consider a person who found her life greatly used of the Holy Spirit. There is a wonderful passage con cerning Lydia in Acts 16:6-15. Her testimony is one of glorious re demption and salvation. She was in business and came to know Christ in an intimate manner. It is always fascinating to see how the Lord works in the human heart and then to see the spiritual maturity which should follow. The case of Lydia gives us an excellent example of divine direction on the mission field. On their second missionary jour ney, Paul and Silas added Timothy to their party at Lystra. They preached throughout the areas of Phrygia and Galatia. When the Holy Spirit did not allow them to continue preaching the Word in that particular area (vs. 6), they were directed to Europe. They re ceived a vision of the Macedonian who called out for help. Paul was not disobedient to that heavenly calling. Romans, but probably no Greeks, on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, had heard the Gos pel at that time. With Luke, the faithful recording physician, the party set sail for the continent. Philippi, a Roman colony in Greece, was inland. It had a fortress with a Roman garrison. As a Roman cit izen Paul would have certain rights there (vs. 37). This community has the distinction of being the first city in Europe in which the Gospel was preached by Paul to the Gen tiles. When they arrived in Philippi there was no one to welcome them, nor was there any indication that there were those who were eager to receive their message. While the call may be real, and the need very great, yet there must be much la
bor before the harvest can come (vs. 12). When the Jewish sabbath day came the four missionaries went to the place where prayer was customarily made. Evidently there was no synagogue in the town so they went down to the riverside (vs. 13). You see, the Jews associ ated purity with running water. They would often meet in this way. Paul's custom was to preach first to the Jews as well as any prose lytes to the Jewish faith. Paul had a great love for his own people. It is doubtful that he even entered a town without first attempting to preach in the synagogue or temple, presenting Jesus Christ as the true Messiah. The prayer meeting in Philippi was attended all by women. Per haps Paul scanned the group in a vain search for the man from Mac edonia who had appeared in his heavenly vision. As we think of that ancient scene we are reminded that in some Gospel churches to day many prayer meetings are at tended predominantly by women. We have all heard of numerous women's missionary societies, but there are very few for men. If you are a man, keep in mind that you will never be able to get to heaven on your wife's name. You have to receive Jesus Christ personally to have the assurance of eternal life. Do not send her and the children to Sunday school and church, only to stay home yourself. Find a church where you can really worship the Lord, and where you feel at home in good fellowship. As the head of the home you should take the lead in these responsibilities. Is it not interesting that all of the first mis sionaries were men? We ought to be ashamed at the large percen tage of women who are willing to Page 41
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