The Lord Opened Her Heart

Q: What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign in the salvation of His people, choosing them according to His will. God's sovereignty in salvation is vividly illustrated in Acts 16, where we see God orchestrating events to lead Paul to Lydia, a woman He had chosen for salvation. According to Ephesians 1:4-5, believers are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, highlighting God's unconditional election. Additionally, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 affirms that God has chosen individuals to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit, emphasizing that it is God's will, not our actions, that initiates salvation. This sovereign grace means that our coming to faith is not a matter of chance or merit but is determined by God's divine purpose.

Q: How do we know if we are among the elect?

If you acknowledge your sin and seek Christ, it is evidence of being among the elect. To ascertain whether one is among the elect, one must reflect on their acknowledgment of sin and their seeking of the Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners, as affirmed in 1 Timothy 1:15. A deep realization of being lost is often a precursor to salvation; recognizing oneself as part of the 'plum lost' category opens the heart to Christ's redemptive work. It is not our work but God’s grace that leads us to see our need for salvation. If you find yourself desiring to know God and seek His mercy, it’s indicative of God pursuing you as one of His own. Therefore, a humble heart that longs for Christ is often a sign of being among the elect.

Q: Why is preaching the gospel important for Christians?

Preaching the gospel is essential as it is the means through which God calls His people to salvation. Preaching the gospel holds paramount importance in the Christian faith because it is ordained by God as the primary means of grace through which the elect are called to salvation. Romans 10:14-17 stresses that faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. This means that the proclamation of the gospel is not only a privilege for believers but a necessity for their growth and faith. The emphasis on preaching is seen throughout Paul’s ministry, where he devoted his life to sharing the gospel, recognizing it as the ‘power of God for salvation to everyone who believes’ (Romans 1:16). Therefore, the act of preaching is foundational in God's sovereign plan for saving and establishing His Church.

Q: How does God open the hearts of the elect?

God opens the hearts of the elect through His sovereign grace, enabling them to understand and accept the gospel. The process by which God opens the hearts of His elect is a profound act of His sovereign grace. In Acts 16:14, we see Lydia's heart opened by the Lord, enabling her to respond to the message Paul preached. This divine operation involves the work of the Holy Spirit, who regenerates and enlightens the minds of individuals, allowing them to comprehend the gospel. Romans 2:29 refers to this as the ‘circumcision of the heart,’ a spiritual transformation that results in faith and understanding. Additionally, in Colossians 2:12, we learn that this 'operation of God' revitalizes dead hearts, pulling them from ignorance and binding them to Christ. Thus, the opening of hearts is a critical work of God that facilitates a believer’s reception of the gospel.

