MY BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF REVELATION

MY BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF REVELATION

 

John, was the friend of Jesus, gospel writer and evangelist. The purpose of Jesus’ incarnation was so real and empowering to John. He watched Jesus die. He saw him alive again. He saw Jesus ascend through clouds and out of sight. He knew everything Jesus said about the devil and sin and redemption, and the Kingdom were true. He wrote that God loved the world so much that He sent the divine Son, Jesus, so whomever believes in Jesus will have eternal life. 

John heard Jesus alert his followers to the fact that in this world where sin is prevalent, being faithful to God as follower of Christ is difficult and dangerous. John was sent to the island of Patmos as a prisoner of the Roman State. Before Jesus died, John heard Jesus promise that though he was leaving, he would send His Holy Spirit to be with them and in them. Now on the island, John found himself possessed powerfully by the Holy Spirit, as the LORD gave him a vision of the future. We read that this vision contained an immediate message to each of seven churches that existed at that time. Those messages contained commendations, warnings and promises. Since this is inspired scripture from God, the information to the churches is transferable to churches in every age, because evil exists in every age. 

A CHRISTIAN’S VIEW OF CREATION

The only exclusive timeless spiritual being, Triune God, surrounded by spiritual creatures, angels who worship and serve God eternally, decided to create a species of physical beings, unique, humanity, in whom God would invest a divine similarity. A delicate feature. There would be affinity between God and humanity. To affect this plan, God created a universe of galaxies, and in one galaxy he made one planet suitable to human physical life. Humanity, with this divine resemblance, both genders, should enjoy Earth and wisely govern this jewel of a planet.  God was pleased with creation. Because God knows all things, ends from beginnings, even then God knew humanity would fail to maintain God’s likeness. Sin would interrupt the affinity God had with humanity. Sin changed humanity. Transience and Mortality. God’s penalty on sin. Still God loved this Earth full of people. God’s plan in eternity was to restore this Godlikeness, this affinity in humanity. Restoration would result from God’s greatest of all time demonstration of love. The death penalty would be paid. God determined to take on a human form to briefly reside on planet Earth, then die. God’s eternality would conquer death. Penalty served. Sin’s interruption arrested. God’s prerogative. The benefit to humanity, contingent on individual faith in the efficacy of God’s death. Plus, a promise. Eternal life with God for the believer. It worked. It works.

SHE'S EVERYTHING

SHE’S EVERYTHING

 

She shimmers, still, 

in my eyes, like a star in the wave,

Reflected for only me, no one else around, 

No one in her gaze. 

She is satisfied with me, after all this time,

Though I am not what I was, when I was delighted with myself,

Young and strong and able, and she called me handsome,

Her love, so tight, and me with a future and resolve.

Were she young now, she would pass me by, pleasant old guy.

Instead, she came with me, through all our years,

Or I with her, I’d follow her forever, she’s everything.

She shimmers, all colours of stunning, 

And we’re here together, now, and always, 

I wanted that, for all my life, 

And she, hand clasping mine, squeezes, yes.

 

© Ron Unruh, Nov 3, 2022

'PAYING ATTENTION TO JESUS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING BUSY.'

MEN'S BREAKFAST TALK OCT 15 2022 .. this was a talk to a group of men one Saturday morning. The breakfast was sponsored by CrossRidge Church, Cloverdale BC. 

Luke 10 ³⁸ Now as they went on their way, Jesus⁴ entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary.⁵ Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

This sounds like a passage appropriate for a Women’s brunch not a Men’s’ Breakfast.  Yet the lesson is not gender specific.

The village that Jesus entered was Bethany. A family became Jesus’ cherished friends. Martha and Mary are mentioned here. They had a brother named Lazarus. This brief anecdote contrasts the behaviours of the two women in the presence of Jesus. It was a big deal to have Jesus visit your house. Martha could hardly wait to feed him, preparing foods and serving him. Mary could hardly wait to be fed, sitting enthralled and listening to Kingdom words coming from the King. Then Martha became annoyed. When she complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t helping her and asked Jesus to reprimand Mary, Jesus gently told Martha, “Martha, you’re consumed with worries about secondary matters. Mary has made the better choice. I won’t take that away from her.” – But isn’t food important? Martha didn’t ask that. I am supposing natural follow-up questions. Of course, food is important but when that household of guests became hungry, and if Martha had not prepared it, wouldn’t there be someone else who could do it? Jesus could have made something. I mean, Jesus turned water into wine one time, and he turned a boy’s lunch into a meal for a few thousand people. He was not a magician. He was divine. Listen to him. He existed in the beginning, and everything was made by him. He is wise and holy. Listen to him.  

