60IN60 Day 34 - Sat Dec 6

It's Day 34 and we're in Luke 14.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11 - Stay humble, do God's will, and He will lift you up.

Help:
- Verse 26 - "Hate" by comparison to our love for God.  Obviously if the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself, it can't mean despise them.
- Verse 27 - To "carry your cross" means to be willing to make sacrifices for Christ.
- Verse 33 - This is something we have to willing to do.  If He asks material sacrifices of us, we need to be willing to do that.  It doesn't mean that we should become homeless.
- Verse 34 - This seems to mean that our faith has to have the "flavor" of all that He's asking us to do, not be a bland, generic "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 33 - Fri Dec 5

It's Day 33 and we're in Luke 13.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - He expects fruit.  And if not, then we weren't a real disciple.

Help:
- Verses 1-5 - The main idea here is that evil happening in our lives in not always a direct result of something sinful we've done.  (Sometimes it is.)  He directs us to use those moments of seeing bad things happen as reminders that we need to be right with God ("repent").
- Verses 6-9 - The point of this parable is that God is looking for fruit from our lives.  He is patient, but eventually if we don't produce fruit our time runs out.
- Verse 24 - This doesn't mean that people genuinely wanted to be saved by the right means but God rejected them.  It means that many want to claim a relationship with God without doing what He's said is necessary.
- Verses 25-27 - At Final Judgment, many will claim to have some connection with God, but Jesus will tell them that it wasn't a genuine one, but rather one they made up for their comfort.

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 4

It's Day 32 and we're in Luke 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 5 - We don't have sufficient respect for God's authority.

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 3

It's Day 31 and we're in Luke 11.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - Got a problem?  Keep asking.

Help:
- Verse 19 - His argument is basically: if I'm doing great miracles and you say it's by Satan's power, then by what power do your sons do their little miracles?
- Verses 49-50 - The idea here is that they have all the warnings of the past examples.  They are more guilty because they have so many warnings.

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 2

It's Day 30 and we're in Luke 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 21 - Their success made Him "rejoice greatly."  Our obedience and fruitfulness presumably does the same thing.

Help:
- Verse 4 - The idea here was that they were to be dependent on the Father's moment by moment provision.  As for not greeting: their mission was urgent and they need to get to the towns to preach to large crowds.
- Verse 7 - They weren't to look for "better deals" on where to stay.
- Verse 18 - The meaning of this is not certain.  It may have been that Satan was in heaven complaining to God about what Jesus was doing and God gave no ground, so Satan came back to earth ("fell to earth") defeated.
- Verse 19 - This is not a general truth.  This was true for them at that time as part of that mission.  "Don't try this at home!" 

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 1

It's Day 29 and we're in Luke 9.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 25 - One of my life verses.

Help:
- Verse 3 - They were to be dependent on God's ongoing provision.
- Verse 4 - This has to do with their lodging.  They weren't to move from house to house when they got offered a "better deal."
- Verse 23 - This means that I need to be willing to make sacrifices for the Kingdom.
- Verse 24 - This means I need to put aside my desires and pursue what Jesus is calling me to, believing that is the path to real life.
- Verse 27 - This presumably means the advent of the church at the start of the book of Acts.
- Verse 59 - The best explanation of this is that the man's father was not dead at that moment, but rather that he was asking permission to wait until his ailing father passed away and the funeral was completed.

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 Nov 30

It's Day 28 and we're in Proverbs 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 4 - I know from personal experience that the first half of this verse is absolutely true.

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 Nov 29

It's Day 27 and we're in Proverbs 11.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 22 - Isn't that true?  There's a woman who looks beautiful when you first see her but then as you talk to her and see her personality and character, you're repulsed.  Internal beauty is more important than external.

Help:
- Verse 13 - Concealing a matter means not gossiping, not withholding crucial information in a situation like someone being abused.
- Verse 31 - Presumably the "reward" in mind here includes positive and negative.

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 Nov 28

It's Day 26 and we're in Proverbs 10.

