It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. This volume of Tuesdays With Tony has proven to be my longest work yet. I have written these posts in book form to preserve my writing for 2 reasons. First, to continue being a voice that confesses Jesus as my Lord and King long after I die. But second, to be a continued instruction to my children by giving them access to my teachings on Kingdom living after I depart this world to be with the Lord.
A lot has changed since this volume. With the increase in AI, I’ve had a new tool that I have been able to incorporate into my study and even my writing. I’d like to discuss my approach, my use, and my philosophy on using AI for works like this.
As AI continues to evolve, individuals and organizations are working to understand its capabilities and implications. It is now possible to give an AI bot a general prompt to write a book, let it generate content, and receive a completed manuscript. But what happens if someone publishes that book under their name? While the bot generates the content, it does so by drawing from existing materials. Who owns the final product—the person who instructed the AI or the creators of the copyrighted content that influenced it?
This is an extreme example of AI use, but GenAI is not always applied in such a way. Many people use it to refine their own writing—rewording, restructuring, or ensuring consistency in tone and voice. GenAI can also function as a grammar tool, helping maintain uniformity in style, spelling, and syntax.
However, because GenAI relies on existing information, its outputs are prone to error. If the sources it draws from contain inaccuracies, the generated content will reflect those same flaws. This is especially concerning when AI is used for religious or spiritual content, where doctrinal integrity matters deeply.
Amazon has already implemented guidelines for authors using GenAI in their books. As of this writing, Amazon requires disclosure of AI-generated content for books published through its KDP platform. This is what KDP says:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Content (Text, Images, or Translations): We require you to inform us of AI-generated content (text, images, or translations) when you publish a new book or make edits to and republish an existing book through KDP. AI-generated images include cover and interior images and artwork. You are not required to disclose AI-assisted content. We distinguish between AI-generated and AI-assisted content as follows:
AI-generated: We define AI-generated content as text, images, or translations created by an AI-based tool. If you used an AI-based tool to create the actual content (whether text, images, or translations), it is considered “AI-generated,” even if you applied substantial edits afterward.
AI-assisted: If you created the content yourself and used AI-based tools to edit, refine, error-check, or otherwise improve that content (whether text or images), then it is considered “AI-assisted” and not “AI-generated.” Similarly, if you used an AI-based tool to brainstorm and generate ideas but ultimately created the text or images yourself, this is also considered “AI-assisted” and not “AI-generated.” It is not necessary to inform us of the use of such tools or processes.
You are responsible for verifying that all AI-generated and/or AI-assisted content adheres to all content guidelines, including compliance with all applicable intellectual property rights.
In the last year, I have started using ChatGPT to assist with writing my Facebook posts. In some cases, I also incorporate AI-generated content. Below is an explanation of how I use GenAI in my writing:
I do not ask AI to create content from scratch for my writing.
I use GenAI to refine my work. I have trained it to recognize my writing style and voice, and I use it to edit my work to ensure consistency.
I use GenAI as a research tool, much like I would use a research assistant. For example, I may ask it to find scriptural references related to a point I’m making and then incorporate those findings into my writing.
I use GenAI to generate the Scripture Index for my books. This is an example of AI-generated content, though it is based on my book’s text.
I have used ChatGPT to create AI-generated reviews of my books as a demonstration of its capabilities. In these cases, the output is 100% generated by AI, and I clearly state this when I include it in my books.
I always review, edit, add, or delete content as needed when working with AI-assisted content. Aside from the Scripture Index and the AI-generated book reviews, my use of ChatGPT is focused on refining my own work and assisting with research.
I have used ChatGPT to create lists of items that I sometimes share in my writings. This is relatively rare in my writings, but at times, when compiling lists of things found in Scripture, I will share lists ChatGPT compiles.
When I engage with ChatGPT for research and refinement, it is an iterative process—a long back-and-forth dialogue that helps me arrive at a final draft that reflects my thoughts, aided by this new technology.
I understand that opinions vary widely on the use of AI. Some use it as a powerful tool, while others abuse it in a careless, lazy manner. My goal has been to use AI responsibly, as a tool to enhance my creative work—not to replace it. Ultimately, anything I present to my readers has been vetted and approved by me and originates from my own creative process.
Because I have included AI-generated content in my book—specifically, the AI-generated book review and the Scripture Index—I disclose this to Amazon in accordance with their guidelines. However, this section serves as my full and transparent explanation of how I use AI in my writing.
And for full disclosure—I ran the first draft of this very section through ChatGPT for a revision of my writing. If you are interested, here is the prompt I gave ChatGPT to use in revising my first draft of this section:
I just wrote a section for my new book explaining how I use ChatGPT with the research and writings for my posts and my book. Can you look it over and revise it for readability and accuracy? In this case, please keep any formatting that I have used.
