UBC Wed For Life

Recently, our church partook in ViBES, our version of vacation bible school. As with most other VBS events, it was a summer week dedicated to learning more about God and seeking his presence. The theme this year was “Into the Wild” where our world was compared to the wilderness, and Jesus was revealed as the one who could help us navigate through it. It is an apt metaphor. The nature of our sin-filled society can certainly be described as wild. Despite us referring to it as civilization, at times, there seems to be very little civil about it. Danger seems to lurk around every corner. No, it is usually not lions, tigers, or bears that we have to fear, but the peril is real all the same. Sin represents the primary hazard in our modern wilderness. Sometimes, it’s the wrongdoing of others that puts us at risk. Many times it’s our own sinfulness that represents the greatest threat to us. Either way, sin is what should keep us on high alert as we stroll through the wild.

Water is an interesting substance. It is essential for life on this planet. We humans use it for a variety of things from drinking to cleaning to recreation. It has been one of the most vital things for our existence, but ironically, it has also been one of the most dangerous things that we’ve encountered in this world. One need only look to the stories of flooding caused by great tsunamis or as a result of large storms to see the kind of destruction and death that water can cause. There is no wonder that ancient flood stories are so common. People from virtually every region of the world have stories about great floods that came and nearly destroyed the world, or at least their part of it. Without question, the most well-known of all these stories is the Biblical account, and the star of that story is Noah. Noah’s story was even the subject of a movie in 2014. Of course, no one should ever look to Hollywood for Biblical accuracy. That movie took a wealth of liberties with t

It’s not uncommon to hear Christians complain about feeling persecuted when featured on TV or other public forums. They rattle off a bunch of reasons why they feel like they are being attacked or discriminated against because of their faith. Some of those are valid. For example, Christians believe marriage is a union entered into at God’s will. So, it stands to reason that Christians would be against gay marriage, since the Bible tells us homosexuality is a sin. While it may not be the job of Christians to force the rest of the nation into believing that, it should certainly be the right of Christians to not hold an inherently sinful act such as a gay wedding inside God’s house. Others outside the Faith believe that stance is discriminatory on the part of Christians and use it as a reason to rail against Christianity. Other complaints Christians make are not so valid. For example, teaching Christian doctrine is not why public grade schools exist, so Christians have no

In our attempts to live according to God’s way, we are often put to the test by a variety of things that, at times, seem almost designed to pull us away from Him. To some extent, the effort to live right is comparable to a battle. So, it is fitting that when Paul explains how we are equipped to deal with the things set against us, he describes the tools given to us in terms of armament. If we are to have any chance in the fight against the things that oppose us, we must put on the Armor of God. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done ever