We'll be in Proverbs for three days.  A reminder of what a proverb is: it's a saying that is generally true.  For instance, in the Proverb that says that if you train up a child in the way of the Lord, when he is old he will not depart from it - that is not a ironclad guarantee that every single child that was raised in church will come back to church.  Rather it is a proverb - it is generally true that children who are raised in church will come back to the Lord.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 19 - A reminder that I should be quicker to listen than talk.

Help:
- Verse 22 - This is the idea that ultimately every blessing comes from God, including wealth.

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 Nov 27

It's Day 25 and we're in Genesis 23.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 4 - It's worth pondering that after all this time and all the promises God fulfilled that Abraham still dies as a stranger in a foreign land.

Help:
- Verses 3-16 - This is a depiction of the back and forth of an ancient negotiation.

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 Nov 26

It's Day 24 and we're in Genesis 22.

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

Help:
- Verse 2, 10 - This is a troubling scene.  God is testing Abraham to see if He will trust Him even with his most beloved thing.  Still, even knowing that, the scene is disturbing.  We do know from verse 5 as well as from Hebrews 11:19 that Abraham expected God would raise Isaac from the dead.  Still . . .

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:

- "Was Sarah actually Abraham’s half sister as well as his wife? As I wrong to think that either all the inbreeding that happened in the early days it’s no wonder the people of today are all goofed up?" - Yes, she is his half-sister. And, yes, that seems wild to us even though it was a common practice back then. One thing worth remembering is the nature of communities in that day. Today we have a towns and cities with tens of thousands of people, plus dating apps that connect us with even more. Back then, most people were part of a tiny town or nomadic group with less than a couple hundred people. It reminds me of the way most Native American tribes would have been throughout most of their history - just a few people isolated from most of the rest of the world. In that environment, things like the situation with Abraham and Sarah were more common for obvious reasons. An additional factor is that throughout most of history marriage was not a romantic endeavor but a practical one, for economic and child raising purposes. Finally, as you suggest, all of this might be one of the reasons people are messed up! ;-)

60IN60 Day 23 - Tues Nov 25

It's Day 23 and we're in Genesis 21.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 1 - "The Lord did just as He promised" - You can count on Him for that.

Help:
- Verses 10-12 - This is a troubling incident.  Part of it goes to the fact that it was not God's will for Ishmael to be born.  Part of it that the focus needed to now be on the chosen child.  But in either event, it's a hard thing to watch a son being sent away by his father.

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 22 - Mon Nov 24

It's Day 22 and we're in Genesis 20.

Where God Spoke To Me: 
- Verse 6 - Because he has acted in innocence, God keeps him from sin.  We need to make sure we're acting "in the integrity of [our] heart."

Help:
- Verse 2 - Yes, he's going to make the same stupid mistake again.  Just like we so often do.
- Verse 7, 17 - It does seem weird that the one who was in the wrong here has to pray for the one who was in the right.  Why?  Even though Abraham is in the wrong, he still has authority that's been given to him because he is God's chosen.  I think of it like God saying to the king, "See that guy over there?  The one that caused all this problem?  Yeah, well, he's my guy.  I know, I know, he was stupid in what he did.  But he's the one I chose a long time ago.  So go have him pray and we'll get this taken care of."
- Verse 12 - In the rural, often nomadic culture of that day, this was not unusual.

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 21 - Sun Nov 23

It's Day 21 and we're in Genesis 19.

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

Help:
- Verse 8 - Lot's offer is terrible.  It is again important to remember that not everything described in the Bible is endorsed by God.  We know from some other stories that Lot has been compromised morally by Sodom.  Why would Lot make such an offer, though?  Two main reasons: a. there was an enormous importance placed on hospitality and caring for your guests back then - to have his house guests harmed would have been (to his mind) the greatest of offenses; b. the obviously low moral standard in Sodom twisted his thinking in what was appropriate and what wasn't.
- Verse 26 - This was, apparently, a judgment from God.
- Verse 30-38 - This is pathetic and wrong.  Again, not everything we read in the Bible is approved behavior.  This is telling of how skewed these girls moral standards had gotten living in Sodom.

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 20 - Sat Nov 22

It's Day 20 and we're in Genesis 18.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 22-32 - This is one of my favorite passages because it tells me that it's ok to bring my questions to God.  I can ask Him why things are happening and whether there are other options.

