60IN60 Day 58 - Tues Dec 31

It's Day 58 and we're in Nehemiah 8.

Note that we skipped Nehemiah 7 - it's mostly accounting.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 17 - Here's a tradition they were supposed to be doing all along and they hadn't done it in a very long time.  It's important to know that what we're used to doing isn't necessarily what God is wanting us to do - it may just be what we've come to settle for.

Help:
- Verse 9, 11 - Why were they weeping?  Two main possibilities: 1. They were weeping for joy at how far God had brought them and being able to read the Word again.  2. They were weeping as the Law was read and they realized how far from God they had gotten.  I think the second is more likely.

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 57 - Mon Dec 30

It's Day 57 and we're in Nehemiah 6.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - What a great phrase: "I am doing a great work and cannot come down."  We should use that when people try to distract us onto secondary things.

Help:
- Verse 10 - He was a false prophet.  (See verse 12.)
- Verse 15 - What would have once been considered "impossible" was done in 52 days.

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 56 - Sun Dec 29

It's Day 56 and we're in Nehemiah 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 7-8, 10 - "Usury" is an Old Testament term for charging interest.  This is condemned by Nehemiah as exploitative.  It is a different context (a small town struggling to climb out of a mess), but it's still worth pondering that God is unhappy with them charging interest.  And the interest was only 1% (verse 11).  It really makes you wonder what God thinks of some of the things we do in banking.

Help:
- Verses 17-18 - Nehemiah would have had to tax the people to pay for all this stuff.  Instead, he bore the cost himself.

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 55 - Sat Dec 28

It's Day 55 and we're in Nehemiah 4.

Note that we skipped chapter 3 and are on chapter 4.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - Once again: prayer and a plan.

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:
- I love the wording in verse 8 (NIV).  "And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me . . ."

60IN60 Day 54 - Fri Dec 27

It's Day 54 and we're in Nehemiah 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 4, 7-8 - He prayed, but he also had a plan.

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 53 - Thurs Dec 26

It's Day 53 and we're in Nehemiah 1.

Please note that as we're going through Nehemiah we'll be skipping a couple chapters.  They have number details that aren't crucial to understanding the larger story.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 6 - It usually starts with repentance.

Help:
- Verse 2 - The context of this story is that it's a time when Israel (because of their sinful disobedience) has been scattered into foreign countries and what's left in Jerusalem is a pitiful remnant.  See also verse 8.

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 52 - Wed Dec 25

It's Day 52 and we're in 1 Peter 5.

Merry Christmas to all of you in my "60IN60" family!

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 6 - Trust that He'll lift you up at the right moment to a place of greater fruitfulness.

Help:
- Verse 1 - "elders" - This is the word Peter uses to speak about pastors.

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 51 - Tues Dec 24

It's Day 51 and we're in 1 Peter 4.

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

Help:
- Verse 1 - This is not saying that suffering means that we're not sinning at all, but rather that going through trials and suffering will move us closer to Christlikeness.
- Verse 6 - Most likely means "those who are now dead."  That is, those who've heard the gospel and gone on to eternity.
- Verses 13-16 - We don't want suffering for the sake of suffering, but when we suffer in Christ's name, there is a sense in which it's an honor to go through that for the glory of Jesus.
- Verses 17-18 - Judgment begins with the house of God.  He expects us to live to a higher standard.

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 And Questions:

- "The best explanation I'v seen or heard of "submission" by wives is in the book "Love That Lasts" by Gary and Betsy Ricucci: "...why do we assume that a wife's submission to her husband suggests inferiority? Because we don't understand what the roles mean to God. To God, a role is never a measure of someone's value. It is an expression of divine expression and wisdom...the Father and the Son are perfectly equal. But they are in different roles! Roles are simply not a measure of superiority or inferiority. They are a means God uses to accomplish His purposes...And so it is in marriage: men and women are completely equal in value and importance, but they fulfill unique roles...To submit with joy to our husbands is to be like Christ, who submits joyfully to the Father.""

- "Also, question about 1 Peter 3:21. In the NIV, it says, "baptism that now saves you also." As a kid, I went to a church that "sprinkled" babies and called it baptism. As an adult, I came to understand that baptism is an outward expression of an inward change, and so it really should only be done to a person who has made a conscious decision to accept Christ as Savior. However, I also have understood that baptism doesn't SAVE me; only accepting Christ can give me salvation. I had a discussion about this very thing last night on FB w/ a friend who belongs to the Church of Christ. She said they believe that you have to be baptized to be saved. I've never believed that (though I know Catholics believe that too), but then I read this verse today. Thoughts?" - I do think it's important that we are baptized as an adult, not as an infant.  It needs to be my decision to follow God, not someone's decision on my behalf.  On the second issue, it cannot be that baptism is required to be saved because that makes salvation into something that happens by grace. . . and my works.  Being baptized is a matter of obedience, but not a matter of salvation.

