UBC Wed For Life

Recently, Americans were made privy to an interview of President Trump by investigative journalist Bob Woodard where Trump admitted that to some extent he downplayed the severity of the virus in an effort to deter public panic. A misrepresentation of the truth from a politician in and of itself is not so unusual. However, this concealment of known information on the coronavirus may have had grave consequences for thousands of Americans, and to some extent, the nation as a whole. It was revealed that President Trump knew as far back as early February that COVID-19 was airborne, very dangerous and much different from the typical flu that ravages the nation every year. Despite that knowledge, when he addressed the public, he compared the COVID-19 to the flu and implied that the virus was mostly exasperated by the media as a hoax. He generally minimized the severity of the virus to be something less dangerous than what he himself knew it to be. Lies have consequences. Perhaps many A...

Previously, the spotlight was put on David in his youth. He went from an unassuming shepherd boy to a giant killer and eventually to the young man destined to become king. At that point in his life, David seemed like the perfect model of what it meant to be a follower of God. He put his faith in God, obeyed God’s commands, and even wrote songs to praise God. His story also seemed like the perfect example of how someone can benefit from being faithful to God. No matter what trouble came his way, David always came out on top. So when David became king, he was the perfect ruler for the Israelites right? Well, not exactly. David is a good example of the fact that no one is perfect. We all fall short even those of us who have been given every reason not to. He is also good evidence for the truthfulness of the time honored adage “Power Corrupts.” After all, David was most pious when he had the least. When he became king, he was not the same man. None of this is to say that David ...

2020 has been quite a year so far, and not necessarily in a good way. Between the unexpected deaths of prominent figures and everyday citizens alike, a global pandemic, political unrest, a major economic downturn, and the general “What’s Next?” feeling that basically everyone one has been feeling, 2020 seems to be the bad dream that just won’t end. We know every year has its ups and downs, but 2020 seems anomalous in how bad a year it is. In general every year of life is something like a roller coaster at an amusement park, but 2020 in particular seems to have had all the lows and none of the highs. Yes, 2020 has been bad by most subjective measures, but it’s not unprecedented. While some believe 2020 will go down as the worst year in modern history, others would argue that honor still belongs to1968. In 1968, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were both assassinated, violent riots broke out across the country, the Vietnam War was experiencing its deadliest year, and the worl...

The world has a belief problem. It’s not so much that people don’t believe in anything. Everyone alive has beliefs of some sort. The problem is more that people have a problem knowing what to believe. In the past few years, we’ve seen examples of world leaders lying, scientists fudging data, and even religious leaders misrepresenting doctrine. When authorities cannot be trusted, the world finds itself plunged in turmoil. People won’t trust the instructions on how to handle a pandemic or even if the pandemic exists. People won’t accept that the actions of the masses could be affecting our climate and environment. Some people won’t even accept the truth about the planet on which we live. Yes, flat earthers exist.  Maybe some might find this lack of belief in our world to be something to laugh at or mock, but the truth is that it can be dangerous. The constant questioning of the existence and severity of the pandemic has made it difficult to overcome. The dismissal of man...

Praying is one of the most fundamental practices of Christianity. It’s the means by which believers communicate with God. To some it might seem pointless. If God already knows our hearts and minds, why is it necessary to pray? Well, simply put, because God says so. The Bible instructs us to pray, so that’s what we should do. if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14 If we need or want something from God, we need to ask even if He already knows what it is. This is not that foreign a concept. After all, human parents do the same thing with their children all the time. Prayer isn’t just about asking for things though. Again, it is the way by which we access the open line of communication between ourselves and God. Many of us do not use that line enough. Sure, most believers pray before ever...

Children are our future. We’ve all heard that said at some point, and we all know what it means. As children grow and come of age, they will take over where many current adults leave off. They are essentially the hope for the continuation of our species, and mankind will continue to progress generation by generation as long as God wills it. That’s not particularly surprising. After all, that is what procreation is all about. However, Jesus gave us a different way of looking at children. People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. - Mark 10:13-16 At first...

  David is probably neck and neck with Moses as the most important character in the Old Testament. His story starts when he was a young boy and follows right out of the story of Samuel, the last character we put under the spotlight. While 1 Samuel does not delve too deeply into David’s character as a young boy, it is worth noting and understanding how godly David was even as a young boy. Many of the verses from the book of Psalms were written by David throughout his life including when he was still fairly young. One of David’s psalms is probably one of the most well known sets of verses in the Bible. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of...