60IN60 Day 58 - Tues Sept 1

It’s Day 58 and we’re in 1 Corinthians 11.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verse 1 – Can I honestly encourage people to follow my example?

Help:

- Verses 2-7, 14-16 – Some people believe these instructions are binding on us today. Others, including myself, believe these are instructions that had to do with the culture in Paul’s day and are not binding on us today.

- Verse 10 – “because of the angels” – This is obscure and its meaning is not clear.
- Verses 27, 29, 31 –These are reminders to us that partaking in communion is a serious thing spiritually.

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 Aug 31

It's Day 57 and we're in 1 Corinthians 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 31 - That's a good question for making hard decisions: will be pursuing this bring glory to God?

Help:
- Verse 2 - That simply means that the struggles they went through made them the Israelites they were.
- Verses 6-10 - These are all historical events from Israel's journey and they serve as "bad example" warnings.
- Verse 23 - We have great freedom in Christ rather than a pre-cut list of acceptable behaviors.  But I need to not misuse that freedom to pursue sin.
- Verses 25-28 - There was meat sacrificed to idols back then and Paul is giving guidelines for how to handle situations involving that food.

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 one of our 60IN60 participants. Psalm 40. "This is one of my favorite psalms, although I prefer another translation."

- A comment from one of our 60IN60 participants. Psalm 38. "Taste and see that the Lord is good" is a visceral image, that the person knows in heart that God is a good God because he has  experienced him in a way most Christians don't.  It's as if he's taken a bite of a perfect fruit."

60IN60 Day 56 - Sun Aug 30

It's Day 56 and we're in 1 Corinthians 9.

Where God Spoke To Me: 
- Verse 24 - This isn't a lazy river; it's a foot race.  Run like you plan to win.

Help:
- Verse 1 - There were some in Corinth who were questioning whether Paul was a real apostle.  They were doing so because they disagreed with his leadership.
- Verses 2-15 - The basic argument Paul is making is this: Christian workers have the right to be paid for their labor, although I chose not to exercise that right and worked for free.  (Paul worked as a tentmaker to support himself while planting churches.)
- Verses 19-22 - There are parts of the gospel that are unchanging (example: Jesus is the Son of God); there are parts of the gospel that can be adapted according to the situation and culture (example: the type of music sung in church services).  Paul is saying that he's going to do all he can to make the gospel accessible by removing those unnecessary barriers (relating to that second category) that might keep someone from hearing and accepting 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 55 - Sat Aug 29

It's Day 55 and we're in 1 Corinthians 8.

Where God Spoke To Me: 
- Verse 13 - I can't just think about the impact of my actions on me, but on those around me who are new in the faith.

Help:
- Verse 1 - This is obviously not a big issue today, but it was back then.
- Verses 2-3 - This is simply a call to humility and realizing that we're not as smart as we often think we are.
- Verse 5 - When he says there are many gods, he saying that there are many things that people treat as gods and that people call gods.  Obviously, there is really only one actual God.
- Verses 7-8 - The mature person realized that when food was sacrificed to idols that the idol wasn't real so it really didn't make any change in the food.  Some, though, newly out of paganism, still thought something was going on in that moment of sacrificing the meat to idols.

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 Aug 28

It's Day 54 and we're in Psalm 40.

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 5 - If I stop to think, I have an amazing list of works that He's done for 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 53 - Thurs Aug 27

It's Day 53 and we're in Psalm 38.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Nothing 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 52 - Wed Aug 26

It's Day 52 and we're in Proverbs 22.

You are not reading the Bible to gain trivia knowledge. You're reading the Bible for life change. Father, change our hearts to look more like Your's.  

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - We can't let the pride of what we own obscure the reality that we're all the same inside.

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: "'So that we may present the fruit of our lips' is a wonderful imagery as well. God desires our acknowledgment /praise after rescue. This verse ties in with 'Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.'"

60IN60 Day 51 - Tues Aug 25

It's Day 51 and we're in Proverbs 21.

