Podcasts about Futility

Alberta is the new angsty teenager of Canada, but no matter how much they whine and slam doors, their referendum on separation from Canada is an exercise in futility. The messaging from Trump seems to have changed from seeding hints of a possible coup to talk of who will succeed him in the Oval Office at the next election. Though the overt planning to disrupt the US midterm elections continues unabated.  

The Futility of False Gods (Acts 14:8-28) | 053126 by One Ancient Hope Presbyterian Church

Genesis 3:1-7

We hope you enjoy today's Scripture reading and devotional aimed at motivating you to apply God's word while strengthening your heart and nurturing your soul. Today's Bible reading is Ecclesiastes 3:9–15. To read along with the podcast, grab a print copy of the devotional. Browse other resources from Nancy Guthrie. ESV Bible narration read by Kristyn Getty. Follow us on social media to stay up to date: Instagram Facebook Twitter

ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE: We've made it at last to the gates of hell, and we're on our way to the river of Acheron. On the way, we'll meet the "neutrals" and the cowards—those who never lived and have no names. From here on out, the poem becomes a horror movie. But in this episode, I want to show you just how deep the horror goes. Worms and flames are just the beginning: it's the spiritual deformities that the torments represent that make them truly chilling. Then, Dante goes off the chain in a set piece that establishes him as one of the all-time epic greats, as souls like fallen leaves come streaming down to the river of death. Check out my book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World: https://amzn.to/4tKWACP Sign up for Hebrew, Greek, or Latin courses at the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/heretics/ Get the Anthony Esolen translation: https://amzn.to/4sgKLTj Get the Dorothy L. Sayers translation: https://amzn.to/4djdh2s Read the Allen Mandelbaum translation: https://amzn.to/4dG6izR 00:00 Introduction  01:05 Canto 3: Hell's Vestibule  24:25 Appetites and Inhabitants of Hell  44:22 Tragedies of Futility and Fate  56:28 Mailbag: Meditations on Suffering  1:09:56 Closing Remarks 

-Mike'l Severe put out a stat yesterday that was truly hard to believe…the last time Nebraska won back-to-back road games in afootball season was in 2006 (!!!) at Iowa State and Kansas State-It's obviously hard to do, as seen by the fact that Iowa hasn't done it since 2020; Illinois since 2007; Minnesota since 2008; Marylandsince 2003; and on and on…but Nebraska has a chance to do so when they go to Illinois and Rutgers in November…talk about breakingseveral curses if that happens…this stat goes all the way back to Bill Callahan!Our Sponsors:* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/EARLYBREAKAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to Day 2863 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2863 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 127:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2863 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2863 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Architect, the Watchman, and the Warrior In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the seventh Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six. We stood in the tension of the “already, but not yet,” remembering the unbelievable, dream-like rescue of God's people from exile, while desperately praying for a fresh outpouring of His grace. We learned the profound, agricultural lesson of the sower. We discovered that in the contested territory of this fallen world, we often have to plant our seeds in tears, exhausted by the spiritual warfare around us. Yet, we anchored our souls to the unbreakable, cosmic guarantee that those who weep as they plant will eventually return singing, carrying a massive, joyful harvest. Today, we take our next deliberate steps upward on this ancient pilgrim trail. We are exploring the eighth song in this magnificent collection. We are turning our attention to Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. Interestingly, this specific psalm is attributed to King Solomon. Solomon was the ultimate builder of the ancient world; he built the glorious Temple, fortified cities, and amassed unprecedented wealth. Yet, in this psalm, he pauses to deliver a sobering warning about the futility of human ambition. He teaches us that building a physical empire, or a lasting family legacy, is entirely useless if the Architect of the cosmos is not the one holding the blueprints. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to build a legacy that actually lasts. The first segment is: The Futility of Autonomous Ambition Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven: verses one and two. Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. This magnificent stanza opens with a definitive, double-sided declaration of human limitation. “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.” To truly grasp the weight of these words, we must view them through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, specifically regarding the Divine Council and the cosmic rebellion. When human beings attempt to build a house, a dynasty, or a fortified city without the authorization and the active presence of Yahweh, they are essentially repeating the catastrophic sin of the Tower of Babel. At Babel, humanity sought to build a localized empire, a massive tower to reach the heavens, in order to make a great name for themselves, completely autonomous from the Creator. That act of autonomous ambition resulted in God disinheriting the nations, confusing their languages, and placing them under the jurisdiction of lesser, rebel spiritual principalities, the fallen elohim. Therefore, any city, or any human institution, built outside the cosmic order of God, is inherently vulnerable. It belongs to the chaotic, unstable realm of the rebel gods. You can hire the greatest architects, lay the thickest foundation stones, and post the most highly trained sentries on the walls, but if the Most High God is not the active Protector of that territory, the entire enterprise is spiritually bankrupt. It is destined to collapse into the dust. This reality brings us to the deeply psychological, and practical, observation in verse two. “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” The rebel gods of the surrounding pagan cultures demanded endless, anxious labor from their followers. The deities of Canaan, Egypt, and Babylon were viewed as cruel taskmasters, requiring constant sacrifices and frantic appeasement just to ensure the rains would fall, and the crops would grow. The kingdom of darkness thrives on human anxiety. It wants you waking up before dawn, terrified of failure, and going to bed late, exhausted and consumed by the stress of basic survival. But Solomon, the wisest king of Israel, calls this frantic, autonomous striving “useless.” It is vanity. It is chasing the wind. He draws a sharp, beautiful contrast between the oppressive systems of the world, and the loving economy of Yahweh. “For God gives rest to his loved ones.” Other translations say, “He provides for His beloved even in his sleep.” The God of the Bible is not a cruel taskmaster. He is the loving Father who provides Shalom—complete, restful wholeness. This does not mean that believers are called to be lazy. We are called to be diligent, responsible stewards of creation. But the motivation changes entirely. We do not work out of a suffocating, paralyzing fear of starvation, or a desperate need to build our own autonomous empires. We work from a place of profound rest, knowing that the Sovereign Lord is the ultimate Provider, and that He is intimately guarding the house we are building. The second segment is: The Divine Gift and the Rejection of the Fertility Cults Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven: verse three. Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Suddenly, the psalm pivots. Solomon shifts the metaphor from building a physical house out of stones and cedar, to building a household, a dynasty, made out of human lives. He declares, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” In our modern culture, we might read this simply as a sweet, sentimental statement about the joy of parenting. But in the ancient Near East, this was a massive, aggressive theological claim. It was an act of profound spiritual warfare. The nations surrounding Israel were deeply entrenched in fertility cults. They worshiped gods like Baal and Asherah, believing that these localized, rebel deities controlled the womb, the rain, and the harvest. When a couple wanted to conceive a child, they would participate in the corrupt, often deeply immoral, rituals of the pagan temples, frantically trying to manipulate the gods into granting them fertility. By stating that “Children are a gift from the Lord,” the psalmist is explicitly stripping all power and authority away from the false gods of Canaan. He is reminding the pilgrims that Baal has absolutely no jurisdiction over human life. The womb is not controlled by the chaotic forces of nature; it is the exclusive, sovereign domain of Yahweh. Every single child is a direct, intentional inheritance, and a precious reward, handed down by the Creator of the universe. To build a family legacy, you do not turn to the frantic, anxious practices of the world; you look upward, to the Giver of all good things. The third segment is: The Warrior's Quiver and the Expansion of the Kingdom Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven: verses four and five. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. Having established the divine origin of the family, Solomon introduces one of the most striking, martial metaphors in the entire Psalter. “Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands.” Why does he compare children to weapons of war? Because, in the biblical worldview, raising a family is not a neutral, passive activity. It is an act of strategic, generational combat. The world is contested territory, deeply infected by the lies, the injustice, and the chaotic rebellion of the dark spiritual principalities. When you raise children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, you are intentionally shaping imagers of God, preparing them to push back against the darkness. Consider the nature of an arrow. An arrow is not meant to be kept safely inside the quiver forever. A warrior carefully shapes the shaft, balances the weight, sharpens the arrowhead, and attaches the fletching. All of this meticulous, grueling preparation is done for one specific purpose: to launch the arrow outward, into enemy...