Turning to the book of Acts,
chapter 16 of the book of Acts. Let's begin at verse 5. And so
were the churches established, Acts 16, 5, in the faith. Established in the faith. We're
established in Christ Jesus. He's the rock of ages. He is
that foundation that God has laid that we who rest upon Him
shall never be forced out, forced away from this foundation that
God has established. And God's people do increase. They do. Believers are not stagnant
because they're living. They grow in grace and in the
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do grow, we do increase by
His grace, by His grace. Now verse 6, when they had gone
throughout Phrygia, the region of Galatia, they were forbidden
of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia. After they were
come, they were come to Mysia, They were saved to go into Bithynia,
but the Spirit suffered them not. And they, passing by Mysia,
came to Troas." Now, it mentions there several times, they went
throughout. They had gone. Here we see Paul,
God's apostle, Silas, God put that union together, and they
were work fellows in the Gospel. And this young man, Timothy,
is added to this group, and now we know that Dr. Luke is traveling
with them. Luke was a writer here, also
the writer of the Gospel according to Luke. He was Paul's attending
traveling physician who traveled with him, who attended to him. And these foursome, this foursome
that God knitted together, You see, they were of one heart,
they were of one purpose, they had one goal, they had but one
ambition. Their ambition was not to be
known of men, their ambition was to preach Christ. The Lord
Jesus Christ in Him crucified. Now we're going to see today
how God sovereignly sends them to this city of Philippi, and
God sends the gospel by His servants where He pleases, To whom He
pleases, as He pleases. You see, God is in charge. God
is in charge. And He's going to call out His
elect through the preaching of the gospel of God's grace. Paul was not permitted at this
particular time to preach the gospel in Asia. He was forbidden
to go to Bithynia. But later on he did. Now hold
your place here and find 1 Peter. Later on, God did call out some
people in this area of Asia and Bithynia. First Peter chapter
1, chapter 1, verse 1. First Peter 1.1, Peter, an apostle
of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus,
Galatia. Paul wrote a letter to the believers
there in Galatia, Cappadocia, and then here Asia, and then
here Bithynia. Who are these people? Look at
verse 2. They are elect. God knows His own. The foundation
of the Lord standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knows those
who are His. They are elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father. So God had a people in these
other cities, but at this time, Paul was not permitted to go
preach to those places. He had another purpose for Paul
at this time. Now look at verse 9. When they
came to Troas, a vision appeared to Paul in the night. Now how
this takes place, I'm not sure. I'm not sure if this was a dream
or just exactly how this took place, but somehow God sent a
messenger and God sent a message to Paul. in the night. And this
man stood in this vision, a man that he appeared to Paul, a man
from Macedonia. And he said to him, he prayed
him, begging him, saying, and Paul heard these words and saw
this man in this vision, in this dream, however it came to pass. We know it's of God. And the
message was this, come over. Come over into this country,
Macedonia. Come over and, look at that word
there, and help us. This man needed help. All of
us need God's help. All of us stand in need of salvation. While Paul was here in this city,
seeking God's direction, seeking to do God's will, God sent him
this message. Come over and help us. Now, I believe the Lord still is doing
this today, burdening the hearts of His people and asking help
of others who know God, who know the gospel, saying, come over
and help us. God doesn't change. Gospel doesn't
change. God is still active in the hearts
and lives of His people, still active in causing His people
to cross the path of God's gospel. He's still active calling out
His people with the gospel. Come over and help us. It reminded
me of some recent examples in the past 25 years where people
have said, come over and help us. In 1980, there was a group
of people meeting over here in the mountains of West Virginia
in a little place called Dingus, West Virginia, 1980. There was
a pastor in that group who was in the hospital dying of cancer. And while he was dying there
of cancer, he pastored a little church over there. He didn't
know the truth, didn't know Christ, didn't know the gospel, but he
turned on his TV set one day. Pastor Mahan was preaching the
gospel of God's grace. And God taught that man the gospel.
Before he died, he instructed the men of that church to contact
Pastor Mahan to come down, come over and help us! And he went
over there in 1980. And God established a gospel
ministry right over there today. Raised up a pastor. And that
happened in 1980. That's one example. I'll tell