60IN60 Day 50 - Mon Dec 23

It's Day 50 and we're in 1 Peter 3.

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

Help:
- Verses 1, 5 - The word "submissive" is obviously a controversial one.  Interpretations of the verses range from "this is only applicable to that day and time" to "the husband is the head of the household."
- Verse 7 - "weaker" - That refers to physical strength, not spiritual importance.
- Verse 7 - "prayers. . . hindered" - Our relationships with those around us do impact the effectiveness of our prayers.
- Verses 19-20 - This is obscure, but some possibilities: a. Might refer to the idea that between His death and resurrection, Christ preached to the already-condemned demons; b. Might refer to the idea that between His death and resurrection, Christ preached to those people who were already dead at that point.
- Verse 21 - Thankfully it clarifies the statement that "baptism saves you" by going on and saying that's a reference to the spiritual baptism we undergo.

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 49 - Sun Dec 22

It's Day 49 and we're in 1 Peter 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11 - Our sinful lusts "wage war" on our souls.  We need to understand that sin is out to kill us spiritually.

Help:
- Verse 2 - There are two aspects to our salvation.  One is the justification part: I have been made right before God at the moment of salvation.  The other is the sanctification part: I am being made into someone who is actually like Jesus.  This refers to the latter part.
- Verses 4-5 - The analogy is that the church is like a house and we are bricks.
- Verses 7-8 - In the analogy of building a spiritual house, they rejected Jesus but now He has been made the chief Cornerstone of the church.
- Verses 13-15 - This is the general way we are to behave.  Of course, when the king/government's edicts contradict what God expects of us, we have a higher obligation to God.
- Verse 18 - This is the general way it should have been.  There are other passages that flesh out this truth with additional aspects, like to pursue their freedom if they had opportunity.
- Verse 24 - Our sins were laid upon Him and He paid the price for them in His death.

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 48 - Sat Dec 21

It's Day 48 and we're in 1 Peter 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - That's a pretty good "outcome"!

Help:
- Verse 1 - "aliens" - Obviously not UFO aliens, but the meaning of a stranger, like an immigrant from a foreign country.
- Verse 2 - "sprinkled with His blood" - Not a literal thing but a spiritual thing - it is the blood of Christ that cleans us from our sins.
- Verses 15-16 - "holy" - Holy doesn't mean "holier than thou" - it means that we want sin gone out of our lives and we want to be as close to Jesus as we can get.

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:
- "Regarding your reply to my question about John 19:27, He said "your mother," to John. That reads like one of the Marys was John's mother. Is He saying, " I need you to care for my mother as if she was your own"?" - Yes, that's what Jesus is saying.

60IN60 Day 47 - Fri Dec 20

It's Day 47 and we're in John 21.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11 - The God of abundance.

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 46 - Thurs Dec 19

It's Day 46 and we're in John 20.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 17 - This is the change that has happened by Christ's death and resurrection: God can now be "my God."  Before, I was kept away from Him by my sins, but now through Christ there is a path to Him.

Help:
- Verse 23 - This is an amazing statement.  It's part of our mission: as we proclaim the hope of Christ with the authority of Christ, when someone says, "I want Jesus" and we say, "You're forgiven through Jesus," that's true.  Same thing when someone rejects Him.

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:

- "Verse 22: Do you think Pilate believed Jesus was the Messiah?" - I don't think that Pilate believed in Jesus in any sense of a saving faith, but I do think the behavior of Jesus and the warnings from his wife led him to be seriously unsettled about Jesus.  In the end, though, his power was more important to him than any thoughts of Jesus actually being the Messiah.
- "Verse 27: Which Mary was John's mother? The disciple John isn't the John who is Jesus' brother is he?" -What's referred to in verse 27 is Mary the mother of Jesus being taken into John's home.  The disciple John was not related to Jesus.

60IN60 Day 45 - Wed Dec 18

It's Day 45 and we're in John 19.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - Pilate thought he had a lot of power over Jesus.  In reality, he had none except what was granted him by Jesus.  We need to make sure we don't get too full of ourselves.

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 44 - Tues Dec 17

It's Day 44 and we're in John 18.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 36 - He was not overwhelmed by circumstances.  His Kingdom is bigger than this world.  And this was part of the plan for that Kingdom's expansion.

