-July 11, 2023-
Good morning, happy Tuesday,
“Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ So she persuaded us.”
(Acts 16:14-15).
Paul met many people, men and women in his missionary travels. When anyone receives Christ, they are saved by grace through faith. It is noteworthy that wherever the gospel has been preached it has elevated the status of women. Lydia was the first convert to Christ in Europe. It was a tremendous privilege and blessing for her.
Lydia was a business lady, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, Thyatira was one of the Seven Churches in Revelation chapters 2-3. They used purple dye to make garments and other things. She was most likely single, for no husband or children are mentioned. When the Scripture uses the term household it may refer to the servants she had working for her.
She was a religious woman who worshipped God. She attended a prayer gathering of women there in Philippi. Paul shared the gospel with her and the other women. The Lord opened her heart to respond to the gospel and she was marvelously saved. She left religion behind her religion and had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Her life was changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
The first thing she did as a believer in Jesus was to invite Paul and his companions over to stay at her home. Like Peter’s mother-in-law who was healed of her high fever, and served the Lord right after, so did Lydia. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. It says, “She persuaded us.” She and her whole household were saved and baptized.
It is not enough for a person to be religious, do good works, or attend church. One must confess their sins, repent of them, believe that Jesus died for their sins, and believe in Him as Lord and Savior. Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” He also said in Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
After Paul and Silas were released from prison for preaching the gospel to a servant girl who was a fortune teller who had brought great gain to her masters, they once again stayed at Lydia’s house and encouraged the brethren before departing.
Have you received Jesus Christ as Lydia did? If not, why not today. God desires everyone to be saved, men and women. The key is making a personal choice to receive Jesus as personal Savior. It goes far beyond religion.
Have a blessed day walking with Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.
Having a personal Savior leading to a personal relationship with Jesus,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 