60IN60 Day 60 - Thurs Apr 30

It's Day 60 and we're in Judges 16.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 30 - A bittersweet moment - Samson died in victory, but he also died blind. God may forgive the guilt of our sin, but that doesn't mean the consequences of our sin are undone.

Help:
- Verses 6-14 - Let's talk about the believability of these verses. It seems crazy that Samson keeps getting attacked yet keeps sharing (or pretending to share) his secret. Factors to consider: (a) she does warn him so he sees her as sympathetic; (b) he was often attacked generally and had a lot of enemies; (c) he was not real bright; (d) I'm sure part of it was the sexual temptation she represented for him.
- Verse 20 - The issue was not really the hair, but rather the obedience to God's command.
- Verse 30 - The number listed in verse 27 was only those on the roof. This was like bringing down a stadium.

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.

* * * * *
A new round of 60IN60 begins on Monday.

You can get the next round of readings by. . .

a. Picking up the sheet in the hallway at MBC.

b. Copying what's below.

c. Go to www.madisonbaptistchurch.org and click on the "Bible" tab.

d. Email me at butcher@ymail.com and I'll send you a copy.

Here are the readings:

1: Matthew 15 (Monday, May 4)

2: Matthew 16

3: Matthew 17

4: Matthew 18

5: Matthew 19

6: Matthew 20

7: Matthew 21

8: Numbers 12 (Monday, May 11)

9: Numbers 13

10: Numbers 14

11: 2 Thessalonians 1

12: 2 Thessalonians 2

13: 2 Thessalonians 3

14: Acts 17

15: Acts 18 (Monday, May 18)

16: Acts 19

17: Acts 20

18: Acts 21

19: Acts 22

20: Psalm 56

21: Psalm 57

22: Revelation 4 (Monday, May 25)

23: Revelation 5

24: Revelation 6

25: Revelation 7

26: Proverbs 25

27: Proverbs 26

28: Proverbs 27

29: Matthew 22 (Monday, June 1)

30: Matthew 23

31: Matthew 24

32: Matthew 25

33: Matthew 26

34: Matthew 27

35: Matthew 28

36: 2 Kings 21 (Monday, June 8)

37: 2 Kings 22

38: 2 Kings 23

39: Philemon 1

40: 2 John 1

41: 3 John 1

42: Jude 1

43: Acts 23 (Monday, June 15)

44: Acts 24

45: Acts 25

46: Acts 26

47: Acts 27

48: Acts 28

49: Psalm 76

50: Psalm 77 (Monday, June 22)

51: Proverbs 31

52: Ezekiel 2

53: Ezekiel 13

54: Ezekiel 34

55: Ezekiel 37

56: Revelation 15

57: Revelation 16 (Monday, June 29)

58: Revelation 17

59: Revelation 18

60: Revelation 19

60IN60 Day 59 - Wed Apr 29

It's Day 59 and we're in Judges 15.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 18-19 - God uses even immature people, like Samson is here.

Help:
- Verse 6 - Yeah, this is horrible. As I've said before, remember that not everything that happens in the Bible is God's will - in this case on either Samson's side or his enemies.

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 58 - Tues Apr 28

It's Day 58 and we're in Judges 14.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 4 - Knowing ahead of time where we're going to go off-track, sometimes God chooses to work through our questionable choices.

Help:
- Verse 14 - This riddle does nothing for us, but such things were a big deal back then. Each culture has idiosyncrasies that don't translate well.
- Verse 15 - Why such harsh words? Add all the alcohol they'd had to the fact that Samson was a foreigner and that's where you end 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 57 - Mon Apr 27

It's Day 57 and we're in Judges 13.

We're going to be looking for a few days at the story of Samson. And, yes, he was dysfunctional.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 12-14 - The Lord gives the same answer as before. Apparently He intended to reveal more as they went. Often God doesn't give us all the details that we want - He just gives us enough light for the next step.

Help:
- Verse 22 - The thought was that having seen God would be something that no one could live through.

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 Apr 26

It's Day 56 and we're in Psalm 47.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 1 - Is my heart full enough to shout for joy?