Absolute Futility (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11) 05.17.26 by OrlandoGrace

Ecclesiastes 5:8–6:12 - exposes the emptiness of trusting in government, money, possessions, or achievement to give lasting meaning. Solomon shows that wealth and success often increase anxiety rather than peace, and a life spent chasing more can still leave the soul unsatisfied. Even under God's sovereignty, human choices still matter, and people remain responsible for how they live and what they pursue. Instead of building life around endless striving, Solomon points toward a quieter rhythm of flourishing: enjoy meals with others, work faithfully, accept your limits, and practice gratitude. True joy is found not in prestige or accumulation, but in receiving everyday life as a gift from God, marked by contentment, meaningful work, shared community, and thankfulness toward the Giver of every good thing.

Are you tired of feeling stuck in a cycle of emotional futility? Discover how to transform your inner world and achieve true emotional health by understanding the powerful connection between your spirit, soul, and bodyIn this insightful biblical teaching, Rev Paul Jeyachandran explores how setting your mind on the Spirit leads to a life of shalom—a state of wholeness where nothing is missing and nothing is brokenLearn to move beyond mere sensory knowledge and tap into revelation knowledge by walking by faith, not by sightThis is essential for anyone seeking spiritual growth or involved in Christian leadership and intentional discipleshipBy renewing your mind and surrendering your will, you can experience the fulfilment God has freely given to every believerStop living in the shadows of anxiety and start walking in the fullness of your identity in Christ today#EmotionalHealth #ChristianSermon #SpiritualGrowth #Discipleship #FaithOverFear #RenewingTheMind #ChristianLeadership #MentalHealth #BibleStudy #IDMC

Message from Billy Zwart on May 10, 2026

Pr. Will Pareja Ecclesiastes 7:1-22

In this compelling fourth lecture of the series, Acharya das reframes well-being through the lens of timeless wisdom, drawing from sources like the Bhagavad Gita to reveal a powerful three-dimensional model: body, mind, and the often-overlooked spiritual self. With precision and clarity, the talk exposes a universal truth—no amount of success, relationships, or material gain can resolve the subtle but persistent sense of emptiness that many experience. This is not a personal failure or circumstantial issue; it is a signal pointing toward something deeper.The Bhagavad- gītā verse quoted in this talk:In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due course of time. - Bhagavad-gītā 4.38Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure or external objects but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme. - Bhagavad-gītā 5.21One whose happiness is within, who is active within, who rejoices within and is illumined within, is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme. - Bhagavad-gītā 5.24Chapters00:00:00 Introduction and Three-Dimensional Well-being Paradigm ‎ 00:02:22 The Universal Experience of Emptiness and Advertising Manipulation ‎ 00:04:38 Personal Counseling Example: Fear of Being Alone ‎ 00:06:44 Behavioral Patterns of Avoiding Emptiness ‎ 00:08:38 Life Clutter and Hidden Loneliness‎ 00:11:19 Emptiness as Spiritual Protection and Indication ‎ 00:13:18 Material Wealth and Relationship Status Don't Eliminate Emptiness ‎ 00:15:01 The Inadequacy of the Material World ‎ 00:16:37 A Woman's Honest Blog About Emptiness ‎ 00:23:47 Attraction to Beauty, Happiness, and Love ‎ 00:27:00 The Ice Cream Sundae Metaphor ‎ 00:28:52 Spiritual Malnourishment and the Fish Out of Water Metaphor ‎ 00:30:31 The Inward Journey and Purpose of Human Life ‎ 00:33:07 Bhagavad Gita Verses on Transcendental Knowledge ‎ 00:35:56 Liberation Through Spiritual Understanding ‎ 00:37:59 The Self-Realized Person's Experience ‎ 00:39:30 The Perfect Mystic and Spiritual Attainment ‎ 00:41:08 Two Simple Practices: Yoga Wisdom and Meditation ‎ 00:42:16 Spiritual Sound and Its Purifying Effects ‎ 00:44:15 The Signal of Inner Longing ‎ 00:45:41 The Futility of Material Investment ‎ 00:46:55 Invitation to Kirtan Practice ‎

