60IN60 Day 27 - Sat Nov 30

It's Day 27 and we're in John 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - Rather than taking the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus as clear evidence of Jesus' divinity, the Pharisees instead plan to kill Lazarus.  Crazy blindness.  How often do I miss out on God's power and direction because I've decided ahead of time what I will do?

Help:
- Verses 7-8 - This is not an excuse to neglect the poor, but merely a statement that the present situation they found themselves in was an unusual one that merited the expensive sacrifice.
- Verses 20-26 - Jesus doesn't seem to directly answer their question.  What's going on?  If I had to summarize it, I would say that what Jesus had in mind is something like this: it's good that they want to talk to Me, but the time for talking is behind now and instead it's the time for My to pursue the action of going to the cross.
- Verse 25 - What does this mean?  It means that rather than always pursuing what I want as the vision of my life, instead I need to be willing to pursue what God is calling me to do in order to see His abundant life.  I have to "die to self" and instead of living for what I want, I live for what Jesus instructed.
- Verse 40 - This does not mean that God forced them into their blindness.  It means that they were intentionally rejecting what He was saying (see verse 20-26) and so He gave them over to their desires, which resulted in spiritual blindness.

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 Nov 29

It's Day 29 and we're in John 11.

One reason to be in the Bible regularly? It helps you avoid nonsense. There are so many different ideas out there today about God. It's important that we base our image of God on who He said He is, not what other people wish He was.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 5 - He loved them.  Not "He put up with them," but He loved them.  For some reason that just kind of hit me anew: that He doesn't just put up with us - He loves us.

Help:
- Verse 26 - He means that we will never die spiritually.

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:

- John 10:34 - In regard to this verse, Barclay says that this verse is a particularly Jewish argument which makes it difficult for us to understand today.  He says that Jesus was quoting Psalm 82:6 (as does my study Bible).  "That psalm is a warning to unjust judges to cease from unjust ways and defend the poor and the innocent.  The appeal concludes: "I say, 'You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you.' "  The judge is commissioned by God to be god to men.  This idea comes out very clearly in certain of the regulations in Exodus.  Exodus 21:1-6 tells how the Hebrew servant may go free in the seventh year.  As the Authorized Version has it, verse 6 says "Then the master shall bring him unto the judges."  But in Hebrew, the word which is translated judges is actually elohim, which means gods.  The same form of expression is used in Exodus 22:9, 28.  Even scripture said of men who were specially commissioned to some task by God that they were gods.  So Jesus said:  "If scripture can speak like that about men, why should I not speak so about myself?"

    Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing these things unless you have access to original manuscripts and can translate from Hebrew and Greek, or you have access to reference materials.

- The study aids I am using say that the edicts of the King cannot ever be countermanded......even by the King himself.  So the King had to come up with someway to get around his order.  He did this by allowing the Jews to defend themselves.......At least that is what my references said on this issue.
 

-

⁶ For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

It has been hard on me to read Esther one chapter at a time, as it's one of my favorite passages.  I had underlined this verse at a previous reading.  And this, I believe is what the whole story is about.  It says to me that I am where God wants me to be for such a time as this.  He is saying to all His children, care enough about the sphere of influence you occupy to tell them about Christ!

- John 10:10. I've always been frustrated by prosperity gospel pastors who use this verse as an excuse/permission to live an excessively lavish lifestyle...and claim that is what God wants for all of us if we just pray hard enough. I learned several years ago that there are two Greek words for "abundance". One means material and one means spiritual. The one used in this verse is spiritual.

- Verse 34. I don't find it obscure. The Pharisees thought they knew "it all," and they were as close to perfection as humans could get. I think in Psalm 82:1, 5, & 6, Asaph is telling the listener that they think they know everything, when in fact, they know nothing. In verse 34, Jesus is referring to 82:6 and telling the Pharisees the same thing. "You all think you're gods, when in fact, you apparently couldn't recognize God if He was standing in front of you." :-)

 

 

60IN60 Day 25 - Thurs Nov 28

It's Day 25 and we're in John 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 28 - We are sometimes so focused on the blessings that He gives us in this life that we fail to recognize what an enormous gift this is: eternal life!

Help:
- Verse 16 - "not of this sheep pen" - We know from the book of Acts that this is a reference to the fact that Jesus intended this salvation to extend to the Gentiles (i.e. the non-Jews; i.e. us).  Down through the years, various cults have tried to use this verse to argue that He was referring to them.
- Verse 17-18 - This is a reference to His death and resurrection.
- Verse 34 - This is an obscure verse.  I have not found an interpretation yet that satisfies me, but I'll keep looking.