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 Apr 25

It's Day 55 and we're in Acts 16.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - The plan was basic: find a place where people are and talk about Jesus. This doesn't need to be complicated.

Help:
- Verse 3 - Why does Paul ask Timothy to do this? It wasn't a religious requirement. Rather it was something that allowed Timothy (who was not Jewish) to have greater acceptance among the Jewish believers. Sometimes we do things not because we absolutely have to, but rather to give the gospel message a greater opportunity for acceptance.
- Verse 10 - The "we" indicates that Luke joined them at this 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.

Your Comments:
- "Verses 20 & 29 instruct the Gentile Christians to "abstain from pollution of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood." It seems Christians today are still instructed to avoid fornication and idol worship but I've never heard a prohibition against meat containing blood or from a strangled animal. I know this originates in the Jewish dietary restrictions but wonder why only 2 of the 4 prohibitions are considered pertinent today. And, just as an afterthought, what was the problem with meat from a strangled animal (although I can't really imagine anyone strangling a cow!)?" - I think that's a great question.  I've wondered the same thing myself.  I think the answer has mostly to do with how far away we are historically from their situation where Jewish Christians were still the majority and Gentile Christians were the newcomers.  Now most of us give little thought to the Jewishness of the original Christians.  I think you could probably make a decent case that these are things we should still be paying attention to (which is really sad for me and the steak I plan on having tonight!).  Probably the strongest case against paying attention to them would be arguing for our freedom in Christ.  As for the strangling, I presume the problem had to do with the blood in the animal.  And I guess whether you'd want to strangle a cow would depend on how mad the cow had made you! ;-)

60IN60 Day 54 - Fri Apr 24

It's Day 54 and we're in Acts 15.

Is the Bible an old dusty book? Nope - ". . . the Word of God is living and active. . ." (Hebrews 4:12). Dig into today expecting it to speak to you.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 25, 36-41 - In verse 25, they all come to agreement and everything is fine. In verses 36-41, we're told of a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that cause them to break up their partnership. In other words, they were just like us: struggling to get along with each other.

Help:
- Verses 1-35 - This is a historic moment. Now that God has opened the door for Gentiles to be saved (in addition to Jews), there is a moment where they have to decide "how 'Jewish' does God expect these Gentiles to be?" (The answer: not very much.)

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 Apr 23

It's Day 53 and we're in Acts 14.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - Do we speak boldly?

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 Apr 22

It's Day 52 and we're in Acts 13.

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 52 - Is a defining characteristic of my Christian life and the Christian life of my church that we are "filled with joy"? If not, why not?

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 Apr 21

It's Day 51 and we're in Hebrews 13.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 5 - We are quick to find our security in the money that we have, but we need to find our security instead in the certainty that we'll always have God with us.

Help:
- Verse 10 - That is, we can access the altar of heaven, which those without Christ cannot do.
- Verse 12 - "outside the city gate" - The physical spot of His crucifixion.
- Verse 19 - The writer was either away from them and concerned about the dangers of his travels to get back to them or, more likely, was writing this from prison (having been jailed for preaching 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.

60IN60 Day 50 - Mon Apr 20

It's Day 50 and we're in Hebrews 12.

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 1 - This Christian walk requires endurance and perseverance. We need to not forget that it's going to get hard sometimes.

Help:
- Verse 2 - "the joy set before Him" - This is not saying that the cross was joyful. It wasn't. It was horrible. It's saying that the result of the cross - being able to save us and make us God's children - was worth the sacrifice. There was joy - great joy - in knowing that accomplishing His mission saved us.
- Verse 4 - They had not yet had to face flogging or crucifixion for standing up 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.

60IN60 Day 49 - Sun Apr 19

It's Day 49 and we're in Hebrews 11.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 16 - We need to not get too comfortable with this world.

Help:
- Verse 13, 16 - Verse 13 is not saying that God did not fulfill His promise to them (for instance, Abraham did get Isaac). It's saying that they did not see the "heavenly country."
- Verses 35-38 - A stark reminder that having this kind of faith doesn't guarantee that all our problems will magically disappear.