Help:
- Verse 6 - Why did they fall down?  We can't be sure, but it could have been (a) a divine display of power in His words to make it clear that He is being taken by His choice and not their power, or (b) simply a chain reaction caused by some of the soldiers being overwhelmed by being in His presence (He speaks to them, they know this is a wrong mission, they are overwhelmed by His presence and they step back away from Him, a chain reaction fall happens).
- Verse 14 - He didn't realize how prophetic his words were.

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 43 - Mon Dec 16

It's Day 43 and we're in John 17.

If it's hard to understand what you're reading in the Bible, make sure you have a translation that's a good fit for you. Reading the King James (a great historic translation) can be particularly difficult because of the antiquated language. Among the good options available today: New International Version (good all-around translation), English Standard Version (good all-around translation), New American Standard (a more literal translation, closer to the original manuscripts), and New Living Translation (a translation that focuses on readability and understandability).

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - That's an incredible gift: eternal life.

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 42 - Sun Dec 15

It's Day 42 and we're in John 16.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - I want to know more of the truth.  Spirit, guide me into "all truth."

Help:
- Verses 8-11 - This unpacks some of what the Holy Spirit's specific job is.  On "sin," the Spirit convicts people that they are not believing in Jesus; on "righteousness," because we don't have Jesus in front of us to give us an example of what perfect living looks like, the Spirit convicts us of shortcomings; on "judgment," that we would know that Satan has been condemned and we don't want to be on his side.

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 41 - Sat Dec 14

It's Day 41 and we're in John 15.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 1-11 - This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible.  It clearly lays out that we are expected to be fruitful with our lives as well as how to make that happen.

Help:
- Verse 7 - Note that the amazing promise of answered prayer is conditional on obedience.

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 40 - Fri Dec 13

It's Day 40 and we're in Daniel 6.

Father, what do You want to teach us today through Your Word?

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 24 - I just don't like this verse.  There are parts of the Bible that I don't particularly care for, but that doesn't mean they're not true.  We have to keep seeking God's wisdom on those verses.

Help:
- Verse 14 - Apparently the king either hadn't thought through all the ramifications of his decision, didn't realize Daniel prayed publicly daily, didn't realize how hard-core Daniel would be about this, or just got entranced by the flattery.

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 39 - Thurs Dec 12

It's Day 39 and we're in Daniel 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 27 - What a horrible thing to have God say directly to you: I have looked at your life and found it lacking.  Live so that won't be said of you.

Help:
- Verses 11, 14 - "spirit of the holy gods" - As I mentioned yesterday, that is the way that this person understand Daniel's abilities.  In fact, of course, there is only one true God.
- Verse 23 - Bringing out the items from the Jewish Temple was pretty provocative.  "Don't poke the bear."

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:

- "We are debating over the verse in Daniel over the expression  "the Son of God". I guess this is a hot topic among the King James only folks. The other interpretations use either the term "a son of God or sons of God". I argued that if someone was arguing that he saw Jesus, how would a pagan king know who Jesus was, my bible states that he was referring to an angel in the comments. What is your take on this verse and the arguments about the different translations and beliefs?" - It is not definite that it was a pre-Incarnate manifestation of Jesus in the fire, although that would make sense in a number of ways.  It could have been an angel of the Lord and that doesn't take anything away from the fact that God delivered them miraculously.  A helpful comment on the question of singular versus plural:  
"After his officials confirmed the king's impression that only three men had been thrown into the furnace, he described the fourth one resembling deity--i.e., "like a son of gods" (wereweh di rebiaya da-meh lebar- elahin, lit., "and the appearance of the fourth resembles a son of gods"). Pagan that he was, Nebuchadnezzar probably meant the plural absolute ending In as an indefinite plural rather than equivalent to the Hebrew elohim (which is often taken as a singular, when referring to the one true God)."

60IN60 Day 38 - Wed Dec 11

It's Day 38 and we're in Daniel 4.

I want you all to know that one of the things I regularly pray for is that those of you doing “60IN60” will experience the transforming power of the Word.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 27, 29 - God warns to get us to walk away from our sin.  When we refuse, the hammer of judgment will fall.  It may not be immediate (here it's a year later), but it will happen.

Help:
- Verses 8-9 - "spirit of the holy gods" - Obviously there is really only one true God.  This is the way that the king thinks about 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 37 - Tues Dec 10

It's Day 37 and we're in Daniel 3.

