Women of Courage- Lydia April 4

Women of Courage- Lydia  April 4

1. How would you describe Lydia to a friend that had never read about her in the Bible:
   Acts 16:14 describes her exactly, plus she was hospitable, had a servant’s heart and she was brave.
   “The manner of Lydia’s conversion is a fine illustration of how God always redeems lost souls”
   Lydia wanted to be with the group at the river that had the moral ideals that she was looking for.  They weren’t following the local gods, but looking toward Yahweh.
    
   Shera told us about reading about the men that had been in killed in Ecuador as missionaries. But they took the risk for a chance to make friendly contact with the Huaorani (Auca) Indians. Missionaries Ed McCulley, Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian How God had directed them and their past training.  She filled us in on the things they did to reach these people.  After their death, 3 of their wives went back into these people and they were able to reach them for Christ.  They moved there with their families.  Among the men that killed these missionaries, they eventually came to America and spoke at Billy Graham’s Crusades; one became the pastor of the church there in Ecuador.   She mentioned that like Paul, they did not know what the trip would bring them.  And actually, Paul did suffer at the hands of men in Philippi.  We must be willing to step out and proclaim the Gospel with boldness as God leads us.
    
   This discussion of how missionaries lives are totally committed to serving Christ led us to discuss how God may not lead us to be missionaries in another country, but God can lead us to even be faithful in small things.   We need to always be faithful to proclaiming the Lord to others.  Simply- “ I AM A PART OF THE GREAT COMMISSION!”
    
   Romans 3:11- There is none that understands, there is none that seeks God.  
   God is the one that changes hearts and leads us to repentance.  God has a perfect plan in action and we are a part of that plan.  This plan has always been the same, it has never changed- Heb. 13:8.

 John 8:58King James Version (KJV)  58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Genesis  22:13 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. 15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

God has not changed.  As he promised to Abraham that nations would be blessed because he obeyed God’s voice, we are a part of that promise.   We are here worshipping God, because He called us. 

We read Psalm 22 and discussed the suffering of Christ both physically and spiritually and how the disciple died for the spread of the gospel.  

A reminder, to read Philippians as we will be discussing the first chapter when we meet next time.  There will not be a meeting on the 18^th due to the work day.