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                    ||                       How beautiful on the mountains
                    ||                       are the feet of those ... who
                    ||                       proclaim salvation, who say to
                                             Zion, "Your God reigns!"
          Pastor RALPH & GENE ANN WOOD                  --Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
          E-mail:  randg.wood@encode.com
          FRESH MANNA, 20/05/1998 .......................... ACTS 16:14-15a
          {14} And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the
          city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart
          the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by
          Paul. {15} And when she was baptized ...   --ACTS 16:14-15a (ASV)
             The wind of God swept Paul's mission north to Philippi.  This
          city had no synagogue.  But, a mile out of town, by a river, as
          was a Jewish custom in pagan areas, they found women gathered on
          the Sabbath, at a "place of prayer".  No doubt, women who would
          be especially devoted to God.  Ones you might expect to be good
          candidates for responding to the good news of Jesus!
             One of them, Lydia, may have made a greater step of faith
          to be there, than even the Jewish women among them.  She would
          originally have come from the predominant pagan culture, but had
          left that heritage to become a "worshipper of God".  This was not
          unheard of.  Gentiles would tire of the idolatry and immorality
          of paganism; and be attracted to the one true God of the Jews--
          to their high morality, lifestyle, and ethical standards.
             Lydia was "a seller of purple".  Her home city, Thyatira, was
          famous for its purple dye, and purple-dyed goods.  This dye was
          expensive.  Lydia dealt in only the best.  In her spiritual life,
          she sought the best-- the God of Israel.  It was consistent with
          her character then, to respond to the gospel of Israel's Messiah!
             Yet even with all this good background, it was not because of
          her character, commitment to God, or prayer group that Lydia
          believed what Paul said.  It was because -God- opened her heart!
             No doubt we all know people whose characters, backgrounds and
          friendships seem to make them good prospects as Christians.  Good
          people, serious seekers, earnest to do what is right.  And yet we
          can't just get them to listen to the gospel, nor convince them to
          believe in Jesus as Saviour or accept Him as Lord of their lives.
          That's the point!  Only God can open their hearts!  Sometimes He
          acts by His own sovereign initiative, as in Lydia's case, and we
          have a happy surprise.  But sometimes He waits for us to pray and
          -ask- him to.  At any rate, it doesn't depend on us; it depends
          entirely on Him!  Therefore, let us all pray, and ask God to open
          people's hearts, people in -all- our mission fields, to hear, and
          respond to our message.  And -then- we start witnessing!  --RLW
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