Lydia was one of the most successful business women in the Bible. You will find her story in the Bible in Acts 16:14-15. According to Biblical records, Lydia was a business woman who dyed and sold purple cloth, a material used by the wealthy and elite of the day. This meant Lydia worked in a high-priced market with a high-end target market.

But Lydia was more than just a woman who sold luxury goods to the elite and the powerful. From all accounts it appears she was also the head of her household, an employer of others, and a woman of great Christian faith. She was the first European convert to Christianity and the first to establish a church in her home for other Christians. Fellowship times included examples of how to do business and worship as a part of a business woman’s day.

As a powerful woman of God, Lydia has much to offer today’s Christian business women. Here are seven valuable lessons for women of God from the Bible woman, Lydia.

1. Keep prayer in your daily activities. The bible story of Lydia says she met the Apostle Paul at a place of prayer. She also opened her home to have worship services for others. Keep your priorities in order as a woman of God. Remember to pray unceasingly about everything including your business activities by making prayer a priority activity on your daily schedule.

2. Work to please the Lord. Lydia took her responsibility as a Christian business woman to work “as unto the Lord” very seriously. You can show Christian beliefs through your nature and personality without being pushy or unprofessional. Show Biblical principles through your actions and decisions in your business.

3. Design a powerful company. Lydia was a no-nonsense business woman who built a major company in a wealthy market. Nothing says a woman of God has to play small in the business world. Christian business women should be open to working in all types of industries and not shy away from the potential of going big. If you are pursuing big dreams use Lydia as your role model for growth.

4. Try non-traditional opportunities. By being a successful and wealthy merchant of purple cloth Lydia was in a non-traditional business category during her times. Don’t shy away from embracing non-traditional business opportunities. Consider working in fields where few if any woman are already excelling and create new paths to success.

5. Find your balance between work and home. Lydia maintained her household even while running a powerful business. Each woman has to find the way to balance, keeping her home in order while running a business. It might mean downsizing or hiring help. Use your business skills to figure out what works for you to get it all done.

6. Learn to grow your business. Lydia’s business was so successful that she had to hire employees. Growing a business means eventually needing to hire help. That help might come in the form of a part time assistants, independent contractors, freelancers or full-time employees. Start in the initial business planning stages to consider how and when you will start to hire help so you can expand your business operations. This creates jobs for others, increases the economy of your area and increases your status and influence as a business professional.

7. Know you can be prosperous. Lydia shows that successful Christian women can be highly prosperous. There’s no reason to fear money or to shy away from earning large amounts of money in business. The important key is to keep a check on your heart so money does not become your focus instead of God. Lydia was a business woman in the Bible who prospered while giving all glory to God.

An army medical orderly serving in the desert of North Africa developed a serious skin disorder. He was admitted to hospital in Sudan, but available treatment was minimal.

What would he do? When at work, he dispensed medicine to the soldiers three times a day, after meals. That led him to make a significant decision.

He would read his Bible three times a day, after meals. He also started underlining, in blue, each passage dealing with healing. Within three months his skin condition improved remarkably, and he ended up with a blue Bible!

In Proverbs Chapter 4 he read – pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, but keep them within your heart, for they are life to those who find them, and health to a man’s whole body. He referred to this passage in Scripture as ‘God’s medicine bottle’.

It is a choice we make. We choose to read God’s Word, or we choose not to read it.

Having a Bible on a shelf in your home is not the same as having the truth of God’s Word in your heart.

It is encouraging to know how Jesus Christ knew and referred to the writings of what we call the Old Testament. That must have involved regular reading and memorising.

Make time to read the Bible. Do not rush it, nor be afraid to mark or underline sentences which may speak to you.

Take time to read and even to study it until you have a real and deep personal relationship with the Author – Almighty God.

Truth cannot set you free until you know the truth. Most of us need ‘a blue Bible’ of some colour.

Most of us are aware of areas from which we need to be set free and released.

Most of us need a word at times to steady our hand or steady our faith.

There was a disciple of Jesus awaiting some encouraging prophetic word and when he shared with a friend how he was waiting – the friend looked around and asked why his Bible was closed! To hear that encouraging prophetic word, all we may need to do is open the pages of the Bible, and hear what the living God has to say to us through the Scriptures.

The Bible will not cramp your style, nor will it limit you in any way, but may set you free to live and serve, with hope and love, enabling you to withstand storms, trials, comments and criticisms.

That army medical orderly was Derek Prince. When he was discharged from the Army, he became one of the world’s leading preachers and Bible teachers – writing excellent books on practical issues in the Christian life – leaving a rich legacy for disciples of Jesus Christ.

“Lord God – may I always be willing and eager and keen to open Your Word – so often the Word You want me to hear and understand, lies within these pages. Thank You for the way Your Holy Word has been preserved down through the years. Enable me to make good use if it – and pass it on to others – in Jesus Name. Amen.”

The King James Bible (1611) is among the most influential books in the world. Many words are archaic and have not been in use since the work’s first printing. Although many English-speaking readers and English Language School (ELS) students run into problems understanding words and their meanings, the KJV is still read today by a majority of evangelical Christians.

One of the most fundamental problems in reading the KJV are the words “thou” and “ye”. Both mean “you” when it’s used as a subject, but the difference between is “thou” is singular and “ye” is plural.

THOU: “Thou” is used throughout the Bible. It is the singular subject meaning “you”. Some examples come from the 10 Commandments:

Thou shalt not steal- You will not steal (Exodus 20:15). Thou shalt not kill.- You will not kill (Exodus 20:13). Thou shalt not commit adultery.- You will not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14). Or… thou shalt eat the herb of the field;..you will eat the herb of the field (Genesis 3:18).

There are many “Thou shalt”s (You will) and “Thou shalt not” (You will not, or You won’t) because God was instructing people morally how to act. So, get used to reading “Thou shalt”. In the past tense, thou is used with the verb + “th”: “Thou” is almost always used in the present tense with a verb’s medieval form such as: Thou art, thou speaketh, thou doeth, thou goeth, thou seeth, thou drinketh, thou sayeth.

But, in the past tense, thou is used with the verb + “st”: Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? (Genesis 20:9-10)

Thou is used with possessive adjectives: thy (your) or thine; and direct and indirect objects: thee (to you): And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. (Exodus 2: 9)

But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. (Genesis 6:18.)

YE: This means “you” in the plural form. It follows the modern forms of verbs, possessive adjectives, and direct and indirect objects. The verbs also follow most of today’s verb forms.

“Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.” (Genesis 19:8).

“And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.” (Genesis 34:9-10)

Whenever Jesus speaks to His disciples, his crowd of followers, or the Pharisees, He always said, “Ye” to them: Ye are the salt of the earth… (Mathew 5:13) or Ye are the light of the world.(Mathew 5:14). But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; (Mathew 6:33)

Remember for now that “thou” represents the singular “you” and the “th” is present in all forms including: thou, thy, thine, thee + verb endings. The plural “you”, or “ye” in all of its forms starts with a “y”: ye, your, you.

In “Comprehending the King James Bible, Part 2” more explanations about the difficulties of reading this work will be discussed.