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 24 - Wed Nov 27

It's Day 24 and we're in John 9.

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 16 - The inability to see what was right in front of them is amazing.  It's so easy to get focused on the way that we think God is required to act (according to the rules we've made up for Him in our religion) and miss out on things He's doing that are outside that.

Help:
- Verses 2-3 - It was widely taught by the Jewish leaders that all tragedy came directly from the sin of that person (or maybe their parents).  Jesus denies that idea.
- Verses 6-7 - Why did Jesus do the healing this way?  We don't know.  He does healings in different ways: sometimes instantaneous, sometimes having someone go wash in a pool, sometimes total, sometimes in stages, sometimes publicly, sometimes privately.  The main thing I draw out of that is that Jesus works His miracles differently in different situations.  That means the miracle that He does in your life today is not necessarily the way He's going to do a miracle in my life tomorrow.
- Verse 34 - Again, the Jewish leaders presume that this man had to be a terrible sinner because he had been blind.  They believed his sin (or his parent's sin) had caused it.  Jesus denied that idea.
- Verse 39 - What does this mean?  He saying, "I've come into the world so that those who think they can see - I'm looking at you, religious leaders - will discover their actually spiritually blind, and I've come that those who know they're spiritually blind - like the tax collectors and prostitutes - will have a chance to gain spiritual sight."

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 23 - Tues Nov 26

It's Day 23 and we're in John 8.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 31 - Such an important idea: it's not just saying we like Jesus that makes us a disciple, but that we "hold to [His] teaching."  That is, that we live out what He told us to do.

Help:
- Verses 58-59 - The phrase "I AM" was one of the names that God chose for Himself in the Old Testament.  When Jesus said this, He was claiming to be God.  To His enemies, that was blasphemy (because they didn't believe that He was God) and worthy of stoning.

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 22 - Mon Nov 25

It's Day 22 and we're in Esther 10.

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:
- Nothing really jumped out to me today.

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 21 - Sun Nov 24

It's Day 21 and we're in Esther 9.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing really jumped out to me today.

Help:
- Verses 1-2, 16 - Obviously there was a significant anti-Semitic sentiment within the kingdom.  The Jews have to defend themselves.
- Verse 13 - They were already dead.  Being hanged was just to make a point.


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 20 - Sat Nov 23

It's Day 20 and we're in Esther 8.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing really jumped out to me today.  That's ok - there are days like that.

Help:
- Verse 11 - The king's edict makes me wonder why he didn't just issue a proclamation that said, "Nevermind.  No killing of the Jews."  Instead, he issues this proclamation that speaks more of the Jews defending themselves and even plundering those who attack.  My presumption is that the proclamation is that way because there were those within the kingdom with great hatred for the Jews who might have ignored the king's retraction and then after the fact claimed they didn't get word in time.

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 Thoughts:
- v. 8 - "My take on the last sentence was that Haman's face reflected his fear at hearing the king's rage."

60IN60 Day 19 - Fri Nov 22

It's Day 19 and we're in Esther 7.

What's the Bible say about the book you're reading today? "All Scripture is. . . profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Reading the Bible will make your day more "profitable."

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - Justice with a side of irony.

Help:
- Verse 8 - "they covered Haman's face" - This is presumable the eunuchs who are mentioned in v. 9.

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 18 - Thurs Nov 21

It's Day 18 and we're in Esther 6.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 1-9 - The ironic timing of these events (at least as far as Haman is concerned) is interesting.  God can orchestrate things down to the second when needed.

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:
- "In 3:12-13, it says in the first month the edict was written, and in the 12th month, it would take place. I don't know anything about the size of the kingdom, but obviously they only had their feet and horses to take them around to deliver the message. Do we know how long it took, or whether they just wanted to give folks 11 months to "prepare to die," (I realize it also gave time for Esther to talk to the king), or were the months not the same as they are now? I do see (in Chapter 2) this is in the 12th year of his reign, but Esther was given the 12 months of beauty treatments and presented to Xerxes in the 7th year of his reign, so I guess she just hung out for five years, as God prepared her? It's all very confusing time-wise." - It is confusing.  Here's the timetable as best as I understand it:
1. Esther becomes queen in the 7th year of Xerxes' rule (2:16-17).
2. She had been queen about 5 years when Haman pursued his plot to destroy the Jews (3:7).
3. When the king agreed to Haman's plot to destroy the Jews, they cast a lot to select the specific time to carry out the genocide.  The lot selected a time about twelve months away (3:7).  Of course, from the king's perspective, it had to be a time frame that would allow for getting the word out to the various parts of the kingdom, but I think that was divinely chosen to be a little bit longer than necessary for that in order to allow Esther time to pursue rescuing the Jews.

