Christ and have the indwelling Holy Spirit to enable them to understand and obey Scripture.

This week, before we tackle biblical womanhood, I’d like everyone – even if you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re saved – to work through the Scriptures in my article Basic Training: The Gospel. Do you understand the biblical gospel? Have you truly repented of your sin and trusted Christ as Savior? Spend some time alone with God examining your heart and life against these Scriptures. If you’re unsure whether or not you’re genuinely saved, I would encourage you to put this study aside and work through my study Am I Really Saved?: A First John Check Up first. You can’t be a godly woman if you don’t belong to God.

Expectations and Presuppositions

What do you expect out of this study? What kinds of ideas or preconceived notions are you carrying into this study? Take some time to answer the following questions.

1. When you hear the phrase “biblical womanhood”, what do you think of?

2. Without looking in your Bible, write a brief character sketch of the ideal “biblical woman.” What are some of her character traits, habits, things she focuses on, etc.?

3. What does your church teach about biblical womanhood- how a godly woman acts, talks, lives her life, etc.?

4. What Scriptures come to mind when you think about biblical womanhood?

5. Look up some of the Scriptures you listed in #4 and compare them to your character sketch from #2 and your answer to #3. How do they compare?

6. Why are you interested in a study of biblical womanhood, and what do you hope to get out of this study?

7. Why do you want to be a godly, biblical woman?

8. Some studies of “biblical” womanhood are the type that tell you how awesome you are, that “you’re enough” (whatever that means), that you can take charge of your life, girlfriend, and make all your dreams come true, and that you deserve to have the world at your feet.

This isn’t that kind of study.

Certainly, God is gracious, merciful, kind, comforting, and forgiving, and those wonderful attributes will be addressed as they come up in the texts we study. But becoming a godly woman also involves repenting from sin, obedience to Christ and His Word (even when we don’t feel like it), dying to self, and sometimes even suffering.

Are you prepared to have the Bible step on your toes? Are you committed to obeying Scripture out of love for Christ? Do you have the mindset that the Bible is your authority, not your own opinions, experiences, and feelings?

Take some time in prayer this week to begin preparing your heart for this study. If there’s a specific issue you struggle with regarding being a godly woman, ask God to open your eyes to the truth of His Word and strengthen you to obey Him in that area.  I’m excited to have you join me in this journey of discovering what God’s Word has to say about living life as a godly, biblical woman!