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 Apr 18

It's Day 48 and we're in Hebrews 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 22 - This should give us confidence.

Help:
- Verses 1-9 - Essentially saying that God wants obedience (meaning for us to do His will) rather than sacrifice.

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 47 - Fri Apr 17

It's Day 47 and we're in Hebrews 9.

The 60IN60 emails usually arrive in the middle of night and people have asked if I’m up then sending them out. Thankfully, no! One of the reasons that I administer 60IN60 through the 60in60Bible.org site is so that these emails can be set up to go out automatically each night. I do write them, but not at 3 a.m.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 14 - Amen!

Help:
- Verses 1-14 - It's essentially saying that under the Old Covenant the priest went in yearly by the blood of animals, but now we have access to the very Throne Room of God through the blood of 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 46 - Thurs Apr16

It's Day 46 and we're in Hebrews 8.

We're back in Hebrews and I want to give a word of encouragement. Hebrews can be a difficult book to read - the writer gets complex sometimes. So if you struggle a little bit, don't get discouraged.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - This is far better than the Old Testament system. Under what we have now, God is working within us.

Help:
- Verse 7 - The Old Testament system did not work, the people did not stay faithful to God. God did something new with Jesus. Not just a new way to get to Him, but a new way of walking with Him.
- Verse 9d - God "turned away from them" by beginning to work through the church instead of through Israel as a nation.

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 45 - Wed Apr 15

It's Day 45 and we're in Song of Solomon 2.

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:
- Nothing did 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 44 - Tues Apr 14

It's Day 44 and we're in Song of Solomon 1.

The Song of Solomon is an unusual book in the Bible. It's essentially an erotic poem. Down through the years, people have interpreted it in two main ways: 1. It's a celebration of sexual love within marriage. Too often Christians seem to only have negative words to say about sex ("Don't have sex outside marriage," etc.), but we need to remember that sex was God's idea. It's something that we should see, within its proper context, as a blessing from God. 2. Others have seen the book as an analogy of God's relationship with His people. There are numerous places in the Bible where the metaphor of marriage is used as a picture of God's relationship with His people. Of the two interpretations, I think the first has more weight.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing really did today.

Help:
- Verse 9a - Ok, so not every woman would find that to be a particularly good compliment! The way of complimenting was a little different in Hebrew culture, so even though it doesn't do anything for us we need to know it was something that would have been well received by the intended recipient.

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:
- "Explain the time line of the 3 days. Jesus was crucified on Friday & arose on Sunday. I have never understood how they get 3 days out of this." - To the Jewish mind, a "day" would include any part of a day, not a full 72 hours, so the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are three days.  There are a few Christians, however, who argue that it was three full days and three full nights, thus pushing Jesus' crucifixion much earlier in the week.  I am not convinced by their arguments, though.

60IN60 Day 43 - Mon Apr 13

It's Day 43 and we're in Lamentations 5.

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:
- Verse 20 - It's an age-old cry that's echoed frequently today too. And yet God hadn't then, and He hasn't now.

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 Apr 12

It's Day 42 and we're in Lamentations 1.

This is a book focused on the sadness over what was going on in Israel then. The people's sins had led to God's judgment in allowing a foreign nation to come in and conquer Israel. Although it's sad to read, I'm glad the Bible reflects real life: the times of joy and the seasons of sorrow.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - Sometimes we bring those problems on ourselves and yet are quick to blame God.

Help:
- Verse 2 - "lovers" - He is using that as an analogy of the ways that Israel has gone after other gods - a type of spiritual adultery.
- Verse 8b-9a - This is a sexual analogy - that Israel was like a promiscuous woman out sleeping with other men. Again, a spiritual adultery analogy.

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 Apr 11

It's Day 41 and we're in Matthew 14.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 27 - When we struggle, Jesus says, "Take courage!"

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 Apr 10

It's Day 40 and we're in Matthew 13.

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:
- Verse 23 - I want to see that overflowing fruitfulness in my life.