We are told in Romans 8:20-21 that God has woven **apparent** futility into the fabric of existence in the material universe. Yet, Scripturally, it exists in a kind of spiritually "quantum" state where futility both exists, and does not - at the same time.Concerning what *seems* futile to both King Solomon (see Ecclesiastes 1) and The Messiah, Himself (Isaiah 49:4) –– we are also told, "God has put all your tears in a bottle: none are forgotten" (Psalm 56:8) "even if you give a cup of cold water" to someone who needs it, "you will not lose your reward." (Mark 9:41). The tragedies that begin the Book Of Ruth end with the birth of line of King David and the Messiah. What is our Creator, our Father in Heaven, up to?

✨ Like/Subscribe/Comment where you listen! YouTube • Spotify • Apple Podcasts✨ Become a member for our reading group, community calls, and years of members-only recordings — including the excellent raps we had recently on Alexander Douglas and Wendell Berry. Our next call is this weekend, May 2, at 2 pm MDT!This week I decant a conversation with the brilliant Mathew Mytka (Website | LinkedIn) — a self-described “Earthian living on and learning from the Country of the Bidjigal, Gweagal and Kamay clans of the Dharawal Nation, in Sydney, Australia.”Mat is a moral imagineer, social entrepreneur, UX designer, educator, artist, and public policy advocate. Cofounder (with Alja Isakovic) of the the inquiry-driven social venture Tethix and mission steward (with Gemma Palmer) of Collective Futurecrafting, Mat has over twenty years' of product, project, and program management experience, designing and running real-world relational experiments everywhere from startups to federal government initiatives, Fortune 500 tech companies, and grassroots communities. He also makes delightfully weird code-as-art projects like The Ministry of Futility, a bureaucratic adventure game where players navigate a maze of pointless decisions.In short, he's precisely the kind of incompressible generalist I look to as a model for how to live wisely in our age of accelerating weirdness.Mat and I met in 2024 in the group chat that spawned the Wisdom x Technology Discord Server and immediately realized a common thread ran through both our lives: a commitment to fostering our collective imagination aimed at ecologically-grounded, mutualistic, more-than-human futures.In today's episode we riff on themes from the Tethix blog and podcast, including:• How do we embrace the lunacy of tech?• What should we do with the time that new technologies save? (if they even do) and• How do we nuture weird online communal gardens where we can play together?We also draw from the Tethix codesign principles, product ethos, and elemental ethics documents.Along the way we explore the fundamental problems of scale and institutional misalignment, the value of ritual, and the return to embodiment.✨ Become a founding member to access my online courses, including Jurassic Worlding and How To Live In The Future.✨ Browse and buy all of the books we discuss on the show at Bookshop.org✨ Music: “Scalar Reconfigurations”Chapters00:00 Intro06:02 Starting Over With Play08:05 Mat's Origin Story13:56 Online Performance and Anxiety18:24 How Tethix Began40:07 Teaching The State about The Duty of Care46:26 Collective Futurecrafting from Circles to Bioregions47:05 Start With What Exists48:34 Pivot Beyond Tech Ethics50:08 Weird Gardens for Online Community57:42 Composting The Leviathan01:01:48 Trauma, Empathy, Care01:13:11 Agency Rituals and Closing This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe

Ecclesiastes 4 sketches a sobering picture of life under the sun, touching on oppression, envy, work, and isolation. Solomon observes that injustice can become so severe that it makes existence itself feel unbearable, a reality still echoed in modern forms of exploitation and suffering. The response begins in the heart by confronting bitterness, then moves outward through action and advocacy against wrong. He also exposes three distorted approaches to work: envy-driven striving that robs joy, laziness that erodes life, and relentless ambition that gains success at the cost of relationships. Each path, in its own way, leads to emptiness. In contrast, Solomon highlights the strength found in companionship, where people support, protect, and sustain one another through life's hardships. True presence—simply showing up and carrying burdens together—becomes a powerful antidote to isolation. He also elevates wisdom above status or age, noting that experience alone does not guarantee insight. Wisdom grows through learning, receiving counsel, and humbly seeking God's guidance. Regularly asking for wisdom reshapes daily decisions, keeping a person grounded, relationally connected, and aligned with what truly matters.