Help:
- Verses 2-8 - Hospitality to strangers was very important back then.
- Verse 20 - Presumably the outcry is from those being hurt by the sin in Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Verse 21 - It's not that God can't see from heaven, but simply that He is going down to confirm and execute the judgment.

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 19 - Fri Nov 21

It's Day 19 and we're in Genesis 17.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 18 - Even when God has promised greater things, often we cling to our own manufactured plans.

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 18 - Thurs Nov 20

It's Day 18 and we're in Genesis 16.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 15 - Some things that we do in our moments when we're not trusting God have consequences that echo for years - or in this case, centuries.

Help:
- Verses 1-2 - Polygamy was practiced back then, so that part is not particularly unusual for the day.  The larger problem is that this was an attempt to manufacture an answer to what God had promised instead of trusting Him to come through.
- Verses 5-6 - Sarai is wrong and petty to do this; Abram is wrong and cowardly to give in.  Remember that not everything done by people in the Bible is approved by God.
- Verse 9 - This is not an endorsement of Sarai's behavior, but the child did need to be with Abram.

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 17 - Wed Nov 19

It's Day 17 and we're in Genesis 15.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 6 - Having faith in what God says is one of the greatest things we can do to honor Him.

Help:
- Verses 12-13 - This is an unusual sequence.  Apparently God wants to let Abraham know the struggles that are ahead and so this dark incident occurs.
- Verse 16 - "the iniquity. . . is not yet complete" - In other words, they had sinned, but not enough to merit destructive judgment yet by a patient God.  It's an interesting phrase.

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 16 - Tues Nov 18

It's Day 16 and we're in Genesis 14.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing really jumped out to me 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 15 - Mon Nov 17

It's Day 15 and we're in Genesis 13.

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

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 14 - Sun Nov 16

It's Day 14 and we're in Genesis 12.

We'll be looking at the stories of Abraham over the next few days.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - I think this verse is important.  We don't see where Abram is told to go to Egypt - he just does it on his own.  I wonder if God was planning to empty the Promised Land for him through this famine?

Help:
- Verse 15 - This was cowardice on Abram's part in being deceptive.  Then once he had been deceptive, he was stuck when they took her.

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 13 - Sat Nov 15

It's Day 13 and we're in James 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 1-6 - Some harsh words for the rich.  Given that most of us in America would be rich by the definition the Bible is using, it's probably time for us to question our thoughts on money.

Help:
- Verses 14-15 - If someone is sick, one option for them is to have the leadership of the church anoint them with oil and pray over 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 12 - Fri Nov 14

It's Day 12 and we're in James 4.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 10 - Be obedient and humble and wait on His power to lift you up.

Help:
- Verse 9 - Not that this should be our constant attitude.  He's speaking here in this context to those who are proud of themselves and their accomplishments.

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 11 - Thurs Nov 13

It's Day 11 and we're in James 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - "the humility that comes from wisdom" - Nicely said.

Help:
- Verse 1 - Judgment is stricter or less so based on a number of factors, including the responsibility we've taken, our mercy to those around us, how much we've been given, etc.  As a pastor, I am subject to stricter judgment because of being a pastor.

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 10 - Wed Nov 12

It's Day 10 and we're in James 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - A reminder of how important it is that we're merciful to those around us.

Help:
- Verses 9-11 - The analogy I often use is that sin is like standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon.  I can take a tiny step forward (i.e. one sin) or I can rare back and take a huge flying leap (i.e. many sins), but either way I end up at the bottom.
- Verse 12 - We have been given freedom by the death of Christ.  
- Verse 19 - The demons don't have saving faith in God, but they do know without question that there is one.  The issue is not believing in God - it's serving and following Him.
- Verse 24 - The point: what we do is the evidence of what we really believe.  Faith in name only is empty and worthless.  My actions show the proof of my words.

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 9 - Tues Nov 11

It's Day 9 and we're in James 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 27 - If we claim to be a nation of many Christians, why are there so many foster kids without families?

