February 24, God opens the heart. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia from the city of

Thyatira, a seller of purple goods who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart

to pay attention to what was said by Paul, Acts 16, 14.

Everywhere Paul preached, some believed and some did not. How are we to understand why some of

those who are dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2, 1 and 5, believed and some did not?

The answer why some did not believe is that they thrust it aside, Acts 13, 46, because the message

of the gospel was folly to them and they were not able to understand it for Corinthians 2, 14.

The mind of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot

Romans 8, 7. Everyone who hears and rejects the gospel hates the light and does not come to the

light, lest his works should be exposed, John 3, 20. They remain darkened in their understanding

because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their heart, Ephesians 4, 18.

It is a guilty ignorance. The truth is available but by their unrighteousness they suppress the truth

Romans 118. But why then do some believe since all are in this condition of rebellious hardness of

heart dead in their trespasses? The book of Acts gives the answer in three different ways. One

is that they are appointed to believe. When Paul preached in Antioch of Pesidia the Gentiles rejoiced

and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed, Acts 13, 48. Another way of answering why

some believe is that God granted repentance. When the saints in Jerusalem heard that Gentiles and

not just Jews were responding to the gospel, they said, then to the Gentiles also God has

granted repentance that leads to life, Acts 118. But the clearest answer in Acts to the question

why a person believes the gospel is that God opens the heart. Lydia is the best example. Why did she

believe? Acts 16, 14 says, the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

If you are a believer in Jesus, all of these happened to you. You were appointed to believe.

...