60IN60 Day 36 - Mon Aug 8

It's Day 36 and we're in Luke 16.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - Be faithful with what you've got now if you want Him to trust you with more.

Help:
- Verses 1-8 - This is an unusual parable.  The point is this: use what you control to accomplish your goal.  The manager used what he controlled (his master's wealth) to accomplish his goal (finding a job).  We are to use what we control (our money) to accomplish our goal (bringing people to Christ).  See verse 9.
- Verse 9 - This is the point of verses 1-8: use your money not on empty consumer purchases, but rather use as much of it as you can to point people to Christ so that you're heavenly homecoming will be joyous.
- Verse 16 - "forcing his way in" - The meaning is uncertain.  It likely just means that people were responding with enthusiasm to what had happened since John.
- Verse 18 - This is the basic teaching on divorce.  Jesus goes into more detail in other passages.
- Verse 23 - "in his bosom" - That's just a way to say "with Abraham."

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:

- On Proverbs 11: "I'm a little confused about verse 11. It reads as if we're.to be happy when something happens to a wicked person.  I remember when Katrina hit New Orleans and there was so much devastation.  Some people said that area was a 'modern day Sodom and Gomorrah' and it was God's judgement on them.  I've been to the French Quarter, and although it isn't a place I want to frequent, I can't imagine being happy when someone else suffers." - Good question. I think the verse is talking more about the natural consequences of those actions, rather than how we should feel about it. When there are a lot of people living for God in a city, their influence is likely to lead to the city being exalted in numerous ways. On the other hand, when there are lots of wicked people running their mouths, the likely consequence is destruction. I don't think that means we have to rejoice in that outcome - you're right that it should sadden us. Rather I think it just means that's what's likely to be the outcome depending on what type of people you have in your city.

- On Genesis 16: "This reminds me of what happened in the Garden of Eden. The woman made a wrong choice, then the man made a wrong choice, then when everything turned out badly, it was a blame game. Not only did Sarai not trust God's plan, she didn't even have faith in her own plan.  ( . . . PERHAPS I will obtain children through her.  verse 2)."