00:00 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:27 For spacious skies, for amber waves of 00:37 For purple mountain majesties. 00:59 share his grace on thee. 01:12 from sea to shining sea. America is back. Yes sir. Let's go to the WRD talk line. We'll talk to Ralph in Duncan. Ralph, are you out there in traffic, man? 01:33 Ralph are you there? Oh Ralph is gone now. Sorry about that Ralph. Alright so, okay. 01:39 We have a state legislature that does a lot of stuff. 01:47 that we don't know about. They vote on a lot of things that we have no idea what, and all of these things affect us on a daily basis. And rarely are they for the common good. oh Now, I've been telling you to get in touch with your state legislators. I had a couple of people do that last week and that was fantastic. We got one bill put on hold at least, we got another one uh maybe killed. 02:17 But when you call your state legislator, especially the slimier ones, and you know the ones I'm talking about, they're obvious, they've got slime on them. When you call them, there's a little trick that they like to play on you. So if you say, this is Charlie James from Greenville, and I want you to vote no on House Bill 5071. Oh. 02:46 Well, what's wrong with House Bill 5071? That's what they'll ask you. So they'll answer your question, or they will throw a question back at you. 02:57 What you need to do is counter that with, don't you tell me what's good about it? Tell me how it actually helps reduce spending in South Carolina. Tell me how that reduces taxes. Tell me how that reduces bureaucracy. Tell me that how that reduces corruption in Columbia. So this bill, this transportation bill, by the way, Ralph is back. He's out there. Ralph, welcome. 03:26 How are you. I'm better than I do. All right, man. What's up. Well, you were mentioning about the young women, girls and their identity is just that it's too they're given the wrong people to look at. Yeah. For their identity. Wrong role models. Talking to talking to a guy today, he said, is an 11 year old mentioned. 03:54 something about, oh, I like her. said, she said, Ralph, I didn't address it. He said, well, baby, you might like her or him or whatever, but all you need to focus on right now is your school. Yeah. That's what you need to like your books. He said, I didn't even address that. Well, later on a few years later, guess what? She likes a boy now. Yeah, exactly. By not making it a big issue. Right. 04:23 And I'm going to tell you, where else can you put earrings in your face, Charlie? I think we've got all of that covered. I mean, everywhere that you can. Your your your eyes. Your cheeks, your chin. cheeks. Yeah. I mean, it'll stop once. 04:46 Yeah, might be right. Exactly. Ralph, I appreciate it, buddy. Thank you. Exactly right. Let's get back to our state legislature because they're a joke. They really are. So we've been screaming here in South Carolina for what? 20 years now. That we want our primaries closed. What have they done about it? We've had three different bills, three different bills, by the way. um 05:15 Drew McKissick, you said you were going to sue the state if they didn't do something about closing the primaries. I haven't heard anything about a lawsuit. Okay? So we've had three bills to close the primaries because we know for a fact 05:38 that the Democrats are crossing over party lines and voting in our primaries to try to get their candidates in. 05:50 And it's going on really big in the 117, down in Berkeley County. As a young girl, a 32 years old, her name is Ashley Painter. She is actively calling for Democrats to vote for a weaker candidate than Josiah Magnuson in that primary down there, or is it Jordan Pace? 06:16 No, it's Josiah Magnuson she's going up against. So she's running in the 117th, she ...

Sermon Title: Making the Love of Christ Your Great Quest Speaker: Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Okronipa Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 13 & 14, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Ephesians 5:1-2 I. The Mandate: Love as the Primary Pursuit In the Christian walk, there is a distinct hierarchy of spiritual priorities. While the church often emphasizes power and gifts, Scripture redirects our focus toward love as the "more excellent way." The Command to Pursue: 1 Corinthians 14:1 instructs us to "Pursue love." The Greek word used here is dioko, which means to eagerly chase or hunt, much like a predator pursues its prey. The Difference Between Desire and Quest: You are told to desire spiritual gifts but to make love your quest. You can desire something without chasing it, but a quest requires an intentional, life-altering pursuit. The Goal: Love must be your "bullseye"—the very center of your spiritual aim. II. The Futility of Gifts Without Love 1 Corinthians 13 highlights that the highest levels of spiritual operation are rendered useless if they are not fueled by love. 1. Spiritual Utterances If you speak in the tongues of men or even angels but lack love, you are merely a "sounding brass" or a "clanging cymbal." Without love, powerful prayer and tongues become an "empty sound" that is frustrating and irritating rather than transformative. 2. Revelation and Knowledge One can understand all mysteries and possess all knowledge, yet if love is absent, the person is "nothing." 3. Miracle-Working Faith Even faith that is powerful enough to remove mountains is profitless without the component of love. 4. Extreme Sacrifice Giving all your goods to the poor or even giving your body to be burned (martyrdom) profits you nothing if the motivation is not love. Correction on Human Love: Often, we mistake "kindness" or "human affinity" for God's love. True Agape goes beyond loving those in our circle; it is a supernatural disposition. III. The Superiority of Love The Bible establishes that love is the greatest of the abiding virtues. The Abiding Three: Faith, hope, and love remain, but love is the greatest. The More Excellent Way: 1 Corinthians 12:31 transitions into the love chapter by promising to show us a way that is superior to all spiritual offices and gifts. IV. Defining the Quest: Walking in the Love of God To pursue love is to pursue the very nature of God. Directed Hearts: 2 Thessalonians 3:5 is a prayer that the Lord "direct your hearts into the love of God." This implies that our hearts need divine navigation to stay aligned with His love. Imitating the Father: Ephesians 5:1-2 calls us to be "imitators of God" as dear children. The Standard of Christ: We are commanded to "walk in love, as Christ also has loved us." This is a sacrificial love—one that gives itself up as an offering. V. Practical Application: An Excellent Church An "excellent" church is not defined by its social gatherings or the fame of its leaders, but by its operation in love and the Spirit. Love Removes Barriers: When a church walks in the love of God, tribalism, social status, and personal offenses disappear. Gifts Flourishing in Love: Spiritual gifts (prophecy, healing, miracles) should be evident in the church, but they must be exercised through the "more excellent way" of love to be effective. A Burden for the People: The greatest drain on a leader is not the exercise of power, but the emotional labor of counseling those who are not walking in love and are thus easily frustrated or offended. Conclusion and Call to Action Make the love of God your Great Quest. Do not be satisfied with merely being "spiritual" or "gifted." Ask the Holy Spirit to direct your heart into a love that is sacrificial, consistent, and modeled after Jesus Christ. Prayer Point: "Lord, direct my heart into Your love. Let my life be an imitation of Christ's love in every word and action."