Help:
- Verse 2 - It's not that we're glad to have problems, but as the following verses indicate, it's that the struggles have a maturing effect.
- Verse 4 - The word "perfect" in some translations means "mature."  Even if we never achieve perfection in this life, we need to be striving for that great a spiritual maturity.
- Verses 9-10 - The poor person should remember that he is a child of the King; the rich person should remember that all his money isn't going to keep him from dying.
- Verses 23-24 - Basically this is saying that when we say we're Christians but we don't have deeds to back that up, we're like someone who sees himself in the mirror and then turns away and forgets what he looks like.  We've forgotten as Christians what defines who we are.

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 8 - Mon Nov 10

It's Day 8 and we're in Luke 8.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 8 - "a hundred times as great" - Wow!  I want to see that in my life.

Help:
- Verse 10 - This sounds like it's saying God is trying to keep truth from them.  In fact, what it means is that the person's openness to what God is saying (see the end of v. 8) determines how much of the truth they get.  See also the below comment on vv. 16-18.
- Verses 16-18 - This is not about sharing the truth, but about receiving it.  Jesus is saying that the truth is there for the sharing, but they need to want to receive it (see v. 18).
- Verse 37 - The power Jesus displayed scared them and they wanted it gone.
- Verse 56 - It was probably in vain that He told them not to share the miracle.

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 7 - Sun Nov 9

It's Day 7 and we're in Luke 7.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 8-9 - Jesus is impressed because this man believes that what He says will happen.  He has faith in Jesus' power and that Jesus is a man of authority.

Help:
- Verse 19 - This is a stunning verse, because it means that John the Baptist was having doubts about Jesus.  Why?  Probably because John was expecting Jesus to come in and militarily take over and drive the Romans out.  Jesus wasn't doing that and John couldn't figure out why.
- Verses 31-34 - In other words, when someone came somberly, you complained.  When someone came joyfully, you complained.  You're (speaking of the religious leaders) dissatisfied no matter what.

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 6 - Sat Nov 8

It's Day 6 and we're in Luke 6.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 3-5 - This really hit me hard.  How often do I say, "What that really means is. . ." and explain away a passage by making it easily fit within my theology?  I need to dwell with the verses and receive them on their own terms, even if that creates some struggle.

Help:
- Verses 1-2 - This was one of the rules the Pharisees had come up with: doing something as simple as this was classified by them as "work" and therefore banned on the Sabbath.
- Verses 3-5 - Jesus reminds them that others did things that would have been "immoral" by their made-up rules.
- Verses 20-26 - This speaks to who is more likely to have insight into God and who is less likely.
- Verses 29-30 - This doesn't mean that if we're beat up we can't defend ourselves.  The slapping has more to do with slapping as an insult.

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 5 - Fri Nov 7

It's Day 5 and we're in Luke 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 5 - Sometimes we obey not fully understanding why we're being asked to do that particular thing.  We just trust Him.

Help:
- Verse 17 - The second half of this verse can be confusing.  Other passages tell us that Jesus' power came through the Father working in Him.  Apparently when there was a lack of faith on the part of the people, the Father limited the power that would flow.
- Verses 27-28 - Levi had met Jesus before.
- Verse 36-38 - Jesus is saying that He hasn't come to repair the old way (i.e. the Temple system), but to bring a new way.
- Verse 39 - This verse points out that most of us find it hard to reach out for the new, preferring instead the comfort of the old.

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 4 - Thurs Nov 6

It's Day 4 and we're in Luke 4.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 18-19 - This is His mission statement.  Its focus is on the hurting and the weak.

Help:
- Verse 2 - This was apparently a supernaturally-empowered fast, because you normally can't go that long without food.
- Verse 22 - Apparently Jesus didn't show signs earlier in His life of someone who would obviously go on to be a leader like this.
- Verses 23-30 - They get angry because He basically says that God would rather work through foreigners than through 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 3 - Wed Nov 5

It's Day 3 and we're in Luke 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 10-14 - It's interesting that John's responses here are mostly economic.  Sometimes we separate our spiritual and financial lives.

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 2 - Tues Nov 4

It's Day 2 and we're in Luke 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 6-7 - How scary that must have been to give birth far from home.

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 1 - Mon Nov 3

It's Day 1 and we're in Luke 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 64 - Our obedience opens more opportunities for praising 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 Next Round

 The next round of 60IN60 will begin Monday.

