60IN60 Day 30 - Tues Oct 1

It’s Day 30 and we’re in John 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verses 9-11 - So often, once we get something in our minds, we stick with it, even to ridiculous ends. I need to follow the truth wherever it leads and not try so hard to hold onto to my pet ideas.

Help:
- Verse 8 - This is not an excuse to disregard the poor, just a statement of fact about the fallen world in which we live.
- Verses 20-26 - It's odd that His disciples come to Him with this straightforward question and goes off on this tangent. What's going on? I think I'd paraphrase it like this, "The time for talking is past. To really see a harvest, something greater is going to have to happen and the time for that is now. I have to die in order to open up new life."
- Verse 34 - "lifted up" - Just another way to say that He was on the cross.
- Verse 40 - The original Greek makes it clearer that this is not something God is doing by mere fiat, but this is what they have chosen for themselves and God is letting it happen.

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 Sept 30

It’s Day 29 and we’re in John 11.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verses 21, 32 - I like the fact that they could be honest about their questions and disappointments with Jesus and He doesn't condemn them for 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.

Your Questions and Comments:
- "John 10:21. I thought other parts of the bible talks about healings/miracles that were not performed using the power of Jesus.  And that it was common knowledge at the time.  Why would healing the blind be a defense for Jesus?" - Good question.  First, you are right that it is possible that a healing or a miracle could come from a demonic rather than a divine source.  Perhaps the most prominent example of that in the Bible is when Moses does miracles before Pharaoh and the Egyptian magicians match some of the signs.  Second, your final question gets to exactly the debate that was going on about Jesus.  The debate would go something like this.  Follower of Jesus: "Jesus does miracles!"  Pharisees: "He's doing them by demonic power."  Follower of Jesus: "Why would He heal people if He was possessed by Satan?" Pharisees: "He's doing the miracles to fool you into thinking He's from God so you'll believe His teaching that disagrees with us."  Note that v. 21  says that "others" were saying, "Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"  So it was people in general who were saying that.  Some of them were probably just looking at the miracle and saying, "That must be from God" without putting deep theological thought into it.

60IN60 Day 28 - Sun Sept 29

It’s Day 28 and we’re in John 10.

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 10 - He's not just offering adequate life; He's offering us abundant life.

Help:

- Verses 34-36 - This is a difficult saying. Unfortunately, it's really not an explanation that can be succinctly stated and I really don't have sufficient space here to explain it. Some answers take a whole sermon!

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

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

60IN60 Day 27 - Sat Sept 28

It’s Day 27 and we’re in John 9.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verses 6-7 - I like how Jesus' healings are not cookie-cutter. They happen different ways in different situations, just as He works differently in each of our lives.

Help:

- Verse 3 - Even in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak, God is working to bring something redemptive out of 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 26 - Fri Sept 27

It's Day 26 and we're in John 8.

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 31 - This is what God expects of us. Obeying His teaching is not optional for a believer. 

Help:

- Verse 6 - What did He write? We don't know. One of the more interesting suggestions is that He was writing the sins of the men holding the rocks.
- Verses 58-59 - By using the phrase "I am," Jesus was equating Himself with 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 25 - Thurs Sept 26

It's Day 25 and we're in 1 Timothy 6.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verses 6-8 - How badly do we need to heed these words in the culture in which we live? We have everything and we're still not content.

Help:

- Verses 1-2 - In other places, Paul advises slaves to get their freedom if they can, but he also puts a great emphasis on living out their faith even within their bonds.

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 Sept 25

It's Day 24 and we're in 1 Timothy 5.

One reason to be in the Bible regularly? It provides the answers to life's most pressing questions: "Why am I here?" "What value does my life have?" "What does God want out of me?" "What does a life well spent look like?" For all the time we spend daily on trivial things, it's essential that we spend some time on the big questions.

 

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verse 22 - We bear part of the responsibility when we put the wrong people in leadership positions. That's one reason we need to be careful and prayerful about those choices.

Help:

- Verse 9 - There was a list of widows who received financial help from the church and Paul is here talking about the requirements for being on that list.

- Verse 12 - "previous pledge" - Apparently getting on this list involved taking a pledge, perhaps to devote yourself to more prayer or something like that.

- Verse 23 - Timothy had some medical problems and Paul advises him to use a little wine to help with that.

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.