you another example. Along in the early 80s, about
middle 1985, there was a man that lived in Pike County. His
name was Paul Doug Thacker. Steve's daddy. And he started
listening to Pastor Mahan on TV. And he wanted to have a gospel
ministry like that of God's grace in Christ Jesus here in his home
county. And he contacted Pastor Mahan
and said, Would you come over and help us? That's how this
whole thing started right here. Well, that one man bought this
property, took all the dirt off that hill, built this up, built
this building, and here we are today. You see, God is still
active in the hearts and lives of His people. I can give you
another example. In 1991, there was another group
of people down in Wheelersburg, Ohio. who started watching Pastor
Henry Mahan on TV. And God revealed the gospel to
a group of them. And in 1991, they contacted Pastor
Mahan and said, if we meet together, would you send somebody here
to help us? And some of the men of that congregation
there in Ashland went down each week and preached to those people
there in 1991 and 1992. And they called a pastor. Brother Charles Pennington, and
he's been there all these years preaching God's gospel. You see,
God is still active in calling out His elect to the preaching
of the gospel. And recently, recently in the
summer of 2006, we were in contact, put in contact
with the people in Kingsport, Tennessee. Tony Moody and his family, most
of you have met them. And you know what they said?
They said, would you come over and help us? And we've been going
over there now for the last almost, next month it will be one year.
We've been going over there preaching the gospel of God's sovereign
grace. And those folks are meeting together
this afternoon. And God, I pray that the Lord
will be pleased to raise up a pastor and establish a gospel ministry
there in northeast Tennessee. There's nothing there in that
area. They searched and searched and searched and they found no
gospel. And they said, would you come over and help us? How
could I say no? And we've been going over there
and supplying that pulpit for the last almost, well, 11 months
anyway. Well, back to our story. You
see, God is still doing this today. He's a living and true
God. He's still establishing churches,
still calling out His people, still sending out ministers to
preach the gospel. What a blessed privilege God's
given us to have a part in that, God's purpose. Well, verse 10,
in Acts 16, and after he'd seen the vision, after he heard God's
message, immediately, immediately, We endeavored, that is this foursome,
to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord hath
called us for to preach the gospel unto them." Now my friend, this
is the chief responsibility of God's pastors, God's preachers,
and God's church. As it says right there, the Lord
called us to preach the gospel. The Lord didn't call us to be
entertainers, to be comedians, to be a host of social events. The Lord called us to preach
the gospel. to preach the gospel. The apostle
says, woe unto me if I preach not the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. There's just one gospel. This
gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what
He's called us to. That's what this ministry is
about. Preaching Christ and Him crucified. And I'm determined
to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
He is all of our salvation. He accomplished it by Himself
and He gives us To us freely by His grace. That's what He's
called us to do. To preach the gospel. And God
has given us this privilege to do so. What a privilege. What a responsibility. But it
is a privilege. Now notice verse 11 and 12. Therefore
loosing, we immediately sought a way to get out of Troas. They
took ships. It says in verse 11, loosing
from Troas, we came to straight course due north to Samothracia. The next day we came to this
city of Neapolis, and from thence we came to Philippi. Philippi
was a chief city, it was a city of commerce, a busy city, a big
city. And it was a colony, part of
Rome, and we were in that city abiding certain days. Now look
at verse 13, and on the Sabbath day, we went out of the city. Evidently, they could find no
place to worship within the city. Most of the commentators that
I've read said in this particular city, even though it was a large
city, a big city, had no synagogue of the Jews. It was a pagan city,
a Roman city, given over to idolatry and paganism. But there was a
group that met down by the riverside, a group of women. And we sat
down with them and spake unto the women which resorted there."
Now, on the Sabbath day, Paul, if he could, usually did this.
Turn to Acts 17 verse 1. On the Sabbath day, he usually
did this. When he came into a city, if
there was a synagogue of Jews, that word synagogue means assembly
of Jews, he usually would go in among those Religious people
and stand up and preach the gospel notice when he came to Thessalonica
in act 17 1 there was a synagogue of the Jews and Paul as his manner
was went in unto them and Three days three Sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the scriptures Opening and alleging that Christ
must need to have suffered Risen again from the dead and that
this Jesus whom I preached unto you. He is God's Messiah He is
God's gospel. But here in Philippi, they didn't
have a synagogue of the Jews. But some of these folks that
met by the riverside were some of God's chosen people. Now I thought about this. Wouldn't
you rather meet in a mud hut or sitting on the rocks of a
river bank or a creek bank with God's people and God's gospel
than to have a huge tabernacle and sit in idolatry. Wouldn't you rather meet in a
mud hut or no hut, just on the rock, sitting on the rock and
listening to God's apostle, meeting with God's people, hearing God's
gospel? Oh, I'd much rather. Someday we may. I don't know.
I'm thankful for the place that God's given us here. Comfortable,
comfortable place. It's a place where God's gospel
is preached. These folks didn't have those
comforts at that time, but they were content to meet on the riverbank
and to worship God. It says here in verse 14, and
a certain woman, her name was Lydia. She was a
businesswoman. Most of the commentators think
that she was a widow woman. But she was a businesswoman,
trying to take care of her financial needs. And she was of the city
of Thyatira. It says that she worshipped God.
She was walking in what light God had given her. She heard
us. She heard the apostle, whose
heart the Lord opened. And she got interested. She attended
to the things spoken by Paul. Many women gathered, but God
had His eye on one woman. The foundation of God standeth
sure, the Lord knoweth them that are His. Are you that one person
whom God has His eye on? One of His elect, one of His
chosen? God had His eye on Lydia. How
long had God had His eye on Lydia? Long time. Long time. She was chosen by God in that
eternal covenant of grace. It's an election according to
the grace of God. Find Ephesians chapter 1. And
let's look at this. God chose her in eternity, unconditionally. God didn't choose her because
she was a good businesswoman. God chose her because it pleased
Him to do so and to give her to the Lord Jesus Christ as one
of those sheep. Ephesians chapter 1. Look at
verse 3, "...blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly
things in Christ, according as He chose us in Him." Lydia was
chosen in Him. When did that choice take place?
Before the foundation of the world. that we should be holy,
without blame, before Him in love, and predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He made us accepted in the Beloved." See,
God has His eye on His children. He knows His sheep by name, and
He calls them out. This woman here was chosen by
God in eternity. Not only that, But this woman
was redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord
laid down His life for Lydia. The Lord put away her sin. And in time, you know what happened?
God sent the gospel to her. God gave her ears to hear. God gave her a new heart. God
made her a new creature in Christ through the preaching of the
gospel, quickened her and called her, gave her love and faith
in Christ Jesus. You see, that's what happens
when God chooses us, when Christ redeems us. He calls us with
the gospel, and it's an irresistible call. Let me show you 2 Thessalonians. Turn over there. We can see all
this in one section of Scripture here. 2 Thessalonians chapter
2. chosen by God in eternity, redeemed
by Christ. He said, I'm the Good Shepherd,
I lay down my life for Lydia, for the sheep, for the elect. Now notice, if you will, 2 Thessalonians
2, verse 13, We are bound to give thanks always to God for
you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the
beginning chosen you to salvation. Who did the choosing? Our Lord
said, you didn't choose me, I've chosen you. God has from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit. That's a convicting, regenerating,
quickening work of God the Holy Spirit. You hath He quickened
who were dead, and the fruit of that is what? Belief of the
truth. Now read on. Here's the necessity
of preaching. whereunto he called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, of his own will beget he
us with the word of truth. Now turn back to Acts chapter
16. Acts chapter 16. Let me give
you five things that says here that happened to Lydia. Five things that happened to
Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened. Five vital lessons. The first
thing we see is the mighty, sovereign providence of God. Lydia was
from Thyatira, the city of Asia. We see that God was overruling
all things to bring the preacher of grace to the object of grace,
to hear the message of grace. How did all that come about?
How was all that orchestrated? Paul didn't plan it. God planned
it. Can't you see that in your life?
That if you're a believer, it's no accident that God brought
you here to hear the Gospel and God crossed your path with the
truth? It's all in His purpose, all in His plan for you to hear
the message of grace. People have asked me often, how
can I know if I'm one of those elect? Let me ask you this, are
you a sinner? Are you a sinner? The Lord Jesus
Christ came to save sinners. Is that right? That's right.
