60IN60 Day 32 - Thurs Aug 6

It is Day 32 and we're in Mark 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verse 21 - Jesus doesn't challenge him because he wants to see him fail.  He loves him and his heart for God, but wants him to give all he has.

Help:
- Verse 18 - It's not that Jesus isn't good.  The man is not speaking to Jesus presuming He is God, so Jesus is telling him that only God is truly good.  No human teacher is on his own.
- Verses 23-24 - The presumption was that riches were a blessing from God and a sign of God's favor, so it shocks the disciples to hear Jesus say that the rich would have great trouble entering the Kingdom.
- Verses 25-27 - This is not saying that it's impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, only that it is very difficult.
- Verse 30 - This is not a get-rich-quick scheme.  The "hundred-fold" we receive is not usually financial, but things that are deeper and more meaningful.

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 Aug 5

It's Day 31 and we're in Mark 9.

Where God Spoke to Me:

- Verse 35 - We must be willing to be a servant.

If you want to read the chapter online, click here.

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

60IN60 Day 30 - Tues Aug 4

It is Day 30 and we're in Job 42.

Where God Spoke to Me:

- Verse 6 - Encountering God led to humility.

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 Aug 3

It's Day 29 and we're in Job 38.

We've skipped a bunch of chapters in Job where his friends try to explain what happened to him.  Now, after all that talk, God shows up to speak for Himself.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 12 - I like the way He puts this.

Help:
- Verses 1-41 - God response to Job's complaint centers on talking about the wonders and powers He displayed in the physical creation.  Philip Yancey summarized God's argument here well: "Until you can tell me how to run the physical universe, don't tell me how to run the moral universe."

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: 

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant. Job. 3. "Job speaks from the depth of despair. Most people wouldn't be that articulate and most wouldn't still be addressing God."

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant. Job 2. "Point: Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips. What I got: Job may have said nothing in this particular passage (his wife did the talking for him) but he was furiously thinking inside for he would later confront God. And did he get an answer? Not really, God told him to consider the Leviathan. And I’ve always wondered what Job’s wife thought of bearing replacement children."

60IN60 Day 28 - Sun Aug 2

It's Day 28 and we're in Job 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 1-26 - I appreciate the honesty of his feelings.  His words strike me as an authentic example of the way that most of us would feel after having gone through such tragedy.  I'm thankful the Bible is honest about how we feel when we go through such things.

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 Aug 1

It's Day 27 and we're in Job 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - This is the main thing Job's friends get right: sitting and sympathizing with him.  Once they open their mouths, things start to go off-track.

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: 

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant: "When I was 20, Job was my favorite book of the Bible. The beginning troubles all of us, I think, because we want a world just by our standards. Chapter One says that pain is not equitable. God governs, but not everything we experience is God’s will. The rest of the book depicts ordinary folks trying and most failing to make sense of that. Job was once rich because he was righteous, they imply, and now his fall is a sign of grave sin. In the end, God justifies Job but, given his largesse to Job, never quite dispels the idea that righteous people get lots of stuff."

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant. 1 Corinthians 7. "Some of this seems a bit naive—like the idea that eschewing marriage will make one more attuned to God. But what I focus on is his claim that marriage between a Christian and an unbeliever is not a terrible thing. The believer by his/her presence and prayer can be the salvation of the non-believer. This was the sort of marriage my parents had, and my mother certainly thought that part of her role was the salvation of my father. This passage was comforting."

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant. 1 Corinthians 7. "This is another passage I wish Paul hadn't written."

60IN60 Day 26 - Fri Jul 31

It's Day 26 and we're in Job 1.

Job is the classic story of a righteous man dealing with the unfairness of life.  We're going to read the opening three chapters, which are then followed by numerous chapters of Job's "friends" giving their opinions on why he's suffering.  We'll skip those and pick up with God's response in chapter 38, then finish with Job's response in chapter 42.

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

Help:
- Verse 6 - This seems unusual to us, but one of Satan's main titles is "The Accuser."  He accuses us before God.
- Verses 6-12 - This can be troubling to read because it seems like Job is caught up as a pawn in this divine "bet."  Philip Yancey makes the great point that what's actually happening is not that Job is being mistreated by being used by God as a pawn, but rather that he's being honored by God by being His fighter in this battle.  God is "betting" His reputation on Job's faithfulness.

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

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