The Women Leaders of Philippi

The Women Leaders of Philippi

by | Jul 3, 2017 | Role of Women

In the first century, women were a vital part of the preaching of the Good News and the establishment of Messianic congregations.  They served in all spiritual roles as mentors, leaders, teachers, exhorters, prophetesses, administrators, deaconess, etc.; nowhere in the New Testament is this more obvious than in the church of Philippi.

In order to understand how the congregation in Philippi was established, we need to turn to the book of Acts for the history. The Apostle Paul and Silas were on an evangelistic outreach, with plans to head to Asia, but the Holy Spirit had another assignment.

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10 ESV)

Isn’t it odd that the Apostle Paul was determined to preach the Gospel in Asia and was deterred from that plan by the Holy Spirit? What was the Ruach doing in not allowing the Good News to go forth in Asia through the preaching of Paul and Silas? What was so important as to divert these men on their mission from God? Why did Paul receive a vision of a man from Macedonia/Greece?

The Spirit was leading these men and they were having a bit of difficulty discerning which direction to travel. They had a plan, but Adonai ordered their steps. There was urgency in the vision at Troas that compelled the men to move immediately to Macedonia. When they arrived, where was the man in the vision?

So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. (Acts 16:11-13 NASB)

Was it a surprise to the apostles that the call from a man from Macedonia was to Sabbath-honoring women gathered for prayer? There is no mention of faithful men gathered at the riverside.  Were there no men to meet within a synagogue in Philippi?

The change of direction from Asia introduced the Gospel for the first time to Europe, to a group of women, and Lydia of Philippi was the first European convert to Messiah.

A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (Acts 16:14-18 NASB)

In Carolyn Custis James’ book, Lost Women of the Bible, states this about the reason for the Macedonian vision to Paul.

…Paul found a group of women praying outside the city gate, along the riverbank. If Paul was disappointed, the text does not say. But clearly, God intended to establish a beachhead for the gospel in Enemy territory on European soil with a band of women. (pg. 210)

Lydia’s faith in Christ immediately led to action as she opened her home to shelter and care for the apostles…She insisted they stay with her. The ezer-warrior emerges almost immediately in Lydia. Despite the threat of danger to herself, she never retracted the offer. By the time hostilities forced the apostles out of Philippi, Lydia’s home appears to be the established meeting place for the Philippian church (Act. 16:40). (Lost Women of the Bible, pg. 211)

Carolyn James believes that the women gathered at the river bank were probably “God-fearers” and that there was not a synagogue in Philippi for them to be a part of. Jewish tradition requires that ten men be present for prayer to establish a synagogue. During his travels, Paul usually visited a synagogue on the Sabbath day and it appears from the book of Acts that there was not a synagogue to meet in the city of Philippi.  Carolyn continues with these impactful statements.

There may not have been enough Jewish men in Philippi to form an official synagogue, but Paul established one of the leading New Testament churches with a group of women. This groundbreaking development for the gospel was decidedly female. A woman was the first convert to Christianity in Europe, and the first church plant in Europe was predominately female. Paul had crossed the cultural divide, but in doing so he was only following the lead of Jesus. (Lost Women of the Bible, pg. 212)

…Was Paul disappointed when the Holy Spirit led him to a group of praying women? Did he fear the feminization of the church in Philippi? Was he looking for a few good men to take over this new ministry that was overloaded with women? Had the Holy Spirit made some terrible mistake?

Some years later…Paul gave his answer in a letter…to his friends in Philippi. “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5) (The Lost Women of the Bible, pg. 213)

…Evidently, looking back, Paul could see that the Holy Spirit redirected him to Philippi in part because the women there needed to hear the gospel and partly because he needed the ministries these women had to offer him. It appears the so-called “prophet of female inferiority” had a high regard for women after all and valued them as an invaluable gift from God because of their “partnership in the gospel from the very first day.” (The Lost Women of the Bible, pg. 213)

The partnership in the gospel from the very first day was with Lydia, a female co-laborer in the Kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul valued his first convert in Europe and gave her the recognition as the leader of the church of Philippi which met in the home of Lydia. Take note, Lydia does not have a male covering. There is no mention of her husband, father, cousin, uncle, or brother in this passage. She is a full-fledged leader in her own right.

In the book, Women Restored, Dr. Jimmilea Berryhill quotes Karen Torjensen about the congregation in Philippi.

