I’ve shared some thoughts before about certain things being labeled as “nonessential.” Most of the time, the distinction between essential and nonessential has to do with severe weather, some sort of disaster, threat to our security, or other similar things. Only “essential” employees are asked to continue to work during these times. However, as individuals and governments are currently trying to deal with the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, other matters are under consideration. Entire industries, services, businesses, etc. are being labelled as either “essential” or “nonessential.” There has not been any kind of uniformity and/or agreement concerning how those terms should be used. The disagreements and debates continue and rules differ on…

So many people are living in difficult times right now. All of the news seems to be bad and it has seemed like every time we turn around something else negative is happening to make us feel helpless and unhappy. Helplessness and unhappiness are tools of the devil. In times of trouble he uses them to make us lose sight of all of God’s blessings. However, along with being tools of the devil, they are also choices we make on a daily basis. Sometimes we choose to feel helpless or unhappy rather than looking to God. We fail to stop and meditate on the positive and good things that have come our way…

Both seas are originally fed partially by the snowmelt from the top of Mt. Hermon. Both are connected to the famous Jordan River. Both are mentioned in the pages of Scripture. One sea is bright and beautiful. TripAdvisor has reviews that call it “peaceful and pleasant,” “beautiful and serene,” and “mesmerizing.” It is a lake long known for providing great fishing and a pleasant place to swim. The other sea is known simply as “dead.” The only life found in it is bacteria. It is so salty that people can’t really “swim” in it, but rather float or rub its mud on their skin.  By now, I’m sure you have…

A long time ago, I was told to avoid words like “never” and “always” as much as possible. Certainly, there are times when those words are appropriate and right, but much of the time we use them in cases where they are not true. (In premarital and marital counseling, I have often told couples to avoid these words, especially when arguing.) Another word like that is “everything.” In recent years, there has been a trend on social media to share a picture or short video that is cute, funny, or reassuring and leave the comment, “This is everything.” First of all, that’s crazy, because it is obviously not “everything,” but…

Many who read this will be familiar with a man who began his life being known as Saul. The Bible informs us, among other things, of his early religious training as a Jew. There can be no doubt about his devotion and zeal to a cause he believed to be pleasing to God. However, we also see this same man being referred to later as Paul. Something besides his name had changed. His purpose in life had changed. People were saying of him that he was now “…preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Gal. 1:23). His zeal for the cause of Christ eclipsed the zeal he had as a Jew.    The transformation from “Saul…

As I type these words, we are about a month or so into what is a new experience for us. It might not even be an exaggeration to suggest that we are experiencing a new way of life. Among other things, our language and our actions have changed.    Just a few weeks ago, I don’t think I’d ever heard the phrase “social distancing.” Now, we are not only using that phrase regularly, we are practicing it.   Somewhere recently I heard about a woman who carries a tape measure with her wherever she goes in order to make sure that there is at least a distance of six feet between her and the people…