It is inescapable during the advent/Christmas season to think about Jesus being born a little baby and being laid in a manger. But for a moment I’d like to zoom out and discuss the broader subject of Jesus. He was prophesied to come, be born to a virgin, in Bethlehem, etc. He is the incarnation, or the putting into flesh the existence of God. He … Continue reading Born to Live, Born to Die, Born to Save
An involved siege on a fortified castle is not something you associate with Christmas. But I ask you to go on a quick journey with me. “When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the … Continue reading The Christmas Assault
In a post from a few years ago (https://bradflack.com/2017/04/29/candles-prayers-and-motions/) I wrote about the subtle and simple lies that Satan weaves into our traditions, our conversations, our lives. I think because of the gravity of Christmas, he is always working double time during this season. Would you now help me as I figuratively “flesh out” or work out some of my own thoughts and emotions as … Continue reading The Christmas Lie
Can you imagine being an unwed, engaged teenager between 14 & 18 years old, being told you would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and the child born would ultimately be the Son of God? What sort of thoughts, feelings, emotions would you have? How do you think she felt, in a culture where pregnancy outside of marriage was not necessarily uncommon but was not … Continue reading Mary, Mother of Jesus
Growing up in a middle class, suburban family, I remember putting out the Christmas decorations every year. And I remember we would always set up the nativity scene last. What did it look like? A lot like this: However, while this nativity still celebrates the spirit of Jesus’s birth, it is not a true representation or depiction of the event. Look at this cave: This … Continue reading Bethlehem’s Nativity
For those of you who have ever celebrated Christmas with a nativity scene or have read the account in the gospel of Matthew, you’ve heard of the three wise men or three kings. The actual term for these guys is Magi. This name is not insignificant. In fact, it goes all the way back to the Old Testament book of Daniel. The Magi are members … Continue reading The Wise Men and Their Gifts
It may come as a surprise to some of you that the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is actually linked to the Christian celebration of Christmas, but not in any obvious sense. We first need to understand some of the history of each to get to the place where we see the connection, so let’s start there. About 170 years before the birth of Christ, a … Continue reading From Hanukkah to Christmas
In this post we will discuss the ten plagues of Egypt as handed down to Pharaoh and the people of Egypt at the commands of Aaron and Moses. Before we get into the nitty gritty, you need to familiarize yourself with the nation of Israel in the land of Egypt and you can do so here https://bradflack.com/2017/08/03/real-life-christians-9-the-hebrews-in-egypt/ The “They” is Egypt, the “Them” is Israel … Continue reading The Ten Plagues- They, Them and Us
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they … Continue reading Stand for Something or Fall for Anything
Do you, like me, suffer from cultural attention deficit disorder? I don’t mean like ADD which is normally diagnosed in grade school. I mean like modern, American materialism. And first world problems. And the constant need to be entertained, or maybe even be entertaining. I know that during those long, busy seasons of my life I find that for awhile I really enjoy the constant … Continue reading Attention Deficit Disorder