60IN60 Next Round

 The next round of 60IN60 will begin Monday.

60IN60 Day 60 - Thurs Oct 30

It's Day 60 and we're in Psalm 146.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - This seem timely for this day and time.

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 59 - Wed Oct 29

It's Day 59 and we're in Psalm 145.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - The greatness of God is beyond our comprehension.

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 Oct 28

It's Day 58 and we're in Psalm 144.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - I like the battle image.

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

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

60IN60 Day 57 - Mon Oct 27

It's Day 57 and we're in Psalm 143.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verses 3-6 - I like the honesty there.

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

If you have a question or comment on today's reading, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

60IN60 Day 56 - Sun Oct 26

It's Day 56 and we're in Psalm 142.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - He's there when we feel overwhelmed.

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 Oct 25

It's Day 55 and we're in Psalm 141.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - That's a great image - that our worship would be acceptable sacrifices in His eyes.

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 54 - Fri Oct 24

It's Day 54 and we're in Psalm 140.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 12 - God upholds the cause of the needy.  He's got His eye on the hurting and struggling.

Help:
- Verses 9-11 - A very honest prayer, although not a particularly merciful one.  

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 Oct 23

It's Day 53 and we're in Psalm 139.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 7 - He is always with me.  A comfort when I'm struggling; a nuisance when I'm sinning.

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 Oct 22

It's Day 52 and we're in Psalm 138.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 8 - God is going to accomplish His purpose for my life.  The only one who can stand in the way of that is me.  I just need to obey.

Help:
- Verse 1 - "gods" - This obviously doesn't mean that there actually are other gods, but merely that there are things that people treat as "gods."

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 Oct 21

It's Day 51 and we're in 2 Peter 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 13 - I'm looking forward to seeing the world redeemed and finally see things be the way they should be.

Help:
- Verse 4 - "fell asleep" - Another way to say "died."
- Verse 5 - Probably a reference to the rising of the land out of the sea.
- Verse 16 - An acknowledgement that some of Paul's writings are difficult to understand.

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 Oct 20

It's Day 50 and we're in 2 Peter 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - I like the first half of that verse - the Lord knows how to rescue us from temptation.  The question is: will I let Him help me?

Help:
- Verse 21 - The idea here is that the more we know the more responsible we are at the Final Judgment.  In that sense, to hear the truth and reject it actually puts you in a worse position than you were to start with.

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 Oct 19

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 8 - A great promise that if I am pursuing the characteristics that verses 5-7 mention then I will be fruitful.

Help:
- Verse 10 - The idea here is not that we can lose our salvation, but that the fruit and change in our life allow us to know that we have truly been saved and that God is working in our lives.  Many, like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, believe they have God but the evidence points in the opposite direction.
- Verse 14 - A fancy way to say that he believed his death was near.

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 Oct 18

It's Day 48 and we're in Ruth 4.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 17 - Out of this desperate situation came a child honored to be the grandfather of the great king David.  You never know what God may do with your small faithfulness.

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 Oct 17

It's Day 47 and we're in Ruth 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing really jumped out to me today.  Some days are like that.

Help:
- Verses 9-13 - This idea of "redeeming" seems odd to us because we live in a society where marrying for love is the only acceptable idea.  Throughout history, though, marrying for love was a minority idea.

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 Oct 16

It's Day 46 and we're in Ruth 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - God's kindness extends even to those who have accused Him of abandoning them.

Help:
- Verse 1 - According the Old Testament Law, it was expected that the closest relative would take Ruth as a wife.  Of course, today we only think of marriage as a "love" thing, but that's a rarity throughout the whole of human history.
- Verses 2-3, 15-16 - One of the provisions of the Old Testament Law was that those bringing in the harvest were to leave behind what they didn't get on the first run-through.  That was left was for the poor to harvest.
- Verse 22 - It was a dangerous place out there.

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 Oct 15

It's Day 45 and we're in Ruth 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 20-21 - This is a very honest evaluation of the way she sees her life.  Many feel like this.  (Whether it's justified or not is another issue.)

