Blog Archives - The Remarkable Blog

9 Days till Christmas Countdown-

12/14/2018

It amazes me what a mathematician God is. Every time I read His Word I find that He has a meaning behind everything He says, and does. Take for example the following verse:

(Jeremiah 29:11-13), “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”

Notice that God doesn’t say; “Let me know when you come up with plans for your future that you want me to bless.”

Did you notice how many times he refers to us (you/your)? Nine times. Want to know what nine represents? Harvest. You know what He is talking about here? That's right, "Harvest".

If you did not read yesterday's Blog today's may not make as much sense. So, pause and read yesterdays. You may also go to our web site and look in archives for last night's message. Just click here: http://restorationchurchintl.org/video

Preparing involves calling upon the Lord, coming to God in relationship, praying, and seeking the Lord with all our heart.

It’s not the looks, the lamps,or the longdresses that sets the wise apart from the foolish – it’s the readiness.

There is an old story of a king of bygone days and his 'clown' or 'jester', who sometimes said very foolish things and sometimes made very wise utterances. One day the jester had said something so foolish that the king, handing him a staff, said to him, 'Take this, and keep it till you find a bigger fool than yourself.'
Some years later, the king was very ill and lay on his deathbed. His courtiers were called; his family and his servants also stood round his bedside. The king, addressing them, said, 'I am about to leave you. I am going on a very long journey, and I shall not return again to this place: so I have called you all to say "Goodbye".' Then his jester stepped forward and, addressing the king, said, 'Your Majesty, may I ask a question? When you have journeyed abroad visiting your people, staying with your nobles, or paying diplomatic visits to other courts, your heralds and servants have always gone before you, making preparations for you. May I ask what preparations your Majesty has made for this long journey that he is about to take?'
'Alas!' replied the king, 'I have made no preparations.'
'Then,' said the jester, 'take this staff with you, for now I have found a bigger fool than myself.'

ACTION STEP: While making all your preparations for Christmas, and the New Year, make sure you are prepared for your ultimate destiny. The first thing Abram did when God told him to leave his own country was tell his family. Make sure your family knows what to do to make preparations for heaven. Jesus is coming back for His bride.

10 Days till Christmas countdown-Catch the wave!

12/13/2018

The biblical approach to the future involves prayer and preparation, more than prediction and planning. This is true whether we are talking about our personal life, the church, Christmas, or the Second Coming of Jesus. If you go to Coast Guard Beach when the wind is up, you see surfers catching the waves. Folks who truly love to surf basically do everything else in life that they have to do, just so they can get back to the water. Surfers don’t plan waves; they prepare to ride them when they roll in.

We don’t plan the future, much of what happens to us is beyond our control, what we can do is prepare to deal with it when it rolls in. As the Bride of Christ we need to make preparations to ride the waves of God!

Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

The bridesmaids all looked ready but 5 were and 5 weren't. Personally, we don’t plan much of what happens to us, or to members of our family. An illness, an accident, a death, a crisis – we don’t plan these. They happen. We can plan for Christmas and I think we should. But, the greater thing to plan for is the Christ of Christmas. We can buy the presence, but have we accepted His presence inside our hearts and has our family members received the Christ?

When Abram was told to go catch a wave the first thing he did was tell his family and he didn't even know where he was going, but he was going for God!

ACTION STEP: Go for God! Prepare to catch the wave!

11 Days till Christmas Count-down

12/12/2018

No matter how you choose to celebrate Christmas, or even what denomination you are, Christmas is celebrated by many around the world. Some put up a tree, some light candles, some hide hay under their bed, but unfortunately not all believe in the the birth of the Christ child--the Savior of the world. Jesus, my savior too. I know many of our traditions are just that, traditions. No matter what traditions you hold the most important thing to hold on to is Jesus. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Today, I want to share with you one of the many traditions handed down through the ages. I pray you enjoy it.

The Twelve Days of Christmas
An Underground Catechism
You're all familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I think. To most it's a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music. But it had a quite serious purpose when it was written.
It is a good deal more than just a repetitious melody with pretty phrases and a list of strange gifts.
Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith - a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in *writing* indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head - or hanged, drawn and quartered, a rather peculiar and ghastly punishment I'm not aware was ever practiced anywhere else. Hanging, drawing and quartering involved hanging a person by the neck until they had almost, but not quite, suffocated to death; then the party was taken down from the gallows, and disembowelled while still alive; and while the entrails were still lying on the street, where the executioners stomped all over them, the victim was tied to four large farm horses, and literally torn into five parts - one to each limb and the remaining torso.
The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."
The other symbols mean the following:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
Fr. Hal Stockert 12/17/95
P.S. It has come to our attention that this tale is made up of both fact and fiction. Hopefully it will be accepted in the spirit it was written. As an encouragement to people to keep their faith alive, when it is easy, and when any outward expressions of their faith could mean their life. Today there are still people living under similar conditions, may this tale give them courage, and determination to use any creative means at their disposal to keep their faith alive.
Courtesy of Catholic Information Network (CIN)
Please e-mail your comments to: Webmaster at CINWe recognize the following sites for their services:
Christian Classics | Christus Rex | Hermanoleón Clipart | Vatican Website | Zenit | World News - Vatican Radio
Copyright © 1987-2009 Catholic Information Network (CIN) - Updated: 12-20-09

