Podcasts about Idleness

We ought to be stirred up in our diligent labors by looking to the ant. It requires no parent, no supervisor, no authority, yet labors faithfully. Work is good, and no small work should be despised. Listen to Michael Urch's exhortation to not walk in idleness for more.

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The law forbids anything which does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor's wealth, or outward estate, and the unlawful use of material possessions.I. With regard to ourselves A. Hindrances 1. Prodigality [wastefulness]; lavish spending—Lk. 16:13 2. Imprudence [lack of wisdom] 3. Idleness and slothful neglect [Proverbs 24:30-34] B. Unlawful usesII. With regard to others A. Those in need 1. Stopping our against their cry—Prov. 21:13 2. Withholding relief—Deut. 15:7 B. All men with regard to injustice and unrighteousness 1. Defrauding a. In buying b. In selling c. in service d. One's estate—removing ancient landmarks 2. Stealing a. Money and other such things b. Honor and intangible possessions 3. Receiving stolen goods 4. Unfaithfulness 5. CrueltyApplication A. Confess how you have broken this commandment B. Rejoice in Christ's fulfillment of this commandment

The law forbids anything which does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor's wealth, or outward estate, and the unlawful use of material possessions.I. With regard to ourselves A. Hindrances 1. Prodigality [wastefulness]; lavish spending 2. Imprudence [lack of wisdom] 3. Idleness and slothful neglect [Proverbs 24:30-34] B. Unlawful uses 1. Covetousness 2. Unlawful contracts and business 3. Bribery in the sale of public justice or public action 4. Not enjoying God's good giftsApplication A. Will you renounce and reject your materialistic bent? B. Will you stop being lazy? C. Will you do these things by means of faith and repentance?

Plus: possible solutions for reducing the number of youth incarcerated at the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center; How pay for Hanover County's boards and commissions compares to neighboring localities; and other stories.    In the podcast: The latest update from VPM News' “Idleness and boredom” series; VMI appoints an interim president. 

On this episode, Mike, HD and Jason talk about David and Bathsheba and how being in the wrong place with nothing to do at the wrong time can cause all sorts of problems. A good quick study from 2 Samuel.And on the Front Porch, find out what odd foods these guys like and why. You might just discover a great new treat for yourself here! Plus, on Inny or Outty, there's one win and one loss ... it's either caterpillars or dead bodies ... Watch to see which is a winner.What a Great Planet!Let us know what you think about this episode or any other. Email us at mailto:comments@mikethebaptist.comListen to the audio podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps. We are worldwide!Tees, hoodies and new COFFEE MUGS available here http://www.mikethebaptist.com/merchan...Catch up on all previous episodes on your favorite podcast video and audio apps. Visit http://www.mikethebaptist.com for all the links.Peace and good cheer everybody!Mike the Baptist

Rev. Ryan Butler | 04/09/2025

Richmond releases final water crisis assessment; mail problems at city hall; a new tool to tamp down on speeding; and Brown Grove residents won't appeal Wegmans' case to the state supreme court    In the podcast: Updates from VPM News' “Idleness and boredom” series; the Nansemond Indian Nation sues Virginia over withheld Medicaid reimbursements. 

Elizabeth Olsen is most famous for her role as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But she says her own taste is reflected in indie films she's starred in like "His Three Daughters" and the new sci-fi thriller "The Assessment." She shares with Rachel why she's terrified of dying but is fascinated with death and the joy of idle people watching.To listen sponsor-free, access bonus episodes and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcardLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

SUBSCRIBE and get the latest messages: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVIzzCy3Z9Zsk0GwAH-yJ7g?sub_confirmation=1Watch this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5De6-FwIKq4&t=1sTo support this ministry and help us continue to reach people click here: http://kingschurchkc.com/giveWe exist to help ALL people know God, find family, discover purpose, and make a difference.——Stay ConnectedWebsite: www.kingschurchkc.comKings Church Facebook: Facebook.com/kingschurchkcKings Church Instagram: Instagram.com/kingschurchkc#kingschurch #faith #Christianity #kansascity #onlinechurch #churchonline #hope #churchesinkansascity

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In our bonus segment "Another One," we talk about how certain appearances of idleness may point to a deeper struggle beneath the surface, and how best to identify that in our friends and family. Make sure to come back every Thursday to join us in a quick look at a special topic not covered in the full episode.Find us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/oneanotherpodcast?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@oneanotherpodcast?si=7-JJ9raR9Fr0cQ9bFind us on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4RGIMhed26LZsl9TI56yPN?si=2924a1be839549b9Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-another/id1797190030

Paul spends a third of this epistle not on prophecy but on people. The reason: there is nothing harder or more important than people. All of us need biblical guidance on dealing with the community that surrounds us. In this section Paul gives us our marching orders as saints.

Ever felt like life is stuck on pause? Idleness can silently kill purpose, and today, we're exploring how to live with intention. Pastors Josh Howerton, Carlos Erazo, and Tim Smith discuss the dangers of the sin of sloth, its link to mental health struggles, and the biblical call to work. They also explore the role of stay-at-home dads and how living mission-driven leads to fulfillment.   Through King David's downfall, they highlight the power of meaningful work and how to break free from stagnation. As we consider how to align our lives with God's design, we also ask: How do we balance leisure and recreation? Can Christians play video games without falling into idleness? This conversation will challenge and encourage you to step into your calling and discover the life God has planned for you.    

Three things to draw from Genesis about marriage:1. To have a happy home, you must be ready to die to self. A good home must be borne out of a dead man. Genesis 2:21. You cannot truly love another selflessly and rightly according to God's standards until you die to self. You must practice forgiveness and forgive even those who do not deserve forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32. You must learn to lose a battle to win a war: pick your battles. It is part of oneness that you let go of your privileges.2. Purpose: God gave Adam a job before he gave him a spouse which points to the fact that one of the ways to have a happy home is to get an office. Genesis 2:15. God did not design us to be idle, if you are, you are straining from God's natural order because Idleness is dangerous. Build support systems for each other apart from each other. Find wise older women to befriend and find wise older men for your husband to befriend.3. Man is the head of the home: psychologically, when a woman is with the right man, she'll let him lead. Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18-22. Don't marry a man whose leadership you do not trust.4. There is a level of sacrifice and empathy required to make marriage work.When you notice that you're falling out of love, you need to learn that love is a command. Acting like a man “in love” he became in love. Look at your woman and “call her” what you want her to be. Call your partner what God has called them. Change your perspective. Be a doer and not just a hearer.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Mere Christians in the BibleDevotional: 4 of 5In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)We're in a series exploring wisdom for our work from some “Mere Christians of the Bible”—believers who did not work as pastors or donor-supported missionaries, but as shepherds, winemakers, and more. That would have described most of the believers at the Church of Thessalonica, whom Paul rebuked for idleness in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 2 Thessalonians 3.Why were these mere Christians idle? The Theology of Work Project suggests they fell for “a common, but false” idea that “Christ's coming into the world has radically diminished the value of everyday labor,” and that some believers were “using some aspect of Christ's teaching—whether it was his second coming, or his commission to evangelize the world—to justify their idleness.”But Paul rejected this outright. As he made clear in nearly all his epistles, mere Christians keep watch for Christ's return not by sitting on our hands but by working with them.If you're reading The Word Before Work, you likely don't need to be told to work hard. But even the hardest working can slowly slide into subtle slothfulness. How can you and I avoid this? Here are three ideas.#1: “Tape the audience.” The rapper Biggie Smalls once gave some surprising direction to his videographer. Instead of filming him, Biggie said, “Every time a song drops, tape the audience. I wanna see their reaction.” Because Biggie was committed to working hard in service of his customers. Avoid idleness by metaphorically “taping the audience” of your work by regularly asking your boss or customers for critical feedback, shadowing end users to see where your product creates friction, or tracking the customer engagement metric you've been avoiding for fear of what it might say.#2: Audit where you're busy but not productive. Review tasks you completed 30-60 days ago and ask, “Did this move the needle?” With some distance, you'll spot where you're frantic with activity that's leading to nowhere.#3: Make a grand gesture to break bad habits that tempt you to idleness. Last year, I struggled with apps that tempted me toward subtle slothfulness. After setting and failing to keep “screen time limits,” I made a grand gesture and spent $50 on this device that solved my problem overnight.Whatever works for you works. But do whatever you must to avoid the slow slide to subtle slothfulness. Strive, as Paul did, to “strenuously contend with all the energy” you have—for the glory of God and the good of others (Colossians 1:29).

This Tuesday, we discuss what the Bible says about idleness. What's idleness, you ask? Well, I hope you will join me!

