Abigail: Becoming a Woman of Understanding

By Yonnie Fowler

Life makes sense only when we realize that through our trials and tribulations, God is trying to shape us into the likeness of his Son, Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512797701

Yonnie Fowler

Yonnie Fowler was born in Jackson, Michigan, where she still resides with her husband Billy whom she married in 1971. They have one son and two daughters and are enjoying the addition to the family of grandchildren. She attends Second Missionary Baptist Church, and is a graduate of Covington Theological Seminary.

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Copyright © 2017 Yonnie Fowler.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-9771-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9770-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017911922

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/31/2017

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

Copyright © 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016

Scriptures and additional materials quoted are from the Good News Bible © 1994 published by the Bible Societies/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd UK, Good News Bible© American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976, 1992. Used with permission.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

To God and to my Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. I thank my beloved companion, God’s precious Holy Spirit, for inspiration and guidance throughout the writing of this book and beforehand as He shared with me 2 Peter 1:5–7, my guideline for spiritual growth.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1:   Understanding Faith

Chapter 2:   Understanding Goodness

Chapter 3:   Understanding Knowledge

Chapter 4:   Understanding Self-Control

Chapter 5:   Understanding Patience

Chapter 6:   Understanding Devotion to God

Chapter 7:   Understanding Concern for Others

Chapter 8:   Understanding Love

Bibliography

About the Author

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my husband, Billy R. Fowler, and my family for encouraging me to write this book. To the women of Second Missionary Baptist Church of Jackson, Michigan, I would like to thank you for diligently attending the numerous Bible study classes where you allowed me to pour out my thoughts on this subject. To Covington Theological Seminary, I thank you for preparing me to push toward this goal.

Introduction

In 1 Samuel 25 (KJV), Abigail is noted as being a woman of good understanding. She is referred to as Abigail the Carmelitees, Nabal’s widow (1 Samuel 27:3 NKJV). Abigail’s husband, Nabal, was a wealthy sheep master. Nabal was a hot-tempered, drunken man who was rude and evil in his doings, and he was so mean that no one could reason with him. When David was hiding from the jealous King Saul, he sent ten men to Nabal for food for himself and his men. Nabal blatantly refused. David, who had protected people in the area from bands of robbers, was so angered by Nabal’s refusal that he had determined to kill Nabal and every male in his household.

Abigail realized the danger threatening her family because of Nabal’s stupidity; in her wisdom, she gathered enough food for David’s men. Taking two hundred loaves of bread, two bottles of wine, five sheep already dressed, one and a half bushels of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, she loaded them on donkeys and rode out to meet David. Bowing before him to show her respect, she apologized for her husband’s behavior. By quickly agreeing with David that Nabal had acted with great disrespect, she soothed David’s anger.

When Abigail returned home, she found a great feast in progress. Oblivious to his narrow brush with death, Nabal’s heart was merry, for he was very drunk. Abigail waited until the next morning to tell him of the destruction and death that he almost brought upon his household. Nabal’s heart died within him, and he became like a stone (1 Samuel 25:37 NKJV). Nabal died ten days later, apparently from the shock of discovering his near brush with death.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he proposed to Abigail. Abigail’s understanding saved her family, and it caught the heart of David so that he provided her with his love and protection. She later became one of his wives.

Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, neither let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches; but let him who boast, boast of this, that he understands and knows Me. (Jeremiah 9:23–24 ESV)

CHAPTER 1

Understanding Faith

One night, God revealed to me in a dream seven steps that I would need for my spiritual walk with Christ. I was awakened after each step, although at the time, I had not grown enough in my walk with the Lord to know that I should always keep a pencil and a pad of paper on my nightstand to write down thoughts that God shares with me throughout the night. When I awoke in the morning, I remembered the dream but not the important details that were to be written down and used for my spiritual growth. God, in His kindness and mercy and knowing my frailty, showed me in the Bible a year later the seven steps that He had revealed to me