Daily Devotional
               Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.   

  The Wisdom of God

Verses for the Day:

Proverbs 9:13-18:(KJV):  "A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell."

Thoughts for the Day:

These verses in the book of Proverbs describe the ways of a prostitute, with a warning of the deadly fate that awaits those who embrace her. The description of the whore in verse 13 is one of a foolish woman who is noisy and open to all forms of evil.  She is willfully reckless and knows nothing of eternal values. Verses 14 and 15 describe her at the door of her house inviting the upright men to come in.  She even finds her way to the "high places" or places of influence in the city, tempting those men to join her in "stolen waters" and "the eating of bread in secret."   This is simply a description of forbidden sexual pleasures that are done in secret. Those that lack understanding and are easily led astray by their lust, will turn into her house (verse 16). Men who go there, will join the past transgressors that embrace death, and the whore's ways. Ultimately they all will end up in hell unless they repent and turn to God (verse 18).

The deeds of wicked women are recorded in the Bible so that we might observe their lives and learn the consequences of sin. One of the most wicked women in the whole Bible was the woman known as Jezebel. Her complete story is told in chapters 16, 18, 19 & 21 of 1 Kings and chapter 9 of 2 Kings. Jezebel was a strong woman in intellect and will. The scripture does not mention that she had any of the finer, nobler feminine qualities. She was savage and relentless. This proud and strong minded female carried out her foul schemes unmercifully. Her evil plans included murder of an innocent man, to seize his property because her husband, Ahab desired it for his own. She was a gifted woman, yet she prostituted all her gifts for the furtherance of evil and her misdirected talents became a curse. Persuasive, her influence was wrongly directed. Resolute above other women, she used her strength to destroy a king and her own offspring, as well as pollute the life of a nation. Jezebel was an ardent idolater, who also practiced witchcraft, as she sought to convert Israel to Baal worship. Her own life ended in a horrible tragic death as she reaped what she had sown.

Perhaps one of Jezebel's worst traits was that she was a dominating and controlling wife. Ahab was like a puppet in the hands of his overpowering wife. Spineless Ahab did not resist the evil scheming of his ruthless wife. In this marriage, Ahab was the weaker vessel, with a wife who mocked at what conscientious scruples he did possess. It could have been that Ahab was more luxury-loving and sensual than cruel, but under the complete domination of a ruthless woman, he was forced to act against his finer feelings. Today, many women are falling under this same "Jezebel Spirit" as they want to rule their households and husbands.  They are determined to have their own way and are not submitted to the Lord.  True submission involves both husband and wife submitting to the Lord; then, they are able to submit one to another in love. Men can act like "Jezebels" too if they have a domineering attitude over their wives. Women like Jezebel, who have led their husbands astray, are still doing it today. 

However, women who move in faith and obedience to God can be responsible for influencing their husbands in the things of God.  As this kind of woman prays and reaches out in love, the whole atmosphere of the home can change. It would be quite a revelation to take inventory of how many men came to know the Lord Jesus as a result of the faith of some woman. I have heard of thousands of testimonies of men who were saved as a direct result of a praying mother, wife or girlfriend. Jezebel may have led her man astray, but God has used many women to bring their men back to Him.   Allegiance and submission to the Lord bring miracles of deliverance to entire families.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,  Thank you for Your love for me today.  I am blessed with a wonderful godly husband and I am most grateful.  Lord, I pray for those today who are having problems in their marriages.   Lord, help them to yield their own desires to You and seek first to please You.   Give them grace to love with Your love.  You love us even when we are unlovely.  Help us all to love one another with the love of God.  Let our love be like Yours.  Give us the kind of love that allows us to forgive all past hurts and wounds. Your kind of love is patient and kind, and endures all things. Give us the grace to stand up against all dominating and controlling spirits by speaking the truth in love.   Fill us with Your Spirit today so that we can overcome evil with good.  I ask this in Your name, Amen.