UBC Wed For Life

  The battle for the next presidential election is already starting to heat up. A number of people have already put their names into the pot for consideration and are already beginning to make their cases for why they should be selected. The potential candidates have already started trying to ingratiate themselves with the public, while attempting to tackle the tough topics that will play a factor in America’s upcoming decision. One particular point of contention is being raised more now than perhaps ever before in America. Currently, our system is mixed to some extent. It is largely capitalistic in nature, but we do have socialist style programs like welfare and medicare. Is a more capitalistic system than what we now have what’s really best for the country? Should we adopt a more socialistic system? Maybe an even more mixed economy would be best? These questions will factor into whatever decision you choose to make when the time comes, but for Christians all such ...

Jesus, Take the Wheel – the phrase was popularized by a 2005 song by Carrie Underwood. The implication of the statement is that our lives are car rides and that we should put Jesus in the driver’s seat. The meaning of this metaphor is clear. We should direct our lives based on God’s will and what he tells us through His Word and the Holy Spirit. That is wise instruction for all Believers. However, a different take on the comparison between car rides and our lives may also be helpful. In many ways, we live our lives like we drive our cars, and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. Have you been driven to rage by a driver that cut you off in traffic? Have you changed a lane too abruptly to avoid missing your exit at the expense of other drivers? Have you ever berated another driver, whether they were in a position to hear you or not, over a bad action that you yourself commit on occasion? Have you ever taken your focus off the road to put it on your phone or some other distrac...

The Bible is full of good stories that serve to teach us important lessons about God and what is necessary to serve and follow him. Many of the stories revolve around characters, that, in many ways, seem larger than life. Almost everyone knows the story of Moses boldly standing against the Pharaoh of Egypt and leading the Israelites out of captivity. He performed magical feats like turning his staff into a snake and splitting the Red Sea (all done via God’s intervention of course). You also have the story of Samson who was blessed with superhuman strength and could take on armies of men by himself. When reading these stories, one might be reminded of fictional stories such as those found in comic books and other media, where heroes blessed with incredible abilities go up against the forces of evil and somehow always manage to save the day in the name of good. The characters in those stories, especially early in their histories, are often painted as paragons of good. If you read...

We humans have created many artificial divisions that we use to mistreat and ostracize others. This is not what God wanted for humanity, but it is what has resulted from our own sinful ways. Think about the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). It was man’s own hubris that led to God punishing us with language barriers. Barriers, which arguably led to the first major divisions among humankind. The differences between the various peoples of the world only increased after that, but with the coming of Jesus and through Paul’s work with the Gentiles, God made it clear that such differences did not matter to him. He did not distinguish between people based on race, class, nationality, or anything else.  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28 If we Christians truly followed Christ as we should, such distinctions would be meaningless. Unfortunately, that is rarel...