When asked about the importance of religion in their lives, majorities in 23 out of 34 countries say religion is very or somewhat important to them. In most of the countries surveyed, more than half of the public says religion is either “very important” or “somewhat important” in their lives. In other words, there is an inverse relationship between GDP per capita and the percentage of the public that draws this connection between belief in God and morality. The largest difference between those at different income levels is in the U.S., where there is a 24 percentage point difference between those below the median income and those at or above it. The gap between adults ages 50 and older and adults ages 18 to 29 is equal to or greater than 20 percentage points in South Korea, Greece, Argentina, the U.S., Mexico, Poland, Japan, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia. This is especially true in South Korea, where 64% of older adults take the position that belief in God is connected with morality, while only one-fifth of younger South Koreans say the same. Moana, the daughter of the village chief, knows that she will one day take over as chief and rule the people of Motunui.

That poor communication can take many forms, from hurt feelings to shouting matches, and from off-limits topics to stalemate arguments that become a test of wills. What can we do to minister to those around us? Missing that context can impoverish us, both spiritually and financially, just as it can in economics. How can we use our testimony of Jesus Christ to encourage others who have deviated from the covenant path or lost hope? She replied, “I have no bread, only a handful of flour and a little oil. God directed Elijah to go to Zarephath, saying, “I have commanded a widow there to supply you with food.” When Elijah arrived, he saw the widow gathering sticks and asked her for water and a piece of bread. Across the 34 countries, which span six continents, a median of 45% say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values.

Of all 13 countries surveyed in the European Union, Greece has the largest share of residents who tie belief in God to morality (53%), followed closely by Bulgaria (50%) and Slovakia (45%). Still, in many countries on the European continent, relatively few people say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral, including just 9% in Sweden, 14% in the Czech Republic and 15% in France. Among Muslim Israelis, 96% say God is important in their life, compared with 66% of Jewish Israelis; 81% of Muslim Israelis say prayer is important, compared with 50% of Jewish Israelis. People in emerging economies are more than twice as likely as people in advanced economies to agree that prayer is an important part of daily life. Similarly, while a median of 41% across these advanced economies say that prayer is an important part of daily life, 96% of those in emerging economies say that it is. Similar trends hold for those who say prayer is an important part of their daily lives. Across 34 countries, a median of 61% say that God plays an important role in their lives, compared with 53% who say that prayer is important in their daily life.

This report explores cross-national perceptions of religion, including the connection between belief in God and morality, the role God and prayer play in people’s lives and the importance of religion. The cultivation of maize, the most important Mayan crop, was tied to religion, and the maize god was one of the most important religious figures. Ra or Re was the sun god and one of the most important ancient Egyptian deities. Psalm 84:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Are we being good stewards? In this way, a civilization based on justice, parity, fairness and impartiality come into being. So, we can expect the story to be filled with thrilling challenges that will come along Krato’s way. Today, God desires for you to prosper, and He will bless everything you do. My dear friend, I am thrilled to greet you with God’s promise for you today from I Corinthians 3:7: “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God gives the growth.” Today, you may feel that despite all your efforts of planting, working, and striving, nothing seems to succeed.