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THE KING’S BUSINESS
'P she got more. Her conversion was due to the fact that “the Lord opened” her “heart.” God’s opening her heart was the turning point. There is no hope for any woman, neither is there hope for any man, unless the Lord open their heart (John 6:44, 45; Eph. 1:17, 18; Luke 24:45). But the Lord is always more than willing to open our hearts if we are willing to have Him open our hearts. The result o f the Lord’s open ing her heart was that she “gave "heed unto the things which were spoken.” v. 15. "And when she was baptised, and her household, she besought us, saying, I f ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my housi, and abide there. And she constrained us.” Evidently Paul in this first discourse had referred to the duty o f baptism, to baptism as God’s appointed mode o f confession o f sin and. o f acceptance o f Christ, and Lydia at .once humbly submitted to baptism. She carried her household with her (cf. vs. 31, 33; 1 Cor. 1:16). Household baptism seemed to LESSON (1 ) The Forbidding Command, vs. 6, 7. Why did Barnabas separate from Paul? 15:36-39. Whom did Paul choose for a partner? 15 : 40 . Whom did Paul find in Derbe? 16:1. What work did they do in the cities they visited? 16:4, 5. Where did they desire to go? 16:6. Who “ forbids” and “ suffers not” in Christian work? Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:7. Was Paul permitted to go to Asia later? 17:18-31. Was the Gospel .also given to Bithynia ? 1 Peter 1 :1. What should be.our attitude with refer ence to the "when” and “where” in our service? Matt. 26:39 (1. c.) ; Acts 9:6. What evidence is there here that Paul and Silas were in God’s hands? Rom. 8:14. (2 ) The Fervent Call, vs. 8-11. Is there a distinction between a vision and a dream? Acts 2:17.
have been the order o f the day in the apos tolic times. The steps in Lydia’s conver sion were very plainly marked and typical : (1) She went out to pray (v. 13). (2) She heard the W ord (vs. 13, 14; cf. John 5:24). (3) The Lord opened her heart. (4) She gave heed unto the things that were spoken (v. 14, R. V .). (5) She was baptized (v. 15; cf. ch. 2:41; Mark 16:16). Lydia’-s heart went out in gratitude toward those whom God had used as instruments in her conversion, and she constrained them to come into her house and abide there. Lydia was a business woman and seems to have been somewhat prominent, to have had a household o f considerable size, and also to have had some means. The history o f the church shows many instances o f Women o f prominence and culture and wealth who have found in the Lord Jesus the only thing that satisfied their hearts, and who have turned their backs upon the world and all it had to offer in order to serve Him. What, great dispensational fact was revealed to Daniel by a vision? Dan. 2:19. What vision was given to the three dis ciples ? Matt. 17:2, 3. Who was instructed o f the Lord by a vision? 2 Cor. 12:1. In the vision given Paul do we find human need personified? Matt. 9:36. What is. the greatest need o f humanity? John 6:34. What is the condition o f the heathen world ? Rom. 3 :9-19. Are the heathen without excuse? Rom. 1 :19, 20. W ill the church be without excuse if it fails to obey the command o f Acts 1 :8? What will the Gospel do for the heathen? Rom. 1:16, 17. What response was there in the heart of Paul to the vision? Isa. 6:8. What vision did Moses, have? Acts 7:30. With what did Joseph’s wonderful career commence? Gen. 37:7, 10, 19.
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