The Lord Opened Her Heart To Respond To Paul’s Message

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Job 11; Job 12; Acts 15; Acts 16

The Lord

Opened Her Heart

To Respond To Paul’s Message

Scripture

Acts 16

¹³ On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Observation

God has given us the commission of sharing the Gospel with everyone around us. In fact, He has told us that it is our job to take the Good News to the entire world. But it is God Who opens the hearts of those who respond to our message. 

We proclaim but God saves!

It is very important that we give a clear witness about Jesus Christ, but we need to always realize that it is God Who saves. 

God places people in our lives and gives them opportunities to share the Gospel with us. When we share the Gospel we don’t necessarily get to the see immediate results. It may take the person hearing the message several more times from several other people before they say “Yes” to Jesus. 

Here are some good questions to ask to find out where someone is at in his/her spiritual journey:

1. What is your relationship with Jesus?
2. If you were to die today where would you spend eternity?
3. If you were at Heaven’s gate and God asked you, “Why should I let you into my Heaven?” What would you say to Him? 

Sharing the Gospel also involves listening to what the person says when you and I ask them questions. It is so important to depend on the Holy Spirit and be sensitive to His guidance as you and I share. We can pick up on whether the person is open or not and whether to continue to share or whether it is time to stop talking. It is very easy for me to keep going on and on even though the person has quit listening.  

Application

I will look for opportunities this week to share the Gospel.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to communicate the Good News about Jesus better and clearer every time I have the opportunity to be a witness. I pray for the people around me. I pray for my family, my friends, and my neighbors. I pray that as I have the opportunity share Jesus with them that You would open their hearts to respond to the message of salvation. 

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