Daily Devotionals

Paul Graham asked a criminal defence lawyer friend what he would change about the world to solve the most problems. The friend specializes in death penalty cases, so he’s seen a lot. Paul Graham expected him to mention drugs, but instead said that if he could change one thing, it would be to make people better parents. The lawyer claims that almost without exception people who do terrible things had terrible childhoods. And often this was because their parents had terrible childhoods. It’s a vicious cycle, once established, hard to break. We need to be conscious of the fact that parenting lies at the very core of society.

The lawyer’s wisdom reflects the principle of nurturing the next generation. The Bible emphasizes the importance of parenting in shaping character and values on numerous occasions. According to Proverbs 22:6, “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The lawyer’s insight boils down to this: the foundation of a child’s upbringing can reverberate for generations. Absentee parenting is responsible for a large portion of youth crime. Children who are not guided are easily lost and influenced by others who are also lost. What’s even more tragic is that broken homes cause serious generational problems.

There is a distinction between impregnating a woman and being a father to a child. There is a distinction to be made between conceiving a child and actually functioning as a mother. This is a clarion call for conscious parenting that breaks the cycle of dysfunction. Let us encourage people to take parenting and building a home seriously. It is the foundation of a prosperous and progressive society. Our faith calls us to be the beacon that breaks the never-ending cycle of negative generational patterns as guardians of the next generation. God can use you to illuminate the path to brighter tomorrow for the children.

Following an investigation into Mason Greenwood’s behavior, Manchester United’s leadership bowed to pressure and fired him. At just 21 years old, this player was previously named one of the most valuable players in Europe’s top five leagues, scoring 35 goals in 129 games. His illustrious career has now taken a downward and backward turn. Greenwood admitted he “made mistakes” and accepted his “share of responsibility” in a statement, but added, “I did not do the things I was accused of.” We are reminded of the biblical principle of accountability. According to Galatians 6:7, we will reap what we sow – our actions have consequences that affect everything around us.

Remember to stay humble if the stars align for you at a young age and you achieve massive success. Without discipline and discretion, talent will always lead to disaster. Greenwood was sent home from England duty in September 2020 for violating COVID-19 protocols by inviting two women to the team hotel. Manchester United warned Greenwood in October 2020 for lateness and indiscipline. He was then arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of rape, and several other allegations. On the one hand, it would be nice to see him get another shot at the top, but the kid needs to slow down and learn that talent is meaningless without character.

This incident forces us to consider our own lives. Have you accepted accountability for your actions? Are you going about your daily life aware that there will be consequences (both positive and negative) for every action you take? Are you even willing to admit your flaws and ask for forgiveness? How can we show compassion and support to those working for positive change? Above all, let us consider Proverbs 1:32 (NIV), “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.” It is not over for Mason Greenwood. At just 21 years, there is potential for growth and redemption.

The next two or three decades will look very different from the previous ten. To find your place in a brand-new world that is just beginning to emerge, you must educate yourself about the types of changes that are to come. You are God’s choice. It is up to you to shape your communities and nations in accordance with God’s will. The New Development Bank’s plan to conduct business without regard for the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency has caused a major upheaval in global finance. The established world order is being shaken, and the effects will be felt all over the world.

In order to circumvent the USA, and reduce the influence of the USA on their affairs, the New Development Bank (NDB), also known as the BRICS Development Bank, has announced plans to shift away from the US Dollar. The plan is to begin lending in the local currencies of member nations. The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) nations established the multilateral development bank in 2015. Dilma Rousseff, the bank’s president, makes it clear that NDB wants to become an alternative to the older global powerhouses like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

It is not difficult to see how the current world powers shortchange and bully African nations. For example, the World Bank has suspended all new loans to Uganda, claiming that the country’s new anti-homosexuality laws contradict the Bank’s values. However, the World Bank continues to do business with Saudi Arabia, which has executed several homosexuals. Where is the consistency in principles? So, make sure to educate yourself on the implications of these new developments for your community and the country as a whole. The United States appears to be losing its iron grip on the world. What happens next?

Learn to draw warmth, strength, and grace from your Christian faith. As we grapple with the unsettling reality of economic hardship, we discover a profound link between our Christianity and the intricate tapestry of the world. This connection encourages us to interpret current events through the lens of faith, transcending the mundane to reveal deeper insights. 1 John 4:4 (ESV) says, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” You must believe that the Holy Spirit who dwells within you is greater than whatever reality appears to be.

