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ON this WPN Call #454, Dr. Jim Garlow is joined by movie producer Tim Mahoney. He discusses his new movie The American Miracle–Our Nation is No Accident, which is inspired by New York Times bestselling author Michael Medved’s book of the same title and takes its audience on a journey through some of the most significant events in America’s birth and rise to prosperity and power.

Website: https://americanmiraclemovie.com/

Dr. Jim Garlow has partnered with Pastor Mario Bramnick and Terry Barnes to bring you World Prayer Network (WPN), which seeks out Holy Spirit given strategies for how to be an effective and contagious Christ-follower in our present national situations. WPN hosts weekly prayer calls to seek out strategies for the transformation of nations, including our own. During these live calls, we share briefings from key leaders and then pray into what we see and hear from the Lord.

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“I said in my heart, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.’ But behold, this also was vanity.” — Ecclesiastes 2:1

What happens when someone has the power to indulge in every pleasure the world can offer? In Ecclesiastes, we find one of Scripture’s boldest experiments: a search for lasting joy through earthly delights. The Preacher—often thought to be Solomon—pursues laughter, wine, work, wealth, sex, and success, all in an effort to answer one question: Can pleasure truly satisfy the human soul?

Today, we live in a world that echoes the Preacher’s experiment. “Treat yourself.” “Follow your heart.” “Do what makes you happy.” These aren’t just slogans—they’re mantras for modern living. From the vacations we plan to the gadgets we unbox, we’re told that happiness is just one more swipe, scroll, or splurge away.

But Ecclesiastes challenges that narrative. It forces us to wrestle with a deeper question: What if pleasure doesn’t lead where we think it does?

The Preacher’s pursuit wasn’t careless. It was a deliberate, calculated test. He writes, “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). He built houses, planted vineyards, created lush gardens, hired singers, amassed wealth, surrounded himself with comfort—even concubines.

This wasn’t indulgence for indulgence’s sake. It was a methodical pursuit of happiness. Today, we might say: “If it looked fun, I bought it. If it felt good, I did it.” The experiment was thorough, and the results were heartbreaking.

“Behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind.” — Ecclesiastes 1:14

To picture this, imagine a bag of old receipts. Each one once captured a moment of excitement—a new purchase, a fancy dinner, a spontaneous trip. But now? They’re just scraps. The joy is gone.

That’s exactly what the Preacher realized. Pleasure was never meant to carry the weight of our deepest needs. It promises fulfillment but delivers only fleeting escape. It’s like trying to hold smoke in your hands—real for a moment, then gone.

The Preacher’s story finds a parallel in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. The younger son squandered his inheritance chasing worldly pleasures, only to end up broke and broken. The twist? The Preacher had everything the prodigal son dreamed of—wealth, opportunity, indulgence—and yet he ended up just as empty.

Different paths. Same conclusion.

Here’s the grace in all this: We don’t have to repeat the experiment. The Preacher’s pain can be our wisdom. He’s waving us down from the road ahead, saying, “There’s nothing here. Don’t waste your life chasing shadows.”

That’s a gift. It frees us to reflect:

• What am I turning to when I feel tired or discouraged?
• What “quick fixes” do I reach for without thinking?
• What would it look like to seek joy in God instead?

God is not against pleasure. He is the Creator of joy and the Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). But those gifts were never meant to replace Him. When we look to pleasure as the destination rather than a signpost to the Giver, we miss the point—and our hearts remain restless.

So next time you reach for something to lift your spirits, ask: Is this joy, or just escape? Is this feeding my soul, or simply distracting it?

Ecclesiastes doesn’t just warn—it redirects. It helps us tear down the idol of pleasure and place our hope in a Person, not a product. And that Person—our God—is the only source of joy that doesn’t fade.

At FaithFi, we want to help you explore this truth more deeply. That’s why we created Wisdom Over Wealth, a Bible study on Ecclesiastes that unpacks theme

What do you do when the unfairness of life starts to stack up? Coach Gary Dunker points to the life of Paul to help you find the biblical recipe for making lemonade from life’s lemons.
 

The Word Revealed: Jesus' Power, Provision, and Promise takes you and your discipleship partner through John, chapters 5–6, inviting you to reveal your thoughts to each other and to the people in your world!    

As our thanks for your gift today, you’ll receive two copies—one for you and one for your study/discipleship partner. For your gift of any amount.....

Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.

Recorded live at SXSW, this episode features Clint Phillips, the healthcare entrepreneur who broke a Guinness World Record and is now revolutionizing medicine with AI technology. Clint shares his journey from South African rugby player to treating billionaires in Aspen, and how his daughter's stroke led him to create solutions that could make healthcare "practically free" worldwide.

Discover how Dr. Gabby, an AI doctor, can analyze your health through a 30-second facial scan and provide personalized medical advice 24/7. Learn why Americans take 22 times more drugs than the rest of the world and how technology could change everything.

[Chapters]

00:00 Introduction and SXSW

01:32 Breaking the Guinness World Record for pushing a car

05:11 Sports background and rugby foundation

07:11 South African entrepreneurial mindset

10:01 Meeting world-class entrepreneurs in Aspen

10:29 First business venture and FBI investigation

15:00 Building a dream clinic treating billionaires

18:33 The healthcare crisis in America

19:59 Personal tragedy: daughter's stroke

21:21 Creating Second MD to connect patients with specialists

23:57 Demonstrating the AI health scanning technology

28:09 How the facial scan works and what it reveals

30:00 Dr. Gabby: The world's smartest preventive AI doctor

32:36 Global impact potential and African expansion

34:09 Fighting the $5 trillion healthcare industry

36:02 How AI could help doctors be doctors again

39:01 Biggest challenges: lobby groups and regulation

42:42 Mission work in Zambia: schools, clinics, and Miracle Dam

46:13 How mission trips transformed his marriage

50:54 App download and free access code

Why was Jesus—who healed the sick, raised the dead, and offered mercy—so fiercely rejected? In this episode, Dr. John continues through Luke 20, unpacking Jesus’ confrontation with Israel’s religious leaders and the powerful parable of the tenants. Discover how this story reveals not only the authority of Jesus as the Son of God, but also the deep resistance of those who refused to receive Him.

The King Arrives: Throughout North American history, there have been two main reactions to monarchy: rebellion or apathy. Some believe the Crown should be rejected, while others see it as largely irrelevant. In short, we wrestle with the idea of kingship. But for followers of Christ, acknowledging Jesus as King is not optional—it’s foundational. In this series, Dr. John Neufeld explores Luke 17–20, showing that the Kingship of Jesus is not only central to the Christian faith, but vital for the world.

In this program, Chip gives us three specific action steps for becoming a more loving person. The conclusion comes down to a single sentence, a single attitude, that'll change everything about how you love others. Don't miss it.

Introduction: “What’s going on?”

• One of God’s greatest joys is to see His children love each other.
• A prayer that only you can answer. -John 17
• Paul commands what Jesus prayed. -Philippians 2:1-2

The Platinum Rule:

• “Do unto others as God has already done unto you.”

How to become a more loving person:

1. Choose to declare war on selfishness. -Philippians 2:3
2. Attack the root of the problem… pride -Philippians 2:3
3. Choose to practice humility daily by putting others’ needs and interests ahead of your own. -Philippians 2:4

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Additional Resource Mentions

• "I Choose Joy" Book
• "I Choose Joy" Home Church Study

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