I wrote this ten years ago. It got me thinking it might be worth writing another one now, so here goes. To my dear nephew. You’re a man in the eyes of the law. You’re a man in your own eyes as well. But being a man is still new, and there are grasps of […]
Read More Another Open Blog to My NephewReading: Ephesians 1:15-23 Context: What prompted Paul to pray this prayer for the Ephesians? News reached a prison cell, and it turned straight into prayer. Paul opens with for this reason — pointing back to a report about the Ephesians: their faith in the Lord Jesus, their love for all the saints (v.15). This good […]
Read More WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 03: Paul’s Prayer for WisdomReading: Mark 11:27-12:27 Context: Why do religious leaders question Jesus’ authority, and how does His parable of the tenants answer them? The battle is on for the role of the authority of the truth. The religious leaders had comfortably held that position, but that was under threat because of Jesus. They went out of their […]
Read More WIWO: Mark – Episode 20: Authority and ConflictWhen the King hounded him, David ran to a cave. That experience inspired Psalm 57. It outlines some helpful advice when under pressure. One, be honest about the need for refuge. Two, be honest in assessing the circumstances. Three, be honest about who God is and what He does. And finally, look to God to […]
Read More Dryden Shorts – Lessons from the CaveDay 12: Review and Integration Reviewing the Notes of the Previous 11 Days Context: Looking back over James’ letter, how do the various themes work together to address the needs of early Christians facing persecution and social pressures? The twelve tribes scattered across the Empire are at risk of succumbing to the pressures outside and […]
Read More WIWO: James The Last Day 12: Review and IntegrationDay 10: Patience in Suffering Read James 5:7-12 Context: Why does James return to the theme of patient endurance, and how does this connect with his earlier teaching about trials? There is a flow in what James has been pointing out throughout the letter. The need for godly wisdom, the need for humility, the need […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 10: Patience in SufferingI sometimes hear my Dad say to get wisdom above everything else. I don’t know if my Dad ever really said that; it’s just something I hear in my mind. There are a lot of decisions that I made without wisdom that are great testimonies to the importance of getting wisdom. There are also decisions […]
Read More 20 for 20 #2 Wisdom Says What? Part 1Day 9: The Danger of Presumptuous Planning Read James 4:13-5:6 Context: What attitude towards the future and material success is James confronting in both the merchants (4:13-17) and the wealthy landowners (5:1-6)? We should get the idea by now that James isn’t plucking random issues out of thin air. He has been making it clear […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 9: The Danger of Presumptuous PlanningDay 8: Submit Yourselves to God Read James 4:1-12 Context: What does James identify as the root cause of conflicts and quarrels within the Christian community? In a stunning summation of all that he’s outlined so far, James identifies the root cause of conflicts as the same divided loyalties he established at the start of […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 8: Submit Yourselves to GodDay 7: Two Kinds of Wisdom Read James 3:13-18 Context: How does James’ teaching about two kinds of wisdom connect with his previous discussions about trials, faith, and the tongue? By this stage, we should be very familiar with what James has outlined in terms of distinctions. There is asking in faith vs wavering. There […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 7: Two Kinds of Wisdom