Alpha Hour Exhortation

▶ Splash Page: https://i.mtr.bio/biblebashed ▶ Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/BibleBashed ▶ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMxYyDEvMCq5MzDN36shY3g ▶ Main Episode's playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtY_5efowCOk74PtUhCCkvuHlif5K09v9 ▶ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BibleBashed ▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BibleBashed ▶ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BibleBashed In this conversation, Pastor Tim discusses the importance of understanding salvation through Christ, the dangers of idleness, and the sin of enabling others to remain idle. Drawing from 2 Thessalonians, Pastor Tim emphasizes the need for church discipline and the significance of work in maintaining dignity and purpose in life. The conversation highlights the balance between charity and accountability, urging listeners to reflect on their actions and the impact they have on others' spiritual and practical lives. This conversation explores the dynamics of enabling behavior in various relationships, the consequences of idleness, and the biblical perspective on work and responsibility. It emphasizes the importance of not enabling others to avoid their responsibilities, the severe consequences of idleness, and the necessity of work for dignity and fulfillment. The discussion also highlights the biblical story of the Prodigal Son as a cautionary tale about enabling and the importance of allowing natural consequences to lead to repentance. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Warning 00:27 The Foundation of Salvation 01:29 Reading and Understanding Scripture 03:28 The Temptation to Enable Sin 05:25 The Context of 2 Thessalonians 09:44 The Apostolic Command Against Idleness 13:08 The Importance of Church Discipline 18:51 The Nature of Work and Dignity 21:45 The Command to Not Enable Idleness 28:02 Enabling Dynamics in Relationships 32:45 Consequences of Idleness 39:49 The Importance of Work 45:45 The Prodigal Son: A Lesson in Enabling 51:47 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement Takeaways Salvation is solely found in Christ. Humanity is under the wrath of God due to sin. Idleness is a serious sin that requires church discipline. The early church faced temptations of idleness due to expectations of Christ's return. Work is central to human dignity and purpose. Enabling others can be a form of sin, even when done with good intentions. Charity can sometimes facilitate sin rather than help. The apostles set an example of hard work for believers to follow. Church discipline is often neglected in modern congregations. Christ's work is the foundation of our salvation, not our own efforts. Parents enabling children is a significant problem. Children often provide total financial provision for parents. Wives can enable husbands to reject their responsibilities. Not all needs are legitimate; some are manipulative. Enabling idleness leads to severe consequences. Taking away someone's work removes their dignity. Pain can be a good teacher for personal growth. If you love people, you won't subsidize their sin. Natural consequences are necessary for repentance. The Prodigal Son illustrates the dangers of enabling behavior. Christianity, Salvation, Idleness, Enabling, Church Discipline, Work, 2 Thessalonians, Apostolic Teaching, Sin, Dignity, enabling, idleness, work, relationships, consequences, biblical teaching, responsibility, encouragement, Prodigal Son, charity --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/biblebashed/support

In this History of Prints (HoP) episode, Tru and I finish talking about the life and work of William Hogarth, the father of Western sequential art.  We look at and pick apart three series: Industry and Idleness, The Four Stages of Cruelty, and Humours of an Election. Timely, no? Hogarth continues to point out society's faults and baser instincts. He never stopped trying to teach the masses about comportment and judgment. Episode image: William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Gin Lane, 1751. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 15 1/16 x 12 1/2 in. (38.3 x 31.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Useful Links Harlot's Progress video from Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. https://youtu.be/VPQze0EbpdQ Harlot's Progress video from Reading the Past. https://youtu.be/u1rtBD0qvPY?si=DkVatOJ5-vEyrIqF Beer Street and Gin Lane from Reading the Past. https://youtu.be/A3-Je-lSKrE?si=C9igJSDSvYVyRabY After Allan Ramsay (British, 1713–1784). Portrait of William Hunter, 1760. Engraving. Wellcome Collection. Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin (French, 1699–1779). Saying Grace, c. 1740. Oil on canvas. 49.5 x 38.5 cm. (19 ½ x 15 ¼ in.). Musée du Louvre. Paris. Jean-Baptiste Greuze (French, 1725–1805). The Village Bride, 1761. Oil on canvas. 92 x 117 cm. (36 x 46 in.). Musée du Louvre. Paris. Inigo Jones (British, 1573–1652). Banqueting House, 1622. London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The South Sea Scheme, 1722. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 ¼ x 12 15/16 in. (26.1 x 32.8 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). A Harlot's Progress, 1732 or before. Series of 6 etchings with engraving. Sheet (each): 12 5/16 x 15 1/8 in. (31.3 x 38.4 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). A Rake's Progress, 1735. Series of 8 paintings. Sir John Soane's Museum, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). A Rake's Progress, 1735. Series of 8 etchings with engraving. Sheet (each): 13 7/8 x 15 7/8 in. (35.2 x 40.4 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Marriage A-la-Mode, c. 1743. Series of 6 paintings. Each: 66.9 x 90.8 cm. The National Gallery, London. After William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Marriage A-la-Mode, 1745. Series of 6 etchings with engraving. Plate (each): 15 1/4 x 18 1/2 in. (38.7 x 47 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Mr. Garrick in the Character of Richard III, 1746. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 16 3/8 x 20 1/2 in. (41.6 x 52 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Analysis of Beauty, written with a view to fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste. London: J. Reeves, 1743. S curves from The Analysis of Beauty, written with a view to fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste. London: J. Reeves, 1743. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Plate I from The Analysis of Beauty, written with a view to fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste. London: J. Reeves, 1743. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Plate II from The Analysis of Beauty, written with a view to fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste. London: J. Reeves, 1743. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Fellow ‘Prentices at their Looms, plate 1 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Plate: 10 3/8 x 13 7/16 in. (26.4 x 34.2 cm.); sheet: 10 5/8 x 14 in. (27 x 35.5 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Industrious ‘Prentice Performing the Duty of a Christian, plate 2 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 3/8 x 13 3/4 in. (26.4 x 34.9 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Idle ‘Prentices at Play in the Churchyard, plate 3 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 1/4 x 13 9/16 in. (26 x 34.5 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Industrious ‘Prentice a Favourite and Entrusted by his Master, plate 4 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Plate: 10 3/8 x 13 1/2 in. (26.3 x 34.3 cm.); sheet: 10 11/16 x 13 7/8 in. (27.1 x 35.2 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Idle ‘Prentice Turned Away and Sent to Sea, plate 5 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 3/8 x 13 11/16 in. (26.4 x 34.8 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Industrious ‘Prentice Out of his Time and Married to his Master's Daughter, plate 6 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Plate: 10 3/8 x 13 9/16 in. (26.4 x 34.4 cm.); sheet: 10 9/16 x 13 7/8 in. (26.8 x 35.2 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Idle ‘Prentice Returned from Sea and in a Garret with a Common Prostitute, plate 7 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 5/16 x 13 5/8 in. (26.2 x 34.6 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Industrious ‘Prentice Grown Rich and Sheriff of London, plate 8 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Plate: 10 1/4 x 13 1/2 in. (26 x 34.3 cm.); sheet: 10 3/8 x 13 3/4 in. (26.3 x 35 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Idle ‘Prentice Betrayed by his Whore and Taken in a Night Cellar with his Accomplices, plate 9 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Plate: 10 5/16 x 13 9/16 in. (26.2 x 34.4 cm.); sheet: 10 9/16 x 13 3/4 in. (26.9 x 35 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Industrious ‘Prentice Alderman of London, The Idle One Brought Before Him and Impeached by his Accomplices, plate 10 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 3/16 x 13 11/16 in. (25.8 x 34.8 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Idle ‘Prentice Executed at Tyburn, plate 11 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 3/8 x 15 3/4 in. (26.4 x 40 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Industrious ‘Prentice Lord Mayor of London, plate 12 from the series Industry and Idleness, 1747. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 10 9/16 x 15 13/16 in. (26.9 x 40.2 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Gin Lane, 1751. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 15 1/16 x 12 1/2 in. (38.3 x 31.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Beer Street, 1751. Engraving. Sheet: 15 1/8 x 12 11/16 in. (38.4 x 32.2 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The First Stage of Cruelty, 1751. Etching and engraving. Sheet: 14 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. (37.5 x 31.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Second Stage of Cruelty, 1751. Etching and engraving. Plate: 15 1/4 x 12 9/16 in. (38.8 x 31.9 cm.); sheet: 16 1/16 x 13 1/4 in. (40.8 x 33.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Cruelty in Perfection, 1751. Etching and engraving. Plate: 15 1/4 x 12 11/16 in. (38.8 x 32.2 cm.); sheet: 15 13/16 x 13 3/16 in. (40.2 x 33.5 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Reward of Cruelty, 1751. Etching and engraving. Plate: 15 1/4 x 12 5/8 in. (38.8 x 32 cm.); sheet: 15 3/4 x 13 1/16 in. (40 x 33.2 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election I: An Election Entertainment, 1754–55. Oil on canvas. 101 x 128 cm. Sir John Soane's Museum, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election II: Canvassing for Votes, 1754–55. Oil on canvas. 102.3 x 131.4 cm. Sir John Soane's Museum, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election III: The Polling, 1754–55. Oil on canvas. 102.2 x 131.1 cm. Sir John Soane's Museum, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election IV: Chairing the Member, 1754–55. Oil on canvas. 103 x 131.8 cm. Sir John Soane's Museum, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election I: An Election Entertainment, 1755. Engraving. 40.5 x 54 cm. Royal Academy of Arts, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election II: Canvassing for Votes, 1755. Engraving. 40.5 x 54 cm. Royal Academy of Arts, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election III: The Polling, 1755. Engraving. 40.5 x 54 cm. Royal Academy of Arts, London. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). The Humours of an Election IV: Chairing the Member, 1755. Engraving. 40.5 x 54 cm. Royal Academy of Arts, London. George Caleb Bingham (American, 1811–1879). The Verdict of the People, 1854–55. Oil on canvas. 46 x 55 in. (116.8 x 139.7 cm.). Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis. George Caleb Bingham (American, 1811–1879). Stump Speaking, 1853–54. Oil on canvas. 42 1/2 x 58 in. (108 x 147.3 cm.). Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis. George Caleb Bingham (American, 1811–1879). The County Election, 1852. Oil on canvas. 38 x 52 in. (96.5 x 132.1 cm.). Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis. William Hogarth (British, 1697–1764). Tailpiece, or the Bathos, 1764. Engraving. 261 x 323 mm. Royal Academy of Arts, London.

