Yesterday was “Canada Day.” It’s somewhat equivalent to our “Independence Day” celebrated in the United States on July 4th.
Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of the Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, in which Britain recognized Canada as a “kingdom with its own right.” Informally it is referred to as “Canada’s birthday.”
Like Americans in the USA, Canadians are very proud of their country. Yesterday there were flags flying. Celebrations. Bar-b-ques. Parades. Musical entertainment. And, of course, fireworks.
However, just a few weeks ago, “an Ipsos survey, conducted online with over a thousand participants, indicates that a significant 70% of Canadians perceive their country as “broken,” a sentiment that resonates most strongly with the Canadian youth and Conservative voters.”
Interestingly, the sentiment is the same in the United States on the eve of our Independence Day celebration. A few months ago one ABC News/Ipsos survey revealed that over 75% of Americans believed the country was on the “wrong track.” Only 23% believed the US is headed in the “right direction.”
In both North American countries there is a sizeable conservative number who are concerned about the eroding values that we once held dear. It seems, however, that both countries are seeking to solve the “broken” and “wrong track” issues with political solutions.
The fact is we live in a broken world. Broken by rejecting God’s moral and ethical standard. Broken by the wicked deeds of wicked people. Broken by Satan’s schemes. Broken by sin.
However, this is not new. Prior to the flood in Noah’s day, the Bible says,
that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).
History records the rise and fall of nations. Their demise is precipitated by their brokenness. Idolatry. Immorality. Insolence. And ignorance of Divine principles. All of these and more contribute to a broken world.
As both our countries seek reforms through a change of Presidents, Prime Ministers, and other elected officials, let Christians be reminded and all others be advised the Jesus Christ is the answer to a broken world.
The Old Testament warned God’s people not to put their trust in “princes,” “horses,” and “chariots” (Ps. 20:7; Ps. 146:3; Isa. 31:3). In other words, don’t rely on military might, weapons of war, and political leaders for the security of your soul. The Psalmist penned this exhortation.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
(Ps 118:8-9)
Jesus came to set men free from the shackles of sin. To heal the broken hearted. To cleanse the soul. To give us an abundant life. To serve as a beacon of light. To reveal Truth. And provide a way to the Father.
When He came to His hometown of Nazareth and entered the synagogue, Jesus took the Isaiah scroll and read these words which he affirmed were fulfilled in Him.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
(Lk. 4:18-19)
The world is changed when hearts are changed. One person at a time. Christians are charged as Christ’s ambassadors to be “the light of the world,” and “the salt of the earth.” Let’s not lessen that light, or lose our “saltiness” by an inordinate allegiance to a political party or an excessive devotion to flawed leaders.
Broken. That’s the realization in today’s world. The problem is most people don’t know why or how we’re broken. Let’s show them the way.
There is help. There is healing, There is hope. There is a Savior.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
Right on point Ken. Dennis Abernathy
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The first miracle Jesus the forerunner of our Faith performed was recorded by John as the Cana Wine Story. In Greek the word for BEST is καλύτερος kalyteros. This word broken in two reads as kalyt (best) eros (love).
So I’m thinking John is a man very much like a Greek resistance leader and peacemaker I met and chatted with some 40 years ago in Canada out on the Jericho Beach Road in Vancouver.
If you know the Mirror Story…you might catch on and see where I’m going with this story. I’m pretty sure John is using the Cana Wine story in chapter 2 to foreshadow or predict the way Simon Bar Jonah will jump into the water in chapter 21…on the right side, the narrow side…and net the mother lode, the FISH numbered 153.
When Simon Bar Jonah hears John’s voice and realizes he has taken off his wedding garment…his reluctance at feeling compelled is transformed and he eagerly puts on his wedding garment and puts himself in the JUG…the kaná ta of νερό (water). Kanáta is the Greek word for Jug and it is pronounced very much like Canada! νερό is the Greek word for water and it is pronounced very much like narrow.
Stay with me here. Way back when John’s Gospel was written no one knew of a place called Canada. However according to https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/mark-and-john-a-wedding-at-cana-whose-and-where/ The location of Cana has no Roman-period ruins either.
So I think it is safe to assume John told the story of the Jug the Kanáta and the Bridegroom that turned the water into wine as a sign (Luke 11:29; Matthew 12:39)as a mirror story to shed light on the sign of Jonah!
The Bridegroom is Simon Bar Jonah the ROCK who has been in the empty tomb and has returned to making his living by the sea. Like Jonah he is reluctant to preach to the sinners and in John’s Gospel he has taken off his “wedding” garment and yet he has heard the Rooster, the Alektór, crow three times!!! So what’s up with that?
However as John’s story goes…when Simon Bar Jonah finally heeds the word of God and heeds the call to cast his net on the right side of the boat as if the boat was a JUG…he takes the straight and narrow way to show Enos aka Mankind that he indeed loves the Woman Jesus the forerunner (aka John) called Mother (Hebrews 6:19-20). He has not forsaken her or those who love them. With the help of those who love them, Simon the ROCK brings his Lady Love to shore and all those who love them heat up the rocks of the BBQ and celebrate the catch of the morning with the best wine (Oinos pronounced ēnos)to celebrate the best promised love to hope and wait for.
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Is this post written by AI? It’s a bit like trying to unscramble eggs.
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Thank you Jeff Screws for turning the screw! Scrambled eggs are popular breakfast fare. Scrambled Eggs was the very first dish my mother taught me to make.
For scrambled eggs, one breaks the eggs and mixes in some milk.
However, there is a Greek tradition of breaking or cracking hard boiled eggs together to symbolize Christ’s resurrection from the dead and birth into eternal life.
So let’s get cracking Jeff and turn the screws! Let’s put some pressure on our brothers and sisters who don’t know how to scramble eggs, let alone unscramble the milky Pauline texts and find the solid food they need to put “Humpty Humpty” back together again.
Writing to the Corinthians who were as divided and as broken as Canada and the United States, Paul stated.
<<“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food.
In fact, you are still not ready. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly?”
Are you not walking in the way of man?
For when one of you say, “I follow Paul, and another I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul?
They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.…>> 1 Corinthians 3: 1-6
Some reading this comment will likely say…but Paul was planting seeds not cracking eggs!
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