Express Newspaper
Finding Faith Article
By Pastor John Snyder
House of the Lord Fellowship
Saturday December 2018
Acts 16:12-18 Paul and Silas
….And we were staying in that city [Philippi] for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped 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.
Paul and Silas had been led by the Spirit of God to go to Philippi, Greece to help proclaim the gospel to the Greeks. While there, they went out to a riverside looking for people they could minister to. They came across a number of women having a prayer meeting, and they decide to preach the gospel to them. A woman named Lydia hears and receives their message, and gives her heart to the Lord. Her salvation helps bring her whole family to Jesus. Lydia’s house becomes a center for Christians to congregate, and helpful in planting the first New Testament Church in Europe.
When Paul went out looking with his companions for people to share with, they searched for people that were open, willing and receptive to God’s Word. The Bible says in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled”. Lydia was hungry for righteousness. She was hungry for truth and she was ready for salvation. Her and her friends welcomed the visit from these Jewish evangelists. Lydia wanted what Paul and Silas had, she responded with faith and zeal to their message. God supernaturally opened her heart as she said yes to Jesus because she wanted to be a believer. Lydia became a key to opening an entire continent to the Gospel because she was indeed faithful to God. Because of her faith, she helped bring revival to the world.
Today, God is looking for people that will hear His voice and turn their hearts to Him. God wants to open people’s hearts as they seek His face, as they cry out to Him, as they ask Jesus to be their Savior. God is willing and desirous to save the lost. God is looking for people like Lydia that will put their faith in Him. Luke 10:19 “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”.
May you find new life in Jesus this Christmas Season!
For those of you who know Jesus, may you find those like Lydia who are searching for truth and the real meaning of Christmas.
