60IN60 Day 31 - Wed Oct 4

It's Day 31 and we're in Matthew 24.

An encouragement as you read today: "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8). 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 45-47 - Those who are faithful in the jobs they're given now will be given greater authority in the Kingdom to come ("in charge of all his possessions").

Help:
- Verses 1-51 - The context of this passage is talking about "end of time" things.
- Verse 29 - "stars" - As I mentioned the other day, the definition of "stars" here is not the modern one, but merely things from the heavens.
- Verse 34 - "generation" - The word "generation" can also be translated "race" and he was basically saying, "Humanity will not end before these events have taken place."

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 30 - Tues Oct 3

It's Day 30 and we're in Matthew 23.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 12 - We have to humble ourselves in obedience and believe that He will use us powerfully once we're more mature in Christ.

Help:
- Verse 4 - This means that they were laying out teachings that were impossible for people to live out, making trying to follow God seem like a "heavy load."
- Verse 9 - My presumption here is that this has more to do with calling someone like a pastor your "father," since the whole chapter is about religious pride and hypocrisy. I don't think that it pertains to your Dad.
- Verse 13 - How were they doing this? Because they were sharing false teachings, when people would come to them to try to find the way to God, the instruction they were giving those people was actually keeping them away from God rather than opening the door to an abundant life in God.
- Verse 23 - They would tithe the spices they grew in their garden.
- Verse 25 - Jesus is using the analogy here of cleaning a cup. Like cleaning the outside of a cup but failing to clean the inside, the Pharisees were focusing on externals and ignoring what was on the inside.
- Verses 29-31 - Basically saying, you're condemning the Israelite leaders of old who condemned God's true prophets, but you're their descendants both in lineage and action.

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 29 - Mon Oct 2

It's Day 29 and we're in Matthew 22.

A scary thought: the Bible is "able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). That can be frightening, but know that God loves you the way you are, but too much to leave you that way. 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 24-28 - They had their little ironclad theological puzzle, yet they didn't understand the larger truths that rendered their point moot. We can get too full of ourselves and all our theological knowledge. A little humility is much needed.

Help:
- Verses 1-14 - The overall analogy is about salvation.
- Verses 5-6 - They weren't just apathetic toward what the king wanted - they were in active, murderous opposition.
- Verses 11-12 - We have to be "dressed" in the righteousness that comes from Christ.
- Verse 17 - This was intended as a trap for Jesus. Two groups had come to Jesus (see verses 15-16). If Jesus said, "Don't pay the tax," the Herodians (who were in sympathy with King Herod) would have taken news of that to Herod and they could have arrested Jesus as inciting rebellion against the king. If Jesus said, "Pay the tax," the Pharisees (who were in opposition to the Roman government) would have gone to the people and said, "Jesus is just a patsy for the hated Romans!"
- Verse 24 - This way of doing things was how things were handled in the Old Testament times. Marriage back then was rarely for love. We consider marriage for love to be the only option, but that's been the minority opinion throughout history.
- Verses 42-46 - This is a puzzle Jesus gives to them. The gist: David calls the promised Christ "Lord"; but David was older (i.e. lived before) than the promised Christ, so the Christ should have called David "Lord" (out of respect toward an elder); why doesn't David do that? It's because the Christ wasn't just an ordinary descendant - it was the Son of God. The puzzle revealed that the Pharisees didn't understand all the Old Testament prophecies about who the Christ would be.

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 28 - Sun Oct 1

It's Day 28 and we're in Proverbs 27.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 15 - Very thankful that I don't have that problem, but I've seen it time and again in others' lives.

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 27 - Sat Sept 30

It's Day 27 and we're in Proverbs 26.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11 - Gross, but so true.

Help:
- Verse 2 - I think this means that punishment is ultimately only enforced by God when the person is guilty.
- Verse 13 - In other words, a lazy person will make up any excuse not to work.

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 26 - Fri Sept 29

It's Day 26 and we're in Proverbs 25.

What's the Bible say about the book you're reading today? We have the Word so that as believers we can be "equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17). Read the Word so you're ready for what life throws at you. 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - Good to remember when you're with someone struggling.

Help:
- Verse 2 - I think what He has in mind here is the mystery of salvation. People didn't understand what exactly God had in mind to do when the Savior came to earth. Jesus was more than anyone expected.
- Verse 3 - In the sense of understanding why they do what they do. That's something that other people just don't always get.
- Verse 13 - It didn't normally snow at harvest time, so this is likely speaking of melted snow as a cold drink.
- Verses 21-22 - Obviously not literally hot coals, but instead that your actions will make the person realize they are in the wrong and perhaps they'll feel bad about what they've done and repent.

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 25 - Thurs Sept 28

It's Day 25 and we're in Revelation 7.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - I like the image of the huge multitude, so great that none of us could count it, all worshiping God. That's going to be awesome.

Help:
- Verse 1 - "four corners" - Figurative language that just means the ends of the earth.
- Verse 9 - "no one could count" - That means no person could count, not that God is unable to number them.
- Verse 14 - "white in blood" - How can something be made white by putting blood on it? What is being talked about here is the idea that we are forgiven by the blood of Jesus.

If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.

If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.