The church in Philippi was not only founded by a woman, but its leadership continued in the hands of women. In Paul’s letters to the Philippian church, he addressed three women leaders. He exhorted Euodia and Syntyche to reconcile their differences in order to provide more effective leadership for the church. For the third woman, he used the affectionate term ‘syzuge’ which means ‘mate’ or ‘partner’ he encouraged her to support  Euodia and Syntyche, his co-workers, women who “labored with me in the gospel” (Phil.4:1-13) (Women Restored, pgs. 90-91)

In the chapter, “Recovering the Blessed Alliance – Paul and the Women of Philippi,” Carolyn Custis James writes this powerful message:

While Paul intended to correct and restore, he also meant to honor his two friends. His concern reflects their significance to him and their profound influence on the whole church. In urging them to set aside their dispute for the sake of unity, he speaks of them with utmost respect as “women who have contended [or labored] at my side in the cause of the gospel” (Phil. 4:3) – words that carry a metaphorical reference to gladiators fighting side by side in the arena…Far from demeaning women, Paul is actually declaring them essential for ministry. As the commanding general, Paul is admonishing two of his frontline soldiers to work together to advance the gospel. (Lost Women of the Bible, pg. 216)

Once again, it is the time to realign with the intent of the Good News and see the female image bearers rise up alongside their brothers in Messiah and fight the good fight of faith together.

References:

Lost Women of the Bible – The Women We Thought We Knew © 2005 Carolyn Custis James, published by Zondervan

Women Restored © 1999 Jimmilea Berryhill, published by Essence Publishing

 

The Sabbath – His Day of Delight

The Sabbath – His Day of Delight

by | May 18, 2017 | Sabbath

A brand new BEKY Book by Jane Diffenderfer!

In today’s frenetic world, Shabbat is the sacred time where mankind has the opportunity to commune with the Creator and listen to His instruction. Observing the Sabbath and keeping it holy are positive commands; one’s attitude should reflect delight in the day. It is a command all mankind is invited to keep.  Believers keep Shabbat not because they have to, but because of Messiah Yeshua, believers want to.

The motivation for honoring the Sabbath should be that of love, for the Father in heaven, His Messiah, and His children. There are bright promises for those who choose to honor the Sabbath as recorded by the prophet Isaiah:

How blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it; who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. (Is. 56:2 NASB)

Also the foreigners, who join themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, everyone, who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant; Even those I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. (Is. 56:6-7 NASB)

If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure, And speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the LORD, And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Is. 58:13-14 NASB)

Notice the above Scriptures say, “the” Sabbath. Sabbath is not about picking a day and choosing “a” Sabbath, but aligning ourselves with God’s calendar and His weekly day of rest. The Sabbath was made for all mankind, Jew and non-Jew, male and female, to find the joy that only the LORD, Yahweh, can provide. The blessing and vision one receives in following His Divine instruction is life changing. The individual who takes the opportunity to observe the Sabbath enters into a slice of heaven on earth and finds the Sabbath rest in Messiah Yeshua.

To order your copy of the book go to: http://www.bekybooks.com/books.html

Yeshua, the Passover Lamb of God

Yeshua, the Passover Lamb of God

by | Apr 15, 2017 | #Firstfruits

Pesach

Jesus [Yeshua] is the reason for the Passover season. He is the Passover Lamb and the Firstfruits of the resurrection. Those who follow Messiah are unleavened by the sincere teaching of the Master. As we count three days and nights from Yeshua’s burial before the annual Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, we can anticipate the joy of the resurrection at the end of the weekly Sabbath. As the first day of the week began, Yeshua was raised from the tomb. At the same hour that the wave sheaf of the firstfruits of the barley harvest was raised by the temple priests, Yeshua was lifted out of the grave. The women who went to the tomb, “when it was yet dark” (John 20:1) discovered the greatest news of history, and they preached the Good News. He is risen!

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. (1 Cor. 5:17)

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.  (1 Cor. 15:20-26).

Happy First Fruits of the Resurrection!

The Covenant of Mercy

The Covenant of Mercy

by | Feb 9, 2017 | Uncategorized

Ancient Hebrew is based on letters that form word pictures. Hebrew words are created by joining pictures to illustrate the meaning of the word. The Hebrew word for covenant, berit, is a wonderful example of this.

Berit is formed by the Hebrew letters – bet, reysh, yood, and tav. Reading right to left it looks like this:
covenant

 

בּ  bet

 House is the word picture for bet, It can also mean the temple or house of God.

ר  reysh

 Head is the word picture for reysh. It can also mean a person or the highest.

י  y00d

 Hand is the word picture for yood. It also means work or deed.

ת  tav

 Sign is the word picture for tav. It can also mean seal or cross.

In the four letters that make up the Hebrew word picture for covenant, we see that those in the house should have on their head and hand a sign. In Messiah, we are called to be the temple or house of the living God, and there should be a sign on our head and hand that we are in Covenant with the Holy One of Israel. What is one of the signs of the Covenant? It is the annual celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

This [eating matzah] is done because of that which the LORD [Yahweh] did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto you and upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes [head] that the LORD’S law [Torah] may be in your mouth: for with a strong hand has the LORD brought you out of Egypt . (Exodus 13:8-10)

The Scriptures teach, that as His covenant people, His Word is to be within us, in our mouths and in our hearts.