In a world fraught with uncertainty, our faith empowers us to rise above the tumult. A songwriter wrote, “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow”. The only reason we have the confidence to continue praying, planning, and carrying out our mission is because the Almighty God is active and alive, empowering us for victory. So, let us not be discouraged like the children of Israel, as it is written of them, “Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.” Exodus 6:9 (NLT)

You are resilient enough to survive in any economic situation. During a time of severe famine, did Isaac not continue to grow his business a hundredfold? (Genesis 26) All you have to do is adjust your sails based on the insights you gain in your prayer place. Embedded within the heart of Christianity is a clarion call to love our neighbors as ourselves. This mandate takes on a vibrant hue in the swirling chaos of economic turmoil. Do not stop to be compassionate beacons, offering support and solace to those who are struggling financially. If we embrace godliness and contentment, we will prosper greatly in this season and every season.

We are at a crossroads of worldly upheaval and unwavering faith in the midst of a tumultuous economic storm. Fuel prices in Nigeria rose 215.95% between July 2022 and July 2023, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). According to the NBS Premium Motor Spirit Price Watch Report for July 2023, Nigerians paid an average of N600.35 per litre for fuel in July 2023 as compared to N190.01 per litre in July 2022. The relentless rise in fuel prices reminds us that our faith must be more than just an abstract belief; it must illuminate our journey through the complexities of a changing world.

Your Christian faith must mature to a level whereby it sustains your life and continues to help you build up momentum in your mission. Remember Habakkuk 2:4, “the just shall live by faith.” We discover a profound connection between our Christian ideals and the complex web of the world as we struggle with the unsettling reality of rising fuel prices. This intersection encourages us to view current events through the prism of faith, transcending the commonplace to offer deeper insights. The world around you will keep changing, for better or worse, but you can stay unwavering and steadfast by using the strength of love and faith.

In times of adversity, it is time to look to the master for guidance. The disciples were busy complaining and being afraid of the storm while dancing to the tune of the storm. Our Lord Jesus, on the other hand, calmed the seas and rebuked the storms. His disciples were chastised for their lack of faith (Mark 4: 35 – 41). We must face the economic storm with faith, not fear. The force of faith within our spirit must now lead the way. Your faith must no longer be an abstract concept; it must now be as tangible to you as the bills you must pay.

Rome was not built in a day, but you are able to speculate that bricks were laid every hour, around the clock. This must inform your perspective about the actions you are taking to light up your world. Two things must be crystal clear to you: you must be deliberate about your mission. You must also accept the fact that making a difference takes time. Allow it to sink in; these things don’t happen by accident, and they don’t happen overnight. Perhaps such a wake-up call will give you the foresight to approach your work as a marathon.

Google had been the best search engine in the world for at least 6 years before you discovered it. Before they were able to go global, they had been working on their mission to organize the world’s information for years. Most of today’s biggest voices have been in the industry for 5 to 10 years before you ever heard of them. You may have heard of overnight successes and breakout stars, but most of the time, those overnight successes took years to develop. You can’t give up after a few successful attempts to make your ideas work. Even in today’s fast-paced world, patience is still a virtue.

Remember that the vision will come together at the appointed time, and even if it appears slow, be patient. While you wait, you should be improving your clarity and increasing your velocity (Habakkuk 2: 1-3). Using the Watching the World devotional as an example, we should note that some people may not discover the project until it has been published and distributed for ten years. The tragedy would be if publication ceased after three or four years. The project would not have persisted long enough to reach its breakthrough point. Every big idea you have will work out, but you must stick with it long enough to make a difference.

In the Holy Bible, we see God testing people’s understanding through interactions and events. “Understanding” is a key concept in the sacred texts. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding,” says Proverbs 4:7. Your creativity and spiritual gifts will be expressed to the extent that you can understand. Before you can properly evaluate the utility of something and devise a new approach, you must first have a thorough understanding of it. Richard Feynman, the theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1965 for his contributions to quantum electrodynamics, famously stated, “What I cannot create, I do not understand.”

Because you lack understanding, you are unable to make sense of the visions of heaven in your spirit. You cannot create anything of value. There are gaps in your knowledge, and things don’t add up. This makes it difficult for you to complete any tasks. You have hope and believe that these things can be accomplished. However, the works of faith that are required for your progress to be visible are missing. Without comprehension, you cannot work effectively. Consider Proverbs 24:5, “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increases strength.”