Remember as we read through Proverbs that a proverb is a general truth - the way things normally are.  That means that what's being said may not be always happen.  For instance, the proverbs about "train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it" doesn't mean that every single child raised in a Christian home will come back to the Lord - it just means that's what generally happens.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - It's not enough to have good actions.  I need to have good motives as well.

Help:
- Verse 14 - I don't think we should presume that the writer here is condoning bribery, but rather that he's simply describing the way the world often works.

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 Aug 24

It's Day 50 and we're in Hosea 14.

If you struggle with the feeling that you need to hurry through the reading, it can be helpful to lay aside a certain length of time for the reading. "I'm going to spend the next ten minutes reading the Bible. If I get done early, I'll go back and re-read it. If I don't get it done, that's fine. Now I can relax and not try to hurry through so I can get on with the other things I need to get done today. I'm going to be here for ten minutes." 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 5 - "like dew" - I like that image of refreshment.

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 Aug 23

It's Day 49 and we're in Hosea 3.

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

Help:

- Verse 1 - "raisin cakes" - Why is this mentioned? They were a part of the Baal worship that they were doing.
- Verse 2 - Apparently Hosea's wife had ended up in sexual slavery, so he is instructed to buy her back.

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 Aug 22

It's Day 48 and we're in Hosea 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verses 1-23 - God cannot abide their sin and just wink at it, yet He so passionately desires for them to come back to Him in love and 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 Aug 21

It's Day 47 and we're in Hosea 1.

A scary thought: the Bible is "able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). That can be frightening, but know that God loves you the way you are, but too much to leave you that way. 

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

Help:

- Verse 2 - What's going on here? God is asking a prophet to go marry a prostitute? It's an object lesson for Israel. Israel was committing spiritual adultery by breaking their covenant with God and running after all these other gods. God is trying to show them that He takes their commitment as seriously as a marriage commitment and wants them to take it seriously also.

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: "Let go of all that "stuff" and stay focused on God and those who serve in his kingdom."

60IN60 Day 46 - Thurs Aug 20

It's Day 46 and we're in Titus 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 – We can spend so much time on pointless arguments. We need to avoid those and stay focused on what’s fruitful.

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 Aug 19

It's Day 45 and we're in Titus 2.

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 2, 5, 6, 12 – “sensible” – In the NASB, the word “sensible” comes up multiple times in this chapter. We need to be sensible in how we handle our lives.

Help:

- Verses 9-10 – Other verses in the New Testament instruct slaves to get their freedom if they can. These verses concentrate on how they should handle life in their current situation.

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 Aug 18

It's Day 44 and we're in Titus 1.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verse 16 – My actions need to reflect what I say my beliefs are.

Help:

- Verses 5, 7 – “Elders” and “overseers” are other terms for what we would call a pastor.

- Verse 10 – “circumcision group” – Those who argued (wrongly) that to be a true Christian you needed to follow the Jewish custom of circumcision.

- Verse 15 – “To the pure, all things are pure” – Rather than having a long list of legalistic rules, we are as Christians to simply listen to the Spirit as He guides us.

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 Aug 17

It's Day 43 and we're in Joshua 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:
- Verses 18-19 - We all remember the miraculous intervention by God at Jericho, but the majority of the conquest of the land happened by long, hard battles.

Help:
- Verse 20 - I presume that the sinfulness of the people in the land is what led God to do this. I don't think He's just be arbitrary in His actions.

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:

- "In the New Testament we have the black and red print to allow us to read Jesus's words but we do not see that in the Old Testament when the Lord speaks. Is there a reason behind the differences?" - Interesting question. The original text does not have the black and red print in it. The "words in red" are something that some publishers/translations have added to help readers. So if a publisher/translator decided it would be helpful to add red to the Old Testament words of the Lord, they could do that as well. This is all similar to the chapter and verse divisions in our Bibles. Those are also not in the original manuscripts. They were added to translations later just so it would be easier to reference a certain passage and everyone would know exactly where you were at. In these cases, these are just attempts to make the Bible easier to understand, which is acceptable. If someone tried to change what the Bible says, that would be an unacceptable change.