…And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes [head].(Deuteronomy 6:6-8)

Take time to meditate on the meaning of berit and the eternal truths that are embedded in the beauty of the Hebrew language. Encourage your children to memorize the Word, to hide it in their hearts. Being in covenant with the Holy One has incredible promises for those who believe. Here are just a few delicious samples for you, and all your household of faith, to taste and see that His Covenant of Mercy is good:

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations… (Deuteronomy 7:9)

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But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children. To such as keep His covenant and to those that remember His commandments to do them. (Psalm 103:17-19)

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him…As for Me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD; My spirit that is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of you seed’s seed, says the LORD, from henceforth and forever.(Isaiah 59:19-21)

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people. And has raised up a horn of Salvation for us in the house of His servant David. As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began. That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; (Luke 1:68-72)

Teaching our children and our children’s children the commandments of God, connects us with the Covenant Community of Israel. Doing so out of love for Messiah Yeshua, unites us in His Kingdom, and causes us to bear good fruit. A household of faith, set apart, dedicated, and in covenant with the true and living God of Israel brings heavens mercy down upon us.

O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keeps covenant and shows mercy unto Thy servants, that walk before Thee with all their hearts. (2 Chronicles 6:14)

The Holy One of Israel, Yahweh, keeps His covenant and mercy to those that love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9 and Daniel 9:4). Imagine the benefit this has toward us, and our children’s children! Selah.

#Mercy #Covenant #Yeshua #Chesed #Rachamim

STAND FIRM

STAND FIRM

by | Feb 2, 2017 | Uncategorized

Have you ever felt a struggle that is going on, one that human reason or strength will not prevail over, a battle that feels as though it is a fight for life and death? Are you weary in the waiting for the answer to come from Adonai? Here is a message, given to me a couple of weeks ago, from a humble prophet of Messiah Yeshua:

“God has heard your cry. You have been praying specifically about something for a long time, and He has heard your prayers. You are to STAND FIRM. Don’t move to the left or the right. Watch Him work. Reach out and touch His Right Hand by faith. It is all going to be well. It is all well, in Jesus’ Name.”Stand firm.jpg

One of my all-time favorite strategic encounters with the Holy One of Israel is the battle that King Jehoshaphat fought when the Moabites and Ammonites came against the Kingdom of Judah. It looked like the assignment set against the Jewish people was one that would annihilate them. Therefore, Jehoshaphat called a fast, and the people assembled at the Temple courts to pray.

“Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem…He said, ‘Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your Hand, and no one can stand against You…We will cry out to You because of our distress, and You will hear and deliver…For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.'”(2 Chron. 20:5-10 CSB)

Yahweh’s answer to the King’s prayer was given by the Holy Spirit through a man, Yahaziel, whose name means God sees:

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s…You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the Salvation [Yeshuah] of the LORD. He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them for Yahweh is with you.

Then Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.” (2 Chron. 20:17,18 CSB)

The lesson to learn is that God Sees your struggle, and He Knows the battle of the assignment set against you and your family. He will fight for you, by the Power of His Right Hand. He will bring the deliverance, His SALVATION, in His time. The best way you and I can fight is to stand in faith, and fall face down in worship.

God did not abandon His people in ancient times, and He will not abandon us today. Just as He did for His people in the days of King Jehoshaphat, He will do for again for us. His strategies never fail.

“Belief in Yahweh your God, and you will be established, believe in His prophets, and you will succeed. Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the LORD and some to praise the splendor of His holiness. When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:  ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for His faithful love endures forever.’

The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and completely annihilated them. When they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, the helped destroy each other.” (2 Chron. 20:20-23 CSB)

Let us continue to fight the good fight of faith, believing that Adonai sees and knows and that He will fight the battle for us. He can cause our enemies to turn on themselves. Those destroyers, who come to wreak havoc, will submit to their own devices. They will reap the destruction that they have sown. God is faithful to save His own.

If you are struggling to keep the faith during the great trials and testings of life, The New Covenant Scriptures are full of encouragement for the battle at hand:

“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men [be courageous], be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13 NASB)

Put on the Full Armor..”Stand firm then, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed…” (Eph. 6:14 BSB)

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Cor. 15:58 NIV)

Fight the good fight of faith, because precious souls are in the balance.  Our Savior, Messiah Yeshua, the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls, will fight for us. It is His Battle and He has already overcome all the works of the enemy. Therefore, if you are called to the front lines, Praise Him!

#TheBattleBelongsToTheLORD #StandFirm #Overcome #AdonaiWillFightForYou