Inspired by a friend, we discuss the question of what we wanted to accomplish in college (a question we never asked ourselves at the time). We also explore some helpful advice for the Metropolitan Museum—which the Met is definitely not interested in receiving. Plus why face-to-face meetings still hold special value in the age of screens. Resources and links related to this episode: Super-Fans  Bookplates  Essays in Idleness by Kenkō (Amazon, Bookshop) Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app.  Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the latest episode of Whisper run the Wings from Stage Whisper, we were joined by the book writer/lyricist Jay Baer to talk about his new show, Love in Idleness. This was such a fun show to learn more about, and we look forward to sharking this with you. So make sure you tune in and turn out for this wonderful show!Love in Idleness November 21st- November 24th@ The Actors TempleTickets and more information are available at telecharge.com And be sure to follow Jay to stay up to date on all their upcoming projects and productions: telecharge.com

Dr. Dennis Wuerthner's Poems and Stories for Overcoming Idleness: P'ahan chip by Yi Illo (U Hawaii Press, 2024) is the first complete English translation of one of the oldest extant Korean source materials. The scholar, Yi Illo (1152–1220), filled this collection with poetry by himself and diverse writers, ranging from Chinese master poets and Koryŏ-era kings, to long-forgotten lower-level officials and rural scholars. The verse compositions are embedded in short narratives by Yi that provide context for the poems, a combination called sihwa. The book contains a comprehensive introduction that explores the lives of Yi Illo and his contemporaries, and the political landscape at the time this collection came into being. The translation itself is richly annotated to provide context to the allusions and to explore possible meanings. The publication is an excellent resource for readers interested in the political and social environment of the Koryŏ Dynasty (918–1392) and for anyone with a love for poetry and prose. Dr. Dennis Wuerthner is assistant professor of East Asian literature in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, at Boston University. He holds a PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum and his main field of research is Korean literature, history and culture in a broader East Asian context. Leslie Hickman is a translator and writer. She has an MA in Korean Studies from Yonsei University and lives in Seoul, South Korea. You can follow her activities at https://twitter.com/AJuseyo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Dr. Dennis Wuerthner's Poems and Stories for Overcoming Idleness: P'ahan chip by Yi Illo (U Hawaii Press, 2024) is the first complete English translation of one of the oldest extant Korean source materials. The scholar, Yi Illo (1152–1220), filled this collection with poetry by himself and diverse writers, ranging from Chinese master poets and Koryŏ-era kings, to long-forgotten lower-level officials and rural scholars. The verse compositions are embedded in short narratives by Yi that provide context for the poems, a combination called sihwa. The book contains a comprehensive introduction that explores the lives of Yi Illo and his contemporaries, and the political landscape at the time this collection came into being. The translation itself is richly annotated to provide context to the allusions and to explore possible meanings. The publication is an excellent resource for readers interested in the political and social environment of the Koryŏ Dynasty (918–1392) and for anyone with a love for poetry and prose. Dr. Dennis Wuerthner is assistant professor of East Asian literature in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, at Boston University. He holds a PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum and his main field of research is Korean literature, history and culture in a broader East Asian context. Leslie Hickman is a translator and writer. She has an MA in Korean Studies from Yonsei University and lives in Seoul, South Korea. You can follow her activities at https://twitter.com/AJuseyo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Dr. Dennis Wuerthner's Poems and Stories for Overcoming Idleness: P'ahan chip by Yi Illo (U Hawaii Press, 2024) is the first complete English translation of one of the oldest extant Korean source materials. The scholar, Yi Illo (1152–1220), filled this collection with poetry by himself and diverse writers, ranging from Chinese master poets and Koryŏ-era kings, to long-forgotten lower-level officials and rural scholars. The verse compositions are embedded in short narratives by Yi that provide context for the poems, a combination called sihwa. The book contains a comprehensive introduction that explores the lives of Yi Illo and his contemporaries, and the political landscape at the time this collection came into being. The translation itself is richly annotated to provide context to the allusions and to explore possible meanings. The publication is an excellent resource for readers interested in the political and social environment of the Koryŏ Dynasty (918–1392) and for anyone with a love for poetry and prose. Dr. Dennis Wuerthner is assistant professor of East Asian literature in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, at Boston University. He holds a PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum and his main field of research is Korean literature, history and culture in a broader East Asian context. Leslie Hickman is a translator and writer. She has an MA in Korean Studies from Yonsei University and lives in Seoul, South Korea. You can follow her activities at https://twitter.com/AJuseyo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Dr. Dennis Wuerthner's Poems and Stories for Overcoming Idleness: P'ahan chip by Yi Illo (U Hawaii Press, 2024) is the first complete English translation of one of the oldest extant Korean source materials. The scholar, Yi Illo (1152–1220), filled this collection with poetry by himself and diverse writers, ranging from Chinese master poets and Koryŏ-era kings, to long-forgotten lower-level officials and rural scholars. The verse compositions are embedded in short narratives by Yi that provide context for the poems, a combination called sihwa. The book contains a comprehensive introduction that explores the lives of Yi Illo and his contemporaries, and the political landscape at the time this collection came into being. The translation itself is richly annotated to provide context to the allusions and to explore possible meanings. The publication is an excellent resource for readers interested in the political and social environment of the Koryŏ Dynasty (918–1392) and for anyone with a love for poetry and prose. Dr. Dennis Wuerthner is assistant professor of East Asian literature in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, at Boston University. He holds a PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum and his main field of research is Korean literature, history and culture in a broader East Asian context. Leslie Hickman is a translator and writer. She has an MA in Korean Studies from Yonsei University and lives in Seoul, South Korea. You can follow her activities at https://twitter.com/AJuseyo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/poetry

Dr. Dennis Wuerthner's Poems and Stories for Overcoming Idleness: P'ahan chip by Yi Illo (U Hawaii Press, 2024) is the first complete English translation of one of the oldest extant Korean source materials. The scholar, Yi Illo (1152–1220), filled this collection with poetry by himself and diverse writers, ranging from Chinese master poets and Koryŏ-era kings, to long-forgotten lower-level officials and rural scholars. The verse compositions are embedded in short narratives by Yi that provide context for the poems, a combination called sihwa. The book contains a comprehensive introduction that explores the lives of Yi Illo and his contemporaries, and the political landscape at the time this collection came into being. The translation itself is richly annotated to provide context to the allusions and to explore possible meanings. The publication is an excellent resource for readers interested in the political and social environment of the Koryŏ Dynasty (918–1392) and for anyone with a love for poetry and prose. Dr. Dennis Wuerthner is assistant professor of East Asian literature in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, at Boston University. He holds a PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum and his main field of research is Korean literature, history and culture in a broader East Asian context. Leslie Hickman is a translator and writer. She has an MA in Korean Studies from Yonsei University and lives in Seoul, South Korea. You can follow her activities at https://twitter.com/AJuseyo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/korean-studies

Dr. Dennis Wuerthner's Poems and Stories for Overcoming Idleness: P'ahan chip by Yi Illo (U Hawaii Press, 2024) is the first complete English translation of one of the oldest extant Korean source materials. The scholar, Yi Illo (1152–1220), filled this collection with poetry by himself and diverse writers, ranging from Chinese master poets and Koryŏ-era kings, to long-forgotten lower-level officials and rural scholars. The verse compositions are embedded in short narratives by Yi that provide context for the poems, a combination called sihwa. The book contains a comprehensive introduction that explores the lives of Yi Illo and his contemporaries, and the political landscape at the time this collection came into being. The translation itself is richly annotated to provide context to the allusions and to explore possible meanings. The publication is an excellent resource for readers interested in the political and social environment of the Koryŏ Dynasty (918–1392) and for anyone with a love for poetry and prose. Dr. Dennis Wuerthner is assistant professor of East Asian literature in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, at Boston University. He holds a PhD from Ruhr University in Bochum and his main field of research is Korean literature, history and culture in a broader East Asian context. Leslie Hickman is a translator and writer. She has an MA in Korean Studies from Yonsei University and lives in Seoul, South Korea. You can follow her activities at https://twitter.com/AJuseyo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saint Athanasius ChurchContra Mundum SwaggerVideo Version

