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Hey, man, all right, we're in Proverbs chapter seven, and we'll start in verse number six. The Bible reads here, for at the window of my house, I looked through my casement, and behold among the simple ones, I discern among the youths, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house in the twilight in the evening in the black and dark night. And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of heart. She is loud and stubborn. Her feet abide not in her house. Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in weight at every corner. The title of the sermon this evening is, She is Loud and Stubborn, or Characteristics of a Strange Woman, all right? Now, in the book of Proverbs, we see God dedicating entire chapters to this woman named in the Bible as the strange woman. You'll see her briefly mentioned in Proverbs chapter two, but specifically, he spends chapters five, six, and seven highlighting this woman, and there's a reason for that. Why? Because she's dangerous. And in fact, the Bible tells us later on, in Proverbs chapter six and seven, that she has destroyed many strong men, she has cast down many wounded. Even the strongest of men have given in to her temptation and have been destroyed by her. Now, go to Proverbs chapter six, if you would. We're gonna spend most of our time in the book of Proverbs, though we're gonna jump around in the Bible, we'll primarily be in the book of Proverbs. Now, the question is this, what is a strange woman? Why does the Bible refer to this loose, whorish woman as a strange woman? Now, look at verse number 20, it says, My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee, when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Now, I want you to notice that any time the Bible actually begins to preface or talk about the strange woman, he always first begins to talk about the importance of hiding the word of God in your heart. You know why? Because it's the word of God in your heart that's gonna keep you from that temptation. It's gonna keep you from sinning and doing something foolish. And look what it says in verse 24, to keep thee. So all these instructions, you know, hiding the word of God, continuing upon thine heart, tying it about your neck, forsaking not the law of God, keeping thy father's commandments, it's for this purpose in verse 24, to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. So we see there, first and foremost, that a strange woman is what? Is an evil woman. Now, go with me, if you would, to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Hold your place there in Proverbs, and I'm gonna explain to you why the Bible refers to her as a strange woman. Matthew 19, verse 5, you don't have to turn there, says, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain, twain means both, shall be one flesh. So the Bible's telling us here that when two people get married, they become one flesh, okay? That is the only relationship that you have on this earth that involves a physical relationship within that marriage that is allowed on this earth, okay? With one person and one person only. They twain, shall be one flesh. So you say, what does that have to do with a strange woman? Well, another word for strange is stranger, or a foreigner. So a woman who tries, or a man who gets involved with another woman who's not his wife, he's allowing a foreigner to come into that relationship, a stranger to come into that relationship, and God forbids that, obviously. Look at 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, and verse number 3. And look, in the Old Testament, we obviously understand that adultery was punishable by death, okay? Now, that's not the same today as far as the country we live in, but as far as God's moral standard is concerned, adultery's still punishable by death, and that goes to show you how wicked God thinks of this sin. It's not just like fornication. It's not like lust. Adultery is a covenant that you made with another person, but it's a covenant you made with God. Till death do you part. In sickness and in health and in poverty and in wealth, through good and the bad and whatever you want to call it, God commands you never to go outside of that relationship with another woman or man. Adultery's evil. It's wicked. No matter how much the culture tries to downgrade that or downplay that and make it seem as though it's fun and it's okay, according to the Bible, it's wicked. It's so evil, God would condemn you to death for even committing that sin. I'm not talking about the adultery of the heart, by the way. Okay? I'm talking about the physical act of adultery is punishable by death. Now you say, well, okay, well, that's a strange woman for a married person, but what about for the singles? Well, look what the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 3, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. So this is not talking to married people. You know why? Because sexual intercourse outside of marriage is referred to as adultery. Sexual intercourse between people who are not married is considered fornication. And look what verse 4 says, that every one of you should know how to possess this vessel in sanctification and honor. Go with me if you would to 1 Corinthians chapter 6, still holding your place there in Proverbs, 1 Corinthians chapter 6. So God says there, look, the will of God is that you would abstain from fornication. And look, I'm not saying a married person can apply that as well, okay? That's given right there. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 13. It says here, meats for belly and the belly for meats, amen. The stomach, what's the stomach for? It's to receive food, okay? What is food for? It's to be consumed. Does that make sense? We don't need to go into the Greek or anything like that. I think that's pretty clear what that means, right? Meat for belly and belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body, you see the correlation, you make sure? Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. So what is it saying right here? Yes, meat is for the belly and the belly for meats, but guess what? The body, single people, is not for fornication. So what am I supposed to do? Well, number one, get married. Or number two, live unto the Lord, okay? Stay busy serving God. Fill your schedule with things that you're doing for the Lord, whether it's work, whether it's ministry, it's soul-winning, why? Because those bellies are for the meats and meats for the bellies, the body is not for fornication. And I wish people would teach that in high schools today in public schools, where these young people think, well, you know, that's what girls are for and that's what guys are for, is just to fornicate and just go out and be a whore, go out and be a whoremonger. No, the Bible says there that the body is not for fornication. It's not the same as the meat being for the belly and the belly for meats. Verse 14, and God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power. Knowing not that your bodies are the members of Christ, shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. So, in other words, a single person ought to like behave as though he's married unto the Lord. Because when you enjoin yourself, even as a single person, to a harlot, you're basically causing your body to sin, which belongs to the Lord, okay? Now verse 16 says, what, know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body, for to saith he shall be one flesh, but he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committed fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with the price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. So, who are you hurting when you're committing fornication and you're hurting yourself? We obviously understand that God lives within us and God cannot sin, but we're causing, we're becoming displeasing unto the Lord. We dishonor God when you get involved in fornication. Why? Because your body belongs to the Lord. So this principle of staying away from the strange woman is not just for the married person. It's also for the single one as well. Why? Because though they're not married, guess what? Their bodies are supposed to be for the Lord. They're supposed to give their eyes, heart, mouth, ears, everything as unto the Lord. Okay? Now, go back to Proverbs chapter 7. So that's what a strange woman is. It's a woman who is becoming a foreigner within a relationship. Now, there is a strange man, okay? But you know what? Proverbs 7 is not focusing on