Monday, September 30, 2013

60IN60 Day 29 - Mon Sept 30

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.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

60IN60 Day 28 - Sun Sept 29

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.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

60IN60 Day 27 - Sat Sept 28

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.

Your Questions And Comments:

- "6 Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of great men;
For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

 
Didn't Jesus say this in one of His parables?  Can't remember where to find it . . ." - Yes, He did.  It's in Luke 14:7-11.

Friday, September 27, 2013

60IN60 Day 26 - Fri Sept 27

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.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

60IN60 Day 25 - Thurs Sept 26

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.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

60IN60 Day 24 - Wed Sept 25

It's Day 24 and we're in Revelation 6.

As you read, listen for where God wants to speak to you. What jumps out to you? What speaks to situations you're dealing with right now?

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 15 - This is going to be a horrible time.  Not all that the future holds is wonderful.

Help:
- Verses 1-17 - This chapter tells of a horrible time coming in the future when for a while life on earth will be horrific.  It's part of end times.
- Verse 9 - Not like hiding under a table, but obviously a huge area with an altar that's high and lifted up, with these saints standing there asking about how soon justice was coming.
- Verse 13 - "stars. . . fell" - The word "stars" here isn't defined the way that modern science does.  It just means heavenly bodies.  The way we define it today, the sun is the nearest "star" and that's obviously not what's in mind here.
- Verse 14 - This language speaks of earth-shattering, cataclysmic events.

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.

Your Comments And Questions:
- Verse 9, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." brought tears to my eyes. I just want to sit and worship and say, "Thank You," when reading that verse.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

60IN60 Day 23 - Tues Sept 24

It's Day 23 and we're in Revelation 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 8 - It's an interesting (perhaps mostly symbolic) detail that the prayers of the saints create a sweet smell in the presence of God.  It's encouraging to know that He sees our conversation with Him in that positive a way.

Help:
- Verse 5 - "Lion," "root" - Both of these are symbolic titles for Jesus, arising from the Old Testament.  The lion imagery has to do with Him as a warrior and conqueror; the root has to do with Him being of the line of David.
- Verse 6 - "Lamb" - Another title, having to do with Jesus' willingness to sacrifice Himself, along the lines of a way a lamb was sacrificed for the sins of the people in the Old Testament sacrificial system.
- Verse 9 - "with your blood" - Meaning that our forgiveness comes through the sacrifice of His blood.
- Verse 14 - "fell down" - Meaning to bow down in worship, not to trip.

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.

Your Comments And Questions:
- For those who liked Psalm 57: For anyone who's interested  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhIgre5sa40
- "'And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge/Until destruction passes by.'  I think that's the way it is for most, seeking refuge during the rough times, but perhaps not so much when things are going well.  I hope I can remember His promise to be with me ALL the time and be very aware of it even during the great times."

Monday, September 23, 2013

60IN60 Day 22 - Mon Sept 23

It's Day 22 and we're in Revelation 4.

We're going to be looking at Revelation for a few days.  Revelation is a tough book with lots of challenging imagery, but it's also an important part of the Word as it points toward our future.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - "crowns" - When the Bible says in other places that we are given crowns as one of the rewards for our faithfulness and fruitfulness in this life, the main point of having a crown is to have something valuable to lay at Jesus' feet as an offering.

Help:
- Verses 6-8 - This is some wild imagery, isn't it?  Some people take these descriptions literally; others consider the things mentioned here to be symbolic of things about these creatures.

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.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

60IN60 Day 21 - Sun Sept 22

It's Day 21 and we're in Psalm 57.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 4 - Sometimes we know that we're surrounded by those who mean us harm.  In that situation, it's good to know that the Lord has our back.

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.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

60IN60 Day 20 - Sat Sept 21

It's Day 20 and we're in Psalm 56.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - Easier said than done.

Help:
- Verse 8 - It's a nice thought to know that God is aware of each tear that we cry.

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.

Friday, September 20, 2013

60IN60 Day 19 - Fri Sept 20

It's Day 19 and we're in Acts 22.

An encouragement as you read the Bible today: in Acts 17:11, it tells of some Christians in Berea who "received the Word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether [what we taught was Biblical]." Let's be like them.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 10, 18, 21 - The Lord leads where He wants to and it's usually not the way that we would choose if we were given our preference.  But He knows better than we do.

Help:
- Verse 23 - "flinging dust in the air" - Apparently this was a way back then to show anger.

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.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

60IN60 Day 18 - Thurs Sept 19

It's Day 18 and we're in Acts 21.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - It's not clear here whether Paul is certain that this is God's will for his life or if it's just that he has decided to do this and once his mind is made up he's not going to change.  Sometimes our stubbornness gets the best of us.

Help:
- Verses 4, 11-13 - As stated above, it doesn't appear that it was necessarily God's will for Paul to go to Jerusalem.  At the very least, the Spirit makes it clear to him that there is great sacrifice if he does.  I'm not sure if his decision to go anyway is bravery or stubbornness.
- Verse 8 - "Seven" - It's not clear who exactly the "Seven" were.
- Verses 23-26 - This was a Jewish way of handling it.

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.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

60IN60 Day 17 - Wed Sept 18

It's Day 17 and we're in Acts 20.

We have lots of excuses for why we don't read the Bible: "I'm too busy," "I don't know where to start," "I tried it once and got confused," "I just never got around to it." I hope "60IN60" helps you to be able to overcome those excuses and experience a rewarding time in the Word.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 1 - Paul has to leave the area (as he does in other places too) simply for speaking about what is true.  When the truth doesn't fit what we want to hear, the reaction can be radical.