The NBA set a record of teams with more than 55 losses, in the season of tanking is this the most damning proof that something needs to be done? #nba #nbatanking #adamsilver #nbaplayoffs #nbalottery #nbadraft #nbarecord #sports #podcast #nbatalk

We're back for the 1st legs of the Europa and Conference League quarterfinals and we got a jam-packed Thursday full of goals! We tackle all the best action from both competitions, from Forest's improbable draw in Porto to Freiburg's demolition of Celta Vigo, from Fiorentina's humiliation in South London to Shakhtar's shocking late rout of AZ Alkmaar. Plus we answer all of your most pressing questions: How has Urs Fischer turns Mainz around so dramatically, and how did he out-maneuver Gary O'Neil's injury-riddled Strasbourg? What went wrong for Bologna after a promising opening against Villa, and is Jonathan Rowe an emerging star? Could Braga actually upset Betis in Sevilla, and why is Max always so mean to them? All that, a lookahead to the 2nd legs, and of course, a pitstop at David's Coefficient Corner. Cheers to Urs Fischer!

The message opens with a call to daily prayer leading into Easter, connecting humble, united prayer with God's promise to bring healing. A story of a man leaving a high-paying but soul-draining job highlights a common struggle: many feel stuck in work that empties them. Ecclesiastes reminds us that work is both a gift and a burden, often marked by stress, dissatisfaction, and the fleeting nature of achievement. Yet there's a better way. When seen as a gift from God, work can carry meaning and even joy. Jesus' call in Gospel of Mark 8 reframes life—deny self, take up the cross, and follow Him—so work shapes character rather than identity. The takeaway: pursue excellence under God, honor rest, and let both hardship and effort form a life centered on Christ instead of endless striving.

The book of Ecclesiastes has puzzled readers for millennia with its unflinching observations about absurdity, meaninglessness, vanity, and futility. Biblical scholar Jesse Peterson joins Evan Rosa to discuss his book, Qoheleth and the Philosophy of Value, bringing contemporary philosophy into dialogue with this ancient text and reflecting on what happens when a sage confronts the gap between expectation and reality. "Can you view your work, your toil, not just as a means to a further end? Can you rather turn to simply enjoy the work itself?" Together they discuss the distinction between meaning and value, why Qoheleth denies lasting significance while affirming joy, the harm of death and the death of memory, Ecclesiastes and Camus's absurdism, and the book's surprising message about enjoyment as an intrinsic good. Episode Highlights "I think what's at the heart of the Book of Ecclesiastes is just to say, maybe not, maybe there isn't a direct line between what you do and what the result will be." "It's not just that you'll physically die, but meaning that you've accrued in your life, if there was such a thing, that dies with you." "In this moment of working on what I'm working on, whatever it is, I am fully alive." "You have a little piece of the pie, and just own it. Absorb yourself into whatever that may be." "Can you view your work, your toil, not just as a means to a further end? Can you rather turn to simply enjoy the work itself?" About Jesse Peterson Jesse Peterson is an Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies in the School of Theology and Honors Program at George Fox University. He previously taught at Purdue University, Fordham University, and St. John's University. He earned a PhD in Hebrew Bible from Durham University (UK), an MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a BA in music and Jewish studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. His work on Ecclesiastes has appeared in Harvard Theological Review, Vetus Testamentum, and the Journal of Theological Studies. He is the author of Qoheleth and the Philosophy of Value (Cambridge University Press). Helpful Links and Resources Qoheleth and the Philosophy of Value, by Jesse Peterson https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/qoheleth-and-the-philosophy-of-value/877B040C17EE8B9DD60174DEC7C306F7 Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202 Featured music by the Jesse Peterson Quartet https://jessepetersonquartet.bandcamp.com/album/man-of-the-earth Show Notes The most philosophical book in the Bible Bringing Ecclesiastes into dialogue with contemporary philosophy of value Jaco Gericke's Hebrew Bible and Philosophy of Religion as catalyst Authorship: why scholars date Ecclesiastes to the 3rd century BCE The Solomonic persona and the epilogue problem Amal (toil) and yitron (gain): does life add up? Qoheleth as businessman: commercial language for philosophy Three theories of meaning: subjectivism, consequentialism, intersubjectivism "Maybe there isn't a direct line between what you do and what the result will be" Brueggemann's orientation, disorientation, new orientation The absurd: expectation vs. reality, linking Qoheleth to Camus "Meaning that you've accrued in your life, if there was such a thing, that dies with you" The same fate for all: wise and foolish, human and animal Epicurus and the harm of death Hebrew anthropology: dust plus life-breath, no afterlife The carpe diem passages: "Go eat your bread with joy" Joy as robust, not narcotic—enjoying toil as an end in itself "In this moment of working on what I'm working on, I am fully alive" Csikszentmihalyi's Flow and the autotelic experience "Just own it. Absorb yourself into whatever that may be." #Ecclesiastes #Qoheleth #PhilosophyOfValue #MeaningInLife #BiblicalStudies #HebrewBible #WisdomLiterature #CarpeDiem #Absurdity #ForTheLifeOfTheWorld Production Notes This podcast featured Jesse Peterson Edited and Produced by Evan Rosa Hosted by Evan Rosa Production Assistance by Noah Senthil A Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/about Support For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss abandoning the Gentile walk in the futility of the mind by walking careful as those who are wise.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=25010The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss Paul's description of the Gentiles walk. They give three patterns of the walk and what we must do to avoid that walk.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=24934The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex chats with Jim and Sam about the oracle against Tyre in Isaiah 23. This passage teaches us, among other things, why it's stupid to put our hope in money.