the strange man today. Okay? And it goes without saying that Satan would love to destroy the men in our church. How's he gonna do it? Through a strange woman, you know? Through a strange, whorish woman who will entice a man and destroy his life. That's why we're preaching this today, okay? And it's important that we understand who the strange woman is and the characteristics she goes by so we can identify who these people are. Look, we don't wanna be simple. So number one, we want to warn the young man. We wanna warn the married man. But number two, the ladies, hey, we wanna teach you, don't have the characteristics of a whore. Don't have the characteristics of a whore. Don't behave like the strange woman. And yes, a saved woman can act like a whore, can dress like one, talk like one, behave like one if they're not doing due diligence to exercise godliness and know what the Bible says about these things. So don't let these words offend you like whore, okay? And if tonight I step on your toes or you're offended by something, then just correct it. So the next time I talk about this, you won't get offended. Now look at verse number eight. So let me give you a couple characteristics. There's 11 total in this chapter and this is what we're gonna primarily focus on. So characteristics of a strange woman. Number one, number one is based upon the hours she is away from home. Look at verse number eight says, passing through the street near her corner and he went the way to her house in the what, twilight in the evening in the black and dark night. Now hold your place or go to Job chapter 24. It goes without saying that nothing good ever happens at night, okay? So it's a good principle to live by that once the sun begins to go down, obviously if we're in church that's a different story. But if once the sun begins to go down, you need to go home. Now this goes for guys and girls alike. Nothing good ever happens at night, especially in midnight. You know what you're supposed to be doing at midnight? Sleeping. Or finishing up a project or whatever. Sometimes I'm up at midnight, one, two o'clock in the morning and I'm working. I have a project I need to finish, I need to get it done. That's what I'm doing. But you know what? When you're out and about at night, the freaks come out at night. That's just fact. The weirdest of people come out at night and in fact, the strange, whorish woman is characterized as being someone who goes out at night. Well, we're just hanging out with the girls. Why don't you do it during the day? Well, I just want to go hang out and go chill out and do this and that. Why don't you go do it some other time when there's light out? Look at Job 24 verse 15 says, the eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the what? For the twilight. Twilight means the sun down, the time before the sun down or the time right before sun up, okay? The eye also of the adulterer waited for the twilight saying, no eye shall see me and disguises this face. You know why most people get in trouble at night? Because they think no one can see them. The night is a reflection of what they plan to do, of their agenda because no one can see them. That's why the worst things happen at night is because they think that no one can see them. It says in verse 16, in the dark they dig through houses which they had marked for themselves in the daytime. They know not the light for the morning is to them even as the shadow of death. If one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. So we see here that the adulterer, they wait for that specific time. And look, I'm not saying like, you know, sometimes after church on Thursdays or even Sunday nights, where do we go? Go to arts. But you know what? I don't think any sin is going to take place at arts amongst God's people. And if it is, if I'm there, we're going to rebuke it, amen? I highly doubt something like sinful and crazy is going to take place. But you know what? When you're out and about by yourself, hanging out with your unsaved friends that you're trying to give the gospel to at 10 o'clock at night, that's not going to work. Oh, you know, but I'm strong, I've been reading my Bible. You know what? He that standeth take heed lest he fall. And the last thing you need is to be out at night with some unsaved friends thinking that you've got it all together. And what's going to happen? They're going to cause you to fall, whether they're Christian or not. Look, I'm not saying the best friends you ought to have is in church because that's that's obviously that's that's unrealistic. But your best friends shouldn't be the ones who are outside of church who are not even in their Bibles or in church, right? Because here's the thing. The closest relationships that we have in this earth are those whom we share the same core values with. That makes sense. You know, the things that you value, the friends that you have are the ones who share those same values. How are you going to hang out with someone at night or whenever time with someone who's not in church, they're not reading their Bibles, they're not soul winning, they're not going in the same direction as you are. They have a different value system. So you need to weed out through those things. You say, well, you know, you know, there's a girl that I'm trying to I'm trying to talk to you. Why are you going to do it at night? And if you want to do it at night, why don't you just bring her to church? Here's a safe environment to get to know someone, okay? So go to John chapter 3. I'm going to read to you from Ephesians 5 verse 11 says, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. A lot of times in the Bible darkness is made in correlation with sin. Things that are sinful, okay? Look at John 3 19, it says, and this is the condemnation, the light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Darkness makes you think as though no one can see you. Look, when I was a teenager, we loved going out at night, you know, spending time out at night and, you know, just living like the world. But you know what? Nothing good ever came out of that. People weren't doing Bible studies at two o'clock in the morning. They weren't having prayer meetings at two o'clock in the morning. You know, they were like, well, what do you think this verse means right here? You know, let's meet at three o'clock a.m. to go do that. No, you should be in bed at three a.m., okay? And especially if you're a girl. Look, guys have a higher tolerance emotionally than girls. And a girl who's out and about at night, you're gonna fall into the snare of the devil. Now go to, go to Proverbs 31, I'm gonna read to you from First Thessalonians chapter five, verse four says, but ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are the children of the light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. So darkness is often a picture of people who are blinded, they're not, they're not sober is what it is. And let me say this, most people who go out at night, they typically won't end up the night sober, smoking pot or drinking or doing whatever, and it always takes place at night. And that's a characteristic of this strange woman. She's out and about at night. He's looking for her in the twilight. Now look at Proverbs 31, look at the contrast to this, verse 15. This is referring to the Proverbs 31 lady, it says, she riseth also while it is yet night. Oh, so is she a strange woman? No, look what it says, and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens. You see, the reason the Proverbs 31 woman is up during the twilight is to prepare meals, is to get things ready, is to work in the house. She is a keeper of the home. So the contrast there is a strange woman, she's up at night in the twilight, but what is she doing? She's out and about. She's hanging out with her whore friends who are just like her. Whereas the Proverbs 31 woman, she's up before the twilight, before the light comes up to do what? To be a blessing to her husband, to be a blessing to her children, to be diligent and prepared. Go back to Proverbs chapter seven, Proverbs chapter seven, it says here in verse number A, passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house in the twilight in the evening in the black and dark night. And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of heart. So here's the interesting thing about this lady, is that she's not a prostitute. Because later on, you hear her talking about the good man who's gone away. She's just a married woman. But you know what? She's acting like a prostitute. Because