Sober-Minded: What the Bible Really Says About Alcohol

 

Should Christians Drink Alcohol?

As the holiday season approaches, alcohol naturally becomes a larger part of many celebrations. It’s woven into cultural traditions, workplace gatherings, family meals, and moments of relaxation, which can make discussions about its risks feel uncomfortable or even intrusive. Yet increased drinking during this time of year consistently brings real consequences: higher rates of accidents, impaired driving, violence, emotional strain, and medical emergencies affecting people of every background, religious or not.

The aim here is not to judge but to offer awareness and perspective, inviting readers, especially Christians, to reflect thoughtfully during a season when choices carry added weight.

The Truth About Satan

The Bible’s Portrait of Satan: Beyond the Caricatures and Toward the Story Scripture Tells

In today’s world, the figure commonly called the Devil or Satan is rarely taken seriously as a real spiritual being. Many people, whether casually religious, deeply secular, or somewhere in between, treat him as a symbol of evil rather than an actual adversary. Pop culture only reinforces this idea. We meet him as a cartoon villain with horns and a pitchfork, a slick deal-maker offering shortcuts to success, or even a charming anti-hero who simply wants a little freedom. These portrayals are memorable, but they tend to turn Satan into entertainment rather than something to consider seriously.

Surveys reflect this cultural shift. Fewer and fewer people believe in a personal, literal devil; many prefer to think of “Satan” as a metaphor for the darker impulses of human nature or the destructive patterns in society. Even some who believe in God dismiss the idea of a spiritual enemy as outdated. As a result, the biblical story of Satan is often overshadowed by modern reinterpretations that soften, reshape, or even glamorize him.

But when we set aside the caricatures and go back to the Bible itself, we encounter a very different picture, one that begins not in an underworld but in the heavenly courts of God.

Ministry of Healing: The Physician, an Educator

The true physician is an educator. He recognizes his responsibility, not only to the sick who are under his direct care, but also to the community in which he lives. He stands as a guardian of both physical and moral health. It is his endeavor not only to teach right methods for the treatment of the sick, but to encourage right habits of living, and to spread a knowledge of right principles.

Need of Education in Health Principles

Education in health principles was never more needed than now. Notwithstanding the wonderful progress in so many lines relating to the comforts and conveniences of life, even to sanitary matters and to the treatment of disease, the decline in physical vigor and power of endurance is alarming. It demands the attention of all who have at heart the well-being of their fellow men.

Our artificial civilization is encouraging evils destructive of sound principles. Custom and fashion are at war with nature. The practices they enjoin, and the indulgences they foster, are steadily lessening both physical and mental strength, [126] and bringing upon the race an intolerable burden. Intemperance and crime, disease and wretchedness, are everywhere.

Steps to Christ: A Knowledge of God

Many are the ways in which God is seeking to make Himself known to us and bring us into communion with Him. Nature speaks to our senses without ceasing. The open heart will be impressed with the love and glory of God as revealed through the works of His hands. The listening ear can hear and understand the communications of God through the things of nature. The green fields, the lofty trees, the buds and flowers, the passing cloud, the falling rain, the babbling brook, the glories of the heavens, speak to our hearts, and invite us to become acquainted with Him who made them all.

Our Saviour bound up His precious lessons with the things of nature. The trees, the birds, the flowers of the valleys, the hills, the lakes, and the beautiful heavens, as well as the incidents and surroundings of daily life, were all linked with the words of truth, that His lessons might thus be often recalled to mind, even amid the busy cares of man's life of toil.

In Praise of Parsnips

Golden Goodness: Why Parsnips Deserve a Spot on Your Plate

Parsnips are creamy-white root vegetables closely related to carrots and parsley. They have a sweet, earthy flavour that deepens as they mature—especially after the first frost, which converts some of their starches into natural sugars. Their firm texture makes them versatile in both rustic and refined dishes, and they have been a staple in European cooking for centuries.

Nutritionally, parsnips are packed with benefits. They’re rich in fibre, which supports digestive health and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and important minerals like potassium and manganese. The antioxidants found in parsnips support immune function and help combat inflammation. With their combination of nutrients and natural sweetness, they make a wholesome addition to many meals.