Futility

Solomon's experiment in Ecclesiastes 2 explores whether meaning can be found in life lived “under the sun,” apart from God. He pursues every human avenue of fulfillment: pleasure, wine, massive projects, wealth, sexual relationships, reputation, and legacy. With immense resources he essentially tries to build a secular Eden where nothing is off limits. Yet each pursuit ends the same way. Pleasure fades, achievements lose their shine, possessions multiply without satisfaction, and death ultimately levels every person. The verdict of the experiment is stark: life without God becomes empty and exhausting, a constant chase for something that never delivers lasting meaning. The deeper issue is misplacing meaning in things that cannot carry its weight. When people look to pleasure, relationships, status, or circumstances to provide identity and purpose, disappointment and resentment follow. Solomon's insight exposes a pattern that still shapes modern culture, where endless consumption and stimulation attempt to numb deeper questions of purpose. The answer is not rejecting enjoyment but rediscovering a joyful God who gives life as a gift, cultivating gratitude, and learning to receive daily blessings from Him rather than striving endlessly for the next thing. True satisfaction comes not from chasing more, but from living in relationship with the God who gives meaning to everything.

Ecclesiastes looks at life “under the sun” and notices how repetitive it feels. Generations come and go, work never really stays finished, and even our greatest accomplishments eventually fade. The more Solomon observes and understands the world, the more he realizes that chasing achievement, pleasure, or novelty cannot restore the simple joy people long for. Yet scripture reframes this monotony. The ordinary rhythms of life become the place where faithfulness is formed. Instead of chasing constant newness, God invites us to live with steady obedience and childlike wonder. Through Christ's life, death, and resurrection, even the repetitive moments of life can carry eternal meaning.

Evan Cohen from Unsportsmanlike on ESPN Radio stops by and after a quick take on if the Rams will draft a QB in the first round, he gets into a deep ball-knower conversation with Sedano about building a team around Luka.  After Sedano nixes Evan's exercise in futility, they debate what the Lakers could realistically look like next year. How hard is it to build a CHAMPIONSHIP team around Luka's super-specific style? Sedano and Evan get into a heated debate! Dodgers talk with Berg! Berg asks the guys about Shohei Ohtani saying he wants to win the Cy Young Award this year - and if he does, where does that put him in the GOAT stratosphere? Also, Gavin Stone was shut down after an injury setback - big deal or no deal? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Self-help culture teaches people to make themselves the center of everything, but Ecclesiastes exposes the emptiness of that idea. Life cannot be fully controlled, predicted, or made safe, and trying to do so only leads to frustration. Ecclesiastes stands alongside Proverbs and Job. Proverbs shows how life usually works, Job shows undeserved suffering, and Ecclesiastes shows that even having everything—wealth, wisdom, pleasure, and power—still leaves a person empty. The author repeats the word hevel (meaning vapor or futility) to show that life without God feels temporary and meaningless. When life is viewed only “under the sun,” everything fades, and nothing lasts. But that emptiness points to something deeper: our longing for meaning is evidence that we were made for more than this world. The final hope is found in God's promise to restore all things. Communion reminds believers that this broken world is not the end, but a preview of the greater reality still to come.

Listen to Pastor Marc preach from Ecclesiastes 9:11-10:7, observing how we should exercise wisdom for the good of others, rather than the guarantee of outcomes.

Ecclesiastes begins with a startling diagnosis: life “under the sun” can feel like smoke: fleeting, frustrating, and impossible to hold. In this Ash Wednesday message, we explore the way this book punctures our illusions about control, success, and satisfaction. Yet Ecclesiastes also invites us to look beyond the smokiness of life to the truth about our fragility, and we hold fast to the deeper hope that God entered our dust in Jesus Christ, and in Him our lives are not vapor, but held.

Ralph and Brandon are really up against it now. Anita is apparently in the house, Ned and Loreen aren't Ned and Loreen.... what's next?

Reflections on the emotions and the challenges of delays and frustrations.