ACTION STEP: This year go ahead and start a new tradition, keep up some of the old traditions held near and dear to your family. However, in all your celebrating share the true reason for the season. Give the greatest gift you could ever give, the same one given to all the world--Jesus, the savior of the world.

12 Days before Christmas

12/11/2018

The joy of my life is sharing the Love of Christ. I know that sounds really corny, but I am truly as serious as I can be. Last night I was at an appointment to do the general maintenance we women do, hair, lashes, etc. etc. There was a young lady there that I was able to share the simple gospel of Jesus with. It made my day. She made Jesus her Savior. I could hardly sleep knowing Jesus just received another child into the Kingdom, for all He has done for us. Another life was born into the Kingdom of God, who will never have to live in torment.

It is so easy for me to celebrate Christmas. It is not some pagan or made up holiday. It is the day Christ was born. Sure it may not be the exact day, but how many celebrate your birthday on the closest Friday, or Saturday, or whatever, to your own birthday? It happens. The fact is Jesus came and died, was buried and on the third day, He rose from the dead. Now, we, who accept Him, no longer stay in the grave either. We have no reason to fear anything, not even death. Jesus moves in and the devil with all his fears and torments, gets evicted.

ACTION STEP: Step out in faith and ask God for opportunities to share your faith. Ask God to put people in your path that are ready! This young lady was so ready for the sickle to be laid. She was ready to be harvested. She is the prime age for Satan to try to come and make her his slave, but Jesus. Jesus saved her. I got the best Christmas present ever on the the 12 days before Christmas--a new sister!

13 Days before Christmas-Treason and treasures

12/10/2018

It's interesting, at this time of year to remember and focus on the story of Jesus's life. Go with me in thinking about his birth, being hid in Egypt for years, and then returning only to gather a few men, whom He would pour His life in to, and then, one of them betray Him. That's where I want to hang our this morning, "treasures and betrayals". We all love the treasures in people. We, or at least many I know, want to pull out the treasure in others. I can see Jesus sharing with Judas about how frugal he was, and how he paid attention to detail. Perhaps, how good he was with numbers, and how responsible he was. Then, the very gifts within in him, worked against him, as he began to judge the woman who poured out all she had on Jesus, and Judas calling it a waste, and shouting how it should have been sold. Judas's time was near. "His gift was beginning to get to him, rather than flow through him." What had begun to be a treasure in his life, would now cost him his relationship with Jesus, and ultimately drive him to self-destruct.

When we stop pouring our treasures out on Jesus, there is a spirit of treason at work in our life. At this time of year, we need to examine our lives and ask ourselves some hard questions. Is there any area of my life where I am holding back? Am I giving Jesus my best? Is Jesus first in my life or do I have my own agenda? Answering these short questions can be the difference between living a long satisfied life, or being so miserable we commit treason against Jesus, and lose our life.

ACTION STEP: Allow your gifts to be developed, and bring glory to God with them. Use what you've been given, to love on Jesus, and love on what He loves. Lavish Jesus with your best. Give your best to Jesus this holiday season, and always. Know this, if you will allow your gifts to flow through you, God will always be able to to get gifts to you.

16 days before Christmas Eve

12/7/2018

Yesterday I started my countdown to Christmas. Why I started then? I'm not sure. I just started thinking about the messages I am sharing with my congregation on being "Prepared", and here I am writing to you about the same. Are you prepared? Not just prepared for Christmas, but prepared for whatever life may hold. Are you prepared to share Jesus with others? We don't have to have someone telling us what to do to prepare for the future. The greatest preparation we can make is to be ready ourselves to meet Jesus, and then help prepare others as well. Let me share this scripture with you:

Proverbs 6:6 (ISV) "Go to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise."

The Lord could have told us to look at anything and He chose an ant. Don't you think that is a little weird? I do. But, one time I saw a bunch of ants carrying an entire paper plate. Alone the ant could have never attempted such a feat, and succeeded, but together they did it. However, each ant had to carry his own weight.

One of us may not be able to carry the message of Christmas--but together we can do this! Anyone of us can give someone a drink of water. Could it be that simple?

