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divine appointment

Acts 16:14&15
"14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us."

Paul's conversion was miraculous. Paul's writing is incredible. Paul's travels are astonishing. Everything he did was to proclaim the Gospel. He was able to use the network of roads built by the Roman Empire to get God’s message out!

In these verses, Paul is in the area of Philippi. Going against social conventions, Paul talks to women. This is NOT something he learned in school as a young Jewish man. Maybe this is something he learned from Jesus? In today's verses, "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us."

Lydia was a GREAT early leader in the church. Her location was fortunate, in this thriving part of the Roman Empire. Her occupation, "a seller of purple," would have been like owning a Mercedes dealership. She knew all the important people, the rich people, and they would want to know her. She was a Jewish convert and knew the Messianic prophecies. The Holy Ghost opened her heart to Jesus being the Son of God. And, gave her a divine appointment with Paul. The two are together in the right place at the right time.

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