Can you take your place as the ungodly? The scripture said that
Christ died for the ungodly. Line up right there. Yes, I'm
a sinner. I'm the cheap one. Yes, I'm ungodly. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
seek and to save that which is lost. Are you lost? You'll never
be found until you're lost. I mean, as Brother Mahan would
say, plum lost. Plum lost. You see, before God
saves you, He's going to strip you. Before God gives you life,
He's going to kill you. Make you to know that you're
dead in sin. And without God, without hope,
and without Christ. And I tell you, my friend, pray
God He would send the gospel to you. Give you ears to hear.
And it's all by His purpose, all by His grace. The second
thing is this, Lydia had a concern that she worshipped God. Lydia
had a concern for her spiritual welfare. She worshipped God. She was walking in what light
she had, seeking to know more of the true and the living God.
She was seeking others who were seeking God. Like the man from
Ethiopia, the eunuch. who traveled all the way from
his home country to Jerusalem to find out something about God.
That desire was put in the eunuch, and was put in Lydia, and is
put in his people. That desire to seek Him is by
the grace of God alone. Man doesn't arrive at that naturally. The natural man loves darkness,
not light. If God's given you grace to seek
Him, it's because of this. Turn to Psalm 27. Thy people
shall be willing in the day of His power." Psalm 27, look at
this. Whenever you find a seeking sinner,
you know what else you find? You find a seeking Savior. You see, He's on the trail of
His sheep. He's a good shepherd. And my friend, He'll run you
down. And He'll save you by His grace.
And He'll cause you to seek Him. Look what it says here in Psalm
27, verse 7. Here, Psalm 27, 7. Here, O Lord,
when I cry with my voice, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon
me and answer me. When Thou said, Seek ye my face,
my heart said unto me, Thy face, O Lord, I will seek. I tell you, you seeking the Lord,
you seeking to know Him, It's because He is seeking you out. That's right. That's what happened
here. Our Lord said, My sheep, all
that the Father hath given to me, they'll come to me, and those
that come to me I will in no wise, no way cast them out. The third lesson is this. Lydia
heard Paul and Silas preach the gospel. It says there that she
attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul. Lydia heard
the gospel. Heard these men preach the gospel
and God used that to save her. Now let me ask you a question.
Now listen to me. Was it necessary that she hear
the gospel before God opened her heart? Absolutely. Absolutely. You see, God has
ordained the message, but He has also ordained the method,
the means. There has to be a hearing of
the gospel, and God uses that message to open the hearts of
His people. I want you to find Romans chapter
10. That's why we're so insistent
on preaching the gospel here and around the world. This internet
ministry that we've been involved in now for almost two years,
sending the gospel of God's grace, you know there's been almost
250,000 sermons that have gone out all over this world? You see, God uses that. The preaching
of the gospel to the salvation of His people. Romans chapter
10, verse 11. The Scripture says, Whosoever
believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference
between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they've not heard, and
how shall they hear without a preacher? And how can the preacher be sent? How shall they preach except
they be sent, as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings
of good things? But they've not all obeyed the
gospel. All who hear the gospel audibly with an ear, they've
not all obeyed the gospel, but his sheep will. He said, my sheep
they hear my voice, I know them, they follow me. So then, verse
17, faith cometh by, and that word there is the message. Faith
comes by the message. And hearing, this message comes
by the word of God. This message comes by God. Yes,
my friend, it is necessary for you to hear the gospel. I would
highly encourage you to bring your family, your friends, your
neighbors to hear this gospel. If God is going to save them,
He's going to do it with the gospel. That's right. He's ordained
this. It pleased God by the preaching
of the gospel to call out His people. That's why Paul gave
his life. Why did he go all to this traveling
here and there and being beaten and stoned and shipwrecked? Why
did he do all that? God ordained that, preaching,
to call out His people. Now, back to the text. Fourthly,
it says there in the text, whose heart, God, whose heart the Lord
opened. Now, who has the key to life
and salvation? Who has the key to your heart? Huh? The preacher doesn't have
the key. Who can open the heart of a dead man? Now this word
here, heart, involves the whole understanding, the mind, the
will, the affection. It's not talking here about this
organ in here. It's talking about your mind,
your thinking, your understanding. Naturally, we're dead in sin.