Action Step: No one knows when you or I are thirsty, yet when someone comes into our home we offer them a drink or water, or tea or whatever we think they may like. Could it be as simple as asking those we love, those we come in contact with, if they would like for us to share a moment about Jesus with them? I think more people are thirsty than we may believe. After all isn't Christmas all about believing?

17 days before Christmas

12/6/2018

With all the talk about Christmas and I love Christmas, it got me thinking. I wonder if people are preparing as much for the Christ of Christmas, as the they are the day of Christmas. Of course I know the answer. So, why do I think it? I think I thought it, because I know why we celebrate Christmas. I know, without Christ there would be no celebrating the birth of our King. But, the world gets caught up in the day off, the tinsel, the gifts, the parties, and... the reason for the season... goes unnoticed; that is, until someone shines a light on it! Then, it was as though my spirit came to life, as I thought about that first Holy Night. The night Jesus was born, God the Father did just that, He shined the light on the reason for the season. Those that sought the light, found the King. Even in the word "seeking" we can see two words, "see" and "king". So, are you seeking the reason for the season? Are you ready with a reason to celebrate?

There are a lot of holidays we can celebrate throughout the course of the year. There is only one Christmas. There are president days, but there is only one Christ. There are days to celebrate hero's and victories of battles. Christmas is both a day to celebrate a hero and a battle, but the battle still wages. Yet, we celebrate for the victory that was won! The victory over eternal death and damnation has been won.

Action Step: Today, focus on what you have to celebrate because of what the Christ of Christmas made available, to all, who receive Him as their Savior. Then, try to lead others to the same Savior, that God shed the light on. I guess I am asking you to be the light of the world...because you are.

There are storms are around us.

12/5/2018

Today, more than at other times in history people are being stretched beyond what is humanly possible. It may be easier if they were fighting a single people group such as we have had in ages pass. Now, it is the enemy inside of ourselves. The enemy in our own house. The enemy in our own town. People are stealing at a higher rate than ever before. People are killing people for money to purchase a drug that will eventually kill them. People are driving recklessly. Anger is at an all time high. The days of friendliness and politeness, seemingly are a thing of the pass. We can only give what we've got. Take time to listen to this song and just receive from Jesus.

Don't be in a hurry today. Yes, I know you have to work. The kids are being kids and you don't have a minute to yourself. God has all the time in the world. He never goes far from where you are, and with Him, the two of you can do anything. Take a minute and tell Him, "I need you". Ask Him for what ever you need. Finally, listen to this last song and be refreshed in your heart, and then, then, start your day with Him. I will be praying for you. And, what if your reading this at the end of your day? Well, there is always tomorrow.

Count Down to Christmas Day 17

12/5/2018

With all the talk about Christmas and I love Christmas, it got me thinking. I wonder if people are preparing as much for the Christ of Christmas, as the they are the day of Christmas. Of course I know the answer. So, why do I think it? I think I thought it, because I know why we celebrate Christmas. I know, without Christ there would be no celebrating the birth of our King. But, the world gets caught up in the day off, the tinsel, the gifts, the parties, and... the reason for the season... goes unnoticed; that is, until someone shines a light on it! Then, it was as though my spirit came to life, as I thought about that first Holy Night. The night Jesus was born, God the Father did just that, He shined the light on the reason for the season. Those that sought the light, found the King. Even in the word "seeking" we can see two words, "see" and "king". So, are you seeking the reason for the season? Are you ready with a reason to celebrate?

There are a lot of holidays we can celebrate throughout the course of the year. There is only one Christmas. There are president days, but there is only one Christ. There are days to celebrate hero's and victories of battles. Christmas is both a day to celebrate a hero and a battle, but the battle still wages. Yet, we celebrate for the victory that was won! The victory over eternal death and damnation has been won.

Action Step: Today, focus on what you have to celebrate because of what the Christ of Christmas made available, to all, who receive Him as their Savior. Then, try to lead others to the same Savior, that God shed the light on. I guess I am asking you to be the light of the world...because you are.

Are you prepared?

12/4/2018

Proverbs 6:6 (KJV)
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:"

Many wait until the last minute to take action about things. When we are talking about the things of God we can't take action whenever we feel like it. We must take action when we are given the directive. We don't have time to start studying healing when we are already deathly ill. We don't have time to learn finances when the debtors come to take the car away. Now, is the time to prepare for what lies ahead.

ACTION STEP: We as Christians, need to be leading the way in the area of preparedness. We need to be showing the world what to do for the tomorrows--we have yet to face. We need to be like the sons of Issachar.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (KJV)
"And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times,
to know what Israel ought to do;
the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment."