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Bits & Pieces (July 16)

Many blessings to you today. May God be near as you seek and trust in Him.

  • First known depictions of biblical heroines – “The earliest known depiction of biblical heroines Jael and Deborah was discovered at an ancient synagogue in Israel, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced last week. A rendering of one figure driving a stake through the head of a military general was the initial clue that led the team to identify the figures, according to project director Jodi Magness.”
  • 15 Reasons People Walk Away from the Church – “Most, if not all, of us know someone who attended church but then simply walked away from God’s people. The pandemic, I believe, has only increased that number. Based on my work with churches and the unchurched, here are some of the reasons I’ve heard:”
  • What to do when your spouse is suffering – “In a broken world that only seems to be breaking more with each passing day, the question is important. How do you minister to a suffering spouse who is riddled with heartache, hopelessness, anxiety, angst, disappointment, doubt, or despair? A spouse who is overwhelmed, overworked, or overstressed? A spouse who is battling fear, guilt, shame, exhaustion, grief, or a plethora of other soul-testing emotions?”
  • 6 Ways Christians Can Respond to Our Strange New World – “Sooner or later every single one of us is likely to be faced with a challenging situation generated by the modern notion of selfhood. And this means that for all of us the questions of how we should live and what we should do when facing pressure to conform are gaining in urgency. Here are six ways Christians should respond to this new world.”
  • Of Mountains & Molehills: How much should doctrine divide us? – “…. on our own, we tend to drift toward a “unity” that erodes truth, or a “truth” that destroys unity. And so, we often need recalibrating: our inner ecumenist needs more backbone; our inner watchdog needs less bite. To that end, one ancient tool, rearticulated and clarified in recent decades, may help: theological triage.”
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Purpose

Everything?

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. – 2 Timothy 2:10

In 2 Timothy 2:10 Paul writes about what he has gone through for the benefit of fellow Christians. Specifically he states that he “endured everything for the sake of the elect.” This bears emphasizing. Paul went through everything – for the good of his brothers and sisters in Christ. He endured sickness, derision, persecution, death threats, shipwrecks, beatings, and more because of his desire to do whatever was necessary to serve God and the ones that God had called to Himself. There was nothing that he held back out of love for God and His kids.

The previous verses make it clear why Paul was willing to sacrifice so much (2 Timothy 2:1-9). Because of the sacrifice that Christ made for him and Paul’s confidence that God would use his suffering to spread the Gospel, he willingly endured whatever God called him to.

Fellow Christians – would we be able to say the same? Are we willing to do whatever it takes to show the love of God to His children? Would we endure any derision, heartache, pain, or inconvenience for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we committed to the spread of the Gospel regardless of the personal costs?

May we increasingly be able to answer in the affirmative. May we look back on each day and say that we were willing to do whatever was necessary so that the members of God’s family would know and love Him more. May what we have and who we are be used to spread the Good News of Jesus. May we be able to join with Paul and say that we would do anything and give everything for the sake of God’s elect.

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