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Build all your life around God

Our world often turns simple decisions into complex problems. Want raisin bran for breakfast? Walmart offers at least 9 options, not counting the size of the box it comes in. Raisin Bran comes bearing multiple brand names – Kellogg’s, Post, Great Value or General Mills. You can have it with extra crunch, extra raisins, oat clusters or cranberries. There’s an organic option if you’re concerned about your health. (Does anyone really eat raisin bran for any other reason?) So before you consume raisin bran for breakfast, you have some choices to make. This idea that simple choices ...

Giving often brings reward

An analysis of the Forbe’s Most Generous Givers list for 2023 revealed that nearly half of the 25 people on the list were Jewish. In America, Jews make up only 2.4% of the population, but in the list of generous givers, almost 50% were Jewish. While folks often make jokes about Jewish frugality, Jews are actually far more generous than most of the rest of us! That’s because tzedakah, or charitable giving, holds an important place in Jewish culture. Many scholars believe that the Mosaic Law actually allowed for a double tithe. (Remember, a tithe is 10% of one’s income.) With their ...

Our giving reveals what we think of God

The late Larry Burkett told about a preacher friend who did something that is not recommended for preachers who value their jobs – he took up the offering himself. As the preacher carried the plate around the room, he watched what people put in and, if they put in a sealed envelope, he opened the envelope and looked at the amount inside. The following Sunday, to a congregation seething with anger, the preacher said, “Many of you are angry that I looked in your offering envelopes last week. Has it ever occurred to you to consider what God thinks when he looks in there?” Brett Blair ...

Listen or not, God’s word still stands

Four pitchers from the San Francisco Giants irked the leadership of Major League Baseball recently when they put “Genesis 9:12-16” on their caps during the Giant’s celebration of Pride Night. Starting pitcher Landon Roupp explained his actions, saying, “It's something that I believe in, and I stand firm in that. Thankfully, we live in a country where we get to believe what we want.” Pat Courtney, MLB’s Chief Communications Officer responded by issuing a warning to the players and released a statement saying, “The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with ...

Menjivar-Ayala installed as bishop of Wheeling-Charleston Diocese

WHEELING — As the newly installed bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese, the Most Rev. Evelio Menjivar-Ayala already had one thing figured out with his new Mountain State mission. It never hurts to quote "Country Roads." Menjivar, who was installed as the 10th bishop of the diocese ...

America’s future won’t be shaped by politicians

The United States of America celebrates its 250th birthday this week. Americans can be proud of our heritage. America claims the largest economy on the planet. Though China’s population is much larger, China’s Gross Domestic Product is only 2/3 that of the U.S., leaving the Chinese a distant second. But Americans haven’t been selfish with the wealth; the U.S. is also the world’s most benevolent country, giving away more wealth than any other nation. Because of the U.S.A., the world doesn’t speak German or Japanese, and Israel is a sovereign state. Young people from around the ...