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant: "Yes, it is a brutal passage, this wholesale slaughter. But if memory serves, God had given this particular nation plenty of time to repent. Instead, they went deeper in sins such as child sacrifice and other unspeakable things. God is holy and He  wanted his chosen people to be holy as well.  Had they not engaged in wholesale slaughter, had they left the women with their children,  what would have occurred would have been what always occurred when Israel didn't obey: intermarriage, introduction of foreign gods, foul practices, etc. God intended to keep Israel set apart no matter what the cost. Remember what happened to Solomon when he took foreign wives. Israel was torn apart. it was a high cost, but so was the crucifixion."

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant: Joshua 8. "I had to research to discover that Shinar is a synonym for Babylon. Archeology has discovered ancient fragments of such richly woven fabrics that enticed Achan. We humans have always desired the "better" things of life, often to our detriment."

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant. Joshua 7. "Fascinating to learn that Ai was dangerous, even back then. Here the scapegoats are not sheep, and we see both the cost and the value. The Lord knows that if His people go to war primarily for plunder, they will never succeed in taking the Promised Land. From a military standpoint, their disobedience can be and was catastrophic. Military commanders even in modern times, have used scapegoating (often euphemized as 'teaching a lesson') as a way of disciplining their own troops and/or conquered populations. It’s ugly, it’s unfair, but often it works. This is God portrayed as brutally pragmatic and morally difficult to understand."

60IN60 Day 42 - Sun Aug 16

It's Day 42 and we're in Joshua 10.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Nothing really jumped out to me in this chapter.

Help:
- Verses 12-13 - This is a miraculous intervention by God.
- Verse 13 - "the Book of Jashar"- This is a book that didn't make it into the Bible but is a historic document.
- Verses 28, 35, 40 - Israel doesn't just kill the men who meet them in battle, but they kill everyone in the city: men, women, teens, children, babies. There are some explanations that are often given: the guilt of these people was great; it was necessary for all the people to be gone for Israel to succeed in this land; this was Israel's God-granted land; they chose to fight rather than to flee. All of them get at part of the issue, but in the end I still struggle with such wholesale slaughter in the name of God. It's one of the Biblical issues to which I have not yet found an explanation that fully satisfies 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 41 - Sat Aug 15

It's Day 41 and we're in Joshua 9.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 14 - We get in trouble when we don't ask 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 40 - Fri Aug 14

It's Day 40 and we're in Joshua 8.

What's the Bible say about the book you're reading today? We have the Word so that as believers we can be "equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17). Read the Word so you're ready for what life throws at you. 

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

Help:
- Verse 25 - This is an issue in several of the upcoming chapters. Israel doesn't just kill the men who meet them in battle, but they kill everyone in the city: men, women, teens, children, babies. There are some explanations that are often given: the guilt of these people was great; it was necessary for all the people to be gone for Israel to succeed in this land; this was Israel's God-granted land; they chose to fight rather than to flee. All of them get at part of the issue, but in the end I still struggle with such wholesale slaughter in the name of God. It's one of the Biblical issues to which I have not yet found an explanation that fully satisfies 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.

Your Questions and Comments:

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant: Joshua 7. "My big take away comes from vv. 11-12.  I feel it is example of how a 'pet sin', hidden or otherwise, clearly permeates a family or those around us. We don’t know the hearts of all the family, but the Lord does. Maybe the seed of greed was a family trait. But I do trust that the Lord knew hearts then and He knows hearts now.  I see it as a call to eliminate sin before it destroys your family.  Sin promises pleasure but delivers destruction.  Sometimes it is necessary to cut off the rotten part to save the healthy."  

60IN60 Day 39 - Thurs Aug 13

It's Day 39 and we're in Joshua 7.

Where God Spoke To Me:

- Verse 7 - Our first instinct when things don't go well is to blame God. Usually, as is true here, the problem lies with us.

Help:
- Verse 1 - We read in Joshua 6:17-19 that the Lord specifically told them not to take any of this stuff.
- Verse 24 - This is a hard verse for me. I understand the guilt of the people who hid the treasure, but why their whole families had to die leaves me speechless. I do not have a good answer to 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. 

Your Comments and Questions:

- A comment from a 60IN60 participant: Mark 16. "I'm pretty sure they misinterpreted verse 18 and the original manuscript said "The only good snake is a dead snake."

60IN60 Day 38 - Wed Aug 12

It's Day 38 and we're in Mark 16.

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 6 - That's pretty good news!

Help:
- Verses 9-20 - The earliest and best manuscripts don't have these verses, so they are probably a later addition. That's good because I really don't want to have to explain verse 18 as authentic.

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 Aug 11

It's Day 37 and we're in Mark 15.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 8 - This must have seemed like an answer to prayer to Pilate. He wants to release Jesus but is afraid of the religious leaders. What's he going to do? Then the crowd asks for a prisoner to them because of the Feast. I wonder if he thought, "A way out! I can declare Jesus guilty to satisfy the religious leaders but then release him so I won't be guilty of killing an innocent man." Just a reminder that not every "open door" is from 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 36 - Mon Aug 10

It's Day 36 and we're in Mark 14.

One thing that can impede God speaking to you is the presence of unconfessed sin in your life. Are you coming to the Word today with a clean heart or are you holding things back from God? 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 72 - We need to watch ourselves that we don't become overconfident in our faith.  We are dependent on God for being able to stand strong.

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 Aug 9

It's Day 35 and we're in Mark 13.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 24-25 - It's frightening to consider how difficult those days will be.

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 Aug 8

It's Day 34 and we're in Mark 12.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 9 - When we have violently rejected God, there comes a moment of terrible judgment.  The anger of God is justified and it is a horrible thing to consider.

Help:
- Verse 14 - These two groups (v. 13) are trying to trap Jesus.  If He says to pay the taxes, the Pharisees will tell the people that Jesus is a patsy for the hated Roman occupation.  If He says not to pay the taxes, the Herodians will tell Rome that Jesus is preaching rebellion.
- Verses 35-37 - This is a little Bible puzzle Jesus gives them to show their limited knowledge.  The point He is making is that David came before the Christ, yet David (who should have been honored by his ancestor the Christ) calls his descendent by the honor of the title "Lord."  The key to solving the puzzle is knowing that Jesus was physically by His birth the ancestor of David but by His preexistence was superior to David, which means He's worthy of the title "Lord."

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 Aug 7

It's Day 33 and we're in Mark 11.

One thing that's important as we read daily: being eager to hear Him speak to you. Go into your reading expectant that God desires to share something with you. 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 23 - What mountain do I need to see God toss aside for me?

Help:
- Verses 12-21 - Jesus doesn't curse the fig tree because He's in a bad mood.  The fig tree is symbolic of the Temple - without fruit.  He curses it as a sign that He is cursing the Temple system.

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 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.

60IN60 Day 25 - Thurs Jul 30

It's Day 25 and we're in 1 Corinthians 7.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 19 - What matters?  Keeping God's commands.

Help:
- Verse 1 - What he means by this is (as he explains) that if you are not overcome by sexual temptation by being single there are many spiritual advantages to being single in the sense of being able to devote yourself more fully to working for God and not being distracted by family life.
- Verse 7 - Paul has the ability that I just commented on (see verse 1).
- Verses 10-11 - This is a hard teaching, but one that needs to be studied in the context of the other New Testament passages on divorce.  That's too much to handle here, but if anyone wants more information, I can refer you to additional resources.
- Verse 14 - This is little obscure, but I think the point he's making is: being around someone who is a Christian can have a sanctifying influence, so if you're willing to stay married to the non-Christian, do so because (among other reasons) it'll be a good influence for them spiritually.
- Verse 37 - Obviously, in their culture the father had greater authority over his household than is true in our culture.

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 Mon 29

It's Day 24 and we're in 1 Corinthians 6.

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 19 - An amazing thought: we have been made into the dwelling place of God.  The Holy Spirit taking up residence within us.

Help:
- Verses 2-3 - "saints will judge the world" - This might mean that Christ will allow us to assist him in Final Judgment (perhaps by offering testimony of what we saw and heard in this life) or that on the New Earth we will rule (an alternate meaning for the Greek word for "judge") with Him.
- Verse 7 - It's scary to think how far away this thinking is away from our normal way of operating.  That doesn't speak well for us.  Paul basically says we'd be better off being wronged that suing a fellow Christian.
- Verses 12-13 - In Christ I have liberty - there is not a narrow list of "you can do" and "you can't do."  I am to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  However, the fact that I have freedom on many issues doesn't mean that exercising that freedom would always be spiritually beneficial.
- Verse 15 - Because the Holy Spirit has taken up residence within us (see verse 19), we have become a temple of God.  If we have sex with a prostitute, there is something about the physicalness of that sin that makes it worse than normal.

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 23 - Tues Jul 28

It's Day 23 and we're in 1 Corinthians 5.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 9-12 - We reverse this so often: we are quick to judge those outside the church and quick to excuse sin within the church.  We need to recognize that the world is doing what you would expect them to do in their condition: sinning.  (That doesn't excuse it, but it shouldn't surprise us.)  We need to also recognize that God has called us to have high spiritual expectations for each other within the church and push each other in that direction.

Help:
- Verse 3 - "passed judgment" - This throws some people off because all they reference about Christians and judgment is the Sermon on the Mount's "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Matthew 7:1-5).  They don't read the rest of the verses: Jesus immediately uses the example of getting the plank out of your eye so that you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  That's an act of judgment and discernment - seeing what's wrong and helping him remove it.  See also John 7:24 - "Do not judge by appearance, but judge with a righteous judgment."  See also all the passages in Paul's writing that speak of church discipline.  We are not to be callously or hypocritically judgmental, but we have to use judgment and discernment in our Christian lives.
- Verse 5 - This is the act of asking God to remove the "hedge of protection" that normally a Christian would have against Satan.  It is, essentially, asking God to allow this Christian to experience the consequences of his sin in the hope that it will lead him to repentance.
- Verse 6 - A little bit of pride can puff up a whole church.
- Verse 7 - He's telling them, "Throw out the old way of thinking where you think you're really something spiritually and bring in a new understanding of how everything you have spiritually is through the power of Christ."

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

If you have questions or comments, email me at butcher@ymail.com.

Your Questions and Comments: 

- "In your comment you said, 'Father, I want to see Your church overflowing with evidence of Your power, not merely talking about You.'  How would our church be different if it were overflowing with his power?  What would we see?" - I think it's easier to answer this question looking at the American church in general. There are a number of ways that this might manifest, but two large categories stand out. First, numeric growth. Most American churches are plateaued or declining in attendance. In other parts of the world (Africa and Asia, for instance) there is rapid growth, as many people express faith in Christ. Second, spiritual depth. People with a passion to know Christ as deeply as possible who prioritize spiritual growth in their lives. Certainly there are some in that category, but the number is not impressive. A final comment: before I die I would like to see a move of God among the American church that is so substantial and impressive that everyone who sees it says, "Wow! That had to be from God!"

60IN60 Day 22 - Mon Jul 27

It's Day 22 and we're in 1 Corinthians 4.

An encouragement as you read today: "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8). 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 20 - "not a matter of talk but of power" - Father, I want to see Your church overflowing with evidence of Your power, not merely talking about You.

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 Jul 26

It's Day 21 and we're in 1 Corinthians 3.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 3 - We play our part, but only God can bring the growth.  We need to look more to Him than to our methods and 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 20 - Sat Jul 25

It's Day 20 and we're in 1 Corinthians 2.

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 16 - "the mind of Christ" - Following Jesus is as much about how we think as anything else.  He desires to work on the ways that we think and help us to get our thought patterns to where they're honoring to 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 19 - Fri Jul 24

It's Day 19 and we're in 1 Corinthians 1.

If it's hard to understand what you're reading in the Bible, make sure you have a translation that's a good fit for you. Reading the King James (a great historic translation) can be particularly difficult because of the antiquated language. Among the good options available today: New International Version (good all-around translation), English Standard Version (good all-around translation), New American Standard (a more literal translation, closer to the original manuscripts), and New Living Translation (a translation that focuses on readability and understandability). 

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 24 - Christ is the power of God.  Father, unleash your power to change the lives of those around us.

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.