60IN60 Day 17 - Wed Nov 20

It's Day 17 and we're in Esther 5.

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 11 - Such pride.  It's so disgusting to see in other's, yet we're tempted to do the same thing.

Help:
- Verses 6-8 - Why the delay?  Why not bring up the issue right then?  The Bible doesn't tell us if this was all part of her grand plan or if she just lost her nerve in that moment.  I tend to think the latter.

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:
- "v. 15 of ch.3- was there such a large segment of Susa's population Jews, did they have such influence in the city for the whole city to be bewildered. Weren't all used to the callousness with which human life was dealt with? There they are fasting again in 4:16." - The Bible doesn't specifically tell us why the city was bewildered in 3:15.  Susa was the city where the king's throne was (Esther 1:2).  My presumption is that perhaps the bewilderment was something along the lines of "Where did this come from?  Why are we suddenly exterminating all the Jews?  Was there a crime they did?  What's behind this?"  It's obvious from the later chapters that there was some anti-Semitism in the kingdom, but I think most people didn't expect the king to order a genocide.  I think it was mostly people wondering what the root cause of this unexpected proclamation was.

60IN60 Day 16 - Tues Nov 19

It's Day 16 and we're in Esther 4.

There was a problem yesterday with the 60IN60 email showing up.  Sometimes it's my fault because I've not inputted things correctly, but everything was in there right yesterday, so I'm really not sure why it didn't go out at the normal time. 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 14 - It's such a great line: "for such a time as this."  Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of difficulties because God has put us there to stand for what's right in such a time as this.

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:
- "are we to assume that b/c the text refers to the women in the concubines as "virgins," the king wasn't sleeping w/ all of them? My understanding of history is a harem of concubines is definitely not virginal." -  I don't think the choice of a new queen came from a harem.  Rather, I think the king opened it to the beautiful young women from across the kingdom who were then brought in and prepared for the king to see.  So I think "virgin" is accurate.

60IN60 Day 15 - Mon Nov 18

It's Day 15 and we're in Esther 3.

What's the Bible say about the book you're reading today? "All Scripture is inspired by God. . ." (2 Timothy 3:16). So reading the Bible helps me know how God sees things.

Where God Spoke to Me:
- Nothing really jumped out to me today.

Help:
- Verse 7 - Presumably God worked behind the scenes to bring up a time when they cast lots to ensure there would be time to save the Jewish people.

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 14 - Sun Nov 17

It's Day 14 and we're in Esther 2.

Where God Spoke to Me:
- Verse 22 - One of the interesting things about the book of Esther is that God doesn't make an official appearance anywhere in the book, yet you can see Him working in the circumstances to take care of His people.  It's a good reminder to us that He is at work even when we don't see Him.  Verse 22 is just another one of the "coincidences" that God orchestrated.

Help:
- Verses 10, 20 - Apparently Mordecai felt this would hurt her chances.  He didn't instruct her to lie, but rather just not to bring it up.

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 13 - Sat Nov 16

It's Day 13 and we're in Esther 1.

Oops!  I realized I made a mistake on the "60IN60" reading sheet - I left out Galatians 6.  Instead, I went right on to Esther for our reading for tomorrow.  Feel free to read Galatians 6 anyway if you want to.  I'm allowed one mistake a day and apparently that's my mistake for today!

Where God Spoke to Me:
- Nothing jumped out to me today.

Help:
- Verses 12-22 - The king's behavior here is immature and sinful.  It's important to understand that the Bible does not condone everything it describes.  Some might presume that God is sympathetic toward the actions of the king.  That's not true.  The Bible is telling what the king did but not condoning 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.

60IN60 Day 12 - Fri Nov 15

It's Day 12 and we're in Galatians 5.

Oops!  I realized I made a mistake on the "60IN60" reading sheet - I left out Galatians 6.  Instead, I went right on to Esther for our reading for tomorrow.  Feel free to read Galatians 6 anyway if you want to.  I'm allowed one mistake a day and apparently that's my mistake for today!

Where God Spoke to Me:
- Verse 16 - Living by the Spirit means that we're working against pursuing the lusts of our sinful nature.