We don't think spiritual things. We have no spiritual understanding.
Our will is perverse. It's in bondage to our sinful
nature. God has to open our understanding,
open our mind, our will, and give us a love for Him, or we'll
never love Him. He must open the door. He must
open the heart. You see, this is an operation
of God. Turn to Romans 2. Let me show you this. You know
what's happening here? An operation. God opened her
heart. God operated on her. Let me show
you in Scripture here, Romans 2. It's called the circumcision
of the heart. It's the work of God upon the
heart, your mind, your will, your affection, your love. Romans
2, look at verse 28. For he is not a Jew which is
one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward
in the flesh. Romans 2, 29. But he is a Jew,
a spiritual son of Abraham, son of God. which is one inwardly,
and that circumcision is that of the heart. God operates on
the heart in the Spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is
not of men, but of God. Now I'm going to show you another
scripture on that. God opened her heart. And that's
what must take place. I can't do that. Find Colossians
chapter 2. That's why I don't encourage
folks to walk an aisle and shake my hand or raise your hand and
pray at the morning of salvation. Not down here! Salvation is not
in the pool. Salvation is in Christ, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Look to Him and be saved. God must operate upon the heart.
He is a mighty operator. He is more than a mighty orator.
Although He is, He is a mighty operator, quickening the hearts
of dead men to life. Colossians chapter 2. Look at
Colossians 2 verse 9. In Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him which is
head of all principality and power. In whom you are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off the
body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision, by the operation
of Christ." How was sin put away? Not by my hands, not by my operating,
He did it. buried with Him in baptism, wherein
also we are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of
God, who raised Him from the dead." Now that's what it takes.
How much power does it take to raise a dead sinner? The same
power it took to raise the dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And you being dead in your sin, and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you
all your sins. That's the operation I need.
You see, the Lord opens a heart. The Lord operates on the heart.
It says in Luke 24, then He opened their understanding. Paul prayed
in Ephesians 1, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. In 2 Corinthians 4, he talked
about God commanded the light to shine in our hearts. You see,
it's by His command. His command. before God opens
our heart is bolted shut, bolted shut by ignorance, by hardness
of heart, by blindness, by unbelief, empty of grace, void of faith,
loving darkness, hating God. But by God's divine grace, He
operates upon us and He commands the light to shine. He brings
us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Someone said, one old
writer said, grace is more than a divine attribute, it's a divine
determination, a divine work, a divine sovereign gift of God
operating upon the hearts of God's people. You see, it's God
who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to God's own purpose and grace.
Lord, operate upon us. Can you pray that? Lord, operate
upon my heart. Give me life, give me faith in
Christ. That's what happened to Lydia.
Turn back to the text, Acts 16. Through heart the Lord opened. How do we know it was opened?
Well, three things. Lydia's salvation through Christ
was known by these three things. She attended to the things spoken
by Paul. She became an eager student,
a listener of the gospel of God's grace. She was eager to hear
that salvation was in Christ. And Paul's message that he preached
was this. Turn to Acts 13. Here's what
Lydia heard. These are exact words that Lydia
heard. She became an eager, interested
student in God's gospel. Here's what she heard. Acts 13,
38, Be it known unto you therefore, Man and brethren, that through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin, and by
him all that believe are justified from all things which could not
be justified by the law of Moses." That's what she heard. She became
an eager student of that message, the good news of the gospel.
Salvation in Christ. Is this good news to you? Is
this all your hope? Well, if it is, it's because
God's opened your heart and unstopped your ears and has given you life
and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The second thing we know, evidences
of her heart being operated upon, she became interested and eager
to hear that message of Christ. Secondly, she willingly submitted
to believers' baptism and when she was baptized, her and her
whole house God saved a whole bunch of them by His grace. She willingly submitted to believers'
baptism, not to be saved. Now Paul didn't say, now Lydia,
you be baptized and God will open your heart. That didn't
happen. What happened first? God opened
