Taking Next Steps with Jesus

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  (Read the previous blog here ) Matthew 2:19-23 says, “When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.  ‘Get up!’ the angel said. ‘Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.’  So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother.  But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee.  So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’” OK, this one was a new one for me and I’m exc...

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  (Read the previous blogs here ) We have been walking through the story of the Israelites with our kiddos this past season.  The whole story of God’s rescue of Israel is truly amazing.  Today we are used to special effects, and a surround sound experience—but even that doesn’t compare to God showing up and “flexing His pinky finger” and displaying His glory.  Egypt was THE world superpower.  They had the most powerful army.  The strongest economy—thanks to the Nile river overflowing it’s banks annually.  Egypt was the intellectual powerhouse—consider their architecture, and writing, and medicine—and, Egypt was the spiritual power.  Pharaoh was considered a ‘god’ by their culture, and the m...

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  (Read the previous blogs here ) There is one part of the Christmas story that I don’t know any songs for.  I don’t think anyone has ever penned a rhyme that will remind us of this part of the story, and I don’t think that I’ve seen a Christmas pageant highlight it either.  But, God does—He even gave a prophecy to let us know that this was going to happen—and we must ask why.  Jeremiah 31:15 says, “This is what the Lord says: ‘A cry is heard in Ramah—deep anguish and bitter weeping.  Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted—for her children are gone.’” And, Matthew 2:13-18 tells the story of the fulfillment of this prophecy, "When it was time to leave, they [the wise men] returned to...

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  As we are looking at some of the fascinating parts of the story of Jesus’ birth—the Christmas Story—and searching for the fingerprints of God’s Prophetic word; the story of the Magi (or Wisemen) stands out as a complex and intriguing example of God’s handiwork that is full of prophecy.  My hope is that this excursion will give us a picture of the thoughtful care and loving precision that God has invested in His Redemption plan—and that will grow our faith and help us to know that the Bible is true. (Read the previous blogs here ) Who doesn’t love getting and giving gifts!  Where did this come from?  If your mind went to the Magi who visited Jesus, you’d be close.  Yes, they certainly bring gifts to Jesus...

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  (Read the previous blogs here ) The front end of the Magi’s story is filled with wonder and amazing faith.   But, there is a part of the story that the Bible spills much ink over, and yet, we by-pass it as quickly as we can—probably because we can too easily relate (if we were honest with ourselves).   Jealousy and hatred, lying and violence, pain and fear.  A king who’s insecurity drives him to madness.  Why is this included in the story of Christmas?  Because our lives are marred by these very things.  How many of us find Christmas to be a season where instead of joy and family, we find ourselves stirred up with jealousy because we cannot have what someone else has?  How often do we...

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  (Read the previous blogs here ) As we are looking at some of the fascinating parts of the story of Jesus’ birth—the Christmas Story—and as we are searching for the fingerprints of God’s Prophetic word; the story of the Magi stands out as a complex and intriguing example of God’s handiwork.  My hope is that this excursion will give us a picture of the thoughtful care and loving precision that God has invested in His Redemption plan—and that, will grow our faith. Walking with God certainly is a journey isn’t it.  There are verses in the Bible that we breeze by, just by the nature of the medium—a book—But, it would do us well to stop and consider the powerful significance and implications that they have for us today. “Pha...

Hello this is Eric again.  A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?”  So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.  (Read the previous blogs here ) There are a number of fascinating parts to the story of Jesus’ birth, but the story of the Magi is one that stands out in my mind as a complex and intriguing example of God’s handiwork—And this story gives us a picture of the thoughtful care and loving precision that God has invested in His Redemption plan. Since this story is so involved, I want to take the time to look at it from a couple of different angle’s—let me begin with the Magi. How many Wisemen came and worshiped Jesus?  You said three, didn’t you—nope.  The Bible doesn’t tell us how many there were.  The song “We Three Kings” says three, but the Bible just says Magi came from the east.  Who were these Magi? ...