Help:
- Verse 12 - Isn't that unfair? It sounds a little that way, but you've got to read it with the idea that the larger passage in mind. The idea that's being shared here is something like this: "To the one that grabs onto what God is trying to show them, more insight and more opportunities to go deeper will be given. To the one who ignores what God is trying to show them, even what little insight they have will fade away."
- Verses 13-16 - This is a hard passage to understand. The most important thing to grasp it is to know that this is not God saying what He hopes will happen: "I hope they don't grasp it and their eyes are blinded so they won't turn to Me." This is God saying what the people are doing: "My people hear with their ears but not with their hearts because they don't want Me. If they would turn to Me, I would eagerly heal them."
- Verse 52 - As Jesus taught, He both shared old truths in an instructive and revealing way as well as sharing new things that helped people toward 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 39 - Thurs Apr 9

It's Day 39 and we're in Matthew 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 14 - Are there obvious moves of God that I miss sometimes because I'm closed off to what He's doing?

Help:
- Verses 31-32 - The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not something that accidently happens. It comes from the deliberate and repeated choice to ignore the leading of God and to ascribe what God is doing to other sources.

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 38 - Wed Apr 8

It's Day 38 and we're in Matthew 11.

One problem that regularly bothers me as I read is a wandering mind. A word in the text will make me think of something that I have to do that day and my mind is off to the races, leaving the Bible behind. I've found it helpful to have something near me that I can make a note on when that happens so I can write down that thing I need to do later and get back to concentrating on the reading in front of me.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 21-24 - I have been given an enormous opportunity in knowing the gospel. Because of how much God has revealed to me, He has great expectations of me. We need to realize there is a responsibility that comes with what's been revealed to us.

Help:
- Verse 3 - Amazingly, John the Baptist is now doubting whether Jesus is really the Christ. This is because Jesus is not acting in the way that John expected: setting up a kingdom to drive the Romans out.
- Verses 16-19 - The basic point is: "nothing satisfies you." John came living a spare lifestyle and you wouldn't listen to Him. Jesus came living a life of eating and drinking and you wouldn't listen to 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.

60IN60 Day 37 - Tues Apr 7

It's Day 37 and we're in Matthew 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 39 - Feeling a lot of this lately in my life. We've got to be willing to put aside our desires and pursue what He's calling us to.

Help:
- Verses 5-6 - Why did He say this? Because while Jesus was on earth, His mission was focused on sharing the gospel with the Jews. It isn't until after they reject Him that the gospel opens up to the Gentiles (i.e. us).
- Verse 15 - Why would it be more tolerable for them? Because with Jesus doing these miracles and sharing this teaching, they had a clear opportunity to know God's will and they're rejecting it. Because they had a better opportunity than Sodom and yet rejected it, things will be worse for them.

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 Apr 6

It's Day 36 and we're in Matthew 9.

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 6 - Which would I consider the greater miracle: the physical healing or the soul healing?  Which would I be more impressed by?

Help:
- Verse 3 - They thought He was blaspheming because only God had the right to forgive sins and they didn't think that Jesus was God.
- Verse 9 - He had met Matthew before.  This was not their first conversation.
- Verse 15 - Yeah, that means that we should be fasting regularly.
- Verses 16-17 - What's that mean?  That Jesus is doing a new thing.

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 Apr 5

It's Day 35 and we're in Matthew 8.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - It's hard to underestimate how prized faith is to Jesus.

Help:
- Verse 10 - The centurion shows faith by believing that if Jesus speaks the word it will happen.  He has confidence in Jesus' power, even sight unseen.
- Verses 18 - Why would He do that?  Most likely, given the previous two verses, is that most of the people were coming not to hear the truth but the see the miracles.  For Jesus, the miracles were primarily useful as signs that pointed people to the truth.
- Verses 21-22 - The presumption here is that the man's father was not yet passed yet, but that the man was asking for permission to wait until his father's death to begin to follow Jesus.
- Verse 34 - Why would they plead with Jesus to leave?  Apparently they prized their property (the pigs) more than the man's changed life and therefore decided having Jesus around was too risky.

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.