As Jesus Christ prepared to send the disciples for the first time throughout Israel with His message, He included in their instructions this admonition: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8). This six-word summary of grace explains the financial policy of the publications and audio ministries of Basic Training. All audio materials and publications are provided without charge to anyone who requests them. For a catalog of available materials write: P. O. Box 21773 Hot Springs, AR 71903 www.basictraining.org “Endure hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3) Scripture quotations from the New American Standard Bible, © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1995 by Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Wherever a portion of Scripture is emphasized, it is presented in bold print by the author. © 2016, 2019 by Nancy Cunningham Updated 2019 Printed in the United States of America. 3rd Printing. Material in this publication may be reproduced without permission from the author so long as the material is distributed without charge and the source is noted. Please include the Basic Training Bible Ministries address with distributed material. If you are interested in translating this book into another language, please contact Basic Training Bible Ministries. Cover design by Benjamin Phenicie. An excellent wife, WHO CAN FIND? FOR her worth IS FAR ABOVE jewels. THE HEART OF her husband TRUSTS IN HER, AND he will have NO LACK OF gain. PROVERBS 31:10–11 For Abba’s little sunflower Acknowledgements My first thank you goes to my husband, Gene. The first time I heard Proverbs 31 taught was while he was pastoring Harlan Park Bible Church in Conway, Arkansas. He is the one who first made these ancient concepts come alive to me, and much of what I have shared in this book I learned sitting in the pews of the church. He not only led me to Christ, but has been my faithful and true spiritual leader for the past 42 years! Next, I want to thank Sabine Badart, my good friend and sister-in-Christ. When we were living in Perth, Australia, Sabine opened her home to ladies’ Bible studies each Tuesday night. It was at that time that I delved into the study of Proverbs 31 for myself, and first taught it to my friends at Cross Road Bible Church. Finally, I would like to thank Sharon Curcio and Claudia Dideum for their fine editing work. They put up with so much, and do it all with a smile on their faces and love in their hearts. What jewels you both are! My heart is encouraged by my dear daughter, Katie and by my beautiful daughters-in-law, Erica, Kristy, and Amy. I am so thankful that God has brought each of you into my life, and that you are loving your husbands and children with the love of Christ. May the ways, words, and works of our Lord continue to be vibrant in your lives, and may you be faithful to pass them on to the next generation. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .......................................................... xi LESSON ONE: Prosperity ..................................................... 1 LESSON TWO: Refuge ................................................. 11 LESSON THREE: Growth ............................................... 29 LESSON FOUR: Viewpoint ................................................... 45 LESSON FIVE: Stability ............................................... 57 LESSON SIX: Courage .................................................. 63 LESSON SEVEN: Vigilance ........................................... 73 LESSON EIGHT: Relationship ...................................... 87 LESSON NINE: Abiding ................................................ 103 LESSON TEN: Compassion ............................................ 113 LESSON ELEVEN: Enthusiasm ...................................... 127 LESSON TWELVE: Refreshment ................................... 137 LESSON THIRTEEN: Submission ................................... 145 LESSON FOURTEEN: Power .......................................... 157 LESSON FIFTEEN: Love ............................................... 169 LESSON SIXTEEN: Wisdom .......................................... 181 LESSON SEVENTEEN: Harvest .................................... 193 LESSON EIGHTEEN: Praise .......................................... 205 LESSON NINETEEN: Fear of the Lord ......................... 219 LESSON TWENTY: Eternal Fruit ................................. 227 vii Before you begin any study of the Word of God, take a few moments to make sure that you are in fellowship with God, filled by means of the Holy Spirit. Comprehension, like everything else in the Christian life, is a gift that can be appropriated only by faith. The Bible clearly lays out three requirements that must be met before we can expect to understand God's Word. All three require nothing from us but faith. 1. We must be believers in Jesus Christ (John 3:16). It is impossible for unbelievers to understand the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). Jesus declared to the leading religious leader of His day that apart from spiritual birth man is blind to the things of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ... You must be born again” (John 3:6). 2. We must be filled by means of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12). Only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. As believers we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but when we sin, we break fellowship with God and cease to function in the power of the Spirit. When we confess our sins, God is always faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The moment we confess, we are restored to fellowship and are again under the control of the Holy Spirit and, therefore, able to learn. 3. We must approach in faith (Hebrews 11:6). Only when we approach in humility, with child- like faith, will the Word of God make sense to us (Matthew 18:4; Hebrews 11:3). Where we find Scripture at odds with our ideas or our desires, we must submit to the authority of the Word. Intimacy, understanding, and power are reserved for those who are willing to do God's will (John 7:17). viii Preface I have always loved Proverbs 31. The words, the concepts, and the geographic and historical context of these verses are thousands of years old. Yet, they stand before us today with truths that transcend languages, cultures, and centuries to reach the hearts of women hungry to know God. When I read Proverbs 31, my mind wanders back to wells in the desert, women in woven robes, and tents of goat's hair. I think of little children playing in the red dirt as camel-caravans travel by and women tend their household fires. I think of ancient people who lived in a world so far from our own and, yet, struggled with the same life issues that we struggle with today. The God who created these women of old is the same God who created you and me. The God who cared for these women is the same God who cares for you and me. And the God who imparted the truths of Proverbs 31 to these women of old is the same God who imparts these truths to you and me. Cultures and people change, but our Lord and Savior does not. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. His truth stands! The first time I heard Proverbs 31 taught, I was a young wife and mother of five growing children. Each and every day challenged me to reach above the mundane pile of dirty clothes and dishes in order to bring the spiritual aspect of life into the physical running of a home. I wanted to raise my family with the love of Jesus Christ. My striving was often met with failure and disappointment; yet the principles of Proverbs 31 called me to keep pursuing—by faith—a virtue and honor that could only come from my Savior! Now, as an older woman, with the blessing of grown children and growing grandchildren, I desire to share the truths that have molded my life with those younger in the Lord. At this point, I feel I should be wiser. I should have more spiritual jewels to share and more advice to give. But I present to you what God has taught me over the years with the prayer that you might rejoice in the true value of your life in Christ—and serve Him with all your heart! ix Introduction At the time of this writing, I am sitting in a small corner room of a bamboo house high in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. Here in Numba village, the sounds of a simple life fill the air and filter through the thin walls around us. We wake to the sound of the rooster crowing before dawn, the cry of hungry babies waking from sleep, and the clang of machetes splitting wood for the morning fire. Soon the village is filled with the happy chatter of children and the muffled talk of family members beginning the day’s activities. But today, there is something extra in the air. Next door to us, a large family gathering is taking place to commemorate a special event. A man and woman have been joined together in marriage—an occasion that not only unites two people, but two families and two villages. Here in Numba, when a woman marries a man, they say “she marries the village.” But what is happening next door is not the marriage celebration but the giving of the bride-price—a practice still carried out in many cultures of the world today. This particular family has been paid 2,000 Kina (about $1,000 U.S. dollars) in return for their daughter, who will be a lovely and fitting bride for the man. It is a price that takes the whole family many years to earn, save, and deliver. And so, there is celebration and fellowship over the fulfillment of a promise and the union of two parties. I have often been filled with wonder and hope by the verses in Scripture that speak of our eternal wedding day when we will be forever joined in perfect union with our heavenly Husband—the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:6–9).