her heart. And then she willingly submitted
to the ordinance of the Lord. He instructed us to go preach
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ into all the world. He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Baptism is for
those who are saved by God's grace. Thirdly, the third evidence
that God opened her heart, she was willing and eager to hear
God's Word. She submitted to Christ and owned
Him as Lord and Master and Savior and Believer in Baptism. And
thirdly, God gave her a gracious spirit,
a gracious attitude. Look what she said to Paul here.
She besought us saying, if you've counted me to be one of the Lord's
faithful, faithful to the Lord, a believer in Christ, you come.
You come home with me. You come to my house. You come
to my house. And you stay there. Don't come
and visit. You stay and abide there. Abide
there! You're welcome. You're welcome
to come. And you know what she did? She
constrained us. You know why she constrained
them? Because God constrained her. Let's close by reading one
scripture. Find 2 Corinthians 4. 2 Corinthians
4. You see, she constrained them
Because you know what was constraining her? God opened her heart. God gave her life and love and
liberty in Christ. Gave her a generous spirit. Made
her a gracious person. And this is the love of Christ
constrains us. I want 2 Corinthians 5 verse
14. I almost got you there. 2 Corinthians
5 verse 14. The love of Christ constrains
us. What motivates a believer? What
motivated Lydia that day? What motivates us this day? It's the love of Christ. It's
not fear of punishment. It's not promise of reward. It's
gratitude. and love to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what motivates His people
to give, to love, to come, to worship, to support, to pray,
to do these things. Love! Motivated out of love. God gave her a new heart. Made
her a new creature in Christ. And she became an avid supporter
of the gospel of God's great... And God used a woman. Think of
it. God used a woman. to raise up
that church in Philippi. He used a woman and a jailer.
What a beginning! Oh, what a beginning! A businesswoman
and a jailer and a demon-possessed woman. God raised up a church
in that day. And He still is the same God
today. He said, I'm the Lord, I change
not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob, or not consumed. Remember our
service Wednesday night, 7 o'clock, come and be with us. We'll be
studying again from the Word of God. I can guarantee you that. Don't know where, but I guarantee
it will be somewhere in the Word of God. 396, our closing hymn. 396, our closing hymn. Some of
you made comment on the... as you came in, some of you made
comment on the flood wall. And we've constructed this flood
wall over here, and we pray that the Lord would be pleased
to spare us from flood and mud by the use of this wall. Some
of you came the last time we were flooded, April 15th. Some
of you came and shoveled mud, and that mud was deep. It was
deep. And Lord willing, No more. No more. We have still yet to
construct a flood wall in the backside of the property. And
the Lord willing, this year maybe we'll try to
get that done. I have many people that helped us. build the wall and do this work
behind us. If we would have contracted this
wall out to be built by some construction company, no doubt
it would have been $3,000 or $4,000. But because of the generous
donations of Brother Steve and David Robinette and Brother Lionel,
he's a workhorse. You know this fellow right here?
He's a worker now. He came and he labored and even
Cameron yesterday. Cameron came out and helped us
strip some of those forms off. So by the generous donation of
labor and love and concrete and concrete forms and the steel
that was donated, there was over, I would say, $2,000 worth of
steel, rebar, that goes in. You just don't pour concrete,
you put rebar in there. One of the companies that David
worked for, they said, all the rebar we want, you can have it.
They donated a yard full out there. And there's more if we
need it. So I'm thankful to the Lord. And He does provide. He does provide. And I never,
I dreamed and dreamed and dreamed about one day having a flood
wall and being able to rest when it rains. It causes you some
unrest when it rains and rains. You think, oh no, here we go
again. But I'm thankful to the Lord
for all you that have helped and contributed in any way. And
we're most thankful to the Lord. Let's close our service by singing
396. Is that right? Yes.

The Lord Opened Her Heart

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

How do we know if we are among the elect?

Why is preaching the gospel important for Christians?

How does God open the hearts of the elect?

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The Lord Opened Her Heart

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

How do we know if we are among the elect?

Why is preaching the gospel important for Christians?

How does God open the hearts of the elect?

Sermon Transcript

About Tom Harding

Comments

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