Today's Sports Daily covers storylines from the Super Bowl, Pats offense was a joke for 3 quarters, Maye with the worst playoff EPA in 25 years, Mike McDonald's impact in 2 years, and a new type of MVP.   Music written by Bill Conti & Allee Willis (Casablanca Records/Universal Music Group)  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Topics: Forgiveness under Grace vs Law, the Gospel of Grace in Acts 20:24, Matthew 6:14-15 Explained, Why God No Longer Holds Sins Against You, 2 Corinthians 5:19 Forgiveness, the Futility of Animal Sacrifices, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, Forgiveness as an Act of the Will, Colossians 2:13 Completed Forgiveness, the Difference Between Forgiveness and Trust, Matthew 18:21-22 Meaning, Hebrews 9:22 Blood and Forgiveness, Ephesians 4:32 Forgiving as Christ Forgave, Why Jesus Had to Shed Blood, Exposing the Hypocrisy of Law Observance, Romans 12:18 Peaceful Living, Healthy Boundaries for Christians, the Meaning of Luke 6:37, Forgiveness is a Choice Not a Feeling, Once for All Forgiveness in Hebrews 10:10, Why Christians Forgive Because We are Forgiven, Grieving the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30, the Purpose of Jesus' Impossible Standards, Dealing with Deep Pain and Trauma, How the Cross Defines Forgiveness, the Law as a Ministry of Condemnation, Releasing the Debt of Others, Supernatural DNA of a Peacemaker, Colossians 3:13 New Covenant Forgiveness, Trust is Earned but Forgiveness is FreeSupport the showSign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

Why do the people you thought knew you best stay silent—or worse, side with the person who hurt you? This secondary betrayal often cuts deeper than the narcissistic behavior itself. Switzerland friends insist on neutrality while your pain makes them uncomfortable. Flying monkeys carry your vulnerability straight back to your abuser. When you finally name what's happening and the people closest to you rush to minimize or report back, your nervous system doesn't just register disappointment—it registers danger. Tony walks through why "I don't want to take sides" isn't actually neutral, how flying monkeys weaponize your words, and the exhausting ping-pong match of trying to be understood by people who need not to understand you in order to feel safe themselves. In this episode, you'll learn: The critical difference between Switzerland friends (who neutralize) and flying monkeys (who expose)—and why both leave you questioning reality How narcissistic systems hijack co-regulation, making everyone responsible for stabilizing the most emotionally immature person in the room Why your body's response after sharing something vulnerable is better data than the words exchanged The five ways narcissists regulate their nervous systems through you: superiority, victimhood, being right, being admired, and being defended How to stop "auditioning for belief" and start choosing relationships that can actually hold emotional weight Drawing from over 20 years of couples therapy and thousands of real conversations, Tony offers a framework for recognizing when explanation has replaced connection—and why the most regulated thing you can say is simply, "I know what I experienced." Ready to stop offering your nervous system as a resource to people who won't protect it? Subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear they're not crazy—they're waking up. 00:00 Introduction and Gratitude 00:37 Sales Pitch: Magnetic Marriage Course 05:37 Understanding Narcissistic Relationships 06:46 The Pain of Secondary Betrayal 07:44 Navigating Anger and Injustice 15:04 Switzerland Friends and Emotional Avoidance 22:03 Story Time: Ned, Steve, and Fran 30:01 Avoiding Accountability and Ownership 30:17 The Role of Flying Monkeys 30:32 Switzerland Friends vs. Flying Monkeys 30:57 Emotional Honesty in Unsafe Systems 31:17 The Futility of Over-Explaining 34:02 Adjusting Expectations and Setting Boundaries 34:42 Understanding and Managing Anger 35:28 Withdrawing the Need for Permission 36:23 Grieving What Won't Change 37:14 Recognizing Emotionally Safe Relationships 39:13 The Concept of Co-Regulation 39:55 Narcissistic Systems and Emotional Regulation 45:43 Interacting with Switzerland Friends and Flying Monkeys 54:46 Choosing Relationships That Hold Emotional Weight 55:41 Final Thoughts and Encouragement Get on the waitlist today for Tony's upcoming Magnetic Marriage live course! Head to https://tonyoverbay.com/magnetic If you are interested in joining Tony's private Facebook group for women in narcissistic or emotionally immature relationships of any type, please reach out to him at contact@tonyoverbay.com or through the form on the website, HTTP://www.tonyoverbay.com If you are a man interested in joining Tony's "Emotional Architects" group to learn how to better navigate your relationship with a narcissistic or emotionally immature partner or learn how to become more emotionally mature yourself, please reach out to Tony at contact@tonyoverbay.com or through the form on the website, HTTP:www.tonyoverbay.com

Guest: Mary Kissel. Kissel discusses the futility of appeasing Putin regarding Ukrainian territory and the need for security plans to support Venezuela's opposition against the Maduro regime.1936 VENEZUELA

Chip continues this series with a message he calls, “How to Overcome Feelings of Futility.” If you need a God-sized shot in the arm, today's message is for you.Introduction: “Empty Buckets”Futility – Webster's – lit. “that which easily pours out,” hence untrustworthy; that which fails completely of the desired end, or incapable of producing any result; trifling, unimportant. Syn: vain, fruitless, ineffective, uselessFruitful – Webster's – Latin “fructus” – enjoyment, means of enjoyment, profitable, productive, producing results and/or desired ends.How can we avoid futility in our lives?Refuse to Confuse Success With SIGNIFICANCE! -Luke 9:25-26How can we move from success to significance?1. Clarify your MISSION! Why are you here?Two things last forever: God's Word & people's soulsMatthew 28:19-20To know CHRIST and make Him KNOWN!2. Embrace your MISSION FIELD! Where are your greatest spheres of influence?Your home -Deut 6:4-9Your work -Col 3:22-25Your network -Col 4:5-63. Engage in the Harvesting ProcessNetworkBefriendIdentifyShareInviteHarvest4. Sharpen your tools for impact!”Learn spiritual “door openers”Learn your evangelistic styleNot Beyond Reach by Aaron PierceBroadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love BookDaily Discipleship - Psalms of HopeBOOK: "Halftime" by Bob BufordBOOK: "The Paradox of Success" by John R. O'NeilCHART: "The High Impact Church" by Linus MorrisConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