Help:
- Verse 9 - This is a serious situation, of course, but since he's raised from the dead, we can joke that you're not the only one who has ever been bored to death by a sermon.  ;-)
- Verse 26 - He doesn't mean that someone has accused him of murder or anything like that.  He's referring to the Biblical idea that a pastor is responsible for sharing the truth with his people.  If he doesn't, he is guilty before God for that transgression.  See especially Ezekiel 34.

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.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

60IN60 Day 16 - Tues Sept 17

It's Day 16 and we're in Acts 19.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 24-28 - So often (as here) what we consider "truth" is defined by our wallets.

Help:
- Verses 1-7 - This is an unusual situation that occurred because of the "in-between" nature of the time described in Acts.  It's not something that would happen today.
- Verses 9, 23 - "the Way" - This was a main way that Christians referred to themselves back then.  I really don't know why we don't use it more today - it's a good description.
- Verse 10 - This seems to mean that because Ephesus was a major hub for that area many people coming through there heard Paul and then took the message back to their hometowns, thus spreading the gospel.

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.

Monday, September 16, 2013

60IN60 Day 15 - Mon Sept 16

It's Day 15 and we're in Acts 18.

One thing that's important as we read daily: being eager to hear Him speak to you. Go into your reading expectant that God desires to share something with you.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 26 - I appreciate how teachable Apollos is here.  He was already seeing results.  It would have been easy for him to be arrogant and presume that he knew all he needed to know.  What can I learn from those around me?

Help:
- Verse 5 - "devoting himself completely" - That means that he was not tent-making.  Tent-making was Paul's part-time job when it was necessary to make money to support himself during the missionary work.  He is at a point here of being able to not have to do that part-time work.
- Verse 18 - It was fairly common back then for Jews to make such vows and the cutting off of one's hair at the conclusion of the vow was not unusual.

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.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

60IN60 Day 14 - Sun Sept 15

It's Day 14 and we're in Acts 17.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 16 - Does it bother me that American culture is full of idols (money, houses, power, etc.) or have I made my peace with it?

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.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

60IN60 Day 13 - Sat Sept 14

It's Day 13 and we're in 2 Thessalonians 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - It can be easy to get tired of trying to pursue the right things in our lives.  We can get lazy or sidetracked by sin.  We need to persevere in doing what is right.

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.

Friday, September 13, 2013

60IN60 Day 12 - Fri Sept 13

It's Day 12 and we're in 2 Thessalonians 2.

One thing that can impede God speaking to you is the presence of unconfessed sin in your life. Are you coming to the Word today with a clean heart or are you holding things back from God?

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 15 - A significant part of our job is to simply hold onto what we've been entrusted with.

Help:
- Verse 3 - "man of lawlessness" - Many presume the reference here is to the Anti-Christ.
- Verses 6-7 - The allusions Paul makes here are ones that we're uncertain about.  We don't know for sure what is "holding back" these things from happening.
- Verse 8 - "breath of his mouth" - Clearly a reference to the words that He speaks.
- Verse 11 - Why would God send them a powerful delusion?  Most likely because of the lack of faith that referenced in verse 10.

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.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

60IN60 Day 11 - Thur Sept 12

It's Day 11 and we're in 2 Thessalonians 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11-12 - The second half of verse 11 is a great thing to pray.  Let me see that kind of power from God in my life.

Help:
- Verse 5 - It is expected that saints (i.e. Christians) would sometimes suffer for their faith.

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.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

60IN60 Day 10 - Wed Sept 11

It's Day 10 and we're in Numbers 14.

Remember that your daily reading in the Bible isn't about gaining information - it's about changing your life to be more like Christ. That means that you need to take action on what God speaks to you about.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 1 - Fear is contagious.

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.

Your Comments And Questions:
- "How often  we miss God's blessings because we let fear overcome faith!"

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

60IN60 Day 9 - Tues Sept 10

It's Day 9 and we're in Numbers 13.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 31, 33 - It's so easy to let our fears rule our hearts.  They knew God had promised to give them the land, but their fears overwhelmed their faith.

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.

Monday, September 9, 2013

60IN60 Day 8 - Mon Sept 9

It's Day 8 and we're in Numbers 12.

If you struggle with the feeling that you need to hurry through the reading, it can be helpful to lay aside a certain length of time for the reading. "I'm going to spend the next ten minutes reading the Bible. If I get done early, I'll go back and re-read it. If I don't get it done, that's fine. Now I can relax and not try to hurry through so I can get on with the other things I need to get done today. I'm going to be here for ten minutes."

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - Jealousy of a leader who is seeing God move through him is pretty common.  We always need to be careful about impugning God's servant.

Help:
- Verses 1, 10 - There is an irony in the crime and punishment.  Moses married a Cushite: i.e. a black woman.  The punishment is leprosy: i.e. white skin.

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.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

60IN60 Day 7 - Sun Sept 8

It's Day 7 and we're in Matthew 21.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 12 - I like this image of Jesus: willing to take a stand, fearless, disruptive, bold, tough.

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.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

60IN60 Day 6 - Sat Sept 7

It's Day 6 and we're in Matthew 20.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 30-31 - Don't listen to the voices telling you to keep quiet.  Reach out, call out to God.

Help:
- Verses 1-16 - This is a hard parable.  There are two main translations of it: (1) it's about heaven and the point is that some are believers for most of their lives while others believe just before death but both receive the reward of heaven; (2) it's about the Gentiles and the point is that even though the Jews have a long-standing relationship with God, He has the right to invite others ("late-comers") in as well.  I personally prefer the first option.
- Verse 22 - They will in fact die for God.

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.