Daily Devotionals

Sins, crimes, and shaping the society we desire are all complex and interconnected issues. What constitutes a sin depends on each person’s relationship with God. The Bible outlines the things that we as Christians consider to be sinful. However, it is up to society to define what constitutes a crime. This is shaped by the society’s beliefs, morals, and values. Alcohol consumption, for example, is prohibited in Muslim countries, but polygamy is not. In Christian countries, however, alcohol consumption is legal, whereas polygamy is illegal. In today’s society, there is a constant debate on what is considered a sin and what is considered a crime. They are not the same.

Pope Francis stated in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, published in January 2023, that “being homosexual is not a crime.” He went on to criticize laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust” and called on Catholic bishops who support such laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church. The pope wants us to consider homosexuality a sin rather than a crime. That gay people are sinners in need of repentance, not criminals who should be prosecuted in court. He is emphasizing the importance of society respecting the dignity of all individuals.

As the salt and light of your world, you may become frustrated with certain sins that are not criminalized in society. You would be wise to remember that our society is shaped by the morals and values that the majority of people agree on. For example, if you do not want polygamy, theft, or homosexuality in your society. It is not a matter of passing legislation to criminalize it. You must work hard to raise more people who share your morals and values. Christians cannot continue to believe that passing draconian laws is the key to shaping society in the image of Christ. If you want to shape families and societies, make more disciples.

It is not enough to be a fantastic thinker. While having a sharp mind and the ability to think is important, making time for prayer is also essential. Everyone knows that success requires a certain amount of luck. In this context, luck refers to the hope that events and circumstances beyond one’s control will work in one’s favour. As a result, a true thinker would recognize that it is futile and vain to believe that everything can be figured out. You must focus on what you can control. Then, for help with things beyond your control, pray to a higher power.

A young boy attempted but failed to lift a bucket of water. His father stood nearby, observing. After a while, the boy gave up, and his father intervened, saying, “Why aren’t you using all of your strength to try to lift the bucket?” The boy was perplexed, but his father quickly explained: “I am a part of your strength, son. You should have asked for my assistance when you couldn’t lift the bucket.” The thinker needs to pray. Prayer is a free invitation to tap into something greater than you. The thinker will be able to draw upon spiritual resources.

Praying does not waste time; on the contrary, it saves time. By using prayer for guidance, you can save yourself decades of fruitless labour. We open ourselves up to a deeper understanding of our purpose and place in the world when we pray. We have the ability to access a sixth sense, one that can travel forward in time, fully weigh our decisions, and guide us out of difficult situations. Prayer and meditation assist us in determining WHAT to do and WHY we do what we do. Thinking and planning assist us in determining HOW to do what we do. So, we see that the thinker must pray.

Praying effectively requires clear and direct communication. There is prayer. There is also babbling. Jesus was not a fan of babbling. Jesus taught his disciples to pray in a simple, logical manner. And their prayer in Acts 4:23-31 serves as an example of this approach. The disciples’ prayer was straightforward and logical. With a meaningful premise, sound arguments, and finally their specific request. Every prayer of Jesus that is recorded in the Bible was rational and sound. The Psalmist’s prayers always made sense. In contrast, many people today pray in a nonsensical way. They confuse blabbing for prayer.

In legal practice, a prayer is a specific request for relief. This request, to the court, must be made as directly as possible. A lawyer must have already established the basis for the prayer in their argument, and the prayer must be specific enough to avoid confusion and facilitate enforcement. The structure of your prayer must be similar. There needs to be a basis for your request, much like for a lawyer. With solid, convincing justifications. You won’t get very far with a prayer that doesn’t make sense to you or strike a chord in your heart.

If your prayers seem to go unanswered, there is no reason to become discouraged. You ought to pause and think about the reasoning for your prayer. Does the spiritual meaning of your prayer make sense? Make an effort to explain the logic behind your requests. It is a waste of time to pray when you are unsure and confused. It will be more beneficial to pray in the Holy Ghost if your prayers lack precision or reason (Romans 8:26). Study the Bible for prayers you could use in your situation. It is important that you understand the logic of your prayer. Make a sound argument.

To function in the economy, one must be able to think and make plans. Your success will be determined by how well you execute your plans. Certain religious people frequently believe that prayer alone will bring them success and prosperity. But this is not true. It takes more than just prayer to become a player in the economy. You will need to supplement your prayer discipline with education, skills, thinking, and planning. That is what it takes to function in the economy. You must progress from praying to thinking and planning.

