“Whose heart-the Lord opened.”\u2014Acts xvi. 14.
\nIt is always blessed to trace mercies to their source! And blessed when,
\nthrough grace, we are enabled to give God his glory, and not put down to
\nman’s merit what wholly originates in God’s grace. The opening of the
\nheart can only be the province of Him that made it. Renewing work, as
\nwell as creating work, is his. He that hath the key of David, is he
\nalone “that openeth, and none shutteth; and shutteth, and none\nopeneth.”
\nWhat a beautiful illustration hath the Holy Ghost given the church of
\nthis precious truth, in the instance of this woman, whose heart the Lord
\nopened! We are told in her history, that she was of the city of
\nThyatira, a place remote from Philippi, where this sovereign act of
\nmercy was shewn towards her. How long she had remained in a state of
\nunrenewed nature, or what predisposing providence it was that brought
\nher to Philippi, with other circumstances which we might have thought
\ninteresting to inquire after, we are not informed: the grand feature in
\nher character is summed up in this short, but blessed account, “whose
\nheart the Lord opened.” The Holy Ghost hath indeed recorded her name and
\noccupation, by way of making this testimony concerning her: – “a certain
\nwoman, named Lydia, a seller of purple.” Behold, my soul! what blessed
\ninstruction ariseth out of it, for thine evening’s meditation. What
\nhonourable mention is made of her, from this one blessed act, which the
\nLord wrought upon her. Poor and inconsiderable as she was in herself;
\nsmall and of no reputation, yet her name is in the book of life! Pause,
\nand contemplate the rich mercy which the Lord hath also accomplished in
\nthee. Hath not he that opened Lydia’s heart, opened thine? And is it not
\nhis province also, that first opened it by his grace, to keep it open by
\nthe daily influences of his Holy Spirit? Is it not his to renew, to
\nrefresh, to comfort, to strengthen, and to confirm unto the end? And
\nwilt thou not, my soul, with the close of day, and the opening of the
\nmorning, look up for these precious manifestations? Lord! do thou open
\nmine eyes, mine heart, my whole soul, to the enjoyment of these gracious
\nrenewed visits of thy love: and let no night or morning pass, without
\nreceiving fresh and increasing evidences from my Lord, that Christ hath
\nboth opened my heart, and is “formed in my heart, the hope of glory!
\nRobert Hawker. The Poor Man’s Morning and Evening Portions.
\n
\n
\n
\nIt is absolutely impossible for any sinner to preach the gospel unless
\nGod sends him for \u201chow shall they preach, except they be sent?\u201d (Rom
\n10:15) God is pleased to save by preaching so God who cannot lie
\npromises, \u201cI will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall
\nfeed you with knowledge and understanding\u201d (Jer 3:15). Where ever God
\nhas one of his lost sheep, God emboldens his messenger like he did Paul
\nat Corinth when he said, \u201cI have much people in this city. And he
\ncontinued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among
\nthem\u201d (Acts 18:10, 11). If the Lord has a Lydia from Thyatira he can
\nbring her to Philippi and forbid his servant from preaching in Asia,
\ndirect his steps to that child as he did Paul who said, \u201cassuredly
\ngathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto
\nthem\u201d (Acts 16:10). If the Lord has an Ethiopian to call out God will
\ncross his path with the gospel by directing one of his Philip’s by
\nsaying, \u201cArise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down
\nfrom Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.\u201d (Acts 8:26) The reason it
\npleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe is
\nto the glory of Christ Jesus, the Word, the Power and Wisdom of God as
\nwell as to stain the pride of the wise and prudent, \u201cbecause the
\nfoolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is
\nstronger than men.\u201d (1Co 1:25) Men who can willfully disregard the
\nhearing of God\u2019s own Son\u2019s holy honor proclaimed in truth through the
\nfoolishness of preaching are also prone to disregard searching the
\nscriptures themselves to see the truth of God\u2019s righteousness in his
\nSon. When sinners have a heart problem with one thing that pleases God
\nthey generally have a problem with everything that pleases God.
\n
\n
\n
\n
\nMiracle of Grace
\n
\nPaul likens the new birth as; \u201cChrist be formed in you\u201d Gal. 4:19. Then
\nin Col. 1:27 he speaks of, \u201cChrist in you, the hope of glory\u201d. In 2 Cor.
\n13:5, we are admonished to examine ourselves whether we be in the faith,
\n\u201chow that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates\u201d.
\n
\nChrist being formed spiritually in the heart of a sinner is no less a
\nmiracle than Christ being formed physically in the womb of a virgin.
\nLike Mary we; \u201cknew no man\u201d. \u201cThe Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and
\nthe power of the Highest shall overshadowed thee\u201d. The \u201cHoly Thing\u201d in
\nus was conceived by the Holy Ghost. Just like Mary, God sent an angel
\n(messenger) to inform us of his favor. \u201cHail thou art highly favored\u201d.
\nLike Mary, we are \u201ctroubled\u201d to know how this could be for us. To which
\nGod says; \u201cwith God nothing shall be impossible\u201d. Like Mary, we rest our
\nhope on the word of God. \u201cBe it unto me according to thy word\u201d. Luke
\n1:26-38 ~Greg
\n
\n
\nOPTIONS
\nHave you ever made a phone call and a voice comes on and says push 1 or
\n2 or 4, then when you push that number it starts all over again. How
\nfrustrating. In every part of life there are too many things to choose
\nfrom, in going to a restaurant, in choosing a car, what kind of computer
\nshould I get, on and on it goes.