Help:
- Verse 1 - This is not physical slavery, but the spiritual slavery of going back to the bondage of a rule-based religion.
- Verses 2-3 - The need to be circumcised was a big issue for the teachers who were leading the Galatian church astray.  Paul is noting that if you feel like you have to be circumcised to be right, then you can't really just stop there - you need to go on and fulfill the whole Mosaic Law.
- Verse 4 - "fallen away from grace" - This idea of "falling from grace" has to be understood in the context of what's being said here.  The obvious point that Paul is making here is that they are falling from the idea of being saved by grace and falling back down toward the ineffective idea of being saved by trying to keep the Mosaic Law.  Some people say, "You can lose your salvation because the Bible says you can fall from grace."  You have to read it in context, though, and the subject here is not salvation but wrong teaching.
- Verse 9 - Paul is saying that it only takes a few people within a church teaching things that are questionable to get the whole church messed up.
- Verse 12 - Paul is using a little exaggeration here to make his point.  He's saying if these teachers think circumcision is so essential then maybe they should go all the way and emasculate themselves.
- Verses 13-14 - Rather than living under the tyranny of a rule-based religion (by trying to keep the Mosaic Law), we are called to be free.  We each follow the Holy Spirit's guidance.  That freedom, though, is not an open door to freely sinning, but rather to serving God and each other.
- Verse 24 - This is an important idea: when we are saved, our old, sinful nature is crucified with Christ.  We are a new creation, fully capable of living victoriously for Christ.

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 11 - Thurs Nov 14

It's Day 11 and we're in Galatians 4.

Where God Spoke to Me:
- Nothing jumped out to me today.  That's ok - we won't necessarily hear God speak every day.

Help:
- Verse 3 - Rough translation: before we became Christians (and therefore heirs of God) we were just (spiritually) children under the grip of sin.
- Verses 9-10 - Instead of living a life of grace, they had returned to trying to live by the rules and regulations that the Mosaic Law demanded.  That's no way for a Christian to live.
- Verse 14 - Paul had some health problems while with them, but they were exceedingly kind to him anyway.
- Verse 15 - Many believe (although the Bible never says definitively) that Paul's health problems had to do with poor eyesight.
- Verse 27 - Rough translation: Even though Sarah was childless for so long, in the end she became a mother to countless children (both physical and spiritual) through the fulfilled promise from 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.

60IN60 Day 10 - Wed Nov 13

It's Day 10 and we're in Galatians 3.

One reason to be in the Bible regularly? It cuts through the clutter. We are surrounded by tons of information, but so much of it is essentially irrelevant to a meaningful life. The Bible speaks to the issues that matter.

Where God Spoke to Me:
- Verse 27 - A good reminder that we need to "clothe" ourselves with Christ each day - that is, we choose to "put on" all that He has given us.

Help:
- Verses 1-3 - They had heard the gospel of grace from Paul: you can only be saved by grace through faith.  Then others began to convince them that their righteousness came from obeying the Law, which is something that can never create righteousness within us because we're always going to fall short of perfectly fulfilling the Law.  Paul is asking them why they allowed themselves to get fooled.
- Verses 5-14 - Paul is here arguing that even Abraham (who lived before the Mosaic Law was given) was justified by faith and not works.  The purpose of the Mosaic Law was ultimately not to provide a way to God (because we can't live out the Law perfectly) but rather to make us aware of how far short of God's perfect standard we're falling.
- Verses 15-19 - This continues the point I just made about verses 5-14 and goes on to say that Christ is the One who was able to perfectly fulfill the Mosaic Law.
- Verse 22 - We are imprisoned (spiritually) by our sin and Christ has come to set us free.

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 9 - Tues Nov 12

It's Day 9 and we're in Galatians 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - This is an essential truth that most Christians don't grasp.  The old person is dead.

Help:
- Verses 2-3 - The first disciples were Jews.  Jesus was a Jew.  With the beginning of Christianity, there were questions about which parts of the Jewish faith were binding on the new Christians.
- Verse 11 - There were disagreements on these Jewish issues between Paul and Peter, with Peter arguing for more of the old Jewish things being held onto and Paul arguing for more freedom.  Paul was right.
- Verses 15-17 - You cannot get to God through the Mosaic Law.  The Law's primary purpose was to show us how far short of God's standard we are.
- Verse 20 - This is an important truth.  My old self was crucified with Jesus on the cross.  As a believer in Jesus, I am a new creation.

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 8 - Mon Nov 11

It's Day 8 and we're in Galatians 1.

A little reminder from James 1:22 - "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!"

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 8-9 - Truth matters.  It's not enough that we're sincere in our belief - we need to sincerely believe something that's true.

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.