One biblical character who exemplifies this is Daniel. Daniel was not serving in the government because he was a prayer warrior. He earned his reputation because he had insight, intelligence and wisdom. Daniel was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems (Daniel 5:11-12 NIV). Prayer was a very important part of Daniel’s life. This is evident in Daniel 2:17-19 and Daniel 6:4-10. However, you can see that Daniel was doing more than just praying and fasting. He was also exceptionally brilliant. Daniel had been educated and trained for many years.

You need spiritual capacity to operate at the highest levels of the economy. However, the spiritual skills required for success goes beyond prayers. You must learn how to think and make plans. Thinking and planning are things that do not appear to be tangible. They seem spiritual in nature. To function in the economy, you must cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving abilities. For success, these abilities must be combined with prayers. Your ability to pray generates the capacity to do good. Your ability to think, plan and execute strategy allows you to make the most of your circumstances. Let prayers fuel your thinking and planning.

Prayer is an important spiritual discipline that is still relevant today. It’s easy to lose sight of the power of prayer in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world. The sentiment is that we require knowledge and technology to solve problems. Prayers do not do anything. However, this is incorrect. A prayer is a request made to a higher power. A petition to state the expected outcomes in clear terms. If you believe that there is a God, then you should make your request. You must accept that you will not always have complete control. You will need to appeal to a higher power for help with certain challenges.

The various approaches to prayer contribute to the confusion regarding praying about socioeconomic issues. Religious people pray to God for help. They pray and move on. Unconsciously wishing for God to use others to carry out their prayers. The pragmatic spiritual person underestimates the utility of prayers offered by the religious people. Spiritual people pray for divine enablement and empowerment to accomplish their goals. They do not want to simply pray about the issues. They are determined to take action. Every prayer offered in faith has an effect. It is up to you to approach prayer as someone tasked with watching their world.

There is a skill to prayer. Prayer is not about babbling or stringing together incoherent words. Those kinds of prayer are not effective. They reflect confusion in the mind. Prayers shine when there is clarity of thought. To pray with clarity, you need to develop your mind. In the Bible, we see Daniel doing that, much like a lawyer arguing their case and offering prayers to a court of law. The excellent Daniel argued that it was time for God to restore Jerusalem (Daniel 9:1-19). As you advance in your mission, you will need more than knowledge, technology and funds. You will need the skill of effective prayers.

You are at your creative best when you grow spiritually and intellectually. It is a good idea to broaden your knowledge while remaining tethered to the Christian faith. It is important to retain knowledge of God as we grow in our creative pursuits. This knowledge serves as a foundation for our actions and decisions. It helps you find a sense of balance and purpose. Without this foundation, we may find ourselves drifting into negative patterns of thinking or behaviors. The Christian faith acts as a guardrail against your worst impulses. This is a good thing.

There have been several studies that have investigated the link between depression and highly intelligent people. One study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology in 2010 found that people with higher intelligence were at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. As individuals become more knowledgeable in their field, they are more likely to experience depression. This is because knowledge can be a double-edged sword. It can bring great fulfillment and satisfaction. But it can also bring a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt. Spiritual growth that complements your intellectual development will keep you grounded. You need that moral and ethical framework to succeed.

You have to commit to grow in a holistic way. You want to ensure that you are getting better every single day, in every way possible. Make your spiritual growth top priority. Proverbs 18:14 says “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” Your spiritual growth will enable you to maximize your intellect while avoiding pitfalls. God will provide you with strength, knowledge, and inspiration. When you retain God’s knowledge as your knowledge and skills grow, you can find a sense of balance and purpose. This allows you to keep growing and creating while avoiding negative thoughts and emotions.

Problem-solving requires the evolution of your mind and thinking to a higher level of consciousness. As Albert Einstein said, “we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Solving the toughest problems requires spiritual and intellectual growth. Spiritual development provides you with the energy and understanding you need to tackle the problems. Intellectual development allows you to work out the details. We know from the Bible that God enables us to solve problems. To solve the world’s most pressing issues, you must be born-again. Then you can become the salt and light of your world.

It takes more than good intentions to solve problems. You must grow your capacity. You cannot solve the problems that are destroying your world if you refuse to grow. Nikola Tesla said, “my brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration.” And he is right. We can apply the power of God to solve problems in our world. Joseph and Daniel are two examples of people in the Bible that leveraged the power of God to solve problems within the economic and governmental spheres of life. They were not religious figures in their days. They were government officials.