the Bible says here that she has the attire of a harlot. So what's the second characteristic of a strange woman? She dresses like a whore. Now this needs to be preached far more often everywhere, you know, in independent fundamental Baptist churches, okay? Because the Bible emphasizes modesty. Now what do I have you turn, Genesis 38 verse 15, verse 12, look what it says, in the process of time the daughter of Shewa, Judah's wife, died and Judah was comforted and went up unto his sheep shearers to Timnath. He and his friends hired the Adulamite and it was told Tamar saying, behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garment off from her and covered her with a veil and wrapped herself and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath, for she saw that Sheila was grown and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be in harlot because she had covered her face. And we won't read the remainder of the story because we understand that he fornicates with her and then they have a bastard child. Now, but here it says that when she puts on this garment, she covers her face with a veil, she wraps herself and she sat in an open place. He said, was that an attire of a harlot? Well, in that time it was. You see, whatever she was wearing at that time led Judah to understand, oh, she's a harlot. That's what I'm looking for. Now, today, if a woman does that, it would probably be just strange. If a woman's wrapping her face with a veil, it's just like, is she a Muslim or something? I don't know what she's doing. You know why? Because in our culture, we have a different definition of what a whore would look like, okay? Now, so you said, well, what does a whore look like in our culture? Well, I'm going to be colloquial right now, Brother Eddie, okay? But she looks like a hoochie mama, okay? Many skirts where you can see her nakedness and thighs, or even if she wears a long skirt, it's tight enough that you can see her backside. Or how about this? The blouses that are so short that you can see her cleavage, oh, you know, it's not a sin to see her breast. You know what? It's not a sin, but it's immodest, especially if it's a woman who doesn't have any children. You know, a woman who has children, you know, look, we're not against open breastfeeding here, obviously. You know, my wife doesn't do it because I tell her not to. That's my preference, and that's what I want to do. But the fact remains is that if a woman's showing off her cleavage, that's immodest. And look, if you're in our church, cover up. I don't appreciate it. Then go somewhere where they want to see cleavage then. Go to the liberal church down the street where some pervert pastor is that loves just gawking at you and lusting after you, instead of coming here where we respect you enough to tell you, cover up. It's immodest. It's the attire of a harlot. Because you look at the world, and you go down the street, you see a woman who's not saved, she's dressing like a whore, that's exactly what you're going to see. And look, if a new person comes to our church and they're dressed like that, that's one thing, okay? But obviously, in our church, they're going to end up growing, they're going to learn some things, and they're going to change their attire, eventually, okay? We got to be patient with that. And if you've been a Christian for a long time, and you're still dressing like a whore, time to change, literally, pun intended. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be in harlot. Let me ask you a question. When you leave the house, think about this, are people going to think I'm like a harlot with what I'm dressed, as I'm dressed? And if you don't know, ask your husband. And look, that's why husbands, we need to read the word of God, be spirit-filled, get some discernment, and don't just be like, yeah, I think it looks fine, you know? Yeah, what's wrong with it? Don't be stupid, don't be simple-minded, pay attention. Or ask yourself this, here's a good way to filter whether your wife is dressed right or not. Think about your daughter. Would you allow your daughter to go out and look like that, okay? And if you wouldn't, then, you know, she probably needs to change, okay? But don't be a simpleton and just like turn a blind eye to it, grow in wisdom and discernment, because look, if not, people, guys are going to be gawking at your wife, guys are going to be gawking at your daughter lusting after her, and she's going to be a cause for stumbling to men. You don't want her to look like a harlot. We want to make sure that we have a holy church, a church filled with men and ladies who are pleasing unto the Lord, okay? The Bible tells us in Isaiah 47, verse 2, it says, take the millstone and grind mill, uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers, thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen. So what is it telling us there is that the thigh is the nakedness. Now our culture doesn't understand it today. They think just the nakedness has to do with the backside and the front side. But the Bible tells us here that the thigh is nakedness. And look, if you're wearing a mini skirt, like, I just want to see how far I can, you know, put it up to my knees to make sure that it's, you know, it's pleasing, but it's not in my... No, it's better to be safe than sorry, okay? If you have to keep doing one of these, like everyone, you're just, it's probably too short. Get that? Or if you sit down and the skirt just goes, it's probably too short. No matter how much you pull down, it's not going to come, it's not going to go down. This is uncomfortable. I mean, it's, but it's in the Bible though. You know, and, and it's not being taught in churches, you know. My father-in-law used to go off on this like once a month at least to keep the church pure from women who look like whores, you know. And at my old church, they used to have like special music and stuff like that. And we're not, we will never have special music. It's not sinful. It's just, we're not going to have it. Even if, when I become the pastor, we're never going to have special. And I enjoy special music. Don't get me wrong. You know, they, they, they had specials at the marching to Zion conference and McMurtry saying it was great, but we're not going to have it. But I remember back at my old church, they had it and you know, if there's a lady who was a modest, he would like rip on it the next sermon to keep that in check because it's important. Okay. The Bible says in Exodus 28 verse 41, and now shall put them upon Aaron, thy brother and his sons with him and shall anoint them and consecrate them and sanctify them that they may minister unto me in the priest's office and now shall make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness from the loins, even unto the thighs, they shall reach. So he's telling them that Aaron needs to put on some pants and guess who the pants were for. It's for the guys. Oh, I just don't, you know, I think, you know, there's some modest pants for women. You know, a faggot could look modest, but that doesn't mean it's right. Some dyke can wear some pants, but that doesn't mean it's right because breeches are for men. And that needs to be talked about as well. Okay. Make sure that we teach and we understand that pants are only for men and we won't get too much into that. The Bible says in Exodus 28 verse two, and now shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. You know, the picture is there is that when we wear clothing, it ought to be clothing that honors the Lord, obviously, you know, and that goes both ways because you could have a lady, you know, she's not honoring to the Lord because she's showing off her hind her parts. She's got her cleavage hanging out, looking like a whore. But then you have a guy who looks like a faggot, like an effeminate little sissy with tight pants and, you know, just looking like a, like a queer in the skinny jeans, the pants that are so tight, it looks like they were just painted on him. You know, Pastor Polkadot is a perfect example of that. When guys are just so effeminate that you could literally take what they have on and put it on their wives and it would look normal. You know, guys ought to look like men, make the distinction between the two. Now let me skip some things here. Go to First Timothy chapter two. So this woman in Proverbs chapter seven, she had the attire of a harlot. And look, that's why it's important to be in church because if you're not in church very often, stuff like this is offensive. It's just like, ah, ah, ah, here are my feelings, you know, it's just, but when you're in church and you're hearing these truths, it's just like, yeah, that's right, amen. Hey, I'm guaranteeing you that all the ladies in here are like, man, I'm so glad I wear a dress today. I'm so glad I was dressed my other day, you know. And the guys are like, man, I'm so glad I switched my pants, I'm just kidding, you know. It's fact, look what First Timothy chapter two, verse eight says, I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, in like manner also, that women adorn themselves with miniskirts, no, in modest apparel, with shamed face and sobriety, not with broided hair or gold or pearls or costly array, but which becometh women professing godliness with good works. You see, a woman who is dressed like a whore is doing that to call the attention to how she looks. Whereas a woman who is dressed modest is dressing modest with the intent of drawing attention to her godliness, you know. And really, clothing for a woman ought to draw attention to her face. Whereas a whore in hoochie mama, being colloquial here, I'm gonna use that word very often, so just, he's teaching me colloquium formal, you know, a hoochie mama is dressed so whorish, you don't even know what her face looked like. Because she's showing off everything else. Whereas a woman who dresses with shamed-facedness, you know, calls attention to her face, calls attention to her meek and quiet spirit, okay. Now why don't I have you turn, oh okay, go back to Proverbs chapter 7, are we okay today? Amen. I'm good, I'm feeling really good, I like this sermon. So number one, we said that it's based upon the hours she is away from home, it's based upon her clothing, she looked like a whore, but number three, it's based upon her motives. Because it goes on to say there, let's see, what verse are we in? She is loud and stubborn, or excuse me, verse 10, and behold there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of heart. So what does subtle mean? It means cunning, it means she's deceiving, okay. Now hold your place there, go to Proverbs chapter 6, I'm gonna read to you from 1 Peter 3, verse 3, it says, who's adorning, let it not be the outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart and that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection unto her of their own husbands. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters you are as long as you do well and are not afraid with any amazement. So I'm not gonna go into it, but obviously in the Old Testament, you will not find Sarah calling him Lord other than in her heart. When she refers to Abraham, she says my Lord, but it was in her heart. What does that mean? She had a right spirit, she had a right attitude in her heart. Whereas the woman who is a strange woman, she has a subtle heart. What does that mean? She's cunning, she has her own agenda. Now this isn't popular, but you know what, a wife's agenda, you know what her wife's agenda ought to be? To please her husband. And all the men said, amen. You know, to please her, well I'm not married, then please your dad. Please your father. That's your authority. You should never have this agenda that you just wanna do your own thing and be independent from your husband. No, you want to promote and propagate your husband's agenda. That's what needs to be done. This stupid, you know, feminazi culture that these stupid Democrats and even Republicans promote where it's just like, you know, they need to be independent and they can do, no. That's not Bible. Oh, you're a sexist, call me what you will, that's fine, I'll take that. As long as you understand that sexist means that this is what the Bible's teaching. Because that is what the Bible's teaching. Okay, there's no independent woman in the Bible. Sorry. The Bible says here in Proverbs 6 25, lest not after her beauty and thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids, for by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. You see, what is the motive of a strange woman? To destroy a man's life. Okay, and we have a lot of that in our culture today where, you know, you have what they refer to as the gold digger who's only in it for the filthy lucre's sake. She'll do all kinds of things for filthy lucre's sake. She has a wicked heart and you say, well, what can I do to make sure I have a humble heart? Well, you need to get into the word of God. And ladies, look, as much as I get on the man to read their Bibles, ladies need to read their Bibles as well. We understand that every woman is at a different stage of life, whether you're already having children or whatever it may be, but you need to get into the word of God to keep yourself in subjection unto your husband. Because guess what? God says you ought to submit unto your husband as unto the Lord. He's like Christ unto you. I don't like that. Then you don't like what the Bible's saying, because that's what God says. And look, guys, you want to make sure that you marry someone who understands that. And I'm not saying you make it clear like, hey, when we get married, Christ, you, me, you follow me, I'm your boss. I'm not talking about that. That's a foolish way to approach any relationship. If that's what you have to do, then obviously you're not confident at all. There's a way to fish for a woman's beliefs, conversation. That's why you got to grow in wisdom and understanding and discernment so that you can find out these characteristics before you get married. Based upon the conversation that you have with that girl, you understand, okay, this girl, she seems like, yeah, she loves the Lord, and she seems to have these biblical principles down packed. Or you could say, ooh, this is a red flag right here. See ya. I'm serious. You're like, oh, man, you shouldn't say, well, you know what, the thing is that who you marry is you're going to be married to for the rest of your life. Did you know that? That's forever. And, look, ladies, you need to make sure that the man that you marry knows how to lead. Make sure he's not some soft, effeminate, well, what do you want to do? Where do you want to serve the Lord? What do you want to do with your life? You need to get a man who makes sure, who knows where he's going. We're serving the Lord, hell, you know what, I don't necessarily know right now, but we're going to do this. Grab on to my coattail. I told that to my wife before we got married. That I did say. I'm like, you know what, wherever we go, it's going to be big. You follow me, grab on to my coattail, I'm going to go do great things for God. And she's here. Amen. So you need to make sure that you get a man who knows where he's going, a man who is strong, stronger than you, okay? But here we see that the strange woman is hunting for the precious life. What a wicked woman that is. And who's the precious life? I would say the men in our church right here are precious lives. Because these are pure men, these are men who love the Lord, they love the word of God, they love soul winning, they're doing great things for God, they have the right system of beliefs, they have the right core values. You know what that means? That means they're valuable. These are precious lives. But you know what the whore wants to do? It wants to destroy those precious lives right here. Okay? The Bible tells us in Matthew 15 verse 17, do you not yet understand that whatsoever enter within at the mouth go within to the belly and is cast down into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashing hands defileth not a man. You know, when you're talking to a potential spouse one day that you want a woman who you want to marry or a man you want to marry, pay attention to what they're saying. Because out of the mouth, proceed that which comes from the heart. You know, are they talking about spiritual things? Do they know where they're going in life? Do they understand the biblical roles of the family? Do they understand that a woman is supposed to become a mommy, a wife, a mommy, bear children, be a keeper of the home? That's what they need to know. Does the man understand, hey, I'm going to work, I'm going to provide for you, you'll never starve ever again, I'm going to love you, I'll take care of you, I'll love you as Christ loves the church, and gave himself for it. Go back to Proverbs chapter 7, so what was that point there? It's based upon her motives. So she's a strange woman based upon her motives, and you say, well, how can you tell her motives? Well, I just mentioned it right there, based upon what she says, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, okay? Number four, it's based upon, all right, this is, it may sound funny, but it's true. And I already checked with my wife, I was like, is this true, she says this is true. This saying is true, verily, verily. It's based upon the volume of her voice. The Bible says in verse 11, she is loud and stubborn. I mean, the Bible put it there, there's a reason why God put it there. She is loud, and she's stubborn. By the way, typically those who are loud goes hand in hand with those who are stubborn, okay? And I already read it, but 1 Peter 3, 4 says, Beloved be the hidden man of the heart, and that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, okay? Let me give a tip for the ladies, and if you don't like this tip, then too bad, because I'm preaching behind the pulpit. You can just tune me out if you want, and not listen to me. Go on your Facebook right now or something. Here's a tip, practice a quiet spirit, and look, we don't have this problem in our church. Just put you at ease, all right? If you're thinking, is it me, Lord, you know. This is not a problem here at our church. Men are attracted to a meek and quiet spirit. They want to run away from the loud and stubborn woman. That's not true. We're going to look at a lot of verses where a man prefers to be in the wilderness than in a house with a brawling woman, and look, I'm going to give you an example of that because it's true. My wife's already laughing because she already knows what I'm talking about. Look at Proverbs 21, verse 9, Proverbs 21, hold your place there in Proverbs chapter 7. Proverbs 21, and remember, this is Proverbs, this is the book of wisdom, and God is imparting wisdom here, okay, and look, this verse is for the single guys, but it's also for the woman who's potentially loud and stubborn. Look what it says in verse 9. It is better to dwell in the corner of a housetop. Who wants to go in the corner of a housetop? There's nothing there. It is suicide. It is better to dwell in the corner of a housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house. You know what that means? A wide house means like a large house. He's like, I'd rather have the smallest portion in that house as long as that woman's not there. It's true, and that verse is so true that he repeats it in Proverbs 25, verse 24, the exact same words. He doesn't even give a variation of what he says there. He just says it exactly the same. What is a brawling woman? It's a woman who is stubborn and loud and just wants to fight and nag. If you want to have a good relationship, ladies, with your husband, rule number one, don't be a nag. Don't nag. Well, he doesn't do it, so I've got to keep reminding him. That's called nagging. If my wife nags me, she doesn't. I'll do the opposite just because I don't like the fact that she's nagging. It doesn't help anything. My wife has a really good way of, I was going to say making me do something, of yeah, making me do something, and it's not through nagging. She basically comes to me, if she wants to do something, I don't know, I can't think of an example right now, but if she wants me to do something, she'll basically propose a good idea. What do you think about X, Y, and Z? Now that's what she wants to do, but because she comes at me with a good spirit, even if I don't want to do it, because she had a sweet spirit to go along with that, I'll say, yeah, let's do it. I want in and out, you want Chipotle, but because you came at me with a good spirit, let's do Chipotle. She's smart. But we always say, we always do in and out. You never want to go to Chipotle. You're so unhealthy. I'll be like, we're going in and out, I'm getting a double, I'm getting a triple. Let the large Coke, and so are you. Look at Proverbs 19, verse 13, a foolish son is the calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. Now what does that mean, a continual dropping, you ever had a leaky faucet that echoes throughout the house? It's like, doot, doot, doot, just like, shut up. Well, that's what he means by that. The contents of her wife are just like, shut up. That's what it's referring to is nagging. Look at Proverbs 27. He just reiterates that in verse 15, it says a continual dropping in a rainy day, in a very rainy day, and a contentious woman are alike. He says, it's like the same thing. He goes, does that irritate you? That's exactly what a contentious woman is like. Go to Proverbs 11, I'm gonna read to you from Proverbs 21, verse 19, it says, it is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and an angry woman. There's nothing in the wilderness. You can't live in the wilderness. Well, he says, that's better for you than with a contentious woman. That's bad. Now, I know someone personally, not here in our church, okay, who this person, this is true. Now, he doesn't go to the wilderness or to the housetop, he goes to his car, and he lives his life. Even though he has a home to live in, he goes to his car. When I go outside from my house, he's there, and I know exactly why. You know why? Did you see something? No, I hear something. You get what I'm saying? I hear the nagging. I hear the contention, the brawling, and I'm like, you know what, man? I don't blame you. And he's happy in his vehicle. You're like, oh, man, Brother Bruce, that sounds, yeah, it is bad. It's that bad, okay? Because nagging and contentions and brawlings never help anybody. Now, so here's the thing, he's like, oh, you know what, Brother Bruce? I know that's what you're saying, but I know a girl, and she's just really pretty, though. She's pretty. She's fine. She just looks good. I think that's the one. She's a little loud and stubborn, but she's pretty. Well, let's look what the Bible says about that. Proverbs 11, 22, as a jewel of gold and a swine's snout, so is a fair woman, which is without discretion. Let's pray. So the thing about this is like, well, I mean, the jewel, the little gold and a swine's snout, I mean, that looks pretty, yeah, but that's how, because here's the thing, once you get married to that pretty woman, I'm not saying she's no longer pretty after that. I think my wife is beautiful. But after a while, the relationship begins to grow, and it's not necessarily about the looks anymore. You know, you grow into a deep love with your wife, and it grows beyond that. And what I'm saying is, looks get old, and look, let's just be honest, once you hit like 80, 90, it's not about the looks anymore. Those looks fade away, but you know what doesn't fade away? A contentious woman, okay? So he's telling us right there that ladies, hey, as a jewel of gold and a swine's snout, he's talking about the lady, so is a fair woman, a beautiful woman, which is without discretion. This makes me think of like the Hollywood ladies, who guys are like gawking over, and they love, and they just want to be with, and all these things, but they're like swine with a jewel of gold in their nose. You know, there's this girl out there, she's wicked as hell. Her name is Body Bond something, does anybody know what I'm talking about? It's this young girl who threatened to beat up her mom. What's her name? Yeah, Body something. She is wicked as hell. She's evil, she's wicked, just sewage is pouring out of her mouth. I found out about her a couple days ago, and I literally prayed at that moment, God, please kill this girl. She's so wicked, but you know what, I guarantee there's a lot of teenagers who are just lusting after this girl, and wishing they could marry her, or have her as a wife, or whatever it may be. But you know what, she's a swine. She's swine, because she's without discretion. Go back to Proverbs 7, alright, so based upon the volume of her voice, so what's the remedy to that? You know, here's what will help, okay, and I don't think, no one here has a loud voice, so don't think, you know, are you preaching this because of me? I haven't heard anybody here with a loud voice. The only people with loud voices here are the men. Amen, Mark. That's good, though. I like the fact that Mark is loud, amen, because when I preach a hard sermon and no one agrees with me, that man right there will always say amen, I'm just kidding. So what's the remedy to that? The remedy is this, is that practice having a meek and quiet spirit, you know, because it attracts the right kind of guy, because the wrong kind of guy is attracted to the loud and stubborn woman. The right kind of guy is attracted to the meek and quiet spirit. And here's how you can exercise that, is the righteous teacheth his lips to answer. So the lady, if you have a problem being loud and stubborn, before you say what's coming to your mind, think about it first. And say, should I say this right now? Or is it just going to make matters worse? And if it's going to make matters worse, just don't say it. It's pretty easy, right? And you just ask God, Lord, help me to have a meek and quiet spirit. And I guarantee you, that will help your marriage so much the more, okay, by submitting to your husband, even when you think he's wrong. Now, number five, there's 11, we're on number five, right, is she doesn't stay home. Look at what the Bible says here, she caught him, excuse me, let's see, verse 11, she is loud and stubborn, her feet abide not in her house. Now is she without, now in the streets and lieth and wait at every corner. So here we see that she doesn't spend time at home, okay? And this is dangerous right here. This is very dangerous. And we live in a culture that really has taken the woman outside of the home. And I know this is uncomfortable, but we need to talk about this. And look, this is in the Bible. And if this is you, I don't hate you, I don't think you're a horrible person. But there's a reason I'm telling you this, because I want you to know the truth. The Bible says in Titus 2, verse 1, but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine, that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith and charity and patience. The aged women, likewise, that they be in behaviors become as holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young men to be sober, the young women, excuse me, to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Think about that for a second. That the word of God be not blasphemed. So what is the Bible teaching us here? God's order is that the woman stays at home, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Now my pastor agrees with me on this and I agree with him on this, that even if you're married and you don't have children, you should still be at home. And I know different people say different things, but this is what I believe and this is what I believe the Bible's actually teaching here. You know, we don't have kids so she's working right now, it's not biblical. Keepers at home. You know why it's important to be a keeper at home? Because when a woman works out in the world, you run into a lot of, number one, there's two heads. So you may be her boss, but you're only her boss when she's at home. Because from nine to five, someone else is her boss. I know, it's getting quiet, amen. When she's somewhere else, when she's working from nine to five, someone else is her boss. And she is subject to what that man wants her to do. What does that mean? That means there's two heads. And look, we live in a society where men and women, because of what they have to spend and do all these things, they make their wives work. You know what? Better is a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox. Better to live humbly with beans and rice and the cheapest of food, but you have your house in order. Two heads is not better than one. When it comes to this, they need to stay home. That's what the Bible's teaching us, okay? That the word of God be not blasphemed. And look, I'm not being a hypocrite, my wife worked at the church that I was working at. So just to let you know, she was working when we were married. But when I started digging into this and learning what the Bible says, it was like, she's not gonna be working there anymore. If we grow broke, but we live in a small little shack, and we don't have the nicest of things, it's a-okay, because you know what? I'm providing for my wife. I'm providing for my kids. I'm the boss of my home, and it's gonna stay that way. See, most of the time, there's women working out in the world because of the money issue. But that issue will go away if you just are content with the things that you have. The most valuable things in life is the fact that you have your house in order, you have your wife and your children there, you're the one bringing home the bacon. And the bacon's good, amen? You know why it's good? Because the man is providing for that bacon. So the Bible tells us here that they need to be, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands. Obedient to their own husbands. You know what that tells me? That if a wife's working outside in the world, who should be obedient to? To someone else? Obedient to their own husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed. Go to 1 Timothy, chapter 5, and look, there's different circumstances for different people. I understand that. But the exception will always prove the rule. No matter what. Okay? Look at 1 Timothy 5, verse 11, but the younger widows refused, for when they had begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry, having damnation because they have cast off their first faith, and withal they learned to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, but tattlers also in busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. And will, therefore, that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully, for some are already turned aside after Satan. Let me say this. Another reason why it's dangerous is because women don't have the same spiritual capacity of strength that men do. So you got some Rico Suave guy at their job, some Papi Chulo, they might deceive them, flirt with them, and cause their heart to go astray, and to do something sinful. That's why it's not safe. My daughter will never work a secular job. Stick that in your pipe and choke on it. Never work another, not another job, she'll never work, period. Okay? Now, go back to Proverbs chapter 7. I want to spend more time on that, but that's not the sermon, but it's a good point within the sermon. Okay? Verse 13 says, so she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me, this day have I paid my vows. So what's a characteristic of a strange woman? Well, number six, she doesn't have any shame. No shame. Impudent face means without shame. That's what that means. Now, why doesn't she have, why is it saying that she doesn't have shame? Because verse 14 says, I have peace offerings with me, this day have I paid my vows. So she's talking about spiritual things. Look at verse 15. It says, therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligent and seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have profumed my bed with myrrh and aloes and cinnamon. What is she saying? I spent all this money to buy this. This is expensive stuff, because I have already done my peace offerings. I paid my vows. I got some money right here to pay for these things to create this romantic atmosphere. What do we call that? No shame. The Bible says in Proverbs 30, verse 20, such is the way of an adulterous woman. She eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. No shame. The Bible says, go to, let's see here, you don't have to turn, I'll read it to you. Jeremiah 6, 15 says, were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among that fall. At the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. First Timothy 2, 9 says, in like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly array. You see, shame is something that is lacking today in young ladies. You know what? We've seen a surge of boldness within ladies. We see a lot of men becoming shame. They're like ashamed. Soft and shy and just a little faggoty and all that stuff. They're not bold. Whereas the ladies have become bold. And we're gonna look here in just a bit that this lady was actually the pursuer. Now she's married, but just think about this. She was pursuing the guy, the guy wasn't pursuing her. She's like enticing them. She's like, I already paid my dues, I bought this, come let us take our fill of love. That's my next point. Therefore can I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. She's the pursuer, not the one being pursued. Now let me just say this to the guys. You need to be the one pursuing. Not have the lady pursuing you, trying to get you to get through the dates and ask her out and do all these things. You ought to be the one pursuing. And look, you're like, well, I'm just kind of shy. Stop being shy. I don't know what to tell you. Don't be shy and just get with the program. Because a man naturally should want the hunt, amen. It's fact. My father-in-law taught me, and I remember that, I'll always remember that. A man wants a challenge, amen. A man wants to be the one to say, man, you know, I need to pray. I need to be the man of God that I need to be. I want to make sure I prepare. I want to make sure I'm ready to get married, to be the husband, to have a wife and children. Not be the one who's being pursued after. Not be, you know, not be, have the woman be the aggressor. What's going on with you? How you doing? You want to talk to my dad? Come talk to me? You know? No, it should be that the guy is taking the initiative. Okay? Look, let me say this, guys. There's girls in our church. There's nothing wrong with doing this. Hi. What's your name? My name is so-and-so. Don't like, they got cooties or something. Go say hi. Learn how to talk. Use your piehole to go talk and get to know some of the people in our church. Our society has become so castrated. The men have become so castrated, they're like, well, I'm just not, what if she says no? To what? Just go say hi, and look, when we're in church, don't just go to some corner and hide until the service starts. You should be going around meeting people, talking to people, growing in your confidence of how to talk to people, because here's the thing. When you get married, if and when you get married, you don't have the luxury to be shy. You know why? Because you've got to have children, and that takes a level of not being shy. You understand that? I'm trying to keep it PG-13, but you understand what I'm talking about. The men don't have luxury to be shy, and if you're taught in times past to be a sissy little castrated person, then you know what? You have the word of God now. You have the Holy Spirit now. You know you're supposed to be a man now, so just man up and handle the business, or else you're going to attract the wrong woman. You're going to attract an aggressor. You want to be the aggressor. You want to be the one who's pursuing. Not in a weird way. Don't be a stalker. Look, learn to take no for an answer, and don't get all hurt if the girl says no. Just move on with your life. Just be like, well, I wasn't really asking you. I was asking you to get out of the church, to leave, try to flip it around or something. But be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. Be emotionally strong. Don't go home and cry yourself to sleep because some girl said no to you. You know, I'm like, that's her loss then. That's how you're supposed to see it. Value yourself as a man, and you would say, well, that's her loss because I'm a man of God. She's missing out, okay? And don't come to church all weird and all sad and under the juniper tree. Just move on. So that's her loss. Look at verse 18. So she's the pursuer though. She's the one going to, and that's what you don't want, okay? Look at verse 18. Come, let us take our fill of love into the morning. Let us solace ourselves with loves. For the good man is not home. He has gone a long journey. He hath taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed. This woman is wicked. Talk about the motives of her heart. She's like, hey, let's have intercourse. That's what she's saying. And my husband, she's even calling him the good man. She understands he's a good man. The guy's going out there to go work and provide for her. And she's so whorish and wicked that she's like, don't worry because he took a bag of money. That means he's going to be gone for a long time. Now what's number eight, the characteristic? She uses sinful acts to comfort herself. Why do you say that? Look at verse 18. Come, let us take our fill of love into the morning. This is referring to that physical relationship. Let us soulless ourselves with loves. What does that word soulless mean? It means the comfort. So her man is away. So obviously there's a sense of discomfort there because her man is not home. He's out working. He's providing. He's doing all this. So she says, let's comfort herself with love instead of saying, well, you know what? My husband is gone. I need to make sure I focus on my children right now, clean the house, do some project, prepare for him to come home, make the grocery list, go grocery shopping, keeping their selves busy with the right things. What does she do instead? She gets involved in this adulterous relationship. She's becoming idle. When you become idle, you allow yourself to be open to the devil's temptations. But she's actually the one who's doing the tempting, unfortunately. Look at verse 21. With her much fairer speech, he caused him to yield. With the flattering of her lips, she forced him. So what is she? She's a flatterer, not a flat earther. She's a flatterer. Now this is interesting because we talked about the strange woman being loud and stubborn, but there's also a type of woman who's not loud, not stubborn, but she flatters. She may be quiet, but she's a flatterer. And guys, that's why it's important that we understand the difference between a compliment and flattery. And that's why it's important you get into the Word of God because every time you see this concept being mentioned, it's telling you, hey, get understanding, get wisdom, get discretion. Why? Because the strange woman, she's going to flatter you, and you need to know the difference between the two. Oh wow, she said all these things about me. She seems like a good woman. She wants to go out with me like at 10 o'clock at night. Isn't that great? Idiot. No, it's not great. That's not good. Really? But she wants to spend time with me. It's probably not good at 10 o'clock at night. The Bible says in Proverbs 5, 3, for the lips of a strange woman drop as in honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil. What does that remind you of? It reminds me of the false prophets, right, who speak smooth things. What does the smooth thing mean? Deceit. So she's flattering. She's being deceitful. And then it says in verse 4, bitter and as bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Now let's see here. Go to Proverbs chapter 2. We're going a little long tonight, but I need to finish this, because this is important to hear, okay? So if you want to fall asleep, go right at it. All right? We'll wake you up when we finish. Just kidding. Proverbs 2 verse 10 says, when wisdom enterth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant into thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee, to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, young lady, from the man that speaketh forward things, who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and delight in the forwardness of the wicked, whose ways are crooked, and they forward in their paths, to deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words. When you get wisdom, you get understanding, you know the difference between compliments and flattery. All right? You see, the simple believe every word and are punished. But someone who is not simple, someone who is wise, can understand the difference between the two. Now, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 6 23, for the commandment is a lamp and the law is light, and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life, to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Look at Proverbs chapter 7, go back to Proverbs 7, we'll read that again, verse 5 says that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. So, not every woman is loud, you know, they may have a quiet spirit, but you can tell based upon even the flattery, what type of woman she is. Look at verse 4, let's see here, not verse 4, I'm sorry, verse 24. Number 10, we're almost done, we got two more and that's it. Number 10, the strongest man cannot resist her, okay, it says, hearken unto me, now therefore you children, attend to the words of my mouth, let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her past, for she hath cast down many wounded, yea, many strong men have been slain by her. One pastor said this in times past and I thought it was good, you know, when it comes to this matter of lust, adultery and fornication, he said this, he was trying to get married and he was getting married young and the people in this church were getting on him, like you're going to get married, you're too young, why are you getting married? You know, you should wait, you know, till you're like you're 35 or whatever, you know, wait till you're older. He goes, why are you getting married? He goes, well, I love this girl and I don't want to fall into sin, you know, I don't want her to commit this wicked, you know, fornication with this woman that I love and he said, look, the wisest man in the Bible, the strongest man in the Bible and the godliest man in the Bible, they all fell into sexual sin. So in order for me not to commit fornication with this girl, I have to