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

Help:
- Verse 14 - Given all that happened in chapter 2, you'd think that the king would know that the Hebrews weren't going to bow down.  Perhaps he didn't think they'd be willing to maintain their conviction under such harsh conditions.
- Verse 25 - The presumption here is that the fourth was Jesus showing up.
- Verse 29 - The harsh penalty that the king prescribes isn't necessarily God's will.  It's just his expression of amazement at what God did.

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 36 - Mon Dec 9

It's Day 36 and we're in Daniel 2.

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 18 - First thing they did: pray.

Help:
- Verses 5-6 - This is a totally unreasonable demand.  A reminder: the Bible does not condone everything it reports.  In this case, the king's anger was not justified and his demand was not just.
- Verse 37 - "king of kings" - This was literally true since he had conquered other kingdoms.

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 35 - Sun Dec 8

It's Day 35 and we're in Daniel 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - God can go ahead of us and give us favor, opening up doors of opportunity.

Help:
- Verse 2 - They were delivered to a foreign power because of their disobedience as a nation.
- Verse 8 - There were two areas of concern for Daniel: a. much of the food was sacrificed to idols; b. much of the food was unclean according to Old Testament Law.
- Verse 15 - "fatter" - I presume here that doesn't mean obese, but just that they were healthy and stout.

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 34 - Sat Dec 7

It's Day 34 and we're in 1 John 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11 - We have been given eternal life.  What greater gift could their be?

Help:
- Verse 8 - There is some question on what each represent, but my presumption is that the Spirit obviously represents the Spirit, the water points to baptism, and the blood points to the death of Christ.
- Verse 16 - It is not totally clear what the "sin that leads to death" is.  It could be the unforgivable sin that Jesus mentioned or, more likely given the context of the verse, it could have to do with someone teaching false teaching.

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:
- "I've been struggling deeply with peace for a little over a month now. While I have my "meditation" verse when I start to go down a negative path mentally, and the Jesus Calling devotional has really been on point, today's chapter provided a lot of peace too. I love that God knows what we need to hear and when."

60IN60 Day 33 - Fri Dec 6

It's Day 33 and we're in 1 John 4.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - Loving each other is an essential evidence of the authenticity of our 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.

60IN60 Day 32 - Thurs Dec 5

It's Day 32 and we're in 1 John 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 14 - Overflowing love for those around us is a tangible proof that Jesus has come into our hearts.  The excuse people use for not going to church because the people are tough to love is inadequate - we have to love each other, even when we're tough to love.

Help:
- Verse 6 - This does not mean that we never, even once sin, but rather that we do not live in a pattern of ongoing, rebellious sin.  As verses 7-8 note, those who are of the light live in the light and those who are of the darkness live in the dark.
- Verse 15 - I guess you could go back to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount about anger for more understanding of this: Matthew 5:21-26.

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 31 - Wed Dec 4

It's Day 31 and we're in 1 John 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 4 - Obedience to Jesus' teaching is a required part of being a Christian, not an option.  If we are not actively obeying Jesus, we need to check our spiritual condition.

Help:
- Verse 2 - "propitiation" - This refers to the idea of making a sacrifice that turns away the anger of God.
- Verses 7-8 - Obeying God is an old command, but it is a new thing that we have the perfect example of Jesus as well as His empowering us through a new heart and the Holy Spirit to be able to live out what we're commanded.
- Verses 18-19, 22 - "many anti-Christs" - As verse 22 notes, this is a reference to those who are doing the work of Satan, not saying that they are THE Anti-Christ.
- Verse 27 - "anointing" - That is, having the Holy Spirit and His power.

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 Dec 3

It's Day 30 and we're in 1 John 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 6 - Hard words: if we're walking in darkness, that's evidence that we do not have fellowship with Him.  A changed heart is the clearest proof of the presence of God in our lives.

Help:
- Verses 1-2 - These are references to the disciples actually being with Jesus when He was on earth.

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 Dec 2

It's Day 29 and we're in John 14.

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 12 - I want to see "greater things" - I'm tired of only seeing small prayers answered.  I want to see Him pour out His power to overflowing.

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 Dec 1

It's Day 28 and we're in John 13.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 22 - In each of them wondering if they were the one that would betray, it reveals that each of us knows that we have a weak place within us where we're capable of terrible things.

Help:
- Verse 23 - Back in Jesus' day, you didn't sit in a chair at a table but instead you reclined, leaning on one of your arms at the low table.
- Verse 34 - It's not a new thing for God to command His people to love each other, but it's a new thing for Him to command us to love each other with the sacrificial love that Jesus had.

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:

- 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." :-)