Finding Hope: Work #RTTBROS #nightlight The Divine Design of Work "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." - Genesis 2:15 (KJV) In a world that often views work as a necessary evil, God's perspective offers a refreshing and transformative truth: work is a divine design, instituted even before the fall of man. Let's explore how embracing God's view of work can lead to fulfillment, purpose, and even protection against spiritual and emotional pitfalls. Reflection The concept of work is introduced in Scripture not as a punishment, but as a blessing. Before sin entered the world, God gave Adam the task of tending the Garden of Eden. This reveals a profound truth: work is part of God's perfect plan for humanity. In Colossians 3:23-24 (KJV), we're instructed: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." This passage elevates our daily tasks from mere chores to acts of worship and service to God. The Italian proverb mentioned in our text - "a busy man is tempted by one devil but a lazy man is tempted by a thousand devils" - echoes the biblical wisdom found in Proverbs 18:9 (KJV): "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." Idleness indeed opens the door to numerous temptations and negative thoughts. Moreover, engaging in purposeful work can be a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety. As we focus on accomplishing tasks and serving others through our work, we often find our minds lifted from self-focused worries to outward-focused productivity. However, it's crucial to maintain a balance. While diligence is commendable, we must guard against making work an idol or using busyness as an escape. Our ultimate identity and worth come from being children of God, not from our accomplishments. Application 1. Reframe Your Perspective: Begin each workday by acknowledging your work as an opportunity to serve God and others. 2. Set Achievable Goals: Create a to-do list and experience the satisfaction of crossing items off as you complete them. 3. Practice Excellence: Whatever your task, do it to the best of your ability as an act of worship to God. 4. Maintain Balance: Ensure you're not neglecting rest, relationships, or spiritual disciplines in pursuit of productivity. 5. Serve Others: Look for ways your work can benefit others, reflecting God's love through your efforts. Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of work. Help us to see our daily tasks through Your eyes, recognizing them as opportunities to serve You and others. Give us diligence to complete the work You've set before us, and wisdom to maintain a healthy balance in our lives. Guard us against the temptations of both laziness and workaholism. May our work be a testimony to Your grace and a source of joy and fulfillment. In moments of discouragement or anxiety, remind us of the purpose and value You've instilled in our labor. In Jesus' name, Amen. Dig Deeper 1. Read Ecclesiastes 3:13. How does this verse change your perspective on work and its role in your life? 2. Reflect on 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12. What does this passage teach about the importance of work in the Christian life? 3. Consider Proverbs 6:6-11. What lessons can we learn from the ant's approach to work? 4. Think of a time when engaging in meaningful work lifted your spirits or calmed your anxieties. What made that experience significant? 5. How can you better integrate your faith with your daily work, whether in a professional setting, at home, or in volunteer service?

This episode is part 3 of a study of the letter to the Thessalonians. Before Paul wraps up this letter, he talks to the church about idleness and requests their continued prayers. https://thebiblestudypodcast.com/2-thessalonians-3-idleness/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Special Rules for [Young] Men 1. Resolve at once to break off every known sin, however small Examine your heart and see if you have any habit or custom which you know is wrong in the sight of God; if yes, don't delay in attacking it. Resolve at once to lay it aside. Nothing darkens the eyes of the mind so much, and deadens the conscience so surely, as an allowed sin. You can be sure that no wicked man ever meant to be so wicked at his first beginnings. But he began with allowing himself some little sins. Resist sin in its beginnings. They may look small and insignificant; but resist them, make no compromise; let no sin lodge quietly and undisturbed in your heart. Progress of sin in a man: “First it startles him, then it becomes pleasing, then easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then a way of life. Then the man feels no guilt, then obstinate, then resolves never to repent, and thenhe is damned.2. Resolve to shun everything which may prove an occasion of sin It is an excellent saying, “He that would be safe from the acts of evil, must widely avoid the occasions.” It is not enough that we determine not to commit sin, we must carefully keep at a distance from all approaches to it. We must not be content with saying, “There is nothing wrong here;” we must go further and say, “Is there anything here which may cause me to sin.” Or even, “Is there enough that is right here?” Idleness is to be avoided. It is not that doing nothing is of itself so wicked; it is the opportunity it affords to evil and empty thoughts; it is the wide door it opens for Satan to throw in the seeds of bad things; it is this which is mainly tobe feared.3. Be diligent in the practice of your Christianity Be regular in going to church, whenever it is open for prayer and preaching, and it is your power to attend.  Men should regularly hear the preaching of Christ's gospel. I cannot tell you how important this is. By God's blessing, the ministry of the gospel might be the means of conversion and of making you a child of God in action and in truth. Be regular in keeping the Lord's Day holy, and determine that God's day out of the seven shall always be given to its rightful owner. Let nothing ever tempt you to become a Christian who does not make every effort to attend church on Sunday and make the day special to the Lord. Make up your mind to give all your Sundays to God. A spirit of disregard for thisday is growing up among us with fearful rapidity. Be jealous on this point; take up a decided line and resolve not to miss church on Sunday and the fellowship of God's people. Isaiah 58:13-144. Resolve that wherever you are, you will pray Prayer is the life-breath of a man's soul and is the appointed way to obtain the relief of our spiritual necessities. Itopens the treasury and sets the fountain flowing. Prayer is the way to procure the outpouring of the Spirit upon our hearts. He is ready to come down with all Hisprecious gifts – renewing, sanctifying, purifying, strengthening, cheering, encouraging, enlightening, teaching,directing, guiding into all truth.For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 8:00am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on 94.1 The Voice in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, USA. If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them. There is only one rule: Be Kind! Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.comPodcast website: https://941thevoice.com/podcasts/gospel-for-life/

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know.What can we learn from indigenous knowledge systems about how to navigate and transform our world?My guest, Dr Richard Hodge, points out several aspects of Aboriginal culture that can help us act effectively and with heart and wisdom in a world full of problems.To guide us in a complex world, we need touchstones of value.For many indigenous peoples, that's the function of totems and totemic beings: kangaroo, echidna, wallaby, and so on.Counterintuitively, seeing the world through a totemic perspective offers greater clarity than how we often view it, through the lens of our limited egoic state, entangled with fight-or-flight fancies that superimpose themselves over reality.Our perception colors our interpretation of the world.The Western mindset sees the world as a number of separate objects, ourselves among them. Which means our prime directive is always control and domination of the "other" — whether it be nature, or the weather, or animals, or other people.Shifting to an indigenous way of seeing creates connection and opportunities for collaboration and synergies on a systems-level.And that's the level at which transformational change at scale becomes possible.With that foundation, Dr Hodge shares his Dragonfly Model of systemic, deep change.If you can, watch rather than just listen, because there are diagrams and models that can help you follow the concepts and the conversation.Enjoy our yarning, and please let us know what you think.LinksDrRichardHodge.comThomas Berry, "The Meadow Across the Creek"Stephanie Kelton, economistMariana Mazzucato, economistBertrand Russell, "In Praise of Idleness"Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo.Support the Show.

Intentionality, Inspiration, Implementation, Information Overload, Innovation, Impact, Iteration, Integration, Improvements, Invest time (in dreaming, developing, testing & refining your systems); Idleness, “I", Inference, Ideas/Ideation, Illustration, Isolation, Interest, Interconnectedness/Interdependence, Ice (cool), Inbox, Inbox Zero, Infinite Task, Index... Continue reading →

Host: Mark Snider Guest: Alexander Ramsey McCaig   Key Topics Discussed:   Technology and Open Source Development Benefits of open source collaboration vs. competitive development McCaig's tech company focused on securing and monetizing consumer data Biblical Interpretation and Extraterrestrial Influence Analysis of fiery mountain passage in the Book of Hebrews Possible extraterrestrial or "Giza intelligence" influence on biblical writings Power of Thoughts and Consciousness Quote: "That which the human being thinks, he makes real. And that which the human being thinks about himself, he becomes." Seed analogy for how thoughts shape reality and personal development Dangers of Idleness and Retirement Reading from Billy Meier on idleness leading to "decrepitude" McCaig's argument against retirement and leisurely lifestyle Importance of Continuous Work and Growth Discussion of the saying "No man steps in the same river twice" Finding joy and learning in all types of work   Additional Notes: Brief mention of UFOs, contactees, and exopolitics Conversation covers metaphysical, philosophical, and speculative topics Focus on consciousness, human potential, and extraterrestrial influence McCaig presents unconventional views on traditional religious and societal views   Overall:   This episode delves into fascinating discussions about the power of consciousness, the potential for open source collaboration to advance technology, and the importance of continuous learning and growth. McCaig challenges conventional thinking and encourages listeners to consider alternative perspectives on human history, development, and spirituality.   Call to Action:   Share your thoughts on the topics discussed in this episode! Do you agree with McCaig's unconventional views? How do you feel about open source development and the power of thoughts? Join the conversation and let us know what you think.