You are missing the point when you think the only benefits of becoming born-again is to make heaven after death. A born-again person that grows their mind and spirit is unstoppable. God can grant them strength, knowledge, inspiration and anything they need to get things done. There are a lot of possibilities available to the spiritually minded person. A person operating with a carnal mind cannot comprehend or relate to this. This is why Jesus insisted that becoming born-again is the first step toward experiencing God’s kingdom. Today is a good day to seek out a Christian who can assist you in becoming born-again.

The phrase “Every man for himself, and God for us all” reflects the idea that individuals should focus on their own personal interests and well-being. Without any consideration for others. Without any consideration for the larger society. God in heaven is concerned about everyone. But since you are not God, you should mind your own business. When applied to society as a whole, this philosophy can be problematic. It is critical to always consider the common good and collaborate. That is how a stable and prosperous society is built. You create the environment necessary for everyone to win.

In the Bible, Jesus teaches us to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31) and the Apostle Paul urges Christians to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). However, the emphasis on individualism has robbed us of the beauty of this biblical teaching in practice. This can be seen in the way some religious individuals prioritize their own personal problems and concerns over societal issues. You pray about your needs and problems. Your daily life revolves around how you can get ahead at any costs. There is no concern for the larger society. Your self-centered religion has made you turn a blind eye to societal issues.

This can lead to a situation where wicked individuals, who are more focused on working together for their own gain, are able to dominate society. It is easier for evil people united by greed to collaborate. Than for good people to work together to accomplish great things. You are more likely to hear about some nefarious cabal or gang ruling a community. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” Martin Luther King, Jr. said this in 1957 – and it still rings true today. What are you doing for others? How are you showing consideration for others?

Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming more and more integrated into our daily lives. This is a positive development. Technology provides practical benefits by assisting us in increasing our productivity. But you must learn to draw a line. Relying on tech for emotional and spiritual fulfillment could be dangerous. In today’s world, where traditional institutions seem to be losing their relevance. People are turning to technology. They want technology to solve all of their problems, including those that can only be solved through building quality relationships with others. Or matters that are best approached from a moral or religious angle.

It might be easier for you to believe in machines, than to believe in an higher power. Technology is something that seems logical and explainable. Faith in God seems to defy logic. It cannot be completely explained. People put faith in technology and AI by trusting algorithms to make important decisions and recommendations. Your trust in science and technology is fueled by a deep longing. A longing for a sense of order and control in an uncertain world. But this longing is best satisfied with faith in God. Science and technology does a good job in helping us understand our world. But it cannot replace the need for morals, ethics and religion.

Technology and AI systems can never answer the deeper questions of life. It cannot help you find meaning and purpose. It cannot stimulate or replace the need for relationships. Technologies are created by humans and are subject to human error and bias. They can malfunction and can be manipulated. In contrast, belief in God assures us that there is a higher power that is in control. We can rely on God for guidance and support. Technology does not advance in isolation from the human condition. Rather, the values of the people working on the technology continue to shape it.

Humans have a (must be) genetic compulsion to believe in something. Throughout history, humans have relied on their faith in something to accomplish great things. Today’s world may appear to have abandoned belief in God, gods, or whatever. But, the need to believe in something has not gone away. People are looking for something. You’re on the lookout for something. You want to have an experience. A story, myth, or even technology that can help you in making sense of the world. And instill meaning and purpose in your heart.

Futurism.com published an article titled: “People Thought an AI Was Brilliantly Analyzing Their Personalities, But It Was Actually Giving Out Feedback Randomly” in January 2023. The article discusses a recent study in which researchers used a fake “neurotech” system to trick participants into believing that the machine could accurately read their thoughts and attitudes. The participants were convinced that the machine knew them better than they knew themselves. Even though it was a fake system. They did not voice any suspicion about the machine’s mind-reading abilities throughout the study. The article suggests that this willingness to be categorized by a force outside of ourselves is concerning, and highlights the faith that people put in algorithms and machines.

It is concerning the extent to which people put their faith in technology and AI. And how easily they can be misled. While they continue to struggle to believe in something like the existence of God. Romans 1:25, talks about people that exchanged the truth about God for a lie. Moving on to worship and serve the creature (AI and tech) rather than the Creator. It is foolishness. You need to believe in something greater than yourself for your emotional and spiritual well-being. A belief in God provides a sense of purpose and meaning that technology and AI cannot provide.