 

OUR DEAR DAD

Thinking of my Dad. He enjoyed humour. His was subtle. He could make us smile. Like this moment when he was in his early 90’s. My brother Murray tells it as he experienced it. “It was the second to the last year of mom’s life. My patient dad never complained about the complications caused by the late stages of Alzheimer’s that mom was experiencing. She had become rather serious about packing belongings in boxes that she lined up on the bed. Anything and everything could be packed or unpacked depending on the moment. One day upon my arrival at their apartment, Dad asked me if I would like some coffee. I nodded affirmatively and he plugged in the kettle. Of course it was instant coffee but a good brand. I went to the cutlery drawer to fetch a spoon and found the cutlery gone. When I inquired where the forks, knives and spoons were, Dad said nonchalantly. "Oh, Tina must have packed them." Then with perfect timing and humour he added, "It really doesn't matter, she packed my teeth too."

- He left us at the age of 93 on May 1, 2008.   

PEACEMAKER

Is there a person of international influence who can make peace by reconciling Russia with Ukraine? No. Is reconciliation plausible? Achievable? No. The issue is not between Russia and Ukraine. It's Putin vs Ukraine. Makes all the difference. Putin calls his invasionary soldiers, peacekeepers. Euphemism. On War day 29 Putin refuses to have peace-talk with Zelenskyy. Not surprising.

LET’S MAKE A DEAl

A peace deal? No! No deal! Deal with Putin. Ukraine & Russia have talked. Freedom versus capitulation. No deal. Won’t deal. Shelling continues. Obliterating cityscapes & civilians. The Free World Summit options for a deal. Circuitous. Indecisive. What’s the deal? Break Putin’s resolve. Castigate. Punish. That’s the deal. Enough

PUTIN’S WAR

IT IS A WAR. Putin made it a war. It’s Putin’s war. It’s not his to win. Putin will lose more than this war. He’s lost respect. Putin’s armies are dispirited. He’s lost his edge. He’s lost his mind. United democracies condemn him. He’s lost his place. The G12 of industrially advanced countries does not include him and Russia. The G7 included Russia in 1997 and became G8. That will change. He may yet choose chemical weapons. NATO will decisively end Putin’s war. In time he’ll lose veneration of Russians and may garner disgust. He may lose his life. In the wake of Putin, millions of people have lost hope and homes and life.

I APOLOGIZE

    In the title I haven’t specified to whom I am apologizing. It’s manifestly obvious that it’s first of all to you, a reader of this blog at the time when I was actively contributing. I’m also apologizing to anyone who has been here before and returned to find no entries for months at at time. Finally, I apologize to myself for the letdown. I meant to be constant in the record of these retirement years. I became sidetracked by other things.

    I didn’t know I would develop so many other interests. I love writing, and that’s how I filled long periods of time. I also paint like mad, particularly within the past three years. These have been commissioned paintings mostly. Commitments come first, so blog entries were shelved. And besides, I was ambitions and foolish enough to begin other blogs for difference purposes. It’s note easy to keep all the balls in the air, so I am not a proficient juggler.

    I have mentioned elsewhere that i am living my 80th year presently, and will complete it on my birthday on September 13, 2022. I have a bucket list of want-to-do’s that I must admit now is unattainable. I have three books (minimum) that I want to self-publish before that date. What am I thinking? I have so many painting ideas I would like to try. I have a wife and a sports car and both of those are incessantly beckoning me outdoors for long day trips on back roads with stops at coffee shops and wineries & pubs along the way.

    So the best I can offer by way of apology to you and to myself, is that I will try to remember to post occasional features of interest. Oh ya, I could have put many more things here, appropriate for this memoirs format that I wound up placing on Facebook. I have to change that.