Certainly! Here is a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in the transcript, with sub-topic bullets below each primary topic:1. **Introduction to the Episode** - Welcoming listeners to "The Traveling Introvert" - Introducing today's topic: "Restorative Idleness"2. **Definition of Restorative Idleness** - Explanation of what restorative idleness is - Importance of being still to recharge and rejuvenate - Difference between idleness and laziness3. **Restorative Idleness vs. Laziness** - Laziness as unintentional and linked to procrastination - Restorative idleness as a deliberate choice to rest and reset - Importance of giving oneself permission to rest4. **Benefits of Restorative Idleness** - Increased productivity, creativity, and well-being - Science behind idleness: reducing stress and anxiety levels - Importance of daydreaming for mental processing and resetting5. **Restorative Idleness and Creativity** - Downtime essential for creativity - Allowing the mind to wander to make new connections and ideas6. **Preventing Burnout and Maintaining Emotional Balance** - Importance of rest after social interactions or busy environments - Effect of overstimulation and the need for quiet time to regroup7. **Integrating Restorative Idleness into Daily Routine** - Recommendations for starting with small periods of idleness - Examples of activities that facilitate restorative idleness: - Quiet time without meditating - Sitting in a park - Staring out the window - Scheduling downtime and treating it as important as any task

For years now, even as headlines about the development of AI have become more frequent and more dire, I really never worried about it much, because I couldn't think of anything in scripture that sounded a great deal like a superintelligent machine. I'd read the end of the book (Revelation), I knew how it ended, and it wasn't in a robot apocalypse... so all the fears surrounding that possibility must therefore be much ado about nothing. (I did write a fictional trilogy for young adults back in 2017 about how I imagined a near-miss robot apocalypse might look, though, because I found the topic fascinating enough to research at the time. It's called the "Uncanny Valley" trilogy, where the "uncanny valley" refers to the "creepy" factor, as a synthetic humanoid creature approaches human likeness.) When I finished the trilogy, I more or less forgot about advancing AI, until some of the later iterations of Chat GPT and similar Large Language Models (LLMs). Full disclosure: I've never used any LLMs myself, mostly because (last I checked) you had to create an account with your email address before you started asking it questions. (In the third book of my series, the superintelligent bot Jaguar kept track of everyone via facial recognition cameras, recording literally everything they did in enormous data processing centers across the globe that synced with one another many times per day. Though at that point I doubt it would make any difference, I'd rather not voluntarily give Jaguar's real-life analog any data on me if I can help it!) Particularly the recent release of Chat GPT Omni (which apparently stands for "omniscient" --!!) gave me pause, though, and I had to stop and ask myself why the idea that it could be approaching actual Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I recently read a book called "Deep Medicine" by Eric Topol on the integration of AI into the medical field, which helped allay some potential concerns--that book contended that AGI would likely never be realized, largely because AGI inherently requires experience in the real world, and a robot can never have lived experiences in the way that humans can. It painted a mostly rosy picture of narrow (specialized) AI engaging in pattern recognition (reading radiology images or recognizing pathology samples or dermatological lesions, for instance), and thus vastly improving diagnostic capabilities of physicians. Other uses might include parsing a given individual's years of medical records and offering a synopsis and recommendations, or consolidating PubMed studies, and offering relevant suggestions. Topol did not seem to think that the AI would ever replace the doctor, though. Rather, the author contended, at the rate that data is currently exploding, doctors are drowning in the attempt to document and to keep up with it all, and empathic patient care suffers as a result. AI, he argues, will actually give the doctor time to spend with the patient again, to make judgment calls with a summary of all the data at his fingertips, and to put it together in an integrated whole with his uniquely human common sense. Synthetic Empathy and Emotions? But, "Deep Medicine" was written in 2019, which (in the world of AI) is already potentially obsolete. I'm told that Chat GPT Omni is better than most humans at anything involving either logic or creativity, and it does a terrific approximation of empathy, too. Even "Deep Medicine" cited statistics to suggest that most humans would prefer a machine for a therapist than a person (!!), largely due to the fear that the human might judge them for some of their most secret or shameful thoughts or feelings. And if the machine makes you feel like it understands you, does it really matter whether its empathy is "real" or not? What does "real" empathy mean, anyway? In "Uncanny Valley," my main character, as a teenager, inherited a "companion bot" who was programmed with mirror neurons (the seat of empathy in the human brain.) In the wake of her father's death, she came to regard her companion bot as her best friend. It was only as she got older that she started to ask questions like whether its 'love' for her was genuine, if it was programmed. This is essentially the theological argument for free will, too. Could God have made a world without sin? Sure, but in order to do it, we'd all have to be automatons--programmed to do His will, programmed to love Him and to love one another. Would there be any value in the love of a creature who could not do anything else? (The Calvinists might say that's the way the world actually is, for those who are predestined, but everyone else would vehemently disagree.) It certainly seems that God thought it was worth all the misery He endured since creation, for the chance that some of us might freely choose Him. I daresay that same logic is self-evident to all of us. Freedom is an inherent good--possibly the highest good. So, back to AI: real empathy requires not just real emotion, but memories of one's own real emotions, so that we can truly imagine that we are in another person's shoes. How can a robot, without its own lived memories, experience real empathy? Can it even experience real emotion? It might have goals or motives that can be programmed, but emotion at minimum requires biochemistry and a nervous system, at least in the way we understand it. We know from psychology research on brain lesions as well as from psychiatric and recreational medications and experiences with those suffering from neurodegenerative conditions that mood, affect, and personality can drastically change from physiologic tampering, as well. Does it follow that emotions are 'mere' biochemistry, though? This is at least part of the age-old question of materialism versus vitalism, or (to put it another way), reductionism versus holism. Modern medicine is inherently materialistic, believing that the entirety of a living entity can be explained by its physical makeup, and reductionistic, believing that one can reduce the 'whole' of the living system to a sum of its parts. Vitalism, on the other hand, argues that there is something else, something outside the physical body of the creature, that animates it and gives it life. At the moment just before death and just after, all the same biochemical machinery exists... but anyone who has seen the death of a loved one can attest that the body doesn't look the same. It becomes almost like clay. Some key essence is missing. I recently read "The Rainbow and the Worm" by Mae-Wan Ho, which described fascinating experiments on living worms viewed under electron microscopes. The structured water in the living tissue of the worm exhibited coherence, refracting visible light in a beautiful rainbow pattern. At the moment of death, though, the coherence vanished, and the rainbow was gone--even though all of the same physical components remained. The change is immaterial; the shift between death and life is inherently energetic. There was an animus, a vital force--qi, as Chinese Medicine would call it, or prana, as Ayurvedic medicine would describe it, or (as we're now discovering in alternative Western medicine), voltage carried through this structured water via our collagen. That hydrated collagen appears to function in our bodies very much like a semiconductor, animating our tissues with electrons, the literal energy of life. At the moment of death, it's there, and then it's not--like someone pulled the plug. What's left is only the shell of the machine, the hardware. But where is that plug, such that it can be connected and then, abruptly, not? The materialist, who believes that everything should be explainable on the physical level, can have no answer. The Bible tells us, though, that we are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess 5:23)--which inherently makes a distinction between body and soul (implying that the soul is not a mere product of the chemistry of the body). The spirit is what was dead without Jesus, and what gets born again when we are saved, and it's perfect, identical with Jesus' spirit (2 Cor. 5:17, Eph 4:24). It's God's "seal" on us, vacuum-packed as it were, so that no sin can contaminate it. It's the down-payment, a promise that complete and total restoration is coming (Eph 1:13-14). But there's no physical outlet connecting the spirit and the body; the connection between them is the soul. With our souls, we can see what's ours in the Spirit through scripture, and scripture can train our souls to conform more and more to the spirit (Romans 12:2, Phil 2:12-13). No one would ever argue that a machine would have a spirit, obviously, but the materialists wouldn't believe there is such a thing, anyway. What about the soul, though? What is a soul, anyway? Can it be explained entirely through materialistic means?Before God made Adam, He explicitly stated that He intended to make man after His own image (Gen 1:26-27). God is spirit (John 4:24), though, so the resemblance can't be physical, per se, at least not exclusively or even primarily. After forming his body, God breathed into him the breath of life (Genesis 2:7)--the same thing Jesus did to the disciples after His resurrection when he said "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). So it must therefore be in our spirits that we resemble God. Adam and Eve died spiritually when they sinned (Genesis 3:3), but something continued to animate their bodies for another 930 years. This is the non-corporeal part of us that gets "unplugged" at physical death. Since it can be neither body nor spirit, it must be the soul. Andrew Wommack defines the soul as the mind, will, and emotions. I can't think of a single scripture that defines the soul this way; I think it's just an extrapolation, based on what's otherwise unaccounted for. But in our mind, will, and emotions, even before redemption, mankind continued to reflect God's image, in that he continued to possess the ability to reason, to choose, to create, to love, and to discern right from wrong. The materialists would argue that emotion, like everything else, must have its root purely in the physical realm. Yet they do acknowledge that because there are so many possible emotional states, and relatively few physiologic expressions of them, many emotions necessarily share a physiologic expression. It's up to our minds to translate the meaning of a physiologic state, based on the context. In "How Emotions are Made," author Lisa Barrett gave a memorable example of this: once, a colleague to whom she didn't think she was particularly attracted asked her for a date. She went, felt various strange things in her gut that felt a little like “butterflies”, and assumed during the date that perhaps she was attracted to him after all… only to later learn that she was actually in the early stages of gastroenteritis! This example illustrates how the biochemistry and physiologic expressions of emotion are merely the blunt downstream instruments that translate an emotion from the non-corporeal soul into physical perception--and in some cases, as in that one, the emotional perception might originate from the body entirely. This also might be why some people (children especially) can mistake hunger or fatigue for irritability, or why erratic blood sugar in uncontrolled diabetics can manifest as rage, etc. In those cases, the emotional response really does correspond to the materialist's worldview, originating far downstream in the "circuit," as it were. But people who experience these things as adults will say things like, "That's not me." I think they're right--when we think of our true selves, none of us think of our bodies--those are just our "tents" (2 Cor 5:1), to be put off eventually when we die. When we refer to our true selves, we mean our souls: our mind, will, and emotions. It's certainly possible for many of us to feel "hijacked" by our emotions, as if they're in control and not "us," though (Romans 7:15-20). Most of us recognize a certain distinction there, too, between the real "us" and our emotions. The examples of physiologic states influencing emotions are what scripture would call "carnal" responses. If we're "carnal," ruled by our flesh, then physiologic states will have a great deal of influence over our emotions-- a kind of small scale anarchy. The "government" is supposed to be our born-again spirits, governing our souls, which in turn controls our bodies, rather than allowing our flesh to control our souls (Romans 8:1-17) - though this is of course possible if we don't enforce order. With respect to AI, my point is, where does "true" emotion originate? There is a version of it produced downstream, in our flesh, yes. It can either originate from the flesh itself, or it can originate upstream, from the non-corporeal soul, what we think of us "the real us." That's inherently a philosophical and not a scientific argument, though, as science by definition is "the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena." Any question pertaining to something outside the physical world cannot fall under the purview of science. But even for those who do not accept scripture as authority, our own inner experience testifies to the truth of the argument. We all know that we have free will; we all know we can reason, and feel emotions. We can also tell the difference between an emotion that is "us" and an emotion that feels like it originates from outside of "our real selves". As C.S. Lewis said in "Mere Christianity," if there is a world outside of the one we can experimentally observe, the only place in which we could possibly expect to have any evidence of it is in our own internal experience. And there, we find it's true. Without a soul, then, a robot (such as an LLM) would of course exist entirely on the physical plane, unlike us. It therefore might have physical experiences that it might translate as emotion, the same way that we sometimes interpret physical experiences as emotion--but it cannot have true emotions. Empathy, therefore, can likewise be nothing more than programmed pattern recognition: this facial expression or these words or phrases tend to mean that the person is experiencing these feelings, and here is the appropriate way to respond. Many interactions with many different humans over a long period of time will refine the LLM's learning such that its pattern recognition and responses get closer and closer to the mark... but that's not empathy, not really. It's fake. Does that matter, though, if the person "feels" heard and understood? Well, does truth matter? If a man who is locked up in an insane asylum believes himself to be a great king, and believes that all the doctors and nurses around him are really his servants and subjects, would you trade places with him? I suspect that all of us would say no. With at least the protagonists in "The Matrix," we all agree that it's better to be awakened to a desperate truth than to be deceived by a happy lie. The Emotional Uncanny Valley Even aside from that issue, is it likely that mere pattern recognition could simulate empathy well enough to satisfy us--or is it likely that this, too, would fall into the "uncanny valley"? Most of us have had the experience of meeting a person who seems pleasant enough on the surface, and yet something about them just seemed ‘off'. (The Bible calls this discernment, 1 Corinthians 12:10.) When I was in a psychology course in college, the professor flashed images of several clean-cut, smiling men in the powerpoint, out of context, and asked us to raise our hands if we would trust each of them. I don't remember who most of them were - probably red herrings to disguise the point - but one of them was Ted Bundy, the serial killer of the 1970s. I didn't recognize him, but I did feel a prickling sense of unease as I gazed at his smiling face. Something just wasn't right. Granted, a violent psychopath is not quite the same, but isn't the idea of creating a robot possessed of emotional intelligence (in the sense that it can read others well) but without real empathy essentially like creating an artificial sociopath? Isn't the lack of true empathy the very definition? (Knowing this, would we really want jobs like social workers, nurses, or even elementary school teachers to be assumed by robots--no matter how good the empathic pattern recognition became?) An analogy of this is the 1958 Harlow experiment on infant monkeys (https://www.simplypsychology.org/harlow-monkey.html), in which the monkeys were given a choice between two simulated mothers: one made of wire, but that provided milk, and one made of cloth, but without milk. The study showed that the monkeys would only go to the wire mother when hungry; the rest of the day they would spend in the company of the cloth mother. My point is that emotional support matters to all living creatures, far more than objective physical needs (provided those needs are also met). If we just want a logical problem solved, we may well go to the robot. But most of our problems are not just questions of logic; they involve emotions, too. As Leonard Mlodinow, author of "Emotional" writes, emotions are not mere extraneous data that colors an experience, but can otherwise be ignored at will. In many cases, the emotions actually serve to motivate a course of action. Every major decision I've ever made in my life involved not just logic, but also emotion, or in some cases intuition (which I assume is a conscious prompting when the unconscious reasoning is present but unknown to me), or a else leading of the Holy Spirit (which "feels" like intuition, only without the presumed unconscious underpinning. He knows the reason, but I don't, even subconsciously.) Obviously, AI, with synthetic emotion or not, would have no way to advise us on matters of intuition, or especially promptings from the Holy Spirit. Those won't usually *seem* logical, based on the available information, but He has a perspective that we don't have. Neither will a machine, even if it could simultaneously process all known data available on earth. There was a time when Newtonian physicists believed that, with access to that level of data in the present, the entire future would become deterministic, making true omniscience in this world  theoretically possible. Then we discovered quantum physics, and all of that went out the window. Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle eliminates the possibility that any creature or machine, no matter how powerful, can in our own dimension ever truly achieve omniscience. In other words, even a perfectly logical machine with access to all available knowledge will fail to guide us into appropriate decisions much of the time -- precisely because they must lack true emotion, intuition, and especially the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Knowledge vs Wisdom None of us will be able to compete with the level of knowledge an AI can process in a split second. But does that mean the application of that knowledge will always be appropriate? I think there's several levels to this question. The first has to do with the data sets on which AI has been trained. It can only learn from the patterns it's seen, and it will (like a teenager who draws sweeping conclusions based on very limited life experience) assume that it has the whole picture. In this way, AI may be part of the great deception mentioned by both Jesus (Matt 24:24) and the Apostle Paul (2 Thess 2:11) in the last days. How many of us already abdicate our own reasoning to those in positions of authority, blindly following them because we assume they must know more than we do on their subject? How much more will many of us fail to question the edicts of a purportedly "omniscient" machine, which must know more than we do on every subject? That machine may have only superficial knowledge of a subject, based on the data set it's been given, and may thus draw an inappropriate conclusion. (Also, my understanding is that current LLMs continue learning only until they are released into the world; from that point, they can no longer learn anything new, because of the risk that in storing new information, they could accidentally overwrite an older memory.) A human may draw an inappropriate conclusion too, of course, and if that person has enough credentials behind his name, it may be just as deceptive to many. But at least one individual will not command such blind obedience on absolutely every subject. AGI might. So who controls the data from which that machine learns? That's a tremendous responsibility... and, potentially, a tremendous amount of power, to deceive, if possible, "even the elect." For the sake of argument, let's say that the AGI is exposed only to real and complete data, though--not cherry-picked, and not "misinformation." In this scenario, some believe that (if appropriate safeguards are in place, to keep the AGI from deciding to save the planet by killing all the humans, for example, akin to science fiction author Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics), utopia will result. The only way this is possible, though, is if not only does the machine learn on a full, accurate, and complete set of collective human knowledge, but it also has a depth of understanding of how to apply that knowledge, as well. This is the difference between knowledge and wisdom. The dictionary definition of wisdom is "the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting," versus knowledge, defined as "information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance." Wisdom has to do with one's worldview, in other words, or the lens through which he sees and interprets a set of facts. It is inextricably tied to morality. (So, who is programming these LLMs again? Even without AI, since postmodernism and beyond, there's been a crisis among many intellectuals as to whether or not there's such a thing as "truth," even going so far as to question objective physical reality. That's certainly a major potential hazard right there.) Both words of wisdom and discernment are listed as explicit supernatural gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:8, 10). God says that He is the source of wisdom, as well as of knowledge and understanding (Prov 2:6), and that if we lack wisdom, we should ask Him for it (James 1:5). Wisdom is personified in the book of Proverbs as a person, with God at creation (Prov 8:29-30)--which means, unless it's simply a poetic construct, that wisdom and the Holy Spirit must be synonymous (Gen 1:2). Jesus did say that it was the Holy Spirit who would guide us into all truth, as He is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). The Apostle Paul contrasts the wisdom of this world as foolishness compared to the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:18-30)--because if God is truth (John 14:6), then no one can get to true wisdom without Him. That's not to say that no human (or robot) can make a true statement without an understanding of God, of course--but when he does so, he's borrowing from a worldview  not his own. The statement may be true, but almost by accident--on some level, if you go down deep enough to bedrock beliefs, there is an inherent inconsistency between the statement of truth and the person's general worldview, if that worldview does not recognize a Creator. (Jason Lisle explains this well and in great detail in "The Ultimate Proof of Creation.") Can you see the danger of trusting a machine to discern what is right, then, simply because in terms of sheer facts and computing power, it's vastly "smarter" than we are? Anyone who does so is almost guaranteed to be deceived, unless he also filters the machine's response through his own discernment afterwards. (We should all be doing this with statements from any human authority on any subject, too, by the way. Never subjugate your own reasoning to anyone else's, even if they do know the Lord, but especially if they don't. You have the mind of Christ! 1 Cor 2:16).  Would Eliminating Emotion from the Workplace Actually Be a Good Thing? I can see how one might think that replacing a human being with a machine that optimizes logic, but strips away everything else might seem a good trade, on the surface. After all, we humans (especially these days) aren't very logical, on the whole. Our emotions and desires are usually corrupted by sin. We're motivated by selfishness, greed, pride, and petty jealousies, when we're not actively being renewed by the Holy Spirit (and most of us aren't; even most believers are more carnal than not, most of the time. I don't know if that's always been the case, but it seems to be now). We also are subject to the normal human frailties: we get sick, or tired, or cranky, or hungry, or overwhelmed. We need vacations. We might be distracted by our own problems, or apathetic about the task we've been paid to accomplish. Machines would have none of these drawbacks. But do we really understand the trade-off we're making? We humans have a tendency to take a sliver of information, assume it's the whole picture, and run with it--eliminating everything we think is extraneous, simply because we don't understand it. In our hubris, we don't stop to consider that all the elements we've discarded might actually be critical to function. This seems to me sort of like processed food. We've taken the real thing the way God made it, and tweaked it in a laboratory to make it sweeter, crunchier, more savory, and with better "mouth feel.” It's even still got the same number of macronutrients and calories that it had before. But we didn't understand not only how processing stripped away necessary micronutrients, but also added synthetic fats that contaminated our cell membranes, and chemicals that can overwhelm our livers, making us overweight and simultaneously nutrient depleted. We just didn't know what we didn't know. We've done the same thing with genetically engineered foods. God's instructions in scripture were to let the land lie fallow, and to rotate crops, because the soil itself is the source of micronutrition for the plant. If you plant the same crop in the same soil repeatedly and without a break, you will deplete the soil, and the plants will no longer be as nutritious, or as healthy... and an unhealthy plant is easy prey for pests. But the agriculture industry ignored this; it didn't seem efficient or profitable enough, presumably. Synthetic fertilizer is the equivalent of macronutrients only for plants, so they grow bigger than ever before (much like humans do if they subsist on nothing but fast food), but they're still nutrient depleted and unhealthy, and thus, easy prey for pests. So we added the gene to the plants to make them produce their own glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp. Only glyphosate itself turns out to be incredibly toxic to humans, lo and behold... There are many, many more examples I can think of just in the realm of science, health, and nutrition, to say nothing of our approach to economics, or climate, or many other complex systems. We tend to isolate the “active ingredient,” and eliminate everything we consider to be extraneous… only to learn of the side effects decades later. So what will the consequences be to society if most workers in most professions eventually lack true emotion, empathy, wisdom, and intuition? Finding Purpose in Work There's also a growing concern that AI will take over nearly all jobs, putting almost everyone out of work. At this point, it seems that information-based positions are most at risk, and especially anything involving repetitive, computer-based tasks. I also understand that AI is better than most humans at writing essays, poetry, and producing art. Current robotics is far behind AI technology, though... Elon Musk has been promising self-driving cars in the eminent future for some time, yet they don't seem any closer to ubiquitous adoption now than they were five years ago. "A Brief History of Intelligence" by Max Bennett, published in fall 2023, said that as of the time of writing, robots can diagnose tumors from radiographic imaging better than most radiologists, yet they are still incapable of simple physical tasks such as loading a dishwasher without breaking things. (I suspect this is because the former involves intellectual pattern recognition, which seems to be their forte, while the latter involves movements that are subconscious for most of us, requiring integration of spatial recognition, balance, distal fine motor skills, etc. We're still a very long way from understanding the intricacies of the human brain... but then again, the pace at which knowledge is doubling is anywhere from every three to thirteen months, depending on the source. Either way, that's fast). On the assumption that we'll soon be able to automate nearly everything a human can do physically or intellectually, then, the world's elite have postulated a Universal Basic Income--essentially welfare for all, since we would in theory be incapable of supporting ourselves. Leaving aside the many catastrophically failed historical examples of socialism and communism, it's pretty clear that God made us for good work (Eph 2:10, 2 Cor 9:8), and He expects us to work (2 Thess 3:10). Idleness while machines run the world is certainly not a biblical solution. That said, technology in and of itself is morally neutral. It's a tool, like money, time, or influence, and can be used for good or for evil. Both the Industrial Revolution and in the Information Revolution led to plenty of unforeseen consequences and social upheaval. Many jobs became obsolete, while new jobs were created that had never existed before. Work creates wealth, and due to increased efficiency, the world as a whole became wealthier than ever before, particularly in nations where these revolutions took hold. In the US, after the Industrial Revolution, the previously stagnant average standard of living suddenly doubled every 36 years. At the same time, though, the vast majority of the wealth created was in the hands of the few owners of the technology, and there was a greater disparity between the rich and the poor than ever before. This disparity has only grown more pronounced since the Information Revolution--and we have a clue in Revelation 6:5-6 that in the end times, it will be worse than ever. Will another AI-driven economic revolution have anything to do with this? It's certainly possible.  Whether or not another economic revolution should happen has little bearing on whether or not it will, though. But one thing for those of us who follow the Lord to remember is that we don't have to participate in the world's economy, if we trust Him to meet our needs. He is able to make us abound for every good work (2 Cor 9:8)--which I believe means we will also have some form of work, no matter what is going on in the world around us. He will bless the work of our hands, whatever we find for them to do (Deut 12:7). He will give us the ability to produce wealth (Deut 8:18), even if it seems impossible. He will meet all our needs as we seek His kingdom first (Luke 12:31-32)-and one of our deepest needs is undoubtedly a sense of purpose (Phil 4:19).  We are designed to fulfill a purpose. What about the AI Apocalyptic Fears? The world's elite seem to fall into two camps on how an AI revolution might affect our world--those who think it will usher in utopia (Isaac Asimov's “The Last Question” essentially depicts this), and those who think AI will decide that humans are the problem, and destroy us all. I feel pretty confident the latter won't occur, at least not completely, since neither Revelation nor any of the rest of the prophetic books seem to imply domination of humanity by machine overlords. Most, if not all of the actors involved certainly appear to be human (and angelic, and demonic). That said, there are several biblical references that the end times will be "as in the days of Noah" (Matt 24:27, Luke 17:26). What could that mean? Genesis 6 states that the thoughts in the minds of men were only evil all the time, so it may simply mean that in the end times, mankind will have achieved the same level of corruption as in the antediluvian world. But that might not be all. In Gen 6:1-4, we're told that the "sons of God" came down to the "daughters of men," and had children by them--the Nephilim. This mingling of human and non-human corrupted the genetic line, compromising God's ability to bring the promised seed of Eve to redeem mankind. Daniel 2:43 also reads, "As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they (in the end times) will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay." What is "they," if not the seed of men? It appears to be humanity, plus something else. Chuck Missler and many others have speculated that this could refer to transhumanism, the merging of human and machine. Revelation 13:14-15 is probably the most likely description I can think of in scripture of AI, describing the image of the beast that speaks, knows whether or not people worship the beast (AI facial recognition, possibly embedded into the "internet of things"?), and turns in anyone who refuses to do so. The mark of the beast sure sounds like a computer chip of some kind, with an internet connection (Bluetooth or something like it - Rev 13:17). Joel 2:4-9 describes evil beings "like mighty men" that can "climb upon a wall" and "when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded," and they "enter in at the windows like a thief." These could be demonic and thus extra-dimensional, but don't they also sound like “The Terminator,” if robotics ever manages to advance that far? Jeremiah 50:9 says, "their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; none shall return in vain." This sounds like it could be AI-guided missiles. But the main evil actors of Revelation--the antichrist, the false prophet, the kings of the east, etc, all certainly appear to refer to humans. And from the time that the "earth lease" to humanity is up (Revelation 11), God Himself is the One cleansing the earth of all evil influences. I doubt He uses AI to do it. So, depending upon where we are on the prophetic timeline, I can certainly imagine AI playing a role in how the events of Revelation unfold, but I can't see how they'll take center stage. For whatever reason, it doesn't look to me like they'll ever get that far. The Bottom Line We know that in the end times, deception will come. We don't know if AI will be a part of it, but it could be. It's important for us to know the truth, to meditate on the truth, to keep our eyes focused on the truth -- on things above, and not on things beneath (Col 3:2). Don't outsource your thinking to a machine; no matter how "smart" they become, they will never have true wisdom; they can't. That doesn't mean don't use them at all, but if you do, do so cautiously, check the information you receive, and listen to the Holy Spirit in the process, trusting Him to guide you into all truth (John 16:13). Regardless of how rapidly or dramatically the economic landscape and the world around us may change, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), and faith works through love (Gal 5:6). If we know how much God loves us, it becomes easy to not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God... and then to fix our minds on whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, praiseworthy, or virtuous (Phil 4:6-8). He knows the end from the beginning. He's not surprised, and He'll absolutely take care of you in every way, if you trust Him to do it (Matt 6:33-34). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I used to make all my bread, but then we just got so busy?" If so, this episode is for YOU! Over the years, we have heard many stories about how some were once milling wheat and making bread. Then, other things ended up getting in the way - leaving little to no time for doing the very thing that was giving their bodies the nourishment it needed. And, unfortunately, their health began to suffer because of it. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to "hold fast to what is good," and today, Sue Becker gives a little encouragement and motivation for doing just that. For more information, visit breadbeckers.com. LISTEN NOW and SUBSCRIBE to this podcast here or from any podcasting platform such as, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Alexa, Siri, or anywhere podcasts are played. For more information on the benefits of REAL bread - made from freshly-milled grain, visit our website, breadbeckers.com. Also, watch our video, Only Real Bread - Staff of Life, https://youtu.be/43s0MWGrlT8. Visit our website at https://www.breadbeckers.com/ Follow us on Facebook @thebreadbeckers and Instagram @breadbeckers. *DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast or on our website should be construed as medical advice. Consult your health care provider for your individual nutritional and medical needs. The information presented is based on our research and is strictly that of the author and not necessarily those of any professional group or other individuals. #idleness #busy #summer #summervacation #summeractivities #schoolisout #summerfun #slowdown #doless #takecontrol #controlyourtime #timetorest #busyness #toobusy 

Topics: Rapture, Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13, Luke 17, End Times, Dead in Christ Rise First, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Caught Up, Harpazo, Random Letters Pieced Together, Proof-Texting, Matthew 4, Devil Proof-Texted the Torah, Fear-Based Eschatology, Those Who Have Fallen Asleep, They Will Return With Jesus, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, Dead Will Come From Their Graves, Those Who Have Believed Will Come Back to Life, Idleness, Live Quietly, Work With Your Hands, Return of Jesus, 1 Thessalonians 5, Dates and Times You Don't Need to Know, Thief in the Night, But You are Children of the Light You are Not in Darkness, Destruction of Temple, Jerusalem Surrounded by Armies, Flee for the Mountains, Head for the Hills, Don't go to the City, This Generation Will Not Pass Away, Lawlessness Will Increase, Abomination of Desolation, Pregnant and Nursing Women, Sun Moon and Stars Darkened, Two Men in the Field, Two Women at the Mill, Son of Man Coming in the Clouds, Acts 1, AD70, Over a Million Jews Were Killed, Proof-texting Antichrist and Lawless One, Final Judgment, Sheep From Goats, Christians Judged According to What Christ Has Done, Unbelievers Judged According to What They Have Done, Cremation, Left BehindSupport the Show.Sign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

Dr. Richard Swenson, author of The Overload Syndrome and Margin, writes that… “We must have some room to breathe. We need freedom to think and permission to heal. Our relationships are being starved to death by velocity.”Too many people are physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially overloaded these days. So, we'll look at rest from a biblical perspective today.The Concept of MarginIn his writings, Dr. Richard Swenson introduces the concept of "margin"—essentially, it's the space to take a break before you break down. Many of us feel there's just not enough time, money, or energy left at the end of the day to recuperate, leading us to start the next day at full throttle again. This lifestyle, lacking margin, can have severe physical and financial consequences.Consider sleep, for instance. The Sleep Foundation reports that nearly half of people in the U.S. struggle with sleep, and about one-third of adults sleep less than seven hours each night. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to expensive health issues like diabetes, anxiety, obesity, and heart disease. Additionally, research from Sleep Advisor indicates that over 2 percent of the U.S. GDP is lost due to workers' lack of proper sleep.Working late nights and weekends might seem necessary if you feel like life is moving too fast. However, burning the candle at both ends is ultimately unproductive. Exhaustion leaves no energy for the most important things—your relationships with others and the Lord.Work and Rest: Finding the Right BalanceWhile God calls us to work for our families, His Kingdom, and the community, He also emphasizes the need for rest. Rest is God's idea as much as work is. God rested on the seventh day of Creation—not out of tiredness, but because His work was complete. He blessed that rest and called it holy. The Sabbath, enshrined as one of the Ten Commandments, shows how much God values rest. We need time to be with the Lord, reconnect with loved ones, relax, enjoy God's creation, exercise, breathe deeply, and sleep!Technology enables us to work from anywhere at any time, but that doesn't mean we should. Creating margin in our work means getting enough rest to do our jobs “as unto the Lord” with purpose and energy. Staying late at the office or skipping vacations might make you look diligent, but the stress and broken relationships that follow are too high a price for professional progress.However, it's important to distinguish between proper rest and laziness. Laziness is choosing not to do what you're supposed to or doing the bare minimum. This goes against God's purpose for us, which involves good works. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul advises the church to “…warn those who are idle and disruptive,” implying that inactivity can lead to trouble. The saying “Idle hands are the devil's workshop” is a testament to this idea.The Dangers of IdlenessIn 1 Timothy 5, Paul highlights other dangers of idleness, such as gossiping and leading others into sin. Idleness, unproductiveness, and laziness open the door to harmful habits. Contrarily, Proverbs 31 praises the “woman of noble character” for her hard work in caring for her family, running her business, training her workers, and providing for the poor. Verse 27 confirms that she “does not eat the bread of idleness.”Laziness can also mean spending too much time on unimportant activities like endless scrolling through Instagram or mindlessly shopping online. At its core, laziness is a failure to take care of responsibilities. Paul provides a stern example in 1 Timothy 5:8, stating, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”If laziness tempts you, turn to Jesus in prayer. 1 John 1:9 assures us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”Whether your issue is working too hard or hardly working, it's time to restore the margin in your work and finances. Do your work “as unto the Lord,” as Colossians 3:23 advises. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, find comfort in Jesus' words from Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:Where should I go to find a Certified Kingdom Advisor to get a referral for a godly estate planning attorney?I paid a capital gains tax a few years ago when I sold some stock. Even though my income from my job was below the limit to be taxed at 0% for long-term capital gains, they taxed me on the full capital gains amount as if that was my adjusted gross income. I want to check with my tax preparer since I thought I should have gotten taxed at 0% based on my income that year.Please give me a simplified explanation of a money market account. My new husband and I are considering putting some retirement money into one.Given all the economic uncertainties, does it make sense for someone in their 70s who is still working, with money in a 401k and savings account, to consider spending that money now on something of value like real estate? I'm concerned about the dollar's devaluation and wanted your perspective on proactively spending the money versus letting it sit in investments and seeing what happens.Resources Mentioned:The Overload Syndrome: Learning to Live Within Your Limits by Dr. Richard SwensonMargin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by Dr. Richard SwensonBankrate.comRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

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Topics: 2 Thessalonians, Return of Jesus, Lawless One, Strong Delusion, the Rapture, Matthew 24, Luke 17, Luke 21, Mark 13, Eschatology, Proof-Texting, Protestant Scholastics, John Darby, Plymouth Brethren, Repent the End is Near, Harpazo, Caught Up, 1 Thessalonians 4, The Dead Who Rise First, Cremation, Anti-Christs, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the Rebellion or Apostasy or Falling Away, Nero, Hebrews 6, Galatians 5, John 16, I've Told You These Things So you Do Not Fall Away, Turn Away, 1 Timothy 4:1, In the Last Days, In Accordance With Satan, All Signs and Wonders, Refused to Love the Truth and be Saved, Strong Delusion, Do Not Believe Truth, Pleasure in Unrighteousness, Law Not for the Righteous, 1 Timothy 1:9, Stand Firm in the Truth of the Gospel, Pray for Us to be Delivered from Wicked and Evil Men, The Lord is Faithful He Will Strengthen and Protect You From the Evil One, 2 Thessalonians 3, Idleness and People Not WorkingSupport the Show.Sign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter