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Amen. Right, so Proverbs chapter 7, and it's been a couple of weeks since we were in Proverbs and you know, this might, that might have been a relief to anyone sympathetic of the strange woman, because we've been hitting the strange woman a bit in the book of Proverbs. They've been getting smashed by Solomon really, haven't they? And that continues in this chapter, and then once more in the first section of Proverbs, again in chapter 9 as well, there's another section on them. So I want to say first section of Proverbs, the style of Proverbs in chapters 1 to 9 is very different to them from chapter 10 onwards, where we just see lots of these individual proverbs of wisdom. But here we're seeing passages and topics and things being talked about, and it's for good reason that Solomon does smash these strange women, because they are everywhere, okay, they are everywhere, and our enemies don't just come as men behind pulpits, they don't just come as kind of, you know, those open obvious God haters. They come in all shapes and sizes, and this is a very real threat to all of us here, but obviously especially we're seeing to the young men especially, but to everyone. The strange woman though not only affects men of God, but can influence women of God too, okay. So don't forget that, as well as keeping people from God in the first place as well, one of the other kind of ways that they work. Back in chapter 6, before looking at the strange woman, there was a reminder to be people of integrity, to take our promises seriously, to not be lazy. We saw the female ant users as an example, if you remember, that's a few weeks back now, and just how amazing that was, you know, that we've only found out more recently how all worker ants are female. And then there was a message there as well, it wasn't just men don't be lazy, it's women as well. Solomon then focused in on the wicked again, this time the discord sower, being a negative influence by their actions, not just by what they say, by what they do as well. We talked about that with the six or seven things, the seventh being a summary description of that type of person, how they're an abomination to God. Before that, you know, showing how the destruction suddenly comes upon them when it comes, he then reminded us to deal with instruction and reproof from God's Word. Yeah, that's just a part of life, you're a Christian, you need to deal with getting the instruction, getting the reproof, which comes from God's Word. And then he hit the strange woman again, her flattery, how she's a predator, reminding us that she's often married too. Okay, it's not just a single woman, it's not just what we know of as a harlot, along with the repercussions of committing adultery with a married woman. It said in verse 32, and who so committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding. He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and 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 a day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though thou give us many gifts. And then we go into Proverbs 7 and verse 1, which starts with, my son, keep my words and lay up my commandments with thee. I'd like to pray before we continue with this chapter. Father, thank you for your Word, thank you for the great lessons we're going to get out of this chapter, Lord. Help me to just teach and preach those lessons as you'd want me to, Lord, in just a way that people really just take them into their heart, and will just really listen to what you've got to say, Lord, and really apply it to their lives. Help everyone to have a tent of fears. Fill in with your spirit, please, Lord. In Jesus' name, pray. Amen. Okay, so he said, my son, keep my words and lay out my commandments with thee. So he's starting with that reminder to live by his commandments, and this spirit-filled man of God is writing as God here, in case you're wondering. He's not just talking to Rehoboam, his son, who obviously was in the line to the throne after him, and it didn't just happen, for example, to be preserved amongst the Holy Scriptures as just like this historical piece. Oh, how interesting. Solomon's kind of advice to his son. He's not just saying to all of us, well, keep what I say and my commandments, but ignore the rest of God's commandments, is he? Okay, that's not what he's saying either. He's saying through Solomon to keep his words. That's what God's saying. God's saying, keep my words, okay? He's saying to keep my commandments, and we do that, how? By reading, by studying, by memorizing, by doing, okay? You don't just want to be a hero and not a doer, you've got to do the whole lot. So it's not good going, well, yeah, but I've got a good Bible reading program, but I, you know, I don't really ever try and memorize anything. I don't really apply much of it to my life. That doesn't matter, okay? You know, it's minor. It would be minor if all you're doing is reading the Bible, but it's no good going, well, you know, I try and apply this to my life, but I don't really know what the rest of the Bible says. No, you've got to read it. You've got to do the whole lot. You've got to do the whole lot. He said, first, he said, keep my words and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments and live, and my law is the apple of thine eye. He's saying that the commandments will help you navigate life, they'll help you survive, but you need to put them up here. You really do. You need to put the commandments of God up here. He said, as the apple of thine eye, basically as something that you set your sights upon, as something that is basically of much importance. Because what do many people do? Many people put worldly wisdom up there, don't they? Many people, many Christians, the world's wisdom is up here in kind of the book. The Word of God is kind of down here somewhere. Well, there's some interesting stuff in there, but what could someone tell me to do out in the world? What can this person tell me? What can, you know, my unsaved parents tell me I should be doing? What can the person I've always looked up to in life tell me I should be doing? Yeah, but what does the Word of God say? Some will put, for example, their ambition up here, and the Word of God is down here. So, well, yeah, I know the Word of God says I should be doing this, should be doing that, but, you know, I can make it in this. I could get to there and that. I could get the best job. I could get more money. I could get the house. I could, whatever it is. But it's got to be the law and commandments up here, isn't it? They've got to be the apple of thine eye. Many will put their guru up here, won't they? And for some, it's not necessarily a bad group. For some it is, right? For some it's just some complete moron, some unsaved clown, some false prophet a lot of the time as well. But for others it will be, look, a great man of God. But for so many people, I've noticed that in, you know, in our circles for many years, what pastor you fill in the blank said is up here, and what the Word of God says is below. But it's got to be the other way around. And look, yeah, follow these men as they follow God. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah, we want to hear a great preacher, we want to hear what they've got to say. But if you don't really know what the Word of God says, you just know what someone preached, you ain't putting the law, you're not putting the commandments up here, are you? Because that's what it comes from, the Word of God. And then when we watch these great preachers, these great men of God, we go, yeah, that's what the Word of God says. I love the way he applied that, I love the way, Jack, but if you don't even know what the Word of God says, you just kind of, well, the gurus said this, so great. And then when that guru gets something wrong, and when he falls, and when he fails in certain ways, either you'll be crushed or you'll just fall with them, right? And look, I'm not saying, oh, you know, great preachers are going to fall, but what I am saying is, it's the commandments, it's the Word of God that has to be up here. Okay, we don't want to just set someone else above it. It's a law that should be the apple of our eye. It says in verse three, bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. So, look, it takes effort. It takes effort to bind them. It takes effort to write them on the table of your heart. It takes work. Turning up at church is one thing. Listening to preaching is important. It's how God wants us to do things in one way, you know, at least in one of those ways of getting the Word of God in. But memorizing, reading, studying, doing the Word, the work, that's what he wants us doing as well, doesn't he? It's a whole lot. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart, and we do that by just being immersed in the Word of God in those various ways. Say unto wisdom thou, my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman. And that's being close to the Word where the wisdom comes from. Being as close as family, basically. Okay, that's what he's saying. Let me give you one way that works, for example. You've got up, okay, you got up in the morning, you prayed to God. First thing, you prayed to God. You've read your Bible. Maybe you're then working on the memory verse on your way to work, just say. Okay, and look, obviously this is a good benchmark, you might not all do this, but that would be cool, wouldn't it? Have a good start to the day, wouldn't it? I've prayed to God, I've read my Bible, I've read how many chapters of the Bible, I'm now on the way to work, and I'm still thinking about the Word of God. Maybe I'm working on a memory verse, maybe I'm listening to a good sermon or something else, right? I'm on the way to work, and then the 50 year old boy racer, with his body kit on his car and his cap on backwards and everything else, he cuts you up. How do you think you're gonna respond? If that had been the start of your day, if you're in the Word of God, it's been so recent that you've just been reading the Bible, you've just been praying to God, you've got those verses on your mind, verses you've literally just rolled out of bed, shoved some clothes on, jumped in the car. Maybe before you did that you were scrolling through social media, or maybe you're watching some junk on TV or something else. I reckon there'd be a big difference, don't you think? And it's not that it had to apply, it's not that you had just been reading about not being hasty to anger or anything like that, you could have been reading something completely just unrelated to that, but just being in the things of God, being in the Word of God, there's a difference, isn't there? There's a difference to how you behave. Same thing, for example, for a mum maybe, who's, you know, instead of just getting out of bed and straight away it's just, right, dealing with the day she's got up earlier, she's read her Bible, she's in the things of God, she's thinking about maybe some memory verses, or like I said, maybe she's listening to a bit of preachy audio, something else, and the kids are all at each other's throats. Is she just gonna start kicking off, screaming and everything? Or maybe she'll deal with it in the way that she knows she should be dealing with it. Maybe she'll deal with it in a calm way, maybe she'll deal with it, and sometimes, you know, don't get me wrong, sometimes mums need to get angry with those kids, you know, sometimes they need a bit of a whipping, but sometimes you can deal with it in a better way, can't you as well? And my point is that when you're in the Word, that wisdom is your kinswoman. And for us in the New Testament as well, the Holy Spirit is guiding you, isn't it? You want to be filled with the Spirit, you want to feel like the Holy Spirit's guiding you, and you're much more likely to deal with whatever issue it is, whatever temptation it is, in the right way. When you say unto wisdom, thou art my sister, call understanding thy kinswoman, they're close to you, basically. It's a part of your life, they're an everyday, just an everyday part of your life. Like I said, even if it wasn't something applicable. And when you're in the Word, when you're meditating on the Word, you're less likely to be snared by the strange woman. That would go hand-in-hand, wouldn't it? So if, for example, men here, you're driving on your way to work, you're listening to a sermon, or you're thinking about a Bible verse that you're trying to memorize right now, you've literally just read your Bible, and then the strutting harlot walks past your car, I think you're less likely to turn the head. You are. Less likely than if it's that the Bible, the Word of God, has not even had a part in your day so far. That's just the reality, isn't it? He said, bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart, say unto wisdom, thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman, that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. What's the first description of the strange woman? Flattery, yet again. It's just always flattery, isn't it? And again, why? Because flattery is just so effective. Like I've said time and time again going through the Book of Proverbs, it's flattery that we like, it's flattery that we desire, it's flattery that makes us not want to accept that someone's bad when they are. Because of the flattery, because then you kind of got to write off so many of the lovely compliments they've been giving you for however long, you know? And you're like, man, you just don't want to accept it, do you? So instead you justify them, you justify everything they're doing, because you enjoy the flattery, you're like, I don't want them to be bad. I really don't, because they've said some nice stuff. Flattery. Proverbs 2 16 says that wisdom, knowledge, discretion, understanding will deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words. Proverbs 6 24 says that the commandment of law will keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Perhaps as well as warning us about flattery, the more you're in the Word, the less you're in the flesh and needing the ego boost, you could say as well, couldn't you? If I'm in the Word of God, if I'm reading my Bible, I'm in the things of God, I'm memorizing the things of God, I know I'm doing the right thing, I've had a good few days, I'm just in the Word of God as I should be, maybe I'm less likely to need that ego boost that the flattery gives you, right? I'm less likely to desire that, to crave that, I'm going to be a bit more resistant to it, let alone if I'm really about flattery, flattery, flattery, and I'm just hammering the Book of Proverbs because it's all about flattery in the Book of Proverbs, isn't it? Now, just to remind you, flattery is false praise, okay? Again, don't start thinking everyone's wicked, whoever gives you a compliment, okay? Flattery is false praise for the purpose, it's false praise with a reason, for the purpose of gaining favour, influence, or to accomplish some sort of purpose. So it's false praise that you're being manipulated by it, okay? And look, that comes in various shapes and sizes as well, and there are many types of flatterers out there. But, well, like I said though, just remember with that, these women can target women too. So again, this passage isn't just, look, it is ultimately, specifically, we're looking at this being targeted towards men, but women there don't start switching off because, look, you can be targeted. Women, the strange women even, will flatter other women, massage their ego for a purpose. And whether it's the purpose of gaining something from you, whether it's the purpose of being able to influence you, the purpose of dragging you down with them, again, you're less likely to see it, you're less likely to see through them if they're flattering you, giving you gifts, etc, etc. But here, specifically, we're seeing her praying on a young man. It says in verse 6, for at the window of my house I look through my casement, and I think that's just a small opening section of window, and beheld among the simple ones I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding. Now simple here is someone ignorant, unwise, stupid, he's void of understanding, void is empty or vacant, and although there are simple saved people with little understanding, I think that he's describing an unsaved youth here. He's void of understanding, and you don't have to turn to Proverbs 9-10, it says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. This guy's void of it, completely empty of it at all. This youth has no understanding. And also notice how he seemed to use simple ones, by the way, and youths interchangeably. Anyone notice that? He said, and beheld among the simple ones I discerned among the youths. It's almost like they're kind of just swapped. Simple ones use a young man void of understanding. I saw youths out there, the reason is because youths are simple. That's just the truth. Look, I remember being a simple youth, in fact I still sometimes feel simple, okay, and you know, and I know I'm only a young man, okay, and what are you laughing at? You're older than me! But the youths are simple, aren't they? But do you know what I've noticed and I know when I was a youth I was the same, do you know what we often, or we usually think, we're not simple. We think we know it all. When you're a youth you think you've got it all down, you know it all, you've got all this wisdom from you, you know, several years of life. They do, don't they? But he said, and beheld among the simple ones I discerned among the youths. It's just the same thing, because youths are simple. And you think you're complex, but you're simple. Alright, and do you know what the lesson from that is though, is to accept your simplicity, yeah, and trust the guidance and advice that you get from your elders, because they do know better than you. They do know more than you because we have been there and done it, because we do know so many of the traps and the pitfalls and everything else, and just to accept yeah I don't really know much at all. And if you can do that you're going to get on so much better in life. Don't shy away from the instruction, from the proof of God's Word, and from God's people, and for people that are just wiser than you. And it's not just God's people, is it? Look, you can get a lot of wisdom from people in the world, can't you, that are older than you. Obviously you've got to compare it to the Word of God, but however, look, people, look, there's not really much of a replacement for just years doing stuff, is there? And you learn so much like that. I remember, it just makes me think of when I was younger, I did this, I once trained on this, something called a telehandler. I thought this is a great idea, I can pick up this job, put it down, I was going abroad a bit at the time. So I did this course on this, they're basically like these, they're kind of like these long off-road forklift type things you see on building sites, and you've got to do this safety course in this course. I did this week-long course on this thing, and I thought I've got it, yeah, I was good on this course and everything else, and I turned up on a building site, got in this telehandler, and I quickly realised I didn't know a thing. I didn't know a thing, and you know why? Because I'd barely driven one. Because I'd done several hours a day on a course and there were people that had been driving them for years and usually all the different crab steerings and all these different, you know, ways they could get in gaps and do this and get things up, you know, five stories up in the sky and everything else, and I didn't know any of that. And you know why I didn't know any of it? Because a short little course didn't teach me anything I needed experience. I need experience of doing that stuff, it didn't matter how many manuals I'd read, how much I was told, I had to do it myself. I had to have been there to have learned what I should and shouldn't do and learn how to do that. And it's the same with pretty much anything in life, isn't it? You can read all the course, you can read the stuff, you can be told stuff, but you basically have to experience it, and that's what comes with age, is experience and wisdom. He beheld among the simple ones, he discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, said, 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. So it seems to be a sign of his foolishness, a sign of his lack of understanding, that he's anywhere near her, isn't it? That he went the way to her house. He said, I discerned 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. Why is that? Well, Proverbs 22-3 says, a prudent man foreseeeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. If you're sensible, if you're clever, if you're prudent, if you're wise, if you have that knowledge and understanding that God wants us to have, you're going to think, that isn't a good place to go. I don't want to go anywhere near her. If you're seeking out the strange woman, if you're hanging around near her in one way or another, you're simple, basically. That's how I see it. You're simple, you're stupid, you're foolish to be anywhere near that sort of woman. If you're, for example, men, if you're spending time alone with her at work, in your work setting, you just have to spend time alone with that strange woman, you're foolish. Don't do it. It's not worth it. Don't do it. It's not worth it. Oh, it's a bit awkward, a bit embarrassing to make an exit. Just get away. You don't want one time with a strange woman. You don't want to be around the strange woman. You don't want that time with a strange woman, where slowly with time the familiarity starts to take its toll. Keep away from the strange woman. If you're meeting up with the old friend from your past days, oh well, you know, it's an old friend and they just still want to meet up and stuff, but she's a strange woman, just cast her off. It's not worth it. Don't be simple. Don't be stupid. Just get her out of your life. Oh no, she might be offended. We used to be buddies when we were younger. So what? Who cares? Oh, so she's offended. Who cares? She's a strange woman. Look, you know when they're a strange woman, don't you? But so often we just want to be liked. We want to kind of want the awkwardness. We don't want to... Just get rid of them out of your life. You don't want them around you. Look, these people are around, right? Ladies, you're hanging around with a strange woman, our ways are going to rub off on you. That's just the reality of it. The people you're around... Look, he that walketh with wise men should be wise, but a companion of fools should be destroyed. If you spend time with a strange woman, regular time, you're just going to start to behave more lightly. You're going to be desensitised to that sort of behaviour. If you're hanging around with them, you're simple. Be prudent. Yeah, be prudent. Now this youth gets too close to it. It says, and behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of heart. So what was she wearing, do you think? Anyone got any ideas? Maybe a baggy old outfit? Do you think she's wearing some really modest clothing? That just, you know, there's a special colour that's the attire of an harlot. She was wearing the attire of an harlot, so something specific that God here is associating with an harlot, yeah? Solomon's writing this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God is talking to you here and he's saying that this woman had something on which is the attire, the clothing, of an harlot. Everyone agree, yeah? Okay, so it seems that how someone dresses, by the way, is noticed by God, doesn't it? Wouldn't you say? How people dress is noticed by God. And here, how this woman dresses is noticed by God and labelled by God as a clothing of a harlot. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 2. 1 Timothy chapter 2. In 1 Timothy 2-9, he said through Paul that he wants women to dress modestly. He said this in 1 Timothy 2-9. He said, in like manner also, talking about having holy, basically being holy, about the men lifting up holy hands, and 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. So it wasn't to be costly, but modest, by the way, also applies to not being bold, not being extreme, not being indecent, okay? There are other ways that dressing modestly applies. Shamefacedness is, again, modesty, bashfulness. It's not, hey, look at me, it's the opposite. It's not, hey, everyone, look at me in my power outfit, or look at me in, you know, the most kind of eye-catching thing I can wear. It's the opposite. It's shamefacedness. It's someone, if they did wear something, and you sometimes see that with a godly woman where she kind of, you can see she's slightly uncomfortable, thinking, I don't know, is this a bit too much, people are going to be looking at me. That's how it should be, right? Not the opposite, how can I dress so everyone can look at me and stare at me and everything else? That's not shamefacedness, is it? And I think we can safely assume that what the attire and harlot is is not modest, it's not decent, it is to draw attention, yeah? In one way or another. Now, people like to criticise our stance on appropriate clothing, don't they? I don't know if you've had this, I've had this criticism before and people try and attack, people try and mutter about it, mumble, murmur, complain, use it as an excuse to criticise our churches, things like this, like we're some sort of, you know, what on earth, you know, all their women wearing dresses and skirts are like, we're just like, what on earth is up with these people, you know? And by the way, we don't have a dress code like that, obviously if you were like, dressed like a complete, what you maybe see out there where it gets to the point of being indecent, we might have to have a word with you, but otherwise, you can dress how you want, okay? That's between you and God. But I'm going to tell you what God says about it, okay? That's what I am going to do from behind this poll here and I do like to criticise this, but it is pretty simple, okay? This is two points, two points to how we think that both people, men and women, should dress, okay? We believe that God tells you not to cross dress and not to dress immodestly. I mean, what sort of extremists are they? Yeah, God says don't cross dress, God says dress modestly. I mean, it's not even difficult, is it? Shouldn't be difficult. No, it isn't. I do understand, I don't want to be too harsh because I do understand that a lot of people come to faith later in life having had years of, you know, sort of feeling like their wardrobe defines them, you know, and it's like, suddenly it's like, well, I've got saved, I start getting into the things of God, I'm reading the word of God, I'm hearing the preacher, it's like, wait a second, I've got to suddenly overhaul who I am or something like that, and I do understand that for some women maybe it's not just a straight easy thing to do. However, it is the right thing to do, isn't it? Interestingly, cross dressing is usually, by the way, immodest due to body shape, okay? So, let's be honest, when I go, well, they're women's trousers, they're women's jeans, they're women's whatever it is, they're women's shorts, what's the reality usually? It's immodest clothing, it's immodest clothing, because we have different body shapes, it's just immodest, and suddenly it leaves less to the imagination. And here's the thing as well, either that, and I know I've said this before, just to remind you, it's either that or, ladies, it's not tight-fitting, it's not any of that sort of stuff, and you're basically dressing in what your husband would wear, and you look like a man, then you're cross dressing, so which one is it? Or you're dressing immodestly, and God said not to do that either. And by the way, for me, it doesn't really matter either way, because either way I think women, I do honestly believe, it's not like, oh well, well, Pastor Anderson preached this many years ago and some other people are going, some other people are going, but this is what the Bible says. What does Deuteronomy 22 and verse 5 say? The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment, for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. That's something that needs to be preached about, if it's abomination, isn't it? See, just the sort of, well, we've got a kind of slight opinion on this, it says it's abomination, so if it's not about trousers and skirts and dresses, what is it about? What's it about? Because no one's been able to answer that yet. That's what it's talking about, because traditionally throughout history, women have worn skirts and dresses, men have worn trousers or shorts, and that's just the way it is, because we have different shapes, we have different body shapes, and that's what people have always done. So you want to cross dress, it's up to you guys to cross dress, okay, but God says it's abomination. You want to be an abomination, be an abomination, and just to add, just because, look, this stuff needs preaching, because I think people don't always think about this stuff, and sorry to embarrass you here, ladies, but just to add to that, do you think it's no longer an abomination when you get into bed? A pyjama is not abomination. Pyjama, trouser, bottoms, where you're dressing in what your husband or whatever else would also wear to bed. Sorry, it all bets off now, because you're under the covers, and you're not, like a lot of the time, right, because you're still getting in the bed, getting out of bed, and everything else. It's the same thing, but they're so cozy, they're so comfy. Okay, well, what if what if nighties are cozy and comfy? What about I wear a nightie to bed? You're going to call me a queer. Too right. So what's the difference? Yet, how many women will go, oh no, no, because it's different now because it's pyjama? Why? Why is it different? I don't understand. Why is it different? Again, if you've got an answer right on the back of a postcard, we'll have like a little comments box at the back there. The truth is there is no difference. The truth is you can get nighties, but people like to make their own rules up. But again, tell me, look, if there's something else, some other application that you can figure, please tell me, because I'm all for that. I'm all for knowing what the Word of God really says, but for me the Word of God's pretty clear there. Deuteronomy 22.5 is clear. Oh no, no, no, well that's done away, that's the Old Testament, right? Of course, yeah, well Jesus Christ, of course, when Jesus Christ gave it, he's like, yeah, let's do away with all that stuff now. Men get on your nighties. Men get on some skirts and dresses because I don't care anymore. Does anyone really believe that? He still cares. He still cares. Okay, however, like I said, you could be a modest, you can be dressing for attention, for sexual attention without cross-dressing, can't you? Okay, look, short skirts, dresses, short dresses, low-cut tops, figure-hugging outfits, as much flesh as possible that you could just about get away with on show. It's all the same, isn't it? It's still immodest, it's still dressing for attention, it's not shame-facedness, it's not trying to dress so people aren't staring at me in that sort of way, it's still the same thing. And you know what, it's only because the standards have got so low now in our society that people justify things they would never have justified in the past. But it's the same stuff. God wants us to get right with God. He wants us to be what? He wants us to just go, look, I just want to be, I just, I want to be the sort of lady you want me to be, ladies and men. I want to be the sort of men you want to be because, in a lesser way, men can behave in the same way. The skin-tight tops, where they're kind of like, you literally have to peel them off to get them off, right? Why? Why dress like that? Is that really comfortable or is it because I want to show the guns? I want to show the pecs. Men dress like that. Let's be honest, it's a bit queer, isn't it? It's a bit queer. It wasn't that long ago that people would have looked at men dressed like that, like they dress at the gym, and like they dress around now, and gone, that's a queer. He's got a skin-tight top on. He's got little short shorts on. But men do that stuff, don't they? The vests, where like, there used to be vests where they were just kind of normal fitted vests. Now you see these guys with vests where if you were on the side of them you could just see their whole like body. It's just weird, isn't it? Looks a bit queer, doesn't it? Does God want men dressing like queers? No. But ultimately why? Because it's not modest, is it? How their dressing is to get attention is for people to look at their bodies. They're trying to, you know, show themselves to be some sort of, you know, sculpted body and everything else. Great, you've got a sculpted body. Good on you. You don't really have to show it to all and sundry, do you? That's not modest. The skinny jeans. What's all that about? I used to coach a guy who told me he wears skinny jeans because it's the best, it's the best feature of his body. What? So he wore skin-tight jeans because he thought that like he looked really good in them and people were going, wow, what great legs. What's all that about? But that's what you see out there. But again, that wouldn't be modest either. Like I said, the short shorts do. God showed in verse 10 that how we dress is important. He does have an opinion on how we dress, doesn't he? He said, and behold there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of art. And just look, last point on that. Ladies, you don't want God to look down and go, you're in the attire of an harlot, do you? And I know this could be really uncomfortable if we had some new people walk in during this. We haven't today, okay. So the timings be good for that. But look, some people, they just come from, you know, they don't even know about this. They hear this stuff because people aren't preaching this stuff, are they? So there's a lot of so-called Christians out there that don't even have a clue about this stuff, do they? Or at least claim not to. But women, you don't want to be like that, okay. And also just on that, we don't have respect unto the guy with expensive clothing over the guy with cheap clothes. I think we see that in the book of James. Look, the reality with, look, how we dress is, it is often the opposite, isn't it? I don't know about you guys, and I see people in like ridiculously expensive clothing. I just think, oh god, why don't you just kind of spend that money on something else, you know, or do something more worthwhile with it. But however, flaunting your body is sinful. And wherever you are, unless it's the privacy of your own home, right, if you look, how you dress in terms of, in terms of modesty, if you're in your bedroom or something, like, you don't know, oh no, should I get changed? I don't have to hide under something. If you're in private, that's all right. But everywhere else, what ultimately is it for? Just for people to see you, isn't it? So it does matter. It shows the heart, doesn't it? How we dress does show the heart. However, just on the flip side, it's no good just getting all your clothing, right, and you're having a wicked heart as well, okay. It should be both. But this woman has the attire of an harlot and she's subtle of heart. Now subtle here is sly, artful, cunning, crafty, insinuating, okay. She's basically just full of guile, okay. Scheming would be another word for her, okay. She's scheming, she's subtle of heart, she's constantly kind of planning ahead and plotting and planning, scheming. She's full of manipulation. She'll manipulate as well. It says in verse 11, she is loud and stubborn. Her feet abide not in her house. Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner. So is being a loud and stubborn woman a good thing? Anyone think that's a good thing? She's just, this is the woman with the attire of an harlot called the strange woman is loud and stubborn. Yet there are a lot of loud and stubborn women around, aren't there? And there are a lot of loud and stubborn women around that seem to be proud of how loud and stubborn they are. It's not a good thing. It's not good being loud and stubborn. Turn to 1 Peter 3 to see the qualities that God wants women to aspire to. He doesn't want them to be loud and attention-seeking, not needing everyone to hear what they've got to say. You know, like people are like that sometimes, where you see, you know, they're talking and then someone walks past and they raise their voice. They want to be the centre of attention and stuff, okay. He doesn't want anyone like that, but he especially doesn't want women like that. Not needing all of the attention in a group setting. You get those sorts of women that just, it's like they're holding court all the time, you know. Every time they, he's just trying to get everyone around them and they always have to be the one talking to everyone at once, yeah. He doesn't want women like that. He said in 1 Peter 3 and verse 1, Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. Now, by the way, that sounds like the opposite of stubborn, doesn't it? If you're able to be in subjection to your husband, that to me is someone that's then able to yield, okay. That's not stubborn, at least in that instance while they're in subjection. He said that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives. So whether they're unsaved or maybe it's talking about saved and carnal, but I think probably unsaved, they're still to be in subjection to them. So wives, you should still be in subjection, even if you had an unsaved husband, God tells you to be in subjection. Now, I do believe that when we cross-reference it with, for example, in Ephesians 5, he does, or maybe it's in Colossians where he says, in the Lord, okay. So wives submit unto your own husbands in the Lord, for this is right. Now, here's the thing, is that whether it's, look, aside from that, and there's a lot of things that just in the Lord, that in the Lord just means as long as it's not telling you to sin, telling you to do something wicked. So all you wives out there who have saved men of God, saved men of God that are at least trying to live for God, to some degree, you lucky so-and-sos. Really, how lucky, you should thank, you should thank your, thank God, right. Go, wow, how blessed am I that I'm meant to submit to my husband in all things, I've got saved, I believe that the word of God is the word of God, I'm being told to be in subjection to my own husbands, even those that obey not the word, and I've got a saved guy that wants to obey the word. What a blessing, right, because you could be in subjection to much worse, couldn't you. He said, be in subjection to your own husbands, if any obey not the word, they may also without the word be won by the conversation of the wives. Talk about the behaviour of the wives here. He said, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with this. That's what he explained, he expects chaste behaviour, not impure, not sort of, not the behaviour of an harlot basically, who's adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, and the adorning being what beautifies you. He's not saying don't put on apparel, okay. Okay, he's not saying don't plait the hair, he's not saying you can't wear any jewellery, he's saying don't let that be what beautifies you. That shouldn't be your adorning, it shouldn't be an outward adorning, but let it be the hidden man of the heart. In that which is not corrupt will even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God, of great price. He's saying that what beautifies you shouldn't be the outward stuff, but it's what's on the inside. However, what's on the inside should then be apparent by the way you behave. The meek and quiet spirit, which is nice if you have it, and we are talking about a genuine one here, not in the sight of men only, a genuine meek and quiet spirit is of great price. That's how God wants women to be. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also trusting God adorned themselves being a subjection unto 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. And by the way, that was Sarah who was forced to pretend that she was just Abraham's sister only. Just by the way in case you go, well she had Abraham, the father of the faith, the great, yeah Abraham was a great man of God, right? Abraham still messed up. Abraham still did some wicked things, like pretending that she was just his sister and basically allowing her to be taken off into the home of Pharaoh and Abimelech of the Philistines etc, but she still called him Lord. She still obeyed him. And there should be a distinction between a godly woman with a meek or humble, you could say, and quiet spirit and a loud, stubborn, rebellious, strange woman, shouldn't there? There should be an obvious distinction when it comes to women of God and the rebellious, strange woman. It said she is loud and stubborn in verse 11 of Proverbs 7, her feet abide not in her house. Now what does it mean that her feet abide not in her house? So instead of just doing what God wants her to do, you have to turn there Titus 2.5 says to be discreet, chaste keepers at home. That's God's design for women. Good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed. That's what they should be. Instead she's rarely at home. She's rarely at home. Instead she's out and about getting attention, spending money, loitering at the gym, at the coffee shop, doing the meerkat walk down the road. Any vans looking at me? If you drive that white minibus, you drive past just 50-60% of females walking around and suddenly it's like this, it's like, van! That's how half these women behave. It's like, it's a van, that person must, therefore let's see if I can get validation the way I'm, you know, the way I'm dressed or something else. How sad is that really? How sad is that? That there are all these women all over this nation that seem to think that they're being validated by blokes in vans eyeing them up. And if you see, if you ever like sit at traffic lights and watch these guys in vans, hello how about a thing? Anything with, not even a skirt, well not a skirt. Most of them aren't wearing a skirt, but any female walks past them, like this, he's some of those guys. It's terrible. I'm not saying every van driver by the way, any of you guys. But I'm saying that you do see that a lot, don't you? Okay, sometimes interesting to watch you like, you just say, I wonder like if that guy's going to, and he's like, what are you doing man? It's embarrassing. But that's what these women want, don't they? They're like, oh yeah, have I been stared at? Have I been looked at? And they're the sorts of women that are out everywhere but home, aren't they? Everywhere but home. It just amazes me, like especially when it comes to a wife. I don't, I mean it doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day for what a lot of women have to do in, you know, to especially, you know, a lady with kids. It's hard, right? It's a hard day when you talk about, unless they've got, you know, the butlers in the house, but if you go from cooking, to trying to raise the kids, to cleaning a home, to providing, you know, what your husband's needs, you know, the washing, the clothes, the food and everything else, how are half these women just wandering around doing not much else? Because they're not doing what God wants them to do, they're not keepers at home. Her feet abide not in her house. Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in weight at every corner. How could she be at every corner? Because these types of women are everywhere, basically. Because there's so many of them around. The strange woman is everywhere. She lieth in weight at every corner. They lie in weight like the predators that they are. And look, there are, look, honestly, there are women out there who are predators. Okay, they behave like predators. They're lying in weight. They're trying to basically drag people down in one way or another, trying to almost physically pounce on men. There are some wicked women out there. It says, so she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, the kiss by the way is a greeting at this point, okay, it's just a kiss of greeting. Impudent is shameless, okay, bold with contempt of others. She's just got this boldness and everything that she's not shame-facing. Yeah, she's not, she doesn't behave how God wants women to behave. She's not modest. She's shameless. She's bold with contempt. She says, I have peace offerings with me. This day have I paid my vows. Now, I think, and I'd be interested if anyone's got any opinions on this, I think the peace offerings being sometimes offered to pay a vow, I think she's saying, I think she might be saying she's got left over food. She says she has them with her, but this day have I paid my vows. Or maybe she's also saying that she's right with God. But she's basically just trying to entice him in one way or another. You go, what sort of woman? Because I think in your mind you just think, you know, it must just be a, you know, this kind of attractive harler, you know, he's already gone that way. Well, no, look at the time, look at these women, they're just, they're just trying to entice him one way or another. They're trying anything, you know. They're some bold-faced and they're not always, they're not always, you know, the kind of the Hollywood style good looks that, you know, the world would describe at least. Here she's trying her utmost. It says, therefore came I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face and I have found thee. So it's flattery, isn't it? She's saying that he was who she was looking for. And there are women out there like that, aren't there? You're just, you're, I've always wanted, oh you're so funny, oh, oh just amazing, I always wanted a guy like this. This is basically what she's saying, diligently to seek thy face and I have found thee. I've decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I've perfumed my bed with myrrh aloes of cinnamon. Come let us take our fill of love until the morning let us solace ourselves with love. So she's trying to entice him, okay. She's basically just trying any which way to tempt him to say, oh look, I've even got this amazing bed. I mean, what on earth, right? Look, you know, look at the coverings of tapestry, the carved works of fine linen. Just anything she can, okay. She's, basically she's unscrupulous. Solace is to comfort or console during some sort of grief. So it's kind of like she's saying, oh poor, you know, poor you, you know, you deserve this or maybe poor me. Poor me, my husband's just never around, you know, it's that sort of thing. Poor me, you know, like this, you know, and these women are out there. It's sort of like, it's not their fault, it's because the husband didn't give her the love that she needed. That was it. He just didn't understand her needs. He just didn't, you know, you fill in the blank. That's why she was perfectly justified to go out and and try and find someone to entice him in like that. Because that's how a lot of the time it's painted, isn't it? You know, these sort of no-fault divorce ones or even before when it was a fault it would be something along the lines of, you know, he wanted me to clean the house. What on earth? Guy's going out to work every day. Of course he wanted you to clean the house. But it's kind of almost like he didn't just basically bow down like a dog before me and therefore I need to solace myself. And there are a lot of women out there like that, sadly. Now, she said, for the Goodman is not at home. He has gone a long journey. He has taken a bag of money with him and will come at the day appointed. Now, Goodman is a man of the house and for me it's likely her husband. It could be her father, okay, it's a man of the house. But for me it's her husband. He said he's not at home, he has gone a long journey. And I think she's probably still playing the sob story here, okay. Oh, he's gone a long journey, he's taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed. So basically she's also pointed out he definitely won't be turning up unannounced. There is an appointed day when he's come back. But he's gone, he's on a long journey, he's taken the money. Like I said, they often claim victim status, hard done by, etc. And why is that as well? Because I think for the guy, kind of then committing adultery is kind of not quite as much of a big deal now. Because it's like, well, it's his own fault. So they don't feel quite as out of order, I think, is the idea. She's trying to make out like she's a victim and everything else and he's going to come and help her out. With a much fair speech she caused him to yield. With the flattering of her lips she forced him. The power of flattery. Stroking his ego, okay, it forced him. It did say forced him, didn't it, as well? Okay, she forced him through that. And the power of words, the power of flattery, the power of saying the right things to people. Words are so, so effective, aren't they? There was much fair speech that caused him to yield to do something so foolish, because it was so foolish what this youth does. And what Solomon is warning of us in this story is for me the varying tactics. So the claim of godliness, possibly, the kind of enticing, the flattery, she was looking for him, he's the one, they need to comfort themselves, pour her the victim to relieve his conscience, and how it's all done with her mouth. The words, the flattery. And I think that's what he's saying here, isn't he? He's just giving us, in a small story here, just a load of different tactics to watch out for. The result, he goeth after a straight way as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Now why for his life? Well, the obvious point is that he's committed adultery with another man's wife. Leviticus, chapter 10 of 2010, says, and the man that commits adultery with another man's wife, even he that commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death. So that's the obvious point, right? Okay, and too right. However, it's also, I think, a metaphor where it's a trap. She entices you in and the result is destruction, whether it's physically, emotionally, spiritually, or all three. Okay, that's the goal here. He said, harken unto me now, therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, though not astray in her paths. So again he's saying, keep away, don't let your heart sink to those depths, keep well away from her paths. And let me just tell you quickly where her paths also are. So in case you go, okay, well I get it, you know, keep away in the workplace, you've got that sort of woman, or you know, the old friend or whatever else, nightlife. Nightlife is another place where these women are all over the place. And when I say nightlife, you know, well, we don't drink. Well, it said in verse 9, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. That's when she's out, that's when she's waiting to pounce on him. And of course, you know, pubs, bars, clubs, just town centres at night, they're not a place for men and women of God to be, okay. You just want to avoid them as much as you possibly can. I know sometimes for those on public transport it can be hard, you know, sometimes you've got to change a place like that, but you just want to keep away from these types of people, honestly. And you go, well, yeah, I'm not going to be enticed by this sort of thing. Look, you need to be careful, right, okay, because you might think you're not going to fall, but we are warned to take heed, okay. If you think you stand, take heed, lest you fall, okay. And because the thing is, is maybe many here haven't had a literal strange woman all over them like that, with the flattery, with the enticing, with the just, like, they've set them in their sights and they're doing their utmost to get them into that trap. But women like that do exist, and you could be a victim in the future like that, and you don't want to test how, basically how much resolve you have, because a lot of men, it says here, we're going to see in a minute, she's cast down many wounded, yet many strong men have been slain by her. By all those tactics, the flattery, the charm, the manipulation, the pressing, the pressing, the pressing, just constant, the enticement, everything else, and there are women that will do that. Like, completely shamefaced, like with, sorry, without the shame, the shame in their face, unashamed, just, will just literally just press and press and press and press to get what they want. And that's why you need to be nowhere near that. You're thinking, oh yeah, well of course I'm not going to hang around, you know, I wouldn't even talk to that sort of, yeah, but once they're on you, that's when men find that really hard. And if you think, well yeah, this seems like a strange, just keep away, get away, you don't even want to test yourself, because men can be weak to this, yeah. That's why, this is why Solomon is warning us time and time and time again in the Book of Wisdom, in the first seven chapters, strange women, strange women, strange women. Don't fall, strange women, don't fall, strange women. Yet how many men fall to strange women? Ruin their lives, destroy their lives, either committing adultery, whether they're married or she's married, or just destroy their lives, just chasing after that sort of woman, just, you know, whether they've got, end up with children with a woman like that, but they can't even, you know, the relationship would never work, they'd go and get married, the whole thing's just a mess, it's, look, so much, so much grief comes from this sort of thing, and it destroys lives and affects you being able to live for God. He said, hearken unto me now, therefore, O ye children, attend to the words of my mouth, let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her path. So keep away, keep well away from her paths, that's what we saw. Then, like I said, the night life's a big one. Alcohol, obviously, okay, and we could obviously preach whole sermons just on alcohol alone. If you're drinking, you're a fool. You are foolish, because what does Proverbs 22 33 say? Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Wine is a jock, is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. If you're deceived by alcohol, you think that, oh yeah, well it's all right, just a little bit, well it's just a bit of social drinking. It is a bit of social drinking evening, because we're very cultured and we've just got to sit there and have a couple of halves or something else. Look, you're an idiot. You're an absolute idiot, and you know what, you're much more likely to get snared by the strange woman, because that's where they hang around. Hang around looking for idiots who think that alcohol isn't a problem. Idiots that want to justify the poison of asps. Look, you want to keep away from that stuff, okay? Now, they're at every corner though. How do we avoid them? Well, the giveaway, one of the giveaways, is the attire, isn't it? The clothing. That's one of the big giveaways. And just think about this for a second. Men, would you want your wife or your future wife dressing in the attire of an harlot? I think most men think, no way. So why would you, single men, seek after women that dress in the attire of an harlot? Do you think you're just going to suddenly say, oh we're married now, she's going to start dressing like a whore? No. But so many men end up seeking after these types of women. However, we're told, let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not a strain upon her. Keep away from her. Keep away from those types of women. The big giveaway is the attire of an harlot and the flattery. For she hath cast down many wounded, yea many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is away to hell, going down to the chambers of death. These women will destroy men. Keep them from God. Lead them down a wicked path. Proverbs 5.5 said her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on hell. We've already seen something very similar. She's wicked, okay. She's only going one place and she wants to take as many down with her there. That type of woman. She's just a different flavour of false profit. We saw a flavour today, Guy Fawkes, another flavour of psycho, of rep bait. This is just another flavour, that's what we're seeing. Her goal is to just pull people down to hell one way or another. Her goal is to do the work of the devil, her goal is to stop the work of God. And do you know what she wants to do with you Christian men? Destroy your walk with God and prevent you from getting others saved. That's what she wants to do. Distract you, pull you away, pull you away from the things of God, pull you out of church, pull you away from living for God, and what will that ultimately achieve? Less people saved. Do you know what she wants to do with you Christian women? Destroy your walk with God and prevent you getting other people saved. Get you to behave more like this. Find a way of getting to you, of pulling you out of church, of finding a way to distract you, of finding a way to weaken you, to slander the things of God and everything else. That's what these women do. And she's a very real, a very common threat. That's why we're seeing it time and time again in the Book of Proverbs. And that's why I said in verse 26, for she had cast down many wounded. Yea, many strong men have been slain by her. No matter how strong you are, she slays them. Her house is a way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. And like I said, that's another warning in the Book of Proverbs about wicked people and another warning about the strange woman. And just to remind you again, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is a way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. Yea, you ain't going to lose your salvation, but she'll pull unsaved people down there. She'll stop people getting saved because she's pulled you down to her house. Because she's destroyed your Christian life. She's destroyed you doing the things of God. And what does he warn us sometimes? Just keep away from her. Keep away. Get them out of your life. She might get offended. So what? But it's an old friend. So what? You go, oh yeah, well she's not on my case right now. She's an old friend from the past that now and again we just catch up. Yeah, and then when she puts it on you, like this woman's putting it on that man, you think you're strong enough? You really know you're strong enough? Because a lot of men, it seems many strong men have been slain by her. What's the answer? Just keep away. Keep as far away from you as possible. Don't even know her. Get her out of your life. And that was Proverbs 7, and that was a strange woman. And on that we're going to finish in a word of prayer. Father, thank you for your word, Lord. I thank you for the very strong warnings in that chapter of the Bible. Lord, just warning us as men especially here, just to keep away from those types of women. To be careful, to be circumspect, Lord, and not to take risks being around these sorts of predators, Lord. We're not strong enough to just think that we can just be around these sorts of women and not be at risk. Help us to just keep them out of our lives. Help us to just, you know, take heed to your warnings and help the women here as well to just be more like the godly women you want them to be. So there should be just such a clear distinction that these women stand out even more to us if the women of our church are just so clearly the sorts of women that you want them to be, Lord. It should help the strange women stick out like a sore thumb. Help us to just want to live for you, Lord, to want to take heed to your warnings, to want to serve you, Lord, and help us to get home safe and sound tonight. Help us to all get back safe and sound on Wednesday for the midweek service, if not on Sunday for another day in your house. In Jesus' name we pray all of this. Amen.