\nBut there is one thing in which there are no options. SALVATION from sin
\nand condemnation. God in His Holy Word has made it plain and
\nstraightforward; \u201cThis is my beloved Son, hear Him.\u201d
\nGod says there is ONE WAY to come unto Him, One who has the power to
\ngive eternal life, One who has the power to make God the Father known,
\nOne in whom a sinner can be accepted. The Holy Scriptures tells us there
\nis One Righteousness; One Savior of sinners, One Mediator between God
\nand men, \u201cThe man Christ Jesus.\u201d One who has the power to give life and
\nquicken whom He will. God says there is One whom He appointed heir, One
\nby whom He will be addressed by, One by whom He will address sinners by,
\nOne JUST ONE.
\nGod will give no man any wiggle room here, freewill won\u2019t do, works
\nwon\u2019t do, merit has no place, and law keeping won\u2019t be accepted. The
\nLord God said it this way, \u201cHe that believeth on the Son hath
\neverlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life:
\nbut the wrath of God abideth on him.\u201d (John 3:36).
\nI am so thankful that God the Father brought me to the place where there
\nwas no way out from under the guilt and condemnation of my sin and
\nrevealed the ONE WAY in which He would accept and make me righteous.
\nThat Way is through and by the Lord Jesus Christ.
\nDonnie Bell
\n
\n
\n
\nWONDERFUL METAPHORS
\nO the wonder, the glory and beauty of God\u2019s Word. It is beyond our
\nability to fully understand and appreciate. But we marvel at what we do
\nunderstand. God uses many things to describe His Word; everyday,
\nordinary, yet wonderful and necessary things. He likens His Word to
\nthings such as: Light, Bread, Milk, Honey, Meat, Fire, Water, Hammer,
\nSword, Plough, Seed, Rain, Dew, Treasure, Gold, Net, Mirror, a Kiss! All
\nthis and more is God\u2019s Word for His people. \u2013 Paul Mahan
\n
\nDISCERNMENT
\n\u201cAnd this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in
\nknowledge and all judgment.\u201d – Philippians 1:9
\nThe word judgment in this verse is used only here in the New Testament.
\nIt means discernment. Paul does not pray that our knowledge and
\ndiscernment will abound. He prays that our love to the person of Christ
\nwill abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment. The more
\nI love Christ, the more I will know of Him. He said, \u201cLearn of Me.\u201d The
\nmore I love Him the more clearly I will recognize that which is not of
\nHim and that which is contrary to Him. Discernment is born of love to
\nHis Person. Love to His Person hates that which is contrary to Him and
\nloves that which glorifies Him! A supposed knowledge and judgment we
\nhave that is not born of a love to His Person is useless knowledge and
\ndiscernment. May the Lord grant us more love to the Lord Jesus Christ!
\nTodd Nibert.
\n
\n\u201cThis is a faithful(true)saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
\nChrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.\u201d –
\nI Timothy 1:15
\nThere is a lifetime of preaching in this verse but there are two points
\nof great importance which are sometimes overlooked: the truth of the
\nsaying and the worth of it! To discover the Truth of the Gospel is to
\nfind true peace of mind and to discover the worth of the Gospel is to
\nfind true peace of heart.
\n1. The truth of it. \u201cAnd this is the record, that God hath given to us
\neternal life, and this life is in His Son\u201d (I John 5:11). I believe the
\nrecord that God hath given concerning Christ; therefore, I am not
\ntroubled and confused by other voices or other claims. Let God be true
\nand every man a liar. The apostle summed it up this way, \u201cTo whom shall
\nwe go? Thou hast the words of eternal life\u201d (John 6:68). My mind is
\nsatisfied!
\n2. The worth of it. If I have Christ, I need nothing else, either in
\nthis life or in the life to come. I am complete in Him, redeemed in Him,
\naccepted in Him, and already seated with Him in glory. I have ceased
\nfrom all my labors and efforts to secure divine favor. His redemptive
\nwork is not only effectual but is sufficient for the greatest sinner,
\nthe poorest sinner and the weakest sinner. \u201cMy grace is sufficient for
\nthee\u201d(II Cor. 12:9). Does this not leave your heart in a state of rest
\nand peace? If not, then you have not yet discovered the worth of His
\ngreat atonement.
\nHenry Mahan
\n
\n
\n
\nChrist is more than a Saviour; He is salvation itself! David said, \u201cThe
\nLord is my light and my salvation.\u201d It is well to see salvation in the
\nwork, life, and death of Christ; but we must never forget that the
\nessence of salvation lies in His Person. HE HIMSELF IS SALVATION! It is
\nWHO He is which gives virtue to WHAT He does. We are bidden to come, not
\nto His work, but to HIMSELF. The Gospel loses much of its sweetness when
\nthe Person of Christ is put in the background and honor given only to
\nHis work. \u2013 C. H. Spurgeon
\n
\n
\n
\nIn the new birth there is nothing changed in the flesh\u2026it is still
\nsinful flesh. But in that same new birth, there is an imparted new man
\nborn from heaven that is holy and does not sin. \u2013 Marvin Stalnaker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“Whose heart-the Lord opened.”\u2014Acts xvi. 14. It is always blessed to trace mercies to their source! And blessed when, through grace, we are enabled to give God his glory, and not put down to man’s merit what wholly originates in God’s grace. The opening of the heart can only be the province of Him that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5340"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5341,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5340\/revisions\/5341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}