Hello Lydia

My friend Tim Williams told me about an interesting principle yesterday-- one he called the Lydia Principle. What he said was that a minister talked about Lydia from Acts and how she was a person who rose up in that area and was a catalyst for Paul.

So I looked it up this morning. Acts 16 is the only place Lydia is mentioned. In verse 13, Lydia is among a group of women that Paul is preaching to. He went to this area hoping it was an area of prayer, but found a bunch of women instead. Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth. A business woman in a day and age where that looks to be extremely rare. It also said that she was a woman (before this encounter with Paul) who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul had to say that day.

That day she was saved. And this new believer talked the man himself, Paul, into staying at her house. It says in verse 15 that she persuaded him.

So now Paul had a home base-- a Headquarters for the work and ministry done in that area. A woman rose up that became a huge help to Paul's ministry.

Later, when Paul and Silas were beaten and the Lord saves them from the jail (and the jailer converts), Paul and Silas went to Lydias, where they saw and enoucaraged the brothers. And then left. Again, clearly, the place of refuge, of support, is Lydia and her house. This business woman.

Now what my friend was talking about was praying for the "Lydias" in the arenas that we're walking in to with the movie "The Imposter." Praying that in radio, someone will rise up that can help us-- be a support. That someone or several in the arena of Church Exhibition will be there to become a base of support. And later, as we move toward the home DVD of "The Imposter", that there will be a Lydia or two who will help us.

I'm adding something to my prayer this morning. I'm praying that God does indeed prepare the way and prepare the hearts of potential Lydias as we walk down this trail and that Imposter can speak a healing and freeing message to it's audience.