In this episode, we are chatting about Delilah!

All sorts of images and pictures may be popping in your brain about her from what you've learned of her through the years. Us, too. Things like: she was a bad temptress who manipulated Sampson to his demise. That's true.

But let's not let that be all we know. Let's take a curious look at who she was and what she did and see what God wants to teach us through her relationship with Samson and her life found in Judges 16.

She is a lot like me.
Who God was to her, he is to you and me.

Who was she? Delilah:
1. was open to the highest bidder
2. nagged and manipulated
3. pushed until she got what she wanted

Whew. Ouch.

Who was God to her?
God's absence was the lesson as she could have chosen to follow him and encourage Samson in his calling. Instead, she disregarded God and with strong self-reliance discouraged Samson leading to his capture and getting his eyes gouged out. Despite her actions, God's purpose for Samson to "rescue" the Israelites happened with he brought the temple down killing himself and 3,000 Philistines.

I was actually surprised at where our conversation went. It was so good!
Just look at these chapter titles (click chapter tab above for links):

0:06 Exploring Delilah's Story and Impact

7:08 Delilah's Influence on Samson

16:04 Relationships and Self-Serving Motivations

23:00 Delilah's Manipulation and Samson's Game

28:14 The Power of Nagging in Relationships

33:43 Freedom Through Surrender and Humility

41:24 Lessons in Humility and Humiliation

53:37 God's Absence in Wasted Gifts

Praying for you friends as you listening and wrestle.
You are loved,
Amy & Jamy


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Episode 14 ~ Delilah

*See episode description in the show notes. Review Judges 16 for her story.

1. What did you learn for the first time about Delilah? What surprised you about her?

2. Talking about Samson, Judges 16:4 says “after this he loved a woman…named Delilah.” What are some of the things about Samson’s story and character that contributed to what we learn about Delilah?

3. Do you think Delilah was greedy or desperate? Why?

4. What lessons can we learn about seduction from Delilah’s story?

5. Read the description of Delilah’s actions in Judges 16:16; what does the word “press” mean? How does this tendency to nag or press negatively affect your relationships?

6. Delilah’s nagging was with her daily words. What changes might God be asking you to make in your words?

7. Review the three descriptions from the podcast and discuss which one resonates the most with you. Delilah:

· Was open to the highest bidder.

· Nagged and manipulated.

· Pushed until she got what she wanted.

8. Read Proverbs 31:11, Proverbs 22:1, Proverbs 14:1, and 2 Corinthians 12:10. What do these verses teach about what you are building?

9. God used the humiliation that Delilah inflicted on Samson to bring necessary humility. Where are some places that you can entrust humiliation you’ve endured to the Lord and allow Him to use it for godly humility?

10. “She is us. Who God is to her, He is to me.” This is the primary question we seek to answer with each ch

On this episode, we are actually swinging to the opposite extreme from last episode's (12) conversation about the Proverbs 31 Women. Basically, for every wonderful thing that describes that women of wisdom, this month's woman is the exact opposite to an evil and murderous degree. Such extremes.

Today, we are talking about JEZEBEL.

She is not someone we want sitting at our table. She would not fit into our beautiful community of broken yet redeemed women. Although she was definitely broken, she never accepted the truth of God and his redemption. To her bitter end, she was plotting, prideful, vengeful, and contemptuous. She is everything we don't want to be.

So why talk about her? Well, there are still many things to learn from her defiance and disobedience:
- how pride can blind us to the beautiful surrender of redemption
- how idolatry defines our purpose and passion
- how our strengths can become twisted and lead us to deployable actions when used for our own selfish motives

There is much to avoid and learn from her life.

Who is she? She was:
1. driven by what her heart worshipped (Baal).
2. a fixer (at all costs).
3. stubborn.

Who was God to her?
He was the all-powerful one that she just could not accept, so much bigger than her sin and would not be manipulated or handled or out-witted, and just, dealing with her sin with justice.

Although this is a story about a really evil woman who would go to any lengths to get what she wanted, we pray that you will see how her worship determined her path and chose not to do the same.

Let's live as redeemed women.