be wiser than Solomon, stronger than Samson and godlier than David and I'm neither so I'm going to get married and amen to that, that's a wise man. So why is that? Because here it says that many strong men have been slain by her, okay? And one of the most, you know, the sad things is that when you see a godly young man or godly young woman make a bad decision of fornicating and they destroy their lives, okay? Now look, let me just say, let me throw this in here just for good measure. That's why I never recommend any couple who are dating to even make out or kiss or hug or touch. You say, why is that? Because it is good for a man not to touch a woman and what's the remedy to that? They get married. Yeah, but we're not fornicating. Yeah, but here's the thing, understand, have wisdom, get some discernment, get some understanding. When you kiss, okay, when you hold hands, it's not going to stop there. You're going to hug. When you hug, you're closer, it's not going to stop there, you're going to kiss. And when you kiss, it's not going to stop there, you're going to fornicate. Yeah, but you're being a fool if you don't think that's the sequence of order. And here's the thing, even if you have the strength and you have the self-control necessary to not, you're defrauding yourself because now you've caused yourself to lust. And don't tell me you don't lust. Don't deceive yourself. What am I supposed to do, get married? Or stop hanging out late at night? I just threw that in there for good measure, all right? Here's the last one, number 11, we're done, then you guys can go home and never see me again for another week. The strange one, what's another characteristic, she can do irreparable damage, irreparable damage. Now, look at the interesting verse right here, verse 25, I've always looked at these verses and I'm like, man, why does it say that? You know, obviously we can't lose our salvation, we understand that, why does it say this? Look at verse 25, let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths, for she hath cast down many wounded, yea, many strong men have been slain by her, her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. I'm like, man, that sounds bad. What does that mean? Like, you know, I remember reading that as a brand new Christian, I'm like, I know you can't lose your salvation, but why does it say that her house is the way to hell? That sounds like really bad. Is this the exception to the rule or something or what? But this is what this means, and God, this is not the only time that God does something like this where he uses hell as a metaphor for something else. You see, anybody who dies without Christ, they will go to hell, and guess what? They never come back, right? They never come back. Well, any man who commits adultery with another woman or fornicates, they never come back from that. Look at what the Bible says in Proverbs chapter 5, in verse number 3, it says, for the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil, but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword, her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on hell. Skip down to verse 20. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction, and in the greatness of his folly, he shall go astray. Look at Proverbs chapter 2. So what do we see here just in these verses? Any guy who goes down this path, they never come back from that. Just as someone who is unsaved, who dies without Christ, they go to hell and they never come back. Any guy who commits adultery, any woman who gets involved in adultery, they never come back from that. Look at Proverbs 2 verse 16, to deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words, which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forget of 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. Your life will never be the same if you commit adultery. Look at Proverbs chapter 6. Look at verse 30. Men do not despise a thief, and Proverbs 6 to 35 just kind of solidifies this entire thing. Men do not despise a thief if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry, but if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold. He shall give all the substance of his house. So what is he saying? If a guy steals, he can restore it, move on with his life, right? Verse 32, but whoso commiteth adultery with the woman lacketh understanding. He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and a dishonor shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man, therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. Go to Proverbs 20. So what is he saying? Look, his reproach will not be wiped away. That's why the Bible says that the whorish woman, her house are the steps to hell, because just as a man dies without Christ and never coming back, his reproach shall not be wiped away. And look, if you've made a mistake in the past in this area, I'm not referring to you. Who am I talking to? I'm talking to those who have not yet made the mistake, like when I preach on divorce, I'm not talking to the people who have been divorced, I'm talking to the people who have not gotten a divorce yet. I'm ripping your faces off so you don't do something stupid. And if you've made a mistake in the past, back me up so that the people who have not made the mistake don't make it. Look at verse 16, it says, take his garment that is sure to be for a stranger and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. Bread of the seed is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. So young men, young ladies, listen up. You get involved in adultery, you get involved in some wicked relationship, you may never come back from that. You will destroy, if you want to be a pastor, you will destroy your life, you will never pastor. Your reproach shall never be wiped away. Let that scare the fire out of you. That God would allow you to destroy your life, your dreams, your aspirations for God will go down the toilet if you decide to do something stupid. And those who are married, don't ever do it, because you won't come back from that. You'll destroy your life. So the next time you're tempted, something's happening, you know, where you're tempted to do that, just remember, you're going to hell. It's like the person who's going to hell, never coming back, you're never coming back from that reproach. It shall never be wiped away. And don't think you're the exception to the rule, oh yeah, others but me, no, you could be the one who, you'll be the next byword and proverb. So what's the message today? Let's stay away from the strange woman, amen, and wives, let's not have the characteristics of a strange woman. And I'm thankful in our church we don't have that. We got a good group of godly ladies in our church. You say, then why are you preaching that? It's preventative, you know, just preventative. So the next time you're planning to exercise one of these bad characteristics, like yeah, you know, there's a service, there's a sermon I heard last week, it talked about that, let's not do that, okay. And then another thing is just that the young man and the young lady's just growing wisdom. Have some wisdom about yourself. Don't think you're the exception to the rule. Have wisdom. I'm lonely, then you know what, you need to start making moves and make some decisions and taking an initiative and you know, don't say, you know, you're lonely but you're not talking to anybody in our church, okay. You need to start talking. Use that mouth. I mean, you tell people they're going to hell every week. People you don't even know, you tell them they're going to hell. And you can't tell another Christian, hi, how you doing, and talk to them. You go up to people every single day and you're like, hey, you're going to hell. Jesus is the only way, you know, but yeah, you have a hard time talking, no, don't let that be an excuse. I want the young men in our church to get married, preferably to some of the young ladies in our church, amen, so that the young men and the young ladies don't find some fool or some whore out in the world and to destroy their lives. We've got good people, good young ladies, good young men in our church, let's do something about it, amen. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for the admonishments that you give us through your word. Thank you for the book of Proverbs and for the warnings you give us of the strange woman. I pray, God, that you'd help us and help us to grow in wisdom and understanding, discretion, and to keep us from those strange women. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.