June 1st, 2024
I am in the Book of Isaiah in my daily Bible reading. What I am about to say will not be liked by many who read this. I am careful to say that this is my reasonings, my opinions, and my discernment. I do not equate this with a “thus sayeth the Lord.” I will not be found guilty of teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
So, do what you want with what I am about to say. I will take any disagreements with the respect that your reasonings, your opinions, and your discernments deserve.
I believe we are seeing our nation adopt the very sin and rejection of God seen in the writing of many of the prophets who condemned Israel, Judah, and the nations of the world when justice, compassion, and sin crossed a line that invited the cup of God’s wrath to be poured upon them.
Will God punish our nation for its iniquity? I do not presume to speak for God when it comes to exercising either His wrath or His grace. But I can see the sins we are committing and sound a warning. That is the extent of my insight, and it is an insight that anyone who reads the prophets can claim.
Listen to what Isaiah says and look at our nation as we consider it and the world we inhabit.
“For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.
No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
They hatch adders’ eggs; they weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
Their webs will not serve as clothing; men will not cover themselves with what they make. Their works are works of iniquity, and deeds of violence are in their hands.
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.
The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.” (Isaiah 59:3-9 ESV).
Justice is slipping away from this land. This isn’t about the righteousness of the one being tried but about the blindness of those who sit in judgment to administer justice.
Throughout our land, we have good judges who fear God and administer justice. But when does the scale tip in favor of God’s wrath? I do not know. None of us do. This is the prerogative of a sovereign God who is Lord of lords and King of kings.
Reread Isaiah’s message and pray for our nation. It is never too late for a wicked people to repent in sackcloth and ashes. Nineveh did, and the Lord relented from what He had planned to do to it.
But once a people has turned to the god of this world and thrown its allegiance to Him, those who belong to the Lord must continue to be the salt of the earth. We must be the light in an increasingly darkening world.
History tells us that in some ways, we are more evil than the world of the first century. In other ways, we do not come close to matching their depravity.
But the signs are the actions the prophets warned about when God’s wrath would come. How do we treat justice? How do we treat people? Do we call good evil and evil good?
None of us knows the mind of God in things He has not revealed, but He has revealed enough that should cause all of us to fervently pray for our nation and our world.
We as a nation are doing things today that God hates. That is one thing I can say with certainty.
These words from King Jesus can be some of the scariest words we can contemplate if we do not truly love our neighbors as we do ourselves.
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV).
If someone does something to us that we do not deem worthy of our forgiveness, then there is something we do to God that He will not deem worthy of His forgiveness.
Let’s all think about that.
Why does the world hate Christians?
Because we don’t integrate with them.
We are not part of their system.
We stand out from them as we reflect the light of God.
The world hates light, so the world will hate those of the light.
Jesus was light, and the world hated Him.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19 ESV).
I am in the book of Jeremiah in my daily Bible reading. What a tough stewardship this prophet had! Judah had sinned beyond remedy. The only grace they would receive from the Lord was perhaps a lessening of the severity of the punishment heading their way if they turned to the Lord.
Yet they would not turn to God even as destruction rested at the threshold of their doorsteps. Instead of the grace that the Lord offered, God would pour out His full cup of wrath upon them, just as He promised He would do through the word of Moses.
Jeremiah had the arduous task of telling an obstinate people who served God through outward ceremony while they served with their hearts gods of wood and stone that this punishment was coming.
What was his reward? They threatened him, called him a liar, cast him into a pit, beat him, and put him into stocks.
They were a wicked and obstinate people. God speaks as a jilted lover and tells Jeremiah to speak about the curse that was about to fall upon them and not to pray or intercede for the people.
On one hand, Jeremiah had to hear that his people were about to lose everything. On the other hand, he had to declare the pronouncements of the Lord without pleading with God to grant mercy while he interceded for them.
There was nothing left for him to do but to weep. Is there any wonder why this man was called the Weeping Prophet?
I can in some small way understand his predicament. I have a love for my nation. I have seen it stand one nation, under Him. I have seen our leaders bow before Him and call on His name for protection in prayer.
Now, my nation commits abominations and evils of all kinds. Many no longer seek Him, but blaspheme His name. It is not enough for the most vile among us to reject Him; they must reject Him while spewing hatred at Him. They not only hate Him, but they hate those who love Him.
As Jeremiah wept for Judah, so do I weep for America. While I have no prophetic word of punishment from the Lord, I see how He hates the evil we are engaging in.
To my brothers and sisters in Jesus, I say, “Stand firm. Trust in God when evil abounds around you.” To those who have yet turned to the Lord, I say, “Pledge your allegiance to King Jesus now before the day of salvation is taken away.”
He sets before us life and death, blessings and cursing. Choose life and live.