Much love,
Amy and Jamy

SHOW NOTES:
If you would like to talk more about how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior that we mentioned in the episode, we would love to chat with you! Feel free to reach out to Amy (amyp672@gmail.com) or Jamy (jamyfisher5@gmail.com). We are praying for you!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
*See episode description in the show notes. Review I Kings 16, 18, 19, 21; 2 Kings 9 for her story.

1. What did you learn for the first time about Jezebel? What surprised you about her?

2. After listening to the podcast, how would you define worship? What did Jezebel worship?

3. What is idolatry? How do you see the struggle against idolatry in your life?

4. How do you see the need to “fix” in Jezebel’s story? Why do you think is at the core of our needs to fix things?

5. Describing Jezebel’s husband 1 Kings 21:25 says that “no one else so completely sold himself to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab under the influence of his wife Jezebel.” Review the word studies below and paraphrase the verse in your own word.

· sold here means to build, work, toil

· influence means to stir up

6. How do we use our influence to stir up the wrong things? Read Hebrews 10:24 for a reminder of what we SHOULD be stirring up.

7. Amy contrasted the Proverbs 31 Woman with Jezebel. What are the differences you see?

8. Review the three descriptions from the podcast and discuss which one resonates the most with you.

· Driven by what her heart worshipped

· A Fixer

· Stubborn

9. “She is us. Who God is to her, He is to me.” This is the primary question we seek to answer with each character study podcast. In the story of Jezebel we see a woman who refused to seek God; the warning is chilling. Who is God in this passage? What does that mean to you in your life today?

On this episode of the Car Chat Podcast, we are pulling up a seat at the table for the Proverbs 31 woman.

Um. So. What do you know about the Proverbs 31 Woman? She may have been the theme of a women's event, a book from your mentor, or a cross-stitched name on a throw pillow at your aunt's house.

But who is she?

It's easy to get overwhelmed with the list of amazing things that she does. But every action comes from a belief, a character trait, a virtue that drives her behavior. Her external actions are only the results of an internal life of dependence on and followship of Jesus. She is the picture of what wisdom looks like lived out. She is a poem and not a real person. She is the potential of WHO YOU can become.

We will see that the Proverbs 31 woman has many virtues, but we will highlight 4 in this episode:

1. dignity

2. patience

3. courage/strength

4. devotion

Our hope is that you will walk away encouraged and excited about who you can be as you hold to the truth, see life from God's perspective, and live accordingly. We can live wise lives as we attach ourselves to Jesus.

Much love,
Amy and Jamy


SHOW NOTES:

• Click HERE: The Hebrew song Eshet Chayil [Woman of Valor: Proverbs 31] with translation.“There is a widespread custom of singing Eshet Chayil [woman of valor: Prov 31] on Friday nights at home before kiddush, as a song of praise to the woman of the house.” - The Jewish Chronicle
  
  
• Click HERE: Bible Gateway ( in New English Translation) with amazing footnotes with the poem acrostic in Hebrew!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Episode 12 ~ Proverbs 31 Woman

*See episode description in the show notes. Review Proverbs 31:10-31 for her story.

1. What did you learn for the first time about the Proverbs 31 Woman? What surprised you about this lesson?
2. How did the discussion on properly interpreting proverbs change your view of the Proverbs 31 Woman?
3. Amy described wisdom as “the ability to discern what is true, what is right, and what is lasting; seeing life from God’s perspective and acting accordingly.” What does this look like in real life?
4. How do you see the Proverbs 31 Woman as an example of wisdom? Brainstorm specific ways that you can be a wise woman in your specific lives right now.
5. Review the specific actions of the Virtuous Woman and discuss what they represent. Share one that comes most easily to you and one that you struggle with most.
6. Review the four descriptions of the Proverbs 31 Woman from the podcast and discuss which one resonates the most with you.
   • Has dignity
   • Is patient
   • Is courageous and strong
   • Is devoted
7. “She is us. Who God is to her, He is to me.” This is the primary question we seek to answer with each character study podcast. It hits a bit different with the Proverbs 31 Woman. Who is God in this passage? What does that mean to you in your life today?