A wise person once said “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” Testing your understanding of the mighty works you want to do for God requires developing enough knowledge and perspective to explain it in a variety of ways depending on your audience. There’s a web series that features experts explaining a high-level subject to five different audiences: a child, a teenager, an undergraduate, a graduate student, and, finally, a colleague. That is how you can put your knowledge to the test. Remember how our Lord Jesus could explain his mission to various audiences, using the appropriate words each time. So, how about you?

Every one of us has an ego. It is a driving force for positive outcomes, particularly in business, where personal skills, aspiration, and self-assurance drive a company’s success. However, there are times when an inflated ego has a negative, and sometimes ruinous, influence, especially in a collaborative team setting. Your ego can wreck havoc on everything in your life, particularly relationships that should be beneficial to you. The apostle Paul warns not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment (Romans 12:3). You must be mindful of maintaining the appropriate level of ego.

In the 1986 film Top Gun, the captain warns the protagonist, “son, your ego is writing checks that your body can’t cash.” It means to stop saying you’ll do something that you’re not competent enough to do. Stop making arrogant promises that you can’t keep because you’re not good enough. These things are harmful to those around you and will eventually cut you off. You must be honest enough to recognise that you must learn from others. An unchecked ego will prevent you from growing, from achieving balance and poise, and from receiving assistance from others.

Think of David and Saul if you’re unsure of where you fall on the ego scale. King David, reflecting his mature character, showed humility and accepted his wrongdoing when a prophet rebuked them. King Saul, on the other hand, was blinded by pride and was unable to admit his errors. These responses show how our ego can influence how we respond to criticism, leading us to either grow like David or fall like Saul. The Bible strongly condemns arrogance and ego. Proverbs 16:18 is paraphrased by The Message Bible as “First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”

“Money can buy a house, but it cannot buy a home.” Likewise, “money can buy a bed, but it cannot buy sleep.” Now, Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club’s manager, underscores that “money can buy you players, but it cannot buy you a team.” Amidst the buzz of departures and record transfers in the football realm, Roberto De Zerbi’s resounding message echoes a profound truth: “The big clubs can buy the players but they can’t buy our soul and our spirit. That’s not on the market.” This message is relevant not only in sports, but also in Christian faith and organizational values.

The transfer market in football can shuffle players like cards in a deck. However, Brighton’s coach emphasizes an important principle that transcends the field: a team’s soul is priceless. You cannot slap a fee on that. Money can buy players, but it cannot buy the intangible essence that brings a team together and fuels its success. Consider the early Christian church described in Acts 2:42-47, in which believers shared everything and had one heart and soul. This unity, fueled by a common goal, strengthened their mission. When values and vision are upheld, organizations thrive.

It is time to start thinking about how you can incorporate soul and spirit into your work. You must understand this concept as a leader, as a watchman tasked with steering your world towards a better future. We must strive to create an environment based on unity, integrity, and a common goal. Just as the soul of a football team influences its performance, the soul of an organization shapes its impact. Your star team members and employees will leave, but you can build resilience with some strategic thinking. We must value and foster what truly matters in our organizations, as Brighton’s manager reminds us all.

The proposal of a BRICS currency toppling the dollar is met with skepticism by eminent economist Jim O’Neill, who initially coined the term BRIC (representing Brazil, Russia, India, and China) in 2001. They intend to erode the US dollar’s dominance as the world’s reserve currency. With the United States having been the most powerful influence on global affairs for decades, it appears that a new world order is forming. This proposal appears to be neither practical nor possible. However, we must keep in mind that the world is transient and shaped by unseen forces (2 Corinthians 4:18).

The faith we have as God’s watchmen tasked with illuminating our world is that the world can be changed and nudged towards righteousness, mercy, and justice. Creating the conditions for people to live productive and meaningful lives. Historically, the strength of the U.S. dollar has been the cornerstone of secure transactions. However, times have evolved, and so have our capabilities. The role of the dollar as an intermediary is being challenged in an era driven by technological innovation. There is nothing that cannot change. Nations can grow, expand, contract, or disappear entirely.

Because of the rise of digital technologies, including blockchain, the BRICS can create an international financial system that completely bypasses the US system. This would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. However, as technology advances, the need for a middleman has diminished. Individuals and nations can now conduct transactions that are seamless, secure, and efficient, without the mediation of a powerful government. While Jim O’Neill’s reservations are founded on a deep understanding of economic complexities, the promise of technological advancements is equally compelling. You must not be afraid to embrace the potential of the digital era and how it has reshaped economic structures. Use technology to rethink your world.