60IN60 Day 11 - Thurs Sept 17

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 12 - I have not arrived yet where I need to be spiritually.  I need to continue to press on.

Help:
- Verse 2 - He is referring here to teachers who were trying to direct believers back to keeping the Jewish customs.

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 Sept 16

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 2 - As a pastor, it does bring joy to see your flock living out the truth.

Help:
- Verse 17 - "poured out as a drink offering" - He means "even if I die in serving you."
- Verse 30 - "deficient in your service to me" - He wasn't criticizing them, but noting that Epaphroditus had been able to do tasks for Paul that the Philippians were not able to help him 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.

Your Comments:
- "Just a thought - maybe He was demonstrating that knowledge of Who He is, recognition of His purpose, and faith sometimes (frequently?) occur gradually rather than all at once.  After all, His disciples, who walked and talked with Him daily and observed and sometimes participated in His miracles for 3 years, didn't fully "see it" until after His resurrection."

60IN60 Day 9 - Tues Sept 15

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 6 - He's continually working to finish what He's started.  He's not going to leave us stuck beside the road halfway home.

Help:
- Verses 12-14 - It's not that Paul is glad to be imprisoned, but he can see where God is moving in that.
- Verses 15-18 - Some have good motives for their preaching; some don't.  Paul focuses on the fact that Christ is being preached and rejoices in that.
- Verse 21 - Living meant more opportunities to make a difference for Christ; dying meant going to be with Jesus, where things would be even better than here on earth.
- Verse 29 - Suffering is part of the deal in becoming a Christian.

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 Sept 14

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 36 - This is one of my life verses.

Help:
- Verses 23-25 - Why did the miracle come in phases?  We don't know.  It gives me comfort to know, though, that not all miracles happen the same way.  Sometimes it's instantaneous and sometimes it's in phases.
- Verses 26, 30 - Jesus regularly tells people to not spread the word of the miracles He's done.  Why?  Two reasons: 1. He was trying to maintain a timetable for when things would happen as far as His crucifixion and didn't want to get ahead of that. 2. He knew that the interest that brought people out to see the miracles was generally a shallow faith that would be unlikely to bloom.
- Verse 34 - "deny himself" - This means that we have to be willing to put aside our desires and obey Christ's commands, believing that will take us to somewhere better.
- Verse 34 - "take up his cross" - This means that there will be sacrifice involved in this walk of faith.
- Verse 35 - "save, lose" - This means that when we cling to our hopes and desires, we end up losing out.  When we lay those aside and run after Jesus' commands, we will find real life.

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 Sept 13

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

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

Help:
- Verse 27 - This sounds harsh.  Jesus was focusing His mission during His earthly life on ministering to the Jews.  He was trying to stay focused on that mission.  Her overwhelming faith, though, pushes Him to make an exception.
- Verse 33 - Why did Jesus do it this way?  We don't know.  I find comfort in Jesus doing miracles different ways at different times.  It reminds me that God doesn't work the same way in every 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 6 - Sat Sept 12

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verses 31, 46 - Time alone with God was essential for Jesus and it is for us as well.  Further, just having some down time to decompress is essential too.

Help:
- Verses 2-3 - We sometimes think that Jesus being the Son of God must have been obvious to everyone who ever saw Him, but obviously those from His hometown didn't have an expectation that He was going to do something extraordinary like this.
- Verse 3 - "brothers" and "sisters" - These would be half-brothers and half-sisters.  They were born to Mary and Joseph after Jesus was born.  Catholics believe they were Joseph's children from a previous marriage.
- Verse 5 - People's faith or lack of faith made a difference in what Jesus could do for 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 5 - Fri Sept 11

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

Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 17 - The power of God sometimes creates fear rather than a desire to have more from God.

Help:
- Verse 10 - "out of the country" - That's another way to say that they didn't want to be sent into the abyss (Luke 8:31).
- Verse 39 - "asleep" - This doesn't mean that He thought the child was just taking a nap.  Saying someone is asleep when they are in fact dead is an idea that's used several places in the New Testament in emphasizing resurrection.  "They're not gone forever; I can bring them 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.