Do you ever wonder if you're making a difference - if your life is having a positive, lasting impact on those around you? In this message, Chip reveals how you can overcome those feelings of futility and begin experiencing the life God intended for you.Introduction: “Empty Buckets”Futility – Webster's – lit. “that which easily pours out,” hence untrustworthy; that which fails completely of the desired end, or incapable of producing any result; trifling, unimportant. Syn: vain, fruitless, ineffective, uselessFruitful – Webster's – Latin “fructus” – enjoyment, means of enjoyment, profitable, productive, producing results and/or desired ends.How can we avoid futility in our lives?Refuse to Confuse Success With SIGNIFICANCE! -Luke 9:25-26How can we move from success to significance?1. Clarify your MISSION! Why are you here?Two things last forever: God's Word & people's soulsMatthew 28:19-20To know CHRIST and make Him KNOWN!2. Embrace your MISSION FIELD! Where are your greatest spheres of influence?Your home -Deut 6:4-9Your work -Col 3:22-25Your network -Col 4:5-63. Engage in the Harvesting ProcessNetworkBefriendIdentifyShareInviteHarvest4. Sharpen your tools for impact!”Learn spiritual “door openers”Learn your evangelistic styleNot Beyond Reach by Aaron PierceBroadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love BookDaily Discipleship - Psalms of HopeBOOK: "Halftime" by Bob BufordBOOK: "The Paradox of Success" by John R. O'NeilCHART: "The High Impact Church" by Linus MorrisConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

Do you ever wonder if you're making a difference - if your life is having a positive, lasting impact on those around you? In this message, Chip reveals how you can overcome those feelings of futility and begin experiencing the life God intended for you.Introduction: “Empty Buckets”Futility – Webster's – lit. “that which easily pours out,” hence untrustworthy; that which fails completely of the desired end, or incapable of producing any result; trifling, unimportant. Syn: vain, fruitless, ineffective, uselessFruitful – Webster's – Latin “fructus” – enjoyment, means of enjoyment, profitable, productive, producing results and/or desired ends.How can we avoid futility in our lives?Refuse to Confuse Success With SIGNIFICANCE! -Luke 9:25-26How can we move from success to significance?1. Clarify your MISSION! Why are you here?Two things last forever: God's Word & people's soulsMatthew 28:19-20To know CHRIST and make Him KNOWN!2. Embrace your MISSION FIELD! Where are your greatest spheres of influence?Your home -Deut 6:4-9Your work -Col 3:22-25Your network -Col 4:5-63. Engage in the Harvesting ProcessNetworkBefriendIdentifyShareInviteHarvest4. Sharpen your tools for impact!”Learn spiritual “door openers”Learn your evangelistic styleNot Beyond Reach by Aaron PierceBroadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love BookDaily Discipleship - Psalms of HopeBOOK: "Halftime" by Bob BufordBOOK: "The Paradox of Success" by John R. O'NeilCHART: "The High Impact Church" by Linus MorrisConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

The Futility of Canadian-Chinese Trade DiplomacyPREVIEW FOR LATER: GUEST CHARLES BURTON. Charles Burton critiques Mark Carney's trade mission to Beijing, noting it mirrors past failures. Despite attempts to ignore human rights to boost trade, historical precedent shows Canada's market share declined under similar strategies. This mission aims to offset tariff uncertainties and Trump-era trade pressures.1945 US NAVY HUANGPU RIVER, SHANGHAI

Tonight we have disturbing premonitions, strange bubble kids, alien abduction and so much more. Keep it spooky and enjoy! Season 20 Episode 12 of Monsters Among Us Podcast, true paranormal stories of ghosts, cryptids, UFOs and more, told by the witnesses themselves. SHOW NOTES:  Support the show! Get ad-free, extended & bonus episodes (and more) on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/monstersamonguspodcast Tonight's Sponsor - Lumi Gummies THC & CBD gummies - Feel good, not stoned. Get 30% off your order with code MAU at LumiGummies.com Tonight's Sponsor - Bombas - Your socks are showing, make them count! One pair purchased = one pair donated. Visit Bombas.com/mau and use code MAU for 20% off your first purchase. Now shipping worldwide to over 200 countries! Tonight's Sponsor - Uncommon Goods - Unexpected, handmade & one-of-a-kind gifts - Visit UncommonGoods.com/mau for 15% off. MAU Merch Shop - https://www.monstersamonguspodcast.com/shop MAU Discord - https://discord.gg/2EaBq7f9JQ Watch FREE - Shadows in the Desert: High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle  - https://www.borregotriangle.com/ Monsters Among Us Junior on Apple Podcasts  - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/monsters-among-us-junior/id1764989478 Monsters Among Us Junior on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1bh5mWa4lDSqeMMX1mYxDZ?si=9ec6f4f74d61498b Haunted Couch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ECEJk43lI4 Poe Coincidence - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21otYiTty3o Morgan Robertson's "Futility" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3psUkYf0VKo Bubble people in Sweden - https://fred-andersson.medium.com/beyond-the-bubble-investigating-the-connection-between-spheres-and-high-strangeness-ad9634f2ce3 Spencer's photo - https://bit.ly/48132fn Reaction to fear - https://www.bps.org.uk/blog/why-do-we-be-scared-psychology-fear-fright-nights-and-exploring-unknown Music from tonight's episode: Music by Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse - https://www.youtube.com/c/IronCthulhuApocalypse CO.AG Music - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcavSftXHgxLBWwLDm_bNvA Music By Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio - https://www.youtube.com/@WhiteBatAudio White Bat Audio Songs: Acacia Midnight Run The Deep Dark Odyssey Terraform Black Rainbows