Help:
- Verses 13, 20, 21 - This is the way that she feels.  It's not necessarily an accurate understanding, but it reflects her feelings.
- Verse 15 - "her gods" - This is troubling - that she went back to her gods.  I don't really have a good way to deal with it except to see it as a tragedy.

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 Oct 14

It's Day 44 and we're in Romans 8.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3-4 - The last part of verse 3 and first of verse 4 really jumped out to me as something that I need to study at greater length.

Help:
- Verses 19-22 - Not only has sin impacted humanity, it has hurt creation itself.
- Verse 28 - Not saying that all things (even the bad) are good, but that God is working to redeem all things, even when bad things happen.
- Verse 29 - Predestination is a complex idea, but the short version is that God is His omniscience knows everything that's going to happen.  I believe that we have free will and are not just puppets.

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 Oct 13

It's Day 43 and we're in Romans 7.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 4 - Part of the point of our lives: to bear fruit for God.

Help:
- Verses 7-13 - The fault is not in the Law, but what sin did through the Law.
- Verses 14-25 - We still struggle with sin because of the flesh.  He is setting it up to talk about the power of the Spirit in our lives.

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 Oct 12

It's Day 42 and we're in Romans 6.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing jumped out to me today, which is odd because this is such a rich chapter.

Help:
- Verse 1 - It's a misunderstanding of grace to think that we should just sin more so God can give more grace.  A proper understanding includes a hatred of sin and all that it's done to me.
- Verses 3-4 - Believing in Christ has caused us to spiritually participate in His death and resurrection.  He died for us and we are raised to spiritual life through Him.
- Verse 6 - Our old spiritual being was crucified with Christ and we have been raised to new spiritual life - a new creation in 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 41 - Sat Oct 11

It's Day 41 and we're in Romans 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 11 - I don't think we sufficiently appreciate how great the idea is that we've been reconciled with God.

Help:
- Verse 3 - This is not to say that we love problems for the sake of having problems, but rather (as the verses that follow reveal) that we appreciate the positive side effects that our struggles can bring in terms of spiritual maturity.
- Verse 13 - Awareness of our guilt is necessary for judgment.
- Verse 20 - As the awareness of our guilt increased, so did the need for grace.

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 Oct 10

It's Day 40 and we're in Romans 4.

This chapter is rather complicated, but the main idea is that we are justified before God by our faith and not by works.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 21 - This is a good one to fall back on - what God has promised, He is able to perform.

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 Oct 9

It's Day 39 and we're in Romans 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - The rules don't get us closer to God - they just help us realize how far away from Him we are.

Help:
- Verse 8 - Some twist the truth to argue that if we are saved by grace then we should sin more so there will be more of a chance for grace.  It's a complete misunderstanding of the offer.
- Verses 20-23 - The Law helps us to understand how far away from God we are.  It can't save us.
- Verse 25 - "propitiation" - An old word referring to the idea of God's wrath toward sin being satisfied in the death 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 38 - Wed Oct 8

It's Day 38 and we're in Romans 2.

If you've had problems with 60IN60 sometimes being sent to your Spam folder, you might try adding butcher@mail.mailchimpapp.com to your contacts. It can also be helpful if you find a 60IN60 email in Spam to mark it "Not Spam" so it's more likely to get it to your Inbox in the future.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - Good question.  Get more humble.
- Verse 8 - "selfishly ambitious" - Make sure that God is our first priority, not our own name.

Help:
- Verses 25-28 - The point is essentially that it's the inward obedience that matters.

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 Oct 7

It's Day 37 and we're in Romans 1.

Romans is the greatest explanation of the gospel.  The first 8 chapters lay out Paul's main case.  You can basically divide what he puts forward in four parts: 1. We have sinned and need to repent; 2. Jesus died for us to be able to be forgiven; 3. When we accept Christ into our lives, He gives us a new heart and makes us into a new creation; 4. We move forward to live victorious lives in the power of the Spirit within us.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 32 - It's not enough that people pursue the sin - we can reach a place where we actively celebrate things that are wrong.

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 Oct 6

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 6 - He has risen.  There is not any better news than that.

Help:
- Verse 9-20 - This is not Scripture.  It's not in the early manuscripts and should not be included.  (And that's good especially because of verse 18.)

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 Oct 5

It's Day 35 and we're in Mark 15.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 38 - This was the curtain that hid the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place in the Temple.  This means that through Jesus we are now permitted in the holiest of places: God's presence.  May we not take that for granted.

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 Oct 4

It's Day 34 and we're in Mark 14.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 65 - The self-restraint He showed here is amazing.

Help:
- Verse 7 - This is not justification for ignoring the poor.  It's simply a statement acknowledging that what Jesus was about to go through was an unusual situation and that this expensive gift was needed in that moment.
- Verses 51-52 - This is probably a reference to Mark, the author of this gospel.  In all the church Easter plays that I've seen in my life, I have never once seen this part of the story portrayed. ;-)

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 33 - Fri Oct 3

It's Day 33 and we're in Mark 13.

Sometimes we only want to hear words of comfort from God, but we're reminded in Hebrews 4:12 that the Bible is "sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit." It's great when we get an encouraging word, but we need to be convicted too. 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 33, 35, 37 - Again and again He says to be alert.  Am I ready for what God is doing in the world, whether it's the great destruction described here or great revival?

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 Oct 2

It's Day 32 and we're in Mark 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 34 - Some questions Jesus applauds and lauds.  How great would it be to ask Him a question and have Him say something like that?
- Verse 40 - "greater condemnation" - That just really hit me hard this morning.  Not just are those without God going to be condemned, some are going to receive a "greater condemnation."  We need to do all we can to share the truth so that folks don't have to experience that.

Help:
- Verses 13-14 - The Pharisees and Herodians come together set the trap.  The Herodians were in league with Herod, so if Jesus says to not pay taxes, they can go to Herod and call Jesus a rebel worthy of death.  If Jesus says to pay the tax, then the Pharisees can tell the people that Jesus is just a patsy for the Roman government.  It's supposed to be an ironclad no-win situation for Jesus, except that He has the perfect answer.
- Verse 25 - We will know each other, but we will not be married in the same way we are on earth.  For some people that seems like really bad news; for others it seems like really good news. ;-)
- Verses 35-37 - This is a little Bible riddle that Jesus gives them.  David is speaking of someone coming after him, so David should be the one given the most respect.  Instead, though, David speaks of the one who comes after him as his "Lord."  Why?  The correct answer is that the one who came after him was God Incarnate.  This illustrates that the Pharisees didn't have quite as complete a grasp on the Bible as they thought they did.

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

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

60IN60 Day 31 - Wed Oct 1

It's Day 31 and we're in Mark 11.

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:
- Verse 2 - "which no one has ever ridden" - Jesus was doing something that no one else had ever done, or ever could do, in heading to the cross for our sins.

Help:
- Verse 14 - Why does Jesus curse the fig tree?  It's not because He's having a bad day and lost His temper.  This passage is a "sandwich" - a story starts, then is interrupted by another story, and then the original story is concluded.  When that happens, the two stories are always intimately related.  Here Jesus curses a fig tree (verses 12-14), goes and clears out the compromised Temple (verses 15-19), and then the fig tree is dead (verses 20-21).  Jesus cursing the fig tree is symbolic of Him cursing the Temple system.  He is laying that aside for the new open door that will happen through His death on the cross.
- Verses 27-33 - The point of this is that the religious leaders wanted to hold onto their popularity among the people but also didn't want to acknowledge John as a prophet.  Jesus targeted their hypocrisy.

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 Sept 30

It's Day 30 and we're in Mark 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 21 - "felt a love for him" - I love that line.  Jesus wasn't trying to beat him down with what He's about to ask the young man.  He wasn't trying to prove a point with the man's failure.  Jesus told him to leave everything behind because it was the path to life.

Help:
- Verses 2-12 - There are other passages that flesh out further details on divorce.  This passage emphasizes the main point, which is that marriage is sacred.
- Verse 18 - "Why do you call me good?" - Jesus was, of course, good because He never sinned.  I think He said this because the man came to Him thinking He was another teacher, albeit a "good" one.
- Verse 23 - Being rich makes it easy for us to love this world.  It's hard to have money and not have it rule you.
- Verses 24-25 - This goes along with the teaching Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount about the path to God being a narrow road.

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.