UBC Wed For Life

It’s been said several times on this blog that being a Christian can be hard. In most cases that comment was made with regard to the need to uphold God’s laws or live up to the principles laid out by Jesus. However, those are not the only aspects of being a Christian that can be difficult for believers. Faith is one of the most important concepts in Christianity. Belief in God is part of having faith, but we can't just say we believe. We have to show it, and that means trusting him with our everyday lives. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; - Proverbs 3:5 Putting trust in God for everything we encounter is an active demonstration of faith, and it is important. In fact, Jesus made it clear that we are not to fret over even the basic needs of our daily lives. We should understand that God knows what we need and will provide. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you ...

The UBC Sunday Encounters continue to explore the concept of belonging. The previous entry focused on trust and the part it plays in making people feel like they belong within groups, most notably church families. The previously referenced sermons focused on how we can build trust with the people around us. However, trust is a two-way street. It is one thing for us to be trusted by others, but for people to feel like they belong, they often have to feel like they are also trusted. Pastor Pope addressed this in a sermon that posed the question “Who Is Going With You?” He used a story from chapter 15 of the Book of Acts that involved two great figures in early Christianity, Paul and Barnabus. The two had somewhat of a dispute over Mark. On a past occasion, Mark had proven himself to be less than reliable. As a result, as Paul pushed forward on his mission to spread the Gospel, he did not want to take Mark with him. Barnabus, on the other hand, insisted that Mark be brought along...